Dimension Hoppers

Harry found himself at Dimension Hoppers a lot during the summer break. Not really his fault per se, it was Dean and Seamus who wanted to go to the store often because they like to buy random card packages just like about everyone near their age.

Personally, Harry didn’t get as excited for the fad of collectible Dragon Wars playable cards- the kind that apparently had dragons pop off the cards in a holographic display as the gamers placed them down- that the store had personally started. Apparently, it was influenced by some muggle game and put together with the Evans’ far advance Ancient Runes skills.

The dragons were all very realistic and followed actual dragons’ movements and facts provided by their business partners in Romania. The dragon tamers were worried it would lead to kids wanting to force real dragons to fight but had the opposite effect, as more and more young English Magicals were starting to fall in love with the fire breathing creatures. 

It was really raising the morality of keeping the creatures alive and well in health. 

Ten percent of the profits the card packages brought also went to dragon tamers which were another bonus to the Dragon Reserves. 

The point of the game was to collect Dragons with different abilities and with different support cards, attack the opposite side of the board, dealing damage in a point style system. Each attack had a point assigned to it as well as each dragon had a different amount of health. When the dragon’s health hit zero the creature would fall and space it was upon would become the other players. To win, the whole board had to be the color of one side or one player ran out of dragons to summon. 

Harry thought it was interesting but not as fun as the other kids were making it out to be. All summer long he keeps hearing everyone talk about the deck they made, or what new dragons they got, or the battles they won. It was everywhere, nearly as hype up as the store itself which was rapidly becoming the hot spot in Diagon Alley

There were rare kinds of cards as well, call “shinny” and were few in print. They had special powers and caused twice the damage. Also, they looked really cool.

Dean himself was losing his mind over his Shinny Green Wesh, which apparently was the strongest of the Green Wesh and very rare? Harry didn’t know.

He didn’t really care. 

While his friends were busy trying to weight the wrapped up cards between their hands in an effort to make a choice- each pack was randomized since it was a blind buy which was half the appeal apparently?- Harry was busy watching Evans as he worked.

The other green eye lad was cashing out some fourth years, who were buying their own Dragons Wars decks but one girl was fluttering her eyelashes a little too much for Harry’s liking. 

He didn’t know her name, but he’s seen her around as she is only a year older even if she was a random Ravenclaw. She was pretty too, Harry supposed if you liked blonds with stupid crooked teeth. 

“Harry?” Seamus is suddenly in his face cutting off his glare as Evans laughs at something she said. “You alright?”

“I’m fine-”

“He’s staring at Evans.” Dean snickers which cause Seamus to grin in a very teasing manner. Harry’s friends have long ago learned of his crush after the nose breaking at the beginning of the year. They were a little weary since the two started off on such a bad foot, but his best friends have gotten optimistic that somehow his luck with Evans would change.

Harry wasn’t so sure, he could barely even talk to him, let alone get anywhere that could lead to something more. Not for the lack of trying but it was like his mind and his mouth lost communication whenever he got near Evans. 

It always came out wrong. 

It didn’t help that after the family picnic in the spring break, he had attempted to confess by writing a love letter- that is the last time he will listen to his father’s advice- and Lockheart’s stupid cupids found it when he chickened out at the last minute.

Thankfully Evens didn’t suspect it was from him, but sadly his Valentine didn’t really stand out when the other boy got at least seven more. To make matters worse, he had been unnecessarily kind and even adorably surprise to learn someone had sent him something, making sure to thank the cupid and gently pack all the cards away after reading them.

Harry had watched him smile, tiny and briefly, if a bit baffled at his letter smoothing out the red parchment while mouthing the words. Thank Merlin, he hadn’t signed it or the Hufflepuff might have thrown it out or something. 

The mutt’s face as Evans picked up a blue card let him know just who was the author of one of the seven valentines the Hufflepuff revived and that filled Harry with worry as well as anger. He knew he was behind Orion in gaining Evan’s affections. He’s never been behind the werewolf in anything. 

“Go talk to him!” Dean suggested pushing on Harry’s shoulder. 

“What? No!” Harry had fixed up his hair and was wearing a more muggle outfit but he was hardly prepared to go talk to him looking like this. It wasn’t a look that would make his crush swoon, so obviously it wasn’t possible to approach him. He was pretty sure he was a bit sweaty too.

“Come on, we’re going the third year soon and as far as I know Evens will be surrounded by people again. People who don’t like you and will make it hard for you to get him alone. This is your chance to make some progress!” The muggle-born push him forward again. “Go!” 

Dang him but he made sense. Harry shot him a miniature glare over his shoulder which Seamus easily mimicked back mockingly. He even adds a close hand wave as Dean gives him the best stern look he can make. Harry huffs. Sometimes his friends were more trouble then they were worth.

Harry moves towards the counter where Evens was reading a book of some kind- runes again?- and he felt his heart beating faster and faster with each step. His hands clammed up, but he fights the urge to run them through his hair because that will only make the strands stand up even more.

