The next few weeks were difficult. Poppet mourned the loss of her relationship in stages. These stages generally make her unpleasant to be around.
Anger: For the first week, Poppet was livid. She couldn't even look at James. She kept away from him at all times. Any time she saw his face, she'd shake with rage and want to punch him. Thankfully, he kept well out of her way. Florence had picked up all the photos of James on the floor and had hidden them somewhere. Poppet was so mad. ("I want them back! I want to shred them!"). Florence didn't give in.
Devastation: ... and then came the crying. For the second week, Poppet was weepy and clingy and spent a lot of time in bed. She didn't turn up for meals, barely even made it to lessons, and was rarely seen without a pint of ice cream and a giant ladle. She lived under a mountain of tissues. When she wasn't guzzling ice cream, she was sobbing to one of her poor friends about the good old days.
Repression: Poppet's catchphrase for this phase was "I don't care". A fun trick of hers was to ask after him and then, before anyone could answer, she'd quickly say "Oh wait, I forgot! I don't care!" It wasn't funny the first time or the fortieth time. Everyone laughed woodenly to make her feel better and it seemed to work. Flo was at her wits end. It was difficult having an emotionally unstable friend.
Acceptance: Poppet was here now and this was good. She didn't find that James was on her mind 24/7. It would catch her out. She'd suddenly realise that she hadn't thought about him all day, and she'd smile to herself. This was where she wanted to be. This was where everyone wanted her to be.
James had one phase: pretending it didn't happen. Yeah, he was much quieter and sometimes even down but he put on a happy front for everyone around him but Poppet wondered what he was like behind closed doors. She was mad at him still. She accepted the break up, but she refused to talk to him properly on principle, as what he did was terrible. He would try to talk to her and even flirt with her but her replies would be monosyballic and snappy. Poppet was desperate to have him back in her life but some greater force was repelling her from doing so.
After practice one Friday, Poppet, Albus and Florence walked back together. Rosie had gone to help James put away the equipment. It was a sunny afternoon at the end of May. The match was tomorrow. Everyone was an interesting mixture of nervous and optimistic. Despite the obvious rifts in the team, practice had been good. Nothing drives a team together like two broken up couples and an asshole with a damaged ego. Poppet's stomach growled underneath her Quidditch robes. "I'm so hungry," she complained, clutching her stomach with her hands.
"I don't think I can eat," Albus said, shaking his head, "I'm way too nervous."
"But it's fajita night," Florence said, with a laugh.
"I do like fajitas," Albus noted, his broom slung casually over his shoulder.
"I hope we win tomorrow," Poppet said, with a sigh, "I really need a party in my life right now."
"Parties when we win the cup are so much wilder," Florence enthused, "I got so drunk last year. It was great."
"Didn't Ravenclaw win last year?" Poppet asked, shooting her best friend a sceptical look.
"Yeah, but I got invited to the party anyway... I went as Quinton Treager's date," Florence explained.
"Who's Quinton Treager?" Poppet asked.
"I don't know – some Ravenclaw seventh year. I just used him for an invite to be honest," Florence laughed.
"You're a cruel person," Albus tutted.
"Truly wicked," Poppet nodded.
"James' been more upbeat this week," Albus commented, absently.
Poppet felt her stomach twist.
"Quidditch always pumps him up," Florence said, smiling. Poppet felt her watchful gaze resting on her but she didn't look up.
"I was worried after... recent events that he'd not pull his weight on the team," Albus said, carefully, "But it seems to have had the complete opposite effect."
"You're welcome," Poppet said, dully. Nobody responded to this. It almost made it worse.
Poppet, Florence, Rose and Albus found themselves walking the exact same path the next morning only this time they were walking towards the pitch. Poppet felt as though a large weight was in her in the pit of her stomach. The nerves had really hit her this morning when from down the table she watched James push his breakfast around her plate. Seeing him in such a state made her nervous and then she internally scolded herself for allowing him to make her feel any kind of emotion other than rage.
"I don't think I've ever felt so sick," Rose said, her voice slightly shaking. "I so want us to win."
"Me too," Albus replied, distantly. His green eyes were dark and troubled this morning. Everyone was a mess.
The stadium was full by the time they got there. At the sight of the four players clad in claret Gryffindor Quidditch robes, the stands went wild. Boos came from the Slytherin and Hufflepuff stands but Ravenclaw and Gryffindor were going wild. Poppet gave a quick wave to her fellow students before ducking into the changing rooms. James was already there, pacing up and down the length of the room. When he saw his brother, cousin, friend and ex-girlfriend enter the tent he stopped and turned to face them. "I'm fucking shitting myself."
