5 YEARS LATER
Being seated in the stadium for a quidditch match was always electric, more so when the match was the first of the season. There was a different sort of rush when it came to sitting in the friends and family section of the stands, watching as loved ones played the game that they so adored. Certainly, when it came to watching James, who played every game so wholeheartedly, almost always with an exhilarated smile on his face, I fell in love with him a little bit more.
And when it was the first match of the season and the first match that James was playing as Captain, well I was growing in my love for him all over again. Maybe I could finally understand why so many of the so-called quidditch partners claimed that it was following these games that they decided to expand their families. Godric only knew that I was absolutely thinking a little more seriously about James's more recent hints that maybe we should begin to think about expanding our family. Especially when following yet another goal he'd scored, James flew straight towards the stands to let me see his beautiful smile from up close. It was outrageous how good he looked when he flew with the wind sending his hair everywhere.
Shortly after James had scored his goal, the snitch had been caught by the opposing team and yet it was James's team who had won the game. And James, grinning proudly and having victoriously led his team to victory, was surrounded by his teammates. Standing from my seat, I watched the team gather together for a little longer before I followed the rest of the family members of the stands and down to the ground. Eventually, once the team were done, they would make their way towards their loved ones to celebrate.
Reaching the stadium grounds, I hung around at the back, watching as the players sought out their loved ones. Drawing my coat tighter around me at a particularly powerful gust of wind, I glanced across the pitch, looking for James. I struggled to find him and as I kept searching for him, my eyebrows furrowed and -
Strong, reassuring arms wrapped easily around me, tugging me towards a sturdy frame. The arms around me were enough to ease my frown and that peace could only be associated with one person. Turning instantly, I faced James, tilting my head up towards his with a grin.
"Congratulations Captain," I said, watching him fight a laugh. Rising briefly to my toes, I brushed back some of the hair that was matted to his forehead. Under my watchful gaze, James's eyes closed briefly as my fingers combed through his hair, nails scratching lightly at his scalp. "You've worked hard for this win."
"Thank you." He opened his eyes again when I removed my hands. James leaned down just long enough to brush his nose against the swell of my cheek. "Thank you for coming. I know you had to rush to leave the office after your meeting."
"Don't be silly James, I wouldn't have missed this for a thing. It's not every day that your husband plays his first game as Captain."
"Husband." His grin was absolutely silly as he wondered, "It still makes me smile every time I hear you say that."
"Still? It's been months now."
"Still."
James's eyes flickered in a motion I knew all too well. He wanted to kiss me and good Godric, I wanted to kiss him too and perhaps I would have - irrespective of the people around of, of the journalists milling around - if there hadn't been a distant call of his name. Sighing, James glanced over my shoulder in the direction of the voice. The team manager was calling him.
"I'll be back," he promised, sounding disappointed.
The corners of his mouth turned down in displeasure. Not that it lasted long. Leaning up quickly, I gave James a quick peck and drew back before he could deepen the kiss just like I knew he wanted to. Still, when I opened my eyes again, I found him smiling softly down at me. His hands settled on my hips and squeezed me gently.
"Once I've spoken to the manager and done the after-game interviews, I'll be back," he promised.
I nodded, having long grown used to the post-game routine. It hadn't taken long for me to learn that just because the game had ended, it didn't mean that the quidditch players could stop working. Rather, now they had to put on their second performance for the reporters and their fans. Stepping to the side, I prepared to release James so he could return to his duties. Not that he let me go far.
James's hands remained fixed on me and when I glanced expectantly at him, he gestured towards someone. "Do you see that man? The one dressed in the black robes?"
I followed his motion, finding myself looking at an older wizard who stood talking to a pair of similarly aged wizards. They talked amongst themselves as if they weren't surrounded by quidditch players. I surveyed their features, trying and failing to place them. They had been seated amongst the friends and family of the players and yet I hadn't seen them before.
"James?"
He lowered his mouth to speak against my ear in a murmur, "Do you remember talking about your next article? About how you want to do one on the misuse of funds that were supposed to be funnelled into different organisations that supported squibs?"
"You were listening to me when I was talking about that? I thought you were half asleep?"
"Of course, I was listening," he sounded briefly exasperated before he continued, "Apparently, he may be a good source of information."
"How do you know that?"
"Locker room talk," With that, James dropped a lingering kiss on my shoulder before he left me alone.
I watched as he jogged away from me, heading towards the waiting team manager. Reaching the older wizard's side, James exchanged a few brief words with him before being ushered away to address the reporters. My eye shifted briefly in the direction of the still stranger, the one that James had pointed out to me, before my focus was once more on my husband. Before I hunted down the lead, I wanted to watch James give his first interview as Captain, then I could get to work.
