September 16th, 2003
"Whatcha doing, Duck?" Grabbing her shoulders quickly, I cause her to jump and drop her script from her hands as we wait to finish our day.
"Blimey!!! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!" Picking up her script for her, she glares as she takes it from me.
"Now, come on- Emma...would I do that to you?" I tease and pinch at her sides jokingly.
"Stop it!" She squeals quietly as she pulls away from me. Her white uniform shirt coming slightly untucked from her skirt and her hair catching the humidity. "You can't do that any more."
"What? This?" I reach forward again, my pale hands finding her sides and tickling her mercilessly. She tries so hard to stifle her giggles, but it's a fruitless endeavor.
"Haha! Yes! That! Haha!" She slaps my hands with the thick paper script of the day as her freckled cheeks turn apple red. "Stop it. Now."
"Oh, so serious my little Duckling." I reach again and she hits me harder this time.
"Seriously, Tom. Enough."
"What's wrong? We're just having fun...aren't we?" I'm confused by her lately. Ever since the Chamber of Secrets- she's been off. "You used to be fun. What happened over the last five months?"
Scoffing, she turns and heads down the grassy knoll to the set trailer. We have to film this scene where she slaps me for making fun of Buckbeak's execution. I didn't really read the script when I got it- but I'm sure it won't be too hard to take a slap from Emma.
"Em! Where you going?"
"I have to change! And so do you!" She yells at me.
"Temperamental, that one." I say to no one. Looking down at my Slytherin uniform- I roll my eyes and head to change.
***August 2019***
"Honestly...Wills....stop barking, Love..." I tiredly groan from the living room sofa.
She's been barking for the last fifteen minutes and honestly- I've had my fill of it. All I wanted to do was sleep after tonight's gig.
Barking!
"Alright! I'm up! Bloody Hell, Babe!" I grumble- throwing the blanket off my body and onto the floor. Before I can even get up fully- something smashes on the floor in the other room. However, if Willow would have broke something, she would've stopped barking- but she hasn't stopped.
"Shh...shhh...stop barking...."
Whispers come from around the half wall and as I step around with the only object I could find in the dark- a Kong bone with slobber on it- I flick on the light to catch the intruder and I nearly have a heart attack.
"Jesus!"
"Bloody Hell, Tom!" She shrills as she turns and closes the window quickly.
"Emma! What are you doing?! Sneaking in through my window at...1:30 at night!?" She reaches down and pats Willow- who has finally stopped barking and is now simply running around in circles excitedly. "I could've hurt you- ya know?! Breaking into a Mate's place in the dead of night."
My heart is still racing- but she doesn't seem to care too much as she smirks and walks passed me. Tapping my shoulder with a smirk on her face as she goes.
"Hopefully next time- you choose something more threatening than a slobbery dog bone. Haha." Shaking my head, I can't believe she broke in. Disappearing around the wall that leads to the laundry area, she comes back with a broom and dustpan to clean up the mess she made.
"Unbelievable." I say quietly to myself.
"Sorry for breaking...whatever this was." Confused as she picks up a ceramic shard off the floor- she apologetically smiles before continuing to clean.
"It was something a fan made me...what are you doing sneaking in my window? You've failed to say." Going to her, I kneel and help pick up the pieces of artwork and she just simply smiles at me before looking back at the mess. Something's wrong for sure. She never usually dodges my questions...more importantly- she never breaks into my home in the middle of the night.
"I just thought I'd drop in." Casually saying, she smiles before taking the mess in the pan to the trash.
"Seriously, Duck...what's going on?" Stopping on her way back to put the broom away, her shoulders drop and she seems so small. Her jean overall shorts seem slightly looser than most of her other clothes usually are and her camisole hangs low as well.
"Is there something wrong with me?" I can't help but laugh when she asks this. I mean- she just crawled through my patio window for some odd reason.
"There's a lot of things wrong with you, haha." She turns around and now my smile dissipates. Her eyes are filled with ready to drop tears and her lip quivers.
"Tom..." She sniffs and I feel like an arsehole. Padding across the floor in my pajama pants, I cup her cheek and wipe a few tears away.
"No- Em. There's nothing wrong with you. Why would you think that?"
"Because I'm going to be thirty next year and I have nothing to show for it...." She cries and all I can do is pull her to my bare chest. Her arms get trapped between us and I feel horrible for the joke earlier.
