Someone Great, James S. Potter

VIII

HOGSMEADE WEEKENDS NEVER failed to make Stevie happier. They always seemed to come at the right time, give her a much needed break. And since she'd failed failed her Potions test on Friday, Stevie was grateful to have something to take her mind off it, though that stress from her test was replaced rather quickly with her stress about James and Sunny's date.

"Do I look alright," James asked that Saturday morning, his hands anxiously fixing his hair as his eyes glanced over the rest of his appearance in the mirror. He'd sent an emergency letter to Stevie, pleading her to help him with his outfit for the date. Much to her surprise, Stevie gave in, finding herself fixing James' collar, nearly getting smacked as he tried to flatten his hair.

"You look fine," said Stevie, dodging James' elbow as he finally gave up on his hair. "You look really nice, actually."

"Don't say it so surprised," said James, smiling.

"God, I hadn't meant to inflate your already large head," said Stevie, wrapping her sweater tighter around herself. James smiled and focused back on his mirror. Huffing, Stevie decided to glance around his room, her eyes instantly catching an impressive record collection. "Are these all yours?"

"Wha—oh, yeah," James said, walking over to the shelf. "A lot of them are my Mum's, though. I like to listen to them when I get homesick, or whatever."

"That explains the overwhelming amount of Amy Winehouse," said Stevie, fingering through his collection. "No way," she said, pulling out a record with a Muggle man on the cover, "I love Jeff Buckley."

"That's my favorite record in my entire collection," said James.

"You're joking," said Stevie, flipping it over and over in her hands. "I have the CD at home, they're less expensive. May I," she asked, gesturing to the record player on the table next to James' bed.

As the first track began to play, Stevie broke out into a wide grin, and James couldn't help but smile back.

"Come on." Stevie put her arms out, nodding toward them. After a moment's hesitation, James got up, groaning comically as he did so. Stevie rolled her eyes.

Stevie didn't know if it was because she was seeing him up close for the first time in years, but she noticed the there were sprinkles of gold in James' eyes, a similar shade to the light dusting of freckles across the tops of his cheeks.

Stevie gasped and laughed as James spun her around quickly, stumbling back a bit, her calves hitting his bed. He pulled her back as quickly as he spun her around, his strength taking her by surprise. It wasn't until the slow beginnings of Lilac Wine began that Stevie collapsed on the floor in a fit of laughter, her chest heaving.

"Shit," James exclaimed, "what's the time?"

"I should probably go," said Stevie, pushing herself off the ground. "Sunny—she's impatient."

"Yeah, right," said James, flattening his hair down again, "let's go."

James opened the door, letting Stevie walk through first. A bit hesitant, Stevie ran quickly down the stairs and out the door before Sunny could see her. In the quick glimpse Stevie got of Sunny, she could still tell that her friend looked beautiful. Her smile was radiant.

______

"I THINK I'M gonna puke," said Otto for the third time after seeing another couple snuggling up to each other in the Three Broomsticks. This time, he was watching Nathalia Thomas and Ben Tillman snogging rather passionately in the corner booth five feet away. Stevie laughed, averting her eyes from the scene.