LOVERBOY
{JAMES FLEAMONT POTTER}
The Great Hall buzzed with excitement as other students chatted and laughed, the aroma of sumptuous food wafting from the tables adorned with golden plates and goblets. Maeve sat among her friends at the Gryffindor table and nervousness fluttered in her chest. It was her first time seeing James since their day out in Diagon Alley, and as much as she had been trying to convince Marlene, and maybe even herself, that we were 'just friends', part of her hoped that maybe someday all those stolen glances and moments alone would amount to something more.
Her attention flickered toward the end of the table, where James sat surrounded by his friends. James threw his head back, his laughter resonating through the hall. His hazel eyes sparkled with joy, a wide grin spreading across his face. It was a sight that she couldn't help but steal glances at, there was a magnetic quality in James' laughter, a vibrant energy that seemed to weave through the air. His laughter was infectious, drawing smiles from those around him and igniting a warmth that permeated the lively hall.
"Now that Christmas is out of the way, shall we discuss the Valentine's Day ball?" Lily proposed.
Marlene groaned, "Do we have to? It's not until February."
"Yes, but if we leave getting dresses until the last minute there won't be any good ones left."
"You have a point, but we'll have to wait until we can go to Hogsmeade anyway," Alice commented.
"You alright, Maeve? You've been really quiet since we got off the train." Lily asked. She smiled and nodded to soothe her worries.
"Nervous about seeing Lover Boy in the Common Room?" Eva teased, causing Marlene and Alice to laugh.
"No, I'm just taking in all my surroundings once again."
"You can't call James' face 'your surroundings'." Marlene quipped.
As the grand feast wound down the girls rose from the Gryffindor table. The ambient glow of floating candles cast soft, flickering light along the stone corridors, guiding their path toward the Gryffindor common room. Maeve fell into step alongside Eva, their conversation peppered with anecdotes from the evening's feast.
Ahead of them, James and his friends walked, their laughter trailing after them like musical notes. They were engrossed in animated conversation, Sirius's boisterous laughter ringing through the corridors as he recounted one of his signature tales. James, ever the lively presence, chimed in with an anecdote of his own, his smile contagious as he spoke. Maeve couldn't help but stare at him, the warmth of his laughter reverberating within me, a comforting and familiar melody amidst the chatter of the corridor.
The Fat Lady's portrait swung open, revealing the welcoming glow of the common room within. Maeve and her friends entered, greeted by the crackling fire in the hearth and the cosiness that embraced them within the warm confines of the room. They made their way up to their dorm and began to unpack the clothes they'd taken home and the new items that they'd accumulated from Christmas. Their small dormitory quickly became very loud, Marlene was playing her new Queen record and Lily, Alice and Eva were chatting loudly. Maeve was happy to be back with her friends, but the noise was a bit overwhelming so she decided to go back down to the Common Room and sit with only her book for a little while.
Maeve settled deeply in the comfy sofa by the fireplace, the gentle crackling of flames provided a soothing melody. She was lost in a book, her mind engrossed in the world that unfolded within the pages. As she turned a page, she heard the soft rustle of footsteps approaching.
"Hey there," a familiar voice greeted.
Looking up from the book, Maeve found myself face-to-face with James, who stood before her with an easy smile.
"Hi," the brunette replied, setting her book aside, a hint of surprise and pleasure in her voice.
"Mind if I join you?" James asked, gesturing to the empty space on the couch beside her.
Maeve shook her head, a smile curving her lips. "Of course not."
James settled onto the couch, his gaze meeting hers with an easy familiarity. The crackling fire provided a gentle warmth, casting a soft glow over their conversation.
"It feels like forever since we've had a chance to talk," James began, his tone casual.
"Yeah, it does," She agreed, the memory of their day in Diagon Alley flickered in her mind. He was right it did feel like ages ago, despite it only being a matter of days.
Silence settled between us, not awkward but rather comfortable.
"So, how was the rest of your holiday?" James asked, breaking the quiet.
Maeve shared snippets of the rest of her time in Ireland, describing the family party she had attended on New Year's Eve and the absolute state Aidan found himself in after one too many fire whiskeys. James, in turn, shared tales of spending time with his own family and friends. The Potters surprisingly weren't ones for lavish parties, they liked to keep things contained and lowkey.
"Did Sophie come to the party?" James asked.
"She did! I almost felt bad for her, the first time she met our family and half of them are off their faces." Maeve chuckled at the memory of her Mum's sisters singing Dancing Queen at the top of their lungs just before midnight. "You have to come next year."
"I'll hold you to that, Brody." His own expression softens, mirroring her joy. There's a slight change in his demeanour, a spark of warmth that ignites in his hazel eyes. "What are you reading now then?" He questioned leaning over the girl to pick up the book she'd left on the arm of the chair, the scent of citrus and cedar wood with a hint of amber enveloped her senses.
"It's Lady Oracle by Margaret Attwood." James gestured for me to elaborate, "It's about a woman, Joan Foster, who writes gothic romance novels. I've only just started it, but it started with her faking her death and running away to Italy."
"Sounds interesting. Read it to me."
"Pardon?"
"Read me some, you've piqued my interest."
"But you won't understand what's going on."
"I'll figure it out."
"I realized I'd come to the worst place in the entire world. I should have gone somewhere fresh and clean, somewhere I'd never been before. Instead I'd returned to the same town, the same house even, where we'd spent the summer the year before."
James subtly shifted, his posture adjusting as he lifted his arm, inviting Maeve to move closer. There was a gentle, unspoken gesture in the way he angled his body, creating space for her beside him, an unassuming invitation to share the comfort of their proximity. With a soft smile and a nod of appreciation, she shifted closer, tucking herself into the space he'd offered. James wrapped his arm around her, the gesture instinctive and comforting. His arm settled gently across her shoulders, offering a sense of warmth and support.
"And nothing had changed: I'd have to cook on the same two-burner stove with the gas cylinder, bombola, that ran out always in the middle of a halfdone meal; eat at the same table, which still had the white rings on the varnish from my former carelessness with hot cups; sleep in the same bed, its mattress furrowed with age and the anxieties of many tenants." She continued, trying to focus on the book rather than the feeling of being so close to James. Maeve couldn't deny the subtle shift in their dynamic that had been brought about by James' arm around her. It was a closeness they had never shared before, yet she found it so easy to relax into him in that moment.
YOU ARE READING
LOVER BOY || J. Potter
Fanfiction"I've never been in love." "Hopefully, that's about to change." ↠ ↠ ...
