Red Roses {James Potter x OC} | Discontinued |

9

A loud bang had broken James and Zoe apart, the latter ending up hidden behind him, using James as a human shield.

But it turned out it had only been a party pooper to announce the entrance of Ginny with James' cake levitated in front of her.

A chorus of the 'happy birthday' song began as the cake slowly stopped in front of James, who held a bashful grin against all the attention he was receiving.

But with all the noise going around him, James failed to notice Zoe's heavy breathing behind him.

Her chest had begun to feel tight, her eyes darting around in panic, her lungs didn't seem to give her enough air. She knew she had to breathe, but she couldn't, she couldn't breathe, air tasted foul in her mouth as she tried to use that instead of her nose, but sobs seemed to be breaking through instead. And even then no one had noticed yet.

"Zoe..." Zoe jumped, her breaths becoming even heavier, she could hear a chair smashing, it was probably in her head, but it was so real.. So real..

"Little Z..."

"Make a wish James!" James grinned before bending down to blow out the candles, wishing for the one thing that could make that birthday the best birthday he'd ever have...

As soon as the candles were blown out, Gavin came out of nowhere and smashed James' face against the cake, covering his entire face in icing.

But as he had jumped James, Gavin had thrown Zoe to the side making the girl tumble to the ground. Her entire body shaking.

Her eyes were unfocused, she could swear she was back in the shack, she could hear the creaking of the wood with each breeze, the cold that pierced all the way into her bones. She could hear him banging in the floor below, readying himself for yet another round of torture for her.

She was re-living the worst trauma in her life.

"Oh, shit. Sorry, Z." At Gavin's words, James quickly wiped off the remaining icing off his face and ran over to her, holding out his hand.

But as soon as she met his eyes she scrambled back.

Zoe didn't see James, her childhood enemy who became one of the most important people in her life to the point where she caught romantic feelings. She saw Cedric.

Cedric's green eyes, his scar running across his eye, she saw his red greasy hair. She felt his spells coursing through her veins, she felt the pain of each attempt.

Her breathing got even heavier, tears beginning to stream down her face, her hands and legs trembling too much to even think of moving.

Seeing her panicked state, James softened his look of worry and slowly lowered himself to her level, slowly approaching her as to not scare her even further.

"Z..."

"I told you I'd come back for you, Z..."

That was the last straw.

With newfound strength Zoe sprung to her feet and ran, she ran as fast as she could away from all the people.

Away from the cabin.

Without a second thought James immediately chased after her.

Zoe seemed to be tripping on each stair as she ran upstairs, James having to catch her more than once before she fell, just to have her squirm out of his grip and run away again, sobbing even harder.

Finally she stopped running away, but instead she locked herself in the first room she could find.

She slid towards the floor, shoving her hand against her mouth to prevent the sound of her sobs to catch anyone's attention, her knees all the way up into her chest slowly rocking herself back and forth.