our universe

- H A T E Y O U -

teddy's pov:

I couldn't believe that Harry was our new headmaster. Would I have to start calling him Professor Potter? Weird. But that wasn't the biggest shock of the night. Junie had a date.

A date.

With Xavier Zabini.

A date.

That same unfamiliar heat coiled inside me, twisting like a snake as it knotted around itself. A white hot poker reared its head, striking my gut. It made me irritated, no more than that, angry? I couldn't place it. All I knew was that I wanted to march down to the Slytherin dungeons and introduce Zabini to the business end of my fists. I couldn't. I wouldn't do that again. I promised her. Didn't stop me from picking fight with her though. It was just so fun. Seeing her get all flustered. Does Zabini do that to her? He better not.

"Hey you ok over there, Potter?" I nudged Junie with my shoulder lightly as we headed up to the common room. She'd been oddly quiet on the walk back. Was she mad at me? I didn't think so. We fought like that at least once a day, it was just teasing.

"Fine." She said tightly, not meeting my eye. Juniper started to climb the staircase to her dorm.

That's when I knew something was up. She never went to bed this early, especially not on the first night. More often than not she'd fall asleep in the common room.

"Junie." I put a hand on her arm, pulling her back.

"Yes Teddy?" She replied, brushing me off.

"Wanna talk about it?" I ventured, waiting for her to say something.

"I don't know what you're going on about but-"

"Junie I've known you your whole life, I think I know by now when something's wrong." I gave her a wry smile, raising a knowing eyebrow.

She rolled her eyes, her lips beginning to curve on the edges, "I hate you."

"No you don't." I grinned, stepping closer to her.

"I really really do." She countered, that familiar daring gleam in her eye.

"You sure about that?" I breathed, now so close to her I could see the faint summer freckles on her nose. Her black curls fell in front of her cheek and all I wanted was to tuck them behind her ear and kiss my way down her delicate neck. Was she feeling what I was feeling? No you blithering prat of course not, she has a date with a guy. A guy who was most definitely not me.

But.

But I could see her pulse racing just the slightest bit faster, cheeks just the slightest bit pink, thick lashes fluttering as she looked me dead in the eye.

"I'm sure."

"You feel good about the decision?" I pressed, advancing on her so that she was now walking backwards.

"Teddy!" Juniper exclaimed, laughing. "What are you doing?"

"Go ahead." I teased, tugging her hair as I kept moving, forcing her to back up even further, "Tell me how much you hate me."

"Really think you can handle it?" She crossed her arms, lips pressed together in a pout.

"Shut up." I pushed her up against a wall, smirking. What was I doing? What was I doing?

"Make me." She arched an eyebrow and my heart stopped. Our faces were mere centimeters apart from each other, her lips were so so close to mine. One slight move of my head and I would be kissing her. She wasn't backing away. She wasn't moving her head or wavering at all. I mean part of that was probably because I had her pinned against a wall, but still. Was I doing this? I was doing this.