"What are you talking about? You're Hermione Granger. You're a beautiful, successful and very talented young woman and nothing in this world could prove otherwise." As her tears hit my chest and slide down towards my navel, I can't stop the twisting in my chest.
"I'm a loser though...I have no home...no husband...no babies...and I'm going to be 30!" Her sobs are muffled by my chest and it hits me.
"Fuck- I'm a loser too then...I'm well passed my prime and I don't even have a decent body to make up for it."
"I'm being serious, Tom." Forcing her away from my chest, I look her over and wipe more tears away.
"Lord help me- when you turn serious."
"Stop mocking me!"
"I'm not. Haha, I'm serious. When you get serious- I end up getting hurt. Like that day on set during Azkaban. You got serious and you actually punched me hard in the face. Or that time at the award show when you got serious and threw your brick of a clutch at my face." I say and smirk widely. "Point of the story is- when you get serious- I end up getting beat up for it."
Managing to get her to laugh a bit, she pushes her body back into me and faces towards the living room wall- her hair sticking to my right shoulder due to the amount of tears she's cried.
"Darling- listen. Thirty is nothing more than a number. You are a strong, independent woman, and though you need no man- you always have me. You have a whole year before then anyway. I'm sure some lucky git will scoop you up- knock you up outta wedlock and be handsomely rich so you needn't worry about buying some home in fair Verona." Hands gliding up and down her back, I feel her thin frame relax against me and a smile grows upon my stubbled face.
"Thank you...you always know what to say to make me feel better."
"Anytime, my little Duckling."
"Quack, Quack."
We hold each other in silence for a few moments until I feel that unnerving stirring in my gut. Pulling away- I grab for my guitar that I left beside the kitchen island and I begin strumming a random melody.
"Duckling, Dear-
You know I'm always here,
Even when I should press charges,
Cause you broke in my window
Dupe dupe dupe dupe.
Duckling Girl,
You made me yell at Willow,
Cause I thought she saw a squirrel,
And was barking like mad man,
I think you owe her an apology
Hee hee hee hee!" I finish the Heart and Soul melody and she smiles widely as a laugh escapes her.
"I'm sorry, Willow, Girl. I didn't mean to get you in trouble." She calls to Willow, who has decided to make herself comfy on a pile of my shoes in the hall. "Haha, oh...shit- that's right- you had a gig tonight. Gosh...you're probably exhausted and I woke you up and..."
"It's fine, Darling. Really. As long as you're alright." Setting my guitar back against the counter, my smile softens as she beams up at me.
"Sorry, I broke in...literally."
"Yeah...didn't I give you a key?"
"No."
"No? I swore I gave you a key!" Going to the small bowl on top of my fridge, I dig around in the random junk I've placed in it and there it is. "Shit...haha- I guess not. Ah, well- here you go. Next time use the door please."
"Right." Taking the key, she still seems off a bit.
"Want to spend the night?" Her eyes light up and she nods happily. "I thought you might. I'll set up the guest bed."
We've been here before.
Several times.
More times than I'm willing to admit.
They always seem to come after one of her breakups.
A moment of complete vulnerability and pure Emma-ness.
I'm not saying she does it on purpose. This little game of pushing me as far as I can bend to see when I'll break.
Only for the time to come for her to move on with some younger- more handsome man who promises to make her world everything she's wanted- pushing me away like I mean nothing- only to come back to me for comfort and advice and a happy time.
The never ending cycle of Emma Watson.
Twenty Years almost it's been going on.
The difference is- she was allowed to be open and free with her words and choices and actions- while the world expected more from me. I was older. I was a man. I was to know what was right and what was wrong in the end.
In the turn of it all- the biggest joke was on me.
And the world is still laughing.
"Here you are..." Coming back out to the living room, I find Emma asleep on the couch and Willow cuddled up on her legs. "Wills- off."
Mmm.
She whines, but obeys. Bending down, I scoop my friend up with ease and I carry her gently down the hallway to the spare room. Laying her down, I pull the throw blanket over her and just as I'm about to leave, she grabs gently at my arm.
"Mmm...stay....with me..." Her tired little acknowledgement burns deep inside me and I know I shouldn't. Twenty years we've been best friends.
Twenty years of having to tell interviewer after interviewer that there's nothing between Emma and I.
