Amortentia: A Hogwarts Story

Chapter Four

Some days, I wondered if Eddie knew about my real feelings towards her.

More often, I wondered about what would happen if she knew.

I liked to consider myself the optimist of our friendship and she often told me that I was too big of a dreamer. But I couldn't persuade myself that she would react as positively as I hoped. She wouldn't tell me that she felt the same way and her feelings towards Lex were just a cover up. She wouldn't hug me and tell me we were ready to begin the next chapter of our lives as more than friends.

More likely, she would run the opposite direction and never speak to me again because, as we both knew, we were best friends who told each other everything.

Even more likely, she would pretend that she didn't know and continue our friendship as it was. Which was probably more than I could hope for, but there would no doubt be a strange distance and awkwardness between us, which wasn't something I was quite ready to risk.

I asked my mum once, about what to do. She hadn't had the opportunity to answer before Apollo had walked into the kitchen and laughed at me.

"I know you think Edwina Kwong is as low as you, little brother, but news flash, even a mudblood who associates with you is too good for you," he had said.

His girlfriend at the time had been standing in the doorway and witnessed the whole ordeal. She had slapped him and dumped him right that minute before sitting down next to me. "I had no clue that he treated you like that," she had said, shyly. "And I should probably leave. But I think that you should go for it. I can tell, deep down, Edwina's heart is pulling towards you as well. She's just a little more hesitant, a little more scared."

Mum had taken my left hand in hers from across the table. "And remember, tell her the whole truth. Don't complicate everything, that's usually her job." She had laughed. "I'm kidding, we all know you're the one who overthinks too much. But you can't just show her, she'll think you are doing it as a friend. There's going to be a time when you will have to risk your own heart if you want anything to happen."

*****

"You're so slow!" Eddie teased, pulling me by my hand as she ran through an alleyway. We were supposed to meet my mum in front of Gringotts in ten minutes, but even though we had bought all of our school supplies (or Eddie had, most of mine were just coming from what Apollo had left behind), she was indignant that we had one more stop before we left. "How do you expect your teammates to respect you when you can't even run?"

"Since when did Quidditch require running?" I huffed back.

"Okay, maybe it doesn't require running, but it does require stamina and cardiovascular strength," she pretended to tell me matter-of-factly, turning around to face me.

"Sure it does," I replied, still out of breath.

Eddie rolled her eyes at me, but at the same time, tripped over a cobblestone. "AHHH!" She screamed, pulling me down with her.

"Thanks for that," I climbed over her and back on my feet, offering her a hand. "Now, how are Ravenclaws supposed to respect their team captain who doesn't even know where she is going?"

She grabbed my hand and pulled me back down.

"Why are we on the floor of an alley?" I asked.

"Because this is the extra stop. I wanted to prove to you that even in the worst places and worst of times, we have each other. And I don't know if you feel the same way, but-" she leaned in to kiss me.

I could only wish for that to happen. In reality, she only grabbed my hand and allowed me to pull her up. "It's not my fault my co-captain lacks cardivascular strength and I have to check on him," she laughed, still holding my hand. I wanted her to lean into me and allow me to hug her around her waist, but she continued to pull me towards wherever it was that we were going, although at a slower pace than before.

That wherever turned out to be Quality Quidditch Supplies. "Much better than an alley floor," I muttered.

"What?" She asked.

"Nevermind," I shook my head. "If we're here for more Lex-stalking, I doubt my mum would appreciate having to wait for us."

She nudged me. "My life doesn't revolve around him," she laughed. "I know I was really bad fifth year. I'm sorry about that," she leaned into me, just a little.

"Imagine how much simpler it would be if we were just in love with each other?" I whispered.

She looked up at me again. "Is this the long awaited confession of who your love is?"

I laughed. "You wish. But what are we actually doing here?"

"After you," she opened the door to the shop and I went through.

"How may I help you?" The cashier asked as she approached the counter.

"I placed a hold earlier?" Eddie said, although it came out in a questioning tone, as if she was ensuring that the other person knew.

"Ah, Wrathblitz, right?" He put down the broom he was polishing.

"Yeah," she replied, pulling her wallet out of her bag. I gawked at her. Why hadn't she told me that she was buying the Wrathblitz?

She handed over however many galleons (300, if I read the MSRP right) and received a beautiful broom-shaped paper-wrapped parcel.

Of course I was jealous. She knew I had wanted the broom, yet she had still bought it, probably with the intention of using it to impress Lex. Well, maybe that wasn't her sole intention, but it may have had some impact in her decision.

As we left the store, she put her wallet back in her bag, although not the broom...even though I knew that it fit.

"Can I...at least...hold it?" I found myself asking when we stepped back onto the street."

Edwina laughed. "Nope. You can have it, though."

"Wait, what?"

"It's for you," she smiled, handing the package over. "I love my Nimbus too much. I was just wondering how long it would take before you asked."

"No, I can't accept this," I tried to give it back to her.

"Yes, you can," she refused. "You've bought me birthday gifts every year, and I've never returned the favor, and those mean a lot to me. If it helps, consider this the payback for so many years of love."

I sighed. "Does Mum know?"

"Not yet," she shrugged. "It'll be okay, though."

Of course I knew it would. Mum loved Eddie, even if she wasn't born into a wizarding family. I knew her parents felt very differently about me.

"So, um, anything you'd like to say?" She smiled. "Besides for 'she's beautiful,' of course."

"You're beautiful," I blurted.

"Not what I was going for, but thanks," she pretend to dramatically flip her hair--a joke with me, but actual flirting when with Lex.

"Thank you. For the broom and...everything," I awkwardly managed.

"You're welcome," She leaned into me again. "When you're playing at the world cup, promise me you'll remember the outcast girl who you gave hope to."

I hugged her from behind this time. "I think my version of the story would be very diffferent," I silently kissed the top of her head, so that she thought I was only leaning into her, or something along those lines.

"Just promise that we won't forget each other then," She spun herself out of my arms. "Even when you've won twenty world cups, live in a beautiful mansion, and have married the girl of your dreams."

"The second half might not happen, but I can promise you that I will never forget you." I let her go. "Now, I think we should hurry up, or my mum might kill us, even if you weren't really ogling anybody."