Going Soft | JAMES SIRIUS POTTER HP NEXT GENERATION

xxiv || meeting the parents

Annabella found that the Potter's were very welcoming people. She had thought at first that they would've blamed her for what happened to Albus, considering in a way it was partially her fault, and that the culprit hadn't been found yet. In all honesty she expected it to be quite awkward to truly meet them for the first time, especially Harry, her teacher, in a setting outside of school.

She never expected that the minute the parents caught word of her arrival, that Ginny would've rushed down from upstairs and grabbed her into a tight—and very motherly—hug.

"O-oh, hello Mrs. Potter," Annabella greeted as Ginny stepped back from her to give her some space as James had whined about not wanting her to be crushed and scared off.

"Oh, please. Call me Ginny. Mrs. Potter is so formal." Ginny responded, smiling at the younger girl.

Annabella nodded and looked to James for reassurance to find that he was pouting at the ground with his cheeks rather red, looking embarrassed of his mother.

Annabella nudged him and winked to let him know he had nothing to worry over and the flush on his face deepened ever so slightly but the corner of his mouth twitched slightly into a smile.

Ginny clapped her hands together and cooed, before turning around to seek out the other guest.

She walked over to Scorpius and wrapped him in a hug as well, and he returned it with much more familiarity than she had. She assumed Ginny must've been quite a hugger for Scorpius to be used to that.

Annabella couldn't say she was quite used to hugging her own parents. They weren't overly affectionate people. She wondered what Scorpius's dad was truly like, the infamous Draco Malfoy.

Despite what the rumors of his past were, Annabella would like to believe he was kindhearted, because Scorpius was a gentle and happy soul and she couldn't imagine him turning out the way he had if Draco wasn't.

James nudged Annabella after a few moments, while Ginny was still chatting away with Scorpius and Albus.

"Sorry about my mum, she gets excited pretty easily." James mumbled sheepishly.

Annabella smiled. "No, no she's fine. It's kind of refreshing actually. You probably saw my parents when they picked me up from King's Cross Station. They aren't overly affectionate and outgoing people so it's a nice change," she assured him.

"Well, let me know if she gets to be too much at all. My dad isn't home yet, he's out somewhere probably buying last minute gifts because he always forgets. He's a bit like her in a way, just more...awkward?" James tried to explain. "I mean you have him in class but he's pretty different outside of it when there's no structured plan to follow."

Annabella laughed softly. "I'm a little nervous to meet him outside of class. No matter how different he could be, he's still my teacher. That's intimidating," she admitted.

"If you're worried that you're like, his least favorite student or something and that you're afraid he's going to judge you for your work in class when he comes home, don't worry about that. You're one of the only students who never gives him trouble. I think he rather likes you." James told her in hopes to ease her worries.

Annabella looked up at him in surprise. "How'd you know that's what I was worried about? It's like you read my mind."

James shrugged with a smile. "I knew what you were worried about cause I know you, I guess." He responded.

"Wait..." Annabella thought. "You say that as if you two have talked about me before. Do you talk about me to your parents?" She asked cleverly.

She could practically see him cursing himself inside as his eyes widened, but then his entire demeanor shifted and he smirked mischievously at her, seeming to recall something.