Chapter 13

Saturday morning. I was waiting for Lily, Marlene and Mary in the common room. The three of them had awoken me by jumping on my bed and hitting me with pillows and screaming. Standard friend behaviour on the morning of a date. So I had gotten ready at record speed and rushed away from the chaos, leaving them indignant.

According to them, my outfit and overall efforts in getting ready had been 'slack and disappointing'. Basically, they were overreacting about the whole deal just like best friends should. So when they finally traipsed down the stairs, I wasted no time in quickly exiting the room to make my way down to breakfast, with my friends following me closely.

I met Rodger's eyes as I walked down the Hall to find a seat and gave him a casual smile and a wave. He dropped the spoon of porridge that he was about to put in his mouth, it splashed into the bowl, sending a blob to go flying and land across his right cheek and nose. I quickly looked down and gave Marlene a nudge and a glare as she had burst out laughing along with a few people sitting near Rodger, including Abigail. Ugh.

Taking a seat next to James and across from Peter, I began to pile my plate with toast, eggs, and fried tomatoes. I was forced to drop a few tomatoes as I received a violent shove from James. Mourning at the delicious pile of tomatoes, now lying disfigured on the table, I turned slowly to give James a reproachful look.

"Now that's just too cute. Bella and Rodger, the perfect clumsy couple. Are you going to spend today dropping your lunch all across Hogsmeade?" He was raising his eyebrows in far too smug a manner.

"How did you find out?" I asked, puzzled, deciding to ignore his snide remarks. I looked round at Lily, Mary and Marlene but they just returned blank stares, looking as confused as I was.

"Ah you can't keep such a thing from me Bells!" He pulled me into an annoying side hug and I rolled my eyes. "Look, you should be glad I'm not offended. I don't hide my romantic feelings from you!" With that, he adjusted his glasses in what he must have thought was a seductive manner, and leaned forward on one elbow, dropping Lily a wink.

"Come on mate, she looks like her appetite's gone now. Leave the girl alone, eh?" Remus piped up.

"She loves it Moony." Lily groaned and turned to converse with the girls.

I was still staring at James expectantly, so he put his arm around Sirius, "Sirius here told me all about your romantic encounter with Rodger in the Hospital Wing! And may I say, I hope your next kiss is as dramatic and serene as that one!" He burst out into laughter. Sirius, who had previously been quietly eating his porridge with his head down (oddly enough, not being his usual obnoxious self), now looked annoyed and shoved James' hand off his shoulder with an irritated 'sod off!"

I realised the boys were still laughing at me because of the kissing incident so I followed Sirius' example and began to stuff my face with food before I turned as red as the tomatoes I had been looking forward to eating.

I had met Rodger outside the castle and we began to walk to Hogsmeade with the rest of the students who were coming. Not wanting to hang back, I sped up the pace so we were right behind a group of third years who were just getting used to the freedom of Hogsmeade trips by chattering far too loudly and obnoxiously, so Rodger and I barely spoke the whole journey aside from the occasional laugh at a particularly odd comment from the students.

When we finally reached the village, Rodger took me to Madame Pudifoot's. Dammit. Lily was going to laugh hysterically.

I tried my best to not to blanch at the vivid pink walls and lacy banners. We took a seat in a heart shaped booth and I stared at the menu in disbelief.

"So will you be having the true love tea, the infatuated ice, or the strawberry heart coolside?" I asked sarcastically.

Rodger chuckled, "and here I was looking for the platonic peach pop."

I looked up and laughed, only mildly surprised that he had cracked a decent joke.

We placed our orders (I went with the chilling chocolate crush, and he ordered a steaming cup of lovely lemon latte) and eased into a pleasant chat.

You could say what you like about Madame Pudifoot's, but their beverages are just the correct sweetness for a sweet tooth like me.

Rodg and I walked around Hogsmeade at a comfortable place. It was going as smooth as a first date could go. He gave me his coat when he noticed me shivering, we kept brushing hands accidentally until we ended up holding them, and the admiration in his eyes when he looked at me was enough to make me blush.

After a filling lunch at the Hog's Head, a stroll through Honeyduke's and Zonko's, the sky was beginning to darken and so we hurried back to the castle, laughing all the way about nothing particularly important.

We sat down at the steps under the big clock, it seemed we were the last people to return as there was no one else around.

"Did you enjoy yourself today?" Rodg asked politely.

I beamed up at him, "today was so great, thank you so much!"

He looked impossible happier and I could have counted all his teeth if I wanted to, with that wide smile.

He took my hands in his and I immediately fell into the solemn mood that he was suddenly emanating. "Bella, I've liked you for the longest time, I used to watch you in potions class all the time and think how brilliant and funny and pretty and intelligent you are, wow that sounds creepy, I mean I used to watch you in a perfectly normal way, uh" I smiled but didn't interrupt his fumbling, "and you're the kindest girl I've ever met, this is crazy and I never thought this would happen in my wildest dreams, but will you be my girlfriend?"

How could one boy be so adorable? "Rodger, I could say all that back to you! I've never met a kinder guy! I'd love to be your girlfriend."

He leaned in and tilted his head down, and I tilted mine up. Our lips met in a sweet, chaste kiss that sent the butterflies that had been building up in the pit of my stomach, into overdrive. I felt such a surge of emotions for this boy that I didn't know what to do with.

He stood up and took my hand and led me up the castle stairs. I felt like something out of a fairytale for those moments.

He suddenly stopped, "oh no, my speech sounded like a proposal! I was rehearsing that all day!"

He looked so genuinely disappointed in himself that I burst out into laughter and pulled him along.

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- Sugar