Losing Game/// James Potter

Chapter 22

The next morning, Elsie's eyes fluttered open as her nose was met by the familiar scent of pine and musk. In other words, she knew she was in the arms of James Potter. But, what grabbed her attention was the coughing sound coming from above her. She looked up and was met by none other than a smiling Rory McLaggen. Her lips curved upwards, as James' did the quite opposite.

"I brought you flowers," Rory said with a smile plastered on his face, standing over Elsie's bed. Elsie was about to lift her hand up to accept the bouquet of flowers, when Rory handed them to James instead.

"I figured you would be more butt hurt about Elsie getting hurt than she is," Rory smirked at the spectacled boy, who was beyond confused as to why he had a bunch of flowers in his hand, "Plus, it'll make up for all the times I catch you staring at me when I'm with Elsie." Rory mockingly sent a wink at James while Elsie burst out into laughter, knowing that he was talking about all the times he caught James glaring at him for talking to her.

James, who finally had caught onto the joke, crossed his arms while sitting up in Elsie's bed and pouting. He grumbled under his breath, "These bloody flowers are going in the garbage...git."

Elsie followed James' lead and sat up as well, clutching her stomach from laughing so hard at the scene that just took place.

"And you, Princess...," Rory paused while ducking down his head and slyly placing a kiss right where her lips meet her cheek, "Get a feel better kiss."

"Git," Elsie laughed at the boy while playfully shoving his chest away.

James sat there watching Rory kiss the girl's face, a smile taking over it after he pulled away. As soon as he saw how happy she was, how happy another boy made her, he felt something pulse through his body. It wasn't anger like normal, it was something else that he couldn't quite place a finger on. He didn't like watching someone else make his best friend happy. He didn't like watching how her nose crinkled while laughing at someone else's joke. But most of all, he didn't like watching someone else place their lips anywhere near hers. James had no clue what had taken over him, but all he knew was that he just wanted to steal Elsie away and be sad with her. She always makes me feel better...

But, Elsie's happiness was the most important thing to him. Elsie needed to be happy, she deserved that more than anyone he knew. So, he pushed back whatever weird feeling he felt and put on a fake smile for her, tuning back into the conversation being had between the two while doing so.

"Madam Pomfrey told me to tell you that as soon as your head stops hurting you're free to go," Rory explained to the girl, before a smirk appeared on his face, "But... I would stay a little longer if I were you."

"Why?" Both Elsie and James asked at the same time while looking at the boy, who was also now sitting on Elsie's bed.

Rory crossed his arms over his chest and let out a chuckle, "Trust me, after what that tall friend of yours did, you're going to want to see who walks into this hospital wing next."

Elsie's brows furrowed in confusion. She was about to ask what he meant when the doors of the hospital wing slammed open. A bloodied up and bruised Mulciber was being carried in by Avery, followed by a smirking Remus, a wide-eyed Peter, and a laughing Sirius.

Elsie was able to get a better glimpse of the beat up boy as Madam Pomfrey instructed Avery to place him down on an open bed next to hers. His right eye was starting to swell and blacken, as bruises outlined his cheekbones and jawline. His nose was profusely bleeding and slightly tilted to the right, and his lips were cut up and full of blood. He looks like the literal definition of fucked up...

"Bloody hell, what happened to him?" Elsie questioned while gesturing to the bloodied up boy.

Remus, who had just walked over to Elsie with Sirius and Peter, scratched the back of his neck, as Sirius began speaking for him.