My Deal with Darren
I woke up on Friday the thirteenth from a dream about Max winning the Triwizard Cup like I had since my birthday. The dreams were making me feel better but I knew they were fixed. I found that Max had put a spell on the picture of the two of us to give me that dream and I knew it was to get me to calm down. It was working but I was still worried about him. I sat up in my bed and found the room was empty. Everyone must have been at breakfast. I got up and changed out of my pajamas and into a sweater, jeans, Converse, and grabbed a heavy jacket, my Gryffindor scarf, beanie, and gloves before leaving my room.
Like I thought, everyone was in the Great Hall eating I walked the aisle between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff before taking a place between Fred and Max. “Are you watching Quidditch today?” Max asked and I looked at him.
“Of course. Don’t I always?” I smiled and he smiled back.
“You seem happier.” He pointed out.
“Well, thanks to your bewitched painting, I’ve been having a dream that makes me happy but that doesn’t mean I’m not worried.”
“As long as you’re happy, I’m happy.”
I smiled. “Then I’m happier.”
After breakfast, Victoire, Darren, and I walked to the Quidditch bleachers and took a spot as the team warmed up. I looked over at Darren and asked, “So, have you figured out the task yet?”
He rolled his eyes and sighed. I’ve been asking him that for a week now and every time he said he hadn’t. “Not yet, Paige. I told you when I do I’d tell you so you can tell Max.”
“And I’ll tell you too.” I added. That was the deal I made and didn’t regret. It was a sure fire way I’d help Max get through this thing.
“Have you heard how the other two are doing?” Victoire asked.
“No. Valentina and Brad tend to be private.” Darren said. “We have an interview today though so maybe they’ll slip up something.”
“Hopefully they haven’t figured it out yet either.” I said. “Don’t want those two to get ahead.”
He nodded in agreement. “Yeah. If I lose to anyone, it better be Max.”
The team started practicing then and I waved to Max as he flew by and Victoire blew a kiss to Teddy. They waved back then focused completely on practice. That left Darren, Victoire, and I to talk and cheek them on every once in a while. Once practice was done, Max flew over to us and looked at me. “Join me.” He said and stuck out his hand.
“Only because you asked so nicely.” I smiled and took his hand.
He got me onto the broom and we flew away from the stands. I held onto him as he flew us around Hogwarts and then went to our spot under the bridge. I was relieved when we landed because flying in the already freezing weather is horrible. I tried warming up my face while Max put the broom down. He then looked at me and laughed.
“A little cold?” He asked.
“Very.” I answered. “I don’t know how you Quidditch players do this.”
“Warming spells.” He said and waved his wand. It got warmer around us and I sighed with relief. “Better?”
“Much.” I answered and sat down. He sat by me and I said, “Darren hasn’t figured out the task yet.”
“Is that really what you want to be talking about right now?” He asked.
I looked into his eyes. “I don’t know. There’s nothing really to talk about. Unless you have something to say.”
“Anything but the Tournament would be fine. Everyone is constantly asking me about it and with the interview today… I just need a break.”
“Ok. Well, the Hogsmeade trip is coming up.”
He nodded. “Yeah. Are you still meeting Jason?”
I nodded. “Yeah. It’s gonna be good to see him. You can join us if you want. We can sneak to the Shrieking Shack to get away from everyone.”
He smiled. “Sounds fun. Maybe after a while. I’ll give you two sometime first. I have a date anyways.”
My heart sank. I hated when he had dates. It made my odds to be with him slimmer and slimmer. “With who?”
“Prudence. She asked me and I said why not.”
“Fun.” I tried to sound happy for him; which didn’t work out.
“Do you not like Prudence?”
I looked at him with wide eyes. “I do. You know I do.”
“Then why do you make me going out with her sound horrible.”
I stuck my hands up innocently. “I didn’t make it sound like that.”
He nodded. “Yeah you did.”
I sighed. “I just don’t see you and her together. She’s different than you.”
“Well that’s why they saw opposites attract.”
“And there’s still a line where that ends somewhere.” I stood up.
“Either you’re jealous or you really don’t like her.” He said and stood up.
“I’m not jealous.” I lied through my teeth.
“Then you don’t like her.”
I turned around and sighed. “Fine. I don’t like her. She’s too bloody girly and bossy and annoying.”
He laughed and nodded. “She can be but it’s just a date. Not a marriage contract.”
“Well if you don’t see a future with her, why go out with her?”
