Unreal Love ~ jp

21. James's Birthday

Kate couldn't work out what Sirius was doing. The flirting with her when everyone could see was quite unnerving. She was at no point interested in Sirius Black, he just wasn't her type.
She just couldn't get James out of her head and wanted nothing more than to just have him back. She'd tried to get over him, force herself to have a crush on someone else but it just didn't feel right, nor did it compare.
She also couldn't figure out the situation between Lily and James, they didn't seem to be getting on as well as they thought they would. Lily was never satisfied when they were alone, he wasn't paying full attention to her and would be looking over her shoulder. Kate felt guilty for feeling hopeful that a second relationship of Lily's would crumble, feeling like she was betraying her friend. And would James even be happy with her in a real relationship?

"Hey." Alice said, interrupting her thoughts.
"Hi." Kate replied coming out of her thoughts.
"Are you ok?" She furrowed her brows in concern.
"I'm fine." Alice gave her a pointed look. "I'm fine." Kate reassured.
"You can talk to me you know." She said.
"I know."
Kate did know she could talk to her or any of her friends for that matter, she just preferred not to. She wasn't a best friend of any of them, just a friend.
More and more of her friends finally got back from whatever they had decided to do.
"Is James doing anything actually for his birthday?" Marlene asked.
"Yea, he was wondering if we could all go down to the common room later." Lily replied. "Oh! and Kate, Sirius wants to see you downstairs."
"Now?"
"Now." Lily confirmed.
Kate rolled her eyes and groaned but to her dismay got up and made her way to the common room where she found Sirius lounged out on a chair in the common room.

"What do you want." Kate said, stood above him with a hand on her hip.
"Hot."
"Shut. Up." Kate rolled her eyes.
"I need you to do a favour for me." Sirius said with a smirk.
"Depends on what it is." Kate raised an eyebrow and nodded for him to carry on.
"I need you to bake a cake for James, we all forgot to get him one." Sirius asked.
"Oh, is that it?" Kate asked, not really believing him.
"Yea, thats it." He confirmed.
"What kind of cake? Candles? Icing?" Kate asked.
"Chocolate. Yes and yes." Sirius told her.
"When do you want it done for?" She asked.
"8?"
"I can do that." Kate said, determined to make this the best cake she'd ever made.

-

Bowls, spoons and cake tins were scattered around the kitchen, drips of batter on the counter, the oven pre heating, scraps of parchment paper left haphazardly around. She was sure that flour dusted her hair and face, the apron that she had on was absolutely covered.
Finally, the cakes were slid along the racks and into the oven, Kate closing it with her hip, now getting ready to do the icing.
Luckily, she'd charmed the oven, cutting the cooking and then cooking time down by half. Her arms were aching from the intense stirring, tasting it along the way until she was sure it was perfect. She'd never felt this pressured to make something absolutely perfect before.

Finally, Kate has placed the last strawberry around the edge and looked at the red icing in the lettering 'james." She was satisfied with the look of the cake, and the taste but she was just worried that James would hate it and she'd ruin his birthday. Which was why her hands were shaking slightly as she carried it carefully up to the common room where her friends waited, she quickly lit the candles and walked through the portrait hole.

"Happy Birthday!" Kate said as she saw her friends all gathered around the fire, watching James open his gifts. They had started without her.
"Hi, I baked a cake." Kate said with a smile and placed the cake down on the table and sat on the floor near Marlene's feet.
"Thanks, you didn't have to." James said and smiled at her sweetly.
"It's fine, it didn't take long." Kate said and James went back to opening his presents, ripping off the paper and throwing it onto the growing on the floor.
Kate had gotten him a birthday gift way back at Christmas and was debating on wheather or not to give it to him. Would it be weird as they were technically exes, and he was dating one of her best friends.

Kate was far away in her head and was nothing smaller things about James once again. He had a small dimple on the right side of his face, how his glasses fell down his nose slightly and he'd always have to push them back up, how he was constantly running his fingers through his hair in an attempt to tame it.
Kate couldn't find any flaws in James's appearance.

It was now time to cut the cake, and Kate hoped that it was enough for all of them. It was two tiered and had chocolate filling and the same icing on top. He blew out his candle and made his wish.
James got the first piece, and luckily there was enough cake for everyone and everyone seemed to enjoy it.

-

James had decided that this was a great birthday. All of his friends had gotten him great presents. Sirius got him some fireworks and broom wax, he got hair gel and prank supplies from Remus and from Peter a mountain of sweets from honeydukes.
He hadn't had a proper chance to thank Kate yet but from her letter that's she had sent previously, he wasn't sure if he was welcome.
Scrapping that, he pulled the map out of his drawer and found where Kate was. The astronomy tower. Without thinking about it thoroughly, his feet were already taking him there.

The stairs to the tower were long and steep and even quidditch captain, James Potter was out of breath after running up them to meet Kate.
"Hey." He said seeing the back of her head as she stared out to the distance.
"Oh, hey." She said, looking surprised to see him.
"I just wanted to thank you for the cake, the best birthday cake ever." He said with a smile and sat down next to her.
"It was no trouble really." Kate said and looked down.
"And that's why you have flour in your hair." James said with a smirk and ruffled the flour out of her hair.
"Those bitches! Why didn't they tell me?" Kate said and put her hands up and smoothed her hair out.
James just laughed.
"Are you having a good birthday?"
"The best."
"That's good." Kate started.

"Um- I got you something for your birthday a couple months ago. Do you want it?" She stuttered.
"Yea, why not." James shrugged.
He was passed a small chain with a charm on the end and it glittered in the moonlight. On closer inspection he saw the charm was of a snitch.
"I know you're not a seeker anymore but I hope you like it."
"I do, thank you."
They both looked away, not being able to look at each other anymore.

-

an/
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