The Pain of a Muggle in Love with her Magic Friend
It had not yet been quite a full year since the gray-eyed brunette last saw her old best friend, but this time around she was going to believe him. However, what really plagued her was that she thought she might be in love with her magical friend, and she couldn't stand it. She had to do something to get him out of her mind.
Jessica London had been invited to a rather large rave, and she was going to bring Colin Creevey along, whether he wanted to go or not. She had on her best party clothes and sat waiting for the Creeveys to return from Kings Cross Station in London.
"I feel stupid," Jessica hissed to herself as she watched the sun set.
"But you look great." This time Jessica recognized the voice of Colin.
"How did… When… Where are… How in the world did you get there? Aren't you supposed to be arriving home today?"
"Yesterday," Colin said and took a bite of an apple.
"Get changed into party clothes," Jessica said pushing him back into his house and up the stairs to his room. "We're going to a rave."
"You want to show up to a party with me?" Colin lifted an eyebrow. "Not that I'm not flattered, but I'm a shrimp, and I haven't been in Muggle society for years. And last time I spoke with you, you laughed in my face."
"I'm sorry already," Jessica cried. She received a few letters from Colin during the year, and had written him back, apologizing in each one. She looked at the cage in Colin's room to see a familiar barn owl just waking from her whining. "I'm sorry Houdini. Did I wake you?"
"I don't have anything to wear to a party," Colin said looking at his limited choice of Muggle clothes.
"Sure you do," Jessica said. "It's a rave. Wear jeans and a black tee shirt."
Colin shrugged and pulled out what she told him to wear. He stood there for a moment, then asked, "Are you going to watch me change?"
"Oh, sorry," Jessica said. She quickly walked into the hall and closed the door behind her. She couldn't help but pace the short hall. Questions filled her head. Would Colin like her? What if she was doomed to be in love with him while he loved someone else? Did he have a girlfriend? What was taking him so long to change? What if he never came out of his room? Why did she have to like him so much?
Jessica couldn't take waiting silently any longer. She opened the door of Colin's brother's room. She found Dennis Creevey sitting at a desk, writing a letter and talking on the phone. Dennis's hair wasn't as mousy as Colin's, and he was talking to a girl, and one he probably liked.
"Dennis, could I talk to you?" Jessica said walking into the room.
"Oy, Jessica," Dennis said turning around to see her in the doorway. He held up a finger to Jessica to tell her he would talk to her in a second and began talking into the phone again. "Could I call ya back in a little bit? No, she's an old friend. I swear. Okay, bye." Dennis hung up and turned his chair to face Jessica. "Nice to see ya. You filled out over the last year. Anything in particular you wanted to talk about?"
Before Jessica could plan out the words and ignoring Dennis comment about filling out, she blurted, "I think I like Colin. Does he have a girlfriend?"
Dennis sat shocked for a moment. Then, he slowly reciprocated, "No, he does not have a girlfriend. But the door of his room is opening right now, I think he would know better if you stand a chance. Colin," Dennis yelled, "can I borrow Houdini?"
Colin smiled. "Sure. Ready to go?" He offered Jessica his arm.
Jessica took the arm and smiled at him. She couldn't help it. He was cute, if she ignored the fact that he was as thin as she was; or that his mousy hair had only gotten mousier in the last six years; or that he had a ridiculous smile on at the moment and his front teeth stuck out a little.
"Where is this rave, by the way?" Colin asked.
"It's only a few blocks away," Jessica said. "Remember the old skating rink? Well, it shut down. Now, the teenage son of the owner just throws raves every few months. They're a lot of fun."
"Didn't Pratt's dad own that?"
"And he still does," Jessica said. "Don't worry, Pratt is not much of a brat anymore."
"Sounds like one," Colin laughed. They walked on in silence for a few more minutes.
"So you really believe me about my school?" Colin asked the question that had been plaguing him for almost a year.
