Chapter 6

As James sat down next to me the following Transfiguration class, I collected myself and turned to him. "Are there any updates on Albus?" I asked quietly.

James stared at me and his expression was unreadable before he shook his head. I took a deep breath and stared straight ahead again. Every new day at Hogwarts without him became harder and harder.

I jumped when James carefully touched my arm. His expression was completely sincere. "He'll be fine".

I nodded slowly; surprised James was showing me his vulnerable side, even if it was about his brother.

Part way through the lesson, James turned to me again and whispered, "Did you and Albus have any romantic connection at all?"

I stared at James, confused. "Not that it's any of your business, but no"

James nodded, but I couldn't tell how this news affected him, as he seemed to have perfected his poker face.

"Why?" I asked.

James shrugged. "Just wondering if we have to put your name on his gravestone if he never wakes up"

My jaw dropped open at his comment, surprised at what he'd said, compared to how vulnerable he had been only minutes before. How dare he be so insensitive about the topic? I pointed my wand at him. "Never say that again," I threatened quietly.

James looked down at my wand and smirked. "Or what? You'll hex me during class?"

I glared at him, completely furious. I muttered a spell under my breath, and bit my lip to stop me from giggling.

James frowned, trying to figure out what I had done. I turned back to the front of the class, my attention returning to Professor McGonagall.

Just before we stood up to leave the class, James elbowed me in the side and hissed, "What did you do to me?"

I turned to him and grinned, shrugged, then joined Katherine and Bianca, who burst into laughter as they saw James, who's ears and nose were twice the size they usually were, due to my hex. We exited the classroom just as we heard Fred cry out about James' distorted facial features.

I was in the library with Annette, who also had a study period, when James burst into the library and marched up to my desk angrily. I noticed his facial features were their normal size again. "Lockwood!" he addressed me. "You are such a bitch! I totally missed an opportunity to snog Scarlett because of what you did to me!"

I rolled my eyes. "You deserved it"

"I've been waiting for an opportunity to snog her since my third year!" he loudly protested.

"James, we're trying to study here" Annette pointed out.

James scowled. "You watch out Lockwood," he said. "I'll get you back for this"

I rolled my eyes. "Have fun with that, Potter. At least I'm not joking about my brothers death"

"He did what?" Annette asked in shock.

I scowled. "He asked if they would need to put my name on his gravestone."

"He didn't!" Annette exclaimed. "What a complete ass! I'm proud of you for hexing him" she added.

I smiled. "Thanks for your support, although I would have hexed him even if you didn't think it was a good idea."

Although though I wasn't particularly scared of James Potter, I noticed that I looked over my shoulder multiple times the rest of the day, just in case he was there, ready to "get his revenge". I saw him glare at me during dinner, and I smirked and looked away. What a tosser.

James completely ignored me in our following lessons together. I was almost beginning to think that this was how it was going to be for the rest of our time at Hogwarts, until one day I suddenly realised that the notes I had been taking in class (yes, I had started taking some notes this year) were disappearing after a few days, leaving behind blank pages. I could only think of one reason why this would be, and approached James about it the following Transfiguration class.

"Potter"

He looked at me, and smirked as he assumed what this would be about.

"You're lucky I don't take notes as seriously as your cousin Rose" I told him. "Your prank was slightly silly seeing as I hardly take notes" I added.

James stared at me, confused. "You must take notes!" he laughed. "How would you have gotten Outstanding in all of your O.W.L.s if you didn't take notes?" He asked.

I grinned at him and winked. "Guess I'm just smart. Albus didn't take notes either" I told him.

James stared at me. "Of course he did! I saw all of his notebooks! He had dozens of them!"

"What?" I asked, confused. "I never saw him take notes?"

"I guess you don't know him as well as you thought you did, honey" James smirked.

"Don't call me "honey"" I glared at him.

He grinned and leaned towards me. "Why ever not, sweetheart?" he whispered in my ear in a seductive tone.

I shivered and looked at him with wide eyes. What the hell was he doing?

James smirked as he saw my startled face.

Suddenly, Professor McGonagall asked me a question. James grinned as he realised I would have no clue what the answer would be, due to the fact he had me distracted me very well.

I answered only seconds after she had asked me the question, and Professor McGonagall confirmed it was right. James looked at me in shock.

"Everyone knows girls can multitask better than boys" I grinned at James.

"I never doubted you for a second" he replied with a smirk.

After a few days, the spell on my schoolbooks had still not been lifted, which had become increasingly frustrating.

"James" I said accusingly after approaching him in the common room one evening.

"Yes, Lockwood?" he asked in a bored voice, annoyed that I was distracting him from whatever he was discussing with his friends.

"I need you to lift the spell you have on all my stationary. I need to write a letter to my parents" I told him.

James smirked. "Make me" he grinned.

I glared at him. "Fine" I answered, then turned my back on him and walked straight over to Annabelle Teppi, who was a sixth year well known for being the biggest gossiper in Gryffindor.

I smiled as I sat down next to her. "Annabelle! We haven't spoken for so long!" I began. I could feel James' curious eyes on my back as I began my revenge.

It didn't take many days for James to approach me angrily at the dinner table in the Great Hall.

"Lockwood" he seethed. "Outside. Now."

I grinned as I left the girls, and flounced outside.

"What's up?" I smirked.

"You know what's up" he glared at me. "Why does everyone in the school think I have a Muggle disease called rabies?" he asked me accusingly.

"No idea" I shrugged and grinned.

"No girl wants to kiss me now!" he told me.

This made me grin even more. "Your loss" I told him.

James approached me, and I backed against the wall. "Why do you keep doing this to me?" he asked me.

"Doing what?" I replied, looking at him through narrowed eyes as he put an arm either side of me so that I was trapped.

"Preventing me from kissing any other girls" he said slowly, his eyes scanning my face, before he moved his head lower.

What was he was doing? I could feel him grinning against my neck as he said, "If anything, I would think that you have a little crush on me". James Potter then kissed my neck, and I stiffened. He moved his way up to my jaw, with small, delicate kisses, and I found myself completely relax in his arms.

James pulled away and grinned. "I knew it" he laughed, and then walked away as I was left staring dumbfounded after him.