FIC: Unexpected (Millicent/Dudley - 808 - G)
Title: Unexpected
Author: reeby10
Pairing(s): Millicent/Dudley, Harry/Luna
Prompt: # 71 for 2018 by orlando_switch
Word Count: 808
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: It’s time for Dudley and Harry’s annual Boxing Day lunch, and it’s time for Dudley to introduce his girlfriend to his cousin.
Dudley was nervous. He knew he shouldn't be, not really, but he couldn't help it. It was just lunch with Harry, the same thing they'd been doing on Boxing Day for the past three years, but it was different this year. This year he was bringing a date.
He started dating Millicent about six months ago, and this was the first time they'd be meeting family as a couple. He hadn't even taken her to see his parents yet, for a variety of reasons that included her being a witch. And also because he just didn't want to scare her off.
Introducing her to Harry didn't seem quite so intimidating or frightening. They'd gotten a lot closer since they started this Boxing Day tradition. Things were still awkward sometimes of course, but they talked and it was good. So much different than how they'd been as kids.
Plus, Harry was a wizard. Millicent had said she really didn't know him despite them attending school together, but it was a connection that Dudley thought was probably pretty important. He wanted to be a part of his cousin’s world, as much as he could be at least, and that meant introducing Harry to his girlfriend.
"Are you still worrying?" Millicent asked from behind him.
Dudley turned, grimacing a little. He wasn’t used to worrying like this, but Harry mattered in ways he wasn’t used to dealing with. "Yeah. Sorry. We’re going to be late now, aren’t we?"
Millicent just shrugged, which was fine. She knew that he cared a lot about him introducing her to Harry, but it didn’t worry her like it did him. That was one of the things that he’d liked about her, that she was so calm and unruffleable.
They took Muggle transportation to the cafe since they were meeting in Muggle London. Dudley figured that maybe they could meet at a wizarding cafe next year if Harry wanted. Millicent said it shouldn’t be a problem for her to take him with her to Diagon Alley, and he believed her. He figured the rest of them might be more comfortable there.
As they entered the door of the cafe, Dudley realized they were indeed late. Harry was already sitting at a table with his girlfriend Luna. Dudley had met her the year before, though the two of them had apparently been dating for a few years before that.
"Hey, Harry, Luna," Dudley said as they approached the table. Millicent squeezed his hand comfortingly. "Sorry we’re late."
Harry turned, opening his mouth - presumably to say hello in return - and froze. He was staring at Millicent, and Dudley couldn’t quite tell what the look on his face was. Hopefully he was just shocked at who Dudley’s girlfriend was, since he’d refused to say in their letters.
"Hello, Dudley," Luna said in that soft voice of hers, breaking the silence. She smiled, though Dudley thought it looked a little vacant. But that was always how she looked. "Hello, Millicent."
"Hi," Millicent replied, smiling in return. She looked calm, but Dudley could see from the tension in her jaw that she wasn’t quite as worry free as she tried to appear.
"Er, yeah, hi, Millicent," Harry finally said, seeming to finally break out of his daze. "I wasn’t expecting to see you. Not that’s it’s not fine! Or, good. You know."
Dudley grinned at the way Harry was stumbling over his words, obviously not really knowing what to say. But he certainly didn’t seem upset or angry about Dudley having brought Millicent, which was good. He sat in the seat next to Harry, letting Millicent take the seat next to Luna.
"So how was your Christmas?" Harry asked. He’d composed himself a lot once Luna reached over and took his hand, murmuring something that only he could hear. "Did you two spend it with your parents?"
"No way!" Dudley said, shaking his head and laughing. "I happen to like Millicent a lot, I don’t want to scare her off yet."
"Your parents aren’t going to scare me off," Millicent said, rolling her eyes. It was a discussion they’d had several times, but she just didn’t know how bad his parents could be. Especially to anyone with magic. Maybe someday, but not now.
Harry snorted. "Believe me, they’ll do their best," he said with a tinge of bitterness. Millicent gave him a look, and he just shrugged. "Dudley’s a good guy, though. You’re lucky to have him, Millicent."
Dudley smiled, feeling warmth blooming in his chest. It felt good to have Harry’s approval after everything that had happened between them in the past. Apparently his worries about them meeting were unfounded, just like Millicent had said. He lifted a glass in a toast, waiting for the others to do the same.
