A/N: I know, I know, it's been too long. And I'm sorry. I should be updating more often and I greatly apologize. Please don't eat me. Just please keep reading and reviewing and favoriting and all that fun stuff because it makes me feel special and loved. Just like (hopefully) James and Emma. You all are beautiful people who deserve more frequent updates. I HAVE NOT ABANDONED THE STORY I PROMISE. I love you all, rainbows, unicorns, etc. and all that fun stuff (:
Disclaimer: I own nothing except my characters
Chapter 8: Emma
Emma exited the Herbology greenhouse only to find Luke Evans waiting for her outside it a couple days later. She was talking to Audrey, who not so subtly nudged Emma in the ribs, earning Audrey a death glare.
"Luke!" Emma squeaked.
"Who knew this chaser could actually catch," James whispered to Aiden just loud enough for Emma to hear. She whipped around and he sent her a casual wink, not leaving her long enough to come up with a retort.
"When I said I would like to see you again, I really did mean it," he said teasingly.
Emma bit her lip, "I'm sorry, I've just been really busy."
"You're not exactly the easiest girl to track down; I'll give you that Emma."
"I really would like to" said Emma.
"Great, then I'll see you at dinner," he said to her.
Emma would have responded, but he hadn't allowed her the chance. He quickly walked back to the castle waving her off.
"I KNEW IT" Emma heard someone shout as she suddenly found herself kissing the ground.
Audrey had landed on top of her, clutching her best friend in what seemed to be a hug of sorts.
"Merlin's pants!" Emma exclaimed gruffly, "What the hell is wrong with you? Were you stalking me this whole time?"
"Oh Emma love, stalking is such a strong word. I'd like to think it was more of an—er—observing."
"Yeah, well you're right well the size of a freight train, please get off."
"Rude."
"Yes, I'm rude," Emma sounded sarcastically.
Audrey ignored her. She stood up and brushed herself off, she fixed her blonde hair and tied it up into a messy bun. "I suppose we'll see him at dinner then?"
Emma dusted herself off and groaned. "This was a terrible idea."
"What? Are you joking, he fancies you!"
"I wasn't talking about him," Emma motioned to Audrey, "I was talking about you. And when Aiden learns about this I'll never hear the end of it."
"You won't be seeing Aiden for the rest of today," Audrey sighed.
"And why not?"
"Something about a date—"
"Shouldn't you be concerned?"
"With Potter."
"I see."
"They're cute together aren't they?" Audrey asked.
"It seems as though not much has changed?"
"That's the best way to put it, yes."
"So Emma, what do you fancy doing for the rest of the day?"
"Well I should get started on my potions essay, but it's not due for another week so I guess we could afford to take a day off."
"I knew I always liked you."
The two of them headed towards the castle and towards the study rooms. They sat together at their usual table, Emma took her scroll and quills and textbooks out of her bag as Audrey casually watched her friend.
"So?" Audrey asked.
"What?" Emma muttered while her eyes remained glued to the paper in front of her.
"Em talk to me, it's been a good two months since we've had a decent conversation."
"No, no, no, you do not get anything out of me, you already know too much about me," Emma said, "I want to hear about you. I want to hear about you and the family and I want to hear about you and Aiden and I want to hear about everything."
"Well, everything at home has been, you know, typical. Dean is—uh—will hopefully be expecting a letter for next year. So fingers crossed. He's been checking the mail every day for week s now"
"Aw Dean's 10 already?"
Audrey nodded. "And uh—it's been getting better. Mum and dad have been writing."
Emma smiled.
It hadn't been easy for Audrey, her being from a muggle family and all. At first it was extremely hard on her family. They often fought and argued. Things were still very stiff between them ever since Audrey considered staying in the magical world after finishing Hogwarts.
"It'll be okay," Emma comforted her friend.
With a large sigh, Audrey replied, "I only hope so."
Emma knew what a touchy subject family had always been for her, so she tried to avoid it with something hopefully, happier. "Then it's going well with Aiden I presume."
"Yeah, it is," she beamed. "How could you tell?"
"It could be the hour of snogging you spend at breakfast," Emma muttered.
"Oh don't be a negative Nancy, we fancy each other!"
"I'm not sure about fancying each other, but it seems that you lot have got the sucking the life out of each other right up there with the dementors," Emma teased.
"You'll know."
"Will I?"
"When you and Luke become a thing, you'll know."
"Oh shut up."
"It's true!"
"So Aiden, is he going to be around."
Audrey hesitated ever so slightly. She dated around, and not very seriously, typically speaking. "I, I really do fancy him," she said in a quiet whisper.
Emma nodded.
"It's different," she continued. "When you really fancy someone, I mean. I know I joke about James and Luke and other blokes, but I would never-," Audrey was now lost in her head as she stared out the window which had a perfect view of the black lake.
"I know." Emma answered.
"I really like him Em. He's perfect," Audrey sighed. "We argue then snog, we talk for hours and sometimes, sometimes we just sit together."
"Sounds lovely," Emma retorted in a slightly sarcastic tone.
"Well you'll know soon enough," Audrey countered.
Emma shook her head, "You're mad."
"We're all mad here," Audrey enunciated.
"Alice in Wonderland?" Emma said surprised, "Nicely done."
"Aiden's rubbing off on me," she shrugged.
