Chapter Ten - Falling for You

Lila laughed as she and Jamie walked towards her house, hand in hand. He was a bit sore from the match that afternoon, but nothing was going to stop him from his date that night with Lila. He smiled down at her, marveling at how things had worked out so far. Seeing her laugh and joke with Remus, Alan and Daisy at the after party last week had his heart soaring.

"So Madame Maxine is still headmistress?" he asked, looking down at Lila. She laughed and nodded.

"I don't think that she will ever leave," she said.

"I remember Harry telling me about her," Jamie said. "Said she was… quite the woman." Lila laughed softly.

"She is," Lila said.

"But it seems you have happy memories from school," he said. Lila nodded.

"It was a good respite," she said. "I had friends there. And I enjoyed my classes. Beauxbatons is a beautiful place."

"Tell me about your favorite spot there," Jamie said. Lila looked up at him and snuggled close to his side.

"I enjoyed the parks surrounding the palace," she said. "They were kept beautiful year-round. While the palace itself was beautiful and airy, I loved to spend time outside walking through them. Reading in them. In the middle of one park, there was a fountain made of pure white marble. I would sit there and read often, listening to the sound of the water gently running through it."

She looked up at him, smiling softly.

"The fountain was created for Nicholas Flamel and his wife Perenelle. They met and fell in love at Beauxbatons," she said. "They say the water has healing and beautifying qualities. So often, the students would sneak drinks of it, hoping they would become beautiful or handsome so as to catch the eye of their crush." Jamie chuckled.

"Did you ever drink from it?" he asked, an eyebrow raised. Lila laughed and shook her head.

"I thought it was just a silly fairy tale and did not take stock in it," she said, looking back to the path. They had arrived at her gate and stopped. Lila took a deep breath and faced Jamie.

"I suppose here is where I leave you," he said.

"Why don't you come in for a drink?" Lila asked, glancing up at him through her eyelashes. "If you are not too tired or sore from the match, that is." Jamie took a deep breath and smiled.

"I'd love to," he said softly. Lila smiled and led him through the gate and down the path. They walked into the quiet house and Lila waved her wand, causing soft light to fill it. The walls were an airy blue. To one side of the entry way was an archway that led into a sitting room. Opposite that on the right was another archway that revealed a study with full bookcases and a large desk. Just in front of them was a staircase and a hallway that led back to a large, open kitchen. Lila led him down the hallway, their footsteps against the wood floors the only sound.

"You can have a seat over there," Lila said as they entered the kitchen, motioning to a den that was at the opposite end. A fire roared to life in front of a large, comfy sofa. This part of the house looked lived in and Jamie suspected this is where she spent most of her time. Lila walked over to a bar and picked up a bottle of wine and two glasses. She turned and smiled at Jamie, seeing him still standing in the kitchen. "Come on."

She walked over to the sofa, passing a large table, with Jamie following her. She placed the bottle and glasses on the coffee table and sat, looking up at Jamie. He nervously sat next to her, suddenly feeling anxious. He still didn't feel very confident despite the fact he and Lila had been dating a little over a month now. This was the first time she had invited him into her home.

"Don't be so scared, Jamie. It's only a little wine," she said, smiling, as she poured out the glasses and handed him one. Jamie chuckled softly, mentally berating himself for being nervous. She was his girlfriend after all. "So… where was your favorite place at Hogwarts? The quidditch pitch?" He laughed.

"One of them, to be honest. But I liked the grounds as well. I would go out early in the morning when we didn't have practice and fly around," he said. "I love being up in the air. And the view was amazing." Lila nodded, as though she expected as much.

"I also liked the common room," he said, after taking a drink. "It was probably where I spent most of my time outside class and practice."

"Did it really look like that bar where we met?" Lila asked. She had never been to Hogwarts and was curious about it.

"A bit. The sofas and such were spot on. But it wasn't nearly that big. And it was up in a tower. Kind of a big circular room," he said. "Fires always going so it didn't get cold in winter even though all the other towers could get a bit drafty."

"I am not a fan of the winters here, I will say," Lila replied. "I imagine at Hogwarts they are a bit more extreme. It's farther north, is it not?" Jamie nodded.

"The Highlands, or so we think," he said. Lila nodded.

"Maisie… she said her common room was under the castle. She could see things swimming in the lake there through the windows," she said, glancing at him.

"That's what my cousin Albus says. Though I never saw the Slytherin common room. It is in the dungeon though," he said. "Daisy might know. She snuck in there a couple times."

"Whatever for? She had friends in Slytherin?" she asked. Jamie laughed and shook his head no.

"More like we sent her there… whenever we would prank Albus," he said, a twinkle in his eye. "She has a certain knack for getting into places."

"I heard… she is a metamorphmagus," Lila replied. It was fairly common knowledge, so Jamie shouldn't have been surprised that she knew. But still. He nodded.

