I Fancy You: James Sirius Potter

9. Dates

Over the next few weeks Hogwarts students ask each other to the ball in fun ways. Conor actually asked a Hufflepuff girl none of knew he liked at breakfast one morning with a beautiful rose he enchanted to spout confetti and a note out of when it bloomed. Albus was asked by two girls who he turned down much to my surprise and Scorpius's relief.
My brilliant plan to get Desmond and Alli to join James and I for a Hogsmead date this weekend is going well because now I'm also forcing Albus and Scorpius along too. Conor is spending some alone time with his date as well.
"So you'll come with us?" I've been begging the boys all morning. "It'll only be a few hours out of your day!"
Scorpius glares at me knowing exactly what I'm doing. "If it's that important to you then fine I'll go," he says.
"I guess I will too then," Albus says shrugging.
I give a pleased smirk to Scorpius and he rolls his eyes at me.
"Has James officially asked you? To the ball?" Alli asks innocently.
"No, but I'm sure he will. I hope." I take a bite of breakfast and look over at the Gryffindor table where James and the guys are goofing around. "I'll see you guys later okay?"
Walking over to the Gryffindor able I see Conor tap James on the arm and nod over to me. James turns and smiles while reaching a hand out to me. "Hello beautiful," he says to me.
"Hey! Walk me to class?"
"Of course!" James hops up from the table and we wave bye to the guys. "How's your morning going?"
"Pretty well actually. I convinced Albus and Scorpius to come with us this weekend."
"What? Why? It's like a date thing for everyone else." When I'm silent he looks down at me. "Hold on. What do you know that I don't?"
"I know nothing." I put his arm around my shoulders. "Well I do know I don't have a date to the ball yet."
"What do you mean?" James glares down at me.
"No one has asked me," I say matter-of-factly.
"Oh. Right." James is quiet for a minute. "If someone were to ask you to the ball, would you like it to be showy? Or more private? Or something more nice like what Conor did?" I see panic in his eyes.
"Definitely not too showy. Just something sweet and thoughtful. Why, do you know someone who'd like to take me?" I look up at him grinning.
"You're kind of a jerk." James laughs with me. "I promise to ask you. So don't go accepting anyone else's invitation," he warns.
"I promise," I say holding out my pinky for him.
Nobody else would be dumb enough to ask me anyway. Everyone knows James and I are a thing. We don't exactly hide it. I watch him at quidditch practice, we kiss in the halls, he carries me around often, and I'm always wearing his sweater. Sure other guys look at me and other girls look at him but who can blame them? We're not exactly ugly. Him especially.
Durning every class today James looks on edge. I almost feel bad for freaking him out earlier but it's honestly kind of fun. Conor and Desmond usually walk arm in arm with me to lunch but today James looked like he was about to crawl out of his own skin as soon as they touched me. Even during lunch he didn't eat much.
Tonight before he leaves me outside of the Slytherin common room I make sure to give him an extra long kiss and whisper in his ear that he's got nothing to worry about. I'm his.

It's Saturday morning and Alli and I are helping each other get ready for our Hogsmead day. She goes through three different tops before we decide she looks best in the maroon sweater dress with the black tights and the black heal boots. I wear Slytherin colors to get an eye roll out of James and we head downstairs to meet up with Albus and Scorpius. Scorpius looks so handsome and sweet and Albus looks like it's any other day.
"Hey guys!"
"Hello," Scorpius says quietly. "Ready?" He looks so sad. Him and I both were hoping for more effort on Albus's part.
Linking arms with him and giving him a sympathetic smile I say, "ready bud."

Once we all meet up at Hogsmead and decide to keep it somewhat casual by going to the Three Broomsticks, everyone seems to be having fun. Even Scorpius seems to have chilled out a bit.
My heart leaps when I see Albus set his head on Scorpius's shoulder while laughing at a joke James made.
"Hey, so Desmond and I are going to go," Alli whispers to me. When I smirk and raise an eyebrow she giggles. "Thanks so much, Ellie. I owe you big time."
After Desmond and Alli leave it's just me, James, Albus, and Scorpius. I nudge Scorpius with my foot under the table and he shakes his head. I kick him a little harder and he kicks me back. Soon, we're both kicking each other hard under the table until we jump from hearing a voice interrupt us.
"What are you guys doing?" Albus asks.
"Nothing!" We both yell.
James gives me a look and I give him an innocent smile. "So boys, who would you ideally be going to the ball with?" I look around at all three of them.
James rolls his eyes with a smile on his face. "I mean it's obvious for me isn't it? But what about you two?"
Scorpius grabs his butterbeer and starts chugging.
"Uhhh... I..." Albus looks down at his hands causing me to groan.
"What?" They all look at me.
"Albus?" Scorpius nervously pulls Albus's attention to him. "I really want to go to the ball with you. Not just as mates."
We're all quiet for a minute, I feel my heart pounding out of my chest.
"I'd like that," Albus finally says. My heart swells seeing the smile on Scorpius's face. James says nothing but he does smile down at his hands.
"So... Anyone else wanna go to Honeydukes?" James looks around at us smiling.

James and I sit in our spot kissing for a while, butterflies filling my stomach. When I move down to his neck James shifts.
"How long have you known? About Albus?"
I stop kissing him and look at his face. "I mean I didn't. I knew about Scorpius but I just kind of thought maybe Albus was as well. I just see the way they care for each other and the way they look at each other. The other day Scorpius fell asleep in the common room and Albus woke him by lightly running his thumb across his jaw. He didn't think anyone saw but I did." I look in James's eyes and shift uncomfortably. "It doesn't bother you that they're gay does it?"
"What? No! Ellie! I love them both no matter what. Scorpius is my family too. I just... I don't know I wish I paid more attention. I wish I could always be around to protect them you know? There's some sick prats out there. If anyone ever hurt them..." he trails off but I know exactly what he means. I'd kill anyone for those two. For James, Desmond, and Conor as well. I love them. My love for James is obviously different. The other boys I love the way I love Dylan and Amelia.
"James?" I take his hand and rest my head on his. "They're going to be okay. They're smart and strong and talented boys."
"Yeah I know," he says quietly.

When I get back to the common room I see Albus and Scorpius leaning against each other talking quietly in front of the fire. Alli holds my arm, watching them with me.
"They're going to be okay, right?" I ask her.
"Those two? They'll rule the whole world someday. They're going to be more than okay," she reassures me.
"So how was your alone time with Desmond?" I give her a sly smile.
"Goodnight, Ellie." Alli laughs and heads upstairs.
I kiss the boys on the tops of their heads which earns me some swats away and head upstairs to get to bed. My heart feels so happy and sad at the same time. If only I could have my siblings here. Then I think I'd be truly happy. Closing my eyes, I try my hardest to not cry myself to sleep but fail miserably. It's going to be okay I tell myself. I just hope I'm right.

A/N: Hello to anyone reading! I would really appreciate any kind of feedback. I'm almost done with the next chapter since I'm not working this week and next week so I've got plenty of time to write. Thank you to anyone who's read this far! If you have any requests or suggestions for plot lines please feel free to let me know.