"Natalya! It's absolutely wonderful to see you dear!" Ginny beamed as she pulled me in for a hug. I smiled through the bone-crushing pain.
"It's great to see you to Mrs. Potter!" I replied as she let go and my oxygen supply returned. She looked ready to scold me for not calling her Ginny when Harry came forward and hugged me.
"Always great to have you in our home." he smiled at me.
"I can't tell you how much I appreciate you letting me stay here. I mean, I stay here a few days in the summer but letting my stay the whole holiday is just fabulous." I said happily. James draped his arm over my shoulder.
"Think nothing of it dear. We are thrilled to have you here." Ginny stated.
"Yeah, you keep our son in line better than we ever could." Harry chuckled. I laughed with him and James flicked my ear.
"I am a perfect young man without miss Wood's assistance." James stated indignantly. Everyone burst out laughing and he scowled.
"Well you almost didn't have it for a while there." Lily commented. Harry raised his eyebrows and Ginny looked between the two of us with concern.
"Lily!" James and I groaned together. She shrugged and plopped down on the over stuffed couch in the living room.
"What does she mean by that James?" his mum questioned in a stern voice.
"Nothing." he said glaring at Lily angrily. I rolled my eyes and elbowed him.
"James and I just had a little spat. That's all." I replied easily. I knew that I could get out of this without telling them the gorey details.
"Oh, and what was this spat over, Hm?" Ginny asked in the way only a mother could. I laughed, trying to pass it off as frivolous.
"James' new girlfriend. She was a bit of a...witch..in the other sense of the word." I heard James chuckle beside me but kept eye contact with his mother. I smiled as he laughed.
"Well, I'm glad you two worked everything out." Harry stated as Ginny opened her mouth to ask another question. You had to love the man. He certainly knew how to control a situation. I wondered in my head if it was all of his Auror.
"Well, I'm going to go beat Lily to a pulp. Feel free to carry on your chatter." James said happily and walked over to where Lily was sitting. He silently sat on her. I burst out laughing as she struggled against him ruffling her hair.
"MUM!" Lily yelled out, trying to push James away.
"James Sirius Potter! Get off of your sister this instant!" Ginny exclaimed. He gave an irritated look but got up none the less.
"Come on Natie. Let's bring your stuff up to your room." James suggested and grabbed my trunk. Well, I guess I didn't get a say in the matter. We walked up the stairs and he brought me to the bedroom next to his. Our rooms were connected by a bathroom. Similar to Albus and Lily's connecting bathroom. James' parents had their own bathroom attached to the master bedroom.
"Wouldn't it make more sense for you and Albus to share a bathroom?" I questioned as I did every time I stayed at the Potter household. James rolled his eyes and set my trunk down at the end of the bed.
"The two of them like the view of the garden. Neither complain about having to share. They're fine." he replied. He knew I knew that, but he was humoring me. I flung myself down on the bed and sighed. It was such a comfy bed. I sat up, grabbed his arm and pulled him down next to me.
"I missed you muffin." I stated, cuddling in to his side. He placed his arm around my shoulder. Just then the guest room door swung open.
"James, mum said that...ew. Do you guys have to be all couple-ish?" Albus crinkled his nose in disgust.
"We are not a couple Albus. What does mum want?" James scowled at his younger brother.
"You to set the table." Albus replied. James heaved himself off the bed and chased his brother downstairs. I heard a distant "Mum tell him to stop!" and then "James Sirius.." and finally "yeah yeah. I'm done." I snorted a laugh. Flinging myself back against the pillows, I thought of what Albus had said.
A lot of people called James and I a couple. My friend Danica had once said "you're in a relationship without the titles". I, of course, thought all of that was utter nonsense. James and I were just very close. We were best friends. So what if I snuggled with him? I was usually either tired and needed a pillow or just wanted someone close to me. So what if he kissed my forehead on occasion? He was just showing brotherly love. The two of us were like siblings. The only difference was that we had different families so we were closer than actually siblings from the same household.
James and I were most definitely not a couple. Not even close.
XxXxXxXxXxXxXx
"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! It's Christmas!" I shouted as I jumped up and down on James' bed. He opened one eye groggily and then closed it again.
"Go back to sleep Natie. It's six o'clock in the morning." he muttered. I continued my chanting and jumping until I felt a firm grasp on my ankle and I fell on top of James.
"Ow." I whimpered, rubbing my head in the spot where it had hit one of his elbows. He barked a laugh and smiled at me.
"Go. Back. To. Sleep. Natalya." he enunciated each word. I shook my head furiously.
"I can't. I've been awake since four o'two. I can't fall back to sleep." I complained. James rolled his eyes and turned directly on his back. I propped my elbows up on his chest. They kept slipping due to his thin silk comforter. I adjusted myself so I would stop slipping and felt something hard against my leg. I snickered. "Were you having a nice dream Jamie?" I asked with a snort of laughter. He pushed me off of him and I almost fell to the floor.
"Would you like to be buried in that or something decent?" he questioned, eyeing my cotton shorts and tight tank top. I couldn't help but laugh.