"Well, since a piece of chocolate jumped into my hair, it was kind of hard to deny," Jessica said. "And the owl that pecks at my window every month. I guess I can give you a second chance."
Colin nodded as the rave came into view. From what Jessica could tell, it was already well under way. She opened the side door that they used to sneak into the rink through when they were kids. The room was dim, lit only by red, green, and blue lights that blinked on and off. The music was deafening, louder than Colin remembered it being when they would skate as kids.
"Jessie," a girl around Jessica's age called over the crowd. Jessica grabbed Colin's wrist and led him through the crowd.
"Hey Mary," Jessica said giving the girl a hug. The girl had long blonde hair and brown eyes, and looked vaguely familiar to Colin.
"Oh My God!" Mary shrieked. "Colin, Colin Creevey? It has been years since I last saw you. I thought maybe you died, because this girl couldn't explain anything." Mary pulled Colin into a tight hug. "Do you remember me at all?"
"You were in Jessica's class," Colin barely remembered. Mary nodded enthusiastically.
Colin didn't know any one aside from a few kids he hadn't spoken with in six years and Jessica. He didn't know any of the songs. He didn't know how to act or what to do.
"I love this song," Jessica screamed while dragging Colin to meet a few more of her schoolmates. Jessica looked out at the rink where there was a loud crowd of dancing people and saw a worried look in Colin's eyes. He knew what was coming next. "Come on and let's dance," Jessica yelled and dragged him onto the dance floor.
Jessica couldn't find anything to laugh about when she finally got Colin to dance. She didn't know how, but he seemed to know exactly what to do. She had hoped that she would realize what a loser Colin was at the rave, but now she knew that she would have to find a new approach to get herself to stop liking him. Jessica only began liking Colin more as she danced with him. She decided that it was only a fluke. Beginner's luck. The next song he would look like a fool dancing.
But she was wrong. All her friends were dancing with the best looking blokes in the city, but they watched Jessica with envy because Colin knew how to dance. He wasn't using dancing as an excuse to feel her up like all the guys Jessica had danced with in the past. He wasn't pulling her too close like the other guys. He had no flaws while dancing.
It had been a little over an hour after they had begun dancing and Colin still had not made one mistake. In fact, now everyone dancing was drenched in sweat, Colin and Jessica included, and Colin was beginning to look sexy, in a stick-thin, good dancer way. Jessica couldn't stand it anymore. She was the only girl in history to be upset about having a good dance partner at a rave.
"Colin," Jessica pulled Colin to the side of the rink. "I'm getting bored, want to get out of here?"
Colin smiled down on her. "What ever you want."
Jessica grabbed his wrist and led him out of the rave. She could tell that he was trying to remember his way around the neighborhood, so Jessica sighed with relief; he wasn't perfect. And of course, there was no way he would let her lead the way.
But, to her surprise, Colin grabbed her hand a moment later and pulled her in the direction of their homes. The look in his eyes wasn't one of going home, however. Before he reached their block, he turned the corner and dragged Jessica to a park they had used to spend half their time at. The sun had set over an hour ago, so there wasn't a soul at the park aside from them. The two sat down on the bench with the least light.
"Remember when we were little and spent hours on the swings?" Colin asked after a minute.
"How could I forget?" Jessica asked. She quickly added, "it was all we used to do."
"And now we're older," Colin said.
"We go to different schools," Jessica said, a distant look in her eyes.
"Dancing at raves," Colin said quietly.
Jessica looked him in the eyes. He stared back. It's now or never, she told herself. Jessica felt his hand on hers, and moments later, his lips were on hers. She couldn't remember why she had brought him to the rave. She couldn't remember not wanting to like him. She had been kissed before, but not like this. Jessica felt warmth swim through her body, a warmth she had never felt before.
