Dark Future (Next Generation)

T W E N T Y - O N E | G.N.

January 21st, 2021

Grant Nott's POV

I don't know what compelled me to steal it, but I did.

I looked around the store quickly before licking my lips and sliding them into my coat pocket. Luckily, Louis and Fred weren't around to watch me do that. They probably would've poked fun at me for it for a while.

I'm so lucky that the owner of this store trusts Hogwarts students way more than she should because it made sneaking out of the store with contraband easy. I walked outside, saying goodbye to the woman who owns the store. She was in her late twenties and was smacking a piece of blue bubblegum between her teeth. She had AirPods in and she was bopping her head as she waved to me.

I left the store and immediately did the same, sliding in one of my AirPods. I put on my playlist and listened to my favourite song while Louis and Fred took their time paying.

When they left the store, they caught my eye. Louis grinned. "You look like Sherlock Holmes or something."

Fred laughed and his eyes glittered. "You do, mate!"

I grabbed the collar of the long coat Mum got me. I fixed it so that it was proper once more and crossed my arms. I huffed and my breath was present in the air in front of me. "Better?"

"No," said Louis, shoving his hands in the front pockets of his trousers. He had a childish smile on his face.

"Ha. Ha," I said sarcastically. "What did you lads get?"

Louis pulled up his bag and shook it in my face. "New ink pots, ink to fill them up, and quills. I also got mints."

"I'm surprised you didn't get condoms," I said, a smirk coming onto my face.

"I haven't run out yet." Louis shrugged.

"You probably never will," Fred added.

I snorted, smacking Fred on the shoulder, playfully. "Good one, mate."

"Hey, I'll use them eventually." Louis held his hands out defensively.

"Keep telling yourself that," replied Fred.

The two boys threw banter at one another while my eyes caught sight of the one person I needed to see. A shiver went up my spine and I swallowed hard as I watched her run into the Three Broomsticks with her friends.

She was wearing a smokey grey coat and her raven hair was up in a ponytail, tied up with a hair ribbon of the same colour.

But I didn't catch her face for long enough.

I cut Fred off as he was talking. "I need a Butterbeer."

Fred and Louis looked at one another. Fred said. "I could go for one."

"So can I," responded Louis.

So we all went into the Three Broomsticks together. Louis, Fred, and I grabbed a booth. I made sure it was in the same vicinity as her table, seeing as her friends giggled and ordered food from an attractive male waiter.

When he came up to us, I saw Bella turn. She caught my gaze and I stared at her with so much intensity that I prayed she felt it. She swallowed and I inclined my head toward the lavatories just slightly. Then I looked toward my fingers and tapped five times. When I looked up at Bella, she nodded.

I smirked, victory etched into my features before turning to the waiter. "Three Butterbeers, please."

"Of course." The waiter said, scribbling his notes down.