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Chapter 3

Trustworthy

James' POV

He watched as the sunlight rippled of the small waves in the pool. Every time the water calmed he kicked a foot to stir it back up.

"Hey gorgeous, you look deep in thought" came Alice's voice from behind him. He smiled and shrugged at her as she wandered over to sit beside him.

"So are you going to tell me what is going through that messy head of yours or are you going to make the only girl that truly loves you to pieces guess?"

"Just the same old stuff Al." he muttered before laying back onto his elbows.

"Oh, I see, I see Lily stuff. I swear you aren't capable of thinking of anyone else." She said before flipping her ponytail and rolling her eyes.

"I can too think of other people. I think about Sirius and Remus and Pete all the time." He argued, and then felt himself blush as she raised her eyebrows seductively at him.

"Well, well, the truth comes out. It's no wonder we make such good friends you think Sirius is cute too? Tell me how are his abs with out a shirt? So all this Lily-mindedness was just a ploy? I am glad to know, I was getting a complex."

"A complex huh? I wouldn't worry too much. You are more than stunning in that two piece Little Miss Gryffindor and for the record my abs are way better than Siri's."

She giggled at his response.

"Egh, I guess you have an alight tummy. I've seen better." Alice joked before feeling herself being pushed into the water. "James Charles Potter I swear I am going to hurt you." She growled as she swam up to his knees.

"In all seriousness Allie…Why have we never dated? I mean, it isn't like we haven't had the opportunity."

She seemed to seriously think about the question before answering.

"Well, you were a gross boy until about third year, and then you have been obsessed with my best friend since first year…And honestly I don't think either of us have really ever thought about us that way. Do you know what I mean?"

He nodded his head thoughtfully in response.

"Yeah, though I think saying I was obsessed is a bit much."

He watched her as she floated onto her back and called back lazily to him.

"Why do you ask?"

"No reason, it was just something Sirius said to me, and I was thinking how insane it is that our parents trust us home alone together... I mean we are 16 and you would think they would worry about us." he watched as she floated over to his knees and felt her grab them for support.

"Should they worry?" she asked as he sat back up to look at her upturned sun-kissed face, his mouth went dry but he took hold of his marauder nerve and slipped into the pool right in front of her.

They were so close their bare stomachs were touching. He pushed the dripping tendrils out of her face.

"I dunno, right now they probably might should worry."

He was glad when she leaned forward towards him first. He had a lot of experience with getting smacked for going in for a kiss. Of course he had only really tried to kiss Lily before now so he didn't have much to go on. He met her half way and felt her squeeze his shoulder as their lips met for the first time.

It was a gentle, nervous, tentative kiss and they both pulled away and looked at each other with a slightly dazed smirk on their face. James wasn't sure what to say so he just wiped a droplet of water off her face. He hands seemed to be in the way. He didn't know where to put them. He had limited numbers of options right now.

"Yes, uhm, yes, Jamie, they might should worry a little bit." She stuttered before putting her hand on the back of her head and forcing his lips back down to hers.

It didn't take much effort he went willingly. He was surprised when he noticed his arm around her waist, his hand resting on the, very bare, small of her back. His other hand was gripping her knee pulling her higher up to a more easily accessible position. These kisses were much less chaste and did not break apart for several minutes.

He released her from his hold as he pulled back, grinning as both of them gasped for air. Neither seemed certain of what to say but Alice broke the nervous tension easily by taking his momentary shock and dunking him under the water. Causing certainly not the first water fight between the two but it was definitely the first sexually charged water fight they had ever had. It gave it a whole new light.

OoOoOoOoO

James was laying in his bed late that night when he heard his door open slightly and a small whisper sounded through his room.

"James? Are you asleep?" she asked.

He chuckled at his long-time friend.

"Well if I was I am not now." He teased as she walked over and stood next to the bed.

"Can I sit down?" she said with a nervous edge.

He cocked his head questioningly though he knew she couldn't see it in the dark.

"Since when do you ask if you can sit on my bed? You have slept in here before for Merlin's sake."

He felt the bed sink as she sat beside him and curled so she was wrapping her arms around her knees.

"Did we do something stupid today?" she said softly, obviously afraid to ask.

In fact he was certain if there was anyone else in this house she would have been talking to them about it instead of him.

He tugged her arms free from her legs and pulled her to lay beside him.

"I don't think so. I mean you will always and forever be my friend, nothing that happened could change that Allie. Nothing at all. Do you think we made a mistake?"

It took her a second to respond.

"No, not really. I guess I just know how you feel about Lils and I know that we are great friends and our parents are friends and I don't know that either of us could ever be in a serious relationship with each other. I don't want to get hurt, and I don't want you to get hurt either."

"First, I feel no way about Lily. I had a crush on her. That is it. She has been completely open with how she feels towards me, that chapter is done. Now, do you want to be in a serious relationship?" he asked confused.

"James, that is a very loaded question."