Moments later the kiss was over. Jessica cursed herself for liking it. Her plan wasn't working at all; it was backfiring. She liked him more. She even contemplated that maybe she loved him. She watched as Colin slowly surveyed the surrounding area. Jessica's heart fluttered when his gaze rested on her. His one hand still rested on hers, and he brought his other hand to her cheek. He leaned in to kiss her again.
He has never kissed a girl before me Jessica realized at she felt his hand tremble slightly against her face. His lips were a little chapped, and he was still took deep breaths as he recovered from the dancing. But these thoughts disappeared as his lips met hers again. She felt the warmth swim through her body again.
This kiss ended much quicker than the last one. There had been a snapping twig and Colin's whole body went rigid as he looked for the source of the noise. Jessica suddenly felt empty now that Colin was no longer touching her.
"Did I just see what I thought I saw?" Mary's voice carried out of the bushes. Moments later, Mary walked to the opening of the park, a boy with black hair wrapped around her kissing her neck as if they were in a private hiding place. "Were you two just kissing?"
"You say it as if it's inappropriate?" Colin said trying not to laugh at the guy attached to Mary's neck.
"Who said anything about it being inappropriate? I think it's rather cute," Mary laughed. "Sitting in a dark park and sharing a first kiss. Isn't that just adorable Fredrick?"
"Sure," the boy replied, and he went back to kissing her neck.
"Do you even remember Colin?" Mary asked. Jessica had hoped she would mention Colin's name to Fredrick. Fredrick had never liked Colin, and after six years, she doubted that he changed his mind about him.
Just as Jessica had predicted, Fredrick stopped kissing Mary's neck and looked up at Colin. An evil smirk spread across his thin lips and his eyebrows became oddly pointed. A devilish look appeared in the black holes of Fredrick's eyes as he said in a drawling voice, "Creevey… I'm amazed that you dare show your face. You look like even more of a geek than last time we met."
"Pratt's not much of a brat anymore?" Colin whispered into Jessica's ear. She could only shrug in embarrassment. She had hoped that Pratt's comment would make her come to a realization about Colin, but the realization she came to was that Pratt was a jerk.
"We were just headed to my house," Mary announced sensing tension. "Want to come?"
"We'd love to," Jessica said. She stood and followed Mary and Pratt out of the park. Colin followed a few paces behind.
It was about a 10-minute walk to Mary's house. Once they arrived and were all settled into the living room, Mary said nonchalantly, "My parents are out of the house for the weekend."
Pratt's eyes lit with excitement. He stood and grabbed Mary's wrist and began to pull her towards the hall. Mary called to Jessica just before she was out of sight, "Feel free to use a guest room."
The air in the room grew awkward with the disappearance of Mary, especially after what she said. Jessica looked at Colin biting his lower lip and felt oddly powerful. She was experienced at something he wasn't. Maybe this is what she needed to convince her that she did not like him. Yes, this is it! she thought to herself.
She grabbed his wrist and pulled him down the hall and into the only guest room with a queen bed. She closed the door behind them and sat on the bed, waiting for Colin to make the first move. She felt confident he would get the hint she was sending him, and therefore she could yell at him for being a perverted pig and he would no longer plague her thoughts.
But he stood stock still in the center of the room. He was nervous and didn't want to. There was no way he could really be a boy if he didn't want to. That's when Jessica realized the truth, he didn't want to upset her.
She was shocked. She was trying to get him to upset her, and he didn't want to. Was it possible that he felt the same way toward her that she was trying not to feel toward him? She stood and walked to Colin. He was taller than she was, so she stood on her toes before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him again. She felt his arms wrap around her back, and moments later, she and Colin fell onto the bed.
Colin wasn't trying to move any faster than Jessica wanted. Jessica was, in fact, making all the moves. She slowly peeled off his shirt. Jessica wondered how a boy as thin as Colin could look like he had any muscles, but they were definitely forming. She straightened herself out on the bed and pulled Colin closer. Colin did not seem to know what to do with his hands, so Jessica guided one under her skirt to her thigh, hoping that he would know what to do from there. Her mind was clouded with ideas and fantasies. How had she fallen so hard, so fast? The next thing she knew, her hands were fumbling with his belt buckle.
