Harry Potter Imagines

[James Sirius Potter] ~ Bad blood

(...)

I was finally growing on Potter. I was almost certain he had a crush on me.
How did I know? Well, for one, he had dialled down all the teasing with me for being a smiley Malfoy and second, he kept coming up with the most stupid excuses to talk to me.
And Fred was kind of a blabber mouth too so, he had spilled the beans rather quickly.

Now, I couldn't say I had a whole lot of complaints, because I didn't, except maybe that Scorpius was onto the both of us and was even more annoying when he realized James and I had been spending more and more time together.
"Godric, what has gotten into your brother?! We have a prank to plan! He needs to leave us alone!" Roxanne complained and I snorted.
"Well, if your dear cousin James didn't keep hovering around me, then Scorpius wouldn't be so annoying." I said and Fred let out a huff as he scribbled something on his parchment.
"You're speaking as if you don't enjoy all his hovering around." Fred complained without even looking at me and I smiled, until I heard my brother's voice.

"Where's the older Potter?" he asked, and I sighed.
"With the amount of time you spend asking around for him, anyone would think that you're interested in him." I shot back and Scorpius made a face at me as Potter snickered behind him.
"As flattered as I am that the older Malfoy sibling is interested in me, I'd much rather hold the interest of the younger Malfoy." Potter said from behind Scorpius, and I rolled my eyes as Fred and Roxanne chuckled as James took a seat beside me. Scorpius let out a disgusted groan and walked away without a word, whilst I did my best to pretend James's words hadn't made me feel warm inside.
I made a point of not looking at James because I was sure the redness of my cheeks could rival the red in his uniform or the red of Fred's hair.

(...)

Given the Malfoy's history with blood purity and all that major nonsense and prejudice that followed after my last name, no one had expected me -or anyone in the family really- to appreciate anything remotely connected to the muggle culture, but I was always proving everyone wrong. I was the sunshine in a family of resting bitch faces.
I ran with the ball on my feet as Scorpius and dad both tried to get the ball off my feet, but to no avail. Ever since a rather young age, when mum had taken Scorpius and I to a muggle park, I had seen a couple kids play soccer and had been majorly interested in the sport. I had learned the rules and how to play just so I could play by myself.
And then I had been introduced to a broom and that was when there was no stopping me from doing sports and to rub in my brother's face that I was better at said sports than he was. Even if I had never applied to my house's quidditch team or to a muggle soccer team. Dad called my name as he stood, bent down with his hands on his knees as mum laughed from her chair.

"I'm old, for Merlin's sake, just give me the ball so I can at least pretend to try!" He demanded and I laughed before shaking my head.
"You're not even fifty yet dad. You're still young, you're just getting lazy!" I said as my dad straightened to his full height and started running through our garden after me. "You said you were old!" I shouted as he laughed, still chasing after me, as my mother and brother laughing from their very calm spots.
Just as dad was about to answer me, the doorbell rung and I ducked into the house, shouting that I'd get the door.

Opening the door of the manor, I found Fred, Roxanne, James and Albus standing on the other side, grins on their faces as soon as they looked at me, in my sweaty sports gear.
I let them in and as James got ready for a hug, I stopped him. "I am disgusting right now James. I'll hug you some other time, okay?" James openly pouted as I called out for my family, and Scorpius, upon settling his eyes into Albus, took him upstairs without any more than a wave to my three best friends.

My friends greeted my mum and dad, and whilst they interacted, I pretended I hadn't noticed the way mum was struggling to keep her eyes open and was relying on dad to stand up right.
Fred put a hand on my shoulder as if he knew where my thoughts were headed and when I looked at him he smiled at me, which had me smiling right back.
"I'm going to help these three get settled in." I said and my parents nodded as I lead the other three upstairs. Fred was walking on the front with me as we spoke in hushed murmurs.
"Your mum's not any better?" He asked and I shook my head.
"They're doing their best to keep it hidden from Scorp and I, but we've figured most of it. We just don't know why she is so weak." I said as I opened the door to the guys' room and gestured for Fred to leave his bag there.
When I turned to exit the room, I was surprised to see James and Roxanne behind Fred and me. During my talking to Fred, I had completely forgotten about my other two friends, who were right behind us.

"And yet you claim there's no such thing as you having a favourite Marauder." James pouted and I laughed.
Our little group had called ourselves Marauders, something we had done to honour the group that had once been created by his grandfather and three other Gryffindor's, two of them James's namesakes.
"Oh please, it's hardly my fault Fred knows how to talk to me better than you can ride a broom." I said as I pushed back all of my sadness, hoping they would get the hint.
James and Roxanne exchanged a look before James dumped his bag and hoisted me over his shoulder.
"I'm heavy put me down James!" I squealed as I tried to wiggle out of his arms, but to no avail, James was much too strong for me. And I was the one who usually played beater at the friendly matches either at school or here at home, not him.
"You're not heavy Malfoy." Fred said, arms crossed at his chest as James put me down with a small smile as he hugged me to him. "You're just perfect, don't let anyone tell you otherwise." James said and I smiled.
"Well, let's get down to the living room, I think mum and dad planned game night for all of us." I said as James and Fred settled each on their bed and I lead Roxanne to my room, where she would be staying.
The boys following along with a small space between us.

Roxanne put down her bags and turned to me. "When are you and James going to do something about the way you both feel?" she asked softly as she sat on her bed and I sat next to her, rubbing my face. "It's clear you both have feelings for each other, you both need to sort everything out."
I smiled softly at her. "Salazar, I know. I want to do that, but what we have is amazing and I don't want to risk losing it."
Roxanne rose from the bed and smiled brightly at me "I know you were sorted into Slytherin, but you tag along with more Gryffindor's than Slytherins, so that makes you a half Gryffindor by association. " I laughed at her before letting her continue. "Gryffindor's are risk-takers, we are brave and we risk it all if we think it's worth it. Is James worth it?"
I stood up as well as we headed to the boys' room.
"Of course he is."