our universe

- F U T U R E -

"Is this what death feels like?" Rory bemoaned, slumping on Juniper's shoulder as they walked down the hall to their next class

James hid a chuckle, "Aw, sunshine."

"No. No 'aw sunshine'" Rory huffed, crossing her arms. "I'm still mad at you."

"Come off it, Wood." Teddy rolled his eyes, nudging her. "We beat you at one challenge."

"I'm not entirely convinced you didn't cheat," Juniper added, in firm solidarity with her best friend. Their first day back from holiday, and Parkinson had started the semester off with a Potions competition. To, "get their sorely underprepared arses in gear for NEWTS". Those were her exact words. Teddy and James had beat them out, and Rory hated when Teddy bested her. Juniper was the same with James. Juniper hacked out a cough, which in turn, set James off. Her throat was still a little scratchy.

"And to think," Rory continued, eyeing James, "I practically brought you back to life. Is this how you repay me?" James and Juniper had both caught a nasty cold at the tail end of holiday. Probably due to the fact that they had stayed out practically all day in the freezing snow having a never-ending snowball fight, and coats too thin to be of any use. Though both brother and sister vehemently denied it.

"I still don't understand why Teddy didn't get sick too," Juniper mulled, frowning. "He was out there with us the whole time, and wearing even less." Teddy and Rory had to basically spoon feed Juniper and James, who were both horrible patients.

"I'm a different breed," Teddy quipped, "literally."

"Good thing too," Rory noted, peering at her class schedule. They had Transfiguration next. "I don't know if I could've dealt with three whining, snotty noses."

"If it's any consolation," James smirked, "the two of you made very sexy nurses."

"Amen to that," Juniper echoed, high fiving her brother.

Rory pursed her lips, smile threatening to break loose when she caught James's eye. "Nice try, Potter. Your sweet talk is not going to work on me."

"This time," Teddy said under his breath, mischief written all over his face.

"Lupin!" Rory whacked the boy across the arm with her book bag, glaring daggers at him. "It's not going to work, Potter," she repeated. But even as she spoke those words, her cheeks were turning pink. James was giving her the look. The look. The look that made her feel faint and her knees weak. She was entirely at his mercy and James knew it.

"Really?" James raised a teasing eyebrow, leaning against the wall outside McGonagall's classroom. He grinned, reaching out to brush a strand of her hair behind her ear, "Kinda seems like it is..."

His red and gold tie was as crooked as his damning smile. Rory could not stand it, the way it hung loose around his neck. She must fix it a thousand times each day, button up his shirt too. It was never buttoned all the way, and the sleeves were always rolled up...which, you know, she didn't mind so much. "Idiot," Rory breathed, before pulling him in by that stupid crooked tie and kissing him.

They were interrupted shortly with a prim "Ahem." They found McGonagall, squinting at them over the rims of her glasses, tapping her foot impatiently. She indicated her watch "Class has started, if the two of you would like to find your seats. That is, as long as it doesn't intrude on what seems like a very important mission to find each other's tonsils."

"Sir, yes, sir." James saluted, winking as he passed. Rory was mortified, giving a small meek nod, cheeks burning. Juniper and Teddy were snickering from the back of the classroom