fine line- J.P

chapter fifteen

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test of my patience
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IN THE MORNING, ALICE AND EMMELINE SAID THEIR GOODBYES. Valentina was sad her friends were leaving but she knew they had to spend the rest of the summer with their families. They agreed to see each other at Diagonally when they went to buy school supplies.

Sirius had left as well, understanding that James and Valentina deserved to have some alone time together before James met Lydia.

After they ate breakfast, James insisted on going to the flower shop that he saw so he could get her aunt some flowers for when she returns. Valentina agreed and soon they were browsing the store, looking at all the beautiful flowers, grabbing ones that they liked.

"Does your aunt have a favorite flower?" James asked, picking up a bundle of astoria's, "These are for you, pretty girl." He smirked, at Valentina's eye roll but the blush on her face told him she liked the compliment.

"How did you know these are my favorite?"

"I heard you tell Alice about them a few days ago." He shrugged.

Valentina turned away to hide her face. She couldn't express what she felt knowing he had remembered something off handed that she said. "Um," she cleared her throat, "She likes Cosmos."

James nodded and grabbed a handful. Valentina helped him pick out a few more and a while later the two walked out with a beautiful bouquet of cosmo flowers with wild ones adorning them.

"James?"

"Yeah."

"Are you sure you want to stop playing Quidditch? I know you said you're stopping because you want to spend your time doing other things but, James, this is your last year. You can be Captain, you can bring the Cup to Gryffindor. Are you sure you want to...give that up?"

He huffed a sigh. "I kind of regretted it as soon as I did it but the news on the prophet is getting more serious as the days go by. Playing Quidditch and playing for a professional team doesn't seem like it's what I should prioritize anymore, Val."

Valentina gave him a sympathetic smile. "I know it doesn't but I don't really like thinking that whatever is happening will be the end of the world for me or for you. I'll complete my seventh year like I intended with good grades and a ridiculous amount of classes. Like nothing's changed. That probably sounds silly." she chuckled.

"No it doesn't," he said kindly, "but I can't pretend that nothing's changing." he shook his head. "If you want to be the dreamer I have to be the realist, bring you down from the clouds every once in a while."

Valentina laughed, "I'm okay with that."

James paced up and down the living room anxiously waiting for Valentina's aunt who could walk in any minute.

"Stop pacing." Valentina said from the balcony door.

James looked at her. "I didn't know you smoked this much." He said.

She shrugged, blowing the smoke over her shoulder. "I hid it at school. Not a lot of people find it attractive."

"Yeah well at least you aren't like Remus, he doesn't care who's around him."

"Remus doesn't really care what anyone thinks of him. Or at least he doesn't show it."

"Speaking of which...you never told me what you thought of him being..." James hesitated and looked around, so used to keeping Remus' condition a secret. "A werewolf."