Crave — part 2 (Patreon)

Author's note: Hello my beautiful people! I hope you are all doing well! Here is the second part of the crave. Let me know what you think. Next chapter will be packed with smut! Stay turned!

 The sky was painted in soft hues of pink and orange as the first rays of the sun began to creep over the horizon. Y/N staggered out of the party, her heels clacking unevenly on the pavement as she crossed the still campus. The world felt hazy, a mix of lingering alcohol and the early morning chill waking her up as she made her way toward her dorm.

Reaching her building, Y/N fumbled with her keys, her fingers struggling to find the right one. After several failed attempts to open the door, her patience ran out. “Why won’t this stupid thing just—” she muttered under her breath, tugging at the handle as if sheer willpower would magically unlock it. Nothing.

With a frustrated groan, she gave up, sinking down to the floor in defeat, her back pressed against the door. She let her head fall back against the wood, staring up at the pale sky, wondering why the universe had chosen this moment to mess with her.

“Need some help?”

The deep voice startled her, pulling her from her thoughts. She looked up, and there he was—Harry, standing a few feet away, wearing only a faded hoodie and a pair of sweatpants. No gym bag, no fresh-from-a-workout look—just casual, as if he had gone for an early breakfast. His dark curls were slightly tousled, and his face, framed by the soft morning light, carried an amused expression.

Y/N groaned, inwardly cursing her luck. Of all the people to witness her in this state, it had to be him.

“Not really,” she muttered, though it was clear from her position on the ground that she wasn’t exactly in control of the situation.

Harry took a few steps closer, his lips curving into a small smirk. “Looks like you’re having a bit of trouble.”

“I’m fine,” she replied defensively, but the alcohol made it difficult to sound convincing. Her hair was a mess, her makeup smudged, and her outfit—though daring for the party—suddenly felt too revealing under his gaze.

“Right,” he drawled, clearly unconvinced but not pushing it. “Door giving you a hard time?”

Y/N sighed, glancing at the key still in her hand. “It’s broken or something.”

Harry crouched down beside her, his face now level with hers, that smirk still playing at the edges of his lips. “Or maybe you’re just not using the right key,” he suggested.

“I know how to open my own door,” she said, her voice tinged with irritation, though it didn’t seem to affect him. His amusement only deepened, which, of course, annoyed her even more.

“Let me try.” Without waiting for her response, he gently took the key from her hand and rose to his feet. With one smooth motion, he slid it into the lock and turned. The door clicked open easily, as if mocking her.

Y/N stared at the now open door, feeling both embarrassed and a little betrayed by the lock. “Of course it works for you,” she muttered under her breath, pushing herself up from the floor.

Harry stood back, his arms crossed over his chest, clearly enjoying her frustration. “You’re welcome,” he said, his voice teasing.

She shot him a glare, though it lacked any real bite. “I loosened it for you.”

“Sure you did.” He didn’t even try to hide the amusement in his voice now.

Y/N turned toward the door, eager to escape inside and leave this embarrassing moment behind. “Well, thanks for the help… professor,” she said, the last word coming out almost sarcastically as she stepped into the doorway.

Harry lingered in the doorway, one hand resting against the frame as he studied her. His eyes flickered over her disheveled appearance, his expression softening just slightly, though his amusement never left. “You should get some rest,” he said, his tone gentler now. “You’ve had a long night.”

Y/N paused, her heart skipping a beat at the sudden shift in his demeanor. His voice was still casual, but there was something in his gaze that made her stomach flip—something knowing, like he could see right through the bravado she was putting up. It made her feel exposed in a way that had nothing to do with her revealing outfit.

“Yeah,” she breathed out, nodding. “Good idea.”

For a moment, they stood there, the quiet of the morning wrapping around them, the only sound the faint chirping of birds heralding the new day. Y/N felt her pulse quicken, unsure of what to say or do, feeling entirely too aware of his presence.

Finally, she stepped inside, closing the door behind her, but not before casting one last glance at Harry. He remained where he stood, watching her with that same unreadable expression, his eyes lingering on the door long after it had shut.

Leaning against the inside of her door, Y/N let out a shaky breath. Her heart was still racing, her mind replaying the way Harry had looked at her, the way his voice had softened just before she left. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t seem to shake the effect he had on her.

And now, more than ever, she knew she was in deep.

The following Monday, Y/N found herself seated in Harry’s lecture hall, her notebook open but her mind far from the lesson. Her thoughts kept drifting back to that early morning encounter by her dorm, the memory of Harry’s smirk lingering in her mind. It was as if something had shifted between them that night—something subtle but undeniable.

