Going Soft | JAMES SIRIUS POTTER HP NEXT GENERATION

viii || heart eyes

"Did you see the look James gave Annabella at breakfast?" Charlie questioned Noah, as he ran a hand through his curly blonde hair.

Noah shook his head. "No? What happened?"

James sighed. "I didn't give her any look, Charlie. Come off it."

"Mate, you were all starry eyed and smiling. It was pathetic." Charlie jested.

Noah shrugged a shoulder. "I don't really see how smiling at someone you like is pathetic," he mumbled.

James raised his hands in defense. "Woah there—I never said I liked her."

"You never said you didn't," Noah teased.

"Dude, we're just friends." James protested.

"Sure you are, and Noah's a bloody queer," Charlie muttered sarcastically.

Noah's cheeks flamed, and he stuttered his protests, failing to meet their eyes. "I—I'm not. You guys know this."

Charlie gave Noah a weird look. "Mate, we know, I was being sarcastic."

Noah's cheeks reddened again out of embarrassment. "Right, I know that."

James rolled his eyes at Charlie's immaturity, as he felt a presence coming up on his right. Turning, he looked to see who it was.

Grant and Annabella were deep in chat, and James couldn't help the surge of jealously he felt go through him. It surprised him so much that he almost stopped mid stride.

I shouldn't be jealous, James thought to himself. We're hardly friends—only had one chat really, he tried reasoning.

Yet he was. He was jealous that Bella was talking to Grant instead of himself.

But then Bella's attention was caught by his gaze and she lifted a hand in a wave, and then everything was okay. James smiled back at her, before turning back to his friends.

"See what I mean?" Charlie was whispering to Noah. "Jamie's gone all heart eyes. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he's going soft."

Noah snorted. "Someone with his track record can't go soft. James isn't one to settle down."

"Well maybe he's finally thinking of it." Charlie suggested, and then both boys started laughing.

James furrowed his brow, annoyed, but unable to defend himself against anything they were saying.

"Hello? I'm right here?" James said, waving his hand to get there attention.

"We know," Charlie replied simply.

James sighed and stalked into the transfiguration room, ticked off.

After setting his things down at his desk, his friends joined him not long after. They came in talking, and Grant and Annabella dispersed, heading their separate ways.

But it wasn't long before she came back over.

Sensing someone in front of his desk before the lesson started, James looked up, half expecting it to be the Professor yelling at him for some random thing he probably did.

He was surprised to see it was Annabella.

"Oh! Hi Bella," James greeted in shock.

"Hi James, uh, I'm sorry about the other night," she stuttered as he fiddled with her fingers nervously, seeming very unsure for a girl who is usually confident in everything she does.

James cocked his head to the side, confused. "What for?"

She shifted from side to side nervously. "I just—I dunno—for dumping sort of everything on you? Especially the bit about my parents, that was a too much. It's just that we aren't that close and it was a lot for a first serious conversation and—"

"Bella, you're rambling" James interrupted, with a teasing smile. "But it's okay. If I hadn't wanted to be there I wouldn't have come in the first place."

"Are you sure? I just felt like—"

"Well I'm telling you what I felt like. And it wasn't annoyed or overwhelmed. I promise you, you didn't put too much on me." He assured her. He found himself feeling a bit sad, and wondered if she often overthinks small things like that, feeling as if she annoys everyone. She certainly didn't come off as being that way when James first met her, but he supposes that he didn't really know her then.

She nodded, and absentmindedly tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Okay um...okay." She mumbled, and gave him an embarrassed smile before heading back over to her seat.

"I'm telling you—heart eyes," James heard Charlie whisper again.

"Oh would you come off it already!" James exclaimed, turning around, to see Charlie, Noah, and Grant snickering at him.

"Bloody hell," James muttered.

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I hope you guys liked the chapter! I almost wasn't sure if I was going to get it up, as I've been every busy with school. Thank you for over 600 views!