REPUTATION • [j.p.] ✔️

[17]

Chapter Seventeen:
Angel 

•••

JAMES POTTER WAS so in love with a girl who had trouble loving herself he resorted to strumming sad tunes on his guitar. She sat at the end of his bed, watching him in confusion.

"Can't you play anything happier?" She wondered, gazing up from her book.

"No, dear Jessie. He cannot," Remus muttered across the room.

"Okay seriously, I asked you all to leave," James scowled.

"Well, you're not Sirius, I am," grinned Sirius.

"James, they're still your friends!" Jessie laughed at his silliness.

James smiled at the sound. It was like pure heaven. She sat up, moving to sit next to him, her book forgotten at the end of the bed. She snuggled up to him and his heart melted. Completely melted in his chest.

She wore a pair of her stretch pants, but it was his t-shirt she adorned. He had come out of the bathroom earlier to find her wearing it. She was beautiful. Just beautiful. His angel.

James kissed the top of her head. "Yeah, well, they're Siriusly annoying." He scowled at his best mate.

"Come on boys, I know when I'm not welcome," Sirius scoffed, standing up and dragging Remus with him. Peter followed without question.

"That wasn't nice," Jessie poked his side. "Now play something." James smiled lightly, strumming the strings gently. The sound echoed throughout the room. "Would you teach me how to play?"

"Teach you— Me teach— Oh, sure." James stuttered. Only when he was around her, though, did he stutter. James Potter never stuttered near anyone else.

James handed her the guitar and pulled her into his lap. Jessie ran her hands along the shiny strings absently for a moment. Her boyfriend grabbed her hands gently, guiding them to the strings. He positioned one hand properly and then let her strum.

They did this for hours before he set the guitar aside. He turned Jessie around gently and kissed her sweetly.

"How did it go with Madame Pomfrey earlier?" He asked, playing with her hair.

"Oh, um, fine, I guess. I feel like it just makes things worse talking about them. I know it's meant to help but it doesn't work like that for me." She frowned watching him toy with her hair.

"That's okay. Just tell her that so it doesn't keep getting worse, okay?" James asked softly, gently raising her head so she looked at him.

Jessie nodded.

"Are you feeling okay today?"

Jessie shrugged. "I mean, you all make me happy, especially you, but I don't know... It just kind of hides what I'm really feeling, I guess. Its hard to explain," Jessie's words were soft, and she was desperate for James to understand.

James, however, didn't understand. He kissed her forehead and carried her to the bathroom. Jessie watched in confusion.

"Baths always relax me," he smiled.

"Oh, that's sweet but I don't think... I mean... together... I'm not..."

James laughed softly. "No, no. Just you and lots of bubbles okay?"

Jessie slowly nods.

"But either way, remember that time we all went skinny dipping in the Black Lake?" James grinned at her.

Jessie yelled at her friends to turn around as she stripped the last of her clothes. They were all laughing already in the water.

"Why did I have to come?!" Jessie asked with chattering teeth and she waded into the water.

"Because it would be weird if four guys went in alone." Sirius sniggered, though that really wasn't the reason she had to come.

"Could have brought bathing suits still!"

"Then it wouldn't fit the bet would it!" Remus chuckled.

They had bet that Gryffindor would win the House Cup with a couple of the other Gryffindor. Their punishment was that they would all have to go skinny dipping in the Black Lake.

Despite how awkward it was at first, all of them highly uncomfortable (except Sirius who would walk around the castle naked), the night was full of fun. There was splashing, talking, drinking, laughing and all around good times.

It ended up being the best dare Jessie ever lost.

"Fourth year after we lost the Quidditch cup," she whispered, looking up at James.

He laughed and nodded. The bath was full, bubbles nearly pouring out of it. James stood up, "I'll be right back," he said, kissing her head.

Jessie climbed into the bathtub while he was gone. When he returned, he found her in the bath, hair in a messy bun, bubbles up to her chin. He carried the book she'd been reading and his guitar. He'd also made sure to lock the doors.

"You wanted me to play you something happy, right?" He asked softly.

Jessie nodded, gazing up at him. 

James began strumming the guitar, lulling Jessie to sleep. He smiled, keeping an eye on her while he continued to strum a melody on his guitar.

He'd always protect her,

his angel.

•••
[Published 02/11/17]
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a/n: short again, oops! next chapter will be longer! I promise! sometimes writing longer chapters is hard, but other times not so much.