Pastel pink

Books and boys

Chapter 7: Books and boys

October 13th, 1975

"Avery...Avery...A-" James whined, his arms crossed on top of the desk and his head resting on top of them as he looked up at the pink haired girl next to him who hadn't even spared him a glance.

"Zip it, Potter." She sighed lazily, her voice lacking it's usual sarcastic venom as she scanned the page on household charms.

"Bu-"

"Would you stop acting like a needy 5-year-old and go find some other means of entertainment. I need to finish this essay for Flitwick." Abellina had turned to face him, her amber eyes a little less bright than usual and her smile holding a gentle quality opposed to the mischevious nature that James normally saw in her dimples.

"You're no fun today Avery." He sulked, leaning back and pouting at her as he crinkled his nose to keep his glasses from slipping down resulting in him looking like a petulant child. Abellina paused, her mouth open slightly and her eyes downcast before dropping her quill and folding down the page of her book before closing it so she could give him her full attention.

"I know...I'm sorry, just...please James..." She trailed off, her voice soft and eyes not quite meeting his as she fiddled with the hem of her shirt.

"Are you...just...okay." He stood up and was halfway between stepping away and staying as he looked between her and the door, a strand of hair falling into his face. "That's the first time you've called me James." With one last look at her which was mingled with uncertainty and sadness, he left, looking back to see Abellina re-opening her book and continuing her work.

She sighed softly, checking to see that he was really gone before leaning back in her chair and covering her face with her hands. It wasn't his fault and she knew that. It wasn't anyone's fault it was just how it was. She was a girl and that meant that she got treated like dirt. Boys will be boys and girls just have to accept it. Everyone else did. Everyone else just shrugged it off and carried on with their lives because what else could they do? If she told someone then she would be ridiculed, marked out as a target. By telling someone Abellina would just be 'playing hard to get' or 'a tease'. It would only attract more attention.

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"But Lily-flower-"

"Enough Potter. You know exactly what's wrong with her. Hell, so does everyone in this school. You are a part of the problem so get off your high horse and stop acting like such an arrogant toe-rag." Lily screamed, throwing slippers and books and cushions and anything else within arms reach at James Potter who was standing in the middle of the common room, slack-jawed, wide-eyed and at a complete loss as to what he had done to deserve this.

"Fine. Okay. Just- argh!- just stop throwing things would you!?" He yelled, holding his hands up in defence as a particularly heavy volume hit his shoulder with a satisfying thunk and he winced heavily, causing Lily to stop, shock written across her face.

"Crap! That hurt! Merlin, are you okay!?" She rubbed her own arm, rushing over to where James was now leaning on a sofa with the majority of the common room either looking on in horror or trying to keep their laughter at bay.

"Fine. Absolutely fan-fucking-tastic. If you would be so kind as to excuse me then I think I'm going to be making my way to the hospital wing." With a grimace he clutched at his shoulder and staggered from the room, Lily following him with flustered apologies and winces of her own as she clucked and cooed behind him.

"Well, that could've gone better," Remus stated blankly, looking up to see the pile of items from where Lily had thrown them before turning back to his book.