Someone Great, James S. Potter

XIV

STEVIE WOKE UP on Christmas Eve with puffy eyes and a headache, her mind a mess. She'd dreamt about last night, about the feeling of James' weight on top of her, his hands all over her body, his groans and heavy breaths—it was too much.

She'd slept in later than everybody else and took the only seat left at the table in between Ginny and her dad. Oliver had made her a plate with all of her favorite things before all the food was snatched up by the kids, and his kindness almost made Stevie cry again. But she wouldn't. That was be dehumanizing.

Instead, she made polite conversation with the adults around her, ignoring the feeling of James' eyes on her all throughout breakfast. She would have to talk to him eventually, but not when her mind was still clouded a renewed need for his touch.

For now, Stevie would surrender herself to Molly Weasley, who had a long list of things she needed done in a short amount of time. Molly had assigned jobs to everyone, even the adults, who had all gotten used to it.

Stevie and Albus were put in charge of washing the dishes—a task made much less daunting by Stevie's superb cleaning charm. It took approximately two seconds for Albus to begin his interrogation of Stevie.

"So," he started, "where did you sneak off to last night."

"I was tired," Stevie lied, "I went to sleep."

"Oh," Albus said, "so that must be when you got attacked."

"Attacked? What d'you mean?"

"Well, you have all those bruises on your neck," Albus said, smirking, "so something must've attacked you. Or maybe someone."

Stevie's cheeks flushed as she checked her reflection in a spoon, purple hickeys evident around the collar of her shirt. "Why didn't you say anything before?"

"Because that wouldn't have been fun," Albus said. Stevie nearly decapitated him as she sent a saucer flying at his head, stopping it right before it would have crashed into the wall behind him. "Use your words, Stephanie."

"I'm going to murder you in your sleep," Stevie said, fists clenched.

"Can't wait," Albus said, "but at least let me know who gave you those in the first place."

"No way," Stevie said.

"I already know," he said, "I just want you to admit it."

"How do you already know," Stevie asked, "did James tell you?"

"Bloody hell," Albus exclaimed, "it was James?"

"You said you knew!"

"I was lying so you'd tell me," Albus said, grimacing, "gross, you have a lady-boner for my brother!"

"Don't act like a five-year-old, Albie," Stevie said, rolling her eyes. "Plus, nothing is going to happen! It was a mistake, James said it himself!"

"Yeah, well James is an idiot," Albus said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Was it a mistake to you?"

"James is in love with my best friend," Stevie said, sighing, "of course it was a mistake."

________

JAMES AND FREDDIE were lugging firewood across the garden when Freddie finally had enough of James' rambling.

"I just don't know what to think, Fred," James said, his hands in his hair as Freddie carried all of the wood. "I told her I was in love with her best friend, and then I kissed her the same day. She probably hates me."

"Yeah, probably," Freddie said, dropping the wood into the holder beside the door. "Why don't you take out some of this frustration by actually doing your job."

"Yeah, whatever," James said. trudging through the snow to the wood shed. "But seriously, Freddie, I don't think I could live knowing that Stevie hates me."

"That's a bit dramatic, mate," Freddie said. "You only started actually talking to her, like, three months ago."

"Yeah, but she's just unlike anyone I know," James said, his eyes focusing on nothing. "She's like a ray of sunshine, o–or a cup of hot chocolate."

"Merlin, Jamie," Freddie said, hands on his hips, "are you sure it's Sunny you fancy?"

______

STEVIE WORE A turtleneck to dinner that night and sat between Lily and Albus. Lily has been talking Stevie's ear off about the different plants and creatures she'd learned about from her classes and books, and Stevie listened to every word, ignoring the commotion around her until she heard her father calling her name.

"Stevie," Oliver called out from down the table, "when was it that you broke James' nose?"

"Uh," Stevie started, her cheeks flushed. "I think it was we were eight or nine—"

"We were nine," James said from across the table. "I'd been following her around, and she got sick of it."

"Yes, he was just like his grandfather," Harry said, smiling, "following around the girl he likes, even was she doesn't like him back."

"I didn't know," Stevie started, turning her head toward James.

"Yes, I remember would write to tell me about a girl he fancied in his class named Stephanie," Molly said, smiling brightly. "I didn't know it was you, dear."

"I think that's enough of that," James said, his cheeks red and his eyes trained on his empty plate.

"No need to be embarrassed, Jamie," Ginny said, "I wouldn't even speak to your father when I was ten because my crush was so severe!"

"Yeah, thanks," James said, smiling meekly.

"But times have changed," Harry said. "Who was that girl you were telling me about? Sunday?"

"Sunny," James said, finally looking up. He caught Stevie's eye, but she turned away quickly.

"Do tell more," Molly said, leaning forward.

"We've gone on a couple dates to Hogsmeade, that's all," he said shyly, his face a perpetually shade of pink.

"I used to have some good Hogsmeade dates back in the day," Ginny said, sighing. "Oh my god, Harry do you remember when Cho Chang started screaming at you in the middle of that tea shop?"

"Of course," Harry said, smiling weakly. "Highlight of the year."

The table erupted into laughter then, and everyone forgot about James and Sunny, except for Stevie, of course, who had excused herself long ago.

_______

it's back.