"JAMES IS looking for you." Is what Jane says when she gets to the Hufflepuff table, her arms loaded with study material.
"You cool, Janie?" I ask, moving the food out of the way so she can place the stuff down.
"Groovy." She says. "I need to bring this stuff back to David's dorm. N.E.W.Ts and graduation are bumming him out. He's disciplining two kids that hexed a muggleborn."
"That's the second one for this month." I grimace and Jane nods, upset. "Need some help?"
She shakes her head and pops a couple grapes into her mouth.
"He's out on the grounds."
"Who?"
"James."
"Right." I say, remembering why she came. "For what?"
"Says he has something to ask you." She stuffs a roll of bread in her mouth.
I force Jane to let me help carry the books at least as far as the doors, where I then hand them back to her and walk out to look for the boy who's called for me. It doesn't take long, because there's only one kid with unruly hair and glasses pacing nervously back and forth biting on his fingernails.
Upon a second glance, I notice that the other three are no where to be found and my pace quickens towards James.
"You're totally psyched out." I say, not bothering to greet him.
"Des, have I ever told you that you're the most beautiful girl I ever met?"
I cross my arms, knowing he's brown nosing.
"No, I'd love to hear it."
"No you don't." He wraps his arm around my shoulder and starts directing me in a random direction. "Listen, I need your help."
"What with?" I ask.
"Slughorn's got his end of the year party tomorrow night and for some reason he's invited me - again." He runs his hand through his hair, pulling slightly. "I thought I'd finally broke him but looks like I'm going."
"What's this got to do with me?"
"Evans has rejected my offer." He moves in front of me and grabs both my shoulders. "So how would you, my dear, like to be my date?"
I raise my eyebrows at the proposition with confusion. James and I aren't by any means close - I mean, he's seen my panties, but that's a completely different problem and mess all together. Why would he ask me?
"Why d'you need a date?" I pester. "Remus hasn't got one."
"Actually, Evans asked him." James mutters. "Just to bug me out - bogus prefects."
"So why d'you need me?" I'm still not clear.
"Well, don't you want to meet the love of my life?" He shakes my shoulder gently and I have to grab his elbows to stabilize myself. "Chat, laugh, put in a good word for me."
"James." I grab onto his shoulders as well to stop the shaking. "I don't know Lily Evans."
"But you're so effortlessly kind, it'll work."
I shake my head.
"Come on, Des, you get to dress pretty, have lovely conversations, it'll be killer!"
"I hear that Slughorn's parties are painfully boring."
"They are." He admits. "But please, please come, I'll be right there with you. Not like I'm sending you in blind."
I sigh.
"Fine, I'll go." I give in. "But don't expect much."
"Right on!"
~*~
I meet James where he asks me to, but he's a little bit late, so I'm leaning against the wall wondering if I have enough time for a dart when he comes walking down the hall.
"Sorry, Sirius needed me." He says with a smile.
"Everything cool?" I ask and he nods.
"Ace, let's go."
We step into the room and I'm greeted by the mass amounts of decorations, and the students dressed in white with trays. One passes by us and James grabs the our d'oeuvre from it. I make a face because I'm not sure what he's picked out and I'm pretty sure he doesn't either because he takes one smell and places it on a chair, tucking it into the table.
Professor Slughorn walks up to us with a drink in one hand.
"Ah, Mr. Potter, how are you?" He comes up and shakes James' hand.
"Brilliant Professor, yourself?" He says and Slughorn responds before turning to me.
"And you're Mr. Potter's date?" He asks and I accept his outstretched hand.
"Desdemona Castellanos." I assume he forgets that I was in his class years one through five.
"I don't believe you're in my N.E.W.T class."
"Oh, no, Sir." I shake my head. "I'm afraid I'm not too good at Potions."
"No matter, what is it that you'd like to do then? After school, of course."
"A translator, Sir." I straighten up slightly.
"Marvellous!" He raises his glass as if to make a toast. "Many incredible languages."
I nod my head, not knowing what else to say, but luckily I don't have to when he goes,
"Lovely, lovely, if you'll excuse me." And he walks off.
James links my arm with his and pulls me away, mumbling a 'now that that's out of the way' as we head over to two people with turned backs. I only recognize one, but upon the realization of who it is, I know who I'm about to be introduced to, and I panic at my lack of preparedness.
"Remus, Evans, fancy seeing you here!"
The two turn towards us, the redhead with an instant look of bored displeasure at the sight of James, and I don't have time to say anything to either of them when she speaks.
"Potter, I see you've settled for a quick shag?" She says, glaring at him.
My eyes widen immensely and my mouth is now frozen in my almost greeting. James just smiles.
"Evans, I'd like you to meet Desdemona, Remus' friend."
At the mention of my name her face pales, then just as quickly is replaced with a blush so strong it rivals the colour of her hair.
"Oh, my Godric!" She cries. "I'm so sorry!"
Still shocked in my place, I can't help but giggle at her and my muscles relax now that I don't have to worry about making a good impression. Nothing can top that.
"I take it that's Gryffindor courage." I joke and James manages to snicker while Remus takes a sip of his drink to not laugh at Evans' expense. "Lovely to meet you."
Her hands fly to her face as she cradles it in embarrassment.
"Remus has told me a lot about you." She says and lets her hands drop to her sides, revealing a guilty pout. "I reckon I should go die now."
I just giggle at her and wave my hand.
