Dudley shot nervous glances at Cho every few seconds. His heart pounded in his chest. He couldn't believe how beautiful she looked tonight. He was stunned that it had been a whole year since they had met. Tonight, on their one year anniversary, he was taking her back to the place where they had had their first date. The little tea shop's neon sign was barely visible from their parking spot near King's Cross Station. He had decided to take the same walk from the train station to the tea shop that they had taken on their first date.
Scrambling to open her door for her, Dudley nearly tripped on the sidewalk. He cleared his throat nervously and helped her out of the car. "You're sweating," she chuckled. "All this time, and you're still nervous around me?" All he could do was laugh off Cho's comment. Of course he was still nervous around her, he loved her, and she was far too good for him, he though. But tonight was particularly nerve-wracking.
The walk from the train station to the tea shop took about ten minutes, because they both kept stopping to point out little things they remembered about certain spots. "Remember that," Dudley asked. "Under that lamp post was where we had our first kiss." The memory made a huge grin spread across his face. That had truly been a wonderful night. He turned to look at Cho, just to see the smile plastered across her face. That smile had made his heart melt every time he saw it in the past year.
"I can't believe it's been a year," she said softly, turning and kissing him gently as they passed under the light post. They both grinned and Dudley kissed her again, debating what to say and do next.
"Let's, ah," he started nervously. "Let's go get some tea." He held out his arm for Cho and they crossed the street together to the tea shop. Once inside, Dudley asked the hostess in a hushed tone if they could have a particular table – the same table they had sat in a year ago. Once the hostess had led them to that table, Cho smiled at the familiar surroundings.
"Déjà vu?" She grinned across the table at Dudley before lifting the menu in front of her face. Dudley nervously stuck his hand in his pocket. Good. It was still there.
A short, plump woman in an apron came to their table and greeted them fondly. They had been there a handful of times since that first night. The owner took pride in the fact that their relationship basically started in her shop. She thought it was good for business. "The Matchmaker," she called her shop. It was an apt title. Probably hundreds of relationships had begun inside these walls.
Once they had ordered, Dudley sat in his chair, nervously tapping his foot. Cho smiled at him, picking up on how anxious he was. "Goodness, Dud, we've been together for a year," she chuckled. "Honestly, you can relax." All Dudley could do was smile and chuckle lightly. Nervousness and apprehension built inside him. He had to breathe deeply and concentrate on Cho to relax himself. The smell of her perfume was intoxicating, even across the table. Her head was tilted to one side, stretching the muscles in her neck. Her eyes shone with a light he had never seen before. She bit her lip ever so slightly, making her bottom lip an even more vibrant red than normal. Her tan skin glistened with a trivial layer of sweat, giving her the somewhat of a glow.
As their food approached, Dudley continued to do his best to stay calm. He had regulated his breathing by concentrating on Cho's features. Finally, he was able to start a conversation.
"Do you remember our first date?" He smiled as he asked the question.
"Of course," she replied. "You were so nervous," she giggled. "I can't believe you still are." She grinned at him sheepishly over her dinner. He looked down at his food, smiling broadly.
"Do you remember what I told you," he asked, "About my family?"
"Yes…you were brought up in a home where magic was condemned…" she finished by asking, "Why?"
"Well," he started, "You've taught me so much about the world. I was so sheltered when we met. The only real reason I was there was because I thought my family was in danger. I was relieved to find that Harry was okay, too, but it was more than that. I found that the world – your world – wasn't really as bad as they told me."
Cho cocked her head and gave him a quizzical look. "Well, I'm glad I could change your mind." The smile had faded from her face, and she looked a bit nervous.
"Er, maybe I'm going about this the wrong way," Dudley responded nervously. "What I wanted to say is that…you changed me, Cho. I'm a better person because I know you." He anxiously stuck one hand in his pocket and grabbed hers with his other hand. "I love you, Cho Chang," he said, his voice quivering. He stood from his chair, and got down on one knee, facing her. This was the biggest moment of his life. He gathered his courage, pulled the box from his pocket, flicking it open to reveal the ring inside, and finally asked, "Will you marry me?"