He can’t afford to look anything but perfect right now.

Evans glances up as he stops on the other side, not lowering his book as he stares at him through his lashes. Harry swallows  “I need assistance.”

One graceful eyebrow raises, and the Gryffindor wants to kick himself. “With the Dragon War cards! I ugh, don’t have a deck and want to start one.”

Finally, the other boy puts down his book, closing it in a quick and delicate graceful motion, before pressing it to the side, using his fingers to cushion the sides and not make noise. Harry thinks Evans has elegant hands, meant to hold priceless things, and he swallows again.  

“Certainly. I’ll be glad to assist you” Evans says giving Harry a very controlled customer-service smile and if that didn’t feel like a backhand slap the teenager didn’t know what did.  “The Dragon War cards are found in aisle 3 right beside the Dragon theme stuff animals and the dragon theme toys. Are you looking for anything specific?”

Harry shrugs. “Starter packs? I don’t have a deck. Mind showing me?”

Evans smile strains for only a second before he slaps it back into its friendly nature.  “Of course.” 

He steps around the counter and Harry can’t help but snicker when he notices that Evans has to take a step down from the little stole he was using to reach the counter. The boy’s green eyes flash with anger, the lava hot and explosive kind, since it’s no secret the other does not like his height being brought up and Harry thinks he looks gorgeous. 

Anger looks so good on Evans. He gets this lovely flush high on his cheekbones, his eyes become so expressive as if though they glow and somehow his magic even coils around like a firework right about to explode.  He’s so pretty Harry can’t even think.

“Follow me” The boy orders, marching over to the aisle his friends fleeing into the other one as they realize they are walking towards them. Harry hopes Evans didn’t notice but he doesn’t think he’s so lucky. He gestures to the cards, babbling away at the importance of support cards compared to summon cards, gesturing at the different colored packaging for the different editions and Harry doesn’t hear a single word of it.

He just stares at him, at the way his lips move, his hair bounces with his head movement and those long delicate fingers gesturing as he speaks not exactly over-excited but not calm either.  

“Do you have any questions?”

“Yes, are you single?” Harry blurts then he realizes what he said as Seamus fails at smothering a chocked laugh from behind one of the shelves.  

Evans doesn’t bat an eyelash in the slightest, taking the question in stride like it was not a complete turn about in the one-sided conversation and somehow that even more attractive. “Yes, I am.”

“Me too. I’m single too.”  

Evans nods accepting the information as nothing else than a sharing of facts. He seems to be waiting for something but Merlin’s wand has mercy Harry didn’t think he would get this far so he doesn’t know what to do now.  “I think I’ll start with the water types.”

“Alright. Would you like the deck holders as well?”

“Yes.”

Evans nods once more, turns to reach for the deck holders, standing on his tiptoes with one hand stretched upwards and he is straining but he can’t even touch them. Harry watches him struggle for a while, appreciating the muggle shirt clinging to his very nice back before he steps forward and grabs one for him.

He hands it over with a slight smirk, and Evans’ green eyes all but shine with the glare he that tilts upwards at him. The other boy is very small, his head barely reaching Harry’s shoulders which is ironic given he pretty sure he’s seen the boy spar with the mutt once before and royally hands him his own ass despite Orion being the same height as Harry.

Tiny and dangerous. He may just found out what he’s type is.

“Would you be paying now or have more shopping to do?” Evans nearly bites his tone just a few notches away from aggressive.

Harry swallows again.  “Ugh, I have more shopping. Thank you.”

Evans nods turns to go back to the counter but pauses at the entrance of the aisle, throwing a look over his shoulder, and Harry is struck dumb by that one peaking green pupil. “I’m not that short.”

Why did that sound like a threat?  “Of course.”

The Hufflepuff seems satisfied and he scurries away, back to his stole and book. Harry leans on the shelves, his heart fluttering like the wings of a snitch. He is this close of clutching his chest to try and get it to settle down when his friends rejoin him.

“That was terrible” Is the first thing out of Dean’s mouth  “I mean absolutely terrible. I got second-hand embarrassment from it. Yes, are you single? What kind of line was that? Did you get it out of a book titled How to sound like a toe-rag?”

Seamus is too busy laughing like a lunatic to come to Harry’s defense as he should. The Gryffindor glares at them both, then he snatches up the last of the Grass and Wind type editions cards too, just to be petty when he knows these two were planning on buying them. His friends complain the whole time they pay.

When they leave Harry can’t help but look back at Evans and manages to lock eyes with the boy over his book. He tries to send him a smile but his nerves have him turning the curve of his lips into a smirk instead.

The Hufflepuff’s face turns complicated like he’s trying to work out a puzzle he might not want to find the answer to it either. Harry gets those kinds of looks a lot from Evans and he's not sure why.
But he will find out, because he may be behind Orion in the competition that doesn't mean anything in the long run. He's never lost to the werewolf before and he's not about to start now.