Happy Valentine's Day!

So this is an actual romance one-shot, at least compared to the two previous ones. Despite being very inexperienced in this field, I enjoyed writing this and it wasn't as hard as it looked. So here it is: one-shot 3/7.

I am not British, but I did my best to keep the vocabulary mostly British sounding. If I failed spectacularly at this, or if anyone has any useful suggestions, I am open to criticism. I did manage to restrain myself from saying "soccer", though, and I am proud of that. And are all apartments called "flats", or is that a special term or something?

Story takes place during Deathly Hallows.

Disclaimer: I do not own Dudley, Petunia, Vernon, the "weird redheads that appeared in their fireplace a few years back", or anything else that I do not own. All rights to their respective owners.

Enjoy!

The Girl Next Door

The flat the ministry gave them was small compared to their old house.

The building had two flats in it - both with only two bedrooms and a living room. The Dursleys were given the flat on the right, and a brother and sister owned the one of the left.

During the car ride over, Dudley had promised himself he wouldn't complain. But he couldn't help himself when the reality of where they were be living sunk in.

"But it's so small," he whined. His mom gave him an apologetic look.

"I know," she said, wrapping her arm around him. "But it will work for now, won't it Vernon?"

"I still don't understand-" his father started.

"Won't it, Vernon?" Petunia repeated.

"Of course it will."

So Dudley tried to make it work. He did. And so did his father.

But he had been spoiled, and even knowing that it was hard to adjust. His parents promised him that once his father had found a job as nice as the one he was forced to leave, they would find better accommodations. But that just wasn't happening.

The fateful knock came about a week later.

"I'll get it," his mother said from the kitchen, putting her cleaning rag down. "Can you turn the Telly down a little?"

Vernon gave a grunt in response, but a second later the volume went down.

"Hello," Petunia greeted, faking a warm smile.

"Hello," an unfamiliar feminine voice replied. "I'm Janet. I live in the flat next door with my brother. I heard your new to this area?"

"We just moved here last week. I'm Petunia, and over here is my husband Vernon and my son Dudley. Would you like to come in?"

"Sure," Janet replied. She walked through the door, and Petunia closed it behind here.

Janet looked to be about Dudley's age, maybe a little younger. She was dressed casually with a football team jacket. Her fizzy brown hair was tied back into a ponytail, with several strands down around her face. Her brown eyes had an almost golden glow to them.

"Are those cookies?" Dudley's father asked. Dudley hadn't noticed the small pan in the crook of Janet's arm. His stomach rumbled.

"Yes they are," Janet replied with a short, barky laugh. "Would you like some? They're an old family recipe." Janet flopped down onto the couch and put the pan on the coffee table. For a moment she fought with the lid, and Dudley noticed a couple of bracelets on her wrist. One was a beautiful blue-silver with a bird charm, and another had a football dangling from a black-and-white chain.

"I'm guessing you like football," Dudley commented.

"I like to kick a ball around," Janet replied with a shrug. "So where are you from?"

Janet stayed for about an hour, mostly talking with Petunia. They didn't have much in common, but Janet knew the area and had many recommendations.
As they talked, Dudley didn't pay much attention but he did notice a couple of things about Janet. For one, she laughed a lot and loudly. Another was that she constantly fidgeted with the bird charm. But the biggest thing Dudley noticed was that the cookies were definitely store bought.

"Is it safe to have that thing inside?" Vernon asked, eyeing the football as if it was a dangerous creature. He and Dudley were leaving for a shopping trip for school clothes. Petunia was out gossiping with another mom she had met, and she said she would be back shortly. But Petunia tended to get carried away, and Dudley desperately needed more clothes.

"No," Janet replied. She was doing that kicky thing where the ball was constantly in the air, and she didn't take her eyes of the ball.

"So why do you have it inside?" Vernon asked.

"Well I can't go outside," Janet replied. "It's raining."

"So, Dudley," Petunia started. "Martha's mum says Martha really likes you."

"Does she now?" Dudley asked as he dug into his breakfast.

"Yes, and I was thinking that you're 17 now, and you know I met Vernon when I was 16."

"Where are you going with this?"

"Have you ever thought of asking Martha out?"

