...Extra-Curriculars...
"I'll tell you after we graduate." Collin smirks. I pout and play with his tie. "You're so mean to me today." I whine. "Do you want to know something interesting I found out over the break?" he asks. I look up at him curiosity ablaze in my eyes. "I live in the same town as your grandparents. I saw you out shopping with them before we came back to school. For a few moments you looked just like this adorably cute picture of a baby Gweneth I saw a while back. It was a pretty sight." he tucks my hair behind my ear.
My blush darkens and he laughs. "So cute!" he whispers pinching my cheek. "Do you think they know that other people are here?!" I hear Ron ask in an obnoxiously loud tone. I jump up and run up to my dorm and hide in embarrassment. I don't come down until the next morning. Even then I hide in the back of Ginny's robes as we pass our fellow Gryffindors. I keep my head down as I eat. "Wow, Gwen, I can see your blush from outside by the tree line." Luna giggles as she sits down.
"If you keep teasing her, she'll stop breathing." Collin warns but he's laughing too. "Aww, are you defending her?" Ginny smirks. "Yeah, why? That's what friends do, don't they?" he shrugs buttering some toast. Ginny stops smirking. "Um, after yesterday, you two aren't... you two aren't dating?" Luna asks in shock. "No, why would we be dating?" I scoff. Fred spits out his drink. "You two aren't together?!" George and Lee gasp. "No, we're just friends." Collin tilts his head in confusion at everyone's strange behavior.
"You guys are weird." I mutter putting waffles on my plate. "We're weird?! You two were being all lovey dovey in the common room and we're the weird ones?" Fred chokes out. "What kind of non-weird person sits there and watches people? Are you bored or something, or is it kink, or a fetish?" I mumble. Fred blushes in anger. "It would be incredibly stupid for us to date right now. Gweneth has too much on her plate right now to handle anything else and I'm respecting that." Collin smiles.
Lee leans back clutching his heart and pretending like he's been stabbed. "They grow up so fast!" George whispers wiping a 'tear' from his eye and using a tone that reminds me of his mother. I throw bits of waffle at them until Luna stops me. Collin smirks and shakes his head. "You guys are ridiculous." Ginny mutters. "They're awfully free for some fifth years." I pout. Collin nods in agreement. "But you like each other. Romantically." Ginny huffs. Collin and I tilt our heads in confusion.
"Do we?" I ask. He shrugs. "I don't know. We could talk about it this summer if you want." he smiles as Ginny throws her hands in the air in exasperation. "What do you mean talk about it this summer?!" she scoffs. "Collin lives in the same town as my grandparents. Kind of like how you live near Luna." I smile. "Yeah, but Ginny and I won't end up kissing in a garden or something." Luna laughs. I blush and look down. "That's a wonderful idea Luna. Thanks! We should meet at the park near the mermaid statue." Collin winks. My blush darkens and I smack his arm. "You're going to cause town gossip!" I gasp.
"You're worried about a few gossiping old ladies after dealing with all the Hogwarts gossipers?" he pinches my cheek. "No, it's just that location..." I mumble. "What about it?" he smirks. I stare at him and he grins. He's really going to make me say it out loud. He waves for me to speak. "That's where people go to announce engagements and such! Meeting there will send my grandparents into shock and they'll be hospitalized." I hiss. Collin bursts out laughing. "Something tells me your grandparents would plan our wedding in a flash if they heard we met there. They love me." Collin chuckles.
I frown wondering how he found out that my grandparents already adore him and can't wait for us to start dating. "Besides, they still have that single 30 plus year old to deal with." I point at uncle Remus. "Oh please. I saw your grandparents at the station and I've talked to your uncle. They adore me already and want you to bring me over for dinner as often as possible." Collin smirks knowingly. My blush darkens and I put my head on the table unable to eat or focus on anything.
"What are you doing? McGonagall said you haven't picked out your electives yet." Collin frowns sitting next to me at lunch. "I already said I don't want to take any electives. Don't take their side!" I pout. "And if your uncle picks random classes for you?" he chuckles. "I'd skip them all." I shrug. Luna, Gin, and Collin smack my arm. "OW!" I whine. "You deserve that. Just pick some random classes and stop skipping your lessons. What are you going to do when you graduate?" Gin puts her hands on her hips.
