Guy McGonagall

“Well, lets hope the book is helpful then.” Katherine replied, pulling the book off of the shelf. She held out the book for the boy to take. “What are you working on, anyway?”

“I really hope so,” Guy said. “Oh, it’s just to help me with a class. Nothing special.” He flipped through the pages, already getting the sinking feeling that this was a lost cause.

Her heart fluttered as he tucked back her hair. She listened to his words, and although they were serious, she couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle. “Oh God, me? Get married? Never. Gross.” She rolled her eyes dramatically before becoming more serious. “And then what happens if I never move on? What if I don’t want to?” Sure, things with Guy were always complicated. But easy was boring anyway. 

“Well, then I’ll read about how successful you are, unweighted by anyone else, and you’ll still deserve it all.” Guy lifted his free hand and placed it on her other cheek, cradling her face in his hands. “Why wouldn’t you want to move on from me? I’m dumb and arrogant and self-centered and--and a whole bunch of others things that add up to not a good fit. You should be with someone who matches your talent and success level. Someone who wouldn’t hold you back or drag you down.” Typically, no one on Earth could top Guy’s confidence, but with Maude...

“Oh shit… really?” Posie could almost feel the color drain from her face as the realization hit her. “I almost feel bad now. Turns out they were trying to compliment my costume and I just told them to fuck off.” She rubbed her arm in a sheepish fashion. “I’m guessing this Elsa is from a movie? I really need to catch up on some muggle pop culture before I really embarrass myself one of these days.”

“Really,” Guy said, laughing quite hard. “But, you know, it was one of those movies that got all overloaded, so saying ‘fuck off’ could still be a valid response.” He slung an arm around his friend. “I’d really love to see the looks on all of their faces though. You can be quite scary, you know.”

“Well, you probably at least try harder.” Katherine replied, shrugging at the man. “If you didn’t you would have given up on the book a while ago.”

“Yeah, well...trying means nothing if you never produce a successful end result.” 

His touch was soft, but powerful. It had a way of removing all her inhibitions, all her fears and doubts and insecurities. It was more intoxicating than a drug, and probably more addictive too. To kiss him was to become a new person. She didn’t have to be the stone cold Maude who only cared for herself: she could be a normal and vulnerable sixteen-year-old school girl with a crush on a hot quidditch player. She wanted the kiss to linger forever, but as she sensed it ending, she allowed her fingers to entwine in his hair as their faces parted. She was at a loss for words, her light green eyes looked upwards into his, silently begging for him to speak. 

Guy let his eyes remain closed for a while after they broke apart. Their foreheads were nearly touching--not quite there. How poetic, he thought. Nearly and not quite there meant more between the two of them. He finally opened his eyes to see her looking back at him. His chest twitched. “I hope you never think that I don’t love you. I’m always going to be in love with you. Even after you move on to something better...” He forced a smile, and then tucked a chunk of her hair behind her ear. “Years later, I’ll see some newpapers talking about Maude Maëlle Delacour-Dupont and her almost equally successful husband. Talking about what a power couple they are. And you’ll have everything. And it’ll hurt. But you’ll deserve it. You’ll deserve all of it.” 

“If I find behind in work, I can’t play. So Quidditch is  my top priority, but class has to be a close second because I need it finished.” Katherine replied with a small chuckle. “You probably try harder on your work and do better on it than I do.”

“There’s no way I do better. I can guarantee that. Trust me.”

She listened, taking in every word. For most of her life, Maude never imagined she’d ever become romantically involved with anyone. She had her father’s empire to take over one day, and a dynasty of her own to build after that. She didn’t need anyone holding her back. And she especially never would have imagined she’d fall for someone like Guy. Maybe it had been his looks that initially attracted her, but over time she had grown to love his humour, his heart, and yes, even his mind. It was unfortunate that the only thing she knew about “love” was what she observed from her parent’s dysfunction. She reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck and bringing herself so close to him that their noses brushed up against each other. She closed her eyes and exhaled heavily, living in the moment of his touch and presence in case it would be the last time he let her do so. “Of course I do,” she whispered. “I’m in love with you.” 

Guy closed his eyes and shuttered at her touch. He knew it was a bad idea--a very, very bad idea. He placed his hands on her hips anyway. If he had any strength at all, any care for what was reasonable and what was best for him, he would have walked away. He would have resisted it all. But he was dumb, and he’d probably never learn. He nudged his nose against hers. He’d come back again and again and again, like a wounded dog that never could fully recover. He didn’t reply. He only kissed her. Soft, very very soft, like he believed it was only the dream of a kiss. 

  “Well, most people refer to it as a death trap but I don’t really think it seems that bad. It basically just does spins while you’re up in the air. It can make some people sick though.”

Guy nodded. “Alright. Cool. Let’s do it.” 

“I’m… the Snow Queen – is it not obvious?” It was safe to say that she was suddenly feeling self-conscious or even like a joke. “You know, like the character from the fairytale?” She paused. “Please tell me that I don’t look stupid, Guy.”