"Language," Rose tutted, disapprovingly.
"We're going to get so fucked out there," James said, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck in an obsessive manner. He was in pieces.
Poppet had the overwhelming urge to hug him. She wished she could open up her arms, take him in them and hold him tightly, just to reassure him. However, she knew she couldn't. It would just be awkward. She wondered how long it would be before it would be deemed not awkward. Honestly, she had no idea.
"We'll be fine," Albus assured his older brother, "I think you're forgetting that we're unbeaten too!"
"Al's right," Poppet offered, weakly, "I'll just hold onto the Quaffle so Lucas can't score and you just try and get the snitch."
"Possession is key," Florence reminded him.
"That's not a bad plan at all," James refused to meet Poppet's gaze. "If you chasers just pass the ball between each other and keep it off Hufflepuff then Lucas can't score anything."
"So like filibustering but with a ball?" Rose asked, hopefully.
"Yeah," James said. "Just like that, whatever the fuck that means."
Rose was probably about to explain to James what filibustering meant but the five of them were interrupted by Blane and Tobias who walked through into the room at that exact moment, laughing and joking in a generically laddish manner. They fell silent as they entered the room.
"Good luck, everyone," Tobias said, stiffly.
James told them both of the change of tactic and they nodded solemnly. Then, it was the waiting game. Finally, Madame Hooch called them out of the changing rooms and the seven hopefuls in claret robes strode confidently across the pitch to the centre. The Hufflepuffs were coming from the other end, a vision in mustard yellow. James shook the hand of Lucas Smith, who smiled cockily at him. Lucas then offered a wink at Poppet before mounting his broom, along with the rest of his team.
And then, they were off. It was a fine day for Quidditch and Poppet was pleased. The air was crisp and clean and the sky was clear and blue. Poppet soared up above the crowd and did a big circle, assessing the situation.
"IT'S THE DAY WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR! TODAY, HUFFLEPUFF OR GRYFFINDOR WILL WALK AWAY WITH THE TROPHY!"
Poppet swooped down from her birds-eye view and straight into the action. Tobias had the Quaffle. He passed it to Poppet who passed it to Albus. Poppet then flew up above Albus and he passed to her. She knocked it right back to Tobias and the same pattern happened over and over again. The crowd were getting increasingly irritated.
"THE GRYFFINDOR CHASERS SEEM TO HAVE A VERY INTERESTING TACTIC THERE... THEY'RE NOT LETTING HUFFLEPUFF EVEN GET A LOOK-IN!"
The crowd began to boo the Gryffindors, as it had been half an hour and there still hadn't been a goal. Despite their best efforts, the Hufflepuff beaters had not managed to knock a bludger into any of the chasers yet. Rose or Blane were always on hand to deflect them. James was dipping in and out of the action, keeping his eye out for the snitch. Florence almost looked as if she were going to fall asleep on her broom she was so bored.
"FINALLY! LUCAS SMITH HAS MANAGED TO GRAB THE QUAFFLE AND... HE SCORES! 10 POINTS TO HUFFLEPUFF!"
Oops. Poppet hadn't been concentrating and the ball had soared over her shoulder and right into the gloved hands of Lucas Smith who had expertly knocked it through the hoop. Glowering, Tobias pulled up next to her. "That's your fault!"
"I know! I'm sorry!" Poppet winced.
Luckily, possession was soon back to Gryffindor and the filibustering was going a treat again. Poppet was aware that this made for a very boring match for spectators and it wasn't the brutal blood bath they were hoping it to be but it was working for the Gryffindor team. They'd been playing for about forty-five minutes when Albus signalled to Tobias and Poppet that he was going to try and score to spice things up and he managed it, making it a level playing field at 10 points each.
"THIS COULD POSSIBLY BE THE DULLEST MATCH IN HOGWARTS QUIDDITCH HISTORY!"
An hour had gone by and Hufflepuff were now up by 10 points. They'd managed to get the Quaffle again, much to the delight of the crowd. Poppet had the Quaffle tucked under her arm. She dodged a black-haired Hufflepuff chaser and passed the ball to Tobias who was too near the goal to resist. Gryffindor scored. The crowd suddenly stirred with excitement. Cheering began. Poppet looked around and saw James shooting upwards, faster than she'd seen him fly before. On his tail was the Hufflepuff seeker, who was a small girl with mousy brown hair.
