The One Where It All Began

I was sitting in the Busy Bean Coffee Shop minding my own business when I get hit in the back of the head with a coffee bean. I looked behind me, my long black hair falling into my face, to see who could have possibly threw a coffee bean at me – I mean how childish can you get, really? When suddenly I was face to face with a beautiful looking man – he was pudgy and pale white but his smile lit up the whole room.

"Uh… Sorry about that," he frowned. "My friend doesn't really have any manners."

I looked behind him at another boy who was smirking at me like I was a piece of meat. Loser.

"It's okay," I shrugged. "I'm Cho."

"Dudley," he smiled. "Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all," I grinned. "Do you come here often?"

"Not really," Dudley admitted. "I just moved around here to be honest, I – uh – had some family problems and we had to move up North. What about you?"

"I live just a few minutes away," I nodded. "I come here regularly to study."

"Oh, what school do you go too?"

I pause. It was clear to me that this guy was a Muggle, at least I thought he was a muggle. "A boarding school up in Scotland… But it's been… closed down."

Dudley smiled. Man how I loved that smile. "And do this mystery school in Scotland have a name?"

I force a laugh, telling him the name of Hogwarts wouldn't kill it, would it? Obviously I would just say that it was called Hogwarts High or something like that… I wouldn't actually say it was a school of witchcraft and wizardry. "Hogwarts."

Dudley's eyes popped out of his head and I grimaced. He couldn't know? Could he? "Do you… Are you… You're one of them?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said nervously, looking anywhere but at him.

"A witch," Dudley whispered. "Do you happen to know my cousin? Harry Potter?"

I burst out laughing. "Everyone knows Harry," I giggled. "Are you…"

"No," Dudley smiled. "I'm just a good old fashioned Muggle… Aren't you guys on the hunt for someone? Moldy Cheese or something?"

I didn't know whether to laugh or be highly frightened for him. If Lord Voldemort ever heard him call him that he would be dead fasted then he could say 'sorry'. But the likely hood of Voldemort being in a muggle place – especially a café – was unlikely.

"You shouldn't say that," I explained. "Unless you're trying to get yourself killed."

"Trying to stay away, actually," he said, "You're cops put me and my folks in a safe house… I was just getting so bored that I decided to leave… But other than you I haven't seen anything suspicious… Wait… You're not one of the Death… thingy's are you?"

"No," I insisted, "But you better get back home before someone recognizes you."

"Wait," he said looking into my eyes. He leaned down a captured my lips into a sweet chaste kiss. "Will I ever see you again?"

"I'll come back," I promised, and that was a promise I intended to keep.

Gringotts Prompt Bank: [Café Names] Busy Bean Coffee Shop. [Words instead of said] Promised, explained, insisted [Family Words] Folks [FRIENDS – Title] The One Where It All Began. [FRIENDS – Location] Coffee House [Scenarios] Meeting at a coffee shop

Chocolate Frog Cards: Cho Chang. Write about Cho.

BINGO: Cho/Dudley