✓ SHE'S A SNITCH | james sirius potter

Chapter 14

14 - NEW YEARS PARTY

***

THALIA sat on one of the couches at the Potter Manor during the New Years Even celebration with Dominque and Kristina.

"Did you know every word in every language was practically gibberish until one person convinced everyone that what they said was a real word?" Dominque laughed.

"If you tried to fail, but succeeded, what did you just do?" Kristina said.

"Why did Sally sell shells on the seashore if people could just pick them up on their own?" Thalia shot.

"How do your grow a seedless fruit?"

"Why didn't Tarzan have a beard?"

"Who's Tarzan?"

"A dude from a muggle fairytale."

"What is the color of a mirror?"

"My lovely future wife!~" A voice chorused.

Thalia immediately knew who it was and turned to find James Potter standing right behind her.

"How can I help you, James?" Thalia asked.

"Mind if I steal her for a bit, ladies?" James winked and he circled around the couch to stand in front of her.

Dominque and Kristina giggled and nodded at the lovestruck boy as he offered his hand to pull Thalia up from her seat. He pushed her ahead of him, grabbed her waist, and lead her through the crowd.

"Where are we going?" Thalia asked, her heart rapidly beating at James' touch as he steered her through the crowd and up the stairs to the balcony of the manor.

Thalia gasped at the stunning view of the evening sky. The glimmering crescent moon shone like a silvery claw in the night sky. The dark blue atmosphere was dusted with glowing stars that stretched to an infinity. It truly seemed as if a large hand had tossed diamond dust into the sky. The stars had a faint, silver tint, and they looked like they were the distant, glittering sparks from angel fire in their heavenly finery.

Her long blonde locks flowed in the bitter wind as she shivered at the brisk cold snowy weather. James noticed this and immediately pulled her into his chest resting his chip upon her head, transferring his own warmth to the Hufflepuff girl.

"Why did you bring me out here?" Thalia asked not turning her gaze away from the marvelous canvas before her.

"The sky looked absolutely breathtaking tonight. It reminded me of you," James smirked.

"That was cheesy," Thalia scoffed.

"You love it."

"As if!"

"Oh please, Scamander. You absolutely love my corny-ness to hell and back. Don't even try to deny it."

"You can believe whatever you want to believe, Potter."

"You know it's the truth, Thalia."

"Whatever floats as your boat."

"I don't even care if it sinks as long as I'm with you."

"Shut it, Potter."

"Not until the day I die."

"Might as well 'Avada Kedavra' you right now then."

"Pfft! You wouldn't even hurt a fly!"

"You're testing me, Potter." Thalia warned, as James gulped.

Suddenly, loud cheers could be heard from the party. They were counting down from sixty all the way to the New Year.

46...

Thalia turned her head around to look at James whose face held an expression that Thalia could not read at all.

32...

"James..." Thalia breathed out, not breaking any contact with the Gryffindor boy.

"Thalia..." James whispered hoarsely, not breaking any contact either.

21...

It was as if something switched off between the two, and James abruptly whirled the blonde 180 degrees to face him. Needless to say, Thalia was shocked as she knocked into James' chest. She looked back up to meet his honest eyes full of unspoken love.

In the shadows, her face was so close to his that he could practically taste the champagne that drenched her lips from earlier.

10...

Both Thalia's and James' lips parted as they continued to stare into each other's eyes, not breaking any eye contact in the slightest.

3...

James cupped Thalia's cheek.

2...

Thalia closed her eyes.

1...

And James closed his eyes before her pressed his lips onto hers. Thalia was shocked at first, but slowly she melted into his touch and kissed him back. He was taken aback at first, but regained his composure and reminded himself that this was really happening.

James found himself slightly opening one eye, sneaking a guilty peak at the girl just to make sure that this was not a product of his imagination and a silly fantasy. He was really kissing her, she was really kissing him, and the world around them was meaningless.

When they pulled apart, they both chuckled, both blushing a deep shade of crimson red at what had just happened.

"Was that as good as my Christmas present?" James asked.

"Pardon?" Thalia asked.

"My Christmas present to you-the one I sent." James repeated.

"O-Oh... I erm... actually didn't open it." Thalia said, scratching the back of her neck, avoiding his gaze guiltily.

James had felt as if a knife went through his heart. He has spent so much time and effort into finding the perfect gift for the girl whom he loved and cared for so much-the girl that he had just kissed-and she didn't even have the proper respect to open up the Christmas present that he had gifted her.

"Why?" was all he managed to say.

"I dunno... I-I thought it was going to be a prank or something."

"Why would you think it was a prank?"

"The way you wrote about it in the letter sounded suspicious, I suppose."

"Well, I'll have you know that it wasn't actually a prank. And the fact that you didn't even bother to open it was just plain rude of you, Thalia." James said as he turned away. "I'm disappointed."

"Wait no! I'll open it when I get home! I promise!" Thalia tried to call after him.

"Don't bother." He said grimly as he stormed away from Thalia leaving her behind in the bitter cold winter of the new year.