Uptown Girl
A romance written for Flourish's april fanfic challenge.
I suppose there's a time in everyone's life when they grow up. I dunno. There was in mine. It was unnerving, really, one minute I was happily playing chess, and de-gnoming the garden like a good little boy, and suddenly it hit me. Girls. They were everywhere.
The first time I really noticed them, I guess, was the Quidditch World Cup. Those veela...they were something else. Mind you, it freaked me out when they turned into evil-bird-of-darkness-type things. Scary. I remember thinking at the time: "Maybe dad's right, maybe you shouldn't go for looks alone." Then I remember thinking: "Nah!" That, I think, was me changing from a boy to, well, a hormonal teenager with a one track mind.
That would have been ok, perhaps, had I not done something really stupid a few weeks later.
I fell in love.
Fleur Delacour. She was amazing. Her hair looked like a river of gold, and her eyes sparkled like stars. 'Scuse me for going all poetic, but Fleur was just the sort of girl that makes everyone go poetic. A real live fairy tale princess. And waaaay out of my league.
*Uptown girl
She's been living in her uptown world
I bet she never had a back street guy
I bet her mama never told her why
I'm gonna try for an uptown girl*
I knew straight away that I didn't have a chance with her. Who did? Nobody could ever deserve Fleur. Especially not some geeky little fourth year with not enough money and too many freckles. Still, it didn't stop me trying...
*~*
I was just walking along the corridor behind her. She was talking with Cedric Diggory, and I was just walking. Just staring. Just trying to memorise the way she looked and moved and spoke. I wanted to be able to picture her in my head, so I could at least dream. And then it happened. I dunno how. It just did.
"Fleur, will you go to the Yule Ball with me?"
It took me a while to work out who'd said it. I knew I recognised that voice. And then I realised that everyone was staring at me.
Oh god. Oh god, I hadn't just said that, had I? What was I thinking? Fleur stared at me. I looked around at everyone looking at me, and then my brain took control of my legs the same way as it had taken control of my voice, and I ran.
When I was a safe distance away, I leaned against the wall of an empty classroom and breathed deeply, pretending I hadn't heard the sniggers behind me, or felt the way Fleur was looking at me as though I was so far beneath her I wasn't even worth seeing.
What was I doing? I knew perfectly well she wouldn't go to the Ball with me. She was a nice girl, (except, it seemed, when being asked out by people not worthy of cleaning her shoes) but everyone in the world knew I didn't stand a chance. Hell, I knew.
*Uptown girl
She's been living in her uptown world
As long as anyone with hot blood can
And now she's looking for a downtown man
That's what I am*
I walked back to the common room slowly, and went to find Ginny. Ginny wouldn't laugh at me. Ginny was my nice kind sister, she'd make me feel better.
She did her best, anyway. I could see she was trying not to smile, but at least she was trying, unlike most people who would just have laughed.
A few minutes later, we were joined by Harry, looking like I felt, who told us Cho Chang had turned him down. I felt kinda sorry for the guy, I mean it was obvious from the way he stared at her that he was head over heels. Enough so that he probably even thought he liked her for her mind, or some rubbish like that.
Anyway. We talked for a while, I don't really remember what about, but then Hermione came in. It had amazed me, earlier, to find out that Neville wanted to go to the Yule Ball with her. I mean, come on, she was Hermione. Great if you weren't listening in Charms and the exam was next week, but not exactly the sort of person you'd want to take to the Ball.
She told us she already had a date for the Ball, and got extremely annoyed that I hadn't noticed she was a girl, or something like that. She was getting quite touchy about girl-stuff. Moody, too. I guess I wasn't the only one growing up.
*And when she knows
What she wants from her ti-i-ime,
And when she wakes up
And makes up her mi-i-ind*
*~*
The Yule Ball. Well, that was one of the worst evenings of my life. Firstly because of those stupid dress robes. Mind you, I did feel better after seeing Malfoy, and knowing that he'd probably shelled out hundreds of galleons for the privilege of looking just as stupid as me.
