ADDICTED | j.p x oc

59

"Burke, you've got that look in your eye, i don't like that look, it's scary," Sirius cautioned, holding his forkful of potato several inches from his mouth.

"I love that look,"James grinned, his hazel eyes darkening.

"Just whatever you do, El, try not to break anything."

"Me 'n' James are staying round tonight, right?"

Remus nodded.

"Which room?"

"The one opposite the bathroom," Remus replied, evidently confused.

"Perfect," El said, popping a potato into her mouth then putting her cutlery down on her plate, hand going under the table and onto James' thigh. The hand of James' that was on her leg, gripped it even tighter, warning her not to continue, but she ignored it. Her gaze staying on the other occupants of the room, all engaged in their own conversation as El inched her hand up slowly.

"El..." James said darkly, leaning his elbow on the table so he could hide his mouth behind his hand.

She pretended to have not heard him, drawing patterns on the inside of his thigh, edging closer to the tent in his trousers but she stopped, just before she reached the area begging for the most attention. She returned her hands to the table, reaching for her wine glass and taking a sip while maintaining eye contact with James.

"You're gonna fucking pay for that later," James growled, only just loud enough for her to hear.

"I look forward to it."

***

They all cleared out of the dining room once enough food and wine for an army had been consumed between the nine of them. El went back to the living room and stood by the mirror, adjusting her hair. She saw James' reflection as he came and stood behind her, placing a kiss on her exposed shoulder.

"You want more wine?" he asked, snaking an arm around her waist.

"I'd love some," she turned to face him, pressing a quick kiss to his lips before he walked away.

She sat on the sofa in the space next to Remus, leaving room beside her for when James would return, tuning into the conversation him and Sirius were having with Marisa.

"The year we were doing our animagus training, Prongs accidentally got stuck in his animagus form on Christmas eve, so we painted his nose red and convinced the muggle kids in the town that he was actually Rudolph!" Sirius explained animatedly, receiving laughs from all round.

"There was one time Peter was sneaking round as Wormtail and nearly died because some second year tried to crush him with her transfiguration textbook," Remus recounted, joining in with the laughter as he finished speaking.

"Ah well i'm glad they didn't crush you, Petey," Marisa said affectionately, combing a hand through her boyfriends hair. Peter smiled and kissed her cheek.

El glanced round at the occupants of the room—everyone was there except James and Krystal. She stood and walked through to the kitchen in search of him.

James had been backed against the kitchen counter, and was leaning back awkwardly to put as much space between him and Krystal as he could while she played with the end of his tie flirtatiously. El cleared her throat to alert them of her presence. Krystal turned around, smirking when she saw El.

"I suggest you remove your hands from James before you lose them," El threatened, leaning casually against the counter a few feet away.

"We were just having a conversation, relax," Krystal dismissed.