"Dawn, darlin'! Haven't seen you in quite some time!" The waitress tutted at me, glancing over my body. I grinned as I sat down at a table in the Three Broomsticks. "Usual then, sweetheart?" "Just a butter beer, please," I replied with a polite smile.  "Make that two butter beers then," came a voice. I froze. It was the same voice from the train.

He looked exactly the same now as he did on the train. Ruffled, blonde hair with hazel eyes. The captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, according to Aliena. The lady nodded, bustling off. 

Silence.

"I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to introduce myself on the train. I'm Cuthbert. Cuthbert Hernandez," the boy said. "Dawn. Dawn Scamander." I didn't look at him as I spoke. I knew what was coming. "Scamander? As in, like, Theseus and Alice Scamander?" Cuthbert asked. "Newt and Porpentina Scamander," I replied dully. 

"Oh."

He fidgeted with his fingers, but I only risked a quick glance. I didn't want to get dizzy again like I had the last time I saw him.

"Fifth year too?" he asked. "Yes... um... yeah." I struggled to find words. 

"Worried about O.W.L.s?"

"Well... yeah I guess... but... my, um, dad, always said 'Worrying means you suffer twice', so.."

"'Worrying means you suffer twice...' Huh."

"Yeah, pretty much."

This is going horribly, I thought miserably. So many awkward pauses and-

"So," he gestured to my red sweater. "Red, huh?" "Yeah. It's my favorite... color."

"Cool."

"I guess."

Another awkward pause. Cuthbert looked at me, at loss for words. Thankfully, the waitress arrived with our butter beers. I dug into my purse to pay, but Cuthbert had already handed her six Sickles, so I snapped it shut again. "You just paid for both of our drinks," I said stupidly. He cocked his head to the side. "Yeah, I guess I did," he finally said. 

Guess what? There was ANOTHER awkward pause!

I took a sip of butter beer, allowing the amazing taste of butterscotch to wash over me. "You like butter beer?" he asked. "Sort of. I like butter beer, but unless it's my family's secret recipe, it doesn't taste right to me," I replied with a small smile. "Secret recipe?" "Yeah. It was handed down through my dad's family. I've been drinking it ever since I was a kid," I explained. "Cool." Cuthbert didn't touch his butter beer. He mostly watched me drink mine. "Are you going to drink that?" I asked. "Oh! Um, yeah." He took a big swig, but choked. He began coughing loudly, so I whacked his back hard, trying to be helpful. "Well, don't die!" I said hotly. He blushed, looking up at me again.

"I've got to go," I said quickly, getting up as fast as I could. "Wait!" he grabbed my arm. "When can we meet again?" I tried to pull away, but his grip was strong. "Um, I'm available next Thursday at six. Where do you want to meet?" 

"Back here. Six sharp."

"Got it." I shook his hand. "It was nice meeting you... Cuthbert." I ran out of there as fast as I could, trying not to throw up from the dizziness.