august || james sirius potter

chapter ten

August 2021, The Beach
"So it ends tomorrow?" James asked as they trudged along the beach at sunset like they had done a few times before.

"Yeah, we're taking the morning plane back to London." Ava confirmed as she looked out over the ocean.

"But we will keep in touch?" James asked hopefully.

"I guess, but we need to move on with our lives, I need to focus on my studies to get into a good university, you are out of school in like two years." Ava continued.

"I think it's just better to you know, end it. It's the best for everyone." she added as she looked at James. James looked down at his feet, he didn't want it to end. He liked being with Ava. She was funny, even hilarious, beautiful, kind and sweet. She was witty and she liked him for more than just his popularity and good looks.

James didn't know what he had expected her to say. Ava knew how it was to live as a muggle and have somebody you care about dearly go off to Hogwarts for a year. He could always see her on the winter and summer breaks. But they both would want to spend some time with their family. It was too messy, if they had met two years later it might've worked. But not with these circumstances.

"At least the sunset's still pretty." Ava stated, smiling as she looked back out over the ocean. James could never have enough of her smile, it was probably contagious, because without knowing how, James smiled widely too.

"Not as pretty as you."

They had stopped walking, Ava turned to James, only to see that he was already looking at her. He smiled weakly and Ava smiled back as she looked up into his eyes, the power in the eye contact was strong, and it had always been. There was like a force that kept Ava's eyes on James. But after a few seconds Ava managed to look away, this was the reason why she didn't do anything about the blokes she saw on holidays. She would get attached and it would hurt when they separated.

She smiled at him again before he leaned in for a kiss. It had been kind of comforting to know that James had been near her, they had been on so many night adventures, the walks, the carnival, the night they stole booze from the bar. Even when they played tennis late at night. This last day had been amazing as well. Doing simple things with him, like swimming in the ocean and eating ice cream together. It was so simple yet so perfect. The vacation had been that, simple but perfect. James was perfect.

She would miss it, she would miss it all. She hated that all good things comes to an end eventually. Nothing lasts forever and this is ends now.

They had stayed and watched the sun disappear in the horizon, hand in hand, and neither James or Ava dared to move. Even when it was completely dark, they didn't move. Because they both knew when they separate now, they will separate forever.

The sun was down for the night and would come back in only a few hours. But when it's back, Ava will be on her way to the airport and James will still be sleeping. They were flying home in different planes. A few more minutes went by until Ava finally spoke up again. "It's late and I need to wake up early tomorrow." she said as she turned to James, just like she had done many times before that evening.

"I understand." James smiled. They kept looking at each other for a while. James leaned in for a kiss and it was probably the best kiss he had ever experienced in his life. It was so genuine and full of emotions. It was a kiss of love. James had walked her back to her house where they had shared an unremarkable long hug. "This has been the best two weeks of my life." James said as he looked down at Ava.

"It has been perfect." she agreed and hugged him even harder. Ava kissed James, for the last time before she went back inside.

James stood still in front of her porch for a long time. Waiting for her to come back out. But she never did. Ava knew it would be harder if she went running back to James' arms. James took an unnecessary long walk back to the room he shared with Albus. When he got back, Albus was since long asleep. He looked at the clock, 2 am. In five hours is Ava leaving the hotel.

What James had said to Ava, this being the best weeks of his life. Was absolutely true. These weeks had been magical. He didn't regret a single thing. Maybe one, he should've fought more for them. He could've changed her mind and they could've kept contact with each other.

But unfortunately, he needed to move on from this summer fling. It was the best for him. Even if he didn't want to. They lived entirely different lives. It was how it was. They could do nothing but to move on.