4.
Anthony Goldstein just wanted one date. One date wouldn't be too much right? And yet here he was dateless on a Hogsmeade weekend with his mates that were as equally and pathetically dateless as he was.
''Hey. There's Cho.'' Michael Corner whispered over a bottle of butterbeer.
I stiffened and kept my eyes on the table trying my best to act as nonchalant and as casual as possible. Oh bollocks. Pride be damned. I turned my head towards the entrance.
Cho was there. And Hannah Abott. Who knew they were friends? Wasn't Hannah bossom buddies with Susan Bones? And the last he heard, Susan hated Cho's guts. Besides Longbottom's that is.
''Atleast she's not with some bloke mate. You might still have a chance.'' Seamus Finnegan tried to cheer him up.
''Stop staring mate or she'll notice you. It's pathetic.'' Ron Weasley clapped me on the shoulder.
''Shuddup.'' I hissed but completely agreeing how pathetic I am inside my head. My eyes however didn't care how pathetic I seemed to be for it still followed Cho's movements. I did it as inconspicuously as I could. I wasn't that desperate. I hope.
She sat a couple of tables away from our own booth with Hannah and they didn't order anything yet. Shoot. Were they waiting for somebody else? Somebody else who happens to be their date? Her date? I gripped my mug a bit tighter and looked at the entrance daring the fates to just go on and fuck with me.
The fates hate me. They really do.
Harry Potter, the Wonder Boy, entered the Three Broomsticks and went straight towards her table. And sat there. And smiled at her. And then gave her something that he took from his pocket.
He gasped. Their hands touched! He touched her!
''Stop leaning over me mate, it's disturbing. You're actually breathing down my neck and I only appreciate it when pretty girls pant on me. You, on the other hand are disgusting.'' Michael said as he tried to pushed me off. I moved away and glared at him, denying that I was panting.
''Give the bloke a break. Seems like the bird you like is back with her beau.'' Seamus said as he sneaked a glance at their table.
I looked back and saw Potter standing up and giving a kiss to Hannah then Cho at the cheeks. I cussed. Ron cussed. We both cussed when the girls blushed.
''Oooh. This is interesting.'' Seamus chuckled as he raised his eyebrows at the scene. ''Threesome?''
''Hannah's not like that!'' Ron practically shrieked. I kicked him under the table while Michael slapped the back of his head. Hannah and Cho were now looking at us.
I smiled at Cho. Should I wave? I waved. She waved back with a hesitant smile. But it was still a smile right. Should I go over there? Maybe try to buy her a couple of butterbeers? Potter was now leaving after all. He was almost at our table when the door opened and in came Hermione Granger and Susan Bones. Susan was chattering off while Hermione just had a blank look on her face.
Potter stopped at our table and nodded at Ron and Seamus and I had this urge to mutter 'git' and pass it off as a cough but I didn't want to start a fight with Cho around. He turned and came face to face with Hermione and Susan.
Susan growled at him. Man, that girl sure is feisty. Then she turned and smiled at us. Or bipolar. She could be that too.
''Good afternoon.'' Harry greeted. I saw Seamus's eyebrows vanish behind his hairline once again. Is Potter making eyes with Hermione Granger?
Hermione just nodded as Susan pulled her to pass by. My breath hitched as Potter's hand caught the side of Hermione's dress and let it slowly slide through his fingertips without alerting her as she walked past him. That moment passed by like we were in slow motion. I loooked at his face and saw a small smile tugging at his lips, a gentle glaze on his eyes.
When he left I was finally able to slow my heart rate. It was just so tender, that moment. That stolen and untainted touch of a boy in love. It was just so familiar. Maybe because it was the same feeling that I have whenever I try to casually bump into Cho in the corridors and walk with her to class. It was a wistful feeling. Man. I'm whipped. Then that means... I turned towards their table and smiled at the sight of Cho giggling with Hannah while Susan scowled at them, then I turned my curious gaze on Hermione. Cho handed her the small wrapped package that Potter gave her. I wasn't able to rejoice at the fact that the gift wasn't meant for Cho and that she was probably just a messenger because Michael said something that made me realize a forgotten fact. Hermione opened the package and I recognize that it was a muggle book. My sister has the same one and she was obsessed with it.
Hermione bit her lip. Then she smiled.
I was right. Potter was whipped.
''What's he playing at?'' Michael said a deep frown on his face.
I looked at the others and they had uneasy looks on their faces.
''What do you mean?'' I asked but turned to oggle more at Cho.
''We saw it too you know. Touching her dress like that... He's acting like a lovesick fool.'' Ron whispered like he was afraid someone might hear us. Seamus even looked around to make sure.
''I think it's sick. He practically tortured Hermione since we were first years. Now he fancies himself in love with her?''
''It's just a book.'' I muttered.
''You're just defending him because now that you know he's not after your girl.'' Michael called on me. ''Besides, what would Malfoy do once he knows about this?''
We all turned silent at this.
''Merlin. God save us.'' Seamus sighed.
''I should probably talk some sense into Hermione.'' Michael mumbled and we all nodded as he got up and went to get her.
''What a mess.'' Ron said probably thinking about Hermione, Harry, Draco and Michael.
We all know that Draco is as crazy as a rabid bat concerning with bullying Hermione. We also know that when they were kids, pre-Hogwarts and all that shit... They were friends. Along with Michael.
They all live and grew up in the same area in Wiltshire. Their houses, or estates to be more specific, had overlapping boundaries. Malfoy and Michael were childhood playmates since they were born along with Potter. Michael's mum was a pureblood who got pregnant by a muggle lover but was still wedded to a rich and very old and dying pureblood man who happened to own the estate west of the Malfoys who owned the place for centuries. Potter's dad inherited the estate on the east when his father, Charlus Potter passed away. Hermione on the other hand is a muggleborn. A muggleborn with loaded parents. They bought the estate that was south of the Malfoys when she was two. The four of them met when their nannies bumped into each other in town and decided to form a book club. Every Friday their nannies would meet and bring them along. Michael told them that they practically grew up under a table playing games and getting a stomachache over the pastries they muched on while their nannies discussed books and get pissed. When they were four, they were allowed to play on the grounds. Their favorite place was the maze. It was a maze situated at the center of the borders that seperated their estates. Malfoys to the north, Grangers to the south, Corners to the west, and the Potter's to the east. They called the maze, the compass. For each direction it had an entrance so they could all go in there from their estates and meet in the middle.
Michael always has a sad look after telling us a story about his childhood. But when he's in the middle of narrating it, it's like he's not with us and he's back in the maze with them. I still don't understand how he could be friends with Malfoy and Potter. But aren't we all friends when we were kids? It's like everybody is your playmate in the sandbox, isn't it?
We never really asked why they fell apart. It was just a fact that in Hogwarts, Malfoy and Potter bullied Granger while Michael stayed away from them.
But then when we were in fourth year, Granger's parents died and Michael's mum became her guardian. She lives in their estate now. And it was just so messed up because we all know that Michael has been holding a torch for her since first year. Messed up because Draco Malfoy is obsessed with her. Messed up because now Potter has joined the club.
''Let's have a deal that we're not gonna go after the same girl.'' Seamus said as we were watching Michael talk to Hermione in a secluded corner.
''Deal.'' We all agreed at the same time.