The Breakup Plan •James Potter• |editing|

❁Chapter 34❁

Chapter 34

"How do you feel that Caden is gone?" asked James as he walked down the hallway with Nora beside him, his arm around her shoulder and a smile painting his lips.

"I feel good," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his waist, "I was surprised that Dumbledore was alright with the tree house, but we're building a new one anyway so it doesn't matter."

"I think it's best to build a new one," James mumbled, stopping in the isolated hallway, reaching for her two hands, "to give you a fresh start, a new beginning."

"I know," she smiled, reaching up to run her hand through his hair, "and it's not just mine, it's ours, and Adria's, and Aubrey's, and Lily's, and Remus', and Sirius', and Peters', and Finn's, and Milo's, and Blair's, and Isaac's, and Arden's-"

"I get it, Nora," James laughed, resting his forehead against hers whilst her laugh rang through the hallway.

"We should get to class," she sighed, pulling him closer and resting her head on his chest, her smile widening when he protested, "O.W.Ls are soon, James, if I don't go to class I won't pass!"

"Oh please," James scoffed, guiding her head to look at him, subtly pressing her against the wall of the hall, "you could pass in a heartbeat."

"Thank you," she whispered, her hand on the back of his neck, pulling him down to meet her lips, "not just for your lovely compliments, but for everything, James, you helped me through so much and you do it with no complaints-"

"Complaints?" he cut her off, his head titled as he pushed himself forward, closer to her - if that was even possible - a frown captured his lips as he gripped her waist tighter, "what complaints could I possibly have? you have nothing to thank me for, everything I've done is because you're amazing, and deserve it, and I would do it all again in a heartbeat, I'd do absolutely anything for you, Nora, anything."

She smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly, pulling him into a hug, "you're so bloody amazing, James."

"So are you, Nora," he mumbled against her cheek, "you have been through so much pain, and so much sadness, and hurt, and fear, and look at you, so strong, as if you are so happy, a month ago you were pushed out of a tree, a month ago Caden tried to hurt you so much, and you have come out on top, you aren't letting him win, merlin, you're so incredible."

"Can you believe Adria and Sirius think they're the cutest couple?" Nora smiled, a laugh falling from both hers and James' lips as he took a step back, reaching for her hand and pulling her down the hall. They would be late to their first class, Nora's being Defence Against the Dark Arts whilst James was in Potions, but neither of them cared much.

Over the time that Caden hurt Nora - something she was trying to forget about - she hadn't been herself, she smiled, and she laughed, and sometimes she was happy, but now, a month later, only a month later could she feel herself growing back into her own self, only this time she was stronger.

"We're so late for class we may as well not go," James shrugged, a smirk on his lips as Nora turned to him, rolling her eyes as she pushed him.

"Funny," she scoffed, "we're five minutes late, I think it's fine."

"Please," he pouted, reaching for her hands and pulling her into him, "apparently, we're still in the honeymoon stage of our relationship so we should be basking in it!"

"Oh please, we'll always be in the honeymoon stage," she giggled, rolling her eyes once more, "where did you even hear that term?"

"What? Honeymoon stage?" he asked, watching her nod with a raised eyebrow, "Adria, she was winding me up about it, so I asked her."