A/N: Now, I know I don't normally put my messages up here, but this is going to become a possible threeshot or multichap … I hope you like it! I used the song lyrics from 'Candles' by Hey Monday.
This was for:
The Harry Potter Fanfiction Writing World Cup 2013 Round 1 by On A Rocketship to Pigfarts – I used the character James Sirius Potter, Dominique Weasley and Molly Weasley II as my main ones, and I used the prompt 'Candles' by Hey Monday and 'Blood'
The Cousincest Competition Easy Level by two sides one coin – James/Dominique, the prompt 'suitcase' (used loosely by using 'bag').
The Minor Character Boot Camp Challenge by Hedwig Black – Character: Dominique Weasley, Prompt #34: Almost
The Pairing Diversity Boot Camp by Ralinde – Pairing: James/Dominique, Prompt #27: Never
Your Favourite House Boot Camp Challenge, and I won't tell you the prompt because it'll give away what happens.
Song Fic Boot Camp Challenge by UnicornsAndRainbows20089 – Song: Candles by Hey Monday, Prompt #29: Stand
Family Boot Camp Challenge by Fire The Canon – Weasley: Dominique, Prompt #17: Apology
And thank you very much to the wonderful Kelly (HedwigBlack) for beta-ing this for me!
Enjoy :o)
I
Mistakes
Lost sight, couldn't see when it was you and me.
-:-
"Dom – what's the name of that constellation just there?" Molly pointed at a box-like constellation in the top left corner of her star chart.
You peered over her shoulder. "I think that's Pegasus," you said tentatively. Your friend nodded and scratched the name onto her piece of parchment. You sighed. If it wasn't for your help, Molly probably would've failed Astronomy for the past four years straight. Now that it was OWL year, Molly was holding out for the hope that she might scrape past with an Acceptable.
The library was quiet, and the only noise that could be heard was the turning of pages and the scratching of quills on parchment. Gigantic bookcases stretched high into the ceiling of the dusty room – only the weak sunlight that filtered through the small, curtained windows stopped the room from being dark.
Suddenly the silence was broken as the door swung open and a few third year boys fell through into the library. You and Molly looked up from your work. Molly raised her eyebrows.
"Ah, I see. James, Fred and your brother. Why would they be in here? Have they even been in here ever before?"
You shrugged. You had no idea why they would be here either. You agreed with Molly – you suspected that they hadn't actually visited the library since first year. Molly continued.
"They're rather noisy, aren't they? Oh, and they're coming our way …"
You motioned for them to quiet down as they walked towards you and by some unlikely miracle, they did. You hid your surprise, and watched, bemused, to find that Molly was right – Louis plopped himself down next to you, and James sat opposite, next to Molly. Fred perched on the end of the table.
"Why are you here?" Molly repeated the question to the three boys, the one she had asked you only moments ago.
"Homework help," Louis said simply.
"Wait … you're actually doing your homework?" Molly asked sceptically.
"Yeah!" Louis huffed. "We always do our homework!"
You doubted that.
"Anyway … what do you need help with?" you asked, trying to ignore the fact that there was no reason whatsoever that your brother would ask you for homework help.
"It's for Arithmancy. Apparently, I took the subject because someone told me 'it was really easy'." He gave his sister an evil look. "Well, they can stick their 'really easy' Arithmancy where–"
"That's enough!" You hit his arm. "Anyway, get to the point. What are you struggling with?"
"It's this bit. I've gone over and over it with the professor, but I just don't get it. And apparently it's really key."
"Okay. Well …"
-:-
You and Molly left the library half an hour later. You were quite satisfied with yourself – it seemed that Louis had managed to finally understand what was bothering him. Molly also seemed strangely content.
"Is it wrong to fancy your cousin?" she asked casually as they walked down the quiet corridors.
Your heart skipped a beat. "Uh … before I answer that question, may I just clarify that you, uh … you don't fancy my …brother, do you?"
"Oh no, not at all, Dom, don't worry! No offence, but Ireallydon't fancy your brother," Molly laughed.
"No, no offence taken! None!" You sighed with relief. Now that was out the way, you didn't have to worry as much. "So, who's the unlucky man?"
Molly feigned annoyance and slapped your arm lightly. "Oi! Don't say that. In my opinion, the guy who I fancy is very lucky. And he goes by the name of–" she lowered her voice, "James Sirius Potter."
Ah.
"Well, I wasn't expecting that!" you said.
"But you can see why, can't you? He's so handsome, and popular–" she began.
"Yes, yes, he's very 'fanciable'," you interrupted.
Molly looked slightly surprised at your snappy reply. "Okay, okay," she said. "What's wrong? Do you fancy him or something?"
You shrugged.
"Phew! Because even though he is my cousin, and even though he is younger than me, I really want to snog him, go out on a date with him …"
Still, you said nothing. She continued.
"And it's not some fabricated fantasy of mine, because I'm sure the feeling's mutual. Did you notice how, just now, in the library, he kept looking at me? And as him and Fred and Louis left, he asked if I was going to Hogsmeade next weekend. Everybody says that all the drama happens at Hogsmeade. I can't wait."
