𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒊𝒆 (DISCONTINUED)

I Hate It Here

But I'm not hurt, I'm tense.

James was sitting in the common room with Remus and Sirius. The three were all quiet, which was something unusual, especially if Sirius was in the room.

Tomorrow was a Quidditch match. Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff. So, James was particularly anxious. Gryffindor hadn't won the Quidditch Cup last year, Hufflepuff did, so it was going to be exceptionally hard to beat them.

James tried to do his Charms homework but found he could not concentrate. He considered going outside to practice, but the rain was pelting against the common room's window.

After a few minutes, James sighed before dropping his homework to the sofa and standing up. He finally decided to go to the prefect's bathroom to take a relaxing bath. He was the Quidditch caption for Gryffindor, so he got the special privilege to use it.

"Where are you going, Prongs?" Sirius questioned as he watched James stand up and stretch, also standing up.

"Going for a bath in the prefect's bathroom," James answered. Sirius frowned. "But you've been gone almost every day, working on that stupid potion project with Snivellus."

Over the past couple of weeks, James found his toleration level for Sirius started to shrink. James pinched the bridge of his nose, "Look, the match is tomorrow, and I need to relax. I'll hang out with you guys tomorrow." James stated. Remus looked up from his homework, "Just let him go Sirius."

Sirius suppressed an eye roll as he plopped back onto the couch next to Remus. James gave Remus a thankful smile before walking out of the portrait hole.

There was one hour until curfew, James shouldn't take too long, he thought as he approached the bathroom, whispering the password before walking through.

James was taken aback to see someone already in the bath. It was hot in the room which caused James' glasses to fog up. He lifted his glasses and squinted, making out the figure of the person. "Severus?" James exclaimed.

. . . .

Severus was having a difficult day. He had woken up feeling nauseous which threw him off for the rest of the day. He had hardly eaten anything because of the bad feeling in his stomach.

So, when classes ended, Severus wasn't hesitant to escape the dungeons and go to the prefect's bathroom to relax. He wasn't a prefect, but Lily was, and she had given him the password, understanding he hadn't felt good.

As Severus turned on the bath faucet, he could feel a migraine forming in his head. He groaned before adding the different scented bubbles. Students didn't use the prefect's bathroom at this time since it was close to curfew, which is exactly why Severus chose to come now. He would be undisturbed, hopefully. Severus was grateful to Lily for giving him the password, he didn't get the luxury of being in this pool-sized bath rather than the hurried showers in the dorms.

A few minutes later the bath was filled, and Severus took off his clothes, folding them and placing them on a nearby bench before stepping in the hot water. The water rose just under his shoulders and Severus sighed at the feeling of the hot water.

Severus sat at the underwater bench for around ten minutes with his eyes closed, enveloping the warm water that soothed the aches in his body until he heard the door open. Severus' eyes shot open as he tried to get a look at the intruder.

"Severus?" He heard the person exclaim. Severus recognized the voice, James. Severus groaned. Great, just great, he could have been interrupted by anyone, but it had to be James Potter.

"What're you doing here, Potter?" Severus muttered.

"Tomorrow's the Quidditch match, I wanted to relax. But you're not a prefect, I should be asking you the same question." James remarked as he lifted his red jumper over his head and took off his glasses. James slipped off the rest of his clothes before stepping into the bath and sitting on the bench.

Severus tensed as he watched James sit across from him. James was much taller than him so instead of the water being to his shoulder, it was just below his fully exposed chest. Severus had to avert his eyes from staring at James' toned upper half.

Severus was aware that James was fit, most likely from Quidditch. But even his school robes hardly showed his rock-hard abs and large biceps.

"Er- I didn't feel well. Lily gave me the password." Severus replied shortly. Severus felt embarrassed, he shouldn't be as tense as he was. He doubted James cared, considering James just rested his arms on the bath wall behind him and laid his head back.

. . . .

The truth was, James was extremely anxious. Not because the Quidditch game was only a day away, but because Severus was sitting across from him, naked. James couldn't see him except for his collarbones and up because of the bubbles. But the thought just made James shiver.

James watched Severus look away, James bit his lip. Since the room was as hot as it was, Some of Severus' shoulder-length hair stuck to his neck.

He shouldn't find it as attractive as he did. But Severus' pale skin in the moonlight that poured in from the enormous windows and his black doe eyes made his heartbeat speed up.

The two sat in silence for a while until James spoke.

"Severus?"

"Yeah?"

"You know how Christmas break is coming soon, in about a month."

"Mhm." Severus hummed.

"Well, I've noticed over the years that you never go home for Christmas." James started. "And I've been thinking, that if you're not planning on going home for break, if you'd like to come to my house."

None of his friends were coming to his house over break. Sirius decided he wanted to try and solve some things at his home. Remus wanted to visit his mum, and Peter claimed he would be in France over the holiday. So, no one would be there to judge him and Severus.

Severus' eyes widened. "I- I'm not sure." He murmured. Severus looked uncomfortable. "I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable, Severus. None of my friends will be there, just us." James told him, to reassure him.

"I have to go," Severus mumbled as he abruptly stood up, stepping out of the bath. James got a glimpse at Severus' backside. James' eyes looked over Severus, at first, he thought, Merlin he's skinny, but James' eyes averted to Severus' round behind and bit his lip. He was beautiful. James thought before cursing his brain for thinking it.

James continued to look over him until he noticed marks on Severus' back. It looked like someone had beaten him. Fury rose in James at the sight.

Severus wrapped a towel around him before James could take a better look. James quickly stood up and exited the bath before wrapping a towel around his waist.

"Severus, what are those marks on your back?" James asked breathlessly as Severus looked up at James with narrowed eyes. "Fuck off," Severus growled.

"Someone hurt you, on your back." James' voice was dripping with concern for Severus.

"I told you to fuck off."

James didn't know what to say. Eventually, letting his mind get the better of him, he turned Severus around and pushed him against a nearby wall, harder than he intended.

"What are you doing Potter!" Severus shouted as he attempted to escape James' grip. "Who did this to you? The scars. Was it me!?" James exclaimed as his eyes went over the scars on Severus' back, now he sounded mad.

"Maybe it was," Severus grumbled, wriggling in James' grip. James had used the advantage of being bigger than Severus to trap him.

But James knew it wasn't him. He nor the Marauders did anything to Severus in over a month. Neither did he ever remember beating Severus' back or anything like that.

"No, it wasn't me," James responded as he pulled Severus' towel down below his back to get a better look. "It looks like someone was beating you. I haven't done that."

James' words hit Severus like a bunch of bricks. James wasn't holding him that hard anymore. So, just at the right time, Severus shoved James off him, causing him to plummet back into the bath.

When James had lifted himself from the water, Severus was gone.

"Shit." James hissed as water dripped from his hair to his face.