Order Only: Private Message to Sally-Anne and Hydra

[alt_hermione]

I'm not sure how to do this, so I wondered if you could help.

Have either of you talked to Tim Clark before? Remember, he's one of the muggleborns who escaped at the Quidditch World Cup and now he lives at Sherwood with Sarah and Terry and Dudley and the others. Only I suppose not Terry soon, if he's going to go off with a Zulu company. Anyway, he's quite nice and really very fit, at least I think so, and he was at the Order meeting Saturday because he used to live at Moddey before he moved out to Sherwood and I talked with him there a bit, and I don't know if you noticed but we talked on Saturday too and then he wrote to me yesterday because he said he went straight to Mrs L to ask to be sworn in to the Order and then he wrote to me to tell me he'd done that specifically so that he could write to me and--and I think he fancies me and I think I just might fancy him back but I'm not sure because I've never really fancied anyone who was actually someone I ever could fancy, I mean not really, and I don't want Draco or Terry getting upset about it and how do you do this?

I mean, I want to write back to him but they'll see the message header. And with the way things are with Draco right now, I mean, he's really leaning on me a lot and I know he'll improve and it's not that I don't want to be supportive, I really do, I want to stick with him and we've even got a plan and we've talked to Sirius and he thinks it will be a good thing to do, and very helpful, so I'm really happy we have that to work on, but I don't want to upset him right now or make him think I'm going to abandon him. And Harry, I know you're spending loads of time with him, Hydra, but I could see how lonely he looked at the Order meeting on Saturday and I want to make sure he knows I still care about him.

Only. With Tim it's different. I mean, we don't really have a history together. And yes, he's a muggleborn but it's not as if that's the only thing we have in common, either.

Did I mention he's really quite fit?



Oh, bollocks. It'll never work, will it? I mean, he shares a tent with Dudley and Finbar and he's mates with Terry and I just don't think I can hurt Terry like that. Not right now, certainly. I mean, it would be different if it weren't someone he knows well, like that. Wouldn't it?

How do you lot ever manage to date different people at school? It's hopelessly complicated. I think I was better off not ever thinking about anyone like that. Maybe I'll just tell him we can only write to one another if we're just going to be mates, nothing else.

Comments

[alt_sally_anne]

I don't think Tim and I have ever talked but I do know who he is and he is QUITE fit.

Anyway I'm not sure I'm a great person to ask for advice, I mean I dated Michael Corner because it was so nice having someone interested in me but he got cross about how I was still good friends with Ron and I got cross at him for being cross but to be honest he was probably right, you know? Things are still a bit awkward with Michael. Not awful, but awkward. It didn't help that I had loads of secrets from him.

So really if the question is 'how do I date someone without making things all awkward with other boys' I have no idea (but also I haven't had very many boys interested in me so...)

But, okay. The problems here are Terry, and Draco? I don't think you ought to worry about Terry. I mean he's moving companies, right? so he won't be rooming with Clark anymore. And it's not like Terry has any claim on you, I know you don't want to hurt him but he needs to pull himself together and realise it wasn't ever really you he was in love with, it was this made-up person he had in his head that shared you name and your face but wasn't actually you, and I think he found that person super comforting but it doesn't mean you have to take a vow of celibacy and never date anyone because then Terry would know for good and all that nothing was ever going to happen between you.

I can understand being more worried about Draco because you're LIVING with Draco so if it's awkward, it'll be awkward every day. All day. Every time you sit down together.

But you know, Draco got to have a relationship with Pansy and he got to have one with Daphne and I'd say it's your turn and he ought to suck it up. But that's easy for me to say as I don't have to see him over my breakfast tea.

Is that helpful? I don't think it is, probably. I'm a terrible person to ask for advice. Did you know that even though I kissed him before we went off to Mysteries I STILL had to sit Ron down and tell him that I was interested in him, for real, before he started seeing me? He was SO THICK.

[alt_hydra]

See, I think she should be more worried about Terry, because he's been pining for Hermione for a long time and has he ever even looked at another girl?

Draco really really liked Pansy, and I think he even really liked Daphne. And he had a thing with Sam Montgomery, too.

Also I can't imagine that he's thinking about romance at all right now. I mean, I wouldn't be. He looks like he's barely thinking about eating, or sleeping.

[alt_hydra]

I mean, I really don't think she should be worried at all, because it's her life. But I can understand why you would be, Hermione.

[alt_sally_anne]

I don't know if he's ever looked at another girl.

But if he hasn't, it's high time he started, anyway, and if Hermione starts seeing another boy maybe he'll realise that?

Anyway Hermione can't spend the rest of her life not even WRITING to boys she likes because what if Terry's feelings get hurt. (Imagine if Terry realised THAT.)

[alt_sally_anne]

Although, things weren't at all awkward with Viktor! (Except for the gossip magazines being cruel.)

But, he left the Protectorate. It's hard for things to stay awkward when the person they could be awkward with isn't even inside the wards.

[alt_sally_anne]

At the very least, Hermione, you should certainly feel like you can WRITE BACK to Tim Clark without having to make excuses to either Terry or Draco. And just see where things go.

He probably does fancy you. But you won't be seeing each other every day anyway so try writing. Maybe he'll be incredibly irritating once you get to know him and the whole thing won't even matter.

But you have a right to make new friends without worrying that it will make other people anxious!

[alt_hydra]

I haven't dated different people. Harry and I are friends and we have an arrangement, but I've only ever dated Justin. That doesn't necessarily make things easier, though. I am quite sure that Justin sometimes feels jealous, even if he knows that what Harry and I have is an arrangement and not true love.

You don't owe Draco or Terry anything other than your friendship, which you've already given them, and will continue to do so, I assume. And I don't know about Terry but I don't think Draco has ever asked for more, has he? He knows you're not interested, yes? And while he might be hoping that changes, someday, I don't know... I have a feeling Terry might be hoping for it more.

It's bound to hurt because these things do, even when the other person is understanding about it. But you know, I'm not sure much could compare to what Draco's already been through. Or Terry, for that matter.

You're not going to heal either of them by staying with them, either - nor will you heal them by not getting to know other boys.