Lions Inside¹ | James Potter

twenty

At his last insult, James closed the door and Andrea cursed him out with every bad Italian word she knew. At the interruption, the girls got ready for bed and the conversation went back to the boys quite quickly as they brushed their teeth, everyone already in their pyjamas.

"What's so special about them, anyways?" Marlene mumbled around her toothbrush, referring to the Marauders. Andrea laughed along from the dorm where she was setting out pillows for everyone.

"I know right? Everyone drools after those four idiots like they're blessed by Merlin himself but really they're just as disgusting as all the other fourteen-year-olds."

"I disagree," Corinna chimed in. Everyone looked at her for an explanation. "Well, I spent an entire childhood with Frankie, and Peter Pettigrew is nowhere near as disgusting as him," she shuddered. "You also shared a womb with him," Mary added. "Urgh, don't remind me."

"Please. You should see their dorm. Disgusting animals the lot of them." "Well, Andrea's got a special eye for someone too. I guess you like them older, huh?" Dorcas teased. Andrea sent her a glare that would surely blow up her head in a few minutes.

"Ooooh," the others cooed. "You're dead," Andrea threatened, her. "Don't hate the player, hate the game!" she sing-songed, heading off to the bathroom too. Andrea turned around and saw all eyes were on her. She sighed and quickly started to fiddle with her beaded necklaces, feeling flustered.

"He doesn't even like me like that," she mumbled. Dorcas yelled out a 'Ha!', coming out of the bathroom again. "Girl, do you not see the way he looks at you? This is my dream come true. My two best friends, snogging each other. It's all anyone ever wants," she said dreamily. Andrea gave a blank look.

"He doesn't look at me like anything," she said in a monotone voice. Lucretia, Mary and Lily laughed. "I bet you don't even notice the way almost all the other boys look at you either," Lucretia giggled.

"What about you?" Andrea said back, "Diggory doesn't take his eyes off you for more than two seconds during the day, at most." "And he's always trying to get your attention and talk to you," Mary added, having also noticed this development. Lucretia blushed furiously.

"That's because we're dating," she said quietly. "WHAT?!" everyone screamed at her. Marlene grabbed her shoulders and shook the poor girl roughly.

"Tell. Us. EVERYTHING!"

-//-

"Andieee?"

Nothing. James huffed in annoyance.

"Andrea? Andypandy? Come on, it's noon and I need to fly." "James, get out, or pay the price," Andrea grumbled into her pillow.

"Yeah," James heard Mary chime from the bottom of Andrea's bed. All the beds in Andrea's room were occupied, Andrea and Mary sharing her bed, others paring up in the spare ones and Dorcas sleeping on the floor where there was a pile of blankets. If any of the girls could sleep forever, wherever it was her.

"Andrea, I need to practice that move we saw from that old book my dad showed us and you're the only one I know who can do it," he begged, still trying to whisper. "Andrea, shut him up or go out with him."

James grinned. "That's the spirit. Thanks, Marlene." "Anytime, love," she mumbled back. "Maybe you could give the same advice to Evans," he tried to trick her into her sleepy state.

"In your dreams Potter," Lily mumbled from the bed she and Lucretia were sharing. "Every night," he smirked at her, even though she couldn't see him. Andrea's fist shot out at his cheesy comment, hitting him in the gut.