James now had a party to plan. He also realized that he could possibly use this as an excuse to see Ariana. I mean they were friends weren't they? So there was no problem inviting her to a party. And if he called Lily she'd probably show up anyway.

Speaking of, he'd better pay Lily a visit. He had gotten a brief letter from her telling him she was moving out and going and staying at that slightly shady hotel. He would have offered to let her stay but he didn't imagine his wife would be too happy. He wondered if he was going to have to punch Zabini in the face. The fact that they were all adults now hadn't made him any less protective of his sister. And why shouldn't he be protective of her he thought, a little angrily. The world hadn't been entirely kind. Never as smart or as dynamic as Rose, who she was constantly compared to, trying to live in the shadow of a famous family, never able to have fulfilling relationships. But she still soldiered on and that was commendable in its own way.

He lay back on his couch exhausted by his day. Every part of him ached but it was a good ache. He wondered when his wife was coming back but was honestly too tired to care too much. After all there was nothing better than…

"Wake up sleepyhead," his wife said suddenly. He awoke with a start.

"Where were you?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Shopping," she replied a mischievous smile on her face.

"You look far too happy," he noted.

"I got a really nice pair of shoes," she said, holding up a bag.

"And had some really nice sex too I see," James said dryly.

"Possibly," she said with a smile. "Better than I've had with you for a while."

"That's good to know," he said, pressing the side of slightly aching forehead.

"Well you've having a bit of a dry spell," she said. "Saving yourself for your virgin?"

"What if I said I was trying to be faithful?" he asked.

"I'd say you were a liar," she replied with an easy laugh.

"Where did we go wrong Soph?" he asked suddenly.

"Wouldn't say we've gone that wrong," she said. "We're both happy aren't we?"

"Not with each other though," he replied. "I don't know but I always figured I would meet some girl at Hogwarts like dad did, have some sort of life changing epiphany and marry her the minute I turned seventeen."

"So what happened then?" Sophie asked, well aware that this was going to be one of those rare, completely honest conversations.

"I don't know," James said, sitting up. "I guess I never found anyone at Hogwarts. Just slept around. And then I became a Quidditch player. And for some reason I never found anyone. And then I met you and it was like…I dunno…seeing in colour for the first time."

"That's quite an impressive line," Sophie said, keeping her tone purposely light so he wouldn't see how much this was affecting her.

"And I wasted it on someone I'm already married to," he said the corners of his mouth lifting briefly into a smile.

"It was a little like seeing in colour for me to," she said softly, utterly serious for once. "But not all at once. It was like bits of colour just crept into everything to do with you. And it was scary James. You scared me."

"Why?" he asked intently. "Why did I scare you?"

"Because you were a good person and good people are scary," she said.

"I don't think I'm a very good person anymore," he mumbled.

"And I think that might be a little bit my fault," she said, impulsively taking his hand.

"Nah," he said, with a slightly forced smile. "Its probably all that popularity y'know, might've gone to my head. I mean I can't help that I'm practically perfect."

"You're incredibly obnoxious," she said, giggling as he pulled her closer to him. "You know that, don't you?"

"I know you're probably tired out with all the extra-marital sex-"

"Since when do you use words like extra-marital?" she asked, settling into the comfortable space under his arm.

"Since that practically became my life," he said, playing with the ends of her hair, with his free arm.

"I'm not sure if I like honest James so much," she said, her tone rather belying her words. "I kind of prefer passive aggressive James."

"As I was saying," he said with a smile. "I think we should go visit my sister."

"We?" Sophie asked. "She hates me."

"She doesn't hate you," James said. "She just doesn't quite see eye to eye with you in some situations. And I kind of want you to be there. With me."

"James I am not coming to visit your sister," Sophie said.

James sighed and Sophie felt the camaraderie that had characterized the situation disappear.

"I suppose I can visit her myself," he said, getting up and moving away from the sofa. He walked toward the fireplace, picking up a handful of Floo powder from the tub next to it.

"Will you be back for dinner?" Sophie asked, unable to keep a tinge of desperation out of her voice.

"I don't think so," James said flatly. He pointed at the fireplace. "Incendio."

"Come home soon though," Sophie said quietly as he threw the powder into the flames and said the name of Lily's hotel.

He emerged from a slightly strange smelling fireplace and went to the reception area.

"Hello," he said to the blonde, bored looking receptionist who immediately perked up when she was who it was. She was quite pretty too, James noted.

"Hi there," she said, fluttering her eyelashes. "Come to see your sister?"

"Yeah," he said, with an easy smile. "Do you mind telling me her room number?"

"713," the receptionist said. "I could show you the way if you want..." She trailed off suggestively.

"Nah," he said, "I don't want to be any trouble love."

"It's no trouble Mr. Potter," she said, her eyes sparkling with promise.

And then, thinking of his wife who had so recently been in someone else bed he though why not.

"Sure," he said.

He followed the blonde witch up the staircase.

"You need to invest in elevators," he said, after they got to the sixth floor.

"Elevators?" she asked.

"Muggle invention," he said. "Wizards use them all the time in America."

"Well the Americans were always a little more modern than us," the witch said. "But if you're tired…"

"Professional Quidditch player," he said with a grin. "Don't tire that easy."

"A pity," the witch said. "Because I could use a break."

"Could you now?" he asked.

"I mist certainly could," she replied, pushing him against a wall and practically attacking his face.

Merlin she's enthusiastic he thought as her tongue found its way down his throat.

She detached herself from him long enough to tap the wall with her wand and opened up something that looked distinctly like a Hogwarts broom cupboard.

"Memories," James said with a grin.

She didn't say anything, just pulled him into the cupboard by his collar and picked up where she left off.

After they were done James felt oddly unsatisfied. There was a hollowness in his chest that he didn't quite understand.

a/n: So here's the next chapter. I've also started a Marauder's era story thats sort of about Lily Evans. So I would absolutely love it i you checked that outt. Its called Been There, Done That. I promise I won't give up on this one though. I just sort of had an idea for that and just went with it. But anyway. Tell me what you think of this chapter :)