First Fake Date
Rumi stood in front of her mirror her eyes trailing down her floral spaghetti strap dress. She has changed her outfit at least seven times already, the nerves getting the best of her. Harry and her have went to Hogsmeade plenty of times together before, she doesn't have to make it awkward. It was just a fake date with one of her best friends, what could go wrong? The idea that this whole plan blowing up in their face and neither of them making their exes jealous was a real possibility. She turns to the chair in the corner of her room grabbing her cream knitted cardigan before heading to the common room to meet him.
Harry paces back and forth in the common room trying to shake off his nerves. Ron sits on one of the couches near by trying to hype Harry up. "It's just Rumi. One of our best friends. No need to be nervous mate." he tells him, Harry stopping to look at Ron incredulously. "That was before I asked her on a date. Maybe I shouldn't do this. It's crazy right?" he mutters. "What's crazy is that she said yes." Ron counters. "I mean she was dating Matteo Riddle and now you?" Harry looks at Ron his mouth slightly agape "You really know how to give a pep talk." he chides. "Sorry" Ron shrugs his shoulders at his friend.
They hear the clicking of heels walking down the stone steps as they both look to see Rumi. Harry felt his heart beat quicken at the sight of her, she was stunning. Matteo was truly an idiot for letting her go, he thought. He walks over to her giving her a side hug "You....well...you look amazing" he stammers her smiling growing wider. "You clean up pretty nice yourself." she winks, a blush explodes on Harry's cheeks as Ron tells them to have fun before they walk out of the common room.
He didn't understand why he was so nervous before, Rumi has always been a calming presence in his life. Especially after Sirius's death when all he wanted to do was hide in his room she was there everyday. Sometimes it was as simple as laying in his bed with him and reading a book to keep his mind occupied, sometimes all he needed was her ridiculous jokes but mostly it was her holding him while he cried. Rumi's light never had an off switch, she was everything good and beautiful in this world. It might be a fake date but Harry couldn't help but realize how incredibly lucky he was to be here with her tonight.
They find a corner table, Harry holds her chair out for her as she takes her seat. He helps her scoot in before taking his own seat. The silent awkwardness surrounds them after they order their butterbeer. Harry clears his throat but nothing more comes out. "Why are we making this weird?" she speaks up, Harry visibly relaxing. "I have no idea." he answers her. "We've been to the Three Broomsticks just the two of us plenty of times." she says more to herself than him. The silence engulfing them again as the waitress brings their butterbeer to them, both of them taking a sip to fill the tension. "Did you see Mclaggen this morning?" Harry finally breaks the silence, Rumi shivers in disgust. "He's such a creep" she begins "Do you remember that time he spent an entire dinner party staring and licking his fingers at me. Then he followed me around everywhere at the Christmas party. I've never thanked you enough for saving me from that debacle." She gives Harry a small smile of appreciation. "No need to thank me. I would do anything for you" he tells her, their eyes finding one another. There was a teeny tiny hint of something more, some kind of feeling neither of them understood. An invisible thread connecting them, the whole world going quiet around them. Rumi breaks their eye contact, Harry couldn't bring himself to look away. She truly was stunning tonight. They talked and joked for an hour, their butterbeers forgotten to the sides of them as Harry laughed at something she said. This was the best first date Harry has ever had....it was a shame it was only fake.
"Rumi" his voice caressing her name as it slips from his tongue. Harry looks to see Matteo standing next to their table. His eyes trailing back to watch her, the inner battle of whether she should ignore him or talk to him evident in her eyes. This was the reason for their fake relationship, to make their exes jealous. For Harry to get Ginny back and for Matteo to finally feel heartbreak. Their plan was already working.....but why was he the one feeling jealous all of a sudden. "Matteo" her voice short with him. "You look incredible tonight" he grins down at her. "I don't think your new girlfriend would be happy to hear you say that" Rumi snaps at him. Matteo tucks a stray strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. "She's not my girlfriend. Besides you really think I could move on from you that quickly?" Her eyes instantly shoot up to find his brown ones watching her. Harry clears his throat "You had your chance and blew it Riddle. We are in the middle of our date so I'm asking you nicely to leave us alone." He tells him confidently, Rumi's eyes slowly trail away from Matteo's to Harry's a little shocked at his bravado. It shouldn't surprise her. Harry has always been brave....braver than anyone she has ever known. Matteo laughs looking between the two of them. "You aren't serious?" he questions. "Yes he is serious. Now if you don't mind...." she says never looking away from Harry's light green eyes.
Matteo left with a scoff, Harry's grin widening before they both laugh. "His face was priceless" Harry chuckles. Rumi was a bit caught off guard that she didn't care as much as she thought she would. Somewhere between the time she met him in the common room till now she realized that maybe she liked Harry more than just a friend. "This is actually working. I might actually win Ginny back" he declares excitedly. Rumi felt her heart sink to the pit of her stomach, the sinking reminder that this thing between the two of them was very much fake, regardless if she found hidden feelings for him deep within her heart. Her smile drops as she nods her head "Yeah" was all she could get out, Harry noticed the subtle change in her but decided not to press her too much about it.
Harry walked her back to her dorm room like a proper gentleman bidding her a good night. The next morning when they met for breakfast, Harry held her hand the entire way to the Great Hall. Ginny and Matteo watching the pair carefully. "So how was the date?" Hermione asked impatiently. "Great" they both say in unison, Harry watching the way Rumi's head tilts down to look at her plate a bit shy. "Oh come on! I want details." Hermione whines at them. "You know I always thought you two would make a perfect match." She tells them nonchalantly. Rumi's eyes slowly moving to peak at Harry, to her surprise he was already staring at her with a small smile. Her eyes widening slightly when she realizes he was leaning in. His lips finding hers in a slow sweet kiss. It felt like Rumi's entire body was coming alive, the butterflies in her stomach exploding. Her eyes fluttering closed before he pulls away, he watched the smile spread across her lips her eyes slowly opening to look at him again. He leans in to whisper in her ear "Is Ginny watching us?" he asks her. Rumi's butterflies quickly turn into knots as her heart sinks. Sure enough Ginny was staring daggers towards them. "She will be yours again soon." She tells him before getting up and walking out the great hall doors confusing Harry.