Someone Great, James S. Potter

XV

STEVIE WAS AWAKENED on Christmas morning by an aggressive Albus Potter shaking her. Once she'd successfully swatted him away, Albus finally calmed down.

"Gram said everyone has to be awake before we open presents," Albus said, out of breath. "You're the last one, hurry up!"

Stevie pulled a hoodie on over her turtleneck from last night before running down the stairs after Albus. Upon entering the family room, Stevie was struck by just how many presents there were. There had to be at least one hundred unter the Potters' large tree, decorated with ornate ornaments and popcorn and tinsel. Stevie had never seen anything like it.

Dodging the kids on the floor, Stevie stumbled over next to her father, squeezing in next to him on the couch. Molly began distributing presents in a semi-organized fashion, although some of the kids got restless and started summoning their presents over.

Stevie's heart was warmed by the presents she'd gotten, not just from her father, but from the Potters and Weasley-Grangers as well. She didn't even know Ron, George, Percy, Harry, Hermione, Bill, Molly, or Fleur that well, but they'd still gone out of their way to get her something special: jewelry from Bill and Fleur, books from Ron and Hermione, a broom cleaning set from Ginny and Harry, a scarf from Percy, and an emerald sweater with a silver "S" in the middle from Molly. Oliver gave her a scrap book full of pictures from all of her Christmases, with an empty space for her last one as a child.

It wasn't until most of the guests had funneled into the kitchen for breakfast that Stevie noticed a small box sitting under the tree, unnoticed by everyone else. Her heart skipped a beat as she read her name on the silver wrapping paper, along with James'. She turned around to see if anyone was watching, and after confirming no one was, she carefully unwrapped the paper to reveal an ornate, wooden box.

Upon opening it, Stevie gasped. Sitting on the red velvet inside was a simple, silver ring with an oval of red jasper embedded in it. Slipping it on, the ring magically molded itself to fit perfectly on Stevie's finger. She smiled.

"Come eat before it's all gone," Albus called from the kitchen.

_______

SHE WAS WEARING the ring he bought her, so she couldn't hate him, right? James watched as Stevie spun the ring around her finger absentmindedly, unaware of the effect it had on James. She couldn't hate him, so maybe she wanted to talk. Maybe she felt the same burning need to talk about what happened that he did. Or maybe not, but either way, he needed to talk to her. He just didn't know when.

Until he could get her alone, James would settle for watching her from afar as everyone separated into their own groups. Stevie hung back her dad and got roped into a conversation with Harry and Ginny about Quidditch. James slid in.

"My fans really keep me going," Stevie said sarcastically, "my friends Otto and Sunny always make the most ridiculous posters—"

"I didn't know you were friends with Sunny," Ginny said, smiling. "James invited her to the New Year's party! Feel free to invite Otto as well, if you'd like—"

"The more, the merrier," Molly Weasley called out from afar.

Stevie was glad she would see Sunny, but she would sooner stab her eyes out than watch James and Sunny interact in any way at the moment. Stevie felt Lily tugging on her arm as the ginger girl pulled her out to the living room where the rest of the teenagers were conversing.

"Ah, Stevie, welcome," Fred said, patting the space beside him for her to sit. "We were just discussing the odds of Professor Holloway having the hots for Professor Longbottom."

"Doesn't everyone have the hots for Professor Longbottom," Stevie said, brows furrowed. "But he's married, unfortunately, so I don't think Holloway is gonna get the ending she hoped for."

"How sad," Dominique said, "I've always thought Holloway was rather nice."

Stevie smiled, rubbing her hands up and down her arms. "I'll be right back—I'm going to get my jumper."

Stumbling over Roxanne and Hugo, Stevie made her way to the stairs, taking two at a time. She quickly grabbed the emerald jumper Molly made her, not bothering to shut the door behind her as she made her way toward the stairs.

"Stevie?"

Stevie paused. It was James.

She ran back into her room.

"Stevie, come on," James said from the other side of the door. "I just want to talk about what happened."

Stevie sighed heavily, pressing her forehead against the cool wood before stepping back. "Come in."

James opened the door carefully, stepping in quietly before shutting it behind him. "Hey."

"Hi."

Stevie rung her hands.

"I just—"

"You said it was a mistake," Stevie said. "We should just leave it at that. Simple."

"But it's not that simple, Steph—Stevie," James said, stepping forward. Stevie stepped back. "I just don't know what to think—"

"You told me you were in love with Sunny! What do you mean you 'don't know what to think?'"

"Stevie, please—"

"Y'know what, James? I'm the one who shouldn't know what to think," Stevie said. "We talk and we laugh, a–and it feels like I'm fucking flying, but you're in love with my best friend! I mean, you invited her to your fucking party!"

"Stevie—"

She took a few steps toward him. "And you know what's even worse? I know that you think it was all just a dumb mistake that didn't mean anything—"

She was interrupted by James' lips crashing into hers, his hands clutching the base of her jaw. It was long and warm and perfect, and Stevie knew she shouldn't be letting him kiss her, but she couldn't stop herself from kissing him back. When they separated, their foreheads remained pressed together.

"It meant something to me," James said, his thumb tracing the bottom of her cheek. "I just don't know what the hell I'm doing right now."

"Neither do I," Stevie said.

"I'm glad we're on the same page, then," James said, laughing softly. "I just—I need some time to—"

"Yeah," Stevie said, stepping back. James suddenly felt freezing. "Right."

________

call me james because i don't know what the fuck i'm doing