You just nodded and kept your mouth shut. You didn't point out how he'd actually asked both of you if you were going to Hogsmeade. You didn't mention how when he wasn't looking at Molly, he was studying you with those amazing brown eyes of his. You didn't say that as he left, your hand brushed his and the electricity that ran through your fingertips was like nothing you'd ever felt before.
You didn't admit that you fancied him too.
-:-
Soon, it was Hogsmeade weekend and it seemed that most of the school was going.
You'd only seen James at meal times since that day in the library, but Molly was right; if anything interesting was going to happen, it would be that weekend.
The sun beat down on your faces as the two of you walked to the village. It really was a beautiful day; there was hardly a cloud in the sky.
"So you're sure that it's not, I don't know, illegal or something to fancy your cousin?" Molly asked for what was probably the sixth time that day. You shook your head in reply.
"Okay … but then, what if he does make a move? I mean for a start, he's younger than me. And he's my cousin –"
"You've already said that," you noted.
"Oh yeah. So I have. But anyway, if I just get back to my point …" You hid your annoyance at the way she ignored you, "Well, I'm pretty sure most of the female population, and probably some of the male population, in third year and below fancy him."
"And some in the years above," you added.
Molly blushed. "And some in the years above," she admitted. "Now, whilst we're here I need to get Lucy a birthday present. I think I'll go to Honeydukes. Are you coming?"
"Umm … I need to … go to the Shrieking Shack, to look at the signs left by werewolves, for my Defence Against the Dark Arts project." It had been a moment of inspiration at the beginning of the year, basing your project on werewolves – you knew loads about them, and you could ask your dad if you needed any extra help. But you were regretting it already; what with Teddy's dad and everything, it was more sad than anything else. You felt sort of stupid for thinking it was remotely 'interesting'.
"Well, suit yourself. I'll meet you at the Shack, then. Tell me if you see James!" she said cheerfully, and walked off.
"Yeah, okay," you said half-heartedly, turning your back on her and walking in the opposite direction. What your friend had just said was a perfect example of why you wanted to get away from her; all Molly had talked about for the past week was James. It seemed sort of sudden – she'd only claimed to fancying him recently. This irritated you greatly.
You made your way up the rocky path that lead to the shack. It was very different from when your parents had been at Hogwarts: everyone knew now that the shack had never been haunted – it was open to the public now. Not many people visited though, because without the rumours it was only a shack.
You opened the door and walked inside – it was a little cooler in here. You looked around. It always looked the same; greyish wooden walls, two dirty windows, and a ladder in the corner leading upstairs. If it wasn't for the magic that surrounded it, you were sure the shed-like building would've fallen down years ago.
The floor creaked as you walked over to inspect some scratch marks on the wall. You lightly touched them, but then flinched and drew away again. They felt alien to you, not right. It didn't help that there were a few bloodstains as well.
Instead, you got a piece of parchment the size of a postage stamp, a quill that looked like a blunt feathery needle, and an ink bottle that you could balance on the tip of your finger out of your pocket. You also took your wand out of your coat and pointed it at the tiny items.
"Engorgio," you whispered as they all grew to their proper size, and you smiled to yourself. You'd always loved that little trick. It was a lot better than having to carry round a bag or something.
You settled yourself down on the hard wooden floor and began inking the marks that you could see in front of you onto the parchment, whilst adding little annotations that explained how you could tell that these scratches were made by a werewolf.
You'd just pointed out that these marks ran too deep to be made by an average wolf when you heard the door open behind you. You turned around, expecting it to be Molly, a bag from Honeydukes in her hand, but it wasn't. It was James.
Your heart skipped a beat, but you ignored it. You could hear that he wasn't alone; sniggers were drifting towards you from behind the door. You ignored that too.
"Why are you here, then?" you asked shortly.
"Ah, Weasley," he said, eyebrows raised. "Just the person I wanted to see."
"You do realise that the use of my surname as a nickname doesn't really work, due to the fact that I share this surname with at least twenty other people."
"Fine then," he shrugged. "I'll call you Dom."
You weren't sure if you preferred this or not.
"Anyway, in answer to your rather rude question, I am here due to the fact that there is something that I would like to tell you."
The sniggers from behind the door heightened. You looked disapprovingly to their source.
James noticed. "Fuck off, you two," he said casually, before turning back to you. The sniggers died down almost immediately and you could hear who you assumed was Fred and Louis making their way back down the slope.
"You think it's clever to swear?" you asked, unimpressed. James shrugged. You continued. "Anyway, what's this 'incredibly important thing that I must tell you'?" you said, allowing your voice to drip with sarcasm. You regretted it immediately.
There was still that cool, calm, collected and arrogant 'James Sirius Potter' persona on the outside, but if you looked carefully enough, you could just about see the hurt in those amazing brown eyes of his.
"I'll bet you'll hate me for doing this forever, but I'm going to do it anyway. Oh, and I apologise – I'm crap when it comes to kissing."
It took you a second or two to work out what he meant, so you didn't have time to point out that Molly was at the door before he leant in and kissed you.
-:-
Blow the candles out, looks like a solo tonight … I'm beginning to see the light.