The first couple days of school were NOT fun. They would have been crappy even if Teddy hadn't been throwing me wounded puppy-dog faces all the time whenever we spotted each other. Thankfully, I had no classes with him, him being a year older and all that. So the only time I had to deal with him was at breaks, lunch, and all the time in the Common Room. Big fun.

Not only did I have to wake up early, dodge Teddy, and start actually doing homework, but I also had to avoid Brandon wherever I went. That was not a walk in the park either. He seemed to have memorised my schedule and kept popping up at random intervals, questioning me about Teddy and our fight, and about my plans for the near-future. However much it irritated me to do so, I listened to what Teddy had said and was avoiding him too. It disturbed me a little to be talking to him like nothing had happened after the things Teddy had said about him.

Caity was completely oblivious to the situation at hand, although she did comment on the lack of Teddy recently. I had laughed it off, and said that he's too busy being cool. She had laughed too. She knows how I feel about Teddy's not-actual coolness. Hannah had taken the more comforting approach, asking me if I was okay and if I needed anything. That got kind of annoying after awhile. Steph, on the other hand, had told me she knew something was wrong, but if I didn't want to talk about it, then she would pretend nothing had happened between Teddy and me. Her help I was extremely grateful for.

So all-in-all, the first couple of days back at school sucked.

A week after my arrival back at the castle, I was curled up in an armchair by the fire in the common room, working on some homework the evil Defence teacher had set me. I swear these teachers must have nothing better to do in their spare time but mark homework. I'm sure if they just opened their eyes they'd see that not setting pointless essays would benefit them, too.

So there I was, minding my own business, when who else but Hogwarts very own Brandon Curtis walked in. Cue the horror music right about now.

I slid lower in my seat, hoping futilely that he simply wouldn't notice me. One of the worst things about Brandon is that he has very good eyesight. Or maybe I just suck at the whole hiding business.

'Victoire! Hey!' He walked over to where I sat (trying to look invisible), blue eyes shining happily. He sat down on the seat next to me without being asked. A little presumptuous of him, but I suppose that's just how Brandon is.

'What are you doing?'

I smiled as genuinely as I could and began to roll up my parchment. 'Actually, I just finished my essay. I'm really sorry, but I've got to go. I promised I'd meet Caity-'

'Toire.' Brandon interrupted me. 'Can we talk?'

I half-rose out of the armchair. 'Maybe later, I've really got to go-'

'Please?' I don't think he was ever taught that it's rude to interrupt people when they're making up excuses to avoid you.

I sighed, glancing at Brandon's pleading face. I began to feel to feel sort of bad, against my better judgement. We were friends, after all. Despite all this crap.

'Fine. But make it snappy.' I sat down on the edge of my seat and tried to look impatient. I didn't want to give him any reason for prolonging this conversation.

He grinned. 'Sure, of course.' Stupid pretty boy smile.

Then he became much more serious. 'I know you've been trying to avoid me lately-'

No, really?

My turn to (attempt to) interrupt. 'No, really-' There was no sarcasm in that, if you were wondering.

'Oh c'mon, Toire, of course you have. I'm not a complete idiot.' Damn. And I'd thought I'd been subtle. Though I guess diving behind the nearest tree hadn't been my best idea...

'Anyway, I'm not here to get angry at you or accuse you of anything, I just wanted to know what's wrong. Ted's not talking to me either. Being deliberately kept in the dark isn't fun.'

Finally, for the first time since my fight with Teddy, I felt angry at Brandon. I suppose a normal girl would have been furious as soon as she had been told the inner workings of her seemingly charming friends mind. Odd that that wasn't my reaction. Usually I'm so quick to get angry.

'How could you say that?! I mean, honestly, I thought we were friends, and then you go and mess it all up! You should have just kept your pervy thoughts to yourself, or better yet, not had them at all!'

'Merlin, Victoire, what the hell are you going on about? I didn't say anything!' Brandon said. He sounded sort of angry, but mostly just confused.

The first seeds of doubt began to plant themselves in my mind. Nevertheless, I powered on. Brandon has always been an excellent actor.

'Just stop lying to me, Brandon. I don't want to hear it. It's not right to go around pretending nothing has happened and you're just Mr Perfect. Get over yourself! '

'What exactly is it that you think I said?'

I glared at him. 'Don't play dumb, you know exactly what you said.'

'No, really, I don't. Please enlighten me.' He sounded a lot angrier now. Oh, crap.

'Obviously you're too stupid to know anything nowadays. Get back to me when you're not so immature.'

I got up and swept dramatically out of the Common Room, pausing only long enough to glance over my shoulder and see Brandon's hurt expression.

Every step I took I chanted the same word in my head.

Stupid.

--

The next day I woke up feeling awful. The only good thing about it was it was a Sunday, and I was sure Caity wouldn't try to bother me.

Brandon. What exactly was I going to do about him? Or more importantly, what was I going to do about Teddy? However much I hated to admit it, I really missed him. After a week of giving him the silent treatment, I was officially completely bored. My friends were great and all, but they really couldn't beat my best friend-slash-brother.

Plus, I truly hated that this stupidity over me had caused a rift between Brandon and Teddy as well. I could tell they were both unhappy with the situation. Brandon is Teddy's best friend. Apart from me, of course. If I had been replaced by someone who thinks that the closest you can get to looking like a god is himself, I would've been very pissed off indeed.

It was really time to face my fears and attempt to sort this mess out. At least then nobody could say I hadn't tried.

