"Damn." James muttered as everyone gathered around Libby's coffee table for a quick breakfast. "Back to Hogwarts means back to bodyguards."
"Bodyguards?" Libby asked sleepily.
"Hot damn, Libby, you're so forgetful these days." Ruby murmured angrily. She took a sip of coffee. "Sorry, love. You know I'm a grump without the coffee."
"Eh, that's what James loves about you." Draco muttered as he swaggered in behind Harry. "Hogwarts, oh, regal Hogwarts! Let me come to thee and bless thee with my presence."
"Hah." Godric muttered.
"Oh, you know, Libby. The few of us have to have bodyguards, especially you." Reggie reminded her with a somewhat concerned, yet amused look upon her face. "Ruby's not the only one who needs coffee in the morning, I see."
Libby looked around. "Aren't quite a few of us missing?"
"Hit her with a huge shot of coffee, Harry. For Morgana Le Faye's sake, she's forgotten. We're the important people, Libs. We're the ones who need protection." Draco muttered, pouring the coffee cup himself. "You'd think you had bloody Alzheimer's."
"With her mood swings.." James whispered and Libby, after taking a sip, threw her coffee in his face.
James sat in sheer shock at the audacity of his fifteen-minutes-younger sister. And then began chasing her around the room.
Draco and Reggie exchanged puzzled looks, and Ruby and Harry watched with amusement until Libby dove behind Harry for protection.
James sort of froze. His little sister, who, though had been seriously dating Harry for about two years, had always been headstrong and independent. And, if she was dependent on anyone, it was him.
Nobody knew why James had stopped running, hell, Libby began peeking out from behind Harry's shoulder, her hands still resting on his shoulder blades.
"Jamie, love, you alright?" Ruby asked slowly, getting out of her chair. Quite passively, James stomped out of the room, and Ruby ran after him, casting an apologizing glance back to Libby and Harry.
Draco tore his eyes away from the door for a moment. "Regina, a word with you, please."
Libby stood up. "Please."
Draco stood up properly. "Yes, Libs?"
Libby looked down at silent, amazed Harry and back to Draco. "Please, whatever you need to say, go ahead."
Reggie sort of shook her head disapprovingly. "Um, Libby, why don't I talk to you in the boudoir. Let's make sure we didn't leave anything. What about that music box of yours? Did you use it while you were doing your hair?"
Libby, confused, looked from Harry to Reggie and hesitantly got up and followed Reggie to her boudoir.
"Libby, James is pursuing Ruby. Officially. Comes out in the papers tomorrow." Reggie said slowly as Libby placed a few things into the box.
Libby's face scrunched up in confusion. "And why is that such a big deal?"
Reggie gripped Libby on her forearms. "Like you and Harry, this is a done deal."
Libby thought about it for a moment. And then it struck her. "They're getting married?"
Reggie nodded slowly.
"Well, what's the big deal?" Libby asked. "James adores Ruby. Worships her almost."
Reggie sort of looked a bit sick to deliver the news. "While you and Harry were off gallivanting yesterday.."
Libby grinned guiltily at this. She and Harry had been goofing off, reenacting their now infamous rendezvous for Draco, Rhett, Reggie and Harry's siblings, minus a few of the racier details.
"Supposedly James, your father and His Majesty had worked out this whole deal and as happy as Ruby is to actually know who she's been hooked onto.. She basically told James that she didn't love him and didn't think she ever could." Reggie said in one breath. Libby gasped.
"Jamie must be devastated." She murmured. Hell, this young man was her brother, after all. This was the young man that would have grown up by her side.
"He's used to being irresistible, and naturally, his Veela temper.. Fortunately not the same side effects, but.." Reggie trailed off. "Harry's going to get really excited about the pairing, and really angry at the.. Trouble."
Libby nodded, closing the music box. "I'll handle Harry."
"WHAT?"
Libby rolled her eyes. "It seems as if I'm already needed."