"THE SEEKERS HAVE SEEN THE SNITCH! THIS MATCH IS FINALLY ABOUT TO END! BUT IT'S STILL ALL TO PLAY FOR!"
But it wasn't all to play for. As James' gloved hand found itself caged around the golden snitch, Poppet's heart swelled. They'd done it! They'd won! Lucas Smith looked like he was about to kill a man; James looked like he was about to explode from being so happy. The Gryffindor team, suddenly forgetting all rifts and ties, landed and enveloped each other in a huge group hug. It truly was an awesome moment. Parents flooded onto the pitch but it was all a blur. Poppet remembered hugging her own parents and then hugging Ginny and even Harry. She wondered why they were so chummy with her. Surely breaking their son's heart was not a good thing.
"You played well." A voice as smooth as butter sounded from behind Poppet. She whipped around and there was Lucas Smith. His face was red from the heat and his straw-coloured hair was messy and tangled from the wind. He was a whole head taller than James and Poppet had to almost crane her neck to even look him in the eye.
"Thanks," Poppet said, unsure of herself.
"I didn't realise you could... handle balls so well." Was he flirting? Poppet was definitely sure he was flirting.
"I'm alright at handling balls," Poppet shrugged. Was she flirting back?
"I should think you are," Lucas was smirking. He was attractive; you couldn't deny that simple fact. He was a nice person as well. Hufflepuffs usually are. "Maybe we should hang out more. I'd like to see more of you off the pitch."
"Oh –"
But Poppet didn't have time to answer before James was by her side, hanging around like a bad smell. "She can't hang out with rivals."
"Chill out, Potter. You won the cup."
"You're still a rival," James stated.
"You're still clearly hung up on her," Lucas said coldly before walking off.
"Asshole!" Poppet said, turning on him suddenly.
"I was just trying to-"
"James, we're not together anymore. You can't dictate my life like that. I can hang out with whoever the hell I want. Keep your nose out of my business!" Everyone was looking at Poppet. Oops.
"Fine," James grumbled, turning and walking away.
Well done Poppet, you successfully ruined what was meant to be a happy occasion. You win the prize for biggest asshole of the hour. Well done you.
Dressed like a classy prostitute, Poppet was more than ready for a party. Her black bralet and tight body con skirt made for perfect party attire. Tonight was about letting her hair down, having fun and not thinking about her stupid, gorgeous asshole of an ex boyfriend. Tonight was about one final send off to her sixth year of Hogwarts. Tonight was about her friends. Florence, Jocelyn, Roxanne and Poppet all strolled down into the common room an 8pm and the party was in full swing. People were dancing; music was blaring; drinks were flowing. Poppet couldn't think of anywhere she'd rather be more. Two shots of vodka later and Poppet was swaying and singing at the top of her voice to the catchy wizard chart song that was blaring through the speakers.
00:00: Shots. Shots. Shots. James drank a trophy full of fire whiskey out of the cup they'd just won. Poppet's head was spinning.
01:00: Shots. Shots. Shots. Poppet was half naked and dancing on the table. She couldn't feel her legs.
01:30: Shots. Shots. Shots. Florence and Blane were making out in the corner, as if nothing had changed. Poppet vomited, but it wasn't from watching them eating each other's faces.
02:00: Shots. Shots. Shots. Roxanne and Logan from the year above had gone upstairs together. Poppet couldn't see straight.
03:00: Shots. Shots. Shots. Jocelyn was on the floor, crying with laughter over a joke about bunnies. Poppet laughed with her.
04:00: Shots. Shots. Shots. Poppet was lying back in James Potter's bed while he climbed on top of her. She wouldn't remember this in the morning.
04:15: Shots. Shots. Shots. Tobias passed out on the rug in front of the fire.
04:30: Shots. Shots. Shots. Poppet was fucking her ex-boyfriend and was too drunk to think about the disastrous effect this would have.
6 AM. No more shots. The music died out. The alcohol had all gone. Everyone in Gryffindor Tower was passed out, asleep or just silent. What a truly wild night.
AN: I WENT TO THE HARRY POTTER STUDIOS TODAY AND IT WAS GREAT! I really hope you liked this chapter. It's not one of my faves but I played around with structure this chapter and I hope the risk paid off. I didn't want to add more fillers. 2 more chapters til the ending! The last chapter is more of an epilogue though. Basically, I know getting drunk and sleeping with an ex is totally cliché. What will James and Poppet do next? Let me know your thoughts in the reviews. See you all in the PENULTIMATE chapter of Not Ideal. Bye xxx