(A/N): So I was just casually stalking myself on Wattpad and turns out THIS STORY HAS HIT 2K. WHAT THE HECK GUYS. To be honest, I'm still in shock. Like I finished The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller and cried my eyes out, and then a while later saw the 2k and freaked out again and scream-texted my beta. Thanks so much guys for the 2k!! Love you guys!! ~ Kira
The hardest part of the journey back to Hogwarts is breaking it to my friends that I hadn't told them about James.
"WHAT??"
"WHERE???"
"WHEN????"
"WHY?????"
"HOW??????"
Alice takes in Rose's knowing expression and turns to me with a look of utter betrayal.
"ROSE KNEW BEFORE I DID???????"
I smile sheepishly and hide my face in the crook of James' neck, immediately feeling the smug smirk growing on his face. I slap my hand on his chest in retaliation, and I feel him laugh quietly in my ear, tightening his hold on my waist.
At this, the girls all stop their arguing and squeal loudly enough to break my eardrums.
"Ok ok ok," I begin, lifting my face from James' shoulder, finally getting a few words in for the first time since stepping onto the Hogwarts express, "one person at a time."
Brianna opens her mouth to speak but Alice interrupts her before she can get a word in.
"When did...this...start happening?" she asks, gesturing towards James and I with a suggestive eyebrow raised.
I flush a bright pink and cover my face, prompting yet another round of teasing from the girls and laugh from James.
"Let me take over, love," he says, placing a hand on the side of my face to pull me back to his shoulder, "I'll make sure to fact check with you."
I roll my eyes, but nod anyway, curious to see what he'd say.
"So, there we were at the Burrow for the holiday, and I'm talking with Hugo and Albus in my room, and this lovely lady just jumps on me," he gestures toward me as he speaks.
I glare at him incredulously as he opens his mouth, barely concealing his devious grin, but before he can speak, I interrupt him.
"I'm fact checking you on that," I say, James' smile faltering slightly, "I didn't 'jump on you' as you say. I came into your room to tell you off for ignoring me."
"Shhhhhh, love, don't interrupt. The story was just getting interesting." I frown at him, and he turns back towards the group.
"As I was saying, she jumps on me, don't get me wrong, I enjoyed every second of it -- OI," his speech interrupted by my elbow intersecting with his ribcage, "Sorry, love, just adding some detail."
"That's it," I say, slapping a hand over his mouth, "I'm taking over now."
James lets out a muffled protest from behind my hand, but makes no move to stop me from continuing.
"To make a long story short, I yelled at him, and he kissed me."
"Well that takes all of the drama out of it," comments Gwen, rolling her eyes.
"Shush, Gwen, I think it's romantic," Brianna argues, sending Gwen a playful glare.
Alice grins slyly and pushes Brianna's shoulder, pushing her into Gwen with a domino effect. Brianna falls partially into her lap and begins laughing hysterically while simultaneously trying to glare and make eye contact with Gwen. Gwen laughs quietly at the scrunched up expression on Brianna's face, and her laughter quickly escalates to hysterical laughter. Soon enough, they're clutching each other and nearly falling off the compartment bench. The rest of the group isn't left unaffected, and begins to laugh at Brianna and Gwen's antics.
By the time the laughter subsides, Gwen and Brianna are red faced and out of breath. Brianna lies halfway in Gwen's lap, her head resting on the wall of the compartment, and her legs draped over Rose's lap with her feet braced against the wall next to Rose. She glances up at Gwen, still gasping for breath, and they lock eyes for a good fifteen seconds before looking away, somehow turning a brighter shade of red. Brianna sits back up immediately afterwards and scoots almost imperceptibly away from Gwen towards Rose. I share questioning glance with Alice and Rose, and Alice shakes her head to keep us from saying anything.
The rest of the ride to Hogwarts is filled with conversation, all of us avoiding any subject involving Gwen or Brianna, who were exchanging furtive glances whenever they thought the other wasn't looking.