Disclaimer:- This chapter is heavily influenced by 'The Merchant of Death', the first book in the Pendragon Adventure by DJ MacHale. You should sooooo read it! The book is highly unappreciated and it has the potential to rule Harry Potter out.


The day was as normal as any and still it wasn't. It was normal to the point that she got up and went through the daily drill of getting ready for the school. Normal till she got dressed, had a quick breakfast and went to school. Normal till she was in her regular seat in the cafeteria from where she could securely resume her daily analysis of Gale Hawthorne.

But it was after that moment that the day started to go downhill. As usual she saw him, his arrogant smile sweeping the floors for any signs of vulnerability. Any signs about any girl giving into his request of a quick hook up. It disgusted her to the point that the food she had been eating came all the way up, but she forced it down.

Ever since she came upon him on the slag heap that night, she could never think of him the same way. The thought of Gale Hawthorne making out with every girl on that slag heap confused her in more ways than possible and she was more repulsed, more tormented by the fact. Why? She didn't know. And that scared her.

What scared her most was seeing Gale Hawthorne walking towards her table is a brisk manner. Her eyes met his and quickly she diverted her gaze to the floor.

Don't kid yourself Madge, he is just passing by. And what does it matter to you anyway?

Yet unconsciously, her hand went to her hair to tame it, in case they weren't proper, in case he was coming to her.

And he did.

"Undersee," she looked up to see his lanky form standing tall before her.

"Gale," she nodded curtly at him.

Take it smooth Madge. He's just a normal person. Like everyone else.

But the truth was, he wasn't. He was Gale Hawthorne. The Gale Hawthorne. The most desirable guy in District 12. And Madge's opinion, if considered, listed him as the very cause that would lead to Dark Days II.

He sat down, opposite to the seat she was sitting in and looked at her. Just looked at her. As if gauging the situation, gauging her.

Okay, he came here, that means it's my chance. I have to be the one to initiate a conversation

It's a game, she kept telling herself. Keep the ball rolling and in his court.

"What's up?" She said.

Okay, maybe I am so not ready to play the game just yet, but it's much easier to lob the ball back into his court.

She was all set to expect him to make a weird face as he would turn around to leave, but then she noticed something.

Gale Hawthorne was nervous. It was evident in the way his eyes would flicker away from her face.

The all-forgotten giddiness worked itself to her mind and she fought against her instincts to stand up and start dancing at the fact that Gale Hawthorne was shy just by talking to her!

"I was thinking maybe. . .you know. . .not that I wanna impose or anything. . . if you are busy. . . that if you would like. . .you know. . .go out with me. . .tonight?" he sounded more hopeful than egoistic, as she did presumably assumed.

For a moment, she just sat there, deciphering the situation. Did she hear it right? Was Gale Hawthorne really really asking her out on a date? And what he really stuttering while he was doing it?

Okay, time to act savvy and confident, Madge.

"Um. . .o-okay," so much for being savvy. Her voice came out rusty and she cleared her throat, "Okay, pick me up at 7:30 tonight," she got up and walked towards the doors of the cafeteria before she lost it.


"Gale?" Hazelle's voice resounded from the kitchen, probably washing some clothes.

"Yes Ma?"

"Are you going somewhere sweety?" It wasn't hard to judge. After school was over, Gale immediately went to take a bath. Not out of place at all. What was out of place was that Gale took a good half an hour to bathe properly. It only happened when Gale went out on a date. Which was more often then not.

"where'er you?" She cleaned her hands to get rid of the washing powder and went over to look into his bedroom.

She saw Gale's head pop up from behind the closet door, hair wet, supposedly looking for a proper shirt to wear, she thought, taking in the lack of it.

"Going," he supplied without giving away much. He very well knew his mom had a very good insight on what he does, but only to an extent.

"I know, but with who?" She asked holding up a dress shirt Thom just happened to drop by. From the looks of it, it was expensive. The material was quite comfy to look at, and the cuffs were adorned with beautiful intricate buttons which gleamed in the light coming from Gale's bedroom.

"Oh, he brought it? I thought he did forget," he mumbled more to himself. He walked to the door frame of his room where his mom had been standing and slipped his arm into one of its sleeve to see if it fit.

"Gale," Hazelle's voice reached a threatening tone, threatening for Gale as well. He sighed, knowing that he could ignore his mom's annoying pestering for so long.

"Madge,"

"Pardon?"

"Madge Undersee," he repeated going back into his room all the while buttoning the shirt over.

"Undersee you said? You mean, the mayor's daughter?" Surprise showed through her voice clearly making Gale stop in his tracks. He looked up to see his mom staring at him in pure horror and answered back by just nodding.

He stood there for a while. Not knowing what his mother was thinking, it troubled him. Slowly, she walked into his room picking up a bath towel from the chair where it was supposedly drying and motioning for him to sit on his bed.

He did, without any protest and sighing when his mom towel dried his hair.

