Pinkie Promises

Growing Up

Soon enough Teddy and I were inseparable, it was rare to find either one of us without the other. Even during the summer we managed to see each other, sometimes when I would visit him his cousin Victoire would play with us. They aren't cousins by blood, but they grew up together like cousins or siblings since they were so close in age.

It wasn't long when we reached the age when you start to have crushes on people. In our third year was when rumors started to spread about Teddy and me. They were the typical rumors you think immature thirteen years old would make up. Looking back now it's stupid, but to thirteen year old me it was a big thing.

Instead of talking about the rumors Teddy and I had an unspoken agreement to just pretend they didn't exist, which made things worse. I started to get insecure and thought that more time I spent with Teddy the more rumors were going to be made up, so I started distancing myself from him.

I spent more time with my girl friends, hoping this would make the rumors stop. In a way it did, but there was also another rumor that Teddy and I were together but then broke up and that's why we weren't seen together as much.

I still don't know who made these rumors but they had too much time on their hands.

It was only a week later when Teddy pulled me aside after Potions class to ask me why I had been avoiding him.

"Have I done something? You've barely spoken to me all week, and then you go and choose to be Macy's partner in Potions instead of mine," said Teddy, sadly.

"Haven't you heard the rumors about us?" I asked him, nervously looking around at the passing students on their way to their next class. "Yeah. . .who cares?" said Teddy, with a shrug. "I do," I said, quietly, looking down at my feet.

"Lilah, they're just rumors. Something that someone made up when they were bored, just ignore them," said Teddy. "Easier said than done. I'm just scared they're going to ruin our friendship if they get to be too much, so I thought it would be easier if we didn't spend as much time together right now," I admitted.

"You're my best friend, and always will be, no stupid rumor is going to change that," said Teddy, sincerely. "I'm sorry I let the rumors get to my head," I said, frowning. "Nothing will ever ruin our friendship, I promise," said Teddy, holding out his right pinkie finger. I smiled and held out mine. "I promise I won't let any stupid rumors almost ruin our friendship," I said, as we interlocked our fingers.

As we got older it wasn't only Teddy and I anymore. We also had Michael and Macy who were both Hufflepuffs in our year and also dorm-mates. Although, Teddy was friends with pretty much everyone, he was pretty popular especially when he joined the Hufflepuff Quidditch team in our fifth year.

Teddy tried to convince me to try out for the team, but I just said I enjoyed watching from the sidelines more. This was true, I didn't play quidditch much and when I did it was over the summer with Teddy's family and I was no good compared to them, but I still had fun.

I remember Teddy's first game playing on the team, he was so nervous even though he tried not to show it, I could see right through his act. When the team got up to head down to the pitch our friends cheered and chorused their good lucks and other encouraging words as they walked past.

When they left the Great Hall I got up and walked after them, hoping I could talk to Teddy alone for a minute. I caught them right before they walked outside.

"Teddy!" I called, running after them. A few members along with Teddy turned around. "I just need to say something real quick," I told him. "You have one minute, Lupin, meet us in the changing room. Hurry," the team captain, Jason Mitchel, said looking back and forth at us. Teddy nodded, and Jason turned around and led the team out.