Jessica knew it had affected Colin more than her as he walked her home. She also knew that she was in love. They reached her front door too soon, and she looked Colin in the eyes. He bent forward and kissed her lightly again.
"I love you," Colin whispered in her ear. He made his way back to the sidewalk and went on to his own home.
Jessica's body had been tingling with the same warmth that had passed through her when he first kissed her. She fell onto her bed and smiled. She was in love, and she had just had the best experience of her life with the one she loved.
The next day she invited herself into the Creeveys's house just after noon. She heard loud bickering from down the hall. She sighed and wished she had a sibling to fight with. She climbed the stairs and followed the noise.
"Annoying bastard," Dennis yelled as he stomped out of Colin's room headed for his own. He stopped upon seeing Jessica. "Jessica's here," Dennis yelled back to Colin. "You might want to brace yourself before going in there," Dennis said to her. "He's using his new school skills." He still didn't know that she knew what kind of school they went to.
"You're doing magic?" Jessica asked popping a head into Colin's room. He was indeed. Half of his possessions were floating in midair.
He looked at Jessica and everything fell to the ground with a loud crash. Dennis laughed loudly from across the hall.
"I thought you couldn't perform magic during your break," Jessica said. If only this had happened last night when she didn't want to like him. For some reason, the butterflies in her stomach were disappearing and her heart grew heavy.
"That was last year," Colin explained. "I came of age during the year so the Ministry no longer can do anything unless I do something stupid like perform magic in public. Dennis is pissed because he's still not of age."
"But you're only 17," Jessica said.
"And that's when a Wizard comes of age," Colin said. He crossed the room and bent down to kiss her, but she turned away. Dennis laughed even louder as he watched from his room. With a flick of Colin's wand, both doors slammed closed. Colin looked at Jessica and asked, "What's wrong?"
"I love you," Jessica said, feeling her eyes grow hot. "Really, I do. But… We belong to two different worlds. I don't know if this is going to work out." Jessica felt ready to sob. Colin tried to move closer, but she moved away again. Why couldn't he be a jerk? Why was he so perfect?
"I want to be with you," Colin pleaded. "I love you. With all my heart, I love you. Please." Jessica silently sobbed and shook her head. "What do you want me to do?" Colin asked. "Give up magic? Give up what I've been doing for the last six years and pretend it never happened? Go back to being a Muggle?" He tossed his wand to the ground. "I will."
"I can't make you do that," Jessica sobbed. "I'm sorry Colin." She opened the door and ran out of the house.
She spent the following weeks avoiding him. However, the less she saw of him, the more she thought of him. She knew Dennis had a few friends over for a week in mid August. Her whole family was invited to the Creevey house for a casual get-together. Mrs. London made it clear that Jessica was to stay the whole time and 'cheer up Colin' who Mrs. Creevey had reported was feeling lonely while Dennis still had a few friends in the neighborhood.
Jessica recognized Dennis's friends from a picture Colin had shown her just about a year ago. She couldn't see Colin, so she thought that she would talk to Dennis instead.
"You must be lost," the short, fat boy said as she approached. "You can't possibly want to talk to any of us."
"Shut it Zachary," the tallest of the four said. He smiled at Jessica and the corners of his green eyes scrunched a little. "You must be one of Dennis's beautiful neighbors. Nice to meet you. My name is Phillip Penther. I assume you know Dennis. That is Zachary Dumb-hole…"
"It's Dunhole," Zachary broke in.
"And Dennis's blonde twin is Kevin Whitby."
"I see you have a nice group of friends, Dennis," Jessica smiled. "I'm Jessie."
"Since when have you been Jessie?" Colin's voice rang behind her.