"Be careful," she whispered, so slow that Gale thought he had imagined it.

He replied with a monotonous 'hmm'.

"I mean it. That girl is not just any girl. You just can't -,"

"Ma, you don't need to worry about it," Gale huffed. Why was his mom making such a big deal about this?

Hazelle stopped towel drying his hair and sat down on her knees by the edge of his bed to come to his level.

"Gale-," she looked deep into his eyes, trying to remember hard when his son had grown so much. It seemed as if time had just slipped by. Like it had been days ago when Gale came home crying over just a paper-cut he had received from drawing. They had come a long way, from Gale beaming over getting his first girlfriend to going out every night with different girl each time. He was turning more and more into his dad everyday, which necessarily wasn't a good thing, Hazelle thought smiling softly.

"Hmmm,"

"Have fun," she kissed the top of his head and left the room without a word.


Madge was ready to up and go. She was all dressed by 5 and was waiting anxiously for Gale to come. Only that there was two and a half hours to go.

It wasn't her fault. It was her first date. First date ever. She didn't know what happened on dates. From the movies she did see, it was holding hands and strolling in the moonlight and at the end, the kiss.

She blushed crimson red, thinking whether Gale will kiss her or not. His lips pressing up against her own. She wondered whether he will deepen the kiss or use his tongue. She had seen it quite a few times in the movies and the idea grossed her out. But she wasn't anyone to judge regarding her lack of experience. But what would she do? Maybe she should just stand there while he kissed her. Or maybe she should touch his face.

"Going somewhere, Madge?" Harrison spoke up. The way he said it, it was pretty obvious he caught her day dreaming.

"Shut-up and wash the dishes Harris," she commanded in a not so aggresive tone.

"I see, looks like little Madgey has got a date for herself," he placed a cup of tea in front of her and sipped from his.

"No. It's just me going out with a friend," she covered herself with sipping her tea. Mint, Harrison knew very well how to get her to relax.

"Looking like that. No way. And honey, relax, it's just a date,"

"I am," she said while keeping her cup of tea on the table, fearing that it might just slip her hands and break considering her hands are sweating like hell.

"As you say. Just go lay down somewhere for some while. You look tired," he grinned and slipped into the kitchen, presumably doing his dishes.


"Madge, honey, wake up." The voice stirred her up from her slumber. Her eyes opened up ever so slightly. She waited for her vision to swim into focus and Harrison's deep brown eyes came into view.

"Harrison," it sounded more like a question as she got up to get a glimpse of the clock.

7:35

"Madge, your date,"

"My date?". . .

Oh Lord! She got up to look herself in the mirror and as assume had ruined everything she had worked an hour for.

"Oh god, oh god, oh god," she jumped around her entire room to get back in shape.

"Maybe I can take a quick bath before he comes," she wondered out aloud as she walked to her closet to replace her now crumbled dress with a fresh one.

"Madge,"

She ignored him as she continued, "and maybe dab some make-up. . . Oh my! I used the last of my creams!"

"Madge,"

"Where could I get more cream from?!" she panicked.

"Madge!"

"What?" She snapped back at him. Here she was, out of her mind scared and —

"Your date's already here. He's waiting outside,"

"WHAT?!" If she had been out of her mind scared then she didn't know what she was now.

"And you didn't invite him in?!" And that's what comes up in her mind.

"I did, twice. He just blatantly refused," he said while his eyes darted to Madge, yanking a plain blue sundress out of her closet.

She went into the adjoining bathroom and came out with her fash washed clean of make-up smudges, with the sundress on.

"How long has he been waiting?" she hopped into a pair of flats and wiped her face clean with a napkin nearby.

"Five. Got here at 7:30 sharp. Punctual, I like that. Lets hope he is punctual in bringing you back," he shouted so that Madge could hear it over her dash for the front door.

She opened it wide, simultaneously pulling her coat on, to see Gale leaning over the railing on her porch. He wore a normal shirt. Not too fancy, not too underdressed. Perfect. And the jeans was a perfect match for the shirt. He looked breathtaking in an outfit as simple as back to her, his head looking sideways towards the moon that gleamed.

What entranced her was that the gleam was reflected more brightly in his eyes, deep in thoughts. And she just stood there, till he turned to face her with a smile that was brighter than the moon and the gleam in his eye.

"Shall we?" His arm extended forward.

Taking his hand in her shaky one, she replied, "Yes, we shall."


A/N:- L.O.L...I know I am kinda dragging this but I am having a bit of a fun. To expand this story and to also play with you guys :D

Oh yeah, a fair warning before I go ahead. This week, I will be keeping 'Conspiracy by a Quisling' on a hold since I am having something very important this week. I will only be updating with the next chapter to this. And I swear it will be the last chapter! And it will be kind of a serious one so hold on.

I am so so sorry and thankyou so much for your patience! Love you guys!

Any questions?