Tangled Sheets

Three years earlier.

James Potter watched as everyone around his kitchen table celebrated Albus scholarship to play for the Falcons.

He felt like rolling his eyes, it was just flying around on a broom. What was the big deal?

He never understood his family obsession with the sport, he tried he truly did give it a go in second year, but he much rather stay in the library than up on the sky on a broom having balls thrown at him.

He can still remember the disappoint he read in his father letter when he didn’t make the team, the resentment.

He wanted to say he did something great too, that he was going to be a curse breaker. That he gotten into the school for it,but he knew it would turn into a fight.

They wouldn’t care about it, if it didn’t involve being on a broom or chasing down dark wizards like his father and Uncle Ron, they didn’t care.

He knew once he told his father he wouldn’t be going into Auror training, that he would blow a gasket. It could wait, this was Albus moment, he wouldn’t ruin it.

He looked to the side and saw Hermione and Draco having a heated discussion by the window. He brows furrowed.

Those two never fought. They were the poster for relationship goals. I mean sure they bicker at each other and Draco loved to rile her up, but it was never this.

He frowned and turned away from them. He studied the faces around the table. Lily was smiling but he knew the ten year old wasn’t a big quidditch fan either but she loved parties. She was so excited for Hogwarts, he looked to his right to see his 16 year old brother smiling widely.

He was truly happy for his brother, he was, he just….. he just wished for once his parents showed him the same sort of attention, that they would at least try to understand him.

The only two people who truly understood James were Draco and Hermione. He didn’t know when he stopped referring to them as aunt and uncle in his head, but he had and he wasn’t sure what it meant.

He looked back toward them and his eyes met Hermione’s and she quickly looked away. He saw Draco give him a nod and then he grabbed Hermione hand and they walked towards the foo.

James stood and followed them out.

“Are you guys leaving already? It’s so early.” James said as he walked behind.

“Oh…. James….its bit too loud for us… just going to go enjoy a quiet night in.” Hermione said softly.

“Can I come? I won’t be a bother. Promise.” James said.

He saw Hermione bit her lip. He was thrown off by her nervousness. What was wrong? They never had a problem with him coming over. He used to spend some days in summer at their house during his time at Hogwarts.

“That’s… maybe some other time James….maybe stay here with your family and I’m sure your parents wouldn’t be too happy ahout you leaving during your brother celebration.” Draco told him.

“They probably won’t even notice I’m gone…. It’s always about Albus.”James said bitterly.

“What’s wrong James?” Hermione asked.

“Nothing…. Just I …. Well I had something to tell everyone and now… it doesn’t matter…. It’s not important.” James said.

“James….”

“I got in….. to Curse breaking school, but I’m sure dad won’t let me go anyways so it doesn’t matter.” James mumbled out.

He saw huge grins on both their faces now and he felt his heart leap. He knew these two would be proud of him.

“That’s amazing and you’re 19… you can make your own decisions. You know what, come on. We can go have a celebration at our house.”Hermione said.

“Hermione.” Draco warned and gave her a pointed look.

James didn’t understand his reaction. They never had a problem with him coming over, so what was the big deal.

Did Draco want to finish his and Hermione argument in private? Would they break up!

No, James couldn’t let that happen. These two were made for each other, he knew that. He saw it the first time he had met Draco.

“Draco, it’s fine. It’s not a problem.” Hermione told him.

Draco looked like he wanted to argue but just gave a jerky nod. They moved towards the foo, Draco threw the powder in and they were spilt out into their home.

He felt a calmness wash over him. He always felt at home here, peaceful. Like this is where he was supposed to be.

Lately when he looked at Draco and Hermione he felt feelings he didn’t understand. He thought for sure he was a creep for the thoughts he had about them. What it would be like to kiss them both.

He had never had any sort of thoughts like this before, they had started recently. He felt like something shifted inside of him when they were together, he was certain he was the only one who felt these things. There was no way they saw him like that.

He was Hermione godson, surely that was wrong. Draco was his dad’s enemy. Even though him and Hermione had been together for years, he knew his father didn’t trust the man. He hated him, both him and Uncle Ron did.

Draco tried so hard to get them to like him and it made James sick that he even had to do that. His father would act like a friend to his face, but the second Hermione and Draco would leave he would hear his dad and Uncle Ron say such horrible things.

It made him angry. He knew that if Hermione ever found out that his father and Uncle Ron secretly checked Draco wand when he was over, that it would break her heart.

He felt terrible that he hadn’t told Draco this, he felt like he was betraying him, but he had too. He couldn’t let either ever find out what they did.

He watched as Draco made his way to the cart and pour three glasses of fire whisky for them. He sat down on their couch, Hermione watched him then she went to Draco and whisper something in his ear. He watched Draco shake his head and gave her a glare.

