Strange Benefits (James Potter)

twenty six

note: thank you so much for the 11k reads and for getting me back to number 1! the ranks are unbelievable! thank you!
also: this is like the shortest chapter i've ever written in my entire life lol. but it's just a filler for next chapter which i am very excited to write 😉

The weeks flew by surprisingly fast considering the amount of school work and tests in preparation for the upcoming NEWTs and OWLs in a few months time. Usually, Milla welcomed the fast-paced days with open arms. Busy, fleeting hours meant it was closer to the Holidays and she was more than looking forward to coming home. But, it also meant not having enough time to think over and to talk to James about his confession in front of the whole school and her interactions with him are also minimized.

It could be a good thing for them; have some space so that they wouldn't jump into something they weren't ready for impulsively. It had, after all, only been a few days since James broke up with Lily. It could also potentially become a bad thing for them; it was no secret that more than a few girls pine over the head boy (and his friends) and not being seen together or even talking in public could send a wrong message to the wrong girls. Milla already heard a few fifth years gushing about James' recent 'availability' and as much as she liked to play twisted games with him (e.g a lot of teasing), jealousy really doesn't look good on Milla.

"I feel like I've hardly seen you since the big confession in the great hall," Remus, seemingly coming out of nowhere, fell in step with her one afternoon on her walk around the castle grounds.

Sirius appeared on her other side. "Yeah," he agreed, flipping his hair behind his shoulder. It would have looked hilarious if it didn't appear so casual and effortless. "Have you been avoiding us?"

"Or," the scarred boy provided. "Have you been avoiding a certain brown-eyed, bespectacled, curly-haired, quidditch enthusiast who has a penchant for declaring his love to you in front of the entirety of Hogwarts?"

Milla shoots the both of then dirty looks before huffing. "I wasn't avoiding anyone. I've just been pretty busy with a lot of stuff as of late."

"Too busy for me?" James' voice came from behind them, causing his two friends to smirk and Milla to whip her head back to look at him. "Way to make me feel unimportant, Rosamund."

He stood with one hand buried in his pocket while the other rested on Peter's shorter shoulder beside him, an eyebrow raised and a matching mischievous grin on his lips.

Milla narrowed her eyes at the head boy before smiling faux sweetly. "In fact, yes. I'm too busy for you, Potter." The boys let out teasing 'ooh's' while James rolled his eyes and approached the smug blonde.

"Too busy for a five-minute chat with James?" he asked pleadingly, referring to himself in third person and dropping the tough act. "Please?"

She sighed heavily in defeat and nodded her head, letting him lead the way. They both tried to ignore Sirius' inappropriate comments as they left the boys and proceeded inside the castle. "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere private, that's for sure,"

It took a while before James could find an empty classroom, leading Milla in by placing a hand on her lower back before locking the door.

"Have you brought me here to have your wicked way with me?" Milla teased, propping herself up on the teacher's desk and swaying her legs. "Because I'm pretty good at hexes, just warning you."

James rolled his eyes but didn't say a word. Instead, he approached her until her feet were nearly touching his knee.

"Your five minutes are ticking," she commented, looking pointedly at the wall clock near the door.

He sighed. "I just wanted to tell you that you don't have to avoid me just because I like you."

"James, I told you, I wasn't avoiding—"

He cut her off. "And that I'm not going to stop."

"What?"

Suddenly, James smiled and his whole face lit up. "I'm not going to stop liking you, Rosamund. So deal with it," he swiftly placed a kiss on her forehead, making Milla close her eyes briefly. When she opened them, he was nowhere in sight.

-

that was so short im sorry 😂 i just needed a filler for next chapter ✌🏻