But it was no real comfort. Not when I had to look at Fleur being so beautiful and so completely oblivious to my existence.
To take my mind off her, I looked around for people I knew. There was Harry, being led around by Parvati whilst gazing wistfully over her shoulder at Cho Chang. There was Fred, dancing as though he was suffering from a series of painful electric shocks. Ginny, getting very sore feet, from the looks of things. I told her not to go with Neville, but did she listen? No.
And there was Hermione. I scowled. That Krum looked so dodgy - I hoped she was ok. My mum always said never to trust anyone who only has one eyebrow when they frown. And Hermione did look very pretty tonight, Krum had every reason to be tempted...I just hoped Hermione could look after herself. Did she have her wand? I couldn't see it. I wondered if she knew any self-defence charms. I wondered if I ought to go and help her out.
Then I remembered. Padma. I really ought to talk to Padma. The only problem was, I had no idea what to say, so we just sat there in awkward silence until Harry and Parvati came to sit with us. And then I just talked to Harry instead, until Padma gave up on me and left.
Ah, the Yule Ball. Fond memories.
I didn't see Fleur much after that. Well, to be honest, I avoided her. Wouldn't you, in my situation? She came to say good bye to Harry on the last day of school, though. She even smiled at me. What a smile. My heart cartwheeled, and I knew I would love Fleur Delacour forever and always. She was truly amazing. But so much better than me, so high above me it hurt.
I was dreaming. She was too good for me. But I loved her, I knew that for sure.
*She'll see I'm not so tough,
Just because
I'm in love with an
Uptown girl*
*~*
That summer. That was when I really grew up. We invited Harry and Hermione over for the last two weeks - Harry because he always came, it was tradition, he was one of the family. And Hermione because my mother felt so guilty about believing Rita Skeeter that she wanted to make it up to her. Or maybe it was just that my mum's a lot more perceptive than me.
And a lot more grown up.
*You know I've seen her in her uptown world
She's getting tired of her high-class toys
And all the presents from her uptown boys
She's got a choice*
*~*
Hermione told us she hadn't gone to see Krum over the holidays, like she'd planned. Her parents hadn't let her. I have to say, I was quite relieved. I mean, he was a lot older than us, and if she went over on her own, who knows what could have happened to her?
She was my best friend, I was only looking out for her.
*Uptown girl
You know I can't afford to buy her pearls
But maybe someday when my ship comes in
She'll understand what kind of guy I've been
And then I'll win*
I can't remember all that much about those two weeks with my best friends. But the thing that sticks in my mind is one particular evening, when we were playing chess. Harry and Hermione were taking it in turns to try their luck against me.
And then something happened that had never happened before. Hermione beat me. I played her again, just to prove it was a fluke, and then she beat me again.
I was flabbergasted. What was wrong with the world? It's the law of the Universe - night follows day, gravity pulls things downwards, and Hermione always loses at chess.
*And when she's walking
She's looking so fi-i-ine
And when she's talking
She says that she's mi-i-ine*
I called dad over. He's the only person in my family who can give me a good game of chess. I made him play Hermione and she lost spectacularly.
I sighed. The world was saved.
Then she looked at me, and smiled. A strange smile, not very Hermione-like.
I remember the room being very hot. There was a fire in the kitchen, of course, there always is. But never before or since has it made that corner of the living room hot enough to make my cheeks flush and my heart beat faster. Only that night.
*She'll say I'm not so tough
Just because
I'm in love with an
Uptown girl*
"How come you beat me but not dad?" I asked, worried, in case I'd suddenly lost my skills. Her smile got wider.
"I didn't beat you by being good at chess," She said softly. "I don't know a thing about chess. But I know everything about you. I know exactly how you play. I know what you're going to do, and so I can beat you."
I thought about this for a second.
