Three-Teddy
'So, what shall it be today, then?' I ask as we walk companionably, hand in hand, down Hogsmeade High Street. It's pleasant for a January morning, and the warmth of the weak sun feels good on my face.
'Oh, I don't know,' Victoire grins, taking a long breath in. 'Your choice.'
'My choice?' I say, in mock astonishment. 'You haven't been Confunded or anything, have you, Victoire?'
'Shut up, of course I haven't,' Victoire snaps, though I can hear the smile in her voice.
'Well, we're not going to Gladrags again – not after I had to endure you talking to all of your friends for half an hour over the colour of some new bloody dress robes.'
'Hey!' Victoire protests, giving me a playful shove.
'Well!' I reply, though we're both laughing. I do an impression of a giggly Victoire and some gossipy girls she'd met the previous week. 'Oh, I just don't know, I think these blue ones are much better...Really? I think Dominic would notice me more in these...Oh, no, go for these ones! Look at the detail on the collar!'
'Don't pretend like you were bored,' Victoire says, a mischievous smile inching across her perfect face. 'I saw you comparing the fabrics of those cloaks.'
'I was checking the durability of them, thank you very much!' I say loftily. 'I've been looking for a new cloak.'
'They were WonderWitch cloaks, you idiot!'
I kiss the top of her head as, laughing, we wander down the High Street peering into various windows.
'Bloody hell! I forgot, I need some stuff from Potage's...it's for my Essence of Euphoria I've got to make on Monday...'
'Oh, okay, we'll go there first. What do you need?'
'Two ounces of nutmeg and a Malacaw tongue, I think.'
'Ew.'
We reluctantly enter the dusty little Potions ingredients shop to buy my supplies. I never really liked the wizened old owner McSeech, and so when we leave I'm glad to be back outside again, even if there is a cold wind blowing on my open face.
'The Three Broomsticks?' Victoire suggests, indicating the cosy little pub which was a retreat for the majority of Hogwarts students. I nod gratefully, and we hurry over to get in the warm. I let Victoire choose a table while I order two Butterbeers for us.
Victoire has a strange look on her face when I sit down and pass her a drink.
'Thanks. You know, Liam was just talking to me – '
'Who?'
'Liam Bletchley, that fifth-year.'
'Oh yeah,' I say, recalling Bletchley's face; he's a fellow Gryffindor, and we speak sometimes whenever we sit near each other at the Gryffindor table, but I didn't really consider him a close friend.
'Well,' Victoire continues, watching me carefully over the rim of her foaming Butterbeer tankard, 'he talked to me about you, actually.'
'About me?' I say incredulously, almost choking on my drink.
'Yeah,' she replies, still looking at me intently. 'He asked me if I was still going out with you, and I said yes, and he said, "Oh, well, be careful, then", and I asked him why, quite forcefully, actually, and he told me that – '
'Victoire - '
'He told me,' Victoire continues, cutting me off loudly, 'that I should be careful with you because apparently you've been seen sneaking off recently and acting secretive in the common room.'
I just stare at her, now looking slightly suspicious, but not angry. How is it possible that she's still so breathtaking even when she's annoyed?
'Well?' she prompts. 'What's up? I swear, Ted, if you've been going off seeing someone or - '
'I am going to kill him!' I growl, slamming down my tankard so that Butterbeer slops onto the table.
'Ted, answer me!'
'You weren't supposed to know,' I reply gently, trying to keep the anger from my voice. 'Don't worry, just excuse me while I go and find Bletchley and give him a nice good hex.'
'You're not going anywhere until you've told me what's going on!' Victoire says firmly.
I sink back into my seat, quailing under her glare, having been just about to seek Bletchley out from the booths in the little pub.
'Look, I can't show you because I haven't got it on me at the minute, but I was planning something for tonight, okay? I've been going to Hogsmeade to get everything set up, I swear – it was going to be amazing, and now he's gone and ruined it - '
'What are you talking about?' Victoire says, still looking suspicious though her expression had softened a little.
'You'll find out later,' I say with a wink, hoping that this will keep her interested. But I notice she still isn't smiling.
'Come on, did you honestly think – would I? Really?'
'I don't know, you tell me,' Victoire replies, raising a sceptical eyebrow.
I want to be angry at her for thinking it, but I can't. The trace of desperation in her silvery-blue eyes stops me, and instead I smile and place my hand over hers.
'Do you remember when I first asked you out and I told you I'd still pick you if I had the choice of anyone?'
'Yeah.'
'Well, it still hasn't changed, you know. I don't see why you think I'd do that to you when you know I have to remind myself how bloody lucky I am every day to have you.'
She laughs softly at that. 'Well, you know,' she shrugs modestly.
'Seriously, though,' I tell her. 'Meet me on the third floor tonight at seven. I'll show you where I've been "sneaking off recently", as you put it.'
She grins, reaching forwards across the table to kiss me.
'Oh, look,' I say as we break apart, 'there's Bletchley over at the bar. I think I should go and talk to him, don't you?'
She shakes her head, laughs, and stops me getting up from the table with a kiss.