“What’s going on with you two, you both have been acting weird all night.” James asked them.

“It’s nothing, don’t worry about it. Let’s just hang out.” Draco said as him and Hermione walked back towards the couch.

Draco sat in a chair across from James as Hermione sat softly a few spaces from him.

As they drank in silence, his eyes kept going to the two. They seem like they were having a silent conversation and it made him feel like an intruder. He felt a tension between them, but he was certain it was only him feeling this way.

The night passed slowly, more drinks were flowing through all of them. He was happy to be here, he belong here. The tension was still so loud, but they just laugh and goofed off the night, he felt like both Draco and Hermione knew something he didn’t, but he just shrugged it away.

“Let’s dance.” James said as he jumped up and held his hand out for Hermione.

She bit her lip and looked to Draco for permission. It was odd, they had always danced together over the years. Goofing off, but James just ignored it and felt a calmness wash over him as Hermione softly put her hands in his.

He saw Draco twirl his wand towards the stereo and soft music began to play.

He hover his arms out by Hermione waist and they moved softly to the beat of the music.

He looked to the side to see Draco staring at them both intently. He felt heat rises to his cheeks at the look he was giving them both, it took his breath away.

He watched as Draco shallowed thickly and stood up then. He felt him come behind him, standing so close, his felt his body heat through his clothes as he stood behind him.

“She likes when you hold her like this.” he heard Draco whisper into his ear as he grabbed James hands and he moved them lower to Hermione’s hips.

Hermione’s breath hitch as James put his hands around her hips, his fingers digging into them. He never touched her like this. He wanted to know what her skin felt like in his hands.

“Hermione, put your arms around his neck.” Draco told her.

She did as she was told, his eyes met hers briefly as Draco moved them both slowly together.

The tension was so loud, so thick but no one said a word as they all three dance together slowly.

He quickly looked to Hermione lips and back to her eyes, but from the change in Draco body he knew he had saw it.

He felt Draco hand moved up his back, only stopping when he reach the middle. He felt him lean closer in, his breath near his ear coming in hot and rapid.

“Do you want to kiss her, James?” Draco asked

James didn’t know how to respond. If he said yes, would Draco get mad? Would he become jealous? Would he think him a freak for thinking of her this way?

“Yes.” He responded in a whisper.

He saw Hermione blush and his heart beat rapidly.

“Go ahead then.” Draco whispered as he gripped onto his shoulder.

He was giving him permission to do it and from the look on Hermione face she wanted it as badly as him.

“I….. but she’s your ….. wife. You won’t be mad?” James asked.

He felt Draco squeeze his shoulder.

“No…. No I want you too…. I want to watch you both kiss.” Draco said with husk in his voice.

James wanted that as well. He wanted permission. He wanted for Draco to get turned on by this…. He hoped he would be able to kiss Draco as well.

He leaned in slowly, Hermione closed her eyes as James lips met hers softly. He heard Draco groan as he moved closer to James, James felt his hardness through his pants and his breath hitched. He felt Hermione open her mouth, James tongue met hers and he groaned into her mouth.

He slowly moved away from Hermione, their eyes met and he was so happy to see no regret in them. He felt Draco pulling him away, he turned him around and slowly back him into his legs met the couch, he fell down onto it.

He saw lust and desire in both of their eyes. Hermione sat softly next to him and she ran her fingers through his hair.

He basked in the feeling, he felt Draco come to take the other side of him. He moaned as he felt a small hand moving up his thigh.

He should have known it was too good to be true, that he was finally getting to do this. He knew that he would ruin the moment, like he ruined everything in his life.

He felt Draco lips meet his neck slowly, sucking softly when it happened.

“Fuck Uncle Draco.” James moaned out and just like the moment was over. He felt both of them move quickly away from him.

“Shit….. fuck shit…. We can’t do this…. Fuck.” Draco said as he began pacing

“What? No, I want to…. I want this.” James said quickly and looked into Hermione eyes and was taken aback by the look of shame in them.

“James, we…. Yes we are going to go to bed…. You can use the guest room…. Hermione… fuck… let’s go.” Draco mumbled out as he grabbed her hand.

James felt tears beginning to form and he shook his head.

“No…. Please….i want.”

“We aren’t talking about it, we had too much to drink… goodnight James.” Draco said as he pulled Hermione hand and led her to the stairs. He saw she had tears as well.

What had he done wrong? Did they not want him? Did they just see him as a dumb kid?

He opened his mouth, but no words came out. He heard their bedroom door slam shut, he heard the sound of Draco beginning to raise his voice before it was silence by a spell.

James got up and ran to the guest room, slamming it shut as well and laying heavily on the bed. He grabbed the pillow and screamed into it.