"No, it's not, really. Just be honest. Here's the thing, I will not hurt you Alice. If you don't want to do that again, great, we won't no big deal. If you do want to do that again, GREAT, no pushing no strings. Unless you want strings I guess. The thing is that first and foremost you are one of my very best friends. You are certainly my longest friend. I will do what you want because I refuse to hurt or lose you. End of story. I won't be hurt either way. Now, do you want a relationship?"

He smiled as he felt her fingers twirling the hair on the top of his head, she had played with his hair since they were small.

"Well, I did enjoy this afternoon. Probably more than I should have to be honest. But I do not think I want a serious relationship, but I really, really want to stay friends. And I really think I want to do that again." She replied.

He could hear the embarrassment in her voice and could almost imagine the color of red on her cheeks. He was glad she did not want an actual relationship, he wasn't sure he was ready for that.

"Well I think we can effectively make all of those things happen. I am after all, always willing to help out a friend." He joked before planting a kiss on her nose. "Willing I may be, but stupid I am not, and I am not certain that snogging in my bed in bed clothes, in a house alone is the smartest thing to be doing." He said as their lips were inches apart.

"Well, I think I have enough control for the both of us." She answered before pulling him into another scorching kiss.

oOoOoOoO

It had been several days and a couple of kisses later that found James sitting in a chair in the den and Alice straddling his lap kissing him. Neither of them were certain on how this whole newfound game was going to work once they were around other people but for now…They weren't worried about it. They were both having fun, and who better to have fun with than one of your very best friends?

They were enthralled in a deep kiss when they heard the sounds of the fireplace roaring to life and James caught a semi familiar voice.

"Oi, prat, help me over here!" Regulus yelled from the floor about ten feet away.

James' eyes got huge once he stood up and saw a bloodied, unconscious Sirius laying at the feet of his brother.

"What the hell happened to him?" he shouted.

The younger boy flinched at the anger in his voice.

"A lot, just, just fix him alright. And don't send him back this summer, at all. It won't be good if you do." The nervous looking Slytherin said as he rushed back into the fire and disappeared.

"Alice. Go get my school bag, it's in my trunk in my room. And get Boppy to come get his stuff. He knows where to take it."

It did not take her long to get back with the bad and for him to extract the enchanted parchment he needed from it. Alice watched over Sirius while James spoke directly to the parchment. Alice knew that his mother always carried hers with her even while at the hospital she had it on her, just as surely as she had it now. Her son always came first even in war, he came first.

"Mum, I need you, Sirius needs you. Please, he is barely breathing, please can you come home, or send help. Anything, please hurry. I can't take him to the hospital, please mum."

The pleading was evident in his voice. His fear was blatant on his face as he threw the unfurled roll across the floor and pulled his friend into his arms.

"Please wake up Siri. Come on pads, wake up." He begged, barely noticing as the fire once again turned green and his mother rushed through.

oOoOoOoOoOoO

Sirius was sleeping in the bed in what had been "his room" for the last 3 years. Madeline Potter had healed him the best she could, though most if not all of his injuries had been caused by dark magic and the bruises and cuts would take a while to heal. She had mended his cracked ribs and knocked him completely out with pain potions. She had just finished writing out instructions for James to follow to keep his friend safe and healthy when she turned to speak to him.

He was standing by the doorway, looking terrified. Alice was standing beside him with her face buried in the side of his chest, tears streaming down her face still. This had been a big shock to them both.

"I have to get back to the mobile hospital. I can not stay. But I will be back tomorrow night to check on him. Just call if you need me."

She took a second look at the two teens standing in front of her. Both had looked up at her as she spoke. Taking particular notice of the fact that they were both in swimwear and that her son's fingers were tracing a pattern on the bare side of one Miss Alice Prewitt, she looked at them both with raised eyebrows. They seemed to realize what they were doing and immediately stepped apart, identical blushes instantly appearing on their faces.

"On second thought, James I am sending your older cousin Frank to stay over here with you three. I think…Given recent events that you three may need supervision. Alice, your mum told me to tell you she loves you and misses you. And both of you…Do behave." She warned before walking back downstairs. "Alice watch Sirius for me for a minute while Jamie helps me to the fire."

James glanced over at the beet red girl and followed his mother out of the room and down the spiral staircase. She did not speak until they were in front of the fire.

"James?"

"Yes, Ma'am" he replied, looking at his bare feet.

"Please use that head of yours and be sensible for me." She said firmly.

He nodded.

"I am mum."

"You aren't son…Lily?"

"Is nothing, we have never been anything, she is just…WAS just an infatuation, not anymore. And Alice is just my friend, like always." He replied quickly. "Do we have to talk about this? Can't you send Dad?"

"Yes we have to talk about this, and no I can't send dad, he is busy. And that looked anything but "like always", either way, Frank will be here soon. Don't argue. And behave and listen. He is already an auror he can arrest you."

James laughed at his mother's dramatics before kissing her and watching her disappear.

oOoOoO

It was maybe five minutes later when he walked through Sirius' door wearing a white Tshirt pulled on with his swim shorts. Alice looked at him suspiciously he grinned.

"Apparently we are no longer trusted…"