REPUTATION • [j.p.] ✔️

[11]

Chapter Eleven:
Happy Thoughts

•••

JESSIE ENTERED THE Common Room, tears streaming down her face. Remus jumped to his feet, rushing to her. His arms wrapped around her tightly.

"Oh, Jessie, things were going so well... What happened?" Remus rubbed her back, guiding her to the couch.

So Jessie told him how she was all excited to tell him about her feelings, was the happiest she'd been all year and then how he ruined it. She felt sick at the thought of James even being near that girl, let alone kissing her.

She sniffled as Remus sat silently. He glanced at Sirius who shook his head. It wasn't very James like. He was a trouble maker not a player.

"We'll talk to him. But you should go up to your dorm. He's on his way." Sirius tapped the map with laid in his lap.

Jessie thanked her friends, making her way up to her dorm. She didn't even mind reliving the moment to Lily who hugged her tightly, as she listened to the girls ranting. She felt safe with her friend, knowing the boys wouldn't let James up here.

Jessie heard them arguing in the common room, Remus blocking the stairs to Lily and Jessie's dorm from James. Her heart hurt, knowing they argued because of her.

The next few days, Jessie ate with Lily. She sat next to Lily. She studied with Lily. She made extravagant efforts to avoid James. Taking the long way to potions, skipping Quidditch practice by feigning illness and so on.

She learned how use the Patronus charm. Of course, hers was a Tiger. It's presence comforted Jessie, even though she missed the last full moon to avoid James. She felt a pang of guilt as Remus, looking dreadfully ill as did his homework that night.

But still she went up to her room and cast the Patrnous charm. She'd been one of the few students who could conjure her Patronus. She like casting it because it required her to think of something happy. He chose the dance before James kissed the other girl. It was the happiest she'd ever felt.

James's arm around her, all of her friends there... Everyone laughing and enjoying themselves... It was like a war wasn't brewing outside the castle walls.

•••

James watched Jessie go to the bathroom, finishing off his punch, trying to gather the courage to tell her how he felt. Damnit James, you're a Gryffindor, he cursed at himself, turning to get up. He found himself face to face with a girl he didn't recognize at all.

She had blonde hair, murky hazel eyes and freckles. She was nearly taller than James.

Before he could ask her to move, she pressed her lips to his. He shoved her back, too late, however. He saw Jessie's head of dark hair as she ran off. Shooting the girl a look of disgust, he shoved past her, racing after Jessie. The Fat Lady gave him quite the hassle, but he got inside.

However, Remus, Sirius and Peter were pissed. How could he hurt sweet Jessie?

He hadn't wanted to. It hurt him to see the wet tear stains on Remus's shoulder, knowing they were hers.

That night he didn't sleep a wink. And for the next few nights all he could do was toss and turn.

He would stare helplessly at Jessie across the room during the day. So close and now so far...

Even a week later when the Slytherin robes turned to Gryffindor robes and Jessie, Remus, Sirius, Peter and James got detention, she didn't look at him. He felt the chasm inside him open up again, someone poured the molten lava in each time he looked at her. It was worse than a Crutiatus curse, though he was only guessing at that.

Finally, the night before their detention, James turned to Remus. "I need to talk to her. But she just runs the other way. Please help me, Moony!" He pleaded, dropping to his knees. He had a whole list of reasons why he should help prepared.

Remus glanced up from his book. He nodded. "Be here at noon tomorrow."

James blinked in surprise, hugging his friend, ruining his book along the way. "Bless you, Remus!" James pat him on the back and sprinted back up to his room.

•••
[Published 02/04/18]
a/n: this is very short, sorry <3

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