"I have enough in my family vault to not work at all. I just want to relax and study potions and whatnot forever. If things go awry, I'll just live off you three." I grin. "No, you will not!" Gin and Luna snap. I tsk and grab a sandwich. "I'll let you live off me. You'd have to introduce me to your grandparents first though." Collin smirks. I growl softly and he pats my head.
"Gweneth! Please stay back a minute." professor Lupin calls as class ends. I groan but sit back down. Collin sniggers quietly and I kick the back of his legs as he passes. He falls to the floor and several passing students laugh. "Gweneth!" professor Lupin calls in a warning tone. I sit in my seat trying to look innocent. "I'll get you back for that later." Collin whispers in my ear before leaving. I stick my tongue out at his retreating figure.
When the classroom is empty uncle Lupin waves for me to come to his desk. I walk over and frown. He has an elective slip on his desk. I groan and turn to leave only to see Snape and McGonagall enter. "It's a coup. It's a coup!" I mutter to myself. Uncle laughs and ruffles my hair. "It is not. They came to discuss something else with me. You fill out the elective form and do not leave until you've finished filling it out." he slides the form across the desk. Groaning I pick it up and go to my desk.
I spend the first 15 minutes staring blankly at the form. "Gweneth just pick a random class." uncle sighs. I grumble to myself and scan the list of classes. I scribble on the form and gather my bag. "I filled it out. I'll leave the form here and leave you three to talk. Bye!" I call as I hurry out of the room. I race up to the common room. Collin and Gin wave me over but I shake my head. "Lupin said he was going to make her fill out her elective form today." Harry chuckles. "I filled it out." I grumble. Gin gasps in shock. "I wrote 'I WILL NOT BE TAKING ANY ELECTIVE CLASSES!' at the bottom of the form and checked that box. Then I ran before Snape, Lupin, and McGonagall could say or do anything. Goodnight." I wave ignoring everyone's stunned expressions and head up to bed.
I walk into the Great Hall rubbing my eyes tiredly. "Your uncle was upset last night." Gin informs me. "He and Snape seem to be in a good mood this morning and McGonagall looks smug. What the actual hell." I mutter. I get a letter from the grandparents scolding me and I scoff. "What the HELL!" Gin coughs choking on her juice. Collin looks over my shoulder and I pinch his side. He yelps falling off his seat. I begin furiously scribbling a response. "You can't say that!" Hermione gasps. "I don't care. They're meddling now! So what if I tell them that Snape and my uncle look like a couple every time they team up against me. I'll do whatever I damn well please." I huff giving my reply to gran's owl.
I scoop scrambled eggs onto my plate and grab some toast. "She's so mean to me." Collin winces sitting back on his seat. "Ok DMJ. Stop pouting." I frown. "Only if you help me with my summer homework." he grumbles. "Deal. I'll even ask the grandparents if you can come over and work on your homework. They have an amazing library you'll like." I shrug. Hermione perks up and Harry and Ron snigger. "You said you'd send me some books." she pouts. "Gin said you were going to the World Cup with her this summer. You can learn more about Quidditch." I smile.
Hermione shoulders sag and she stabs at the food on her plate with a melancholy expression. "Love you too kid." I tease. Collin mutters under his breath and frowns. "Yes DMJ. Did you say something?" I smile. He frowns and stuffs some toast in my mouth. I grumble around it and he smirks patting my head. I grab a piece of toast and slap him with it. Gin chokes on her juice snatching the toast from me. "What just happened?" Collin gapes.
"A food fight?" Harry chuckles. Collin pinches my cheek and I pinch his side. "Stop flirting this early in the morning. I can't digest my food when you two are flirting like that." Ron snaps playfully. "Are we flirting?" Collin and I ask each other at same time. Ron slams his fork down and I burst out laughing while Collin holds his hands up in surrender.
I jump on Collin's back on our way to class. "Apology." I whisper kissing his cheek. He stops walking and taps his cheek. "One more." he smiles. I kiss his cheek once more and he laughs. "Should I wait for you to write this summer or should I just ask my grandparents now? They'd love to have you over." I sigh. "Ask now but don't ditch class." Collin sets me down. "But what if I want to ditch class?" I frown. "Then I'm going to go with you and drag you to class." he smirks. "Fine. I'll go to class." I mutter.
