Prompts:
If You Dare Challenge: 771. Stolen Glance
Taylor Swift – Tim McGraw (although leans heavily on August, too, hence the title)
Words: 890
Rating: K
Warnings:None


August, 1976

As the first bellows of thunder rumbled overhead, Mary laughed. It felt like it hadn't rained in years. A summer of sticky skin, splashing in rivers and pools and Mr Freeze ice pops was finally coming to an end.

James was going home soon, and the next time she'd see him would be on the Hogwarts Express on September 1st. But he was here for now, and they strolled barefoot, hand in hand, down the beach, sand warm between their toes.

"It's definitely going to rain, isn't it?" she asked, looking up.

"Finally!" James shouted with a laugh.

"Summer's over," Mary said.

"No, there's five days left before we have to go back, don't take them away from me! Summer's not over until we pull in at Hogsmeade!" James replied, looking at her with affront in his eyes.

Mary laughed, "Fine, summer's ending, then."

"Okay," he said with a smile.

He leaned in towards her, placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

"Have you heard from Remus? How was his summer?" Mary asked.

"Boring. Last he wrote, he was finishing his prep reading for next year. Can you imagine?" James said, grimacing.

"Oh, Merlin, I'm behind already," Mary muttered.

"No! No, no, no." James wailed. "It's physcally impossible to be behind. The school year hasn't started yet. And why would anyone want to spend school holidays doing school? Voluntarily? Eurgh."

"Okay, fine, but I'm behind Remus! I've done bits, but... Lily's going to have done it all too," Mary said.

"Don't judge yourself against those freaks, Mary, honestly. Wannabe Ravenclaws the pair of them! You lived your life instead, that's what we're meant to do at 16!" James said.

Mary sighed. He had a point, of course, but she didn't want to admit that, so she chose silence instead.

James stepped away from her towards the shoreline, reaching down into the sand to pull up a few pebbles. Selecting the flattest, roundest stone, he dropped the others and bent low to skim it against the waves.

"Have you heard much from Lily?" he asked, still looking away from her.

Mary's heart ached at the question.

"Bits," she replied.

"Yeah? What's she say?" James asked.

Mary said nothing for a long moment. What had she said? That she was bored, and lonely. That she was jealous of Mary's summer. She'd asked after James. Mary didn't want to tell James the truth at all.

"Why?" she asked.

James turned to look at her with a shrug.

"You asked after Remus," he replied.

"I've not had a crush on Remus for the last four years," Mary said.

James sighed.

"Do you still have a crush on her?" Mary asked.

"I'm with you now."

"Not what I asked." Mary folded her arms as she looked at James, seeing him fully.

This summer had just been the two of them, but in a few days' time they'd have to face that reality. Mary was friends with Remus and Peter. James only three months ago was leaving notes for Lily in her school books.

Mary had harboured a growing crush on James for months now, and when at the start of the summer he asked if he could visit her, Mary's dreams had come true. It was only now she was seeing the illusion of it all.

"I'm human, Mary, I can't just turn things like that off. But I've chosen you. You've got to trust me," he said.

"That's true," Mary conceded. "But if Lily turned round tomorrow and asked you out, what would you say?"

James looked away, down at the sand.

"Yeah. You've chosen me only because your top choice was out of reach. But you'd let me go just as fast if she turned her head. I don't..." Mary shook her head. "I don't want that. It'll be like a shadow looming over us forever, won't it?"

"So, what are you saying? Where's this coming from? I thought we were fine," James said, stepping closer to her.

"I know, I know. So did I. But going back to school... I can't tell you how much I wanted you, you know. At the end of last year, the start of this summer. All those stolen glances and stupid diary entries. It was stupid how much I wanted you to notice me. But, you want Lily more. Always have, and probably always will. You never were mine."

"So, this is it, then?" James asked.

"What else have we got?" Mary asked in reply.

James sighed. "I don't know. I've had fun this summer. It was good. We've been happy."

"We have. But was it ever going to last?" she asked.

"I guess not." James said.

Mary moved in towards James then, reaching her arms out and James reciprocated, welcoming an embrace.

"Promise me one thing though," Mary said into his chest.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"When you hear Silly Love Songs, you'll think of me. This summer," she said, a plea.

James laughed. "I'll do you one better," he replied. "I'll remember you dancing in your back garden to that song with your eyes closed, when the dog ran up and grabbed your dress to play and knocked you over."

Mary joined in the laughter, grinning up at him.

"Deal," she said. "Friends?"

"You're not getting rid of me completely that easy, McDonald," he replied.