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Partying With James

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James

I can't believe Regulus actually came to the party and we're actually able to hangout. His friends are here too but who knows where they are, and I hope they stay away for a while because he's so calm right now. He looks relaxed and happy.

I like seeing him like this. Merlin, he's adorable.

He doesn't want a drink but that's okay, we can have fun without drinking. Sirius is drinking enough for the both of us.

Lily came over a few moments ago and started talking to me and Regulus sort of backed off a bit. He's still beside me but he backed away a little.

"I just thought you should know that I finished that book you suggested me to read," Lily says to me and smiles sweetly.

"Oh yeah? What did you think?" I ask her and then look back at Regulus and motion for him to come back here. He shakes his head and doesn't move.

"It was good but I didn't like some of the characters. The main character was really rude and I didn't like the love interest."

"Yeah, I think that was the point of the story." I tell her, but I'm more focused on the boy slowly disappearing behind me. I reach back and grab his hand and pull him closer. He shakes my hand away but stands beside me.

"James?" Lily asks me as she stares at Regulus and I. She eyes our hands and then looks between the two of us.

"This is Regulus. He's Sirius' younger brother and this is his first Gryffindor party. I told Sirius I'd make sure he has a good time."

"Oh, hi Regulus." Lily says and smiles warmly at him. "I'm Lily."

"Hi. I know who you are." Regulus replies dryly.

"He's kind of a grump." I add and Regulus elbows me in the side. "What? You are?"

"I didn't know you guys are friends." Lily mumbles and looks between us curiously.

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me, Evans." I say to her and nudge Regulus to get his attention. "We should get going. We're about five minutes away from a Sirius meltdown."

"Right, and I want to see that." Regulus says but his tone changed. He's not relaxed anymore, and he seems... uncomfortable.

"Okay, well I should go find Mary and Marlene anyway. I said I was going to get a drink."

"Alright. See you later Evans." I say to her and motion Regulus away from her.

He walks ahead of me a little and then looks back at me to see where we want to go. I motion for him to go to the other side of the room where it's quiet. He sits down on one of the couches away from other people and I sit down beside him.

"So what happened back there?" I ask him. "You got really tense and you looked so uncomfortable."

"Nothing happened." Regulus replies dryly, but I catch him looking away.

"Regulus?"

"Nothing, James."

"Do you not like Lily?" I ask him. It seems like he doesn't like her but I didn't know they knew each other at all.

"I don't even know her," Regulus replies and shrugs his shoulders. "I don't not like her."

"You're confusing me."

"I don't know her, but I don't like being around her. It's a long story."

"We have time, if you're willing to tell me."