The Ladders Of Love: James Potter

19

secrets, secrets, secrets

"NEVER HAVE I EVER KISSED A GIRL." Lily read out the first card and with a confident look she took a huge swig of her glass filled with muggle Prosecco.

Around the circle all of the boys drank and so did Mary, Marlene and Dorcas. Clarisse took a sip of her drink, savouring the pineapple flavour, her head tilting as she surveyed the scene. She noticed how the red haired girl looked triumphant after her swig, her emerald eyes trailing over towards the curly haired girl who also sipped her drink.

"Peter, you next!" Lily pushed the deck towards the group on the sofa, encouraging the smallest boy to pick one up.

Peter cleared his throat. "Never have I ever kissed a boy."

"These are so lame!" Sirius complained, yet his eyes were stuck on Remus' figure as the boy took a sip.

The game continued on, mostly mild and weak cards before Marlene picked up one of the less mild cards. "Never have I ever given or received head."

Clarisse scrunched up her face. She didn't want to know who had given head or not because she knew that she could probably make an accurate guess on who exactly they gave it to. Having that on her conscious would be haunting, especially if she kept picturing James with another girl.

"What's head?" Peter asked innocently, his head tilting as he looked around the group that muffled snickers. James leaned down to the boy's ear and whispered the explanation, Peter's face slowly turning a dark red as he squeaked out. "Oh!"

Every single person drank, Sirius also taking a bellow of smoke from his cigarette. "Should we upgrade the game and say that you have to include an explanation, or completely expose yourself starting next round?"

There were murmurs of disagreement, however Lily's eyes widened with mischief. "That sounds fun!" And because she was the birthday girl, everyone automatically, albeit defeatedly, agreed to the rules.

Clarisse stared at the ginger girl before leaning over to the almond haired boy next to her. "Is she drunk?"

Remus narrowed his eyes at Lily Evans, she was acting a little more extroverted than usual and it was a little nerving. "Yeah I think so."

"Never have I ever lost my virginity." Alice spoke, her face adorning a cute pink blush as her eyes quickly darted to where Frank was proudly sipping on his beer.

The only person not to drink was Peter who stared down at the carpet in shame. Clarisse leaned back as Sirius started saying something that blurred into the background, her eyes finding Peter's. "Don't be embarrassed Peter, it's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Explanations!" Sirius demanded with a devious smirk. "Everyone has to name their partner from their first time."

"Isn't that a bit mean for the other person to be exposed like that?" Dorcas started hesitantly, her eyes darting around the group.

"Well if everyone here promises not to spread it around, I don't think these people will ever find out." Sirius reasoned making Clarisse shuffle uncomfortably, gathering the attention of James Potter.

"Oi mate, switch seats with me." James whispered over to Remus who reluctantly moved over, allowing the messy haired boy to sit next to the girl he liked. "Hey Reese, you can skip the question or lie if you want."

"Nah," Clarisse started, her eyes trusting as she smiled at the boy. "You're going to be exposed though."

"So are you." He wiggled his eyebrows. Clarisse resisted the urge to raise her eyebrows in surprise. She didn't know it was his first time too. He certainly didn't perform like a virgin.

As the group finished their argument over the topic, Sirius perked up his chest as he began the chain of reveal. "My first time was with Jonathon Abbott."

"The Hufflepuff?" Alice asked curiously and Sirius nodded.

Sirius gestured towards Lily who fiddled her fingers. "I think I'll pass." Sirius loudly booed, his hands cupping around his mouth in order to get the point across.

Marlene leaned forwards next. "Kiera Nott."

"Jane Wells." Dorcas followed up.

"I'll skip too." Mary mumbled, her eyes finding the red haired girl who was nervously picking at her nails.

"Pussy." Sirius stuck his tongue out at the girl who in retaliation, stuck her middle finger up.

"Frank Longbottom." Alice said becoming a blushing mess.

"Mine was Penelope Parks." Frank said sheepishly, Alice tilting her head with a small smile as if to say 'she's not the one dating you now though.'

"Lorelei Xavier." Remus offered, as the group skipped Peter who had yet to lose his virginity.

"Who's that?" Sirius questioned curiously, his head tilting as his mind refused to recognise the name.

Remus shrugged. "A Hufflepuff. We were both drunk..."

James noticed how awkward the boy became as Remus started to pull at the loose threads on his sweater, so he quickly jumped in.

"Clarisse Russo." James said confidently as he sent a smirk towards the girl who crossed her arms and puffed up her chest.

"James Potter." She followed up with a matching smirk, her eyes finding his.

The group silenced with wide eyes, everyone exchanging bewildered looks. Lily raised her eyebrows. "Wait you guys have had sex? Are you dating?"

"That's a good question Lily," James started as he turned to the girl next to him with a cheesy smile, "which brings me onto what I've been wanting to do all night."

James whipped his right hand, procuring a bouquet of flowers out of thin air wandlessly and wordlessly, holding them out towards the awed girl. "Reese, will you be my girlfriend?"

Clarisse cooed brightly, gently picking up the bouquet of carnations with a wide smile that stretched across her cheeks. "Yes," she said bashfully. A couple of whistles echoed through the room.

The couple brightly blushed at the attention they received from their audience as they leaned in for a peck, James covering their lips with the flowers.

"This is so cute!" Lily exclaimed with a slight slur, tears beginning to trail down her cheeks.

"Oh my Merlin, Lily I'm so sorry for ruining your day!" James recognised as he leaned to the girl who had a stream of tears on her cheeks.

"No!" Lily cried out. "No it's just so cute that I'm crying!"

Mary stifled a giggle at the girl as she sat down next to her on the floor. "So you're crying because you're happy for them?"

Lily nodded as she wiped her cheeks, standing up and pulling the couple into a strong hug making both of them squeak out in surprise.
"Thank you for making my birthday brilliant!"

"Uh... you're welcome?" James replied as she let them go, his hand immediately finding Clarisse's.

"Let's keep playing!"