"WHAT? NO!"

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Hello, Janet," Petunia said as she opened the door. Both Dudley and Vernon looked up - Janet had made it a habit to avoid them as much as possible, to Vernon's delight.

"Mrs. Dursley," Janet said. "I'm very sorry about this, but I was outside kicking my ball around and-" Dudley could feel the blood pressure rise in Vernon "-I may have hit your car."

"WHAT!" Vernon demanded.

"Sorry," Janet squeaked.

"Seriously, Dudley, I think Martha would be perfect for you," Petunia said.

"And seriously, Mum, I don't like her." Dudley replied.

Dudley had never met anyone who could stand up to Vernon's glare (except maybe those weird redheads that appeared in their fireplace a few years back).

But Janet just glared back. And she almost looked scarier, with her arms crossed and her foot on the ball.

Dudley decided to run before the two of them exploded.

"Mu-um," Dudley complained. Martha didn't look much happier about Petunia's comment. Stewart and Richard were cracking up.

"We're not a couple, Mrs Dursley," Martha added.

"I've told you that," Dudley gritted through his teeth.

It was a rare day that the sky wasn't falling on Britain, so Dudley decided to do his homework outside.

Janet was outside, as she always was when it was possible to be outside, kicking a football around. Dudley couldn't help it be mesmerized by how fluid she was - zigging back and forth in the grass.

"Does that girl ever comb her hair?" Martha's mom commented from behind Dudley. It was loud enough for Janet to hear, but she didn't even flinch. Dudley did. He had never listened in on his mum's gossip sessions before, and he was starting to realize how brutal they were.

"Anyways, it's about time for dinner, and I promised you I'd teach you that recipe." The two rocking chairs squeaked as Martha's mum and Petunia stood.

"That you did," Petunia agreed. "But first, let me show you..." their voices faded away, leaving Dudley to some peace and quiet.

Janet looked up for the first time since the moms came out and scowled at their backs.

"How did you put up with that?" It took Dudley a moment to realize she was talking to him.

"They're family," he replied. "Or at least Mum is."

"And I thought my brother was bad," Janet answered, walking over to where Dudley was sitting. "What are you working on?"

"Maths." Janet made a face and Dudley couldn't help but laugh. "I take it you're not a maths person?"

"Not a school person in general," Janet replied. "But maybe that's cause I have rotten teachers."

"What do you like? I mean, besides football."

"Nothing really. Except food. And sleep."

"You want to play professionally?"

"I don't know what I want to do." Janet toed the ball.

"Me neither. I don't think most kids our age do."

"They all seem like they do. Well, except for your friends. They're idiots."

"Hey!"

"I mean, they're lovable idiots, but they're still idiots."

"They're not - I mean, they're not genius but they're not that stupid."

"Yeah..."

"Seriously Mum," Dudley complained. "I don't like anyone. Especially not Martha."

"Maybe you should ask her out anyways," Petunia suggested. "And find love on the way. But you do need a date for this upcoming event."

"Why?" Dudley sighed.

"Because it's a dating event," Petunia replied.

"Why do I even have to go?" Dudley whined. "I'm old enough to stay home alone."

"But there many admirable people going, and they all would love to meet you. Don't you want to come and make our family look good?"

"Fine. I'll find a date. Just not Martha."

"Dudley," Vernon called. "Come here."

Dudley groaned. It had been a rough day at school. Richard and Stewart had apparently grown tired of Dudley, and teamed up with Thomas, Dudley's high school nemesis, to embarrass him all day. On top of that, he flunked the first test he actually felt confident about. And after all that, his mother pestered him for a good ten minutes about having a date - not that that was possible after Thomas's stunt that day. He really didn't want to deal with anything else.

"Coming," Dudley groaned, rolling off of his bed.

"What is this?" Vernon asked, holding up a piece of paper - the test Dudley flunked.

"A test," Dudley grumbled.

"I thought you said you passed this one," Vernon asked.

"I thought I did," Dudley replied.

"Now boys," Petunia interrupted. "You both had a rough day today. Perhaps we should talk about this when you're feeling better."

"You can't tell us you passed something you didn't," Vernon grumbled.