Jessica turned to see a very disheveled Colin. His eyes couldn't even move from his feet, and she could see a trace of tears about to form.
"Yeah," Dennis asked. "You used to explode when we called you Jessie. What caused the sudden change of heart?"
"Circumstances changed," Jessica stated.
She knew she struck a nerve in Colin. He turned away from her and stalked into the house. Jessica felt her heart grow heavy again.
"So you're the reason he's been so down lately?" Kevin questioned. His blue eyes bore into her gray ones.
"He hasn't performed any magic since you two last talked," Dennis said. "My mom has been worried about him. He hardly eats anything, and I swear he cries at night. And… oh shoot, I didn't mean to make you cry. I'm sorry Jessica!"
Jessica felt Dennis's hand on her back and she collapsed to the ground in tears. She was in pain wanting him. Colin was in pain wanting her. But there was no way it would work out, not as long as he was part of the magical community.
"Maybe we should go inside," Phillip suggested.
"Good idea," Dennis said. Jessica used Dennis's guidance to make her way into the house. Once inside, Dennis asked, "What happened? What's wrong?"
"I love him," Jessica sobbed. "And he loves me."
"I see no problem then," Zachary commented.
"But we live in different worlds," Jessica sobbed.
"So you don't want to be with him because he's a Wizard?" Phillip asked.
Jessica shook her head. "I want to be with him, but it wouldn't work out."
"Why not?" Kevin asked. "It's common for a member of the magical community to be with a Muggle. Half of the Hufflepuffs are half-and-half. We all live on the same planet. Who cares if he can perform magic? It can only benefit you. Imagine, a flick of his wand and all the cleaning is done. You can still be together."
"And it's not like his family would disown him for being with you," Phillip continued. "I say you march up those stairs and ignore the fact that he's a Wizard. Just give him a big, sloppy kiss on the lips. Do you want to kiss him?"
Jessica nodded.
"She'll kiss anyone who'll pucker up for her," a drawling voice announced the arrival of Pratt at the Creevey's open back door. All four boys stood up and balled their fists.
"How dare you speak like that of a lady," Zachary said, his body quivering in anger.
"The Creevey's go to some stupid private boarding school," Pratt laughed, "and they still make the trashiest friends. No offense Jessie, I know that they rubbed off on you."
"My friends are not trashy," Dennis yelled.
"You're the trashy one," Phillip yelled.
All four Wizards were ready to fight with Pratt, until they heard heavy footsteps coming down the stairs. Colin stood at the landing for a moment, contemplating what was happening. He looked at Pratt and said, "I thought I smelled something foul."
"This is an odd occurrence," Pratt laughed. "I can't tell which of you broke up with who, but you're both acting like babies. Was it tiny, Jessie? Is that why you broke up? I mean, when you've been with a guy like me, why would you sink to a low like him?"
"Shut up!" Colin yelled. The ground shook slightly as he glared at Pratt and continued in a low, angry voice Jessica had never heard him use. "I don't know why you're here, but get out of my house. Get out of my life. Stay away from me. Stay away from my family. Stay away from everyone I care about. If you dare piss me off again, I will kill you." Everyone standing was beginning to have trouble keeping his balance, save Colin.
Pratt took a few steps back so he was in the door frame. He looked at Colin with a look of revolt. "You're a freak, that's what you are," he spat and ran away from the house.
"Damn Colin," Zachary said after calming down, "that was powerful."
Colin looked on the verge of tears again. He was about to turn away when Jessica finally stood. She walked up to him and fell into his arms. She was crying and frantically apologizing, "I'm so sorry, Colin, I do love you. I really do."
"I love you too, Jessica," Colin said stroking her hair as she cried. A few tears dripped down his cheeks.
Jessica looked up into Colin's eyes and felt her heart beating slightly faster than normal. She stood on her toes again, and allowed Colin to kiss her again. She could ignore the magic if it came to that.