Keep Breathing ♢ James Potter

31 | Entry 21 - The Quidditch Pitch

March 20, 1978

Dear Diary,

It seems that the closer we get the graduation, the more James seems determined to enjoy our last year together as students to the greatest extent. Although we refuse to address it, we both know that our future is not promised outside the walls of Hogwarts.

As much as we try to ignore it, the school year is coming to an end. Much faster than we both would like to admit.

A.B.

-

Harry watched as the sun began to set beyond the horizon, the light shining against silhouette of the Hogwarts castle as his father dragged the frustrated brown-eyed girl by her arm and onto the Quidditch pitch.

"James, we can not be here! What if someone sees us?" Astrid questioned nervously as she turned her head quickly to scan their surroundings as she was forced onto the Quidditch pitch. James ignored her frantic bickering as he dragged her along with his broom in hand.

"Relax Astrid, I told you everything would be fine," reassured James as he looped his right arm around his girl's waist, bringing her closer to him. "Everyone's at dinner for at least another hour. We have plenty of time to ourselves before the students head back to the dormitories."

"And why do we have to be here? Can't we go inside to our place, or even go see Poppy? She probably has seemed treats ready for us in the Kitchens knowing how she is." Astrid batted her eyes slowly, trying to make the boy forget why they were there in the first place.

"Nope, don't even try and distract me. No more avoiding it. Today you are going to conquer the most important task all wizards must face before they graduate Hogwarts," explained James seriously. "You are going to ride a broomstick."

Astrid could hardly help herself as she rolled her eyes at his obsession with Quidditch. "Riding a broom is seriously not the important thing there is to be a witch or wizard, James."

"What? Of course, it is!" James exclaimed and mocked feeling hurt. "It is the very essence of who we are, even muggles know that! Haven't you seen those muggle movies about wizards and witches, they all are flying about on their broomsticks?"

"Ah yes, and the witches who also have warts and abnormally large noses. Is that why your nose seems to be growing Potter?" teased the Slytherin as she grabbed both sides of his face and pinched his cheeks, causing James to roll her eyes and continue his lecture about brooms.

"Haha very funny you little snake," said James as he rolled his eyes, letting a grin fall onto his face as he removed her hands from his face. "You are the only student at Hogwarts that managed to escape Broom Flight class during their first year, all because your parents refused to let you step foot onto a broom. I still can't believe you've never even been allowed to fly on a broom in your life."

It wasn't a mystery to Astrid, nor Harry, about James's undying love for flying. The boy had been a chaser in the Gryffindor's quidditch team since his second year and had been announced as Team Captain during his sixth year. Not only did he love the sport, but James was also one of the best chasers the Gryffindor team has ever had. This fact, along with his big head, was also why James was quite a cocky player during games, something that Astrid learned back when James first invited her to one of his games back in 6th year.

"It really isn't that big of a deal James," insisted Astrid. "My parents felt that flying was not very lady-like for a young pureblood lady. It never bothered me, since I don't fancy the idea of falling off a broomstick in midair either way."

James smirked at Astrid's words, leaning forward onto his broom as he looked the girl up and down. "Well, I mean, have your parents seen you lately? 'Lady-like' is not necessary the word I would use to describe you, love."

Without a moment's hesitation, Astrid knocked the boy's broom down sending James, who was using it to support his weight, onto the ground. She then dashed away, attempting to escape back into the castle before James could put her on the broom.

James swiftly jumped back onto his feet, dropping his broom before starting to chase after her.

The scene looked oddly familiar to Harry who stood by the sidelines. He watched as the brown-haired boy with glasses chased after the girl, who couldn't help but look back at the boy with a warm, loving smile painted onto her face. The pair laughed as Astrid continued to try and escape off the Quidditch pitch with James following close behind.

Harry stared up to look at the castle, scanning the tower before noticing the soft flash of a camera go off at one of the windows. The person's silhouette stood at the window for a few more seconds, admiring the scene, before walking off with the picture in hand.

Eventually, James caught up to Astrid, grabbing the Slytherin girl and knocking them both onto the ground of the Quidditch pitch.

The two students laughed as James fell onto his back, pulling Astrid down against his chest with his arms wrapped around her waist.

"Ugh Potter!" Astrid yelped as she tried to wiggle her way out of his trapping arms. She tried to catch her breath after laughing for so long and getting knocked down by the boy. "I have no idea how I deal with you sometimes."

"Oh, don't act like you don't love it," teased James as he pulled their backs off the field and let the pair sit up.

Astrid thought momentarily, before meeting her eyes with his and smiling gently. "Yeah, I suppose do."

They both knew that their time at Hogwarts was coming to an end. As the war approached faster than anyone expected, life was about to get harder for the both of them. But all that was important to them at that moment was the fact that they were together, staring at one another as if they were all that mattered in the world.

"Merlin, I don't know what I'm going to do without you," admitted Astrid in a low voice, slowly caressing the side of his face, almost as if she was trying to memorize it in case it was the last time she would see him.

James softly smiled at the girl, reaching for the hand caressing his face and placing a kiss on the inside of her wrist.

"What are you talking about? I'm not going anywhere."