conflict

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"Are you excited for the match?" Teddy swung their hands between them as they walked through the dimly lit corridors, eyes on the lookout for any brave students sneaking around the castle at night. The pair had spent the majority of their rounds sending drunk students back to their dorms, the seventh years not taking well to their NEWTs. Left exhausted, Saige and Teddy dwelled on the fact that instead of spending their Friday night joining them, they had to attend to prefect duties. They'd been even more stunned when they encountered both head boy and girl stumbling down a particularly windy staircase, promising not to dock house points if they one day returned the favour.

"Excited to be up in 5 hours to play quidditch?" Saige scoffed. "Oh most certainly, maybe I'll even sleep through what's left of the night in anticipation. It'll be a miracle if I don't fall off my broom in front of the whole school."

"Your sarcasm is not funny," Teddy said, bringing the girl into his arms and spinning her around. Her sweet laughs echoed in the desolate hall as he set her down and poked her sides.

"You love it," she claimed, pushing him away playfully. Checking her watch, she let out a tired sigh. "Time to head back, our rounds are over."

"I'll walk you to your dorm," Teddy stated, grabbing Saige's hand to hold in his own.

"Don't be daft, your common room is just around the corner. Ravenclaw is all the way on the other side of the castle," she replied.

"Do you really think I'm going to let you walk all the way there by yourself in the middle of the night?" Teddy raised a skeptical eyebrow at her.

"I'll be fine," Saige insisted. "Besides, we've already sent all the drunk seventh years to bed. It's not like I'll see anyone on the way."

"Will you just let me be a good boyfriend?" he said, narrowing his eyes playfully at her.

"Wouldn't it make me a bad girlfriend if I made you walk all the way across the castle when your dorm is right down the hall?" she retorted.

"Oh stop being so stubborn," Teddy grumbled, gathering the girl's small frame in his arms and walking in the direction that led to the Ravenclaw tower, pushing her along gently.

Teddy wished they could be like this normally. He would be lying if he said Saige's need for secrecy surrounding their relationship didn't hurt him a little bit. He felt so withdrawn from her at times, hating the way she would shy away from him in crowds. But he didn't blame her, he could never. He knew that she was trying, and that's all he could want. Teddy saw her trying, savouring their little moments. The smiles from across the Great Hall and the feeling of her gentle hand in his as they walked to their shared classes. The way she immersed herself in her study and quidditch, but still tried her best to make time for him no matter how exhausted she was.

"What are you thinking about?" Saige interrupted his thoughts, looking up at him over her shoulder.

"You," Teddy stated simply, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "About how much I wish we could be a normal couple."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Saige furrowed her eyebrows, withdrawing from his hold.

"Hey hey hey, I'm kidding," Teddy let out a light laugh, putting an arm over her shoulder and drawing her into his side.

"You know this is why I can't stand you Lupin," Saige huffed, a small whisper of a smile on her face.

"You love it," he mimicked her previous words.

They walked the rest of the way quietly, engaging in mindless chatter and poking fun at one another. Finally arriving at the Ravenclaw tower, Teddy gave Saige a sweet kiss before bidding her goodnight.

Shutting the heavy door behind her, Saige leant against it, finally letting warm tears spill out of her eyes. This boy was going to break her heart. She knew it, it was inevitable. There was always an inkling in the back of her mind that the pair wouldn't be together forever, but as she fell for him more and more every day, Saige knew she couldn't do it. She couldn't handle the heartbreak of when Teddy finally decided he had enough of her. She had to do it herself, she just didn't know how. But breaking someone else's heart is far easier than having your own shattered.

saige | t.lupinWhere stories live. Discover now