dursley [h. g.]

••dursley•• || matthew hammerond

In the weeks following her last source of dread came another: the Yule Ball. Kendra feel many things about it, and happiness was most certainly not on the list. Dread, despair, angst, and worry all were. And that was why she was completely ignoring the fact that the ball even existed at all and instead was speaking to Damon. His father had given him the date on which he would show up at his doorstep, though his purpose will still unknown.

"You should tell Mabel," Kendra said, taking a sip of her apple juice. They were sitting in the kitchen, drinking tea (or Damon was, at the very least) that the house elves had lovingly prepared for them. Damon had just broken the news to her- his father had just written him again, and he would be there to see Damon for Christmas.

"I know," Damon sighed. "She's happy right now, though. I don't want to disturb that."

"I don't want to see her angry at you," Kendra began, pausing as she mulled over her words. "And she doesn't like when people lie to her."

"And she'll flip if my father shows up at our house without warning and starts talking all about how I knew. He said he wanted to see how big she'd grown," Damon groaned. "I can't keep it up for much longer, the happy face. It feels like I've got a rock on my shoulder and I can't get it off."

"You're dealing with a lot," Kendra said. "Choose your battles, Damon, and then pick your warriors. I'm more than happy to give you a proper excuse to stay here for Christmas, and I'm more than happy to go and knee Matt right in the crotch."

"Hey," Damon said, smiling slightly, "the crotch is a low blow. I'd like Matt to be physically undamaged, thank you very much, and particularly his family jewels."

Kendra wrinkles her nose at the term. "You get my point. Hell, tell your mum you're coming with me to the Yule Ball for Christmas and that she should go somewhere nice, treat herself. Whatever it takes to keep all of you safe, I'll try to help you."

"You sure you're not Hufflepuff?" Damon asked, smiling for real now, his dimples only adding to the cheeky grin he wore. Kendra scowled.

"People can have traits from another house. We don't all fit into little boxes, you know," Kendra huffed, though she knew he was teasing. He chuckled at her, shaking his head. Kendra paused, waiting for the opportune moment. "By the way, what's Matt's full name?"

"Matthew Hammerond. Why?" Damon replied immediately, only questioning her when she had the information she wanted. She smiled at him innocently.

"I'd like to know what to to call him when I give him a proper telling off," she said, frowning suddenly. "I do hope he knows I'm far too stupid and much too terrified of the consequences to help anyone cheat."

"I'm not sure he does," Damon admitted. "He kind of... well, he sort of idolizes you, I suppose. I dunno, it's weird."

"Men," Kendra replied, wrinkling her nose at him. "I'll have a chat with him before you see me again, promise you that. Just, say something to Mabel, will you? I don't like it when the two of you fight."

"Yeah, I will," Damon said. "And don't be too mean to Matt, okay?"

"He hurt my precious, wonderful, amazing friend. What do you think I'm gonna do, tickle him with a feather?" Kendra snorted, standing with some mild difficulty. She had fallen down the stairs and dislocated her knee (which Madam Pomfrey had fixed in a second). Even though it was healed, the area was quite sensitive.

"Kendra," Damon asked suddenly. "Who are you going to Yule Ball with, really?"

A sour look passed over Kendra's face before she sighed. "I don't know if you're aware, but I may or may not have become friends with Viktor Krum."