She's the Girl | A Marauders Love story

Chapter 16

Party planning

It had been two months since the beginning of school, and Hailey and James were still the biggest gossip topic in the school. They had both thought it would last for about a week, but people somehow came up with new rumors daily, ensuring that everyone was talking about the hottest couple at Hogwarts.

"If one more person asks me if you guys really got matching tattoos, I'm going to flip." Sirius sighed and plopped down on the armchair next to Remus's. He and Remus broke up every few days, and were back to snogging within an hour. Currently, they were in a good spot, but it was bound to change soon. James and Hailey had learned to just deal with the two of them when they broke up. Remus would come and talk to Hailey, and Sirius would talk to James, and they would be back together in no time. They all knew it wasn't the healthiest coping method, but it worked for them, so for now, nothing was changing.

"You know, us dating has made us more popular than before. It's the most successful popularity stunt I've ever attempted." Hailey commented from her place on the couch.

"Like you've ever attempted a publicity stunt." Remus rolled his eyes.

"I feel like we just skipped over the part where she said this was a publicity stunt." James sat up slightly.

"Remember when she dyed her hair to get Amos Diggory to notice her?" Sirius ignored James's comment.

"Now I wish he would leave me alone. I swear he takes lessons on creepy comments, because every time I see him, he has a new, worse one." Hailey shook her head, disturbed at the thought.

James sat up further.

"He's still bugging you? I thought that he would back off when we started dating."

Hailey nodded.

"I did too, and he did, but only for a week or two. It's fine though. I just avoid him."

"I still don't like that he creeps on you. He didn't even really notice you until this year. I noticed you way before that." James grumbled. Hailey tapped her finger on his nose.

"That's why I'm not dating him, babe."

"You guys are being gross again. You promised you wouldn't be gross when we're with you." Sirius chucked a pillow at them, successfully breaking them apart.

"Like we don't have to deal with you and Remus all the time." Hailey pointed out.

"The four of you are unbearable half of the time. Don't make it a competition between you." Marlene said as she walked past them.

"Thanks Marlene."

~~~~~~~~

"You and James are dating, right?" Hailey was interrupted from writing her potions essay by a small voice. She looked over to find Vanessa Nobbs, a third year Gryffindor, watching her intently.

"Yeah, why?"

"Have you said you love each other yet?"

Hailey was startled at the directness of the question.

"No, we've only been dating for a few months now, it's a little early for that, isn't it?"

"So it isn't a committed relationship?" Once again, Vanessa ignored Hailey's question.

"No, it is. Why are you asking me this?" Hailey had a sneaking suspicion that Vanessa was a part of the James Potter Fan Club, and had been sent to investigate the seriousness of his relationship.

"Just wondering, but I thought I should let you know that James doesn't seem to think you two are in a committed relationship. I saw him snogging Sarah Gorden while you were in charms class yesterday." Vanessa smirked at Hailey and flaunted away, flipping her hair over her shoulder. Hailey sighed. This was a weekly occurrence. Some girl would come and tell Hailey that James was cheating on her in the hopes that she would break up with him and leave him single and in need of comfort, where they would swoop in and 'save him'. It had bothered her at first, but now she just let it happen. They just wanted to have the perfect boyfriend. Not that James was one, of course. They had just made him into their own fantasies of their perfect man because he was cute.

"Another fan?" Sirius smirked at Hailey as he sat down.

"Yeah, I don't know why they've just become a problem, James and I have been close for years."

"But you haven't been openly snogging for years. That was too much for their little brains to handle. Unfortunately, my fan club disbanded after I started dating Remus. They all thought I had been leading them on for years, and broke up the group. I still get a few girls chasing after me, but apparently, being in a gay relationship ruins your chances with a lot of girls. Shocking, right?"

Hailey laughed. She had found she was more comfortable with Sirius, Remus, and James, obviously, than with most of her other friends. She, Marlene, and Lily were really close, but she was still closer with the Marauders, and she wouldn't change that.

~~~~~~~~

"We need a group costume."

"Sirius and I are not doing a group costume with you, James."

James pouted.

"You and I can do one, James."

"Yeah, but that's just a couple's costume, Hailey. It's not the same."

Hailey rolled her eyes.

"I think you'll survive. What are you guys going as?"

Sirius and Remus looked at each other.

"Not important, really."

"No, I want to know why you're bailing on me."

"James, it's not a big deal." Hailey put a hand on his shoulder.

"We're going as Batman and Robin."

James sat down.

"That's actually pretty cool. I'll give you a pass this time."

Hailey gasped.

"James! What if we went as Barbie and Ken?"

James looked up.

"Can we make boxes?"

Hailey nodded.

"Absolutely."

"Then yes."

Hailey and James high-fived and grinned at each other.