Why had this happened? Why did he say Uncle Draco?

He had just got lost in the moment, it had all felt so good. So right, like this was something that was supposed to happen. He had ruin it, would they not want him around anymore because of this?

James wasn’t sure when he fell asleep, but he was awoken by the heavanily smell of bacon and eggs filling the air.

His head was pounding and he looked to the side of the table to see a hangover potion waiting for him.

One of them must have left it after he fell asleep, but the smell of citrus and cedar in the air he knew it had been Draco.

He downed the potion fast and felt his headache begin fading.

He walked slowly towards the kitchen, when he entered he saw Draco sitting at the table reading the paper, their eyes met and Draco quickly looked away.

James gulped and sat across from him, he looked up when Hermione came towards the table and sat the meal in front of him and then another for Draco. Neither would look at him.

They all ate in silence and for the first time when being around the couple, the two people he loved so much in this world, the silence was thick and uncomfortable.

James gripped his fork hard and felt an anger. What was the problem? They were all adults, so what if they were attracted to each other?

“So….. what we just aren’t going to talk about last night?” James asked harshly

Hermione finally met his eyes and gave him a sad look. She opened her mouth but snapped it shut when Draco glare at her.

“No…. No we aren’t. It…. Was nothing. It means nothing, so just let it go James.” Draco said as he too met his eyes.

“Oh…. So I mean nothing to you both?” James clipped out.

“That’s not what I said James, of course you mean something to us…. Maybe you have forgotten that Hermione here held you as baby? Or maybe that I have known you since you were ten years old. It…. This shouldn’t have happened. You are our nephew.” Draco told him.

James scoffed and rolled his eyes.

“That…. It doesn’t matter! It’s not even by blood! I …. It’s not like I’m underage! I’m an adult and I can make my own descions!” James said.

Draco slammed his hand on the counter and Hermione jumped and James swallowed thickly.

He had never seen him this angry before. Was last night really so horrible that Draco hated him now?

“James….. enough. It…. Look you got your schooling to worry about, probably meet some nice witch there, who is your own age, just…. Nothing is going to happen. Let it go. It’s done and there will be no talks about it,do I make myself clear?” Draco said with a pointed look to both Hermione and him.

James threw the fork onto his plate and stood fast, running out of the kitchen towards the foo.

“James… wait.” He heard Hermione saying from behind him and James didn’t look back as he threw the powder in and was spit out into his home.

He quickly locked it behind him. He wanted to be alone, he wanted to be away.

“James…. What’s wrong?” He heard his father ask as he stood from the couch.

“Nothing dad, i just have a hangover, alright?” James said.

“Ah so that’s where you disappeared to last night, you know you really hurt your brothers feelings by just leaving. You see Hermione and Draco all the time, it should have.”

“I don’t care that he is going to be a quidditch player dad! Who cares?! It’s not something important or worthwhile! It’s quidditch!” James yelled out.

“James….” His father started with a stern voice but James didn’t have time for a lecture. He wanted to far away. He wanted to be with Draco and Hermione, people who understood him. Who like him for him, not just because his father was Harry Potter like the rest of the world did.

Though now with what had happen, would they not let him come over anymore? Would he never see them again.

He shook the thought away, no, no they wouldn’t just leave him. He knew that. They cared for him and they would all get pass this. He was certain of it, he turned away and ran up the stairs, his dad yelling that he wasn’t done talking to him.

James ignored it and locked his door with a flick of a wand. He looked around his room, it was decked out in Slytherin green. He ran his fingers through the tie that hung over his bedpost, Draco tie. He had given it to James when he heard he was sorted into his house.

He had been so proud, he never made him feel like he should regret being a Slytherin. He loved it.

His father, no his father didn’t like it. He remembered so clearly the argument that happened over his first winter break.

How his father had accused Draco of corrupting him. That if he hadn’t spent time with Draco the summer before first year that James would have been in gryffindor.

James smirked to himself as he grabbed Draco tie. The hat did want to put him in Gryffindor. It almost had, but James had begged for Slytherin. He was determined to change the world’s view of the house, to show people if a Potter of all people could get sorted there, then it must be good.

James fell heavily onto his bed and close his eyes. Everything would be fine, they would just move past these feelings and keep going as they always had.

A few days later.

James eyes filled with tears as he listened to Hermione and Draco speaking to their father as they sat around the table in their kitchen. He didn’t look up, just stared hard at the table.

“What do you mean you two are moving to France? Why?” He heard his father asked.

James wanted to know why as well, had want happened disgusted them so much that they were going to leave? Abandon him?

“It’s…. Well we just want a bit of change, plus Draco is going to try expanding his potion shop there. This will be good for us.” Hermione said softly.

