I don't own Harry Potter.
Fourth year began rather uninterestingly for both James and Moira. Things had begun to change and neither had talked for months, despite the fact that they had been best friends only months before. For the first time, James had begun to like being popular and Moira, well. She was as mysterious and different as ever. And people didn't like that.
"Ugh, that girl, whatshername, Moira, is like, so annoying," the popular girls all gossiped and the boys all agreed dutifully, earning a kiss or a hug for their loyalty. "She's just like such a know it all, you know?" The boys told them they knew. And eventually, James had found him nodding alongside the others, forgetting that they were ever best friends.
They were just too different, he'd convinced himself.
"Where's Moira?" Lily had even asked once, at the Burrow, frowning, her expression only lightening as she quietly cooing over Teddy and Victoire. They had recently gotten engaged and had been sickeningly adorable since, Teddy often kissing Victoire's cheek, Victoire fussing over Teddy's tie, both of them staring at each other mushily for almost every second of everyday.
"They'll grow out of that phase very quickly, just you wait," Hermione had mused wryly to Ginny, who smirked at the unknowing couple. Oh, they were so in for it.
"You know, I don't think you were ever in that phase," Ginny stated to Hermione who glared at her, though she was arguing with Ron over the cutlery for lunch.
"Goodness Ron, isn't it obvious? You use the silver!" She yelled, Ron glaring at her, gripping the cutlery in question tightly.
"I KNOW, I was just asking!"
"Oh, of course," Hermione said sarcastically, her nose turning upwards in disgust as she glared at her husband, her cheeks flushed angrily. Ginny sighed, shaking her head in both amusement and exasperation.
"I rest my case," she said as Ron and Hermione sent her identical glares.
Distracted by the drama, Lily had turned away and for a second and James thought he wouldn't have to answer the question.
"So, where is she?" She said eventually and he sighed. He had thought too soon.
"We're not really friends anymore, Lil," James explained, ruffling her hair as she stared at him in shock.
"What?!"
"Oh, look, there's treacle tart today!" James shouted desperately, running away as fast as he could. Lily watched in disapproval as he grabbed a tart and began flirting with one of Victoire's distantly related Veela friends, who technically didn't count as family.
"Oh, he's so in for it," Lily glared, preparing to grill her brother about it later.
As school began at Hogwarts, James and Fred sat in the Gryffindor Common Room, staring sullenly at the fire. Because of a rather disruptive prank they had played during the first week of school (James and Fred weren't allowed to talk about it, but it involved neon confetti, rabbits and chickens, toilet seats and a defaced portrait of the Slytherin Quidditch team), they were banned from Hogwarts for a whole two months.
"And if you sneak out, another two months," Professor McGonagall reminded them knowingly, seeing the cogs in their minds turn to plan a great escape. She had seen it all before, she reminded them firmly.
"Really, that woman is cruel," Fred had sighed sadly, watching the crowd of people walking away for the first visit to Hogsmeade for the year. "Wanna sneak out still?" Fred added, grinning as James nodded.
"You bet."
Using the hidden passage way James's uncle and Fred's father had told them of, they snuck through, only pausing as they reached the end of the tunnel, which would land them in Honeydukes.
"Going somewhere?" A voice came from through the tunnel and James froze, Fred bolting away like James should have. James cursed, knowing Fred was in clear and he, well, wasn't.
"No?" James guessed innocently and the person laughed. They moved closer and James finally realised who it was.
"Moira," he said in surprise.
"You've got me," she shrugged, waiting for the woman at the counter to go, before whispering 'go'.
"You look different," he said, staring at her as she grabbed his hand and ran out of the store, not bothering to reply. Once they were in the clear, she rolled her eyes at him, but James was sure it was true.
Gone was her frizzy hair, her dorky glasses and the book tucked under her arm. Instead, what replaced it was straight hair tucked in a bun and makeup (though James couldn't be sure about that; he only knew whatever Lily spouted when she had forced Albus into playing 'makeovers'). Instead of the crisply worn school uniform he remembered her wearing almost all of the time, she wore black, knee high heeled boots, black shorts and a loose, breezy white blouse.
"Please don't give me the 'wow you finally look pretty' talk," Moira scowled, noticing the look on his face. "Because I will have you know that I have a wand in my bag to attack you with."
James laughed. "Okay, fine," he said, raising his hands in the air. "You're not that different."
"Thank you," Moira said briskly and James could tell her guard was up. "Because I really haven't changed," she added after a moment, a wary look in her eyes as she looked at James. There was a pause of awkward silence, before she spoke again.
"You never called," Moira blurted out, her eyes trained to the ground. "Not once, in the whole of the holidays."
James ruffled his hair, thinking of what to say. When nothing came out, he just shrugged.
