RED - James Potter x OC

twenty three - a date to remember

Atla had been there for thirty minutes and Dylan Rigby had yet to say something that truly interested her.

It wasn't that he was a boring person. In fact, he had hobbies and friends and talents like everyone else. It was that he didn't seem to truly have any opinions. Maybe she was being picky,  but he seemed like such a neutral person. Atla hated pumpkin pie. He didn't mind it. Atla loved the Tornadoes. He didn't mind them. Atla was terrified of the impending war. He hadn't even considered it properly.

She needed someone who could match her. Someone with love, someone with passion, someone with fire. Someone like...

No. Atla refused to think about him.

Because he had ignored her and then brushed her off like dirt on his shoe. Atla Harlow had been a pushover with Michael, but she had no intentions of being weak again. She had power. It grew stronger every day, crackling in her veins and sparking in her heart.

She would have someone who respected her, or she would have no one at all.

And Atla had reached this conclusion fifteen minutes ago, right around her second drink. But out of politeness, she would entertain Dylan and laugh at his jokes. Just for one evening.

"So, do you know what you plan to do after you leave Hogwarts?" Dylan asked her.

"With this war that seems to be starting, I guess I'll fight. And then I'll be a Chaser for some quidditch team," Atla replied thoughtfully, "whoever will take me. What about you?"

"I don't know. My dad wants me to work at his spell-removing company, and I don't really mind," answered Dylan. Atla physically had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. She glanced over towards the drinks, but was met with a far worse sight; James Potter, smiling and flirting with Daisy Johnson.

It made her stomach jolt and she wasn't sure why - hadn't she written him off earlier tonight? So why did she feel like this when seeing him with other girls?

I'm just a bit drunk, Atla decided. Yes. That was it.

Before she could turn away, she accidentally locked eyes with a pair of hazel ones; James Potter was looking directly at her. And what did Atla do?

Panic.

In her effort to turn away, she knocked her drink all over herself.

"Shit, here let me help," Dylan said, patting her dry with a napkin nearby.

"It's okay, just a little cold," Atla responded with a small smile.

"Here, have this," replied Dylan, shrugging off his jacket and putting it round Atla's shoulders.

Shit, Atla thought, this is way more romantic than it was meant to be.

It was like Atla could feel James' eyes on her as Dylan leaned further forward. It felt like everything went in slow motion; his eyes slowly closed, she could see his lips gently pout, a movement so small that it was hard to tell if she was imagining it. She only had seconds to decide - bail or commit? He got closer and closer and Atla's heartbeat quickened with every millisecond. Panicking, she glanced around the room before spotting a staircase.

"I'm gonna go wash off," Atla blurted, darting away and disappearing into the crowd so quickly it seemed to Dylan she had disapparated.

~•*•~

James wasn't sure what possessed him to follow her up those astral blue stairs and up to the circular balcony above.

Except, before looking around for Atla, he stopped to gaze at the surroundings. Books and globes and inkwells lined the circular shelves that fitted to the domed roof, an environment adapted to studying. Leather bound textbooks lay open on desks and half dry quills along with them. The ceiling was decorated with variations of deep blue, with silvery constellations shimmering against it, labelled and bright. On second inspection, it seemed charmed as the shades of blue gently swirled.

It gave James the impression that he was surrounded by real stars.

He saw Atla perched on the edge of a desk on the far side, tapping her knees with her fingers. Maybe the light was playing tricks on him, but he could've sworn there was a red incandescent glow emitting from her fingertips. But as soon as he moved, she looked up and the light was gone. The expression on her face was unreadable, leaving a feeling of unease to settle into James' brain.

He confidently strolled over leaned against the nearest book case.

"Hey," he said.

"Hi. What are you doing?" Atla asked. She jumped straight into it, no playful insults or rolling of eyes. It felt almost weird to interact with her in this way, but James found himself not disliking it.

"Following you up here," James admitted.

A small smile seemed to grace her lips before drifting off a second later - she seemed to be entertained with his honesty.

"Why?" her brows began to furrow, as if questioning his sanity.

"To be honest, I don't really know."

"Great chat, Potter. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a date to attend to," she said, standing up abruptly and taking a step past him.

Before he could gain control of his limbs, James' hand grabbed her wrist.

"Wait." he said, so quietly, so softly, he was surprised she heard him.

Atla stopped dead in her tracks.

"What now?" she said, slowly returning to her place on the desk.

Here it was. James had to say the right thing. With most people, he could just flash them a grin and be done with it. But Atla Harlow saw past his façade, always had. She would know whether he was lying.

"Don't date Rigby," James stated, as if it was obvious.

"And what makes you think you have any right to tell me what to do?" Atla asked, her eyes beginning to flicker red.

And fuck, if it didn't turn James on.

He pushed the feeling down as Atla continued.

"We aren't friends, we aren't family and you certainly aren't my boyfriend, so why do you believe that I'll listen to a word you say? Frankly, your opinion means nothing to me," she spoke quickly, as if spitting out the words before she could regret them.

"Just don't date him," James responded. He wasn't sure what else to say. Date me instead? That was pathetic and frankly insulting to Atla after he had already told her he wasn't sure about them.

"You know what James?" Atla sighed, as if exasperated with the whole thing, "If you don't want me to date Dylan...

"Do something about it."

A challenge.

And Godric knows that James Potter never backs down from a challenge.