The girl and the boy that no one thought would find each other did, because in this world fairytales don't happen the way you expect them to.
The girl and the boy hated each other. The disdain could merely be traced to the fact that they were different genders, but it was there none the less. He was strong, male, going to Hogwarts and she was small, female and dreaming of Beaubatons. They were different, explicitly so.
So they grew.
The next time he saw her, he had changed. His body had filled out and now he could capture girls with a smirk - and oh! how he loved to. He was the life of the party, but he was lost. He would see the girls who lusted after him and wish, just once that they would stay despite his not letting them. Their eyes never truly met his and his soul remained untouched. Reminding him that though he may be desired, he was as unwanted as they came.
While the girl had suddenly ceased to be a girl, had changed and grown lovely and become the focus of every eye. Become, in a sense, the kind of girl people said was probably vain, and was probably cruel, and was growing far too quickly, and who should probably be ashamed. Words that appeared until she'd wanted to run away. Reminding her that she could be as pretty as she liked, but she was still inadequate.
He saw her though. Eyes too wide and scared, picking her younger brother up from the train and he wonders how he could ever forget that the Weasley's had another cousin, especially one so lovely. And then she was there, her accent endearing, beaming at his mother and stating that it's been 'too, too long since I 'ave seen you, no?' and he thinks that yes, yes it has and where has she been? and if she didn't mind could she please not leave.
But she goes whispering some hurried excuse about getting back in time for dinner, and he turns back to his friends, back to reality and not the world in his mind in which he got to taste those red, red lips. The girls with only desire in their mind glare at the spot she stood in and he wants to turn to them, filled with anger, and state that where she stood should be worshipped. But he doesn't. He plays along as his friends joke about 'shagging Victoire's little sister' but he knows that if they touch her, he'll end up fighting them.
When she lies in bed at home and her mind keeps flashing pictures of blonde hair and blue eyes and that smile that could light up the sky. And she knows that all she wants is for him to keep smiling, but really, she doesn't even know if he noticed her, and isn't that the boy who used to pull her hair when she was little? And she wishes she had spoken to him and not just his mother, but she called her name and she couldn't run away. Besides, she's been using French for far too long, this is the first summer she's come back since she was 11 and now she's 17 and she's forgotten how to talk to anyone outside her family.
Louis notices how they act and there's a Potter/Weasley get together barbecue that's pretty open to anyone who is friends with one of them. So he tells James to invite his friend because he's sick of the dreamy look in his sisters eye and he thinks he knows how he can fix it.
Her friends couldn't come over from France and she knows that the cousins feel distant from her because she didn't go to Hogwarts with them so she's stood at the get together on her own. She was with Louis, but then Hugo came so she left them to it. Victoire stayed with her for a while, but in the end Teddy took her focus away. Her parents are with the others, but she's okay. The girl with the golden hair is used to being alone, because no one likes you when you are beautiful without being cruel.
He sees her sat though, and he'd like to say that he wasn't looking for her amongst the cousins but who's he kidding really? He's avoided Roxanne and her glances because he knows she thinks she loves him, but she doesn't and he's told her but she will not leave him alone. Secretly, he worries that she's seen the glances (she has, of course) and if she'll know about his past, and isn't it ironic that the think that used to make him so happy could be something that ruins what he truly wants?
She smiles up at him and he wants to speak and tell her everything but nothing he has to offer seems to be beautiful enough to fit her. The silence around her does though, and though he hears the conversations from the party she has been watching, it seems so far away that he almost thinks he can't hear any of it. He stares. He wishes he wasn't such an idiot around her because he's sure it isn't the way to make her fall madly in love with him.
"I was wondering when you would come 'ere." The humor in her accented voice pulls him away from his spell and again he thinks that maybe she just sees through him without even trying. "Are you sitting down wiz me?"
And he sits. He can't imagine doing anything else in this moment because she is there and that means that it is where he wants to be. Again he wonders what her red, red lips taste like because he's seen strawberries like them and he's certain that right now it's his favourite fruit.
"I think we should be introduced again, no? Eet 'as been so long since I was back 'ere for very long." She holds a hand out to him, her smile dancing across lips he's dying to kiss.
"Umm, Lorcan. Scamander." He shakes her hand and wishes that he could be his usual smooth self around her and not such an idiot.
She's not sure why he's there, but all she can see are blue eyes but he isn't smiling the way she loved and she worries that maybe he doesn't see her like she sees him. But she's happy with him there, and for once the lovely girl that people expect to be so, so much more feels less like an outsider and less alone, and well, isn't that worth it in itself?
"Well zen Lorcan Scamander, it ees a pleasure to meet you again." She giggled and he smiles finally.
Through the entire day they would sit together. Victoire would smile because she recognises the way Teddy looks at her on Lorcan's face, Roxanne would scowl because of course Dominique would come home and spoil everything, Rose would glare and think that maybe she could help come up with revenger because Roxanne was her best friend after all, Luna would state that she knew all along of course, Bill would think of the many threats to give the boy who loved his youngest daughter and Louis, he would beam because wasn't this his plan in the first place.
And the girl and boy would find a place between inadequacy and perfection and call it their home. In this world, fairytales don't happen the way you think they will, but the girl and boy did find each other and after all, isn't that what counts?