"We're too different, I guess," he said and she shook her head.
"That is a pathetic excuse, you wanker," Moira said furiously, her shoulders tensed up before they stooped, the blinding hot anger leaving her until she was just sad.
"Shit." Thankfully (or not), James didn't have to respond as he saw Professor Longbottom, or Neville as James knew him as, walk past. He knew that he would get in trouble if Neville saw him, regardless of the fact they were family friends. And then McGonagall would probably extend his punishment, if not Fred's as well on the assumption he left the castle too.
"What?" Moira said, on guard immediately.
"Tell you what, Thomas," James said hurriedly. "One last game, for old time's sake."
"What, you can't be friends with a girl anymore, just so you can be all macho and get all the girls and-" James covered her mouth and she struggled against him, stomping on his foot.
"Okay, hide and seek it is," James hissed and she just smirked at him.
"Really?" Moira said. "That's what we're going with?"
"I rule at hide and seek," James said confidently, though hiding the real reason for the game.
"Really?" She said, crossing her arms over her chest and James couldn't help but be drawn to… to her eyes of course, which were as determined as usual, though a little confused. "Because I'll bet that I'm better."
"Really?" James said, distracted by Neville, who finally moved away. "Then you won't mind if I hide then."
Moira raised an eyebrow. "Professor Longbottom went left, if that's who you're really hiding from." James looked at her sheepishly and she smiled, her lips parting to reveal a dazzlingly white smile.
"How'd you know?" James asked and she laughed, though a little on edge still.
"How wouldn't I know?" She said, dragging James across to the other side of the path, ducking behind a row of bushes.
"What's that supposed to mean?" James whispered and she raised her eyebrow again.
"You have a certain penchant for trouble, Potter," Moira whispered into his ear and James shivered, convinced it was just the rush of wind.
"Ah, I can't help that the ladies love it so much," he grinned sleazily and she rolled her eyes. "Now count." Smirking, Moira began to count out loud and James ran. This was good, he thought with surprise as he ran through corridors and around corners to find a good hiding spot. Being around Moira was good.
"Found you." It took her an approximate of two minutes to find him and James prided himself of being a rather good hider. Which meant she was good at yet another game.
"You're kidding," he groaned and she laughed.
"Nope," she declared. "I bet you ten galleons you won't be able to find me in ten minutes."
Against his better judgement, James shook on it. "You're on, Thomas," he grinned, turning his back to count as she ran, her heels clacking against the pavement. Moira in heels, he mused. That was new.
Twenty minutes later and the end of the Hogsmeade visit, James had yet to find her.
"Where the hell are you," he wondered aloud, not noticing Moira standing against the wall behind him, her body backed up against it comfortably as she waited.
"You do realise that I'm right behind you," she teased as James turned around, groaning again.
"You're kidding," he said and she smirked.
"You can pay me when we get back."
"How are you so good?"
"Some people are just good at hiding even when they don't want to. You're not one of them," Moira said vaguely, her eyes distant as James tugged her arm, missing the hint.
"We've got to go," he said hurriedly, only pausing to smile at a girl who saw him, her mouth open.
"You're not suppos-"
"Please don't say anything," he asked her, winking and she swooned.
"Of course not, James," she promised him breathing heavily, to the relief of James and the exasperation of Moira.
"God, you're bad," she said disapprovingly as they slipped back through the tunnel.
"Hey, I got us out of there," James replied defensively and Moira said nothing, silent until they reached the castle again.
"Uh, M," James said awkwardly as she began to walk away, her hips swaying mesmerizingly as her heels clicked and for a second, James wasn't sure he would be able to say what he wanted to say.
"Yeah?" She said, turning back around and James felt bad instantly.
"You, ah, know this doesn't change anything, right?" Moira stiffened, her eyes growing cold.
"I know, Potter," she assured, tilting her head to aside. "And I couldn't care less."
"Ah, good," James said awkwardly, Fred and his other friends appearing around the corner.
"James!" Fred said and James knew it was his cue to leave.
"Uh, I've got to go," he said uncertainly, but Moira had already walked away from him, a single tear falling down her cheek (though James would never know).
"Mate, Moira Thomas got hot over the holidays," one of the guys hollered to him and James grimaced. "I'd totally bang her," the guy added and James frowned.
"She hasn't changed like that," he said defensively, before realising it wasn't his job anymore. Whatever he did for her, Moira wouldn't appreciate it. "But yeah, whatever."
And so James let himself be guided away from his mob of so called friends, but his mind still lingered on Moira and her soft lips whispering into his ear, playing the moment on repeat until a prettier girl could distract him her.
Thanks for reading! Please review if you're able. Sorry that this wasn't my best chapter :(
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