Grey Eyes (A Harry Potter Fanfiction)

26. Over the Top

After finally gathering my scattered wits off the floor (which took quite a while, mind you), I dry my clothes with a quick spell and make my way out of the Prefects' Bathroom. I peek my head out and slowly tip toe into the hallway when... oh crap!

I give a jolt as I spot a silhouette slouch towards me from down the end of the hallway. I'm about to make a break for it for the second time tonight when I realize... oh, blimey, it's just Ed Davies, the Gryffindor sixth year.

Or in other words, the top supplier of delinquent goodies for the school's most notorious troublemakers, Sirius Black and James Potter themselves. Yeah, I definitely won't get in trouble from this bloke.

After letting out a long breath I didn't know I was holding, I make my way down the hallway towards him, considerably more relaxed now that students other than myself are roaming the halls as well.

I'd bet my broom that Filch is still out there searching for me...

I shove my hands into my pockets and heave another sigh. No matter how long I stayed in the bath, my poor tired and over-heated brain could not comprehend what just happened.

Remus Lupin.

Remus bloody Lupin, my best mate! I mean, he's always been sweet on me but I thought that was just because he's a nice bloke and does that to everyone!

My brows furrow as I try to remember. Does he treat everyone like that? I think so? I mean, when he asked me to go to Hogsmeade with him, maybe he just meant, "Hey, Cecilia, do you want to hang out with me on Hogsmeade weekend?" That's perfectly reasonable right? No need to jump to conclusions. Wait... but it is on Valentine's Day. That's somewhat suspicious. This has to be a date... but that would mean... does Remus like me? Like, like me like me? No... nooooo, that'd be mental...

I pass by Ed and look up briefly to give him a small nod in greeting.

Alright, back on topic. So, let me get this straight. Today is Wednesday, which means classes start at 8 A.M., which means... oh, bloody inferno of hell, I'm going to have to be with Remus all day lo—

"CECILIA, I LOVE YOU."

"Yeah, g'morning to you, Ed—wait a minute, what?" I spin around abruptly to face the boy, nearly falling over mid-turn. I blink my eyes hard several times in disbelief and repeat again, "What?"

"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE," Ed continues, his hands gesticulating frantically as if he's about to have a panic attack or something. "I LOVE YOU, CECILIA VANCE, AND I'VE BEEN HOLDING IT IN FOR MONTHS BUT YOU'RE JUST SO FUNNY, SMART, AND PRETTY AND IT'S GOING TO BE VALENTINE'S DAY, SO WILL YOU GO OUT WITH M—"

"Wait, wait, wait, stop!" I interject before he wakes up the entire bloody school. I take my hands off my ears and stare at him. "Ed, how long have you been up?"

What I mean by that is, do you just have a serious lack or sleep or something? Well, that shouldn't be my first question. My first question schould actually be: WHY ARE YOU YELLING AT ME?

After taking a few moments to calm himself down from his theatrical confession, Ed continues between gasps, "I've been awake ALL NIGHT ever since the Hogsmeade weekend date was posted. I've been trying to muster up the courage to tell you for weeks and finally it's destiny that I should meet you alone here today so I just had to tell you I love you and I want you to be my girlfrie—"

"Ed, stop." I hold  up a hand to interrupt his huge run-on sentence and take a deep breath. Blimey, and I thought the deal with Remus was dramatic. "Okay, first of all, get some sleep. And second of all, Ed, I'm engaged to one of your best mates, remember? Sirius Black?"