Title : Good Bye

Genre : Slice of Life, Romance

Characters : James Potter/Hugo Weasley

Summary : In the end, James was glad he had said good bye to many things. It made him be a better person. And a happy person too, with Hugo beside him. Part of A Drabble A Day Keeps The Doctor Away Challenge.

Disclaimer : Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. I am making no profit.

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James used to be afraid of growing older because it meant he should change in many ways. He should stop doing pranks to his siblings, cousins, friends and enemies as well. He should be more mature, that's for sure. He believed growing up meant he had to say good bye to many things.

Just thinking about it made his chest constricted. Honestly he was scared. It must be very painful not to tease Albus until the boy got angry, nervous and uneasy. Albus was very thoughtful, that's way it's easy for James to rile him up by saying mean stuff. It must be miserable when he should stop telling Lily about scary trolls, wicked witches, and stories he made up himself. James was born to made people' lives more lively and alive! There's no wrong in sprinkling spices to others' lives!

Giving up many things for the sake of growing up sounded horrible. It petrified him in some ways. Reluctantly he handed down his toys to the younger students in his school since Teddy wouldn't accept any of them. Most of them were from his uncle's joke shop. That's way he didn't give them to Freddie. The boy could get them for free! Well, James got his toys without paying a single Knut too because Uncle George wouldn't let him pay for anything. He said that the joke shop existed because of Harry's kindness.

James started to think about the obligations he would have when he reached 17. Graduation was still months away but he already thought hard about what he would do once he's out of Hogwarts. James forced himself to change.

James had many fears but he had to be brave: to face the world, to say good bye to his old habits and to welcome the changes itself.

But he didn't regret of the goodbyes he let go.

Because it meant he really embraced his inner Gryffindor and let go of his fears and shyness to confess to the only person he liked very much.

After debating here and there, asking Rose and his mother's opinions, finally James told Hugo that he liked him. More than liked him actually. That's why it was harder on their part because Hugo was his cousin. They grew up together and…and they're cousins! James had harbored special feelings for the boy who was three years younger than him for a very long time. James thought it was maybe just a phase, but the feelings grew stronger until he thought he would go insane if he didn't tell the red haired boy. Sometimes he caught Hugo looking at him when he thought James wasn't looking. The shy glances between them convinced James that he wasn't the only one with the sweet feelings.

So when James was 19, he deviously led Hugo to Aunt Hermione's garden. In the gazebo in the middle of the rose bushes, James told Hugo everything. The hesitation was gone when Hugo looked at him with hope in his beautiful eyes.

In the end, James was glad he had said good bye to many things. It made him be a better person. And a happy person too, with Hugo beside him.

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The End