"So how come Harry can't?"
"Maybe Harry doesn't watch you as carefully as I do." I looked at her, but she had picked up a book, and buried her face in it, so I let it be.
*She's been living in her white-bred world
As long as anyone with hot blood can*
Looking at her there, she was just as beautiful as Fleur ever was. Not because of her hair or her eyes, or anything like that. Because I could read her face as easily as she read her book. Because she wouldn't look at me, in case she gave something away. And by not looking, she gave away even more.
*And now she's looking for a downtown man
That's what I am
Uptown girl*
She was right, you know. She does know everything about me. I think she's amazing - so clever and kind. Patient, too. I don't know many people that would still be trying to help Neville with his Potions homework, even though it's been obvious for four years that he'll never get it right. But that's her for you - she never gives up. She's not like Fleur. Not a dream-girl. Hermione's a reality-girl, the sort of person you can love and live with at the same time.
She knows me well enough to know how I feel even when I don't know myself. She's always known that I love her, and that if she gives me time, I'll realise it too. Maybe she's right, maybe one day I'll work it out. Hey, would you look at that? I think I just did! Weird. Maybe I really am growing up.
I care a lot about Hermione. She knows me so well, I'm not embarrassed to be me around her. She knows I'm a geeky little fourth year with not enough money and too many freckles. And she likes me anyway. She's not shallow enough to care. Not stupid and shallow like I am.
And in that way, among many others, she's far too good for me. Waaaay out of my league.
*She's my uptown girl
You know I'm in love with an uptown girl*
Oh well. I'll just have to work hard to get better. When I grow up, I want to be good enough for Hermione Granger.
*My uptown girl
You know I'm in love with an uptown girl*
And I will be. Everything is ok in the end. If it's not ok, it's not the end. And this? This is only the beginning...
Disclaimer: Every single thing in this is mine. I am actually J.K. Rowling. I wish! None
of it's mine. Even the storyline belongs only to the voices inside my head...
A romance written for Flourish's april fanfic challenge.
I suppose there's a time in everyone's life when they grow up. I dunno. There was in mine. It was unnerving, really, one minute I was happily playing chess, and de-gnoming the garden like a good little boy, and suddenly it hit me. Girls. They were everywhere.
The first time I really noticed them, I guess, was the Quidditch World Cup. Those veela...they were something else. Mind you, it freaked me out when they turned into evil-bird-of-darkness-type things. Scary. I remember thinking at the time: "Maybe dad's right, maybe you shouldn't go for looks alone." Then I remember thinking: "Nah!" That, I think, was me changing from a boy to, well, a hormonal teenager with a one track mind.
That would have been ok, perhaps, had I not done something really stupid a few weeks later.
I fell in love.
Fleur Delacour. She was amazing. Her hair looked like a river of gold, and her eyes sparkled like stars. 'Scuse me for going all poetic, but Fleur was just the sort of girl that makes everyone go poetic. A real live fairy tale princess. And waaaay out of my league.
*Uptown girl
She's been living in her uptown world
I bet she never had a back street guy
I bet her mama never told her why
I'm gonna try for an uptown girl*
I knew straight away that I didn't have a chance with her. Who did? Nobody could ever deserve Fleur. Especially not some geeky little fourth year with not enough money and too many freckles. Still, it didn't stop me trying...
*~*
I was just walking along the corridor behind her. She was talking with Cedric Diggory, and I was just walking. Just staring. Just trying to memorise the way she looked and moved and spoke. I wanted to be able to picture her in my head, so I could at least dream. And then it happened. I dunno how. It just did.
"Fleur, will you go to the Yule Ball with me?"
It took me a while to work out who'd said it. I knew I recognised that voice. And then I realised that everyone was staring at me.
Oh god. Oh god, I hadn't just said that, had I? What was I thinking? Fleur stared at me. I looked around at everyone looking at me, and then my brain took control of my legs the same way as it had taken control of my voice, and I ran.
