dedicated to vicky199416

Olly. Olly. Olly. OllyOlly. OllyOlly. OllyOllyOlly.

James didn't seem to have room for anything else in his head except Olly and what made it harder was that she was staying at his for Christmas since her mother was away again. He was with her every moment of the day and she seemed to be literally haunting his dreams. Her name seemed to be an incessant chant in his head and he was finding it difficult to concentrate on anything that she said. He had taken to noticing things about her that he hadn't before like the scar behind her ear or the one freckle she had that was on her lip or the way she rubbed her fingertips together when she was thinking about something. Having been her best friend for seventeen years he had thought he would have noticed these things sooner. He obviously hadn't been paying such close attention as he had been doing recently. He was pleased when she didn't ask if Caruso could come over on Christmas day. The journey home on the Hogwarts Express for the Christmas holidays had been torture when Caruso had come to say goodbye to Olly. James had tried not to glare when he had kissed her but had failed miserably and was glad to find that Fred and Sage had also been glaring at him. Their protective glares over the years came in handy as the perfect disguise.

"You are going to burn a hole in her head, mate," said the familiar voice of his Uncle Charlie in his ear, startling him slightly. He broke out of his reverie to find that he had been staring at Olly across the table.

It was Christmas day and the entire family were at The Burrow having Christmas dinner. Thanks to an extension charm, courtesy of his Aunt Hermione, they were all sitting quite comfortably round the dining table. The food was delicious as always but James had barely touched his plate preferring to stare at Olly who was telling his dad and Uncle Ron about the dangers of Animagi transformations.

"You'd better start eating before mum catches sight of your plate," Charlie told him with a grin.

James nodded before listlessly scooping some carrots into his mouth.

"So when did you realise?" Charlie asked keeping his voice low.

"Realise what?" asked James as he chewed.

"That you were in love with Olly."

James fought the shock trying not to spray carrots everywhere because that certainly would have drawn attention to him.

"I'm not in love with her," James told him in a forceful whisper the moment he had swallowed the carrots.

"Sure you're not," said Charlie rolling his eyes, "and the Chudley Cannons will finish top of the league this year."

James could feel the heat flooding to his face.

"Look you don't need to lie to me," Charlie told him with a smile, "because it's not like I'll tell anyone except maybe the dragons."

Charlie chuckled a little and James grinned, the uncomfortable moment easing away.

"You're probably annoyed about her dating that other bloke," Charlie continued.

"Just a bit," James told him shovelling some turkey into his mouth and trying not to picture Caruso kissing Olly. Every time he thought about it he really felt like strangle the guy. It wasn't that idea was unappealing just that James didn't think that Olly would be very happy with him if he murdered her boyfriend.

"That's never easy," he replied sympathetically, "especially when you don't know how they feel about you. It's a lot easier if they hate you because at least then you know you have absolutely no chance at all."

Charlie and James lapsed into thoughtful silence for a moment and James watched Olly surreptitiously as she laughed with his dad whilst his Uncle Ron just looked completely confused which made James laugh a little.

"I asked her mother to marry me once, you know," Charlie confided him quietly and James spluttered a little, his attention completely diverted. He just managed not to let his jaw drop. Charlie had asked Kerr to marry him? When did that happen?

"Did I hear the words marry and me come out of your mouth there, Charlie," George said loudly in a joking tone bringing everyone's attention to them. "Its incest, you know, proposing to your nephew like that."

James could see the trademark Weasley blush rushing up Charlie's ears and he knew immediately that Charlie had never told anyone, he had never wanted anyone to know.

"Are you getting married, Charlie?" asked James' grandmother Molly from down the table her eyes sparkling with intrigue and delight.

"No," Charlie responded firmly clearing his throat.

"Then why did I hear the words marry me come out of your mouth just then?" probed George.

James felt terribly uncomfortable for his Uncle but he couldn't think of anything that would divert everyone's attention.

"I was telling James that I once asked a woman to marry me," Charlie told the family who were all watching him with intrigued expressions. James could sense the tension from his Uncle whose muscles were practically quivering as though in anticipation of a blow.

"Who?" asked Molly perplexed.

"Yeah, which fool turned down a Weasley?" asked George in a teasing tone.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Molly continued in a hurt tone. "Who was it Charlie?"