"Okay, we've arrived in London and we're going to designate pairs, except for Godric.. He's with a bodyguard only. Regina and Harry, Draco and Liberty, James and Ruby." Rock, who seemed to be the head of their bodyguards, announced. "After that, I want Harry and Liberty in their Prefects' car, James and Regina in their Prefects' car, and the rest of you, Draco and Godric in a car with your bodyguards, and Ruby, you'll be with Virginia Weasley in another car."
"We're Prefects." Libby whispered.
"This sure is an alternate universe." Harry replied softly and Libby giggled.
"Hey! You two! Save the lovey-dovey stuff for the train. You're making a spectacle out of yourselves." Rock commanded, then handing Draco a tabloid. "Okay, you two are the first to go. I leave you in the skilled hands of Thatcher and Bob."
Draco snorted and offered Libby his arm. "Don't you worry, Potter won't get jealous."
Libby scowled at him and he laughed, looking at the paper in his hands. "Nice."
Libby leaned over and looked at it and was shocked to find that during the mere moments when Harry and her had been arguing with her balcony door open, someone had managed to take a rather romantic picture of the pair of them smiling and sort of chatting, perhaps. It truly was a rather pleasant photo.
"Well?" Draco asked as he slipped an arm around her waist.
She looked at him with a confused, somewhat shocked face.
"It's getting suspicious that we're walking through a train station, obviously unrelated and deep in conversation about a photo of you with another boy. Just.. Make it seem like you're some sort of foreign celebrity and I'm your not so happy boyfriend." Draco muttered and Libby looked back to Thatcher and Bob, who had somehow mingled in the crowd and weren't at all thrown by Draco's gestures.
"Oh, vut, darlink, it is onlee a movie, yah?" Libby said loudly in a horrendous Swedish accent.
"Vut, Livvy, you two look avully close." Draco responded in a similar nature.
Libby's eyes surveyed the room, and her eyes fell on Harry's face, so pensive and quiet as he and Reggie made their way through the crowd. The trouble was, it seemed, that the Potters and Reggie had so many famous Muggle relations, that it was hard for them to go through a crowd without recognition. Libby smiled affectionately at the sight of a little girl, maybe about eight, pointing at him with her friends, ooohing and aaahing at the sight of the very handsome billionaire. Suddenly she longed to be by his side and whispering in his ear about pointless, silly things, like her favorite Quidditch team or an article about her in Witch Weekly. But a look of discontentment shadowed her face. It troubled her that she was falling for the very boy who she had hated just three days before. But the instant he caught sight of her, frowning at her discontentment but amused nonetheless, sending her a sly and somehow sexy look that made her giggle and blush.
She turned away, and it still concerned her that he was so much better at this masquerade when she had been pretending all her life.
"You're still not over it yet." Draco commented as they waited for their luggage to be loaded onto a cart. Libby was shaken out of her reverie and she turned to face him solemnly.
"What?" She asked softly, the soft smile still on her face, but the dark logic in her eyes.
"You're not over the fact that you're promised to him, and the only other non-related person you've kissed is me, on a dare when we were seven. Libs, whether you know it or not, you love him and you're growing to fall in love with him. I know that beyond lust and affection for your brother's best friend, you don't think it's much, but it's starting, you know." Draco said wisely, patting her hooked arm with his free hand. "I couldn't have made a better match myself."
Libby looked at him with.. Awed admiration. "You're my best friend, right?"
"I sure hope so." Draco said, mockingly offended.
Libby settled her head on his shoulder for a moment. "Good."
"She's been staring at me." Harry commented with a confused look.
Reggie giggled. "She's falling in love with you."
Harry's concerned scowl darkened. "Wasn't she already?"
Reggie shot him a look of apologizing amusement. "She lusted after you, and she certainly loved you.. As her brother's best friend and a close friend of her own. But Harry, only over the last few days has she begun to actually stare at you with affection, as if you amused her and scared her all at the same time."
She continued to mutter about boys and being daft.
Harry glanced back at her, and his scowl twisted his features even more. She was leaning on Draco, talking with an air of ingenuousness that, for once, suited her.