Guy chuckled. “No, you don’t look stupid. That’d be impossible. It’s just...Elsa is the Snow Queen.” A pause. “Well a version of the Snow Queen. So, in a way, if they’re calling you Elsa they’re getting your costume right.”

“Been there, done that honestly.” Katherine replied, smiling softly once more at the boy. “This year I managed to get all of my work done early by some miracle. Now I am less stressed and things are going well.”

“Merlin, I couldn’t get ahead on my work if I worked at it all day,” Guy said. Which was quite true, though he made it seem more like a joke.

“You always say shit like that,” she said, her tone clearly one of annoyance. “That you were a disruption in my life or whatever.” She looked off the side to avoid having to make eye contact with him. Sighing heavily, she continued in a less pointed tone: “My whole life is one giant disruption. You were the first person besides my cousin that I could actually count on. That actually cared about me. That loved me, even.” She finally willed herself to look up into his beautiful eyes. “So, if you truly can’t help yourself, what’s stopping you from kissing me right now?”  

Guy chuckled. “Well can you really blame me for saying ‘shit like that’? Pretty obvious that I’m not exactly at your level.” He shrugged. Sure he had the looks, but he was never all that smart. Only enough to know he wasn’t smart enough for her. He was going to find some ultra smart, ultra successful man who’d be able to keep up with her. She wasn’t the kind to take on a trophy husband, and that’s all he could really offer. “Don’t say that,” he said, quickly. “Don’t say loved and cared, like it’s past tense. I still currently, presently, love and card about you.” Guy locked eyes with her. He swallowed hard, hoping that it would strengthen his words. “Not knowing if you want me to mostly.”

“I think we’ve hit the point in the semester where everyone’s brain is just kind of mush.” Katherine replied, letting out a small chuckle. She looked at the small paper, and gestured for him to follow her. “Everyone just wants to go home for the holidays and sleep.”

“No, yeah.” Guy nodded. “That’s why I’m having a hard time finding it.

Posie aimlessly adjusted her braid that was lined with little snowflake bobby pins before her hands slimmed down her blue sparkly gown. “Can someone explain to me why someone came up to me and said they liked my Elsa costume?” She had never seen a single Disney movie in her life and that might begin explain why she’s so deprived of happiness. “I feel like I’m missing out on something here.”

Guy opened his mouth, looked confused, and then closed his mouth. “So...what are you dressed as?” Seemed a little too on-the-nose to be a coincidence, right?

Although she was trying to act collected and cold, Maude couldn’t help but release a giggle at his small but not so subtle flex. She had always loved his muscular arms. How could she not? “You make a good seaman,” she teased dryly. She waited with bated breath for what he would say next, and when it came she still wasn’t prepared. She really wanted to believe him. But her own personal insecurities mixed with their tumultuous past made that nearly impossible. His words to her from their last interaction ran wildly through her mind: She was a goddess and them, merely dollar store rejects. “Is that just a line?” She asked. In her head, it had sounded more assertive; bitchy even. But in reality, it was more timid than anything else. “I thought you wanted nothing to do with me anymore.” 

Guy lifted an eyebrow. “Is that a come-on, Maude?” Though he was quite sure it was half yes and half no. More an opportunity taken than anything specific with him...right? “I don’t need to use lines on you,” he said. “Everything I say about you is true.” Besides, he knew that she’d see straight through all the nonsense, even if he wasn’t as genuine as he was with her. Guy frowned and shook his head. “I want everything to do with you. But thems the breaks. I just--I wanted to stop being such a disruption in your life, but...maybe I can’t help myself.” He sighed. 

Posie was unsure how Guy always had a way of turning things in a more positive direction. It was an ability she both admired and envied greatly. A smirk formed across her lips as someone hushed him. The recklessness of the situation was exactly what she needed right now. She dumped her belongings into her bag and quickly stood up from the table. “Where to, sunshine?” It was strange that she was so willing and compliant in a situation like this.

Guy batted his hand (vaguely) in the direction of the shh and rolled his eyes. They weren’t his parents. “We’ve definitely got to go outside. I’m choking on the staleness of this place.” He started for the door. 

    “Most days it’s going good. I see myself going where I want to and taking everything one step at a time but others.. it gets bad again.” She confessed. “However on those days, I try my best to do things that make me feel better. I got to be a prefect this year which is neat and challenging all together. So, I can say it’s going little by little. How about you?”

“I mean, I’m sure you don’t need the help, but you have my help if you ever want it. I’ll take care of anyone who makes your day not good.” Though he wasn’t sure if it was necessarily people that made her days bad as opposed to herself. Probably a mixture of both. “It’s good you’re making constant progress. Even if it’s small progress. I feel like I’m...forward and back and back and forward and back and forward and back again, you know?”

Katherine was spending some time at the library when she heard a nearby voice. Looking up, she noticed the boy and sent him a small smile. She reached out towards him, gesturing for him to give her the paper. “Yeah, I am sure that I can help you find it.” Katherine replied, knowing how frustrating that sort of thing could be. 

“Thanks,” Guy said and then quickly passed the paper over. He was glad that she didn’t ask too many questions about his troubles. “It’s important that I find it.”