𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 ── ʜ.ᴊ.ᴘ

23: 𝗍𝗁𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁 𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖾𝗒𝖾𝗌.

❥❥❥

𝗑𝗑𝗂𝗂𝗂. 𝗍𝗁𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁 𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖾𝗒𝖾𝗌.

"Replaced me that easily?"

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Others may think that the first time Chester Ainsworth met Y/n Lovewright was during Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding, which he was invited to as his grandmother, Evangeline Ringwood, knew Fleur's parents, but little did anyone know, the two had met way before that, years even. Too bad, she doesn't seem to remember a single thing about him. If only they hadn't 'obliviated' her.

The first (real) encounter Chester had with Y/n was when he was around nine years old. He could remember the moment as clear as the sky above — he had travelled abroad to stay with his grandmother for the summer like he always does, since his parents were too busy with their jobs to even look after and take care of their son, and as he stood around in a park, Chester had stumbled over to what he thought was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his life.

Set on August 12th 1989

He looked amongst all the other kids at the park and felt a strong wave of envy wash over him. 'Why can't my parents ever be like that with me?' The young boy thought, observing as one of the children engulfed their parents into a tight hug, burying her face into her father's stomach as he stroked her hair affectionately. Chester's heart suddenly felt heavy at the sight. He didn't know what to do. He just wanted to get up and leave, but he knew his grandmother would be furious with him if he ever moved from his spot. 'When is she going to come back? It's suffocating here.' He took one last look around the crowded park when suddenly, a lone girl caught his eye.

He swore he had fallen in love at first sight then and there. There was just something about the pretty girl that made her stand out from the rest of the kids that were scattered all over the area. Whether it was the way the sun's rays glimmered in her (e/c) coloured eyes, or maybe it was how her focus seemed to have shifted towards the watch around her wrist every now and then, eyebrows furrowing each time she read the time.

From across the park, Y/n sighed for the umpteenth time as she took another glance at the time. "Gosh, what's taking the bloody idiot so long to get here?" She rolled her eyes in annoyance, going back to what she was doing before; picking flowers. "He lives five minutes away from here! I swear if I find out he's woken up late again, I will-"

It was almost as if his legs had a mind of their own because he immediately found himself standing in front of her. Chester seemed to snap out of his dazed state when he noticed the girl looking at him with concerned eyes and furrowed eyebrows. "Oh, sorry," he said, realising how creepy he must've looked a moment ago. "I just noticed that you were all by yourself. I'm Chester, by the way."

She shrugged at him, a gentle, but cautious, smile plastered on her face. "I'm Y/n and It's fine. I'm just waiting for my best friend to get here — he's always late to our playdates." she shook her head, making it seem like she was disappointed, but the fond look on her face as she spoke about this best friend of hers said otherwise. "But he'll be here anytime soon! He never ditches me at least."

"Oh? Would it be alright if I keep you company then?" asked Chester, hesitantly taking a seat beside the girl who had nodded her head in response. "Wouldn't wanna leave a pretty girl like you by yourself here."

Chuckling awkwardly, she decides she might as well make a conversation with him while she waits for Harry to arrive."I can take care of myself just fine, don't worry," she responds with a slightly bitter tone. "So, tell me about yourself because I don't think I've ever seen you around here before." She turned to look at him, scanning Chester up and down as if trying to figure out if she'd seen him before or not.