When I was a safe distance away, I leaned against the wall of an empty classroom and breathed deeply, pretending I hadn't heard the sniggers behind me, or felt the way Fleur was looking at me as though I was so far beneath her I wasn't even worth seeing.
What was I doing? I knew perfectly well she wouldn't go to the Ball with me. She was a nice girl, (except, it seemed, when being asked out by people not worthy of cleaning her shoes) but everyone in the world knew I didn't stand a chance. Hell, I knew.
*Uptown girl
She's been living in her uptown world
As long as anyone with hot blood can
And now she's looking for a downtown man
That's what I am*
I walked back to the common room slowly, and went to find Ginny. Ginny wouldn't laugh at me. Ginny was my nice kind sister, she'd make me feel better.
She did her best, anyway. I could see she was trying not to smile, but at least she was trying, unlike most people who would just have laughed.
A few minutes later, we were joined by Harry, looking like I felt, who told us Cho Chang had turned him down. I felt kinda sorry for the guy, I mean it was obvious from the way he stared at her that he was head over heels. Enough so that he probably even thought he liked her for her mind, or some rubbish like that.
Anyway. We talked for a while, I don't really remember what about, but then Hermione came in. It had amazed me, earlier, to find out that Neville wanted to go to the Yule Ball with her. I mean, come on, she was Hermione. Great if you weren't listening in Charms and the exam was next week, but not exactly the sort of person you'd want to take to the Ball.
She told us she already had a date for the Ball, and got extremely annoyed that I hadn't noticed she was a girl, or something like that. She was getting quite touchy about girl-stuff. Moody, too. I guess I wasn't the only one growing up.
*And when she knows
What she wants from her ti-i-ime,
And when she wakes up
And makes up her mi-i-ind*
*~*
The Yule Ball. Well, that was one of the worst evenings of my life. Firstly because of those stupid dress robes. Mind you, I did feel better after seeing Malfoy, and knowing that he'd probably shelled out hundreds of galleons for the privilege of looking just as stupid as me.
But it was no real comfort. Not when I had to look at Fleur being so beautiful and so completely oblivious to my existence.
To take my mind off her, I looked around for people I knew. There was Harry, being led around by Parvati whilst gazing wistfully over her shoulder at Cho Chang. There was Fred, dancing as though he was suffering from a series of painful electric shocks. Ginny, getting very sore feet, from the looks of things. I told her not to go with Neville, but did she listen? No.
And there was Hermione. I scowled. That Krum looked so dodgy - I hoped she was ok. My mum always said never to trust anyone who only has one eyebrow when they frown. And Hermione did look very pretty tonight, Krum had every reason to be tempted...I just hoped Hermione could look after herself. Did she have her wand? I couldn't see it. I wondered if she knew any self-defence charms. I wondered if I ought to go and help her out.
Then I remembered. Padma. I really ought to talk to Padma. The only problem was, I had no idea what to say, so we just sat there in awkward silence until Harry and Parvati came to sit with us. And then I just talked to Harry instead, until Padma gave up on me and left.
Ah, the Yule Ball. Fond memories.
I didn't see Fleur much after that. Well, to be honest, I avoided her. Wouldn't you, in my situation? She came to say good bye to Harry on the last day of school, though. She even smiled at me. What a smile. My heart cartwheeled, and I knew I would love Fleur Delacour forever and always. She was truly amazing. But so much better than me, so high above me it hurt.
I was dreaming. She was too good for me. But I loved her, I knew that for sure.
*She'll see I'm not so tough,
Just because
I'm in love with an
Uptown girl*
*~*
That summer. That was when I really grew up. We invited Harry and Hermione over for the last two weeks - Harry because he always came, it was tradition, he was one of the family. And Hermione because my mother felt so guilty about believing Rita Skeeter that she wanted to make it up to her. Or maybe it was just that my mum's a lot more perceptive than me.