"Gets it from our mother," he said. Lila nodded. She shifted on the sofa, positioning herself so that she was leaning her head on his shoulder. Jamie settled back into the sofa, wrapping his arm around her.

"Do you think your family will ever accept me?" she asked softly.

"I think they will, in time. Lucy already seems to be warming up to you. And you have Remus, Alan and Daisy," he said.

"But your parents…"

"Dad is stubborn as hell. Took him awhile to get behind Daisy and John, even though John had been a friend of ours for awhile before they started dating. But Mum," he looked down at her. "She's on our side." Lila smiled up at him.

"That makes me feel better," she said. She turned to face the fire again and sighed happily.

"What's that about?" Jamie asked. Lila shrugged.

"I think… it is because of this," she said, looking up at him. "It's nice to be… happy. Accepted. I spent so long thinking I must be some horrible person because of my father-"

"Who your father was doesn't matter, Lila. It's who you are. And what I see… you are something special," he said earnestly. "You're not horrible." Lila laughed wryly.

"Even after all the horrible things I did last year?" she asked before taking a drink of her wine, not wanting to meet his eyes.

"We've all forgiven you for that. And you've changed," Jamie said. Lila looked up at him, her brow furrowed.

"You seem so willing to let go of all of that," she said softly. Jamie shrugged.

"Everyone deserves a chance. I mean… Mum's always saying that she is who she is now because of Harry and Dad. Nilsson dragged himself out of misery because he saw Daisy play at Hogwarts. Maybe all you needed was for me-us to give you a chance," he said, his cheeks suddenly turning pink.

He was trying very hard not to looking into her mind. See what she was thinking.

Lila frowned slightly, filing away the bit of information about Nilsson away for another time, but more than that, she was touched by the fact that Jamie and his siblings seemed so willing to let her in. Part of her felt it was out of pity, but when she caught him looking at her, she could see something in his eyes that was more than pity. She shook her head and smiled up at him.

"How can he be so… good?" Jamie heard inadvertently. He shook his head slightly, determined to stay out of her mind.

"Then I am glad that you are giving me a chance," she said. When he looked down at her, she moved quickly, capturing his lips in her own. She sat up, turning her body to face him. The kiss became a bit more heated as shivers started to run up Lila's back. Before she could react to that, Jamie pulled away. She wouldn't say it, but she was slightly glad he did – she needed to gather her thoughts.

She was only trying to stick to the plan. Get him to fall for her. But she could feel she was starting to lose herself during the kiss.

"I think… perhaps it's time I got home," Jamie said nervously. Lila almost agreed before she remembered her plan. She looked him straight in the eye.

"Stay," she said simply. It was about all she could get out through her muddled brain. She slowly took his glass and set both of them down on the coffee table before looking back at Jamie. "Stay with me tonight," she said breathlessly. Jamie seemed to have been shocked into silence for a few moments. Just as she was starting to worry, he kissed her, this time with much more passion before.

"Just this once… Maybe I'll let go just a little bit…" she thought as she began smiling.

Jamie woke up later that night, glancing down to Lila who was fast asleep curled up next to him. He slowly breathed in and out, not quite believing the turn of events. Granted he wasn't that surprised. It was a matter of time before he stayed over. But part of him still couldn't quite believe that he was there, in her room. In her bed. He smiled down at her, gently brushing her fringe to the side and watching her sleep.

In that moment he knew he was falling for her. Past and family be damned. He was falling for Lila Devereux. And he knew that he wanted nothing more than to make sure that she knew she would have acceptance and family in him. He would do whatever he could for her. Sighing softly, he closed his eyes and drifted back off to sleep.

Lila could feel his eyes on her, and kept her breathing slow and steady, letting him think she was still asleep. But her mind was whirling.

She knew that she needed to stay focused. Things were progressing according to plan. She could tell he was falling for her.

What she wasn't expecting was the stirrings in her own heart.

Her thoughts were at war. Part of her argued to forget whatever devious plan she had in mind – truth be told, beyond getting her father out of Azkaban she wasn't sure what to do next – but the other part reminded her that getting even with the Woods was something she had spent years dreaming about.

Once she heard his breathing even out, signaling that he had fallen back asleep, she cracked an eye open and looked up at him. The sight of him asleep, peacefully dreaming, was enchanting. She thought back to everything he had said to her. Merlin, she wanted to take this chance and believe everything he was saying. That she could find peace and happiness – and family – with him.

"Don't be silly, Lila," she thought to herself, her brow furrowed. "Stick to the plan."

She sighed and settled back into his arms, looking towards the breezy white drapes on her windows that looked out over the back garden. She would think of scheming tomorrow. For now… she would just sleep.

Even thought I'm the one writing the story, even I get frustrated with certain characters.

Hope you all enjoy this chapter. Thanks for reading and reviewing!