"Thanks, Harry, that means a lot."
Author: reeby10
Pairing(s): Millicent/Dudley, Harry/Luna
Prompt: # 71 for 2018 by orlando_switch
Word Count: 808
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: It’s time for Dudley and Harry’s annual Boxing Day lunch, and it’s time for Dudley to introduce his girlfriend to his cousin.
Dudley was nervous. He knew he shouldn't be, not really, but he couldn't help it. It was just lunch with Harry, the same thing they'd been doing on Boxing Day for the past three years, but it was different this year. This year he was bringing a date.
He started dating Millicent about six months ago, and this was the first time they'd be meeting family as a couple. He hadn't even taken her to see his parents yet, for a variety of reasons that included her being a witch. And also because he just didn't want to scare her off.
Introducing her to Harry didn't seem quite so intimidating or frightening. They'd gotten a lot closer since they started this Boxing Day tradition. Things were still awkward sometimes of course, but they talked and it was good. So much different than how they'd been as kids.
Plus, Harry was a wizard. Millicent had said she really didn't know him despite them attending school together, but it was a connection that Dudley thought was probably pretty important. He wanted to be a part of his cousin’s world, as much as he could be at least, and that meant introducing Harry to his girlfriend.
"Are you still worrying?" Millicent asked from behind him.
Dudley turned, grimacing a little. He wasn’t used to worrying like this, but Harry mattered in ways he wasn’t used to dealing with. "Yeah. Sorry. We’re going to be late now, aren’t we?"
Millicent just shrugged, which was fine. She knew that he cared a lot about him introducing her to Harry, but it didn’t worry her like it did him. That was one of the things that he’d liked about her, that she was so calm and unruffleable.
They took Muggle transportation to the cafe since they were meeting in Muggle London. Dudley figured that maybe they could meet at a wizarding cafe next year if Harry wanted. Millicent said it shouldn’t be a problem for her to take him with her to Diagon Alley, and he believed her. He figured the rest of them might be more comfortable there.
As they entered the door of the cafe, Dudley realized they were indeed late. Harry was already sitting at a table with his girlfriend Luna. Dudley had met her the year before, though the two of them had apparently been dating for a few years before that.
"Hey, Harry, Luna," Dudley said as they approached the table. Millicent squeezed his hand comfortingly. "Sorry we’re late."
Harry turned, opening his mouth - presumably to say hello in return - and froze. He was staring at Millicent, and Dudley couldn’t quite tell what the look on his face was. Hopefully he was just shocked at who Dudley’s girlfriend was, since he’d refused to say in their letters.
"Hello, Dudley," Luna said in that soft voice of hers, breaking the silence. She smiled, though Dudley thought it looked a little vacant. But that was always how she looked. "Hello, Millicent."
"Hi," Millicent replied, smiling in return. She looked calm, but Dudley could see from the tension in her jaw that she wasn’t quite as worry free as she tried to appear.
"Er, yeah, hi, Millicent," Harry finally said, seeming to finally break out of his daze. "I wasn’t expecting to see you. Not that’s it’s not fine! Or, good. You know."
Dudley grinned at the way Harry was stumbling over his words, obviously not really knowing what to say. But he certainly didn’t seem upset or angry about Dudley having brought Millicent, which was good. He sat in the seat next to Harry, letting Millicent take the seat next to Luna.
"So how was your Christmas?" Harry asked. He’d composed himself a lot once Luna reached over and took his hand, murmuring something that only he could hear. "Did you two spend it with your parents?"
"No way!" Dudley said, shaking his head and laughing. "I happen to like Millicent a lot, I don’t want to scare her off yet."
"Your parents aren’t going to scare me off," Millicent said, rolling her eyes. It was a discussion they’d had several times, but she just didn’t know how bad his parents could be. Especially to anyone with magic. Maybe someday, but not now.
Harry snorted. "Believe me, they’ll do their best," he said with a tinge of bitterness. Millicent gave him a look, and he just shrugged. "Dudley’s a good guy, though. You’re lucky to have him, Millicent."
Dudley smiled, feeling warmth blooming in his chest. It felt good to have Harry’s approval after everything that had happened between them in the past. Apparently his worries about them meeting were unfounded, just like Millicent had said. He lifted a glass in a toast, waiting for the others to do the same.
"Thanks, Harry, that means a lot."