James POV
“3…2…1,” I hear someone whisper before an airhorn gets blown right in my ear.
“Oi! What the hell?” Sirius shouts jumping off the couch and directly onto me.
“Oof, good god Pads get the hell off,” I complain shoving him off and grabbing my glasses to see who wrongly attacked us.
Sirius is on the ground rubbing his hip, Peter is sat straight up, eyes wide and face pail, Remus is just looking amused, book already opened. Prick must have already been up. Then my eyes land on the girls who are giggling in the corner. Mary, Marleen and, to my surprise, Lily, who is the one holding the air horn.
“You lot are evil,” Sirius glares at the girls.
“Don’t fall asleep in the common room, babes,” Mary singsongs before plopping herself next to Peter on the couch who still looks like he saw a ghost.
My eyes however are on Lily. Her eyes are bright and slightly lined with tears from laughing so hard, face flushes slightly, hands clutching her stomach.
She is the most beautiful thing to exist.
As soon as the thought pops in my head I involuntarily picture beautiful gray eyes. I shake the thought away and focus on the green ones in front of me.
“Didn’t think you had it in you, Evans,” I smirk and her big smile falls to a softer one.
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Potter.”
“Well maybe you’ll accompany me on a walk later and I can learn some of it,” I suggest and hold my breath. I want to apologize for last night. I feel bad for snapping even if she wasn’t meant to hear it. The thought of hurting anyone, especially Lily makes me feel dark and dirty.
“Sure, after dinner,” she says eying me cautiously and I can’t help the wide smile that falls over my face.
“Perfect.”
“I’m glad you’re making up or whatever but can we please get breakfast? I’m starving,” Marleen complains from her spot next to Remus.
“Oh me too,” Peter moans color finally returning to his face at the thought of food. My own stomach grumbles and I remember that they all missed dinner for me last night.
“Lets go guys and gals,” I smile cheekily before helping Remus up from the couch and receiving a dirty look from Sirius, “shove off pads, he’s my friend too and you hurt me so no hogging him today.”
“But he’s my boyfriend,” Sirius pouts.
“Sorry, darling,” Remus chuckles and leans on me, “you can have me later.”
Sirius sighs dramatically before turning to Peter, “you’ll hold my hand won’t you Wormy?” Peter sends him a look that says he’s over this but Sirius is stubborn and never backs down so he just sighs and extends his hand, “at least someone loves me.”
“Yeah, don’t get used to it,” Mary winks as she walks past with the other girls and Remus stiffens slightly. Mary and Sirius when Sirius kissed Remus on his birthday back in 6th year. Mary had caused many fights between the couple when Sirius was still trying to figure out what he wanted. During parties Sirius would be all over Mary and Remus would sulk, getting drunk and angry and getting in a screaming match with Sirius later that night in the dorms. It always ended with closed bed curtains and a silencing charm.
It’s been years and now Mary is a part of the friend group but Remus still stiffens when she jokingly flirts, for being the Cassinova of Gryffindor the man is incredibly insecure, “he loves you, Remus.”
“I know,” he sighs softening against me, “I just worry you know?”
My eyes drift to the redhead in front of us but my mind flickers to black hair, “yeah I know.”
We finally make it to the great hall and I help Remus sit before a boy across the room catches my eye.
“I’ll be right back,” I whisper to Remus, who nods in acknowledgement already piling his plate high and I walk towards the Slytherin table.
“Hey Regulus,” I say when I reach him and he looks up slowly, his brunette friend glares at me, his blonde friend ignores my presence completely and his Ravenclaw friend gives me a small smile, “can we talk?”
“No,” he says simply and turns back to his food before he looks up startled, “hey! What was that.”
Pandora and him lock eyes for a minute before he sighs turning to me, “fine, but not now. Meet me tonight.”
“Yeah okay,” I breathe and go to kiss his cheek but he moves away just shaking his head. I frown a bit but go anyway knowing I’ll talk to him later and return to my spot at the table missing the look Lily sends Sirius.