And a lot more grown up.
*You know I've seen her in her uptown world
She's getting tired of her high-class toys
And all the presents from her uptown boys
She's got a choice*
*~*
Hermione told us she hadn't gone to see Krum over the holidays, like she'd planned. Her parents hadn't let her. I have to say, I was quite relieved. I mean, he was a lot older than us, and if she went over on her own, who knows what could have happened to her?
She was my best friend, I was only looking out for her.
*Uptown girl
You know I can't afford to buy her pearls
But maybe someday when my ship comes in
She'll understand what kind of guy I've been
And then I'll win*
I can't remember all that much about those two weeks with my best friends. But the thing that sticks in my mind is one particular evening, when we were playing chess. Harry and Hermione were taking it in turns to try their luck against me.
And then something happened that had never happened before. Hermione beat me. I played her again, just to prove it was a fluke, and then she beat me again.
I was flabbergasted. What was wrong with the world? It's the law of the Universe - night follows day, gravity pulls things downwards, and Hermione always loses at chess.
*And when she's walking
She's looking so fi-i-ine
And when she's talking
She says that she's mi-i-ine*
I called dad over. He's the only person in my family who can give me a good game of chess. I made him play Hermione and she lost spectacularly.
I sighed. The world was saved.
Then she looked at me, and smiled. A strange smile, not very Hermione-like.
I remember the room being very hot. There was a fire in the kitchen, of course, there always is. But never before or since has it made that corner of the living room hot enough to make my cheeks flush and my heart beat faster. Only that night.
*She'll say I'm not so tough
Just because
I'm in love with an
Uptown girl*
"How come you beat me but not dad?" I asked, worried, in case I'd suddenly lost my skills. Her smile got wider.
"I didn't beat you by being good at chess," She said softly. "I don't know a thing about chess. But I know everything about you. I know exactly how you play. I know what you're going to do, and so I can beat you."
I thought about this for a second.
"So how come Harry can't?"
"Maybe Harry doesn't watch you as carefully as I do." I looked at her, but she had picked up a book, and buried her face in it, so I let it be.
*She's been living in her white-bred world
As long as anyone with hot blood can*
Looking at her there, she was just as beautiful as Fleur ever was. Not because of her hair or her eyes, or anything like that. Because I could read her face as easily as she read her book. Because she wouldn't look at me, in case she gave something away. And by not looking, she gave away even more.
*And now she's looking for a downtown man
That's what I am
Uptown girl*
She was right, you know. She does know everything about me. I think she's amazing - so clever and kind. Patient, too. I don't know many people that would still be trying to help Neville with his Potions homework, even though it's been obvious for four years that he'll never get it right. But that's her for you - she never gives up. She's not like Fleur. Not a dream-girl. Hermione's a reality-girl, the sort of person you can love and live with at the same time.
She knows me well enough to know how I feel even when I don't know myself. She's always known that I love her, and that if she gives me time, I'll realise it too. Maybe she's right, maybe one day I'll work it out. Hey, would you look at that? I think I just did! Weird. Maybe I really am growing up.
I care a lot about Hermione. She knows me so well, I'm not embarrassed to be me around her. She knows I'm a geeky little fourth year with not enough money and too many freckles. And she likes me anyway. She's not shallow enough to care. Not stupid and shallow like I am.
And in that way, among many others, she's far too good for me. Waaaay out of my league.
*She's my uptown girl
You know I'm in love with an uptown girl*
Oh well. I'll just have to work hard to get better. When I grow up, I want to be good enough for Hermione Granger.
*My uptown girl
You know I'm in love with an uptown girl*
And I will be. Everything is ok in the end. If it's not ok, it's not the end. And this? This is only the beginning...
Disclaimer: Every single thing in this is mine. I am actually J.K. Rowling. I wish! None
of it's mine. Even the storyline belongs only to the voices inside my head...