Chance Meeting.
It was the summer after my sixth year in Hogwarts. Molly and I were out shopping in downtown london. I saw this man sitting under the fountain. I liked his look. He was a bit larger, but I like that. He looked to be in his mid thirties. He was blonde my favorite hair colour. My sister caught me staring and gave me a nudge.
"well if you're going to stare you might as well ask him to join us." She gave me a nudge toward the man. Molly has always known my taste in men, she has always, known that I like them a bit older, and larger, and of course blonde. There was something familiar about this one, I just couldn't put my finger on it. I walked over to him.
I made sure that I was in full flirt mode. I wanted him to know exactly what I was asking, "Hello, Sir, I'm Lucy and this is my sister Molly would you like to join us for a hamburger at that place, uh, you know the American one?"
He nodded, "Yeah, I could go for a burger." he got up, and we all walked toward the burger place.
"So," I started, "Where do you work?"
"Oh, I am a manager at a firm called Grunnings. We make drills." he stated quickly, almost as though he was ashamed, "my father used to work there as well." he said, and I could swear I heard anger in his voice.
"Did you get along with your father?" I asked, trying to figure out the riff.
He looked up at me, and shook his head, "Not recently, we did when I was younger. But that was back when I agreed blindly with every single thing he said. I have learned that he was wrong in a lot of ways, so I don't much get along with him anymore."
"Oh," I said, "Care to tell me what?"
"Not really, you wouldn't understand." he said with more than a hint of sadness, "Hey, there's this guy, my cousin, you see? He left a long time ago and, I lost contact with him. Have you heard the name? It's Harry Potter?"
"When did you stop believing in magic?" I asked.
He gave me this knowing look "I never stopped believing"
Molly and I shared a glance. I now knew who this was, "uh, yes I know him, he is my uncle, you see?" he married, my aunt seventeen years ago."
"Oh, really?!" he was obviously shocked, "he married that girl, Hermione? Right?"
Molly and I both burst out laughing. That was the funniest thing since puking pastilles!
He was confused, "what's so funny?" he asked accusingly.
"Hermione's our other aunt!" I said between giggles.
"there's no way Harry and Hermione would get together!" Molly said making her first appearance.
"Oh, then who did he marry?"
"Ginny Weasley!" I said, it was common knowledge after all. "The girl he saved from the chamber of secrets!"
"OH!" he said, like he finally understood, "Her! I always though he and Hermione would get together. He wrote quite fondly of her."
what was this guy talking about? "He wrote quite fondly of her? I thought you two didn't exchange letters?"
He blushed, "No we didn't, I, uh, read his diary."
That was cause for another round of laughter.
The lunch was quite fun. We all had a fabulous time. After the lunch, however, Duddly had to leave. He gave me his number and told me to call him and maybe we could do it again. He whispered into my ear at the end of this, "without your sister." I blushed bright red, I'm sure!
A week later we met again for lunch and a movie. It was aw some. We ate lunch at a nice Italian restaurant that had amazing Alfredo, and went to see a movie, it was something about big blue aliens, Dudly said it was a third sequel to the original movie, Avatar, which was amazing when it came out.
We talked of all things magical and muggle. At the end of the date he gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. Oh how mad my dad would be if he found out the "boy" I was seeing was actually a man. We went our separate ways for the night.
We met once a week for things like movies or bowling, and always a meal, where we talked for much longer than strictly necessary. We never did more than kiss.
About three weeks before school started back up, he asked me to do him a favor.
"Lucy, dear, would you do me a small favor?"
"What is it dud?" I asked, I had no clue what he wanted, though what he asked didn't surprise me at all.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a letter, "would you mind delivering this to Harry for me?"
I smiled, and nodded slightly.
So the next day I went to my uncle Harry's house.
I knocked on the door, and the sweetest little girl in my family answered, "Hello, Lily, I your dad home?" I asked politely, the the soon-to-be first year.
She nodded, "Come, in. he's in the study, working on some potion." I'll ask mummy if it's ok to disturb him.
"okay sweetheart."
a few minutes I saw my only, non-red-headed, uncle coming down the stairs towards me, "Hello, Lucy, to what do I owe this pleasure?" He asked, coming into the parlor and giving me a hug.
"I have a letter for you!" I said.
He looked a little confused. "Who couldn't just send it on their own? A Muggle?" he asked.
"You'll see." I said mischievously.
Harry opened the letter and read the whole thing.
The meeting between harry and Duddly was uncomfortable for all. At least at first, but by the end we were all comfortable and all was well in the world.
After the dinner, Harry and I left together and Duddly went to go home.
Before we dissaparated, harry looked at me, "Lucy, dear, I'm not going to tell your father, but do be careful."