The tension seemed to keep mounting and James felt as though he was sweating buckets. He glanced at Olly who also looked uncomfortable and from the look in her eyes he knew that she already knew that Charlie had proposed to her mother. Kerr and Charlie had always been quite close. He threw a pleading glance in Fred's direction hoping that he could come up with a suitable distraction. Luckily, Fred seemed to interpret his glance correctly and immediately frowned.

"Look," said Bill from where he sat near his mother, "if Charlie doesn't want to tell us I don't think ..."

"As his mother," Molly cut across Bills, "I think I have a right to know who he has been proposing to. Tell me, Charlie."

"Molly," Arthur said softly from the opposite end of the table but he went ignored.

"Come on, Charlie, tell us," piped up Ron.

James glanced at his Uncle whose face was almost as red as his hair. He gave him an apologetic look and then glanced at Fred again who seemed to be racking his brain for anything he could do. He shook his head at James when he came up empty.

"Charlie," said Molly's voice warningly.

James heard his Uncle sigh slightly in defeat.

"It was Kerr," he told them reluctantly. "I once asked Kerr to marry me."

The silence was deafening and James felt horrified as he glanced at Olly. She was staring at his Uncle with heartfelt sympathy in her eyes and when he looked at Charlie his Uncle was also looking at her. The rest of the family were looking between the two of them and James could tell what they were all wondering but Charlie wasn't Olly's father.

Although it was only a couple of seconds the silence seemed to last forever to James until Lily's familiar voice piped up.

"Rose is dating Scorpius," she shouted causing Rose to immediately flush red.

"Don't be daft, Lily," said Ron as the rest of the family frowned their attention successfully diverted for a moment.

"Actually, dad," said Rose getting to her feet hesitantly, her face almost as red as a tomato, "I am dating Scorpius."

"Excuse me," said Ron looking at his daughter with a bemused expression as the rest of the family held their breath in anticipation.

"I am dating Scorpius Malfoy."

There was silence for a heartbeat.

"You WHAT?" erupted Ron. "That foul, evil git! He ... you ... dating ... You're too young to be dating!"

James could hear the words "pay up" being whispered around the table and he couldn't help but grin.

"I am not," Rose retorted. "Al's got a girlfriend and Fred and Hugo."

"Yes but they're boys," spluttered Ron.

"Well Lucy and Roxanne both have boyfriends too," Rose continued.

"WHAT?" yelped George and Percy together.

"Yes but they're not dating ... a ... a ..."

"A Malfoy!" Rose shouted. "Say it, dad. It's not me having a boyfriend that's the problem it's that he's a Malfoy."

Ron turned scarlet and James could see his Aunt Hermione shaking her head slowly in disbelief.

"Well, yes," Ron admitted loudly. "His father was a Death Eater who tried to kill me, your mother and your Uncle Harry not to mention Dumbledore."

"Scorpius isn't like that. Uncle Harry likes him."

"Like father, like son, Rosie. You're forbidden to date him."

"You can't stop me. I'm sixteen. I'm not a child anymore."

With that Rose stormed out of the room slamming the door shut behind her leaving Ron staring after her. The whole family was silent and James could hardly hear them breathing.

"Well, you could have handled that better," Hermione told Ron in an exasperated tone.

"What ... I ... she ... Malfoy ..."

"No excuses, Ronald. Go after her."

Ron looked defeated as he got to his feet and followed Rose out of the room with Hermione hot on his heels. The rest of the family watched them leave still all a bit stunned by the argument.

"Just for once I'd like a nice, quiet family Christmas," James could hear his grandmother muttering to herself.

"Lucy, who is this boy?" Percy immediately started on his youngest daughter.

"It's just Lorcan, dad," Lucy told him completely unbothered as she continued to eat, "no one to worry about."

"No one to worry about," Percy said stoutly. "The boy is three years older than you and isn't Molly dating his brother?"

"Yes I am," put in Molly brightly knowing that her father wasn't Lysander's biggest fan.

"He's probably just as much trouble as his brother then," Percy surmised.

"No," Lucy told him indignantly. "Just because they're twins doesn't mean they're the same. Lorcan and Lysander are nothing alike."

That was the understatement of the century, thought James. He had known the Scamander twins since he had been born and at Hogwarts they were both thought of very differently. Lorcan was the crazy one and Lysander was the dark one, Lorcan was the nice one and Lysander was the violent one. James knew them both and liked them both. Lysander constantly ended up in detention for duelling or fighting because he felt the need to protect Lorcan from people teasing him. James understood where he was coming from but the brotherly devotion between the two was something he couldn't really comprehend.