"No worries," I assure, "James isn't my type, anyway."
"He's not mine either." She goes and James scoffs. "I'd sooner fancy Slughorn."
I snort and Remus nearly chokes on his drink.
"You're a Muggleborn, yea?" I ask and she nods, still embarrassed. "You like music?"
"Who doesn't?" She responds and I perk up.
"You hear Queen played in London a couple weeks ago?"
Evans takes on a look of eager regret.
"I did, damn exams." She whines and I share in her longing to see Freddie Mercury.
"The Clash are coming in August though, you know them?"
She gasps.
"I love them!" She's more comfortable now. "I play them so much, my parents are bored with the USA now too."
She, Remus, and I laugh at the joke as it goes over James head.
"Remus and I have tickets, you're going?" I ask and her face deflates a bit while she shakes her head.
"My friends are squares and won't come." She pouts and I'm quick to speak before I even fully think it through.
"You can come with us, it'll be bitchin!" I grab her hands in excitement and her face lights up again.
"Sirius and I're going too." James cuts in, a little too excited.
I furrow my eyebrows for a second at his lie, wondering what he's doing, but he grins at me like it's the truth and I decide to play along.
"Er - yea." I turn to Lily with a shrug. "What better way to learn about muggle music?"
"You a Muggleborn?" She asks me and I shake my head.
"My step mum's a muggle." I inform. "We live East of London so it's not a far drive."
"Sweet, can I get your number?" She asks and I nod, trying to remember the house phone. I hear a barely audible squeak from James.
Lily grabs a napkin from a nearby table and pulls a quill out of her sock which I find amusing.
"So you'll come?" I ask, hopeful.
She nods her head and hands me both items, I write the number as best I can while using my leg as a table and hand it back to her.
"I'll call you." She says and looks over my shoulder. "'Cause it looks like Slughorn's gonna cast me away."
And no doubt, a few seconds later, Slughorn comes up to us looking for his prized pupil and taking her away to some students who have some questions. As soon as she's out of sight, James grabs my face and plants a huge kiss on my cheek - to which I'm completely confused, and a little bit flustered.
"Desdemona, you are an angel!" He praises and I wipe my face with the back of my hand.
"Well, looks like our concert date is no longer a date." Remus takes a sip of his drink and I send him a slightly apologetic look but he's smiling with amusement and a hint of arrogance, like he knows something I don't.
"I mean, how do you do that?" James continues. "Two minutes of knowing her and you've got summer plans! I need to keep you attached to me!"
"What?" I say, but don't get a response because Remus speaks.
"Padfoot wouldn't like that." He warns in a teasing way and James shoos him off.
"If it means I'll get Evans, I'll deal with the jealous boyfriend."
I raise my eyebrows at this interaction. Is this why James' brought me? To set him up with Evans?
"I'm missing something?" I ask hesitantly, and the boys look at me.
"Only thing you're missing's an official title." James takes a couple steps back to steal a drink off one of the servers trays.
That's not what I meant.
"For...?" I trail, but I can imagine they're not talking about my title with Lily Evans.
"Please, Des." Remus says. "You and Sirius being all affectionate - it's sickening, just date."
I blush involuntarily and cross my arms.
"You and I're affectionate." I defend myself.
"Right, 'cause that's the same." He rolls his eyes.
"We cuddle." I fire back.
"That's different."
"How so?"
Usually, I don't fight things like this, but right now the subject of me and Sirius is touchy - it's a messy, messy thing, and I right now I'm focused on the fact that James' is pulling what Debbie pulled, and I'm not happy about it. Remus doesn't like my defiance.
"We don't have feelings for each other." He states and I can tell that I'm going to lose this argument.
"How d'you know I'm not in love with you, huh?" I go for the childish route, just to get this conversation to stop.
Remus stares at me with a blank face before raising a single eyebrow.
"And I'm not a werewolf. Let's get married then, shall we?"
"Much as I'd like to be best man," James stops us, "you're getting no where."
"I'm not going anywhere with Sirius." I mutter, and I can tell Remus is very annoyed by my lack of compliancy - but this is the best I can do without outright confrontation.
"Why not?" James asks.
"'Cause."
Remus groans.
"Des, I swear to Godric, if you don't stop-"
"Debbie." I snap, though I know I have no right to. "'Cause of Debbie, alright? I get with Sirius, and she'll never forgive me."
"You still care about her?" James seems to be the only one of us who still has a level head. I pissed Remus off, but James is impossibly calm.
I shrug instead of answering.
Her cutting me off really hurt me, and I'm already on thin ice as it is, I refuse to do something that would hurt her like that. The thought of dating Sirius feels like an actual betrayal to her, and I just got her back, I'm not gonna go and ruin it.
"Des, you need to drop her." Remus is stern. "Stop putting her feelings above yours."
James places a hand on my shoulder in a comforting way but I push off his touch.
"Look, I'm not talking to you about this." And the two of them give me confused looks. "You're his friends, I'm not putting you in that position."
They shut their mouths at that, and I'm content - at least, as content as I can be. Which isn't very much.
"And you." I point my finger into James' chest, doing what I wish I did with Debbie. "I'm not something you can use to get a girl."
My voice is not stern, or harsh, even though I intend it to be, but my message gets through as he runs his hand through his hair with a sheepish smile.
"You're too friendly for your own good." He reasons and I have nothing to respond with.