"At least some good's come out of this relationship."
"You think you're funny?"
"No, I'm well aware."
Audrey laughed. "I miss this."
Emma agreed, "Remember when it was just me and you and you didn't have an Aiden and I didn't have-,"
"A Luke?"
"I was going to say a quidditch team to run."
"Sure you were."
"Honestly."
"Honestly my arse Emma."
Emma rolled her eyes. "I hate you sometimes."
"But you actually love me, besides, who would you even talk to about everything?"
"You're right Audrey, whatever would I do without you."
"That's the spirit!"
Emma opened the scroll containing one of her essays when Audrey promptly snatched it out of her hands.
"Audrey!"
"No!"
"I thought we were done here!" Emma exclaimed.
"Absolutely not! It's been about a month since it's been just the two of us!"
"I have to get this done!"
"You and Aiden both. Yes all you Ravenclaws do is nag me about how you can't complete your work. Shut up and have some fun in your life, or is that a foreign concept to you."
"That's stereotyping."
"It's not if it's true."
"You sound just like an arrogant Gryffindor."
Audrey scoffed, "Gryffindors, arrogant? Please."
Emma raised her eyebrows.
"Okay maybe a little," Audrey conceded.
"And so, as an arrogant Gryffindor, I urge you to update me regarding the Hogwarts grapevine, because, as usual, I suppose I'm always the last to know."
"Well, so it seems as though Rosaline Bonnet and Joel Clearwater are back together."
"I wasn't aware they were ever apart."
"They had a nasty row a couple of weeks ago, ah—you recall seeing James' date at Hogsmeade, yeah?"
Emma nodded as she formed the image of blonde witch in her mind, "Yeah, she was quite lovely."
"Well she spent all day comforting a sobbing Rosaline, she had to cut her date short with James."
Emma sat up a little straighter, "well it's not as though Potter's missed out on anything having a girl a month or so."
"Someone's bitter."
"I am not bitter, I just," Emma inhaled sharply, "don't approve of his dating habits is all."
Audrey looked at Emma funnily.
"What?" she asked.
"Nothing," Audrey shrugged.
"So anyways, I also heard that Matilda Hopkirk from Slytherin is now with Alex Darthwood."
"Was that even a thing?" Emma asked.
Audrey almost leapt out of her seat, "Are you barking mad, the whole school was rooting for them!"
"Oh."
"Merlin Emma, if you were any more oblivious I'd say you didn't even go to Hogwarts."
"Forgive me if I'm more concerned with other things."
"Like what? Quidditch? When are you not concerned with quidditch? Pull your head out of the skies Emma, smell the grass! Did you even know Luke was looking for an actual relationship with you?"
"He what-?"
"—because half the bloody school does."
"He—me?" There was nothing but shock on her face.
"Why else do you think he tries so hard to find you! Goddamn, do you think he wants to be friends?"
"No of course not!"
"Then kiss the bloke, and call it a day already."
Emma gave Audrey a warning glare.
"Oh Emma dear, you beautifully oblivious sunflower, my heart aches for the day you think with your feet on the ground and not in the air."
"Try emphasizing the dramatics then," Emma teased.
Audrey playfully nudged Emma's shoulder. Just then a familiar girl with wavy rust coloured hair walked past their table. "Afternoon Rose!" Emma said.
Rose turned around and waved back at Emma and Audrey.
"She seems a bit put off," noted Emma.
"Why of course she is," Audrey rolled her eyes, "She and Scorpius Malfoy have been having a bit of a falling out."
"What for?"
"Ever since last year, that huge fiasco with James, it's been hard for Rose, poor girl, she really fancies him."
"And what is this row about?"
"I can't believe you haven't heard. James never really liked Malfoy but him being Albus' best mate and all, he tolerated him. Then when he found Malfoy and Rose together he nearly had the poor boy's head."
"That doesn't sound at all like Potter."
Audrey shrugged, "It's not typical of him. He gets along quite charmingly with most anyone."
"I suppose he'll get over it soon."
"James hasn't historically been someone who got over things."
"I'm sure his Potter charm will kick in soon enough."
"Well it doesn't work on everyone, I should think."
"Oh really? Name one person who doesn't fawn over the arse, bloke or lass."
"Well there's you isn't there?" she stated bluntly.
And Emma's mouth opened but no words came out. "I—uh"
"Come off it Emma, you're the only one who ever calls him out on his crap and you know it, and it's been six years of bickering on the quidditch field and you haven't even given him the time of day, you know it's true!"
"I suppose, yes," Emma mulled over the thought.
"You're one strange witch Emma, maybe there's something wrong with your head because he's just bloody gorgeous?"
"And who might you be referring to love?" came the voice of none other than James Potter himself.
"Speak of the devil," Emma muttered.
"What was that?" he asked.
Emma shook her head.
Aiden came up from not too far away and laced his hands through Audrey's. He quickly pecked her on the lips with a small "Afternoon Audrey."
"It was you in fact," Audrey assured James.
"Why I am honoured," James said with his signature smirk, "to be considered, how did you put it? Just bloody gorgeous."
Aiden snorted.
"I didn't know you thought of me that way," James turned to Emma.
"Don't flatter yourself, it was out of context."
"Curiouser and curiouser, my mockingbird."
"Alice in Wonderland," Emma and Aiden muttered in unison.
