PERFECT // JAMES POTTER

23. Ice-Skating

Before anyone knew it, it was December. James had made plans with his parents to return home that Christmas along with Scarlet and Sirius, and Scarlet had plans to return to Jane to work.

One morning in early December, the school woke up to find the ground outside covered in a tick blanket of snow. When Scarlet awoke, she silently thanked the Scottish weather before hurriedly getting dressed. She already knew that she would be going out in the snow that day, so she decided to take a few extra layers with her. Only Mary and Alice were still asleep when Scarlet left the dorm, the others going off to the Great Hall to enjoy breakfast. 

The boys weren't in the common room that morning, so Scarlet had no choice but to walk to the hall alone. As she entered the corridor just before the Great Hall, she almost ran head-on to someone she had hoped to never see again. 

She didn't say anything to Milo as she glared at him before swiftly walking past him in the direction of breakfast. For some odd reason, Scarlet thought she saw a glimmer of sadness and regret in Milo's eye, but waved it off after remembering what he said to her. When she finally got to the hall, she sat down next to Remus at the Gryffindor table, who - after seeing her some-what grumpy expression - gently took her bowl and put some oatmeal in it for her. When he gave it back, she smiled gratefully at him.

"What's got your knickers in a twist?" Sirius said through a mouthful of food.

Scarlet gave him a look for his insensitivity and his table manners.

"I ran into Milo just now." She sighed as James leaned forward to pour her some tea.

"Did he say anything to you?" James asked, the thought of the Slytherin boy making his blood boil.

"No, I didn't give him a chance to." Scarlet replied before putting a spoon of oatmeal in her mouth.

All four boys nodded in approval. They all now had personal grudges against the boy who had hurt Scarlet's feelings so badly before.

The marauders moved on to more cheerful topics after that, like the weather that had blessed them.

"Who wants to go ice-skating on the Black Lake?" James asked excitedly.

Remus sadly shook his head.

"I've got to meet...someone... in the Library." He said, a light blush forming on his cheeks.

Scarlet had a feeling that that 'someone' was her red-haired best friend, but let it go once she saw how embarrassed and flushed Remus was.

"Me and Wormtail here are going to try and sneak into the greenhouse to get some supplies for our newest prank." Sirius said.

Both Scarlet and James had a small feeling that Sirius was just making up excuses, causing the hazel-eyed boy to glare slightly in Sirius' direction.

"Looks like it'll just be you two! Okay, bye! Have fun!" Sirius quickly said, standing up and dragging Peter and Remus along with him.

James and Scarlet looked at each other for a second.

"Ice-skating on the Black Lake, it is."

-=+=-

Once the pair had bundled up, they made they're way to the Black Lake. When they arrived, James pointed his wand at their shoes and transfigured them into ice skates.

"Where did you learn that one?" Scarlet smiled.

"I read it somewhere." James shrugged with a grin before holding out his arm to her, "Shall we begin?"

The two spend the next two hours trying to navigate the huge frozen lake with their ice skates. Every now and then, Scarlet toppled over and James would fall to the ground from laughing so hard. Every time though, he got up and gave her his hand to help her up.

"You would think that you've got good balance from being a Seeker." James said, still giggling a bit to himself.

"Oh shut up!" She huffed but looked at him with a beaming smile.  A smile that made James' heart do back flips. 

Unfortunately, only thirty minutes later, Scarlet once again fell. Tired of being laughed at, when James went to offer his hand, Scarlet grabbed it.

Only to pull him down with her.

James landed on top of her on his forearms. They were both at a loss for words at the compromising position as all they could do was stare into each other's eyes. James found himself absolutely smitten with her bright, emerald green eyes that sparkled with kindness and a hint of mischief.

Scarlet, however, couldn't look away from the hazel eyes that bore into hers. She noticed the mixture of blue, brown and green in his eyes that blended perfectly. The eyes that would crinkle in the corners whenever he laughed or gave her that heart-stopping smile.

The two found themselves leaning in more and more and their eyes started to gently close until, finally, their lips met. They fit together like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, molding perfectly together, as if they were meant to be.

After a few seconds, James pulled away, already missing the feeling of her soft lips on his. He rolled off of her and looked at her to see that she was blushing furiously. When she looked at him, he gave her a soft and gentle smile before getting up and helping her up. After all those years, their first kiss was everything James expected it to be and more. He felt like he was on top of the world.

"So, all those years, your flirting was real?" Scarlet asked when she was back on her feet.

"Of course! Did you think I was joking?" James replied.

Scarlet looked down at her skated and sheepishly nodded her head.

"Hey," James went over to her and gently took her chin in his hands, lifting it up so he could look into her eyes, "All of it was real. I mean, I've had the biggest crush on you for the best part of six years now!"

"You did?" Scarlet's eyes widened slightly, "Oh God, I'm such an idiot. All this time, I just thought that you did it to get a reaction!"

James laughed slightly and let go of her chin before wrapping his arms around her in a warm and comforting embrace.

"I'm guessing that means you feel the same, then?" He asked, still needing conformation.

Rolling her eyes, Scarlet just stood on her tippy toes and gave him another kiss. She already knew that she would never get tired of the feeling of his lips on hers.

When they pulled apart, James smiled.

"That does mean a yes, though, doesn't it?"

"Yes you dummy, I like you back!" Scarlet laughed as she gently whacked him on the back of his head.