An hour or so later Fredrick finds him there.

He's had several more drinks; he's not quite walking in a straight line. "Got her home safe -"

"Yeah."

"Didn' tell anyone."

"I didn't think you would."

"'s that why I remember -"

Headshake. "Wouldn't - not over that -"

"Does half the school know, then, or are you usually more careful -"

"Know what? That I dragged my date off and Stunned her, I've never done that before -"

"You don't like girls."

"I like her fine."

"Can I kiss you -"

" - no. No."

Nod.

"You're underage and you're drunk -" he trails off because Fredrick is beaming at him.

"Both those things will change," he says, and leans against the wall next to him.

"I have plans for my life I can't mess this up it's too important -"

"Am I making you worse at them?"

" - people'd have a way to blackmail me -"

"You poor fucking idiot," he says, and hugs him. "You silly - ridiculous - your father's common sense -"

"Don't bring my father into this."

Fredrick snorts. 

"I love you, you know."

 - and now he knows what Jocosa felt, earlier, what she'd wanted from him, what she'd thought he might be feeling - 

(You shouldn't repress it, a voice says gently, and the voice wants Timothy to nod so Timothy nods, you'll twist yourself all up in knots. Find pretty Muggles, make them forget it - and he wants Timothy to nod again but Timothy's head is suddenly not a peaceful happy place at all - 

- do you do that? he'd said once he could speak again -

- hmmm? No, I do this - why -)

"Drunk," he says, "and underage -"

"I think I am clearly the clearer-thinking party present."

"And what do you want -"

"To make sure you're okay. And your date. And to make sure you knew, you know, that you can have me in the meantime -"