Cottage Roads ° james potter

-viii. not a dream

❛ It's just something that I'm not
willing to do. ❜

Claire woke up with the usual. Hannah yelling in her ear, claiming they we're going to be late for class even though they always managed to be early somehow and Riley staring at herself in the mirror for too long and not allowing the other two access to their toothbrushes. Nothing out of the ordinary. Claire fixed her hair, and sprayed on her perfume, actually remembered to put on her tie. The day seemed as normal as ever.

This thought was crushed when James Potter stood at the bottom of the staircase leading up to the girl's dormitories, awaiting his girlfriend's arrival. All the memories from last night flooded back to her head as she stared at him utterly befuddled. I thought it was a dream, She thought.

"Good morning, Beautiful," James beamed. Claire couldn't help the small smile seep onto her lips as she came to a halt in front of him. The butterflies wouldn't stop swarming her chest.

"Good morning," she responded, rather blankly.

"Claire, be nice," Hannah ordered. Claire sent her a look which made her and Riley both proceed towards the portrait hole.

"We don't have to eat together, do we?" Claire asked.

"Of course not, I just figured I would say good morning to my wonderful girlfriend," He exclaimed.

"We get it, James, you have a girlfriend," Sirius Black deadpanned as he, along with the other two Marauders, descended from the boy's dormitory. James wrapped his arm around her waist and lead her towards the boys. Remus sent her a warm smile that she gladly returned but then chose to avert her eyes when she realized James might see and the hole she dug for herself would only grow deeper.

"Okay, I'm gonna go, but I'll see you later," Claire excused, leaving James' grasp and beginning to take her leave.

"And my kiss?" James asked expectantly. She glanced back at him as she kept walking.

"Oh, I'm late, so I can't really do that." Claire rambled, already half out the Common Room.

"Ha, even she knows about your morning breath," Peter chuckled.

The walk to Transfiguration was peaceful. Claire entered the class and sat down, greeting her friends with a grunt. They continued to send her looks but she ignored each of them. The class was as boring as ever and when it came to an end, McGonagall called Claire to her desk.

"Yes, Minnie?" Claire asked.

"You and Potter, I see?" she mused. Claire looked at her sheepishly.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"How?"

"Love at first. . . conversation?" she tried. The woman narrowed her eyes at the girl in front of her.

"All I can tell you is be careful. We don't need any broken hearts this year, Labelle," Minerva sighed. The sixteen-year-old nodded and sent her a smile that always seemed to cheer her up.

"I'll try." And with that, she left the classroom and was off to lunch. Claire hated the attention from the pondering students in the corridors but it felt great when she saw the look on Lily's face when she walked in with James the night before.

So, she walked into the hall again and this time, when she looked over at the red-headed girl, she was talking to her man. She brushed it off and merrily planted herself next to Riley, tuning out the questions they were bombarding her with about the girl they despised.

"No questions please, I will tend to my fans later," she boasted sarcastically. Hannah groaned.

"Just tell us what's happening. How the hell are you dating James Potter and why is Evans flirting with him?" she questioned like some kind of news reporter.

"Why does it matter?"

"Because he's your boyfriend and she's all over him," Riley commented.

"And shouldn't any healthy relationship be built on trust?" Claire mentioned staring at the two pointedly. "You know I'm right, so I am going to eat and you," she pointed at the two accusingly, "Are going to leave me alone."

"Ridiculous."

The ham sandwiches and pumpkin juice was especially exquisite that afternoon and it was more than enough to help get Claire through the rest of classes. Potions came and gone with gossip about the new couple and as did charms. Defense happened and Claire couldn't tell you a thing about it. Now she sat in the common room, slumped on the cozy sofa in a jumper and mom jeans. The wool socks that she adored because her grandmother knit them hugged her feet and kept them warm. She stared at the fire waiting for something to happen but, of course, nothing.

She was about ready to get up and look for trouble or something to pass the rest of the night until Remus came strolling into the common room.

"Oh, hello Claire. I'm guessing you got away from James," he smiled.

"Nope, he got away from me," she babbled. He looked at her amused as he joined her on the couch. He noticed how she was staring so intensely at the fire and did the same but grew confused when nothing really caught his interest.

"What are you doing?"

"I-I don't know. What is there to do?" she confessed, staring at him expectantly. He could only shake his head.

"I ask myself that question every day."

"Don't we all?" Her eyes returned back to the fire. "Ugh, great and now I have to do homework," She threw her hands up and began to stand up from the couch.

"The Magical Education System is a pain," Remus sighed.

"You get me," Claire stated followed by a faint laugh. "Until tomorrow, Mr. Lupin."

"Good night, Mrs. Potter."

If Claire's third-year self had heard him say that just now, then she would've passed out right on the spot. It was a mystery as to how Sixth-Year Claire hadn't.