You Belong With Me // Thursday, 29th June 1978

[Taryn Goyle]

“Hiya!” Taryn waved as her eyes connected with Ender’s and she crossed the busy restaurant to join him. They had run into each other a few weeks back while Taryn was passing out fliers in Diagon Alley for the photo studio she had just been hired at and had seen each other several times since then. It almost seemed like fate that Ender had been there as she knelt in the middle of the bustling alley, desperately trying to gather up the pile of fliers that had just been knocked from her hands as squealing little girl with violently purple hair ran right under her feet, followed shortly by a couple in healers’ robes.

Mr Shutterbutton had been adamant that she give a flier to every witch she saw with school aged children, or even if they just looked like they could have children. Or grandchildren. When she asked if she ought to give the fliers to any wizards with children, Shutterbutton had only chuckled and told her to do as she liked about the men, but to make sure the women got a flier. They were half-sheet sized bits of parchment with a collage of some of the owner’s previous photographs on display along with flashing letters that read “don’t miss our summer sale! 5% off your first student portraits, 10% off two or more.” Apparently annual back-to-school pictures were a big part of the studio’s summer business, though Taryn didn’t remember her or her siblings ever sitting for back-to-school photographs, even when they were wee. She supposed would-be first years would make better subjects than the babe she’d photographed today, who cried more often than she’d spit up, which was a lot on both counts. The newborn photos were taking longer than she’d expected, and Taryn had sent a message to let Ender know that she’d be late to their planned meet up today. Thankfully, Taryn had managed to get a few good shots with only a wee bit of help from Mr Shutterbutton. She’d left the studio feeling rather proud of herself, as her boss told her she’d done a smashing job today.

“What’s the craic?” Taryn asked in greeting as she pulled out a chair across from Ender and sat at the small table in the back corner of the pub, he’d smartly chosen for them. “Sorry, I’m late. The little wean I was shooting did not want to cooperate, but Mr Shutterbutton thinks I managed a few good ones regardless.” She would be stopping by the Malfoy Apothecary tomorrow to pick up an order of developing solution that was scheduled to be done by the morning, and then they would be able to see how well her photographs actually turned out. Taryn was happy to do any task that might be needed, even running menial errands, if it kept her from having to pass out fliers and harass passersby again.

[Ender Parkinson]

Fidgeting with the end of the tablecloth, Ender shifted in his seat. The restaurant had gotten busy in the past few minutes, and of course they had seated him at a table in the middle. Summer break after his seventh year was in full swing, and he’d been spending it with his on-again-off-again girlfriend. One that he was hoping would be on again, given how much they had been seeing each other. He hadn’t been able to resist walking over when he had seen her passing out flyers, a grin on his face as he had bent down to help her pick them off the ground. When they had called things off earlier this year, he’d told his friends it was really done. No more getting back together. But he missed her, and seeing her that day just felt like fate. She was one of the only people that truly understood him, the other being Dora. And he was sure his sister would have an opinion about him and Taryn, as she usually did. While his parents could care less, he knew Dora didn’t like seeing him get hurt when they broke pup.

But things were different this time. There would be no returning to Hogwarts, no friends to pressure him (as long as he kept his budding feelings to himself), they were adults now. And Ender knew that he would always love Taryn, she was the first person he’d ever said I love you too outside of family. Not that that phrase was used in his home frequently, besides his parents' dedications to each other. He had no reason to think this would end differently from their past trips down this road. But she’d been on his mind when he wasn’t busy with Dora or work, so much so that he’d started a painting of one of his favorite photos that Taryn had taken. It was to be a gift for her, if he ever got it to look half as good as the photo. Her voice through the crowded restaurant pulled him from his thoughts, and he smiled as she pulled out the chair across from him. “Hey, no need to apologize. I’m sure you got some excellent shots, you always do.”

He waited for her to get settled, edge of the tablecloth abandoned in favor of fidgeting with his napkin. “So the interview went well, I think. Can you see it, me working in the Ludicrous Patents office?” he said with a laugh, brushing his hair from his face. Taryn wasn’t in her dream job either, but at least she got to do something artistic. Pushing paperwork was far from what he wished he could be doing, but he couldn’t let his Father down by passing up the job he had set up. Not that Ender often cared what his father thought, but the argument would end up with Ender losing anyway, never quite a good enough son. “It’s weird, knowing we aren’t going back to school after this summer. I don’t think it’s really hit me yet.”

[Taryn Goyle]

A warmth spread over her cheeks as Ender complimented her work, sight unseen. “Ta.” As critical as he could be of his own art, he had always been nothing but supportive of her own. His assessments of her work were often thoughtful and specific, never a platitude to be brushed off as disingenuous as some of her other boyfriends had been. He was an artist himself, so he understood her vision and saw what she had attempted, even if he couldn’t lend himself the same grace.

She sat forward in her chair, hoping to drown out the noise of the pub just by leaning closer to Ender as he spoke. He had had an interview at the Ministry today, set up by his father. Taryn knew how the Parkinson children felt about their parents, but the fact that they cared enough to get them both set up with proper jobs had to account for something. She knew her own parents loved her, even if she often felt lonely in her family, and hoped that was the case for Ender and his sister as well. Deep down. But Taryn had to admit that of all the government departments to choose from, she wouldn’t have pegged Ender for a sports-related post. “I’m sure you were grand. Your da wouldn’t have set it up if he didn’t think you would be good at it. When are you expected to hear back?”

With teenage infatuation, she watched as he brushed his long, swishy hair from his face. She nearly melted in the middle of the busy restaurant. “Yeah,” she agreed, still entranced with his hair, “it almost doesn’t really feel any different yet. I mean, I’ve had summer jobs the last few years, anyway. And Finn’s been renting a flat with his mates for a few years now, so there’s no big changes at home. I guess maybe when Cill and Kier go back to school, I’ll start to feel more like an adult? But I think it’ll just be a bit quieter, if I’m being honest.” What was adulthood even supposed to feel like? Taryn didn’t know, but she was grateful that the concept seemed as elusive to Ender as it did to her.