"Don't get jealous, Harry. They're best friends, and Draco has his eye on Ginger." Reggie commented, not even looking up. "Let's face it, you, too are falling in love with her. For you, it's been sheer lust and awe and now.. Now you're warming up to each other."
Harry's features softened as Draco, who seemed to be chatting with her, looked at her with only his peripheral vision and with the same naïveté she possessed. It was almost as if they were brother and sister rather than she and James.. But he supposed that even in this world, Libby held hostility to the males that took away her father's affection.
Ruby, though she was the royalty, kept a distance of five steps behind James. She was ashamed that she couldn't have.. Spared his feelings. It wasn't that he wasn't attractive.. Hell, he was extremely attractive. But, she was only fourteen. How could she be promised to someone that didn't even have the nerve to ask her out?
But he had his reasons for being upset. According to what Reggie and Libby told her, hell, according to what everyone told her, James was in love with her, worshipped her, and had her on a pedestal.
"He would give his family jewels for you." Libby had crudely commented the week before when rumors began to fly through the staff.
Ruby had blushed and told her to shut up. Why her? Why couldn't James, who easily fit into the entire magical world's most eligible bachelors list towards the top, with Harry, Draco, Bill, Charlie, Fred and George Weasley, choose someone else? He had girls throwing themselves at his feet and at the feet of his friends just to get closer to him. Many had suckered up to Ruby, more than they had simply because she was a princess. James was used to being irresistible. He practically was irresistible. Just not to her.
He was quite handsome, she'd willingly admit. His eyes were deep-set and dark around the edges, but they were blue nonetheless. Her own eyes were blue, playful, sparkling blue like her father's. But James's were brooding and deep, like the Hogwarts lake at night. His hair was the jet black of Harry's, except Harry's had green undertones and James's had blue. He was muscular and tanned and he shared her love for Quidditch, flying and books.
She let out a soft groan of despair. He idolized her, treated her like a goddess. They had so much in common and he certainly was one of the most attractive people she had ever seen. Why couldn't she love him?
James turned around, his anger still seething. But his angel.. She was a bit more unhappy than she would be had she simply felt guilt. As irritating as the sound was, it was also a sign of surrender. Angrily, he stalked closer to her, grabbed at her face gently and pulled it closer to his, planting a furious kiss on her lips.
"There, now be quiet." He ordered, and her hurt shock made his facial features soften. "Oh, come on."
He offered his hand to her and she intertwined her fingers with his. His hand was warm, she noted. He was still angry, but the gentle firmness of his grip told her all she needed to know for the moment.
"Okay, people! Pair up and if you weren't listening, God save you!" Rock shouted over the noise, and people waved jovially in the teenagers' direction.
James let go of Ruby's hand quickly as he walked away, not even looking back at her, and meeting up with Reggie and another pair of prefects, and their two bodyguards went with them.
Draco and Libby parted with smiles, Draco had reassured her that Harry wouldn't hurt her and he left with Godric, one of Godric's pals, and, to Harry and Libby's shock, Ron Weasley.
"Hello, Harry! Heard about the engagement, congrats, old chap! You got her all to yourself, now!" He said with a wink, and Bob and Godric's bodyguard followed them.
Fred, George, Lee and some other guy waved as they boarded, Ruby meet up with Virginia 'Ginger' Weasley, Hermione Granger and another girl, presumably from Ravenclaw.
That left Rock, Thatcher, Harry and Libby. Thatcher handed the pair their prefect badges, and Harry's, much to Libby's amusement, had a crown over his.
"Show off." She whispered and he grinned sheepishly.
"You two have a car to yourselves, and we'll be outside." Rock said in a slightly softer tone than before. "I'm so proud to be serving Your Highnesses."
Harry swore he saw a tear in Rock's eye, but ignored it.
"We'll take your things on board." Thatcher murmured, and Rock led them onto the train.
Libby slightly jumped as Harry's hand softly touched the small of her back. He gently replaced it and they smiled for the people around them, Harry nodding his head with approval at just about everyone, and Libby held back a giggle.
