Hogwarts Again - A New Generation

Chapter 1 - Dudley's Date

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING.

Author's Note: Hi, folks! This is my first ever fanfic, so don't be hard on me. Hope you like it. Enjoy reading. :)

It was the summer holidays. Dudley Dursley was nineteen years old now. And he was in love. An old neighbor, Arabella Figg, had moved out a year ago and new neighbors, including a pretty girl of about eighteen, had moved in. Her name was Violet Wilson. She had soft blue eyes, wavy shoulder-length hair and a soft voice. He hadn't taken much notice of her at first, but after a year, he was forced to admit he had a crush on her. Right now, he was trying to work up his nerve to ask her out. He thought he looked nice. He had taken his diet schedule seriously at last, and was now quite good looking. He had often seen Violet looking at him, with a mildly curious expression in her eyes.

Now, looking out of the window, he saw that she was reading a book, sitting under a tree. He told his parents what he was about to do before setting off. His father didn't much like his choice. He hated anyone who liked reading, and he had seen her many times sitting under the same tree, reading. His mother, however, approved. Dudley had no idea what she really thought of Violet until now.

"She is very kind and good natured," she said now. "You have made a good choice there, Diddykins." She had changed ever since their parting with Harry. She seemed to have realised something that Dudley and his father had no idea about.

"Stop calling me that, Mum," said Dudley. "I'm not a child, I'm grown up."

"Get going then," she said with something between a smile and a sad sigh. "And good luck."

"Thanks."

Dudley pulled open the front door and went out. There was a soft breeze blowing. He went into the neighboring garden. Their neighbors were very friendly and welcomed them with open hands whenever the Dursleys visited. When Violet saw him coming in, she hastily closed her book and got up to greet him.

"Come in," she said in her soft voice. "I'll make you some tea. Dad's away on some work, but Mum's home. Come on in!"

"Hi," said Dudley. "Did I disturb you? I see that you were reading."

"Oh, it's nothing," she said. "I can read afterwards. Come on in. It isn't often that we have guests."

They went inside while they were talking, and Violet called her mum. Mrs. Wilson greeted Dudley cheerfully and asked him to sit down. Dudley and Violet conversed politely for a few minutes while Mrs. Wilson made the tea. After they had drank it, she went inside to get some cakes she had baked that day.

"Violet," said Dudley in a nervous voice, after a short pause. "Can we take a walk in the garden?"

"Sure," she said. He thought he saw something flash in her eyes and became even more nervous.

They walked for about a minute before Dudley could say anything.

"Violet, I - I have been - well - I really like you Violet," he said in a rush. She blushed. It only made her look prettier. "I was just - wondering whether you would like to - to umm... you know... go out with me sometime...?"

She looked away. There was a pause in which Dudley waited anxiously.

"I'd love to," she said in her soft voice.

They went back into the house after another minute, Violet looking at her feet, her soft brown hair hiding her face. Everything about her was soft. Mrs. Wilson looked at them as they entered the living room. She took in Dudley's happy expression and Violet's shy, smiling face. Of course, she knew. She smiled at them both and proceeded to get the cakes.

"Thanks, Mrs. Wilson," said Dudley. After eating the cake and talking with Mrs. Wilson and Violet for some time, Dudley got up.

"I really got to go," he said. "I've got loads of things to do."

Violet and her mother bade him goodbye, and he went back inside his own house. Violet and Dudley had arranged their date for the next day. His parents were waiting for him back home.

"Well," said Mrs. Dursley, when he didn't say anything. "What did she say?"

"She said she'd love to come out with me," said Dudley.

"Marvelous," said his mother. "I'll get the celebrations!"

"Celebrations?" said Dudley, surprised. "What celebrations?"

"Well, we have to celebrate the occasion, boy," barked his father. "The Day Dudley Got A Date."

After insisting that he couldn't eat more than one slice of cake, Dudley went to his room and got to appreciate fully that he had been accepted by the girl he loved. The girl he loved. He realised that he didn't liked her, but actually loved her. He went to sleep feeling very happy.

Next day, he woke up feeling nervous again. As he went out, his mother wished him good luck again.

Dudley was almost as nervous as Violet when they met at Lee's Tea, a new tea shop which was a few miles away. He learned that Violet liked to read books, though she was not too fond of school ones. She liked astronomy. She said it was her life's ambition to become an astronomer. Dudley was sure she would be great at it, though he knew little on the subject himself. They learned about each other and it was very pleasant. Violet also admitted shyly that she had liked him for about seven months now. It had all ended in a beautiful kiss.

Overall, Dudley decided that their date had gone well.