Twenty years of listening to Emma ooo and aw over men who didn't know her the way I do.
"Tom..." Her tired quiet, yet demanding voice pulls at me and I can't help but obey. I'll always obey when it comes to Emma.
Shutting off the light, I crawl into bed beside her- laying on top of the blanket of course- and I listen to her light snoring.
I was dog arse tired not more than an hour ago- and now; I can't sleep.
Damn it, Watson.
***September 2003**
"Tom! Wait! I didn't mean too! Tom!" She calls after me as I storm off of set. We got the take for sure- but that wasn't an acting slap. It wasn't even a friendly one. It was a full on punch to the face and I cover my bloody nose with my hand and rush out of sight of everyone.
Getting inside my trailer, I go to the small loo and slam the door shut. That really fucking hurt. After five takes of fake slaps- I simply told her to hit me- like hit me. And just before that I over heard Daniel and Rupert sniggering about Emma.
**20 Minutes Earlier**
"Yeah- completely amusing...she has to do it, but it's only gonna ruin her chances." Rupert says and I can't help but step up to them.
We're all friends on set.
It's hard not to be.
But it isn't hard to understand the social hierarchy of who is in good with whom. For instance, Emma, Daniel, and Rupert are great friends- because they film almost all their scenes together. I'm more reserved and tend to be off by myself skateboarding, reading, or even playing music. I dont know if it's because I'm three years older than them or if I'm just not making myself available enough- but Rupert and Daniel have sort of become...different with me and even Emma.
"What's going on, Mates?" I ask as I approach in my costume. They smirk and act like little gossip girls.
"Good luck today, Mate." Rupert says quietly as he leans in. He's obvious talking about someone.
"Thanks?"
"Rupert walked in on Emma and Bonnie talking about you." Dan says and it peaks my interest. What does the 13 year old princess of the set have to say about me?
"Yeah? Like what?"
"Like how she has a really big crush on you. Has had one since the beginning of Chamber of Secrets." My cheeks burn slightly and I notice Emma walk by.
It's not that she isn't cute.
She most definitely is.
But she's 13 and I'm 16.
Nothing can come of her crush- because not only is it forbidden on set- but what would people think of a 16 year old boy being with a barely 13 year old girl.
Rumors would fly and I could get in trouble for things teenage boys do with their girlfriends.
"Watson!" I call and the boys eyes go wide.
"Shut up, Tom! You're not supposed to tell her you know." I ignore Rupert and take off to Emma. She looks around confused- the last few takes of our fake slaps haven't been going good.
"Oh! Hi..." How could I be so stupid? How could I not see she's pining over me? We hang out all the time. She's always sitting on my lap as I play video games or takes a nap on me while I read. I played it off as innocent. Maybe it's because I didn't want to see it.
Or maybe it's because I did and I liked it.
"You like me?" I ask outright and she looks up at me. Her eyes widen and cheeks grow pinker.
"I...Um.. of course I like you. You're really nice and..."
"Not like you like Rupert and Dan. You have a crush on me- don't you?" Maybe they made a mistake - which would be best for both of us. Pushing her hair behind her hair, she shyly looks up at me.
"Yes...Tom, I really like you. Like really really like you." Sighing inwardly, I hate having to do it, but it has to be done.
"Well...I'm flattered, Em...but you're..."
Really cute, but too young.
"Like a little sister to me." It takes but an instant for her pink cheeks to turn white as the script in her hand and for her eyes to well up with tears. I feel awful. Horrible for saying it- especially that way. "I'm really sorry, Duck- I hope I didn't..."
She goes storming off back to her position for the scene and they call everyone else to get ready.
"Action! From Draco's line."
"Well well well- come to see the show." I say the best I can, but I'm breaking inside because I see how hurt Emma is.
"Malfoy- you sick! Twisted little cockroach!!" She growls loudly and I can feel her anger as she jabs her wand into my throat. She isn't acting and the boys behind her can tell."
"Come on, Hermione...he's not worth it." Rupert nervously says and Emma removes her wand from my neck and turns to leave. Here comes the slap.
However, faster than we rehearsed it before, Emma turns around quick as the Flash and sucker punches me square in the nose, sending me back into the rock.
"Ah ohh!" I groan and run off chasing the the boys. Once they called the scene. I high tailed it to my trailer.
Who knew only a few words could ruin a future forever?