"Are you saying I'm the cause of your little problem Jamie?" I poked his chest playfully. This time I did fall off the bed. I whimpered again and sat back on the heels of my feet.
"You know I don't think of you that way." he grumbled and turned over so he was facing the wall that his bed was against. I quickly climbed back on to the bed and sat Indian-style by his head.
"I know. I was joking. Learn to take a joke." I replied easily. Had I been joking? I'm almost positive I was. I knew what his comment had meant. It had nothing to do with the indecency of my pajamas.
"Go away Natie. I'm tired. No one but you is even awake yet. Honestly, are you five?" he muttered in a slightly annoyed voice. I scoffed.
"If I do recall correctly, you told me last night to wake you up when I got up." I stated matter-o-factly. James groaned and turned on his other side so he was now facing me. His head propped up on his right hand. I smiled at him.
"I don't think you quite understood me. Get out of my room or I am getting you out of my room." he said with a lopsided smile on his face. I frowned.
"Make me!" I said defiantly. A wicked grin crossed his face and my eyes widened. "James! Don't you dare do what I think you're going to do!" I started hesitantly moving away from him. Within a fraction of a second I was over his shoulder, being carried out of his room. "Put me down!" I yelled as we crossed through the bathroom and into my room.
"With pleasure." he said and I was flung on to my bed. I growled angrily and he laughed. That's when I noticed his attire.
"And you criticize MY wardrobe!" I pursed my lips. James looked down at himself.
"It's not like you haven't seen me in my boxers before." he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. I scowled.
"I do not appreciate you bringing up that terrible incident from fourth year." I crossed my arms over my chest and looked away from him as I remembered the incident. We had been in the locker room and the guys thought they were being super funny by stealing all of James' clothes except for his boxers. He came out confidently and I had just rolled my eyes. Even after a prank he still had a too big ego and way too much arrogance. The only other girl on the team, Carrie Finnegan, had squeaked and run away. I had simply tossed him a pair of pants from his bag and left.
"Aw come on Nat, you know you found it just as funny as the guys." he smirked. I threw one of my pillows at his head but he caught it.
"You're no fun." I mumbled and glared at him.
"Go to sleep." he said once more and then exited the room.
"Yes mother." I muttered, rolling my eyes.
"I heard that." James called from his room.
"Good!" I yelled and grabbed the pillow off the floor.
XxXxXxXxXxXxXx
I shot down the stairs, pulling my hair up in to a high ponytail. I heard laughter from the kitchen and headed in the direction of the sound. I stood in the doorway of the kitchen as I watched the events that were unfolding. James was pilling two tons of food on to his plate and stuffing a piece of sausage in his mouth. Albus was doing much the same and waving his hands around animatedly as he told a story. His best friend Scorpious sat next to him, listening intently and laughing. Lily was hanging off of her father's neck as he walked toward the counter. He was swinging her around as if attempting to fling her off. Ginny was laughing uncontrollably. I couldn't help but laugh too. They were such a cute family!
"Oi! Come over here and eat you annoying little witch!" James called out from the table. I shook my head and stayed in the doorway. "Come here or I'll just get up and drag you over!" he said with a raise of his eyebrow.
"Honestly James. You're not that scary." I giggled as he stood up. I ran away in to the living room but was soon grasped around my waist. "James! Jamie! MUFFIN! Put me down." I whined as he held me around my waist. My feet were inches off the ground but he was still carrying me as if I weighed no more than a feather. We were just crossing through the doorway when Ginny squealed. Everyone looked at her confused but she just pointed at us, her mouth in a little 'o'.
"Mistletoe!" she said happily. I looked up at the doorway and surely enough a small piece of mistletoe was hanging down. James placed me on my feet.
"Mother, no." James stated firmly. I had to agree with him.
"Come on James! You're such a baby!" Lily called with a huge laugh. I glared angrily at her.
"I am not kissing my best friend Lily!" I scowled. Crossing my arms over my chest, I moved toward the inside of the kitchen.
"It's just a kiss. He kisses your forehead all the time. Besides, you guys are practically a couple anyway." said Scorpious in an off-handed sort of way. I turned my scowl on him.
"He's right you know. Why don't you guys just make it official?" Albus asked.
"Really? You guys are ridiculous! We are not a couple. We're just close." James defended. I nodded furiously.
"Yeah, close to being a couple." Lily snorted.
"Mother!" James groaned. She just laughed.
"It's a tradition Jamie." his mum continued to laugh.
"Dad!" James looked to his last chance. His father shook his head.
"I have to agree with your mum champ. Just a quick peck and it's done." Harry chuckled. I couldn't help but gasp.
"Mr. Potter!" I squeaked. Everyone laughed.
"You guys are bloody..."James grabbed my arm, spun me toward him, and pressed his lips firmly against mine. I pulled back and gasped. "There." James said and went to take his seat at the table. There was something unmistakable about that kiss.
A spark!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry potter or any characters except my OC'S. Sadly. :(
A/N: I just couldn't wait to put up this chapter! I love the ending and hopefully you guys do too! Reviews are greatly appreciated! Thanks all!