Antidote

Chapter 39 - The Chaise

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Breakfasts had become a bit of a chaotic affair between Jolie and her friends since Easter holiday ended. For the past two weeks, Jolie's parents had been forwarding a few inquiries of courtship each day from different wizards around Europe. Some were far too old, some far too young, and some were... fine.

If Jolie were honest, though, none of them interested her. None of them were fine.

Because none of them were George.

After her small panic attack-turned-epiphany on Saturday night, she'd realised that she might as well start warming up to the idea that she just genuinely liked him. Wanted him.

He thrilled her, constantly keeping her on her toes with quick banter and affectionate touches. 

And, even if she didn't always show it, she felt good around him. 

Something that made her feel that good might just be worth taking a few risks.

Theo choked on his toast as Draco let out a loud laugh, the boys looking over one of the inquiries, drawing Jolie out of her thoughts. She raised a brow at them. Draco held the letter out to her as Theo gathered himself by taking a sip of tea.

"He even included a picture," Draco said teasingly as she took the letter.

Theo snorted again—the original cause of his choking.

Daphne peered over Jolie's shoulder as the girls read it.

Jolie understood why they'd laughed. It was a seventeen-year-old boy from Germany. The photograph was of him and his family, a trio of stern-looking people posing before an ornate fireplace. It had clearly been the family's Christmas card, from the looks of it.

The boy's cheeks were round and pink, making his grim, furrowed brow almost look comical.

She didn't even bother reading the contents of the letter, tossing the inquiry back to the middle of the table where the other three sat.

Pansy reached in front of Draco and picked out the envelope that had yet to be opened. She tore the parchment and unfolded it. She gasped, making the others look up at her.

"Okay—I know you said you weren't interested in anyone," she started slowly, her eyes still roaming over the letter. "But, I really think you should take a look at this one."

Jolie rolled her eyes, taking another sip of her pumpkin juice.

Draco hummed as he read the inquiry. "Pansy might be right, Jolie. You should look—"

"Oh, pish posh," Theo spat. "She said she's not taking any of these seriously. Why would she—"

Pansy thrust the parchment into Theo's hand. He snapped his mouth closed as he read, then blew out a low whistle.

Jolie groaned, but reached over to take it from Theo. She read it quickly, noting that he'd also attached a photograph.

Jacques Thibaut. Son of Armand Thibaut, France's Minister for Magic.

He looked fairly handsome. Despite the colourless sepia of the photo, she could see that he had light eyes and either sandy blonde, or very light brown hair. His smile was easy and relaxed—not pompous and proud like the few other pictures she'd seen from other suitors. In the loop of the photo, she watched as his father waved at a crowd, then his son followed, even giving the camera a wink before the loop began again.

In the letter, it stated that Jacques was a top-marks student of Beauxbatons Academy, and he spent his free time riding his family's abraxans and competing in his region's dueling competitions. Apparently, 'Soins des Créatures Magiques' was his favourite subject. Jolie wondered if Beauxbatons students studied a different curriculum than Hogwarts did for Care of Magical Creatures. She'd never found the subject all that interesting.