Only A Matter of Time

Chapter 6

Fourth year.

The pair had begun to find their interests, and who they were interested in.

Alice with Finnegan, and James with a new girl every Hogsmeade weekend, so it seemed.

Yet, he always seemed to keep his eyes on one girl.

James watched from the threshold of the door, the light from the windows glistening around her head like a halo. He couldn't help but grin, she looked like she belonged up there.

"My lord, I have remembrances of yours
That I have longed long to re-deliver.
I pray you, now receive them." Alice paced across the stage, scribbling corrective notes in her script. Anthony, who was playing Hamlet, paced alongside his Ophelia.

"That's enough for today!" Professor Gilsburg clapped her hands, dismissing her actors for the day. So, Alice gathered her things, discussing a few notes with Anthony on her way out.

A slow round of claps in the hallway made her grab her chest out of fright.

"Bloody hell!" Alice yelped and swallowed hard. She rolled her eyes. "Bugger off, Potter."

"That was quite good, Longbottom." He dashed after her, keeping up with her fast pace with his long legs.

He had grown over the summer, tremendously.

Alice had noticed, but chose to ignore it.

"Don't you have a Quidditch match to get to?" Alice inquired as she neared the Ravenclaw tower.

"Watching your performance is more important." He ran his fingers through his hair arrogantly.

She stopped in her tracks, spinning on her heel, and poked him in the chest.

"How many times do I have to say stop? I'm with-"

"Lin, I know-"

"Finn." Her eyes narrowed. "And you're with, anyone free, apparently." She quirked up her eyebrows.

His face fell at that, slightly.

"Fine." He shoved his hands in his robe pockets  as the pair stopped in front of the Ravenclaw common room. "But, I was just trying to be a good friend, Longbottom."

"No you weren't."

"Yeah, probably not. But, Alice I just-"

"You need to just go." Alice decidedly shut down the conversation as footsteps came down the hallway.

"James! I've been looking all over for you, I wanted to wish you luck before the game!" A perky girl ran up to him, grinning and cackling. She threw her arms around his neck.

"Besides, you've got company." Alice muttered the answer to the riddle and slammed the door shut behind her.

She felt an involuntary sinking in her chest.

* * * * *

His crimson robes starkly contrasted his dark hair, she couldn't help but notice. And the quirked up smile on his face as he flew out to the pitch, that smile.

"Alice?" She found Dominique sitting beside her in the Ravenclaw stands. "I can only stay for the first few minutes before I get excommunicated from my family."

"Of course, Dom." Alice pulled her in for a tight squeeze.

"Did you see him fly out?" Dominique asked as she wrapped her scarf tighter around her neck.

"Yeah, I sure did." Alice answered, her eyes still on the boy flying around the pitch with an air of arrogance. Still, she watched.

"Finn looks ready to kill someone," Dom joked.

"Huh?" Alice' eyes moved to the Ravenclaw player, her boyfriend, which brought her out of her trance. "Oh, yeah, him, Finn, he um, he's very intent on beating Gryffindor."

Dominique gave her a puzzled look.

Apparently, Gryffindor was more intent on winning. James Potter was the MVP of the match, no doubt. He soared through the air, and made catching the pesky snitch look like a simple task. Needless to say, even Alice was in awe.

After the match, Alice found herself in front of the pitch, waiting for Finn.

James had his Quidditch robes thrown over his shoulder, his hair still sopping wet from the shower.

"You'll catch a cold you know, from your wet hair." Alice called out to him. He grinned.

"So I've heard from you about a million times."

"Well, it's true." Alice stepped closer to him. "You played great today, Potter, looks like all of those summers in the Weasley-Potter backyard paid off.

"I, I guess so."

"James Potter, being humble?" Alice furrowed her brow. "This is new."

"Hey, Alice, ready to go?"

Finn had his robes in hand, his dismal face lighting up substantially when he saw her face.

"Good match, mate." James stuck his hand out.

Finn begrudgingly shook it. Alice watched the awkward encounter painfully.

"See you in potions, Potter." Alice called back as Finn put his arm around her shoulders. "Make sure you study up on Amortentia!"

"Why?!" He called back.

"I don't want a potions partner who's an idiot!"

James smiled to himself and watched as Finn kissed Alice on the cheek, pulling her closer in the cold weather.

He felt an involuntary sinking in his chest.

So, the pair had found the right places in Hogwarts, their niches. James hoped that not everything was definite quite yet.