"Congratulations, Libertia." One older woman commented. "My Neville, although he is not of your house, said you are worthy of the crown. My, my, you do have the grace of your future mother-in-law. I remember when she was just a wee girl, younger than you."
Libby put on a dignified smile and leaned over towards Harry, nestling her head on his shoulder, far more lovingly, he noted, than she had to Draco. "Hello."
"Hi." He whispered back. She let out a barely audible giggle of modest, a slight flush gracing her cheeks. She bit her lower lip in what seemed embarrassed flirtation. He ducked his head slightly, turning to whisper in her ear as they continued to search for a compartment. "What have you been seeing lately?"
Libby thought of their first kiss in her boudoir. She had to stand on her tiptoes to whisper, and she knew someone would flash a photo which should look awfully romantic. "I've seen… James's reaction to our relationship.. How you gave me my music box.. And our first kiss."
Harry kept his gaze straight ahead, though Libby could clearly see him raise one eyebrow in interest and smile coyly.
Seamus Finnigan passed by, without Dean Thomas for once, and winked in their direction. "There's an empty compartment next to mine, Harry, Libs."
Libby murmured some thanks before rushing them onto the train.
Draco Frost was restless. Godric, Ron and Godric's friend Christian were chatting animatedly about Quodpot and Draco found it easy to duck out of their compartment. Now all he had to find was Ruby's bodyguard in order to find.. Ginger.
Ginger Weasley plagued his thoughts through every vacation. Many drew a comparison between her and Ruby, both being redheaded Gryffindors with a temper. But there was a severe difference, Draco knew, or else he would have had his way with Ruby by now, just for redemption.
Ginger, for one, was a very fair girl. Smaller, too. The Potters had a history of being regally tall, so Ruby was a good half a head taller than Ginger. Their eyes were also a strikingly different color. Ginger's eyes were a dark, sultry brown, and Ruby's were a playful blue. They also made their faces up differently. Ruby had a tendency to put light, sparkling shadows on her eyelids and had her lashes combed and separated, with a dark pink gloss on her lips. Ginger, instead, wore smoky brown colors with black eyeliner, curled but full lashes, and a matte, subtle peach tone on her lips. Ruby wore layers of sheer pastels, Ginger stuck to jewel tones of chenille. Ruby liked Quidditch, Ginger liked Quodpot. Ruby stuck to her books, Ginger didn't like to study. Ruby liked ballroom dancing, perhaps even the tango. But Ginger liked to go clubbing, and was excellent at meringue, salsa, flamenco.. Any of the Latin dances and swing. Both were overshadowed by one or more brothers, but still shone for their temper, their beauty, their dignity and their intelligence.
He nodded his head at Ruby's bodyguard, leaving his own five feet behind. He slid the door of their compartment open and leaned in the doorway casually. "Ladies, how are we today?"
Hermione and Patricia blushed, Ruby rolled her eyes and Ginger, Ginger merely smirked at him. She and Ruby were oblivious to his charms, supposedly.
"What do you want, Frost? Not enough room in my brother's compartment for four boys and your ego?" Ruby asked, not even looking up from her magazine, but he could tell she was joking.
"What makes you think I didn't just want to come here for the pleasure of your company, Your Highness? I lust after you." Draco joked, standing up and walking over to the seat where Ruby and Ginger sat, squeezing between them.
"Oh, no, not another one." Ruby joked. "You're physically taking up too much room, Draco. Guess that's why they kicked you out."
"Any of you are free to help give us space." Draco joked, patting his knee invitingly. "Actually, when I left, Christian, Godric and Ron were in a spirited conversation about Quodpot. Godric, Dite and Jadelyn went to New York City for the holiday."
Ginger got up and obliged his request, throwing her arms around his neck casually and began conversing with everyone as if she was still sitting squeezed in her seat. "Quodpot.. My favorite! I love how things explode."
"Rather uncivilized, don't you think?" Hermione asked timidly, and Ginger laughed.
"Not all of us are princesses." She quipped with a smirk. "Some of us would settle for Draco here."
