You can thank the Harry Potter Weekend on ABC Family for this chapter, it kind of renewed my love for HP and the fandom. Not that it ever went away, it just sort of went on a vacation. Anyway, enough ranting -here's the new chapter!
"I want you to come home with me over the holiday," Sev said as we lay together on one of the couches in the Slytherin common room. "I want you to meet my parents."
I was leaning back against the arm of the couch with a pillow under my head and he was laying back against my chest. This was my absolute favorite way to lay with him, mostly because I loved his hair so much and in this position I reach it easily.
"I've already met your parents, love," I replied, twisting my fingers in his hair without opening my eyes. "Multiple times."
"Yeah, as Stef's little sister and James' mate. I want them to meet you as my girlfriend," he replied, kissing the inside of my wrist lazily. "If you want to, I mean, I don't want to push you into anything."
Sev and I have been together for over a month now. Things were so good between us; he made my insides fluttery all the time. Even though I tried to fight it, there was a dark shadow in the back of my mind constantly -the thought of him walking away and finding someone better. I hadn't voiced it to him exactly, but I'm almost positive he knew what I was thinking –he usually did.
"I'd do anything for you, you know that," I replied, kissing his mess of curls. "I'm just nervous…"
That made him stir in my embrace and sit up so he could look at me. My bottom lip was between my teeth and my eyebrows were furrowed. I wasn't lying when I said I was nervous, I really cared about Sev and wanted his parents to approve of me as his girlfriend.
"Why're you nervous? Mum and dad adore you and so do James and Lily," Sev told me, pulling my bottom lip from my teeth with his thumb and grazing it absentmindedly.
I sighed and tucked my head under his chin, allowing him to hold me close this time. "I'm just afraid they're not going to approve and you're going to leave."
My voice was so small and hollow it embarrassed me. If it wasn't Sev, I probably would've thrown up my wall and stormed off. He understood me more than anyone ever had in my life and deserved more than that. Even when I was difficult for dumb reasons, he was patient and worked through it with me until I was okay again.
He took both sides of my face in his hands and forced me to hold his gaze when he finally spoke. "I am not going to leave you, I swear it on everything in me. I want you all the time for as long as you want me, probably longer."
I pushed forward and connected our lips, maneuvering myself onto his lap to get closer to him. Just like always, his hands stuttered for a couple seconds as he tried to figure out where to put them to remain respectful. I just focused on kissing him and let him figure out his hand placement on his own.
I was kissing his neck and tugging his unruly mane of hair playfully when I heard someone clear their throat behind us. Austyn and Alexia must be here from Hogsmeade. We were going to have a film night in the Room of Requirement with Sev, Scorpius, and Rose tonight. I guess things were set up and the two of us were missing, I lost track of time way too easily when I was with Sev.
"We're coming, we're coming!" I sighed, pulling back from Sev and fixing his glasses that I'd knocked sideways in my haste. "Come on, love. We've got to go be social with our friends."
He just nodded and looked at me with the same amazed expression he always had when we kissed. I absolutely lived for that look. It was everything I ever wanted in a relationship. Everything I never knew was possible before Albus Severus Potter.
His fingers were laced with mine as we followed Alexia and Austyn down the corridor. Lexi kept looking back at me with a huge, contagious smile that pulled at my own lips. She was so supportive of Sev and me it was almost embarrassing. Austyn was still upset over how I treated Brynn, but I think that was because she fancied him a bit. I just wasn't sure enough to voice it out loud to anyone other than Sev who didn't really know either of them or care about their romantic feelings.
The Room looked so comfy, the girls nailed it! Scorpius and Rose were sitting on pillows near each other, but they weren't exactly touching yet. I'm sure by the time the night ended, they'd be cuddled up. It was only a matter of time before the two of them got over everything standing in their way and got together. I knew better than to pry, they were the kind of people that only did what they wanted when they wanted.
Sev sat down in one of the big bean bags and pulled me onto his lap, getting us both comfortable. I just grinned and kissed his jaw before looking at the screen with the film playing on it. I'd seen if before in at the cinema with a couple muggle friends last summer, but I didn't want to ruin the night.