“Oh….. well I mean do you really think the business will be better there, hardly gets any now.” Harry said.

“Well thank you so ever much for the lovely reminder, Potter.” Draco snapped out.

His father was always doing this, making comments like this. Making sure that Draco never forgot his past…. Never forgot that people hated him still for a war long over.

“Sorry.” Harry mumbled out but James knew it was false. He didn’t want to hear anything else, he stood fast and ran out the door into the back garden.

He could tell his father wasn’t suspriaed that the news upset him, he knew how close he was to these two and he knew without a doubt his father hated that he looked up to Draco.

He started pacing and punching the air when he heard footsteps approaching.

“James” Draco tried saying

“Why! Why are you doing this! Are you really so disgusted with me that you are just going to leave me! That you both are just going to leave me here! With this family!” James yelled as his arms motioned towards the house.

Draco took a breath and moved closer to him. He felt Draco arms come around him and he wanted to pull away but also didn’t want to leave his arms again. He hoped Hermione would come and grab him as well.

“Sweet boy…. I promise it’s not that…. Look we won’t be gone forever. Just…. We want you to have a life…. Go….. meet someone or something. It’s for the best and when we come back I’m sure you will have a nice witch to introduced us too.” Draco said.

James shook his head and buried his face into Draco neck.

No, no that was never going to happened. He knew he would never find anyone that made him feel like this. He didn’t want too. He wanted them, both of them.

“No….. I won’t bring it up again. I promise, but please don’t leave me. Please.” James begged.

“It will be ok, we will all bury this and everything will be ok.” Draco said.

James tore himself from Draco then, pushing him away.

“I hate you! I hate you both! I’ll never forgive you! Never.” He said as he kept pushing the man.

“That’s fine, that’s ok….. we will take it. We will take those burdens James…. Just please try to move on from this. It is for the best, you will see that. I promise.” Draco told him.

“Go! Just go! I don’t want to ever see either one of you again! My father was right about you! You’re just…… a death eater.” James said and he whole body filled with regret.

He hadn’t meant those words, he didn’t. He hated when he heard them about Draco.

Draco eyes had some tears and he gave a nod.

“I’m sorry…. I didn’t mean that… I didn’t.” James cried out.

“I know James, it’s ok. I forgive you. I know you are just hurting right now. But you have always trusted me, so please trust me now ok?” Draco said.

James didn’t believe it, he knew this was would never be ok. That these feelings would never go away, but he knew that they had already made up their mind.

“You…. You both will still come see me sometimes? Write me?” James asked with tears.

“Of course, James, we aren’t abandoning you. You mean so much to us…. So much. We….” Draco stopped talking and looked up towards the sky.

“Come on, let’s go in before your father comes looking and asking questions. No one can know about this, ever James.” Draco told him with a stern voice.

James felt a shame. He was just some dirty little secret, a mistake.

He didn’t say anything else, just wiped his tears and put on a mask. Hitting Draco in the shoulder as he storm passed him back in the house.

He eyes met Hermione and he just sneered at her and turned towards his father.

“Everything ok James?” His dad asked

James didn’t say anything.

“I guess you two better head home, I’m sure you have some packing to do.” James snipped out.

“Oh well I think they were staying for dinner…” his dad tried to say.

“Well maybe sometimes it can just be family for dinner dad, you know?” James said and he knew he had hurt both Draco and Hermione by saying this, he felt guilty for it.

“Of course Hermione is family…. Umm Malfoy too.” His dad said.

James felt like rolling his eyes. He knew his father didn’t feel that way about Draco.

“It’s okay Harry, we do have to start packing. We will be leaving in a few days.” Hermione said softly but he heard regret in her voice.

“Wow…. Well I didn’t think you two were going that fast? What’s the rush?” His dad asked.

Oh because Hermione and me kiss. It felt so good dad, so right. I want to do it again, I want to kiss Draco as well. I’m in love with your best friend and your enemy. Are you proud of me now dad? James thought bitterly.

“We just….. we want a change Potter. We will still visit and write. We will come see everyone before we leave, come on Hermione let’s go.” Draco said as he moved out of the kitchen

Hermione stood then, she gave his father a hug. She came towards James, but James stepped away from her embrace and moved towards the sink. He clenched his jaw when he saw the heartbreak on her face, she quickly replaced it before his father saw.

James listened as he heard them walked away and then the foo roaring to life.

“James…. What.”

“It’s nothing dad….. Im just upset. I’ll miss them…. That’s all…. Just I’m gonna go get Lily ready for dinner.” James said as he moved away from his father.

The tears were coming but James sucked them back in.

He wouldn’t let this break him. He wouldn’t let them hurt him like this. He would forget all about Hermione and Draco.