Draco raised an eyebrow, turning to face Ginger. "Settle? I'll have you know I made the most eligible bachelor's list once again. Number four. Lost the third spot to your brother Bill."
Ginger pinched his cheek playfully. "Aw, maybe next year, love."
Draco put on the pained puppy face. "Still hurts."
Ginger planted a loud smack on his cheek. "All better."
He smirked at her. "Not yet."
She shook a finger at him playfully. "Nuh-uh, Sir Draco. Naughty, naughty."
Sliding his arms around her waist, he whispered, "You know it."
Neville Longbottom, the Ravenclaw, settled in his seat in James Black's compartment, flipping through an album of headlines. "Your sister and Harry sure are tearing up the papers. Muggle and magic. Billionaire son of Lily Evans-Potter dating schoolmate, daughter of foreign dignitary Liberty Black. Gryffindor Minister of Magic's daughter dating Gryffindor prince. It's getting serious, isn't it?"
"Neville," Reggie began curtly. "They're getting married a year after grad."
Neville's mouth dropped open and James nodded, but quickly returned to brooding. Mandy Brocklehurst, the final Ravenclaw set to join them, skipped in with treats. "Here." They all took a snack cake. "James, I heard about your sister's engagement. Congratulations!"
James grunted some sort of reply and Reggie rolled her eyes.
"Don't mind him, Mandy." She insisted. "Troubles in paradise."
Mandy looked surprised. "Perfect James Black, number two on the most eligible bachelors' list, part-Veela with Quidditch, money, grades, personality and of course, those looks? Troubled?"
Reggie nodded. "And for once, he's not being melodramatic."
James scowled at her, but then looked out the window again. "It's a long story, Mandy."
Reggie mouthed, "Ruby."
The other two nodded understandingly. Everyone in the Ravenclaw house knew that James Black, definitely one of the school's most popular boys, and for good reason, liked Ruby Potter. It never bothered anybody except for himself. "Just let me brood, okay?"
Reggie shrugged and turned back to her magazine, smirking at the photo of James posing in a cool, somewhat meditative façade. "Pre-Ruby, definitely."
"Well, it was a game of spin the bottle." Libby finished in a low voice, straddling his lap. "You opened your mouth in surprise.. And there I was, making out with you with my brother and all of our friends just five feet away."
"Tell me more.." Harry whispered, and the slamming open of their compartment door made Libby jump in surprise and land on her back on the floor.
"Jesus, could you two quit it?" Seamus Finnigan asked as he sat down next to Harry. Dean helped Libby up and she settled in the seat across from Harry's next to the window, with Dean at her side. "Everywhere you two are snogging. The library.."
"The Common Room.." Dean added playfully.
"The Great Hall, the Entrance Hall, class, the Quidditch field, your dormitory, our dormitory, for Merlin's sake, just sit on your hands and keep your lips to yourself!" Seamus scolded.
Dean crossed his arms. "So, Seamus, how's Reggie doing?"
Seamus blushed and turned away, muttering. Libby and Harry burst out into laughter.
"We came in because it was too quiet. Normally you two are yelling your heads off or.. Snogging." Dean said with a teasing smirk. "What, Potter, not working the good old royal charm?"
Harry grinned sheepishly, causing Libby to shoot him a glare, and then, as if he were a child with his hand caught in the cookie jar, he said, "Nah, it's rather Libby hasn't started working the Marauder charm.. I know I'm irresistible, but, geez, Libby, you don't have to throw yourself at me."
Libby's eyes darkened. "Oh, I'll throw myself at you."
"Okay, okay, break it up. Things are back to normal, I see. But we're not sure we can leave you two alone." Seamus proclaimed regally. "As future Head Boy…"
"HAH!" Dean interjected, and Seamus ignored him.
"As future Head Boy, I can't allow these PDAs to go on." Seamus said, turning his nose up in the air.
"There is no affection to publicly display, Mister Finnigan." Libby said in a level tone.
Seamus smirked. "We'll see if next week's copy of Witch Weekly will prove otherwise."