Written for my own 335 Pairing Bonanza Challenge (3/335 - Summerby/Fay Dunbar

Independent Woman

Some days Andrew wished he'd fallen for someone who was more open to affection. He wanted someone who would respond to his kisses, not roll her eyes and tell him kissing was overrated. He wanted someone who liked spontaneous gifts, not someone who thought he was trying to bribe her.

In fact, sometimes he just wanted to have fallen for a girl who liked being in a relationship.

"Girl? I'm nineteen years old. I am not a girl!" She stood facing him, hands on hips and her face red. In a moment her foot would start tapping and he would break out into a grin at the red-faced woman in front of him.

Merlin, he loved her.

"Sorry," he said, biting back a laugh.

She hmph'd, but didn't say anything. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her smile. She always seemed to be angry or upset over something. Mostly, it was the world and society that caused such distress for her. Even in the wizarding world people weren't always fair and just, expecting that as soon as they finished school they'd either marry and have ten children or find a job they were happy with and stay with it for life.

Andrew didn't mind such options, but apparently for Fay, it did not sit well.

"Why can't we all just be slobs?" she asked one day, throwing her hands up like the answer was simple. "Why isn't it right for us to sit around and do nothing? Or why do I have to have children? What if I don't want children? What if I don't want to get married? Why isn't it acceptable for me to work in some Muggle café?"

Andrew could only sit and stare wide-eyed at his outspoken girlfriend. He'd invited her over for dinner but all she'd done was rant about the world. Why was it that he loved her so much when she was so vocal about everything? How was it that the other girls put up with her in their dormitory for seven years?

How was it that every time he saw her he just wanted her more and more?

She was looking at him expectantly, and gathering himself, he said, "Er, I don't know. Do you want to… work in a Muggle café?"

"No, but I'd like the option without society glaring at me."

There were many times he just wished he was back at Hogwarts playing Quidditch again. He'd taken on the Seeker position reluctantly (who wanted to just be the replacement of someone who'd been loved by everyone?) but he had come into his own. Some days, he wondered what it would be like to not have Fay in his life.

When he tried to picture it, there wasn't much that made him happy.

There was no denying that she was mostly independent. She didn't need him – not really – and sometimes he felt quite useless being around her. She certainly wasn't the type of girl to ask him where he was or what he was doing every five minutes. If he said he was going out she would merely shrug and tell him to have fun. Asking what time he'd be home would even be nice once in a while, but it never happened.

He and his friends has found a few places in Diagon Alley they liked to hang out, and mostly all he heard was them complaining about their partners. Andrew hated thinking this way, but there wasn't really much about Fay he had to complain about apart from the fact that she showed no interest in his whereabouts… ever.

Then when he returned home he would discover that she had spent the day shopping… by herself.

"You know," she said one day, coming into his kitchen where he had decided to cook for her, "I do love you."

Startled, Andrew turned around to look at her. "Er… I know," he said. "I love you, too."

Her expression gave away nothing as she continued. "I don't think you do know," she said. "I've probably given you no reason to actually believe that with everything I believe in… or don't believe in. But I do love you. I promise."

These words were so foreign coming from her that Andrew could only stop and stare blankly at her. He looked like a fish the way his mouth was moving up and down without words.

"Just so you know." She gave a weak smile and then left again. It wasn't until he found his voice again that he was able to call her back. Throwing the spatula he was holding aside, he pulled her close to him, pressing his lips firmly against hers. She laughed, this time not pushing him away.

"You took your time," he said, kissing her again.

She smiled. "This still doesn't mean I'm going to turn into one of those sappy girls who needs to hear how much you love me every two minutes," she then warned him. "Because that's not me."

Andrew shrugged, kissing her for the third time. "Well, I'll just be that bloke who needs to hear it," he said. "It's nice."

"Don't expect it all the time."

"Just one more time today?"

She smiled, thinking about it, and then shrugged. "You know what I really don't like?" she said. "Those needy boyfriends…."

Andrew sighed. Well, she'd made some progress at least.

So Summerby is only listed as a last name so I just made up a first name for him. Anyway, this is something different to what I usually write, but I'm happy with it. A big thank you to Liza for reading over this for me!