Someone Great, James S. Potter

XI

IF THERE WAS one thing Stevie had learned at hogwarts, it was that Gryffindors can throw damn good parties. She'd only been there for ten minutes before she was coaxed onto the dancefloor by Sunny and Otto. As the three of them danced, Stevie almost forgot about Maria and their argument that morning.

It was particularly easier to forget about Maria when she could feel Jack Macmillan's breath dusting her collarbones. Otto was wiggling his eyebrows from behind Jack, and Stevie could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks. Stevie looked up at Jack as the music died down a bit.

"You're Stephanie, right," he asked, a smile breaking through his pink lips. "You sit behind me in Astronomy."

"Yeah, it's Stevie," she responded, tucking a veil behind her ear. "Nice dance moves."

"Thanks," Jack said, laughing. He lowered his head down to her level. "I could tell you liked them."

"How," Stevie asked, her eyebrow cocked.

"You're blushing," said Jack, straightening his posture again. "You look rather like a beet, actually."

"Thanks?" Stevie pursed her lips, searching over Jack's shoulder to see where Sunny and Otto went. "Y'know, I should probably get something to drink to refresh myself after all that dancing."

"I can get you something, if you'd like," Jack said, eyebrows raised. His blonde hair had begun to stick to his forehead from sweat. "Don't go anywhere."

Stevie did just the opposite, turning around in search of Otto and Sunny as soon as Jack was out of sight. There was nothing wrong with the boy, but Stevie was much more invested in staying with her friends rather than finding someone to snog in the corner.

After searching for several minutes, pushing through crowds of sweaty, hormonal teenagers, Stevie finally found Otto, but he wasn't alone. Consumed in conversation with Fred, Otto didn't notice his friend a few feet away, her face flushed from heat and alcohol. Deciding that it was best to let Otto get it going with the boy he fancied, Stevie continued her search for Sunny, though she wasn't as difficult to find.

Sitting on plush, red chairs in the corner of the room, Sunny and James were conversing lowly, their faces mere inches apart. Stevie told herself that they were only so close in order to hear each other over the outrageously loud music, but their intentions were made clear as the space between became smaller and smaller—

"There you are," Jack said, popping up in front of her. "I thought I told you to stay put!"

Stevie couldn't care less what Jack was saying as she grabbed the cup out of his hand and chugged it in its entirety.

_________

IT WASN'T UNTIL McGonagall came out that the party stopped. It was past midnight, and Stevie was passed out on the couch. She would have been deserted there, had James not gone over to find her.

"Hey, Stevie," James said gently, nudging the girl's shoulder until she awoke. "Party's over."

"Hm?" Stevie could barely understand what he was saying, given the large amount of alcohol she drank and the lack of sleep in her system. She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes and stretching out her legs. She saw James and was hit with a wave a guilt. "I didn't get to talk to you! That's the only reason I came to this stupid party."

"That's okay," James said, smiling. "We can talk now. How about I walk you back to your Common Room. I know a way so Peeves and Filch won't find us, come on."

James practically had to lift her up for Stevie to finally stand. Even in her drunk state, she was thoroughly impressed by James' strength and couldn't help but grab onto his biceps. James passed it off as her steadying herself.

"I'm gonna make it up to you," Stevie said, letting James lead her out into the corridor. "I'll get you a big present for your birthday!...When is your birthday?"

"It was in September," James said. Stevie immediately stopped walking. It took two seconds before she reached out and smacked his shoulder. "Ow! What was that for?"

"How could you let me miss your birthday," Stevie said. James fought back laughter as Stevie seemed overdramatically upset about it. "Next year, you wait! I'm gonna make you the biggest cake you've ever seen."

"I'm touched," he said, his hand on his heart. There was a beat of silence in which Stevie walked slowly, looking around at the sleeping portraits around her as James watched. "I talked to Sunny, by the way."

"Mhm," Stevie said, feigning disinterest. "About what?"

"I sort of kissed her," he said, rubbing his neck.

"Oh," Stevie said. "Cool."

"Yeah," said James. "I guess the party was eventful for both of us."

"What d'you mean?"

"I saw you dancing with Macmillan," James said, turning his head to look at her. He searched her face for any sense of emotion, but Stevie kept her expression unnervingly passive.

"That wasn't," Stevie started, "that didn't mean anything."

"I don't think he knows that," said James, laughing.

"Well you weren't there, were you," Stevie snapped, finally looking over at him. His eyes widened as he stopped walking. "I'm sorry, I just—don't want to talk about it."

James started walking again, though Stevie's pace slowed this time.

"James, wait," she said, running up as he slowed down. They were right outside the Portrait Hole. "Then the deal is done, right?"

"What do you mean," James asked, brows furrowed

"Well, you're going out with Sunny. I got better at Quidditch. We both got what we wanted out of it," Stevie said, leaning against the cold, stone wall.

"Well, I—it—we can still train," James said, looking straight into Stevie's eyes.

"How do I know you're actually going to try now that I can't blackmail you," she asked, a flash of a smile coming across her face.

"You can trust me," James said, smiling. "Besides, we haven't really finished your part of the deal. You're not the best Chaser in the world yet. I'm still twice as good as you."

"Wow," Stevie said, laughing. "Blunt."

"I'll see you at practice tomorrow," James said, a stern expression on his face.

"Good night, James," she said, smiling.

"G'night."

Both teenagers made their way to the dorms, smiles on their faces. James told himself it was because of his kiss with Sunny, but Stevie knew the true meaning of it all.

__________

NOTE.

sooooo, that was different