Whimsical {James Potter}

Chapter 31

Chapter 31: A Wolf's Howl

Wood cracks against stone as Cressida's shoulder slams into the dormitory door in a full blaze. Her hands grip a hardcover book that she doesn't mind damaging.

"Merlin!" Sirius shrieks, knocking his head on the side of the bed as he jumps up from his trunk, shirtless and searching for something. His hair is still damp from a shower.

Cressida pays him no heed yet, her line of sight directed on the bed of James. "James Fleamont Potter," she growls. His eyes widen, scrambling up from his laze against the pillow to his knees. "You absolute bastard."

The back of the hardcover collides with the lower side of his shoulder repeatedly. He cowers away, shielding his face with his hands, legs kicking out in defence. "He-ow!" he burst out. Finally having some sense of relief, she stops, only sending a threatening gesture with it as he opens his eyes and uncovers his face again. "What the bloody hell was that for?"

"Hogsmeade," she breathes lowly. "Couldn't help yourself, could you?"

The confused and almost distraught features on his face transform into a not-so-guilty grin. "We just wanted to see how it was going," he defends.

"We?" Remus huffs.

"Those two nearly dragged us by the ear, didn't they?" Peter confirms with Remus. "I just wanted to go get a hot chocolate." He forms a pout, still reminiscing about it.

"Yeah," Sirius sighs. "James was really adamant about it."

Cressida doesn't need to hear James' blaring scoff to know that bullshit spews from his mouth. Spinning on her heels, she faces Sirius who is barely suppressing a grin behind tightly pinched lips. She launches forward, the sound of book hitting skin sounding through the room. "Don't even try getting out of this. Next time either of you go on dates, I'll be there to ruin them."

Sirius only grins wider, the signs of a smirk appearing. "You might have to wait a while to get Jamesy back then. Lily said no again today."

"Ah, so that explains why you wanted to ruin my day," she drawls, spinning back around. "And put a shirt on Sirius."

James rolls his eyes, his face flat and unimpressed. "She said no because she was busy with Marlene and Mary. And we didn't ruin your day, Cress. It looked like it went quite well from the looks of it."

Cressida swallows. She was having a good day. She could forget for just a few hours about her other feelings. Elias is everything someone could ask for, yet he still isn't what she wants.

"Did it not go well?"

Cressida lifts her head to James. He's sitting up straighter, nothing but concern showing in his eyes. "It went fine," she croaks. He only pinches his eyes further, sliding off the side of his bed. Without even saying anything else, not even giving him words with her eyes, he marches forward, enveloping her within his arms.

It's warm and comforting, even if she doesn't want it to be. She wants him to be cold and uninviting – even more so she doesn't want him to hold her at all, to have no desire to. Because then it would make not holding him back so much easier.

Her forehead rests against his collarbone, a hand laying against the back of her head.

Just as her eyes peel back open, another set of arms wind around them from behind as Sirius squeezes them tightly enough that her feet almost lift from the ground, bringing her to tired giggles. "Peter? Remus? You have an obligation to join now," James calls.

Their soft laughter and thuds of heavy footsteps can be heard. The whole bundle of their bodies sways at the final collision and Cressida smiles without restraint. This is what Elias had said – that they would be there for her even if she doesn't ask for it. And she would trade every other thing she owns, everything that is hers to give up just to keep this. "I hate you all," she croaks again. "And I told you to put a shirt on Sirius."