Rainy Days [James Potter]

Chapter 36

"She won't talk to me." James huffed, "My own girlfriend! I can't believe this!"

"Mate, can you blame her?" Sirius asked in disbelief, "I mean, the premature 'I love you' is just about the worst thing that could ever happen to a relationship."

"Still not a reason to ignore him. Especially not on Valentine's day." Remus argued.

"Don't worry, mate, I'm sure she'll come to her senses." Peter reasoned.

"No, she's not, I've screwed everything up." James held his head in his hands.

"If it helps, she doesn't look too happy either." Remus pointed over to Slytherin table, where Robin sat. She was picking and her food, but eating none of it, a small frown on her face.

"Why would he want her to be unhappy?" Sirius shook his head.

"Actually, it helps." James nodded.

"See?" Remus grinned.

"Oh hush." Sirius glared playfully.

Out of nowhere, Robin got up from the Slytherin table in the corner of the room and sent a sharp look in James' direction. Beads of sweat started to form on his forehead and met her uncertain gaze.

What was she doing?

Hopefully, coming over to tell him that she did, in fact, love him. That she was just nervous. Knowing his luck, that was unlikely.

"Hey, James... Can I talk to you?"

The group of boys eyed each other nervously, but James sighed and stood up. "Sure."

She muttered her thanks and led him to a broom closet near the Great Hall.

"I hope you don't mistake my actions for an invitation to f-"

"Don't worry." he stated, "I know that this isn't some desperate attempt to make things better."

"Thank you." she nodded and stood in silence for a moment. Her next words were difficult, to say the least, but they were important. "Look, James..."

"I'm sorry." he blurted out. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, I was really drunk and it's truly fine if you don't feel the same way."

"I do!" she almost yelled, before shying away from him, her back hitting the wall. "I do." she bit her lip and her eyes trailed down to the floor.

"You don't have to avoid looking at me, you know." he took her hands in his. "Look, there's no pressure on this. If you don't love me, that's okay... Can we just forget this?"

"No, we can't!" he flinched at her words. "James, I do love you... That's not the problem."

"Then what is?"

"This relationship... It wasn't built to last. It was founded on lies and secrecy and desperate attraction. That's not healthy."

"I'll admit that the start of our friendship wasn't great. But this is!" he countered, "We can't just leave it behind. If you really do love me, then stay."

"How could I not love you? You're perfect. You're everything anyone wants to be. You're gorgeous, and athletic, and smart, and funny, and kind, and so selfless." she entwined her fingers with his, but as the next words came out of her mouth, her voice trembled. "But I'm not."

"What do you mean? Of course you-"

"I don't want to join the order." she started. "I don't want to see you or Remus, or Sirius, or Peter get hurt, or worse, killed. I can't help people like you do. I'm not brave like you are. For fucks sake, I'm barely a real Slytherin! If I were, I would hold onto you and never let you go."

"But you can't." he guessed.

"But I can't." she admitted sadly, "you deserve someone so much better than me. You know you do."

"There is no better than you!" he yelled in frustration, separating their hands.

"Yes, there is!"

"No!" he cried out desperately. "There isn't." he put his arms around her waist. They were so close, their noses brushed.

"James, I..." she trailed off. How could she do this to him? She was denying them both of what they wanted.

"You?" their lips brushed.

"I can't do this." she pulled away gently. "I love you. You know I love you. But this isn't right. We have to stop. I'm sorry."

He sighed. There was no changing her mind, of that much he was sure. Her eyes brimmed with tears and she looked to him longingly.

"Listen, I have one last thing to give you." she pulled out a miscellaneous object wrapped in gift paper and handed it to him, along with a note. "You can open the gift whenever. It was given to my grandmother by your grandfather, so it should be yours anyway. The note... Only open it if we meet again. Outside of Hogwarts."

He nodded solemnly and stared at her lovingly as she pecked him on the cheek and walked off. He shoved the note into his pocket, and gently unraveled the gift. Inside was a large, folded square of shimmering fabric. He smiled sadly.

"The invisibility cloak."

One chapter left! This has been a hell of a ride, and I'm honestly sad that this is over, but kinda happy too. (I'm just making things more emotional than they should be. Don't mind me)