The Twenty Year Itch

Part 1: A Few Words

September 16th, 2003

"Whatcha doing, Duck?" Grabbing her shoulders quickly, I cause her to jump and drop her script from her hands as we wait to finish our day.

"Blimey!!! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!" Picking up her script for her, she glares as she takes it from me.

"Now, come on- Emma...would I do that to you?" I tease and pinch at her sides jokingly.

"Stop it!" She squeals quietly as she pulls away from me. Her white uniform shirt coming slightly untucked from her skirt and her hair catching the humidity. "You can't do that any more."

"What? This?" I reach forward again, my pale hands finding her sides and tickling her mercilessly. She tries so hard to stifle her giggles, but it's a fruitless endeavor.

"Haha! Yes! That! Haha!" She slaps my hands with the thick paper script of the day as her freckled cheeks turn apple red. "Stop it. Now."

"Oh, so serious my little Duckling." I reach again and she hits me harder this time.

"Seriously, Tom. Enough."

"What's wrong? We're just having fun...aren't we?" I'm confused by her lately. Ever since the Chamber of Secrets- she's been off. "You used to be fun. What happened over the last five months?"

Scoffing, she turns and heads down the grassy knoll to the set trailer. We have to film this scene where she slaps me for making fun of Buckbeak's execution. I didn't really read the script when I got it- but I'm sure it won't be too hard to take a slap from Emma.

"Em! Where you going?"

"I have to change! And so do you!" She yells at me.

"Temperamental, that one." I say to no one. Looking down at my Slytherin uniform- I roll my eyes and head to change.

***August 2019***

"Honestly...Wills....stop barking, Love..." I tiredly groan from the living room sofa.

She's been barking for the last fifteen minutes and honestly- I've had my fill of it. All I wanted to do was sleep after tonight's gig.

Barking!

"Alright! I'm up! Bloody Hell, Babe!" I grumble- throwing the blanket off my body and onto the floor. Before I can even get up fully- something smashes on the floor in the other room. However, if Willow would have broke something, she would've stopped barking- but she hasn't stopped.

"Shh...shhh...stop barking...."

Whispers come from around the half wall and as I step around with the only object I could find in the dark- a Kong bone with slobber on it- I flick on the light to catch the intruder and I nearly have a heart attack.

"Jesus!"

"Bloody Hell, Tom!" She shrills as she turns and closes the window quickly.

"Emma! What are you doing?! Sneaking in through my window at...1:30 at night!?" She reaches down and pats Willow- who has finally stopped barking and is now simply running around in circles excitedly. "I could've hurt you- ya know?! Breaking into a Mate's place in the dead of night."

My heart is still racing- but she doesn't seem to care too much as she smirks and walks passed me. Tapping my shoulder with a smirk on her face as she goes.

"Hopefully next time- you choose something more threatening than a slobbery dog bone. Haha." Shaking my head, I can't believe she broke in. Disappearing around the wall that leads to the laundry area, she comes back with a broom and dustpan to clean up the mess she made.