"Lucas! It's lovely to see you." I smiled as I hugged him.
It's something I always do and usually don't think about much. After all he was Cedric's best friend.
He had stayed at our house more times than I could count when Cedric were alive and I would spend quite a few weekends in Hogsmeade with him and my brother.
I actually regarded him as a brother. So a hug was perfectly normal. Like I would hug Theo, or Blaise now that I knew him better.
But I was however caught off guard when Lucas kissed me cheek.
"You look beautiful Raelyn. Not that I am surprised, you always do." He winked at me.
Was he bloody drunk?
"Uh...Lucas this is my dear friend Pansy. Pansy this is Lucas. He was a friend of my brothers."
"Oh I'd reckon I am more than that to you."
How odd. Now I really think he is drunk.
"You ok Lucas?"
"Of course darling? Why wouldn't I be?"
"Uh because you called me darling?"
"Oh well maybe my dear would be better? Or I could call you honey?"
"Well you could but you would get a smack up side the head," I snapped.
Pansy snickered.
"Well it is nice to meet you Pansy. Any friend of my girl is a friend of mine."
"Isabella and Pansy are friends?"
"I meant you...darling." He playfully bopped my nose.
And I wanted to break his.
What the hell was going on? Why was he being so bloody weird.
Suddenly I just wished he would go away.
"Well Lucas, Pansy and I were just heading for a coffee so we will -"
"Coffee sounds lovely." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a few galleons. "Vanilla latte for Rae, Americano for me and get something for yourself dear."
Lucas handed the money to Pansy who looked at him shocked. I however was bloody furious.
"Lucas!"
"What? She doesn't mind. Do you Pansy?"
He smiled at her and she blinked. I think she was a little dazed. "No it's fine. I mean Rae and my coffees are paid for so I am just paying for yours with this," she murmered and walked off to join the little queue that now seemed to be there.
The village must be busier now as the shop was filling up and Pansy was about 9th in the queue.
Lucas put his hand on the small of my back and guided me over to a table. I have no idea why the gesture annoyed me so much. But it did.
He pulled out my chair as I sat down before joining me.
"I am so glad I bumped into you my dear. I was so looking forward to seeing you."
"Uh...why?" I asked very confused.
"Don't be silly Raelyn."
"I wasn't aware that I was." He was being weird. Very weird. I wasn't sure where this was going but I suddenly wished that Draco was here.
"You are so cute."
"Lucas did you hit your head?"
"No. But it's sweet of you to ask. You are so caring."
"Em..."
"Actually I have been thinking about you."
"Sorry?"
"I am been thinking about you. Quite a but in fact. I have been since I saw you last."
"Oh um -"
"I wanted to write to you."
"Ok."
"Ok. So I can write to you?"
"I guess so." I was a little lost. Why would be want to write to me?
I glances over in Panys direction. She had moved up in the queue. To 8th place.
Why didn't we just go to The Three Broomsticks?
"Good. I shall make the effort to write to you every few days."
"You don't have to." I answered quickly.
"But I want to."
"Oh well -"
"I have another picture to show you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. He opened it and handed it to me.
Inside was a picture of a woman. She was twirling around. In her arms she had a little girl.
Beautiful curly auburn hair and milky skin. A huge purple bow sat in her hair which matched the purple dress and purple Mary Jane's she was wearing.
She was adorable.
"Oh look! My she is a little beauty."
"Yes she is. My little princess."
I handed him back the wallet and he sat it down in between us with the picture staring up at him.
"I feel guilty that she doesn't have a mother figure in her life."
"I thought you lived with your own mother?"
He sighed. "She is Isabella's granny and is amazing with her. But she needs a mother."
"You will find someone perfect I am sure."
"I am...working on it."
There were a few moments of awkward silence. Never before had I been so uncomfortable with this man. We were friends some would say. But now I found myself watching Pansy and willing her to hurry up.
She was now placing her order.
"I must say I like today's company better than the one you had the last time we met."
"You mean Draco?"
"Yes the Malfoy boy. I am glad to see you are shot of him."
"I'm hardly shot of him." I defended. He was beginning to annoy me.
Pansy arrived back at that moment and passed out the coffees before pulling a chair over.
"Honestly he is not good company to keep."
"You are wrong. Draco is amazing."
"Only because you do not know any better."
"Meaning?"
"Oh come on. You never dated before. You don't-"
"Yes I have."
The colour drained from his face. "You what?"
"I have dated. You know I dated Dean Thomas and then I dated Wren for well over a year."
