Chapter 12: Rain

I do not own Harry Potter

Alice sat on her couch, her hair in a messy bun and her outfit nothing more than sweatpants and a baggy shirt, that she had gotten while volunteering. A book was clutched tightly in her hand and a mug of hot coffee in her other as a blanket lay draped over her legs. She read peacefully, hearing the roar of the thunder occasionally and the usual rain hammering against the ground.

A knock interrupted her thoughts.

"Frank could you get that?!", she heard her mum call from somewhere in the kitchen.

"Nick get it!", Frankie called.

"Alice you're closer!", her younger brother yelled at her from his room.

She sighed and threw the blanket off herself, standing up and walking to the door.

She flung it open to reveal someone she didn't expect to see.

James gave a small smile, his lips trembling, his hair sticking to his face and his clothes hugging his body.

"Hi", his voice trembled.

Alice stared shocked at him, the rain and cold air still pounding on his body as she stood in shock gaping at him.

She suddenly got snapped back to reality.

"Merlin James! What are you doing?"

"Ri-riding broo-broom and it stared rain-ing, couldn't think where to go- ca-came here", he stuttered, holding up a shaking hand, which held his broom, that was now soaked and with twigs sticking up in every direction.

She gasped and took him by the shirt, pulling him inside.

He shook more as he entered the house.

"Who is it Ali-James!", Hannah Longbottom's eyes widened as she saw her daughters boyfriend and someone who was like a blood nephew to her inside her house, drenched to the core and shaking like a mad man.

"Hi Aunt Han-Hannah", he smiled, not being able to move.

"Alice, sweetie, go get him some of you're brother's clothes or a something and a towel"

Alice nodded and casting one last look at James ran up the stairs. She rummaged through her drawers to see if she had anything before going to Frank's room.

"What's wrong?", he asked seeing his sister looking through his drawers.

"James", she panted, sprinting back

down the stairs.

She wrapped the blanket around him, making him smile gratefully.

"Alright you go and change and I'll pour you a cup of hot chocolate how about it?", Hannah asked.

James nodded happily, remembering how she made the best hot chocolate something he guessed came as an effect of working at the pub.

She disappeared into the kitchen as Alice handed him the clothes. He gave her a quick peck on the lips and walked down the hall to the restroom.

He comes back a moment later sitting down next to Alice on the couch, his hair sticking up for him running his had through it.

"Isn't this my shirt?", he smirked. He had on a worn Puddlemere United shirt that Alice had found in her drawer, which was in fact his.

"Maybe", she blushed.

He chuckled wrapping his arms around her.

Hannah entered a few minutes later, a steaming mug in hand.

She handed it carefully to him, as he thanked her and took a sip if the hot liquid.

"Ahh much better, thank you", he said, hugging the cup with both hands.

"I flooed your mum to tell her you are here, she sounded pretty worried", she told him.

He nodded his thanks.

"Why were you out while it was raining?", she asked him, as he pulled the blanket that Alice had had on moments before over himself and his girlfriend while her mum sat on the single couch.

"Er… got in a row with mum, and I decided to take a ride to clear my mind when it started raining and I kinda crashed since the rain fogged up my glasses", he smiled guiltily.

Hannah nodded, silence falling over them.

"Well, I have to write a letter, I'll leave you two, just tell me when you leave", she said, standing up and walking towards the office.

"Is everything okay?", Alice asked, breaking the silence and cuddling into his side.

"Mmmm? Yeah I suppose", he answered, knowing fully well that she was talking about the row with his mum.

Alice stared at him making him sigh.

"We were talking about me wanting to maybe move out right when Hogwarts ends again", he said, playing with her hair.

"She doesn't seem to want to let me go, but I don't fancy living in my parents' house until I'm forty", he attempted to smile, but it flattened out almost instantly.

"When does she want you to move out?", she asked softly.

He shrugged.

"When I have a proper job I suppose, she thinks seventeen is too young", he suddenly let out an airy laugh, "I keep on reminding her all our patens did when they were seventeen"

Alice smiled sadly.

"Maybe it's because of that that she doesn't want to let you go, because of all thy went through when they were seventeen"

"Yeah", he sighed, "I just wish they'd stop worrying sometimes, you know I hate to see them disappointed or worried"

She nodded at him.

"You just listen to your heart then"

James smiled at her.

"Thanks love", he kissed her softly, letting his lips linger on his.

"Better go talk to her", he says not making any move to stand up.

"Ok", she replies, still leaning against his side.

The school year started before they knew it and soon James and Alice found themselves heading towards the prefects compartment of the train. They looked through the little window to spot eight people already sitting down, waiting, it seemed for someone to tell them what to do.

James opened the door, letting Alice step through first. All the prefects turned to look at them, and one by one they started standing up.

"You lot can sit", James chuckled. They sat down including Rose and Scorpius who they weren't surprised to see there.

"Hi, we are the new Head Boy and Girl", Alice smiled.

"In case you all don't know us, although you probably do, I'm James and she's Alice", he said, mock bowing.

"So er…we'll be telling you what we need to do throughout the year but as of right now we only need you to patrol the corridor, you can have small breaks we don't mind, because of course the train is to talk and catch up with your friends, so as long as someone doesn't get into a fight in a compartment", she glanced at James who have her a cheeky grin, "everything will be fine", she finished, smiling at the students crowded around. They nodded and started to leave the compartment.

"I'd go check on Fred if I were you, without you two he probably already blew up the sweet trolley or something", Rose smirked as she and Scorpius were the last ones out. James watched them leave before sliding the door close.

"He'll be okay", he laughed, kissing Alice.

She pulled away and gave him a suspicious look.

"We're on the train James", she reminded him.

"So what?"

He outed making her smile.

"We have our own dorm this year", she reminded him.

James wiggled his eyebrow playfully making her laugh and walk out the compartment.

She walked away, starting her patrol.

James remembered when he got his badge, it had been a big surprise to him, he thought that with all the detentions he would not even be considered, but apparently Minnie didn't hate him that much.

It had been a busy summer for both, apart from spending time with their families, hanging out with friends and going on dates they had both had summer jobs. Alice had mustered the courage to tell her mum she wanted to work somewhere else and started working at a little wizarding daycare center, while he had been coach of a little league quidditch team of seven and eight years old, and funny enough Kira, Scorpius' adoptive sister, had been in his team. It had been a day after a game, Alice had gone and seen them, when they made their way to the burrow, since it was a Sunday. That was when they were given two packages, each with a badge inside.

James smiled at the memory and walked out behind her.

Quickly getting to work when he saw two boys with wands out.