teddy's pov:

I couldn't believe that Harry was our new headmaster. Would I have to start calling him Professor Potter? Weird. But that wasn't the biggest shock of the night. Junie had a date.

A date.

With Xavier Zabini.

A date.

That same unfamiliar heat coiled inside me, twisting like a snake as it knotted around itself. A white hot poker reared its head, striking my gut. It made me irritated, no more than that, angry? I couldn't place it. All I knew was that I wanted to march down to the Slytherin dungeons and introduce Zabini to the business end of my fists. I couldn't. I wouldn't do that again. I promised her. Didn't stop me from picking fight with her though. It was just so fun. Seeing her get all flustered. Does Zabini do that to her? He better not.

"Hey you ok over there, Potter?" I nudged Junie with my shoulder lightly as we headed up to the common room. She'd been oddly quiet on the walk back. Was she mad at me? I didn't think so. We fought like that at least once a day, it was just teasing.

"Fine." She said tightly, not meeting my eye. Juniper started to climb the staircase to her dorm.

That's when I knew something was up. She never went to bed this early, especially not on the first night. More often than not she'd fall asleep in the common room.

"Junie." I put a hand on her arm, pulling her back.

"Yes Teddy?" She replied, brushing me off.

"Wanna talk about it?" I ventured, waiting for her to say something.

"I don't know what you're going on about but-"

"Junie I've known you your whole life, I think I know by now when something's wrong." I gave her a wry smile, raising a knowing eyebrow.

She rolled her eyes, her lips beginning to curve on the edges, "I hate you."

"No you don't." I grinned, stepping closer to her.

"I really really do." She countered, that familiar daring gleam in her eye.

"You sure about that?" I breathed, now so close to her I could see the faint summer freckles on her nose. Her black curls fell in front of her cheek and all I wanted was to tuck them behind her ear and kiss my way down her delicate neck. Was she feeling what I was feeling? No you blithering prat of course not, she has a date with a guy. A guy who was most definitely not me.

But.

But I could see her pulse racing just the slightest bit faster, cheeks just the slightest bit pink, thick lashes fluttering as she looked me dead in the eye.

"I'm sure."

"You feel good about the decision?" I pressed, advancing on her so that she was now walking backwards.

"Teddy!" Juniper exclaimed, laughing. "What are you doing?"

"Go ahead." I teased, tugging her hair as I kept moving, forcing her to back up even further, "Tell me how much you hate me."

"Really think you can handle it?" She crossed her arms, lips pressed together in a pout.

"Shut up." I pushed her up against a wall, smirking. What was I doing? What was I doing?

"Make me." She arched an eyebrow and my heart stopped. Our faces were mere centimeters apart from each other, her lips were so so close to mine. One slight move of my head and I would be kissing her. She wasn't backing away. She wasn't moving her head or wavering at all. I mean part of that was probably because I had her pinned against a wall, but still. Was I doing this? I was doing this.

"Hey guys!"

I groaned internally, heavily resisting the urge to slam my fist into the wall. James and the damn timing. Juniper practically leaped away from me, putting a substantial amount of distance between the two of us. I hated it. I wanted to cross those four feet that felt like pure agony, grab her waist and hold her tight to my chest. Thank god James was clueless as fuck when it came to this sort of thing. I don't even know how he would react if Juniper and I- no. No. We're not going to do this anymore. There is no me and Juniper. I should just be thankful it was James who interrupted and not Leo.

"Hey James." I said, taking a deep breath. Juniper avoided eye contact. Couldn't blame her really. What had I been thinking? Truly idiotic.  I sat down on the common room couch across from him, pretending to be unbothered when Junie also sat down on the couch, scooting as far away as humanly possible.

Charlie entered the room, followed by Leo. Oh great. They looked between us warily, immediately sussing out the tension that James had failed to recognize.

"What's going on guys?" Leo cocked his head at Juniper, who burrowed even further into the side of the couch. I rubbed my jaw, clearing my throat loudly.

"Okayyy." Charlie whistled, giving me a look which I pointedly ignored. He settles down in the other armchair across from us and Leo sat down next to Junie, creating a needed barrier. I didn't miss the side eye he was giving Junie either. James babbled on about plans for the big blowout party we were planning on having in honor of my seventeenth and the rest of them turning sixteen. He was debating the merits of holding it before or during Quidditch season. Normally, this would be something I would take great pleasure in discussing, but all I could think about was- well, her.

"James you realize your dad is now headmaster right?" Leo snorted derisively.

"And...?" James furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Interim." Juniper added, eyes darkening.

"What does dad have to do with anything?" James asked again.

"He means that people are going to expect you to be better behaved this year." Rory swings her bag onto a table, "But you and I both know it's just not possible." She teased James, whipping her shiny ponytail around as she bent over her parchment.

"Aw c'mon Wood." James grinned cheekily, "Have a little faith."

"I commend the person who manages to tame you." Rory shook her head, rolling her eyes.

"Saying you're up to the challenge?"

We al waited for Rory's sarcastic response but none came. Instead, she blushed and continued scribbling furiously with her quill, stammering out a few incoherent words. I didn't need to look at James to know that he was smiling so wide his face hurt. Guess his new tactic was working. The funny thing was, James could literally have any girl he wanted. He was a fucking Potter, for god sakes. He was nice, respectful, funny, attractive. Okay....now I see where all the boyfriend jokes come from. In all seriousness though, James was the best of any of us, and that's how I realized what he felt for Rory wasn't just some superficial crush.

I always used to make fun of James when he would wax poetic about Rory, get all moony eyed. Now, I think I kind of...get it? I don't know. I don't know who I think I am, talking about relationships when I've never actually been in one, and will never actually be in one. Sure, people fall in love, and then what happens? Maybe they get married, have a kid, and then they die. Or they hurt each other, or maybe their love was never real in the first place. I've seen firsthand what love can do to a person, especially a person who has a monster living inside of them. Harry and Miranda, Ron and Hermione, Ginny and Mateo, they're the exceptions. They got lucky.

I don't blame James for believing in true love. That's all he knows. That was his childhood. It wasn't mine.

Attachments are messy. The more you care about someone, the more you risk losing them.

It was late now. I zoned out for longer than I thought. Leo's gone up to the dorm already, James and Charlie are still talking about the party. Rory is still at the desk with Jade, Viv is nowhere to be found, and Juniper- I smiled to myself. Juniper was fast asleep on the couch, legs tucked underneath her just so. She was such a pretty sleeper. Carefully, I wrapped a soft blanket around her, and removed her glasses from her face. Beautiful.

"Goodnight Junie."

short? yes.
not much dialogue? yes.
still sweet and heartbreaking? i hope so...
am i sorry? yes.
BUT i have been vv busy lately, feeling very overwhelmed and stressed and on top of that i have massive writer's block :(

i swear I will be putting out a long GOOD chapter by this weekend. i absolutely HATE making you guys wait. i feel so so bad. i don't want to let you guys down because i have so many good ideas i just need MORE TIME

i hope you still enjoyed this chapter despite it being a filler and my struggles

<333

-coco