The Brothers Black

Chapter 18

"Don't turn around," Katie warned. 

Naturally, I turned around. I don't know how she could see that far, but Bertram was weaving through groups of students and across the courtyard. I had managed a week of avoiding him, but he seemed determined to talk to me, even after the whole balloon-head event.

Katie and I took a sharp right through the hallway by the field. We were walking to Quidditch practice together. Ever since she confided in me that one night in our dorm, we'd gotten a lot closer.

"Addy!" Bertram called.

"Just keep walking," I whispered to Katie. We started speeding up our stroll. "Is he close?"

She nodded. I sighed in annoyance.

"Addy!" he yelled again, this time from much closer.

"He's going to catch up with us," she predicted. "Just don't listen to what he says about-"

She was cut off by Bertram's hand tugging my shoulder and pulling me around. I shoved him off and kept walking. 

"Addy, you've got to listen to me." 

I tilted my chin up in defiance.

"Please. Just five minutes."

"I'm going to be late to Quidditch," I stated. 

He stepped in front of me, blocking my path to the locker room. "Just meet me after supper. In the courtyard. Just for five minutes."

I realized I was going to have to face him at some point. He'd been following me around for days. I rolled my eyes. "Five. Minutes."

Bertram smiled in triumph and walked away. 

I opened the locker room door. Katie stepped inside, turning backward to face me, "Addy, I don't know if that's such a good idea."

"I know, but I'm going to have to talk to him at some point. Best get it over with"

Katie looked frustrated, like she had something else to say, but she didn't speak up. "Let's go to practice," she finally said. 

Despite many ominous warnings from Katie, I decided to go talk to Bertram. I walked as slowly as I could to the courtyard after supper and almost turned around multiple times. In the end, I forced myself to just talk to him. 

It was a beautiful night, and the sun had almost completely set over the hills, and the light reflected on the lake, giving it a grey-blue hue. The courtyard was almost empty, so its green grass and tall trees looked picturesque with the magnificent landscape as a background.

The only thing ruining it was Bertram standing right in the middle.

I approached him with as much fury as one could show in a glare. He didn't seem to notice.

"Walk with me?" he asked. 

I tilted my head in a curt nod, and followed his stride down the path and toward Hagrid's hut. I hated how much this reminded me of our Hogsmeade weekend. 

"I'm not going to forgive you, if that is what this is about," I stated plainly.

"I know. I know you too well to ask that of you."

Was he flirting with me? I wanted to go back to my dorm. Why did I ever date this prick?

"Then why am I here?" I asked.

He paused. "I just wanted to talk. I needed to apologize." He looked into my eyes for so long I had to look away.

 "So, do it," I said, exasperated.