Sorry guys, I know it's been awhile.

James and Rose were on their way back to the Gryffindor common room from a seemingly endless Quidditch practice. Their hair was wet, not only from the shower but also because it was torrentially pouring outside. James felt like his arms were going to fall off and he'd pulled something in his neck. They'd stayed late practicing and his empty stomach was grumbling, but he kept reminding himself that all the sore muscles and dinners skipped would all be worth it this weekend when they beat Slytherin.

"James you are a slave driver." Rose groaned beside him, rubbing a knot out of her shoulder.

"That's what the Captain's for, Rosie. And the Slytherin match is this weekend and-"'

"We have to cream them. I know." Rose smiled softly. Her cousin took Quidditch very seriously.

"Especially Scorpius and Al." He grinned devilishly.

"Speaking of which, I have to run to the library to meet Scorp."

James gave her a look. "Please behave yourselves." James did not like the idea of Rose having a boyfriend, not one bit.

"You behave yourself. Mr. Headboy caught in a compromising position in the supply closet! I wouldn't be talking, Jamesie." She took off running towards the library, her orange curls flying behind her.

James trucked up the moving staircase. He still had a Potions essay to write and he needed to review the witch trials for History of Magic. He should probably write his mum about the peanut butter incident with Filch before Albus told her. If he didn't get to her first, he'd surely get a howler. It was going to be a long night. He was busy ticking off on his fingers all the homework he hadn't started and the things he had to do when someone ran right into him, nearly sending both of them tumbling over the side of the banister.

"Watch where you're going, McAllister." James teased, pulling her up and keeping his hold on her forearms.

A rosy blush crept up her cheeks. She fiddled with the hem of her light green sweater. She looked pretty, James thought, prettier than usual at least. Her long auburn hair was in a messy braid, snaking around her shoulder, a few auburn curls falling into her face. Her jeans were tighter than normal and her sweater was a little more low cut than he approved of. And she was wearing makeup. This could only mean one thing. Boys.

"Hey, Potter. Sorry, didn't mean to bump into you. I have places to be. Best be running. Gotta go. Seeyalater. Bye." She went to push past him but he caught her wrist.

"And where are you going?" He cocked an eyebrow at her.

"That would be none of your business, Jamesie." She struggled to free her arm.

"Oh I do think it would. Because judging by your tone of voice and outfit you are going to go meet a boy, a boy I am unsure if I will approve of."

"James. I already have an older brother." She protested, prying his fingers from around her wrist.

"Is Malcolm here? No. I do not believe he is." James grinned devilishly. Anna pouted and stomped her foot.

"JAMES! I forbid you! I forbid you from talking to him. You are most definitely not allowed to. You ruined my last two relationships. You may not beat him up. You may not speak to him-" James opened his mouth to say something. "You may not write him or owl him." James closed his mouth. " You may not make eye contact with him, you may not breathe on him. Now go. Go back to the common room and finish your essay. And leave me alone!" Anna pouted.

"Fine, fine. Behave yourself, Annie." James threw his hands up in defeat and began walking backwards toward the common room. Anna stuck her tongue out and skipped the last two stairs, hurrying down the corridor.

Just as Anna rounded the corner James realized he had been tricked. She had somehow managed to get away without telling him exactly who this boy was. He groaned. He really ought to go do his homework, but...James did what he always did when faced with a decision; he asked himself "What would good ole Sirius and Grandpa Prongs have done?" This was why James got himself into so much trouble.

Young Mr. Potter turned and hurried down the stairs, the muscles in his thighs aching. Homework would have to wait.

He padded softly down the deserted corridor. No sign of that auburn braid, which meant she had already snuck off into a classroom. This made things a lot more difficult. He pressed his ear to each door he passed, listening intently for any sign of snogging. He'd been down the entire corridor with no luck when he came to the painting of the fruit bowl. His stomach growled.

This search would be unfruitful unless he had his full attention on Annie and her lovers wherabouts. He needed a full stomach. James reached out and tickled the pear. The portrait swung open and James slid into the Hogwarts kitchens. The house elves immediately swarmed around him offering tea and croissants and sandwiches.

"Thank you. Thank you. Thanks! This looks divine. You're angels. Thank you." James filled his pockets and when his pockets were full, he began to shove a sandwich down his throat. He waved goodbye to the house elves as he exited the kitchens. James had a bottomless pit of a stomach and as a result was very fond of the house elves and their cooking.

He chewed thoughtfully on a roll and turned to try the next floor down when he spotted a girl in a light green sweater and a tall, black boy heading down up staircase. James took off at a run, shoving the roll into his mouth and swallowing it whole. He slowed down to a stroll as he approached the pair, trying to be stealthy. He failed.

"James?" Anna hissed, whipping around so quickly that her braid whacked the boy's arm, leaving a welt.

"Ouch, Anna!"

James felt faint. He knew that voice. He knew that boy and he was about to throw up. Because Anna wasn't snogging some silly sixth year boy. No. She was snogging a tall, strong, seventh year Gryffindor. She was snogging his cousin. His best mate, his partner in crime. She was snogging Fred. And you couldn't punch your best mate. You couldn't tell your cousin that he wasn't allowed to even think about touching Anna.

He took in Anna's mussed up hair, her swollen lips, her inside out sweater. His brain stopped processing. Anna was snogging Fred. His Anna.

"Bloody hell." James muttered.

"Er-hey, James." Fred gave an easy grin.

James felt like he was going to lose his dinner.

Because it was at the moment that he realized, for the first time, that that annoying, stubborn, auburn haired girl he'd spent his entire life tormenting...that he liked her. It wasn't him being protective, like a brother, when he broke Joey Hickle's jaw for saying her "arse had looked mighty fine." That gut wrenching feeling he got in his stomach when he saw her kissing someone; it was him wanting her. He fancied her. And when she cried, how his heart would just shatter into a million little pieces...that wasn't him just being a good friend. That was him-Oh Merlin-loving her.

James didn't like girls. He didn't love them.

Girls were fun toys to play with. They were interchangeable. So, you can imagine his surprise when a vision suddenly popped into his head of he and Anna standing at an alter. This feeling was entirely foreign and new to him. He had never felt this. His legs felt like jell-o and his heart pounded loudly in his chest. Butterflies erupted in his stomach.

James threw up all over the stairs. Then he wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "I'm going to go do my homework."

And he pushed passed them, running towards his dormitory.

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