"But he's three years older than you," Percy continued berating his daughter. "Do you have any idea what boys his age want with young girls like you?"

George seemed to think Percy had come up with a suitable point because he turned his attention to Roxanne.

"That's something I want to discuss with you actually, Roxy," he said.

"Dad," Roxanne protested embarrassed.

"No, you need to listen to me. Young men are like predators," George began his ears beginning to go red, a sure sign that he was uncomfortable with the subject.

"George," Angelina said also looking rather uncomfortable.

"No Ange let me get it out," George told her before turning his attention back to his daughter. "Young men are like predators and beautiful young girls like you, well, you are their prey."

"Dad I'm dating Sage."

George stopped for a moment bewildered.

"Sage?" he asked.

"As in Sage Longbottom."

Realisation dawned on George's face and James had to stifle the urge to laugh.

"Oh," he said. "I'll just shut up then."

George looked back at Percy who had ceased his "talk" with Lucy to listen to what George had been saying.

"Don't think that lets you off, young lady," Percy warned Lucy.

"Dad," said Lucy firmly, "you know how you didn't want Molly to date Lysander?"

"Of course I do," Percy replied with a scowl.

"Well you didn't manage to stop them dating so you aren't going to stop me."

"Now you listen here ..." Percy began angrily.

"Percy, leave it," said Audrey calmly putting a restraining hand on his arm. "It's Christmas."

"Hey everyone," called Fred's voice suddenly, "it's snowing."

That successfully broke up the arguments and soon enough everyone was crowded at a window to look out at the tiny, dancing snowflakes twirling elegantly down from the sky.

As soon as dinner was finished and the table had been cleared James escaped upstairs to his Uncle Ron's old room with Olly and Fred feeling extremely full. They climbed the stairs laughing at Ron's reaction to Rose dating Scorpius and George's attempt to warn Roxanne about what young boys had no their minds that was more than kisses and holding hands. They fell into Ron's old room practically crying with laughter and when they finally calmed down Fred turned to Olly.

"Did you know Uncle Charlie had asked your mum to marry him?" he asked seriously.

"Yeah I knew," Olly told them with a small smile. "It was years ago when we were about five or six. My mum said no obviously but I don't think Charlie was in love with her. I think he just thought it would be better for my mum and me to have a man around. He would have moved back from Romania to help mum raise me and provide my mum with security of knowing that I was well looked after when she was away."

James frowned a little. He wasn't certain that Olly's assessment was correct. From the conversation that he had been having with his Uncle, James though it would be very likely that Charlie had been in love with Kerr but he didn't voice his opinion. He didn't want Olly to know what he had been discussing with Charlie at the time.

"I felt so bad when everyone kept going on at him about it," Olly continued. "They both made a promise never to tell anyone. They made me promise too."

"You could tell the moment he said it what everyone was thinking," James said remembering the eyes flickering between Olly and Charlie trying to find some form of resemblance.

"That's why they never wanted anyone to know," Olly explained. "Everyone would automatically assume that Charlie was my dad."

"Well you can see why people would jump to that conclusion," Fred said. "I mean I would have thought that too if we didn't already know that you have a twin brother, a Slytherin twin brother at that."

Olly punched Fred in the arm playfully and then laughed when he pounced on her. James just watched them from where he was sitting a tight feeling in his chest. He didn't want this to hurt so much. He wanted everything to be less complicated. He supposed that life never really worked out that way. Merlin, how he wished it did. He would hold Olly in his arms and tell her he loved her. When had he become so soft?

"You know I thought Uncle Ron was going to quite literally explode he was so red," Fred said pulling James back from his thoughts. "It was the way Lily just stood up and shouted it out. Uncle Ron just thought she was pulling his leg. Rosie was brave though."

"It was just so Lily to be honest," Olly laughed. "She's fearless."

"She's also really protective of Uncle Charlie," James added, "but it was brave of Rose to stand up and just tell Uncle Ron. I would not have liked to do that at all but then again I suppose I wouldn't be dating Scorpius Malfoy."

"Not unless there is something you aren't telling us, James," Olly joked with a large grin spread across her face.

"Ha ha," James responded sarcastically.

"Merlin, it's freezing in here," said Fred suddenly getting to his feet and moving towards the window that was open slightly. "Who leaves a window open in the winter?"

