DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these HP characters or settings.

S - U - M - M - E - R

Summer is generally known as the season wherein moods tend to be lighter and the sun tends to shine brighter. The grass always seems greener and the skies are often without a cloud in sight. The climate becomes hot and it becomes socially acceptable for people to walk around half-naked.

Peter Pettigrew often thinks about one person during this hot season: Dyanola Dearborn.

He doesn't really know why. Perhaps it is because he and Dyanola were put together for a Herbology project that spanned the entire summer between their fifth year and sixth year and he discovered that not all Slytherins were bad. Perhaps it is because he had his first ever sexual experience that summer and it was with her. Or perhaps it is because his girlfriend loves to wear flowery dresses and she only really wears short dresses when it is hot.

Peter doesn't know why he thinks about Dyanola whenever it is sunny but he does and he is not about to analyse it.

The pair are enjoying their summer at the beach with their friends. James and Lily are flirting, splashing seawater and trying to dunk one another. Remus is sitting a little way down the beach, trying to read his book and unsuccessfully ignoring Sirius's purposefully distracting behaviour. Marlene and Dorcas sloped off a while ago to do... well, he doesn't know what for certain, but he has a pretty good idea. And Peter is soaking up the sun's rays with his girlfriend.

Well...

Dyanola is soaking up the sun's rays, lying on her front with her sunglasses on and her hair in a messy bun. Peter is too busy staring at her for him to be actively sunbathing. He does that a lot – stare at his modelesque girlfriend, that is – but Dyanola doesn't seem to mind. In fact, she seems to quite like his attention. And besides, it is not like he can help it. Dyanola is intimidatingly beautiful: tall, with legs that seem to go on forever; flawless olive skin, no blemishes or marks; icy blue eyes that seem to know exactly what he is thinking; and long black hair that always seems to be straight.

Dyanola Dearborn is... something else. And she likes him! Of all the people in the world, she likes him. He still doesn't know why but he's selfish enough not to question it.

"Peter Pettigrew."

Peter startles and realises that his girlfriend is staring at him. He can't see her, of course, not with the dark sunglasses obscuring her eyes, but he can just tell. He opens his mouth say something – what, he doesn't know himself – but before he can speak, she continues:

"Were you staring at me again?"

Peter thinks about lying but he doesn't really see the point. She will know. She always seems to know. And besides, he has been caught staring at her enough for it to be expected. He nods mutely.

Dyanola smiles – a slow, almost predatory smile; like a criminal who has committed the perfect crime and knows she cannot be caught – and pushes herself up so that she is leaning on her elbows. Peter definitely does not admire her form as she does this, nor does his heart stutter when she pushes her sunglasses up into her hair and squints at him. For a moment, neither of them say anything. They just stare at each other, both silently daring the other to say something.

Peter realises something in that moment: he is in love with Dyanola. He would kill for her, if she asked him to. He is in love with this intense Slytherin and she makes him feel... everything. She is funny and intelligent and ambitious, and his friends like her despite her Slytherin origins. She is literal perfection and it scares him. It scares him that someone as flawless as her can like someone like him. He doesn't want to say anything, but he knows that she can read his thoughts, so he blurts:

"I think I'm obsessed with you."

Dyanola's smile grows and she replies, "Good. I would be insulted if you were anything but."

Peter huffs a laugh because her response is typical.

Dyanola leans over and plants a very light kiss on his lips before she puts her sunglasses back over her eyes and lies down again, her head rested on her arms as the sun tans her back again.

Peter lies silently next to her. This is the response he had expected but he had hoped for some sort of return confession. But then again, Dyanola is better than him in every way: smarter and nicer and just bloody perfect. And he is... well. He is Peter Pettigrew. In the midst of his self-pity party, he almost misses her reply:

"I'm a little obsessed with you too."

Peter stares at the Slytherin in wonder. It is this, more than anything, that tells him that Dyanola is the one for him; that he is not less than. He is obsessed with her and she feels the same way (for whatever reason) and that is enough for him. He continues to appreciate his girlfriend, ignoring everyone and everything around him in favour of soaking in her beauty.

For most of the world, Summer is known for its fun times and sunshine and hot weather. But for Peter Pettigrew, Summer means Dyanola Dearborn and mutual obsession.

A/N: Thanks for reading!

Written: March 2020
Edited: March 2020