Chapter Twenty- Five – The Hogwarts Express, again
"THEY"RE OVER! WE DID IT!" Freddy screamed as they were told to put their pens down at the end of the final written examination for Defence Against the Dark Arts.
Ruby laughed loudly with the rest of her year as they all ran out into the golden sunshine, which to Ruby was just perfect even if all her friends were red in the face and fanning themselves under its heat.
"We're free!" James said laughing and picking Ruby up.
"JAMES!" Ruby yelled more out of habit than any real annoyance at his action.
"RUBY!" He yelled back swinging her through the air and Ruby marvelled at his strength.
"FREEDOM!" Chase yelled running towards the lake and Ruby felt James turn around as he made to sprint after him. It seemed all of the fifth years joined them as they ran down the hill and Ruby noticed she wasn't the only girlfriend enjoying the sensation of being carried by her man.
However none of them were as gorgeous as James and Ruby felt a little smug about that. Mine. She thought.
"What?" James asked and Ruby felt her cheeks warm. She hadn't meant to say that aloud.
"Did you just go all possessive on me and say "mine"?" James demanded putting Ruby down and staring at her incredulously.
"Maybe." She mumbled to the ground, feeling silly.
James stared at her for a moment before laughing.
"Do you know how smug that makes me feel? That you're getting jealous over me? When half the guys in the school really want you? Oh Rubes, you have no idea how sexy that is." James said shaking his head.
"Why don't you show me?" Ruby suggested putting James' arms around her firmly.
"I love you Rubes." Was all James said, not even moving in to kiss her just keeping his arms around her and Ruby smiled.
"I love you more." Ruby replied poking out her tongue at him and James gave her a disbelieving look.
"Impossible."
"But true." Ruby countered resting her head on James' shoulder.
"Hey Rubes?"
"Yes James?"
"Be my date for Teddy and Victorie's wedding?"
"I thought that was a given." Ruby said in surprise.
"Probably but I felt like asking all the same. So will you?" James said with a cute crooked grin.
"Of course James, how could I say no to such a pretty face?" Ruby answered with a laugh kissing James on the forehead and smiling as his deep brown eyes crinkled at the edges with supressed laughter.
"By covering it with a blanket." Louis suggested and Ruby turned around to yell at him only too be pitched into the lake, James tumbling after her.
Ruby came to the surface of the lake spluttering only to see Marie' and Nate laughing hysterically at the edge from which Ruby and James had just fallen.
"BITCHES!" Ruby screamed up at Marie' but that only made them laugh harder.
"Train to Platform Nine and Three Quarters is leaving in two hours! Hurry now!" McGonagall was yelling over the confusing and loud bustle of students headed for home.
"LILY! AL!" James yelled looking around for his brother and sister frantically. As the eldest James was responsible for both of his siblings and he was not going to let them leave without checking they had all their things.
"Calm down James, I'm right here." Lily said coming up to him heaving her trunk as she went.
"Where's Ed?" James asked looking around for a sign of Lily's black and white cat.
"Oh, he'll turn up." Lily said with a nonchalant grin.
"No he won't just "turn up", you my little sister will go and find him." James ordered his tone forceful and Lily rolled her eyes with a sigh.
"Alright, alright. Gosh." Lily said with an obnoxious grin.
"Then go and do that. If you don't have him in ten minutes I'll summon him, no matter how much he hates it." James replied pointedly. "You can leave your trunk with me though." He added so that Lily didn't pout.
"Will you charm it for me?" Lily asked hopefully.
"If it will make you go and find Ed then yes."
"Yay!" Lily said and then she scampered off too find Ed.
Joey hooted wisely at James as if too say that Lily was young and silly and James nodded in agreement.
"That much is certain." He muttered to the owl then with a sigh James pulled out his wand and pointed it at Lily's trunks.
"Wingardium Leviosaur. Locomotor Lily."
James nodded in satisfaction as Lily's trunks levitated in the air then zoomed after her.
"THANKS JAMES!" She yelled grinning.
"Welcome!" James called back then did the same to his trunks although he carried Joey's cage. Joey was a fussy bird.
"James! Have you seen Waffles?" It was Al looking anxious.
"Who the hell is Waffles?"
"Scorpious' cat, she ran off." Al explained.
"Right, well no. Have you got everything?"
"Yes, I'm set. Hey! You charmed Lily's trunks? No fair!" Al said suddenly.
James pulled out his wand wearily wishing this day were over. He hated the last day of term.
"Wingardium Leviosaur. Locomotor Albus."
"Thanks James!" Al said with a wicked grin.
"That's fine but you are not looking for Waffles. Go and get a carriage." James ordered.
"But –"
"Now Al."
Grumbling Al stalked off towards the carriages, his trunk happily following after him.
"Ugh I am glad that is over." James said with a sigh, sitting down beside Ruby.
"I know what you mean Dominique had me spend an hour looking for some lipstick or something – she'd see it next year if it got lost!" Louis agreed his tone exasperated.
"We're the same, we drive Roxy up the wall." Chase said with a lazy grin.
"You should be shot." James said and Ruby noticed that he looked about ready to kill, so sensing the danger Ruby put her arm around James.
James glanced at Ruby his expression faintly annoyed, Ruby cocked an eyebrow at him and his expression softened.
"Calm down James." Was all she said but her look was enough.
"Ohhh James, Ruby has spoken!" Freddy said with a laugh. James looked like he wanted to retort but another glance at Ruby made him take it silently.
