Begin Again

Chapter 6

In the days that followed, there was not a single break for Mulciber and Avery. The boys placed dungbombs in their dorms, dyed their hair a bright orange and placed explosives in their food.

They didn't die.

Sadly.

They just had to spend a few days in the hospital wing and the boys all received two weeks of detention.

But that's not all. They were constantly getting hexed. Not just by them but by the rest of her friends. Soon enough everyone at Hogwarts found out about the fight and many Gryffindors, and few students from other houses, started hexing the two boys as well.

It was safe to say that they were going through hell. They constantly had to watch their back, and even then they would still get hexed.

Most Slytherins didn't care as most of them didn't like the two boys either, some even joined in hexing them, so they would just turn a blind eye when it would happen.

As the time passed she figured the boys would just let it go as they had already gotten their revenge.

It wasn't until a few weeks after it happened that James arrived to the common room covered in blood.

It was late at night and the common room was empty, everyone already was in their dorms as the curfew had already passed a few hours ago but she had trouble sleeping so she decided to go to the common room to read by the fireplace.

"James! Are you ok? What happened?" She asked as she ran over to him.

"Aren't you supposed to be sleeping?"

"I couldn't sleep so I came downstairs to read." She says after making him sit down and beginning to clean his face with a random cloth she found. "But don't try and change the subject. What happened?"

"I might've gone out looking for Mulciber and Avery." James replies while looking away from her.

"You fought them? Why?" She asks incredulously. "You could've seriously been hurt! It's hardly fair for two to go up against one."

"Careful, love. It might sound as if you're worried about me." He says with a cheeky grin.

Stephanie scoffs while trying to hide her blushing cheeks, "I'm not worried! It was just an observation."

"Then why are you cleaning the blood off my face if you aren't worried?"

"Don't try to change the conversation. Why did you go and fight them?"

"Because I wanted to. They deserved it after hurting my girl." He replies while shrugging.

Stephanie felt her stomach flip and fill with butterflies at his comment. 'My girl'. She held back the grin she so desperately wanted to let out while squealing in her head.

She wanted to run up the stairs, wake up Hermione and tell her about what he said before squealing while jumping up and down.

But she forced herself to stay seated next to him. She didn't want to act like a fool, especially in front of him.

"They could've hurt you, badly." She quietly mutters.

"I don't care. I would gladly end up in St. Mungo's for defending you." James replied.

She stopped cleaning his face when he tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. She held her breath as she made eye contact with him, his blue eyes focusing only on her. They silently stared at one another before she looked away, feeling nervous.

"Did you win?" She jokingly asks causing him to laugh.

"I think so." He replies smugly. "They're in the hospital wing and I'm not."