I am a tired author-creature, and I am sorry for my lack up updating my fics for the last few months. The life of the adult is not as fun as people make you think it is. It's a trap. However, it's only fair that I make a valiant attempt to keep some kind of updating going, so I figure it would be a good idea to try and get BBtCoMLH finished. We're making fairly good time, all things considered, so here I go.

Also, I should thank vampygurl402 for asking ever so nicely for me to update.

ALSO, I will explain things in the next chapter that need to be explained, so toodles for now!

Summary: They hate each other. Despise one another, really. So how is it that they've somehow ended up together?

-;-

Fifth Year: Summer

"James, are you sure about this?"

"Of course I am! I wouldn't have invited you otherwise, would I?" the dark haired boy- no, not boy anymore- teen, replied. "Come on, I'll be right next to you the whole time."

"Somehow, that reassures me." The dark haired girl replied. "The world must be ending."

"Well, at least it would end with the pair of us on speaking terms." James replied far too cheerfully.

Kagome snorted, though she still looked uncertain as she looked up at the imposing figure of Potter Manor. When James had first extended the invitation to stay with his family for the summer, she hadn't quite known what to think. Especially considering that Sirius would also be arriving a couple of weeks after she did. Despite she and James' reconciliation, she and Sirius were still only just beginning to form a friendship- one that was continually soured due to her connection to Regulus and Severus.

"Kagome, I promise. Everything will be okay. Mum's been wanting to meet you since First Year- she's kinda been getting letters from Minnie telling her how much trouble I've been in." James said comfortingly, turning serious as he paused and faced her, taking her faintly trembling hands in his.

"Just- why would you do this for me, James? Take me in for the hols when I'm not even in the same House as you at school?" Kagome asked hesitantly. "Until last year, we hated each other and now you're just so nice to me, and-"

"Kagome." James interrupted, cutting her off as he looked her in the eye. "People are people. Admittedly, I'm not proud of the things I've done, and I really do want to make up to you everything that I did since First Year, but you're my friend and you needed somewhere to stay other than the Leaky Cauldron. I wouldn't let that happen to anyone I know."

The dark haired teen studied her features carefully, doing his best to convey his sincerity to the shorter dark haired girl.

She had been through hell and back- there was no denying that. She had begun to accept the scars that now decorated her body, and while she had been doing well, Kagome had been far more insecure than she had ever been before. James didn't even know if she would ever fully recover from her ordeals, or ever stop having nightmares about what she had seen, but he did know that he would stubbornly be dogging her every step in hopes that he could help her if no one else could. At least he had finally gotten her back on the broom before the end of the school year, he thought as she nodded hesitantly, allowing James to continue leading her towards the massive oak doors.

Before James had even had the chance to open the door himself, it swung open to reveal an aristocratic woman with dark brown curls pulled back into an elegant knot, her robes a warm bronze and brown combination.

"James!" she cried, pulling him into a tight embrace. Kagome blinked, unsure of how to react, when the woman pulled away, smiled, and turned her attentions to her.

"And you must be Kagome. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Dorea, James' mother."

Before Kagome could say anything in return, she was gathered into a gentle embrace of her own for but a moment, fleeting warmth around her shoulders before the Potter matriarch pulled away with a warm smile.

"Now, I'm sure the both of you are exhausted- Portkeys are exhausting and I still for the life of me cannot understand why you insisted on coming home like that this year, James Charlus Potter." Dorea rambled good naturedly as she led the pair of teens into the entry of the home. "Charles! James is here!"

"My errant son and heir returned? You cannot be serious, my lady!" a rich voice called from up the flight of stairs in front of them. A moment later and a man with salt and pepper hair appeared, descending with a grace that James was only just beginning to learn. A similar warm smile was on his own features as he reached the bottom, greeting James with a wink and a smirk that allowed Kagome to realize where the younger Potter inherited most of his traits from.

"And you must be Miss Higurashi. As I'm sure my wife has already established, my name is Charles. It's a pleasure to have you in our home."

"Thank you for having me, sir." The dark haired girl replied in a small voice.

Something in Charles' features softened, and he reached out a gentle hand to touch her shoulder.

"Now, there will be none of that. Charles and Dorea will be fine, my dear." He assured, glancing over to his wife. "Now, I'm sure the both of you are hungry from your trip today, yes? I believe the elves have prepared a lovely meal for us to enjoy this afternoon."

James nodded enthusiastically at the mentions of food- typical teenage boy, Kagome thought with some affection. He and Remus both had a tendency to get a strange look in their eye when food was mentioned- more James than Remus, given that the other boy had a thing for chocolate- but nonetheless, it was there.

