A Streak of Light

The lively banquet came to an end. The laughing Ghost Troupe quietly sank into the floor, the professors left through the side exits, and the young wizards, bellies bulging, returned in groups to their respective house dormitories under the prefects' guidance. The entire Castle gradually fell silent.

Loren emerged from the washroom, lips pressed together as the fresh orange flavor of toothpaste lingered on his tongue. The others in the dormitory had already finished washing up and were lying in bed with their eyes wide open. It looked as though none of them would be sleeping anytime soon.

He had no intention of turning in early either. He planned to take out The Book of Abraham and have a look.

Stay up late. Stay up really late!

"Can I ask you something?"

Ron's faint voice suddenly came from the neighboring bed. Half sitting up, he turned to watch Loren lift the covers and climb into bed, looking somewhat awkward. "You don't have to answer if it makes you uncomfortable."

"Go ahead..."

"After the banquet ended, you and Hermione were the first to leave the Great Hall, but you were the last one to return to the dormitory..." Ron chose his words carefully. He knew it was a private matter and felt a little embarrassed asking. "Did you go on a date?"

"Of course not. We went to Astronomy evening study."

"..."

Ron glanced at the pitch-black sky outside the window and instinctively took that as a yes. After staring blankly in thought for several minutes, his gaze gradually became confused. "Loren, Harry, do you think I'm weird?"

"Why would you ask that?"

"Normal couples usually avoid being seen when they go on dates," Ron said quietly. It was a question he had kept bottled up for quite some time, and