Chapter Text
Talbott slid quietly into his Transfiguration seat just moments before McGonagall’s lesson was set to begin. He figured that if he wasn’t early to class, he could avoid small talk with his peers. He quickly took out his book, parchment, and quill, perfectly aligning everything on his desk.
Madison was a few rows ahead of him, chatting with Rowan and Ben, her fellow Gryffindors. Talbott noticed her double take when she saw him seated in the back; she quickly turned toward the front and began scrawling something on her parchment. His stomach lurched. It had been just over a week since he and Madison had gone on their first date, and it hadn’t exactly gone to plan. Sure, the night had ended on a high note, but he couldn’t shake the thought that maybe he had messed it up so badly that it would be the end of, well, whatever was between them.
McGonagall stood to begin her lesson, silencing the room in one swift motion. Talbott couldn’t help glancing at Madison ahead of him, still hunched over her piece of parchment. She finally sat up, stole a glance at Rowan’s book, and opened up to the same page McGonagall had just announced. Just as McGonagall turned toward the blackboard to write, Talbott watched Madison flick her wand and whisper an incantation, which neatly folded her parchment into a paper airplane. With another swift flick, she sent it soaring over her shoulder right in his direction. Just as it reached his desk, he snatched it up quickly and slid it under his book—just in time, because there was a collective “ooh” from the class as they watched it transpire. McGonagall whipped around, giving the class a contemptuous look, but thankfully, no one made another sound, and she let it go.
After the close call, Talbott didn’t dare read the note during the lecture. Only when it came time to start practicing the beetle-to-button transfiguration, and McGonagall was helping that poor Levi again (seriously, why was that kid always struggling?), did he feel it was safe to steal a glance at her note.
It read, “I’ve been thinking a lot about our date. Can we talk after class? I know you’ll want to go somewhere a bit more private, so how about the owlery?” His heartbeat quickened. So was this it? Did he really blow it? The night had ended with them holding hands under the stars. Perhaps she had reconsidered giving it another go after some time had passed.
Regardless of what it was about, he knew it would eat at him if he didn’t go. Only a quarter of an hour more, and then he’d know for sure.