A/N - this is my first ever story ;)

Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.

"Anyway, my sister is having a party in the Christmas holidays. Do you want to go?" I try my best to break the awkward silence, but it's not easy when James is studying his shoes.

Lottie tosses her hair over her shoulders and moves in between James and I.

"Yeah, that would be great," she looks pointedly at James.

"Sure, I'll be there." They exchange shy smiles.

We have reached the Great Hall by this time. James holds the door open for Lottie, and she swishes through, while he visibly gawps. I raise my eyebrows at him again - if Lottie saw him doing that, then the cat would be out of the bag before he could tell her himself.

"I'm going to say hi to Emily." Lottie says before she heads over to the Ravenclaw table.

James suddenly comes out with a question "So how exactly should I ask her out? Like, do I kiss her?"

What was I, a bloody love consultant? Still, he needed serious help

"Don't say, will you go out with me, it sounds too cliched Say, do you want to go to Hogsmeade this weekend? That's making it clear you want to date her, and if it goes well, then you ask her to be your girlfriend."

" What if she only likes me as a friend? Then it will be awkward if she knows I'll want more than friendship."

"James, just ask her out. She might feel the same. But you can't just keep pretending you only want to stay friends. Make a move before some other guy does."

It wasn't unreasonable to assume that Lottie returned his crush - he is cute and can make her laugh.

James pauses, and then says. "Should I ask her to her face? I don't want to put her on the spot."

"Lottie can only say yes or no, and even if she does say no, we'll deal with it. You will always have me. We like it face to face. It shows more guts."

"Since when did you become such an expert at it, anyway?" James turns to me. "The last boyfriend you had was Liam Sullivan in fourth year."

Liam Sullivan. That takes me back. I used to draw hearts on my hand in Transfiguration, with the words 'Kate for Liam' inside. I'm surprised I never got ink poisoning. It was a short lived romance, fizzling out after he told me, point blank, that he didn't really think it was working.

"James, I'm a girl and I used to read all these romance books."

A cheeky grin crosses his handsome face and he's about to reply, when Lottie slides daintly next to me.

James flips his hair to disguise his cheeks, which are so red you could probably have fried eggs on them.

Just the sight of her makes him tongue tied and shy. I'm not used to seeing James so quiet around a girl. Normally when he likes a girl he'll show off and flirt like crazy.

It's different this time.

Lottie likes him to. She always blushes rose pink whenever he is around and goes on how hot he is.

They're bound to get together soon and we're does that leave me...