Nostalgia

A familiar redhead had been in the restaurant near his campus for some time, seemingly rather nervous as he was in what appeared to be too formal of clothes for the abode. It wasn't too serious, but it was serious enough for anyone to take notice of him.

This place. This was where he first met his love, and now it had become their final years at the school. During his holiday he had managed to convince his parents for their blessing for an opportunity to make her fall to her knees in speechless glee (It was somehow a lot easier than he expected).

Despite the weather the lad had a jacket on, feeling a small box in one of the pockets as he waited. Julie-Pierre wanted to pop the question to Autumn, but he was conflicted if this was even the best choice, in terms of romantics. He knew that maybe asking her when they were on the field would be better, but what if she had wanted it more subtle than blatant?

Face red in embarrassment and anticipation, the young man slouched forward with a sigh, hands running through his hair.

Where was she?

Autumn could count on one hand the amount of times she'd been late to anything because of her own fault. Now was one of those times. She couldn't even blame the late boat because Gregory and Jonas had arrived in town much earlier than she had. She could only blame herself dawdling and missing the bus that would connect her to Paris.

The new seventh year wasn't late by much, but by enough to know that her love would be waiting for her. Many people would think she was crazy for feeling bad, but she couldn't help it.

Autumn walked into La Petit Dragon and immediately spotted her boyfriend. She skipped up to his table and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"I'm sorry that I'm late. I missed the bus here," she explained. She looked at his outfit, "Am I missing something?" Autumn wasn't dressed up at all. In fact, she was dressed rather out of character for herself. Her usual sundress was replaced by slacks and a simple t-shirt. She had her quidditch jacket tied around her waist, knowing that it'd be cold on the carriages. "Is something wrong?"

Finally seeing her was a relief in an of itself, but the boyish flare to her garments took him off guard. His eyes widened in surprise, face unable to keep itself from blushing as hard as it did. She was brilliantly dashing, as always, but never had she seen her dressed exactly like this.

It didn't fit her too much, but it still hit her somehow, he couldn't help but note.

Hearing her apology, Julie-Pierre laughed with a wide, reassuring smile as he stood up from his chair. "You're alright," he chimed, kissing her forehead in no time as he brought his arms around her for a quick embrace. "What's happened happened, ja? So, there's no need to be so scared. You're here now." When she took notice of his garbs, he was left red in surprise yet again.

"Um..." He cleared his throat, grin now reduced to a weak smile as his cheeks were laced in embarrassment. "I had, uh, wanted to impress you, I guess," he said, though words continuously fumbling even as he spoke, arms coming away from his girlfriend reluctantly as a hand went to one of his pockets. "Nothing's wrong, I promise. I just... erm..." The German lad cleared his throat once more, cowardly grin still held on his face. "I just went a little overboard is all."

Autumn hugged her boyfriend back. She wanted to kiss him, but he dropped his arms quickly to fumble around in his pockets. She wasn't sure why Julie-Pierre was so jumpy, but he looked embarrassed and she didn't want to further that embarrassment.

"I've been your best friend for nearly seven years and your girlfriend for three. Don't you think you've already impressed me?" Autumn asked with a small smile. She was flattered, but also very confused. She wondered if he were just very nervous about seventh year starting. There was only one way to find out. "Are you ready for the last year of school?" she asked cautiously.

The young man glimmered even with his sweetheart trying to get the confusing contradictions out of him. He felt bad for keeping things hidden now, and he wanted to let it be known now, but for the life of him there was no courage or nudge within him to go for it. Once she had walked in, his heart and knees had gone weak, and all valour of love had escaped him with one breath.

With her question of their final year in school, he chuckled with a smirk. "I'm pretty excited, really," he said, hand still hidden as it fumbled around the little cube within. "I'm a little scared, but I know I'll be pushing myself as much as I can this time around. I don't want to let either of us down, honestly."

As he spoke, one of his fingers crept through the opening crack of the box separating the base from its deceiving lid. As he did, though, the inanimate box still dared to bite him, making him wince and pull his hand well away, taking the little box with it. Before it hit the ground and could dare to let out its contents, he grabbed it and put it right back where it was, acting as if nothing happened.

"What about you?" he quickly asked, face struggling to hide the embarrassment from the latest near catastrophe that erupted.

Autumn decided that no matter what happened, she wasn't going to ask Julie-Pierre about what he was hiding. Sure, it was very distracting to her. But it was apparently embarrassing to him, so she could have a little self control.

"I can only assume we'll be working on wandless magic. Beauxbatons is the only school that requires a seventh year. Really, what more can they teach us?" Autumn asked. "That makes the most sense."

Autumn fought the urge to ask what her boyfriend's problem was again. Instead, she smiled. "I don't know. I think I'm still in shock. I don't feel like it's over. I guess it'll sink in when I graduate," she joked. She was looking forward to it, in a weird sort of way. She wondered how much she'd actually get to use magic if she were a doctor. The thought was actually rather terrifying to her. Being a Muggle again... she wasn't sure.