"Wren...as in Wren...my mate?"
"Yes. Your mate. Cedric's mate. And Pansy's step brother."
I could see the look of shock on his face as his eyes flicked to Pansy clearly registering that she was Wrens's sister before landing back on me.
"A year?!" He practically shouted. "Why didn't I know?"
"Because it's none of your business."
"I will kill him!"
"What? Why?"
"How dare he!"
"Excuse me!"
"He took advantage of you."
I laughed. "No he didn't. He asked me out and I said yes. It was my choice and he never took advantage of anything."
"He loved her. He talked about her all the time." Pansy spoke up. "Although I wish he had left out the sex talk." She giggled.
Lucas spat into his Americano.
"The what?"
"Oh Lucas. I am not a child!"
He didn't say anything for a few minutes. In fact he looked lost for words.
Pansy sipped her coffee as I simply played with the lid of mine.
Then he opened his mouth.
"Well at least now things will move quicker."
"Ok you've lost me again."
"I mean for when we begin dating." I lifted my cup to my lips.
This time Pansy and I choked on our drinks.
"Now hang on Lucas! What on the name of Merlin are you talking about?"
"Well we can begin with a few dates and then when you graduate, you can move in with Isabella and me and -"
Pansy looked horrified and her eyes darted from Lucas to me.
This lad is off his rocker.
"Lucas I can't -"
"Oh come off it Raelyn, honey. I was going to suggest we take it slow as I assumed I would be your first boyfriend." He took my hand and held it firmly. "But seeing as how you dated that blithering idiot for a year, then you have experience and there is no need to take it slow."
Pansy cleared her throat.
"As much...um...fun as this is...Rae we need to be getting back."
She stood up, downing the rest of her coffee and grabbing our bags.
I stood too, abandoning my coffee. I just had to leave.
"Sorry Lucas but we have to get going back to school."
"But you have the entire day. Why do you need to go back at mid day for?"
"Eh.."
"Quidditch match," Pansy interrupted proud of herself for coming up with an answer.
"We will see you around." I smiled nervously at him as I grabbed Pansy's hand and we practically ran down stairs and out of the shop waving to Meyer and Al as we did.
I didn't look back. I have no fucking clue what just happened but I was furious.
How dare he speak like that. And just assume that I was now going to comply and date him.
As bloody if!
We hurried down the street and towards the school, pulling our cloaks tighter and huddling together against the cold.
That's when I felt a hand at my waist which caused me to jump back.
I spun around to see Lucas smiling.
What the actual fuck?
"You shouldn't have hurried off honey. I can walk you and your friend back."
"Her friend and her are fine!" Pansy snapped.
"I'm just making sure you don't get any undesired male attention." He grinned and tried to take my hand.
Pansy laughed this. "Too late," she muttered but he heard her and glared daggers at her.
"Lucas stop calling me honey and I can walk back by myself. I'm a big girl ."
"But you're my girl."
"I think you'll find she is mine."
_______________________________
DRACO POV
We had given the team 2 hours to themselves before the match having run though every drill known to a player.
Theo and some of the newbies were staying behind to run through a few more plays but I wanted to surprise my girl in the village and Blaise agreed.
So we had changed and headed straight out of the grounds leaving our things in the changing rooms.
As we neared the edge of the village I suddenly spotted Raelyn and Pansy ahead. With the prick from the bookstore.
As we approached I could hear him offering to walk Raelyn back to the school. And calling her honey.
Fucking prick!
She snapped at him and I swear I actually swelled with pride.
Then he said it. He called her his girl.
HIS GIRL? HIS? WHO THE FUCK DOES HE THINK HE IS.
I wanted to rip his head off. I wanted to hex his ass. But I stupidly left my wand in my bag which was in my locker in the Quidditch changing rooms.
Instead I had to take a breath to calm my nerves and I simply said "I think you will find she is mine."
The prick in question turned to scowl at me. Raelyn however seemed to light up when she saw me and beamed.
"Your what?" Lanky Prick spat.
"My girl." I said simply.
"As if dude. She has better taste than that. She is my girlf-"
I was about to hit him. I was. I was about to knock him on his ass. Wand or no wand. It didn't matter. I was about to beat the tar out of him.
But as he spoke to me about her taste or there on lack of in his eyes. She moved. She walked around the little group of us in the middle of the road.
She moved around so she was standing next to me. And then she took my hand.
"Lucas, this is my boyfriend, Draco Malfoy."