ix. Crush Culture

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NINE CRUSH CULTURE



       "YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO STAY," says Briar, looking across at Fred. Both of them are standing around, waiting for her grandpa to appear, so that Briar can hopefully try and talk some sense into him. She has visions of Harry competing in the tournament and she really doesn't want that to be the reality of it. Just because he's fought You-Know-Who doesn't mean he deserves to get thrown into danger every other day.

       Fred shrugs. "I don't mind."

       Briar smiles softly at him.

       "Besides, after earlier..." he begins, trailing off.

       "It's in the past now, yeah?" she says.

       "I just wanna say," says Fred. They're leaning against the wall. He turns to her, and Briar doesn't know what's causing her to think it — whether it's the way that he's leaning closer to her, or the sheepish look on his face — but she can't help but think again, he looks so different... "I didn't really realise that you moved on from this place... Well. I didn't want you to." He pauses, trying to find the words. Briar's at a loss for words herself. She never thought he'd apologise like this. She thought they'd just move on and never speak about it again.

       Briar frowns. "It's fine, Freddie..."

       "No, I feel bad," he says. "Right, well, frankly, I didn't want you to move on from here, and move on from us — from our group of friends, I mean." Briar remembers what she said to Fleur this morning. She feels weird, letting him talk about this, because she already knows, she already gets it. "But I know that's shitty of me, and I'm sorry for being a dick."

       "I know," she says.

       "You know I'm a dick?"

       "No, no!" she shakes her head, letting out a laugh. "No — I thought that was why you got weird earlier on."

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