A collaboration of two minds

The robes hung loosely from the young lad’s shoulders like a trophy, a sign of pure, unyielding excellence. They hung, dictating to the world that was Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that the scruffy blond haired Slytherin was a master, a master at Quidditch and soon to be a master with girls. A pair of scruffy boots appeared as the young wizard purposefully strode from the entrance to the Slytherin changing rooms.

“Nice to see you catch the snitch for once, Pratt.” A voice came from his left accompanied by a shrill giggling from several very annoying girls. A pale brow furrowed as the Slytherin seeker scowled in the direction of the voice. Four girls decorated in emerald and silver scarves were heading towards the castle, attempting to act as though they were paying no heed to the arrogance of the Slytherin victors that were now congregating outside of the changing area trying to catch the attention of anyone and everyone.

“Enjoy the view, did ye St.James?” Loud jeers erupted from Edward Pratt’s Slytherin teammates, which served to further inflate his already grossly enlarged ego. “Come back ‘ere,” he jibed jabbing a thumb behind him towards the changing rooms, a boyish grin plastered across his face, “and I’ll give ye your own private demonstration.” The three female companions’ eyes widened as they exchanged animated whispers with each other, though Quincy St.James was careful not to give credence to anything he or his troll-like friends were saying.

Quincy heaved a dramatic sigh at the child’s-play. “Come on, girls,” she said loudly, an obnoxiously bored lilt tinting her words, “Let’s go see Marren and his friends. It’s so hard to get a decent conversation around here.” The girls giggled once more as they followed the fifth year girl, one of them chancing a glance back at the boys and being greeted by several crude gestures from the lads surrounding the blond Pratt.

With folded arms, the young seeker yelled after his best friend, “Oi!”

Quincy rolled her eyes but carried on walking away – if he wanted her attention, he was going to have to come up with something better than that.

“Found yer knickers in me bed this mornin’.” A blond eyebrow cocked arrogantly as he leaned against the wall and confidently shoved his hands into his trouser pockets.

Quincy stopped suddenly, and half-turned towards him with a smirk playing on her lips. “Then put them back after you’ve finished experimenting.”

The already pale skin of the Slytherin boy turned ashen as his teammates’ jeers turned on him and the girls’ ear splitting cackles resumed. “Piss off!” It wasn’t clear whether the harsh directive was aimed at the jeering teammates or the cackling witches before him, but upon realisation that their presence was less than wanted, each student filtered away eventually leaving Quincy and Eddie alone.

Quincy had turned to face him fully now, and it was her turn to look smug with her arms folded defiantly across her chest. “What do you want, Eddie?” Her head was tilted slightly to one side and she tapped her foot impatiently.

“Riches beyond your imagination, luv.” He grinned, the previous embarrassment quickly forgotten. “So, ye saw me amazin’ catch then?”

Quincy pursed her lips slightly to the side. “I’ve seen better.” She shrugged as though it wasn’t anything important, just something to casually converse about, and not the young lad’s talent in question. “But it was a catch.”

Ed winked, “Like me.”

It was less of a question and more of a statement. “Just like you Eddie, yes.” Quincy rolled her eyes. There was no point in even trying to argue with him, as he was infuriatingly good at turning insults into back-handed compliments.

Letting out a sigh as though it was the biggest favour that could be bestowed upon a young witch, Ed’s hands freed themselves from his pockets before he opened his arms invitingly to her. “Well, go on then. I know yer dyin’ to.”

Quincy blinked as a moment of silence passed, the air around them extremely still. “Dying to what?”

“Snog me.”

A laugh escaped Quincy’s throat as she shook her head in mild disbelief and turned to walk away, acting as though it was the funniest thing she’d heard all day.

Ed’s face dropped. “No no no!” Quickly he made a move to catch up to her, reaching out a hand to grab her arm and impede any further movement. “ ‘Andled that wrong, didn’t I?” When Quincy didn’t respond, he continued, “I meant to say – well, yer fit, ‘ent ye? And I’m not gaspin’ fer any female attention, right? So we kinda...yer know – we mesh, don’t we?”

Quincy blinked; a common occurrence when Eddie was talking his usual nonsense.

“So...well, I were thinkin’...” Nerves finally got the better of him, and the young Mister Pratt took a deep – much needed – inhalation of oxygen before his next words escaped in a jumbled mass of syllables. “Willyegooutwithme?” He paused. “Please?”

A corner of Quincy’s mouth turned up into a half-smile as he eyed her nervously, awaiting the crushing blow. “It depends. Where did you have in mind?”

“...Madam...Puddifoot’s?” The name was spoken with reserved question due to a lack of experience regarding the romantic establishments of Hogsmeade.

“Fine.” She shrugged again, as though it was an everyday request, and one that didn’t require too much attention. “But I don’t want any of your half-witted friends turning up.”

Mildly perturbed, Eddie scowled. “Fine. Don’t want none of yours there either. I’d rather put a candle out with me eyeball than have to look at them all night.” With caution, Eddie slowly snaked an arm around Quincy’s waist. “So...yer like my girlfriend, then?”

Quincy looked down at the hand that had cleverly wandered its way towards her midriff. “I don’t like labels, unless they’re on my clothes.” Tearing her eyes away from the hand that she had – so far – made no move to extricate from her waist, she looked up at him and flashed him grin. “But if that’s what you want to tell people, I suppose I’m okay with that.”