As Harry spoke, his voice had a magnetic quality that seemed to wrap around her, pulling her in despite her best efforts to focus on the content. He exuded a quiet confidence, the kind that commanded attention without demanding it. His words rolled off his tongue smoothly, effortlessly, and Y/N found herself watching the way his lips moved as he spoke, the rise and fall of his tone.

She hadn’t meant to stare. But when she glanced up, she caught his eyes on her, just for a second. Her heart skipped a beat. His gaze was dark, intense, and there was a flicker of something beneath the surface, something knowing.

Y/N quickly looked down at her notebook, her pulse racing. Had he noticed? The heat crept up her neck, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. She tried to steady her breathing, tried to focus on the lecture, but it was impossible to shake the awareness that settled between them.

Over the next few days, it only got worse. She would catch him glancing in her direction, and each time, it was like a silent acknowledgment of the growing tension. Neither of them said anything, but it hung in the air, a charged current that neither could ignore.

Then came the invitation.

Y/N was gathering her things after class when Harry approached her, his usual composed demeanor firmly in place. “Y/N,” he said, his voice casual but with an edge that made her pulse quicken. “Can you stop by my office later? There’s something I’d like to discuss regarding your last assignment.”

Her breath caught in her throat. His tone was professional, but something about the way he looked at her—dark eyes lingering just a second too long—made her stomach flip. She nodded, trying to appear composed. “Of course.”

Later that afternoon, Y/N found herself standing outside his office door. She hesitated for a moment, her hand hovering over the doorknob. Her heart was pounding, but she tried to push the nervous energy aside. It’s just an assignment, she reminded herself. Nothing more.

Taking a deep breath, she knocked lightly before entering.

Harry was seated behind his desk, reading over a stack of papers. He glanced up when she entered, his expression unreadable, though there was a slight curl to his lips as he motioned for her to sit. “Y/N. Glad you could make it.”

She sat down, her nerves on edge as she watched him shuffle through some notes. The air between them felt thick, and even though his tone remained professional, there was something unspoken simmering just below the surface.

“I wanted to talk to you about your essay,” Harry began, leaning back in his chair as he held up a sheet of paper. “There are some areas I think you could improve on.”

Y/N nodded, her throat dry. She tried to focus on what he was saying, but her mind kept wandering. The way he was sitting, so casual and yet so in control, the way his eyes never left hers for too long before flicking back to his notes. Every small gesture, every word, felt laced with a deeper meaning.

At one point, Harry stood and walked over to the shelf behind him, selecting a book. “I think this might help clarify some of the concepts you struggled with,” he said, handing it to her.

Y/N reached out to take it, but as their hands brushed, she felt a jolt of electricity shoot through her. His hand lingered on hers for just a moment too long, his fingers warm against her skin. She looked up, her breath catching in her throat, and saw the way his eyes darkened, his gaze locked on hers.

The moment stretched, filled with unspoken tension.

“Thank you,” she managed to murmur, her voice barely above a whisper as she pulled the book toward her, trying to ignore the rapid thudding of her heart.

Harry’s lips curved into a faint smile. “Let me know if you need any further clarification,” he said, his voice lower, almost suggestive.

Y/N quickly gathered her things, feeling like the air in the room had grown too thick to breathe. “I will,” she said, her voice tight, before standing and leaving the office as quickly as possible.

As soon as the door shut behind her, she leaned against the wall, her heart racing in her chest. What had just happened in there? The interaction had been professional on the surface, but beneath it, something much darker and more intense had stirred. She could still feel the ghost of his touch on her skin, still hear the subtle innuendos hidden in his words.

Her thoughts were consumed with Harry now, making it impossible to focus on anything else. She saw him everywhere—in class, in the library, in the quiet corners of the campus. Each time their eyes met, the tension only grew, building toward something dangerous, something they both knew they should resist.

But resisting was becoming harder by the day.

Late one evening, Y/N found herself in the library, the quiet space nearly deserted. She was trying to study, trying to keep her thoughts on anything but him, but it was useless. His presence seemed to linger in every shadow, every flicker of movement in the corner of her eye.

And then, she saw him.

Harry, standing at the far end of the aisle, his tall figure barely visible between the rows of books. He wasn’t looking at her, but somehow, she knew he had noticed her. The air around them seemed to crackle with unspoken tension, the dark attraction that had been simmering for weeks coming to a boil.

For a moment, neither of them moved, the distance between them feeling smaller than it actually was. Y/N’s pulse quickened, her body responding instinctively to the danger of the situation. She should leave. She should walk away before anything happened. But her feet remained planted to the ground, her body drawn toward him like a magnet.