He reached to close the window and looked down into the garden to see Ava walking up to the front door with her father Taylor beside her. He turned back into the room with a huge grin on his face which made James roll his eyes and Olly laugh a little.

"Sorry amigos," he said, "but I have to go."

Fred dived out of the room leaving James and Olly alone together.

"Ava will be here then," said Olly with a grin.

"Poor soul," said James sympathetically. "I'd hate to be the first to arrive to a Weasley Christmas party to be honest."

"Oh it's not so bad," said Olly shrugging. "I don't mind so much and I'm sure Ava is used to it what with having Christmas at White Hall usually."

"Do you want to go down and see Taylor and Ava?" James asked her feeling a little awkward. He hadn't been alone with Olly since she had started dating Caruso and for some reason the realisation made him feel uncomfortable.

"No, it's all right," Olly told him. "It's probably best to leave her and Fred to it for a bit."

"Yeah," James agreed.

The lapsed into silence and James felt even more uncomfortable with the strained atmosphere around them. They had been best friends for seventeen years surely they weren't falling apart just because he had fallen for her. He didn't like the idea.

"So Caruso," James ventured.

"What about him?" asked Olly frowning slightly.

"Just wondering why you didn't invite him over for Christmas," James told her honestly.

Olly shrugged.

"I'm already a guest as it is," she said, "and it's not like I'm one of these girls who can't go two weeks with you seeing their boyfriend."

"No, of course, you're not," James agreed quickly.

The silence enveloped them again and James glanced out the window at the still falling snowflakes some of which had become stuck to the window pane. They had started piling up in the corners of the panes making it look like a window for a storybook.

"Oh look," said Olly suddenly, "mistletoe."

James looked up to where Olly was pointing and sure enough, directly above their heads, was mistletoe tied with a pretty red bow. James frowned. What an odd place to hang mistletoe. Surely it would have made more sense to hang it downstairs where everyone would be.

"That's probably Lucy and Lily," James explained. "They were over here a couple of days ago helping gran to decorate."

"Well, it's directly over us," Olly pointed out.

James blushed when he realised what she meant. Mistletoe, the kissing Christmas plant, was above their heads which meant they would have to kiss. James gulped a little at the thought. He supposed he could kiss Olly just as a friend but he didn't think that his complicated feeling would let him ever forget about it.

"Do you ... do you want me to kiss you?" James asked Olly hesitantly.

Olly stared at him for a moment and James could feel his ears turn hot with embarrassment.

"Do you want to kiss me?" Olly seemed to almost breathe the words.

"Well," James said slowly, "it's is mistletoe."

"Okay then," Olly agreed softly edging towards him slightly until her thigh was pressed against his and James could feel the warmth of her skin through to layers of denim. He looked at her and could see that she was a little pink around the face. Olly rarely blushed.

His eyes swept her face taking in his tumbling black hair and her anxious blue eyes. Her lips were slightly parted and he could feel his heart racing in his chest as he leaned towards her. He saw her eyes slide shut and he closed his too.

As their lips touched he felt as though he had been struck with a lightning bolt. Her lips were soft and smooth as she kissed him back. He could taste gravy on her tongue and something unexplained was surging through him. He began to kiss her harder and he wrapped his arms around her waist holding her tight to him. She didn't try to hold back. She seemed to mould her body to his meeting his kiss with equal force and he could feel her hands on his neck slowly moving towards his hair. He could feel the heat of her body through his clothes and lust was rising up within him as he continued with the pressure of his kiss which bore her back onto the bed they were sitting on. She nipped his lip a little with her teeth which surprised him slightly but not enough to stop kissing her.

All he recognised in his head were his feelings of elatedness and lust. Her body was responding to him in equal measure and it delighted him. He had never thought that this would happen but it was happening. He was kissing Olly and she was kissing him back. He hips seemed to jar with his own as he removed one of his arms from around her waist and slipped it down until it was resting on her hip. His fingertips made contact him her skin and she seemed to shiver in his arms. Never in his life had he felt this way.

"Olly, I love you," he gasped slightly breaking the kiss briefly.

"James, I love you too," she breathed back.

Okay so here it is.
The Long awaited Fourteenth chapter.
It's dedicated to vicky199416 for her
unwavering support && amazing ideas.
I am so sorry it took so long
But as you can see it's a masterpiece.
I absolutely adored writing this chapter.
Still it's not about what I think.
It's about what you think.
So please review and tell me what's in your head.
After all reviews are like my jelly tots.

Kerr X.