"So do you want to come home with me for a few days during the break?" he asked again in a whisper, trying to not disturb the others.
"Yes, I'd do anything for you," I repeated with a grin, kissing his cheek a couple times. "I just hope they approve of us as much as James."
He kissed above my ear before settling back to watch the movie. This was nice, I liked that all my friends got on with each other. I glanced over at Rose and Scorpius and saw his hand resting on top of hers with his fingers in between. That was exactly what I thought would happen, it was good to know I was right. When you were loved up and happy, you wanted everyone else to be the same.
"These exams have killed me. I am a shell of a human being now," I sighed, flopping back onto the couch after Alexia, Austyn, and I got back from taking our final exam. "I can't believe they're over. I thought they would drag on FOREVER."
"Are you kidding me? They DID last forever!" Austyn cried, moving my legs and sitting underneath them. "If I never hear 'expand on the idea' again in my life, it'll be too soon."
"Uhm, can I join in?" Brynn's quiet voice asked, making all three of us look over to the door where he was standing. "I miss you guys."
Brynn and I haven't talked since that day on the Pitch. I didn't want to push or pry, I wanted him to deal with things on his own and come to terms with them. Even with that being said, guilt settled in the pit of my stomach like a stone.
"Hey," I said awkwardly.
Austyn jumped up and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, flipping me to the floor in the process. I groaned when my elbow hit the table and my hip hit the cobblestone floor, bruises would probably be in those places tomorrow. Alexia grabbed my arm and pulled me back onto the couch, sitting beside me and watching the other two hug each other.
"So, is this a good time to tell you I have a theory that Austyn is in love with Brynn?" I asked in a quiet voice, watching the two of them hug each other fiercely.
She nodded her head before looking at the two of them with big eyes. When they let go of each other and looked over at Alexia and I, both of their cheeks flushed. They each looked all around the room instead of at each other or us.
"We missed you, too. I'm sorry I made you feel like you couldn't be around us anymore," I said reluctantly. "I still want you to be my best friend, if that's what you want."
"Yes! I want everything to be like it was before I ruined it," he replied, looking at me with hopeful eyes. "I'm so sorry I made things weird! It wasn't my intention, I swear, I just didn't want to lie to you anymore, any of you."
"Awkwardness forgotten," Alexia announced, pulling me to my feet and grabbing us all for a group hug. "We're all best mates again and the weirdness is over."
"So, what's up with you and Sev? Are you guys a couple now?" he asked after we'd situated ourselves around the common room together. "Don't be afraid to say anything, I'm good with it now."
I scoffed and threw a pillow at him, hitting him in the face. "Don't act like I'm so easy to get over! I'm a catch!"
"So you're going with him to meet his family, right?" Alexia asked, trying to find out information instead of watching our painfully awkward attempt at banter.
"Yeah, he said it'll be different coming home with him as his girlfriend instead of Stef's little sister or James' mate," I explained, tucking my knees underneath me and sitting on the couch. "I'm kind of nervous. Like, what am I going to do if they don't approve?"
"Bullocks!" Austyn cried, making the rest of us laugh. "He's head over heels for you, Merlin's beard! James loves that you're together so I'm sure his family will as well. Don't second guess everything, just do it and be happy."
"She's right, vulgar but right," Lexi sighed, wrapping draping her arm around my shoulder. "His parents are going to love you just like he does."
"I don't know if Sev loves me. That's a really big word," I replied, chewing on my lip nervously. "Is that what this is? Going home with him because he loves me?"
My lungs started to constrict at the thought. Sev was in love with me, he was in love with me and I didn't know if I was in love with him. What if I couldn't love anyone because of my dad? What if I was physically incapable of ever loving someone romantically?
"Guys, what if I can't love someone romantically? What if I'm too messed up to ever feel that way because of my dad?" I asked, tears coloring my voice.
What if I'm damaged goods? No one wants damaged goods.
Thanks for reading!