DOROTHEA {fred weasley}

eighteen

Dorothea woke up exhausted, checking the time and seeing that she had twenty minutes until meeting Ezra, she got dressed and ready quickly, and shook Elvira awake whispering, "Hogsmeade."

The dark haired witch grinned in spite of her sleepy state, "I'll see you there."

"You know we leave at eight," Dorothea replied, looking down at her friend, confused.

Elvira smirked again, "trust me, I'll see you there."

Dorothea rolled her eyes, having no idea at all what her friend was talking about, but deciding she hadn't the time to figure it out. She washed quickly, using her wand to smooth her hair, and dressing in a cloak her mother had brought her back from Paris in summer. Other than Elvira, the dorm was empty. She knew Leila was going to Hogsmeade with her brother and Ravenclaw friends, as she always did. Priscilla and Felix were going together, on a date, and she assumed that Lilith would be tagging along with Adrian and Marcus.

Ezra was waiting leaning against one of the leather sofas for her, a book in his hand, he snapped it closed and smiled at the sight of the witch, surprising her by putting his hand on the back of her neck, and kissing her softly. Dorothea retreated a little, holding onto his arm and moving it away from her, "kissing you at a party doesn't make me your girlfriend, Nott," she said, trying to sound as lighthearted as possible. She liked Ezra, sometimes, and he was certainly one of the best looking wizards in her year, but she'd have a lifetime of him now.

He forced a laugh and the witch noticed the hurt expression on his face, she linked his arm and squeezed it apologetically, one day of course, he'd be able to kiss her whenever he pleased, do anything whenever he pleased. Whilst she still had a shred of autonomy at Hogwarts, she fully intended to hold onto it as tightly as she could.

Hogsmeade was, fine, and that was it. Ezra tried to take her to Madam Puddifoots, she complained, and they went to the Three Broomsticks instead. There was a moment of guilt, she knew reservations at the classic date location weren't easy to get on Hogsmeade weekends, but a letter from her mother received just before they had left, confirming that post-Hogwarts, an arrangement for her and Ezra had been made, only furthered her want to be difficult. She wondered if he had gotten the same letter from Barnaby, he hadn't said anything, but she supposed that would explain the sudden affection. No matter if she liked Ezra or not, she'd never let him near her again, he'd just become a symbol of Clementine Rosier's control.

Being in The Three Broomsticks meant that other Slytherins were unavoidable, Dorothea breathed a sigh of relief as she noticed that Felix and Priscilla had joined Marcus, Lilith and Adrian. Lilith waved her over and she smiled, stepping forwards.

Ezra grabbed her arm, clearly a little harder than he intended to as he dropped it guiltily, "sorry, Thea. Just, isn't this meant to be... just us?"

"Haven't we got the rest of our lives for that?" She asked spitefully, not waiting for a response and sitting on the very end of the bench that Priscilla was on, leaving no room for Ezra, meaning he had to sit on the opposite end of the table in between Adrian and Felix. Dorothea knew it wasn't Ezra's fault, he'd not asked to be a Nott anymore than she had asked to be a Rosier, and for everyone sat around the table, a marriage pushed, or arranged, by their parents was glaringly inevitable. Barnaby Nott was just as pushy, if not worse, than Clementine Rosier, but she still could not help but feel as if Ezra had more of a say in it than she did.

 Her thoughts were interrupted by Priscilla, clinking a knife against her butterbeer glass.

"Anyway, I believe a congratulations are in order," the witch smiled, looking between Ezra and Dorothea.