Loving you || James Potter

01

(💌 This ain't gonna be a slowburn by the way)

IT WAS THE FEAST AFTER HOLIDAYS
at Hogwarts as they all reunited again.
Friends met again, telling each other about their yule, their new year's eve.
Loud chatter filled the hall as the marauders were sitting at their table.

Sirius was throwing Remus concerned glances, before looking at his curly head friend.
Remus was also frowning, while staring at the boy with glasses.

Clearing his throat, he leaned forwards,"James, mate, are you alright?"

Stopping his chat with Peter, James turned to Remus and Sirius with a confused face,"Eh—I guess? Yeah? Why? Do I look weird? Is my hair messy again?"

"Your hair looks incredible.", Sirius stated seriously, making James smirk as he blew him a kiss.

Remus pinched his nose at their behaviour,"You didn't flirt with Lily once today, which is weird."

James opened his mouth in realisation as it formed an 'o'.
"I had a talk with mum over the holidays."

"So you are trying another method orrr?", Peter asked as he took a sip of his pumpkin juice.

The Potter pushed his glasses up a bit as he shook his head,"No, no, I am totally over her. Mum made me realise that I don't even know that girl and I am just infuriated by her looks—which I mean, is the beginning of every relationship, but then I thought about her and—", he shook his head.

"And?", Sirius dragged out as he leaned forwards.

"From what I have seen, I don't like her personality.", he frowned as his friends looked at him shocked,"—like her hurtful words, her know-it-all attitude and her attitude in general. I think I want a different type of girl, like I don't know.", James shrugged,"A loving girl, probably, nice, cute, a softie at heart, you know?"

While Peter and Remus looked at him shocked, Sirius nodded knowingly as he smirked deviously,"I think I know the perfect girl for you."

James shook his head,"I don't want to look for one, Pads, but—", he held his finger up,"If I do find a girl to my liking soon, I won't let go until a ring is on her finger. I wasted enough time with Evans."

And a plan formers itself in Sirius head—

January 8th

Sirius had everything planned out. James was heading down the staircase from Charms, while Adelina was coming up from the opposite direction. All Sirius needed to do was casually observe as they accidentally ran into each other on the stairs. A flawless setup.

But Hogwarts itself had other plans.

As soon as Adelina stepped onto the staircase, it shifted with a loud crack, swinging away to a different part of the castle entirely.
Sirius, who was leaning against the wall, watching with an intense stare, gaped as the stairway carried her off.

James, oblivious to any scheme, turned around, confused,"Why does that always happen when I'm around?"

Sirius groaned and slapped his forehead,"Of course. Of course the stairs would move at the worst possible moment."

James gave him a curious look,"Why are you even here?"

"Just—getting some fresh air," Sirius mumbled, trying to mask his disappointment.
He glanced at the shifting staircase,"—but the air in this place is plotting against me."

January 13th

This was it.
Sirius had found a secluded corridor near the kitchens where Adelina would pass after Herbology.
The perfect, quiet spot.

James was already there, leaning against the wall, waiting for no reason other than Sirius' vague instructions to hang out there for a bit.

The blonde girl rounded the corner, just as planned and Sirius grinned from his hiding spot, confident that this time nothing could go wrong.

But then Sir Cadogan, from his portrait on the wall, spotted her.
He drew his tiny sword and began shouting,"Ah! Pretty maiden! Wait! A knight in shining armor awaits!"

Sirius froze in horror and shock as Cadogan galloped back and forth in his frame, singing something unintelligible about honor.

The Nott heiress stopped, smiling at the absurd display, then quickly hurried past it, before James could even process what was happening.

James scratched his head, looking toward the empty corridor,"What's going on?"

Sirius emerged from behind a pillar, glaring at the portrait,"Yo—You ruined everything! Stupid portrait!"

James blinked confused, pushing his glasses up,"Ruined what?"

"Nothing.",Sirius muttered, sulking. "Forget it. Just—avoid that ugly portrait next time."

January 23rd

Sirius was running out of ideas, but he wasn't giving up yet.
He knew Adelina had a soft spot for chocolate frogs, so he figured:
why not set the stage with one?

A chocolate frog would hop its way to James, Adelina would laugh, and a conversation would spark. Simple as that!

He planted the enchanted frog right next to James, who was sitting on a bench in the great hall, completely oblivious to the scheme.
Adelina was about to walk by—everything was perfect.

Sirius watched from a distance, his heart racing.
But, in true marauder fashion, things went wrong.

The chocolate frog leapt a little too enthusiastically, smacking into James' shoulder, then ricocheting onto the floor.
James, startled, dropped his Quidditch playbook, and in his flustered attempt to catch the frog, knocked over his pile of books.

The frog jumped onto Adelina just as she was passing by.
She looked down, surprised but amused.
James was scrambling to get himself together.
He pushed his glasses up and looked at Adelina for the first time.

She was the most beautiful girl he ever laid his eyes on—
The girl had these blonde straight hair, pouty lips and looked at him with these golden brown doe eyes.
She had a fuller face, with rounder cheeks that only added to her charm, softening her features in a way that made her look even more radiant.

"I—uh—sorry! It just—frog—chocolate—", James stammered, face redder than his Gryffindor tie.

Adelina, smiling softly, picked up the frog and handed it back to him,"It's okay, James. Seems like he was in a bit of a rush."
She left, but not before waving at him.

"Y—you know my name? W—wait!", he shouted after her, but she was already fast gone.

From his hiding place, Sirius was putting up his fist in the air as a triumph, cheering quietly.
"I am so smart! I am so bloody smart!"
He watched James still looking at the spot, Adelina stood at and chuckled.
"Fucking yes!"