“For fun.” He smiled. “I figure I can get some benefits from it.”
I felt like he punched my heart. I couldn’t think of him doing anything like that with other girls. I never saw him do it either around me. I just hoped I hid my pain from him. “Right. Maybe I should get that.”
He looked shocked. “You? No way.”
“Why not?” I crossed my arms.
“Well, you’re more of a relationship kind of girl.”
“How would you know?”
He laughed. “Because I know you. You’ve only had relationships.”
“Maybe that’s why I need a change. Maybe Darren.”
He laughed again. “Darren?”
“What’s wrong with him?”
“Nothing if you like his type.”
“What’s his type? Nice, caring, funny.”
“Well that’s just what you know about him. He could be something else.”
I rolled my eyes. “Stop. You’re just acting like my brother and I have two of those so I don’t need you too.”
He put his hands up innocently. “I’m just trying to help.”
“Sure you are.”
A wolf Patronus appeared and I knew it was Teddy’s. It looked at Max and said in Teddy’s voice, “McGonagall is looking for you. It’s time to do the interview.”
“Ok. I’ll be there soon.” Max told it and it disappeared. Max looked at me and said, “Where do you want me to drop you off?”
“By the door to the castle.” I answered and we got on his broom.
We flew in silence and he dropped me off at the door near the Great Hall. I walked into the building and relieved it was warm in there and started walking towards the Grand Staircase to go up to the library. I just wanted to read and forget the discussion with Max. But when I sat down with the copy of Romeo and Juliet, I started thinking about why he cared if I did anything with Darren. He was probably just trying to be like my big brother like always but he still shouldn’t have cared that much. Then again I shouldn’t have cared that much about him being with Prudence if I was trying to pretend I didn’t like him. I sighed. Maybe I could make him jealous by being with Darren and get him to realize he liked me. That could work. But I’d have to wait since he was in that interview with Max and the other Champions.
After dinner, I decided to talk to Darren. Max, Melinda, and Fred were waiting for me to go up to the common room with them but I told them to go along since I wanted to talk with Darren. I could see Max’s face twitch before he left and I walked over to Max. I pulled him outside and we started walking around and I knew he was curious as to what I wanted. I finally looked at him and said, “I have something to ask you.”
“Ok.” He said quizzically.
“Will you be my fake boyfriend?”
His eyes widened. “What?”
I sighed. “Ok. I was talking to Max and he said that he’s going out with Prudence and they’re gonna have benefits and I said I could do that too and we fought about it and I mentioned you and I just want you to be my fake friends with benefits or boyfriend or whatever just to get Max jealous and see that he likes me.” I smiled innocently.
He laughed softly. “You really want to do this?” He looked into my eyes.
I nodded. “Yes. If it gets me Max, I’d do anything.”
“But what if this doesn’t?”
“Then we’ll fake break up before you go back to America.” I stopped him and looked into his eyes. “Just please do this.”
He sighed. “Alright. I’ll be your fake boyfriend or whatever. So, what do we do?”
“Act like it except around each other. But let’s do it friends with benefits. It’d be easier around people. We can kiss sometimes to make it real and sneak off some nights and say we had sex or whatever. Deal?” I stuck out my hand.
“Deal.” He shook my hand. “When do we start?”
“Let’s say we do stuff tonight. Nothing big just kissing but enough to make it believable. And tomorrow we’ll smile at each other like we did do something.”
“Ok. See you tomorrow, Lover.” He winked at me and walked away.
I went up to the common room and found Max sitting on the couch by himself while everyone else was playing games or talking or dancing to music. I went over and sat down by him. He looked at me and said, “Where’ve you been?”
“With Darren.” I smiled. “I told you I could have benefits with him.”
His eyes widened. “You actually went with that?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
“Well you proved your point so you can stop.”
I creased my eyebrows. “Why? It’s fun. And I’m sixteen. It’s something to do.”
“Something to do? You make it sound like a hobby.”
“And it’s exactly what you’d do. Why are you all protective?”
“Because you’re my best friend and I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“But I won’t get hurt. Darren and I made the rules clear.” I stood up. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to bed.” I walked towards the stairs and went to my room. That went well.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sorry it took so long to upload! But now that I'm officially on summer vacation, I should be uploading more often! Also, go vote for the new cover on the Facebook page! The winners will be posted Sunday. And another announcement, there will be a second book to this! I like second books. Ok. Please comment and vote! Video on the side is Marisa's song dedication for winning second place in my cover contest! Photo is Caracat's entry