I hurry to the Owlry and write a quick note to my grandparents but by the time I get back down the stairs I have no motivation to go to class. I turn to go out to the grounds when a hand grabs mine. Collin wraps his arm around me steering me to class. "Nice try Gweneth." he chuckles. I groan and whine but he ignores me. I try and sit on the floor but he scoops me up and carries me into the classroom.
I pout on the floor next to the fire. "What's wrong with little Gwennie?" Ron teases. "Collin dragged her to class today before she could ditch." Ginny laughs. Collin nudges me and I smack his hand. "Aww don't be mad. If I hadn't dragged you to class to day your uncle would've. You didn't see him around the corner?" Collin leans into my peripheral. I turn away and bring my knees up to my chest. "Gwen. Gweneth. Gweneth Hope Lupin- Black look at me right now." he taps my shoulder. I turn to him rather reluctantly. "If I have to in the future, I will continue dragging you to all your classes." he promises. I push him away as I get to my feet and run up to my dorm. I flop onto my bed growling in frustration. I hear laughing coming from the common room. I lock the dorm door and change for bed.
Gin shakes me awake in the morning and groan before smacking her with my pillow. "I'm not hungry. I'll be down in an hour." I promise. She leaves muttering something about evening people. I throw my pillow in the direction of her voice before burrowing back under my covers. She returns after breakfast and drags me kicking and screaming out of bed. "Why are you so stubborn?!" Ginny screams as I cling to the bed post. I scream in terror as Hermione joins in trying to help Ginny. After an hour they have me dressed and in the common room.
Hermione sits on me preventing me from escaping. I squirm and whine but to no avail. Collin walks in and I really start fighting. Hermione hops up and goes to study. Collin picks me up and throws me over his shoulder. I hit his back and glare at Ginny who's carrying my bag. Collin sets me down outside of the classroom waving Ginny inside. "Stop misbehaving." he frowns brushing my hair out of my face. I roll my eyes. He leans closer and my breath catches. "That's more like it." he whispers kissing me.
I glare out the train window having been forced to fill out yet another extra-curricular form before boarding the train. Collin plays with a strand of my hair smiling victoriously. "You're being mean." I mutter. He shrugs kissing my cheek. I roll my eyes and lean my head back. I wake to find the train has stopped and the students disembarking. Collin watches me half asleep himself. I sit up taking my head off his shoulder. He gets to his feet stretching. "Time to go home." he smiles. "I don't have a home." I scoff.
"Then follow me. I'm sure you'll find it." he ruffles my hair. "I think I'm going to puke." I shiver. Collin pinches my cheek. He leans down kissing me gently. "Being nicer won't kill you Gwen." he smirks. I stare up at him blankly. "Love will." I whisper. He stares back. A hint of sadness enters his expression. He opens his mouth to say something when the door to the compartment is slammed open. Ginny stands there hands on her hips frowning. "What the hell you two!" she shakes her head. I look away from Collin sniffling and wiping away the tears that had fallen from eyes.
"Did I interrupt something?" she wonders. "Yes, you did. I'll have Gwen out in a few minutes." Collin sighs. Gin leaves and Collin wraps his arms around me. "Gweneth, you mean the absolute world to me. Please don't cry." he rubs my arm and kisses the top of my head until I'm calm. Wiping away the last of my tears he gets up and grabs our things. I follow him off the train.
"Do you want to talk about what happened that day on the train?" Collin whispers as he closes his room door. I shake my head. "Come on, you look like you're going to cry." he hugs me from behind. Once the first tear falls, I can't hold back the others.
Collin pulls me over to his bed and lets me cry on his shoulder. It's only when he starts patting my back that I crawl onto his lap. "Oh no, please stop crying Gweneth." Collin whispers. "I can't stop." I sniffle. He leans back on his bed and hums softly until my tears stop. "Are you ready now?" he wonders. I nod and he kisses my cheek. "I met my uncle, my uncle on my dad's side of the family. He let me go through my dad's things. I just got back today." I murmur.
Collin swears under his breath. "Why didn't you tell me?! I would've gone over to your place instead of having you come over." he frowns. "I had to get out for a bit. Besides, I like being here in your room." I blush and hide my face in my hands. Collin gently pulls my hands from my face and kisses me. I relax and look into his eyes. "I'll always be here for you Gweneth." he promises.