"James Charlus Potter, don't you dare touch anything until you've washed your hands and shown our guest to her room!" Dorea called from somewhere in a room over. "Honestly, Charles, I know he didn't get that from my side of the family- Sirius turned out so well, considering."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Charles asked indignantly as James rolled his eyes with a snort, waving Kagome to follow him up the stairs.

"They seem… nice." She said quietly once they were out of reach.

"They're a little different from the Purebloods we're used to, aren't they." James agreed, wandering down the hall with a practiced ease that told how long he had been living in them. "Mum's from the Noble House of Black, though, so she'll keep using it against Dad if she has to. Not that she's much better than him half the time. She's a lot more like Sirius and his uncle than the rest of them. Dad's just… dad."

"It must be nice, not having so much of the Pureblood talk." The dark haired girl said, glancing over her shoulder. It was almost like having her own parents-

"Kags?"

James was in front of her now, looking at her worriedly through a haze of warm tears.

"I miss them, James. I miss them." She whimpered brokenly, allowing herself to be dragged into a familiar pair of arms as the tears began falling down her cheeks.

"I know. I'm so sorry, Kagome." James said quietly, leaning his chin on the top of her head and staring off into space. "I know."

-;-

"Well now, I believe James would like to have a conversation with all of us in the other room before he does something drastic." Charles said with some amusement as he watched his son nearly bounce into the room, his grin almost blinding.

"He gets it from your side of the family, dear." Dorea replied immediately, patting her husband's cheek as she stepped around him. "I'll alert the elves to prepare a snack for us."

"What kind of talk?" Kagome asked James, a nagging suspicion rearing its head. Whenever James wanted to talk, it usually tended to end in disaster. She remembered the incident with Lily, Sirius and Marlene.

"You'll see." The dark haired boy replied with a smirk, herding her into the next room, where a large window overlooked the garden and several comfortable armchairs and sofas were positioned.

It had been two weeks since Kagome had been brought to Potter Manor, and she had quickly found herself adopted by Dorea. The motherly woman had quickly discovered the quiet girl that was their guest had quite the wit about her as well as intelligence, and she was quite knowledgeable about the Pureblood politics as well, even chatting with Charles during dinner one evening a couple of nights ago. Likewise, the girl had begun to come out of her shell, looking far happier than she had apparently been in a while, James informed his parents.

"Please, take a seat, my dear. I believe this will be an interesting conversation for everyone." Charles chuckled, swatting affectionately at James' head as he took a seat on a sofa for two. A moment later Dorea joined them, an elf assisting her to carry a tray of tea and a platter of small biscuits and other baked goods to the small table.

"Now, James, I believe there's something you wanted to speak of?" Dorea encouraged cheerfully as she arranged herself on the sofa next to her husband.

"Well…" James suddenly looked a little uncertain. Kagome curled in on herself, hoping that it wouldn't be anything bad. She had had enough bad news to last three lifetimes at least in her short life. "I can't. Mum, can you?"

"Like I said- your side of the family." Dorea said dryly to Charles as she straightened slightly. "Now, Kagome, I realize that this must all seem very odd to you considering your relationship with James-"

James at least had the decency to look sheepish as his mother levelled a warning glare at her offspring before continuing.

"I know we are not people you know very well, or who you would even feel comfortable to speak with us about this, but James has been keeping us well informed of your… situation, before now."

The dark haired girl shrunk slightly, the trembling in her hands becoming more noticeable with her anxiety.

"It's nothing bad, my dear. Nothing at all." Charles soothed as he noticed the movement.

"Not in the least." Dorea agreed. "Which is why we submitted a request to take you in to our home and family until you've reached your majority."

If Kagome had been fidgeting before, she was completely still now, her mouth parting slightly following the statement. These people- James- wanted to take her in?

She must have had a look on her face, because James jumped in, rambling slightly as he ran a hand through the mess of curls that was his hair.

"I get it if you wouldn't want to, but I know that you probably would have to go back to Japan if you didn't find a family to take you in here. Or you could have applied to be considered a legal adult by the Ministry, but with all of the You-Know-Who things going on they probably wouldn't approve it unless you had a really compelling reason and I really just want to see you happy."

Kagome was still struck silent by the words, unsure of what to make of them or what to even say to that.

"You.. would really do that?" she asked.

"Of course we would, Kagome." Dorea's face was one of compassion. "It's been absolutely lovely having you here with us so far, and you would be a part of this family for as long as you like. It's just until you turn seventeen, and then you're considered an adult. After that you can do whatever you would like."

"You would be okay with me living here?" she turned to James next.

"I'm the one who brought it up, actually." The Potter heir looked a little guilty. "You don't have to say yes if you don't want to, but if you're happy, I'm happy."

"James, of course I would like to. If you'll have me, that is?"

"Kagome, we would be honored to have you join our family." Charles stated proudly as he stood. "As would anyone, really."

He offered her a cheerful wink.

"Welcome to the family, little one."