"Good morning, love," James greeted Natalie as she sat down beside him for breakfast. She smiled at the nickname. "So I've been thinking," he whispered in her ear, causing her heart rate to increase, "that if this is going to be a convincing relationship, we're going to need to kiss." Natalie nearly choked on the piece of toast she was chewing.

"Right now?" Natalie asked, food still in her mouth. Attractive, Nat.

"Not right this second, I'll let you swallow your toast first," James laughed. "I just wanted your permission; I didn't want to catch you off guard."

"Permission granted," Natalie laughed. James grinned and suddenly leaned down to kiss her. Natalie's eyes widened in shock and then she kissed him back. It wasn't her first kiss, but it was her first good kiss. Her previous attempts had been awkward, one being essentially just his mouth pressed against hers, not really a kiss. The other had been a traumatic experience in which the boy used an unnecessary amount of tongue. This kiss, however, was very pleasant. Most likely due to the practice James had probably had. But there's something missing, Natalie thought. James pulled away and smiled at her, leaving Natalie slightly dazed. Perhaps it was just because it was a fake kiss.

"So, what was it like?" Lily asked Natalie in history of magic, a class she didn't share with James.

"You want to know how James Potter kisses?" Natalie questioned, her eyebrow raised and a smirk on her lips. Lily rolled her eyes.

"No, I want to know how your boyfriend kisses. It just so happens that they happen to be the same person," she answered.

"Well, he's certainly very talented," Natalie said, a dreaming expression taking over her features as she thought back to the kiss.

"Was it everything you always dreamed of?" Lily asked. Natalie thought for a moment. Was it?

"Yeah, of course," Natalie lied. The truth was that it didn't seem right. She'd read enough romance novels to know that you were supposed to feel something when kissing someone you like for the first time, but there was nothing with James. But James wasn't really kissing me, it was fake, she reasoned with herself. It will feel magical when I kiss him for real. If I ever do.

Over the next few weeks, as the news that James Potter and Natalie Carpenter were a couple spread, rumours started to be spread also. Because the entire school knew of James' infatuation with Lily, the thought of him legitimately dating anyone else was odd. The most popular rumour was that James was using Natalie in order to make Lily jealous, which was the closest to the truth. Others were that Natalie had used a love potion on James, or some variation of this. Unfortunately, the latter seemed to be popular with other girls, and so Natalie often found herself being ridiculed in the hallways.

"How pathetically low do you have to get to need to give someone a love potion," Natalie overheard the snickers as she walked to the common room. She has been trying to ignore it, but it's been starting to wear away at her. Am I really so horrible that James would only ever be interested in my under the influence of a love potion? Natalie thought. She felt the familiar sting of tears in her eyes and attempted to hold them in until she could get to her dorm. No need to give them more ammo. Entering the common room to find it empty, she let the tears fall from her eyes and a sob escaped her lips. Or at least she thought it was empty.

"Natalie? Are you okay?" Remus said, getting up from his place in the corner armchair where Natalie couldn't see him. She quickly wiped away her tears and gave him a small smile.

"I'm fine," she lied. Remus raised his eyebrow at her.

"Natalie, you're crying," he said. He sat down on the couch and patted the space beside him.

"It's just," Natalie began, sitting in the offered seat, "all these rumours are starting to get to me. Some people can be particularly cruel," she explained. Remus smiled sadly.

"I know what you mean," he said. Natalie gave him a questioning look. "I miss a lot of days due to illness. The Hogwarts rumour mill can be imaginative and mean," Remus chuckled darkly. "Which rumour is it in particular that's bothering you? I've heard a few that are pretty awful." Natalie groaned at the thought of more that she hasn't heard yet.

"Well then I'm sure you've heard what a desperate, pathetic slag I am for slipping a love potion into James' pumpkin juice," she said sarcastically. "Am I really so awful that only a love potion would get me a date?" She felt her eyes welling up again.

"Merlin, no!" Remus exclaimed. "I'm sure if James wasn't so stubborn about Lily he would want you as his real girlfriend. Anyone would," he said, squeezing her hand.

"Thanks Remus," Natalie smiled at him. James, Sirius and Peter then came in through the portrait hole and Natalie discreetly wiped away the rest of her tears before smiling at the boys.

"Oh good, you're here," James said excitedly sitting next to Natalie. "I was just talking to Lily." Natalie gave him a look to say continue. "That's it. I was talking to Lily! A real conversation! This fake relationship seems to be working."

"That's great, James," Natalie said smiling. On the inside she was breaking though, as she thought of the relationship soon coming to an end.

"Anyway, do you still want my help with that transfiguration essay?" James asked, pulling his books out of his bag. Natalie nodded and did the same. They sat working on the essay for a while. Natalie soon found out that James would make a terrible teacher, were he to pursue that career. He was impatient and got frustrated when Natalie didn't know something.

"This is so easy, how can you not get it?" James exclaimed, exasperated. Natalie blushed in embarrassment.

"James, you're being harsh," Remus scolded. Natalie smiled at the boy in thanks.

"Well you teach her then, if you're such a saint!" James said and stormed up to the boys' dorm. Natalie winced at his raised voice. Sirius rolled his eyes at his friend's behaviour and got up from his seat.

"I'll go tell him how much of a prick he is," he sighed and followed James to the dorms. Remus was furious, but resolved to remain in the common room and indeed help Natalie with her essay. It was awkward at first but Natalie soon relaxed as Remus calmly explained the things she didn't understand, unlike James. It didn't take them too long to get it all done, finishing just before dinner.

"Thank you," Natalie said to Remus as they walked to the Great Hall together. Remus smiled at her.

"No problem. James was a dick," he said. Natalie laughed.

"He was a dick," she agreed as they laughed together. "But really, thank you. You we're very good. You should be a teacher," she said.

"I'll consider it," Remus said. "What are you planning on doing?" he asked glancing at her and smiling.

"After Hogwarts? I have no idea. Any suggestions would be welcome," Natalie chuckled.

"You could be a teacher too," Remus suggested. Natalie snorted a laugh.

"Merlin, no! I'm not good enough at any subjects to pass on my knowledge on to others," she explained. Remus raised an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah? Well if that's the criteria, what am I supposed to teach?" he questioned.

"You're good at things. You would teach a cool subject, like charms or defence. Something with a lot of practicals. You would be everyone's favourite teacher," Natalie stated. Remus burst into laughter. "I'm serious!" Natalie exclaimed, unable to hold in her giggles. Soon, the two of them arrived at the Great Hall, still chuckling slightly.

"I'm going to sit with my friends at the Hufflepuff table, I'll see you later," Natalie said. Remus smiled and gave her a small wave as they made their way to the different tables.

"That wasn't your fake boyfriend," Nathan pointed out as Natalie joined him and Benjy.

"No, James was being a prick," Natalie explained.

"What's new there?" Benjy said rolling his eyes. Natalie gave him a look.

"Ooh, trouble in fake paradise. McDreamy not living up to your fantasies?" Nathan asked. Natalie shrugged. "This could be good, though. Maybe you'll finally get over your ridiculous crush," Nathan stated.

"No, no, no! Nat needs to get James to fall in love with her, so I can have Lily!" Benjy exclaimed. Natalie raised her eyebrow.

"Lily isn't an object that belongs to either you or James. And James isn't going to fall in love with me, he pines over Lily constantly. It's really annoying, to be honest. I think Nat might be right," she said. Could I really be getting over him? She thought to herself.