"That might do it but if it doesn't then you've killed me, which would be terrible."

"How'd you pick it up I can just do that -"

"No."

"Suit yourself."

"Imperio -"

Michael sticks out his tongue at him.

Timothy invites Jocosa Smith to the winter ball. She's a perfectly capable witch with a grandmother on the Wizengamot and he doesn't especially see himself marrying her but he thinks he might just have a hard time seeing himself married for some reason. He'd really sooner they not break up until after he's graduated, anyway, lest people notice he's inept at this thing; it'll be less noticeable after Hogwarts. So he watches Michael and in addition to being exceptionally charming tries for some actual warmth.

Jocosa is so charmed and very animatedly delighted about the whole thing. She likes flowers and she likes going for walks in the woods (not the Forbidden Forest; there's some less forbidden trees on the grounds) and she likes Timothy. She really really likes Timothy, she hadn't thought he'd noticed and wasn't sure how to let on and never did figure out what was going on with Crouch but she's so pleased he asked her.

He can do flowers and walks in the woods and if he gets credit for mysteriously knowing that she liked him well that's just a bonus. 

(This isn't manipulative. This isn't unfair. If he marries her he'll love her by then. Correcting disabilities with potions is no one's concern but his.)

They go for walks and he gives her flowers and he kisses her.

She is possibly slightly more delighted about being kissed than respectable witches are supposed to be. Okay a lot more.

...maybe she's taking potions too. For the same reason, even. 

The evening of the ball he debates taking one. He decides against, the risks while he's still at school are too high. He's gotten better at kissing, he'll be fine without it. 

He does do a couple of Cheering Charms. Michael doesn't seem to find dating this upsetting.

Michael is taking two girls to the ball; it took some doing. He talked them into kissing each other and it was really hot and the plan is to trade off dances until the three of them want to duck out of the public eye anyway. 

Jocosa likes dancing! And Timothy!

And butterbeer!

She is four foot ten and wand-slender, and even then should be able to handle three butterbeers over a four hour ball. The extent to which she cannot is not immediately obvious - she doesn't miss steps, she can still beam at Timothy and giggle when he says things, and while people are looking she manages not to do anything too embarrassing. The minute nobody is looking she puts her arms around his neck and pulls herself up enough to kiss him and clamp her knees around his waist.

TImothy is extremely flustered! He endeavors to carry her back into a public area as quickly as possible aaaah oh god why is she doing that!

She likes being carried! It means she does not have to reserve her hands for keeping within kissing distance!

Okay now they can hardly go back in a public area - 

- he would like Feverfew to come and bite her, please -

(Feverfew is very far away). 

He set her down and moves her hands. Firmly. He's much much taller. "You're drunk -"

"I liiiiike you," she says, and she leans on him since her hands are pinned.

"Yeah, okay, I like you too, what are you doing -"

"I was kissing you I wanna kiss you -" She squirms. "Or you could hold me down that's okay too there's probably stuff we shouldn't do but if we did anyway you'd marry me right - I really really like you, kiss me -"

He stuns her.

He stuns her and then no one is touching him which is a serious improvement -

- aaaaaaaahhh -

He curls up in a ball on the ground and buries his head in his robes and takes deep calming breaths -

" - Timothy?"

Jump - "oh, Fredrick, hi. I think Jocosa had too much to drink, I was going to - take her back to her room -"

"...not a good idea she'll wonder what you did -"

" - yes but if I get a friend then she's embarrassed in front of other people and she likes me she doesn't think I'm a monster -"

"Budding Dark wizard, though, everyone thinks you're a budding dark wizard -"