Harry’s gaze finally met hers, and in that moment, everything else fell away.

Y/N’s breath hitched as their eyes met across the quiet library. For a second, she felt frozen, her mind racing with thoughts she didn’t want to acknowledge. But Harry didn’t look away. Instead, he slowly made his way toward her, his movements unhurried, as if he had all the time in the world.

As he got closer, Y/N’s heart pounded louder in her chest, but she kept her gaze steady, refusing to let him see how much he was affecting her. He finally stopped in front of her, the air between them humming with tension.

“Late night studying?” he asked, his voice low, but laced with amusement.

Y/N gave a small shrug, trying to appear unfazed by his presence. “Something like that,” she replied, her tone light, though her pulse was racing. “What about you? Can’t sleep?”

Harry’s lips curled into a slow smirk. “You could say that.” His gaze flicked down briefly, taking in her body as she leaned against the bookshelf, before returning to her eyes. “Though, I think it’s more about the company than the hour.”

Her stomach fluttered at the insinuation, but she raised an eyebrow, trying to keep her composure. “Is that so? Funny, I didn’t realize the library was such a social spot.”

He chuckled softly, the sound deep and rumbling in his chest. “It’s not. But I’m not exactly here for the books.” His words were smooth, effortless, and filled with a dangerous kind of charm that made her feel both excited and on edge.

Y/N’s lips twitched, a teasing smile forming as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Then what are you here for, Professor?” She put an extra emphasis on the last word, knowing exactly what she was doing.

Harry’s eyes darkened slightly, his expression shifting from playful to something more intense, but the smirk never left his face. “That depends.”

The way he said it, so casually, so confident, sent a shiver down her spine. It felt like they were dancing around something unspoken, something neither of them would admit out loud, but it was right there, hanging between them.

Y/N’s heart raced, but she tilted her head, meeting his challenge head-on. "Perhaps you're seeking someone who can truly challenge you," she suggested, her voice a mix of softness and daring. she said, her voice soft but daring. “After all, it must get boring being the smartest person in the room all the time.”

Harry’s smirk deepened, his eyes gleaming with amusement. “I do enjoy a challenge,” he admitted, his voice lowering just a fraction. “But I think you already knew that.”

There was a beat of silence, the air between them crackling with tension. Y/N could feel her pulse thudding in her throat, her body responding to his words in ways she didn’t want to acknowledge. She could walk away right now, put an end to this before it went any further—but the pull between them was too strong, too intoxicating.

She gave him a sly smile, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Well, I wouldn’t want to make things too easy for you, now would I?”

Harry’s gaze never wavered from hers, the corner of his mouth lifting into a half-smile that made her stomach flip. “You’ve never been the easy type, have you?”

Her breath caught at the double meaning in his words, the subtle challenge in his tone. She swallowed, her heart racing. “I guess you’ll just have to keep up, then.”

He let out a low, almost approving hum. “Oh, I intend to.”

The weight of his words hung in the air, thick with the promise of something dangerous, something that neither of them could deny. Y/N felt her body heat up, her skin tingling under his gaze. She couldn’t help but bite her lower lip, a move that didn’t go unnoticed by Harry. His eyes darkened further, his jaw tightening ever so slightly.

He took a step closer, his voice barely above a whisper now, though it sent a jolt of electricity down her spine. “You’re playing with fire, Y/N.”

Her breath hitched at the way he said her name, the sound of it on his lips sending a thrill through her. But she refused to back down. "Perhaps I find the heat... intriguing," she replied, her voice low and tinged with daring.

A low chuckle escaped him, his eyes gleaming with something darker, more primal. “Careful what you wish for,” he murmured, his voice like velvet, laced with warning and promise.

Y/N swallowed hard, her heart thudding in her chest as she held his gaze. There was something magnetic about him, something dangerous that drew her in despite every warning bell going off in her head. She should walk away, leave before this went too far—but standing here, inches away from him, she found it nearly impossible to move.

Finally, she tore her eyes away, breaking the moment just long enough to catch her breath. “I should get back to my… studying,” she said, though her voice sounded breathless even to her own ears.

Harry didn’t move, but the smirk remained on his lips, his gaze never leaving her. “Of course. Wouldn’t want to keep you from your work.”

But there was no mistaking the challenge in his tone, the silent dare that hung between them.

With one last glance, Y/N turned and walked away, her legs feeling like jelly beneath her as she made her way down the aisle. She could still feel his eyes on her, burning into her back as she disappeared into the rows of books. And even as she left the library, her mind was spinning, her body still tingling from the charged interaction.

This was getting dangerous.