"I told you I thought I passed it," Dudley explained. "I never said it was graded."

"Well you should know when you don't do good on something."

"Vernon, Dudley is just as shocked as we are. But he did his best and we agreed that that was enough. This move has been rough on all of us - we can't expect it not show in his grades."

"We've been here for a month! He should be doing just fine!"

"Well you're not! You've been getting angrier and angrier the longer you've been here. It's no wonder you can't get a better job when you keep acting like the world is out to get you."

"Dudley! You're father is trying to support us."

"The world is out it get me! First it was your strange uncle, then that boy we had to take in, and now this stupid move! All because your aunt was a little weird!"

"Vernon!"

"Well I've been just as effected by that as you have! I'm seventeen! I shouldn't have to worry about witches and wizards, or, or the fact that for a while we were in the path of some crazy lord or whatever. I just want a normal life, in my normal room with my normal friends! But you don't see me taking it out on everyone."

"Boys, take a deep breaths and CALM DOWN!" Petunia looked like she was about to explode herself with her shoulders up to ears.

Vernon huffed and stormed off into his room. Dudley turned around a stomped out of the flat.

It was raining outside, in that very light way that felt more like pins-and-needles than actual water. The grass was wet and slippery, but Janet was still out kicking her ball around.

She was covered in mud from her shoes to her knees, and her hair seemed even messier than usual, but there was something graceful about the way she moved.

Dudley unintentionally slammed the door behind him, and Janet glanced over.

"You okay?" She asked, jogging up to the porch. Dudley slumped down on the step - his favorite place in the building.

"I'm fine," he lied.

"I know we're not good friends," Janet replied. "But if there's something you want to talk about, I'm here." She sat down next to him and picked the mud-and-grass-covered ball up.

"I'm fine," Dudley repeated. "Just got into an argument with my dad."

"Oh," Janet answered. "Well, take your time. Outside is always a great place to blow off steam."

"Is that what you're doing?" Dudley asked. Janet smiled.

"Something like that." She stood and held out her hand. "Would you like to join me?"

"I don't know how to..." Dudley searches for the right word, gesturing towards the football. "Sport." Janet laughed.

"That's fine. I'll teach you."

Dudley collapsed on the step.

"That was exhausting," he commented.

"But you feel a lot better now, don't you?" Janet asked. Dudley nodded.

"I'm going to go grab something to drink," Janet said, dropping the ball down. "Want something?"

"Yes please." Janet smiled, jogged up the steps, and disappeared into the building.

Dudley had never felt so exhausted, but he was surprised to find that he did feel a lot better. He still felt frustrated with his dad, but he didn't feel so stressed with everything else. It was like all the tension in his body just left.

Janet reappeared a minute later, two water bottles in her hand. Dudley graciously took one and gulped down half of it in about a second.

"Thank you," he finally said, recapping the bottle.

"Well, you seem thirsty," Janet replied. She was fidgeting with the bird charm on her bracelet.

"What's that?" Dudley asked, gesturing to it. Janet looked down for a moment, as if she was unaware she was playing with it.

"It's a family heirloom," she explained. "One of the only things I have left of my mom."

"What happened to her?"

"She and my dad died in a fire when I was twelve."

"Oh."

"Yeah..." Janet looked away, a dreamy expression on her face. After a couple of seconds, she looked back at Dudley. "Anyways, this bracelet has been passed down for generations. It's unbreakable. It's survived a fire, a car wreck, being stolen three times, and who knows what else. It's very odd."

"Odd?"

"Yeah, not something your parents would like. But it's all I have left of mine." Janet sighed, took a sip of water, and stood. "Anyways, you ready to keep going?"

"Uh-huh," Dudley replied, forcing his tired legs to stand. "If I can move." Janet laughed.

"Come on, we didn't even do that much," she stated.

"For you, maybe," Dudley muttered.

"Hey, no whining," Janet replied, giving Dudley a fake stern look. Dudley smiled.

"Course not," he said. That's when a thought occurred to him. "Hey, Janet?"

"That is my name."

"My mum's forcing me to go to this dating event, and I don't have a date yet. I was wondering if maybe you would..."

"Go with you?" Janet raised an eyebrow.

"Yes."

"I would love to."