If I May Be So Bold (A Harry Potter Universe Fanfiction)

38.

February 2035

JAMES

When the girls had been young, James had very rarely been required to be the on call staff member. It wasn't until Ella was about eight that he had started easing his way back into his bi-monthly slew of late nights at the school. Now that the girls were in school it was easier, but he still missed being able to go home at the end of the day. Where once it hadn't seemed like such a big deal — he'd lived at the school for a decade after all — he'd grown used to the separation of having somewhere else to go after work and he found he needed it more than he'd thought.

Sometimes Elise would come and stay with him, but sometimes she stayed home, claiming she liked having the bed to herself, even though James knew this was not at all true. She still, all these years later, usually fell asleep touching him in some way. She'd always liked to sleep close.

He was really hoping she would come tonight. He had suspicions to discuss.

He was already in bed, lamp still on and his book open in front of him when she arrived.

"You did come," he said, smiling when he saw her step out of the fire.

She wore her favorite pair of gray, stretchy pants and a light blue t-shirt, her hair up in a loose ponytail.

"It's so windy tonight," she said. "The house was creaking something awful."

He put his book down, patted the bed next to him. It was his third day on duty and he hadn't seen her except very briefly since Tuesday morning. He was still on through Friday, so he was very glad to see her. Elise slipped under the covers, turning to him once she was settled. He kissed her and she smiled.

"I missed you," he said.

"Me too."

He kissed her again.

"Last weekend," he said suddenly, "when I had to be here for the Hogsmeade weekend..."

"Yes," Elise said, waiting for him to go on.

"It was so cold that day, I swear the whole school was in the Three Broomsticks. And Ella was in there. I don't think she saw me come through, but she was there with her friends, only they were sitting with a couple of boys. Three Slytherin boys."

Elise's face was very neutral.

"I didn't really think much of it. It was so crowded in there, I figured they just took what they could get, and anyway it was Logan Pickering and two of his friends and they're all nice enough boys. But tonight El was on prefect duty, and she came in and out in such a hurry. She wouldn't really make eye contact with me. It seemed like she just wanted to get out of there so fast."

"And you're thinking these boys might have something to do with it," Elise said. She slid a little further down the bed, turned onto her side and propped up on her elbow.

"Well hopefully not boys plural," James said, alarmed. "I was thinking maybe one of them."

Elise laughed. "You know what I mean."

"Well what do you think? I mean has she said anything to you?"

Elise considered him, but didn't say anything.

"You know something," he said. Elise's face remained that perfectly neutral expression. Damn it, having an auror for a wife was frustrating sometimes. She could keep things so hidden.

"Tell me what you think is going on," Elise said.

"Well, I think it's Logan," James said. "'Cause that's the one she was sitting by the other day and they had that thing in the concert together, so I know she's at least spoken to him."

Elise actually smiled a little at this, but he couldn't tell if she was confirming his suspicions or just thought it was cute that he thought he knew what was going on.

"What?" he asked. "Am I totally wrong?"

"No," she said, which surprised him more than anything. "No you're absolutely right. She has a bit of a crush on him."

Forget that this was what he'd suspected. James felt a little stunned. What was he supposed to do with this information now? Ella wasn't old enough to be interested in boys. She was his baby, his little buddy, his good helper, his little bookworm. She was just his. His and Elise's. She couldn't be something to a boy. It wasn't fair.

"James, she's growing up," Elise said. "She's going to want to date, and I don't see why she shouldn't. She's smart and she's kind and she's beautiful. Why wouldn't she have caught someone's fancy?"

"But she can't—" James started to say. "She isn't— I mean... what would've made her like him?"

"What, is he just a nuisance?"

"No," James said honestly. "No, I said before. He's a nice kid. I've always liked him actually."

"Then I don't see what the problem is."

James frowned. How could Elise not see what the problem was? It was obvious.

"She's got a good head on her shoulders, James. She told me about him at Christmas. She likes him for all the right reasons. And you said it yourself. He's a nice kid. I don't know him, but it seems like you two are on the same page, so that's reason enough for me to trust him, and I absolutely know I trust her."

"Why didn't she tell me?" he asked.

"'Cause you're her dad, not her mum," Elise said softly. "And his teacher. I have the benefit of not knowing him."

James' frown deepened.

"Don't give her a hard time about it, alright? Or him. You have a good relationship with her. She still tells you way more than she tells me. But you're going to ruin that if you make this a big deal. Just don't bring it up until she does."

Elise smiled at the look on his face, kissed him on the cheek, and then reached for the lamp to turn the light out.

She lay back down, coaxing James into her arms for a hug. Her fingers smoothed down his back several times.

"I think this is really good for her, actually," Elise said into the dark. "She's really opening up this year. She's getting so much more confident."

"Yeah," James said quietly. "I suppose you're right."

He let go of her, turned onto his other side, and stared into the darkness. Elise's hand found his back again and she dragged the tips of her fingers in these feather-light patterns for a long time. James knew she was right, but he didn't have to like it.