"He's whipped." Nate said with a nod and the other's snorted while Delilah laughed outright.
"Oh I nearly forgot, Rubes we have to get to Diagon Alley sometime soon!" Delilah said sometime after the trolley had been through and they were all surrounded by lollies or as James had said;
"You're not in Australia Rubes, they're sweets. Not lollies or whatever."
"Why do we have to go to Diagon Alley?" Ruby asked looking up from her cauldron cakes.
"Honey, we're going to a wedding, all new clothes required!" Delilah practically squeaked causing them all to stare at her. Delilah flushed a little and coughed.
"Sorry Nate's voice must be breaking again. God that was horrible!" Delilah said shuddering in remembrance and Nate smacked his sister over the head.
"Shut up Lilah."
"It was! Half the time I spoke with a guy's voice! Seriously, it was so not cool." Delilah said in a whiney voice. "Anyway Ruby we need new everything for the wedding, make sure we look spectacular. Arrange the parents and we're off. Alright?"
"Sounds like a plan." Ruby agreed.
James climbed off the train with his trunk following him and began looking around for his family. End of year was less of a gathering then Christmas as a whole they tended to stick to their immediate family groups.
James craned his neck and managed to sight his Dad standing with Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione all smiling their faces distant, remembering some adventure or other.
"James!" It was his mother.
"Mum!" James said hugging her tightly. No matter how busy or distracting things got James always missed his mother, it was good to come home.
"How are you dear?" His mother asked once she was sure he was in one piece. "Fine, great actually!" He said thinking of Ruby, not that that was unusual.
"Let me guess, Ruby?" James flushed as his mother read him like a book.
"Uh well yeah." He admitted.
"She's nice, Ruby will make a wonderful daughter-in-law."
"But Mum we're sixteen, don't you, I don't know, think we're too young or something?" James demanded in shock and Ginny rolled her eyes.
"James do you know who my first crush was?" Ginny asked patiently.
"Eww Mum I don't want to know!" James protested
"Your father." Ginny said and James looked at her in amazement.
"Seriously?"
"Seriously. I had a thing for your father since he was a first year. I was ten. Some people have to test the waters a bit before they find someone that matches them well; others find them at the first go. Age is only a number James. Look at Ron for instance, he could be a third year." Ginny said ending a profound speech with a roll of her eyes.
"I'll keep that in mind." James said and then moved out of the way so that Al and Lily could get to their mother for their hugs and advice.
Ruby and Louis were the last two out of the compartment. James had already gone ahead to meet his family but Ruby wasn't too concerned about seeing him off. Ginny and Nadia were best friends after all.
"Well you survived a year at Hogwarts." Louis said with a grin.
"Guess I did, you guys survived a year with a crazy Aussie." Ruby replied matching his grin.
"You still coming back next year?" Louis asked only half-joking.
"What go and leave James to return to his arrogant womanising ways? No way, he needs someone with a firm hand to keep him in line." Ruby said with a laugh.
"It wouldn't be the same without you Ruby, truly wouldn't." Louis said and Ruby hugged the dazzlingly perfect and completely insane boy that had become her best friend.
"I doubt I could leave." Ruby replied then the two of them shook of the awkwardness of the moment and walked out onto the platform.
"See you at the wedding!" Louis called back to her with a wave. Ruby waved back and set off too find her parents. She didn't have long to look.
"Ruby." It was Nadia, alone this time and smiling radiantly.
"Nads." Ruby said hugging her stepmother, or stepmother to be really but it was the same thing essentially.
"Ready to go home?"
"Yeah, it's going to take forever to get the right outfit for this wedding."
Ruby turned walking with Nadia towards the barrier only to be called back.
"Ruby! Are you not saying goodbye to me?"
Who else could make a sentence sound that awkward? It was Marie'.
"Of course I am going to say goodbye!" Ruby said turning around to hug the tall black-haired girl.
"I will miss you." Marie' said with a sad sort of smile.
"Aren't you coming back next year? You were supposed too!"
"Eet is a 'ard decision." Marie' replied looking away.
"No! You are staying, you have no choice in the matter." Ruby said folding her arms and glaring at the French girl.
"Ruby don't be ridiculous. Eet iz not for you to decide." Marie' said rolling her eyes heavenward.
"Tough. I decided. Deal with it."
Unexpectedly Marie' laughed.
"Fine! I surrender! First Abbey and Wendy, then Reid, then Louis, then Nate and now you! I will stay."
"Good. Do that." Ruby replied then she gave her friend another hug. "See you next year Marie'!"
"Next year Ruby! Do not be being late!" Then Marie' laughed but Marie' was a little insane so it was normal.
"Ready to go now?" Nadia asked with a smile at her stepdaughter.
"I hope so." Ruby replied thinking hard.
"RUBES!"
"Or not." Said Ruby turning to face James.
"Just one thing before you go." He said and Ruby smiled at him expectantly.
James wrapped his arms around Ruby pulling her in close and kissed her soundly on the lips for several long and blissful moments. Then he released her and grinned.
"Bye Rubes, love you!" He yelled and then ran back towards his own family. Ruby felt her eyes widen at his loud and public announcement that he loved her and she felt herself smile in return.
"See ya James! Love you more!" She called back.
"Bullshit!" Was his only reply and then he was out of sight.
People were staring but Ruby was more used to staring then ever, it didn't matter.
"I think I'm ready now." Ruby said to Nadia who was smiling slightly.
"You sure?" She asked with a laugh.
"Positive." Ruby replied and the two of them pushed through the barrier.