The thing I hadn't anticipated in my groggy, half-asleep state was my nerves rebelling against my very noble decision. So when I got up, all I could focus on were the butterflies.

They were very big butterflies.

Actually, make that gigantic, King Kong sized butterflies with very evil intentions.

Stupid butterflies.

I trooped downstairs doggedly, anticipating angry glares and scowling on Brandon's part, and the wounded puppy expression on Teddy's.

Instead, I found Brandon sitting on the chair nearest to the girl's dormitories, jiggling his leg impatiently and frowning.

He looked up and straight at me, hesitating on the last step and debating whether or not to bolt back upstairs.

'Toire! Can I talk you?'

I approached him cautiously; certain he was going to start throwing punches. 'I get the feeling we've had this conversation before.'

He shrugged, grinning. 'Well, I thought we might try again?'

I nodded, reminding myself that this was what I wanted. I had wanted to talk to him this morning when I had woken up, regardless that I was now starting to panic. I really don't like being cornered.

'Sure.' I said, sitting opposite him. 'I'm sorry I got so worked up yesterday.'

'It's fine.' Brandon answered, waving my words away. I was a little miffed that my apology hadn't mattered to him, but soon got over it and began to focus on whatever it was he was rambling about.

'- I just really want you to explain to me what's going on. I tried to talk to Ted again today but he got a little angry and wouldn't even look at me. Except when he threw the chair across the room. Then he mumbled that I was a bitch.'

I stifled the bubble of laughter that rose up in me at this hilarious mental image, before it was overridden with concern. Teddy never lost his temper. Not once, in all the time that I've known him, has he well and truly lost his temper. That's usually my job. His job is to tease and banter with everyone, just being the laid back guy that he is. Except for when he freaks out and whines.

I took a deep breath, knowing that I'd have to tell Brandon that I knew all about what he had said. 'Look, Brandon, we're friends, right?' He nodded. 'And so being friends, you wouldn't do anything to purposefully hurt me, right?'

'No, of course not, Victoire. I don't even know what you're talking about.' I frowned. Was it possible for Brandon to be that good of an actor?

'Look, Teddy told me he overheard you talking about me.'

A steady blush rose in Brandon's usually tan cheeks. He knew he'd been caught out. 'I don't know what you're talking about.' His voice was far more high-pitched than usual.

'There's no need to lie. Honestly, I was really disappointed when I found out. I thought you were a better guy than that.' I continued.

'What, so me liking you makes me a bad guy?' He answered hotly.

'Furthermore- what?' I said blankly. 'Did you just say that you like me?'

'Well, yeah.' Brandon said, unable to meet my eyes.

'Oh.' I said, feeling awkward. 'Well, even so I don't think you should have said that about me-'

'Said what?!' He exclaimed.

'That- that you would- that you going to-' Talk about awkward. I'd had funner times at my Aunt Gabrielle's house. And believe me; Aunt Gabrielle's house is not fun.

'You mean...?' Brandon asked slowly.

'Uh-huh.' I squeaked. Eurgh, please, somebody kill me now.

There was several moments' silence, when neither of us knew what to say.

'Victoire.' Brandon finally said seriously. 'I never said that.'

'You... didn't?'

'Well, yes, I did. But I didn't mean it like that. Ted must've just completely misinterpreted the whole conversation.'

'He said he didn't stick around for the whole thing.' I mumbled. This was not happening. I'd just completely humiliated myself, and ignored a really good friend for a fortnight.

Nice one, Victoire. Really smooth moves.

'Well, you believe me, don't you? I'd never go around talking trash about you. Not unless you were there, of course.' He grinned. I blushed. This was highly embarrassing. I didn't enjoy talking about my sex life with Brandon. But at least he was being himself now. Kind and serious Brandon kind of intimidated me. And by kind of I mean he intimidated me a whole hell of a lot.

'So you and Teddy have been fighting about this?' Brandon interrupted my thoughts.

'Oh, yeah. Git.' I mumbled darkly, realising that this whole situation had been caused by his stupidity.

Brandon laughed. 'Don't be too hard on him. He probably spends most of his time worrying about you.'

No, Victoire. I told myself firmly. Don't let yourself be softened up by that.

'You know, Brandon.' I said conversationally, relaxing back into our familiar banter. 'It's going to be a hell of a lot harder to convince Teddy to forgive you than it was me.'

Brandon winked. 'Well, hows about you put in a good word for me?'

I snorted. 'There's no way. I'm still angry at him. I have to make him suffer before I go along delivering messages for a certain someone who he's not a huge fan of at the moment.'

Brandon groaned, and I patted him on the back. 'So you like me, huh?'

'Shut up.' He muttered into his hands.

I chuckled. 'I've got to go; I'll talk to you later.' Brandon nodded, his head still buried in his hands.

I practically skipped out of the common room, thrilled at the way my morning was going. Turns out Brandon isn't an arse, he just has a crush on me! I can probably use this to my advantage...

Though then again, now I know I have a real reason to be angry at Teddy. Which technically means that I have to be angry with him for the appropriate amount of time. Otherwise I'll come off as some weak silly girl who'll just forgive anyone for making perfectly understandable mistakes.

Well, we wouldn't want that, now would we?

My Mom would be proud. I shuddered as a memory of some of her 'advice' about men floated through my mind. To keep a man, you've got to always leave him wanting more. And that means no hanky-panky straight after a fight.

I didn't really want to know what hanky-panky entailed, but I sure as hell didn't want to find out.

Not that I planned on doing whatever it was with Teddy, not at all. Ick, that was a bad example of my mother's advice.

Merde.