JAMES AND ELARA walk around Hogsmeade, talking about school. Regulus didn't want to go and Alexander was forced to hang out with Reece. Her other friends Alice and Frank are on their very first date so she decided to hang out with James.
"When's your birthday?" She asks him and he raises an eyebrow. "Why?" She shrugs, "Maybe, I'll get you a present," she says and he chuckles. "It's March 27," he tells her and she stops in her tracks. "You're bluffing," she said and he looks at her. "No?"
"That's my birthday too!" She exclaims and he laughs. "What a coincidence," he tells her and they walk into Honeydukes.
Sirius looks at the pair and he shakes his head, "I can't look at them without being disgusted," he mutters, Peter and Remus look at each other. "Mate," Remus starts but Peter shushes him before looking at Sirius. "Shut up, he's never been happier," Peter tells him, Sirius places a hand on his chest. "How dare you? He's been the happiest whenever Lily is aroun- that's it!" He yells and he pats his shoulder before going into Honeydukes.
Remus and Peter look at each other, "He's going to ruin everything isn't he?" Remus asks him and Peter nods.
"What do you want? My treat," Elara says and he scrunches his nose, "No, my treat, what do you want?" He asks her and she picks up a small candy. "I'm getting myself a small toffee roll, what are you getting?" She asks him with a smile on her face. "I'm getting myself a pack of licorice wands," he says and they walk up the counter. "3 galleons and one Knut please," the worker mutters and James instantly brought out his wallet.
"My treat," he tells her before opening it, his money was gone. He looks up to see Elara pay, she winks at him before grabbing her toffee and walking away. James looks back to his wallet to find his money in there. He shakes his head before grabbing his candy wands. "Mate," the cashier calls him and James looks at him.
"She your girlfriend?" He asks him and he shakes his head. "Well I hope she will be, the two of you look good with each other," he comments before going to the back. James stood there, 'Huh, we would look good together,' he thought before walking toward Elara. "What did he tell you?" She asks and he shrugs. "He spoke so quietly I just nodded," he fibs and she nods.
"James, I've been looking everywhere for you!" Sirius yells once he opens the door of Honeydukes. "Why?"
"Lily told me to find you, she needs to tell you something," he says and Elara's heart crushed. 'He's obviously going to go look for her,' she thought as he sees a smile grow on his face. "I'll look for her later, I'm spending the day with Lara," he said and Sirius' jaw dropped. "Lara," he spits out the nickname. "Don't call her that," he said and Elara rolls her eyes.
"He can call me that," she says and Sirius sends her a fake smile. "No, he can't." James looks at him weirdly, "Why not? It's just a nickname," he said and Sirius shakes his head. "A family nickname, nobody outside of the family calls her Lara-"
"I let Alice and Frank call me Lara, so Siri, I'm letting him call me Lara because he's my friend," she told him before grabbing James' hand and walking away from him. Remus and Peter walk up to Sirius, "She looks angry, did you make her angry?" Remus asks and Sirius growls. "He called her Lara," he felt jealous, she took away his best friend.
He was jealous that James called her by the nickname that Sirius had given her when they were 4. He was jealous that James is close to his cousin and he isn't.
...
"Why didn't you go with Lily? Hasn't she been the 'love of your life' since our first year?" She asks him and he holds onto her hand. "I promised you a fun day today, I don't break my promises," he says and she blushes, looking down. They sit down on a bench in the middle of the forest and the shrieking shack.
"Do you want a licorice wand?" He asks after she places the small toffee in her mouth. "I can't, but thanks," she tells him politely. "You can't?" He asks with his mouth full.
"My family is hosting a ball for Christmas, I have my dress but my aunt said if I wanted to fit in it I have to stop eating sweets. I have to go on a diet basically," she says and he looks at her up and down. "You're hot already though," he blurts out, she looks at him in shock. "What?"
He blushes, "I mean- you're fit, you don't need the diet El," he told her, always saying a new nickname. "Thanks and I like El," she says and he smiles before standing up. "Want to go to Madam Puddifoot's?"
She smiles up at him before placing her hand in his.
...
"Lily!" Sirius yells and he walks up to her. "What do you want, Black?" She asks before crossing her arms. "We need to talk," he says and he pulls her away from Dorcas and Marlene. "What's all this about?" She asks him with a shout. "Lara, I mean, Elara," he says and Lily scoffs. "I'm leaving-"
"No!"
Lily raises an eyebrow, motioning for him to go on. "You hate her, I hate her, she's stealing James from both of us," he says and she shrugs. "I don't mind," she said, making him laugh. "That's rich, Evans, really? I know that you love the attention he gives you," he says and she glares at him. "So? He likes Elara now," she tells him and he shakes his head.
"I don't think so, he's just her friend, probably won't be long till he actually grows feelings for her so you have to do something," he says and she slowly shakes her head. "Why me?" Sirius held in a groan, "Are you daft? He loves you, just go up to him and kiss him," he told her and she crosses her arms. "50 galleons," she said and he sighs. "Kiss him, then find me here and get the money- deal?"
"Deal."
...
"So I put the cherry into the tea?" Elara asks James as she holds the cheery he gave her. "Yes, it will give you a lot of flavor," he says and she hesitantly puts it inside the mint tea. "And I just drink it like that?" She asks and he nods.
She brought the cup to her lips, raising her pinky while doing so. "Wait!" He exclaims and she places the cup down. "What?" He hands her a straw, "Here, it's better drinking it out of a straw," he tells her and she hums.
She takes a sip from the tea. Mint and cherry together are odd but it was delicious. "James," she starts and her eyes light up. "You're a bloody genius!" She exclaims and he smiles. "Thank you but you don't need to tell me stuff I already know," he says before flipping his hair. The tea falls into her lap and she gasps when the hot liquid hits her skin.
"El!" James pats her skirt with a bunch of napkins. "James, it's okay, let's not make a scene," she says and she feels for her wand, she forgot, she left it in her dorm. "I left my wand in my room, I'm going to the bathroom," she tells him and he nods.
Once Elara walks to the bathroom Lily walk into Madam Puddifoot's tea shop. She looks around and she sees James sitting by himself. "James," she says and he looks up. "Love of my life!" He says and she held in a groan of annoyance.
"What are you doing here?" She asks him and he points to his cup of tea. "Drinking tea," he says with a toothy smile. "Sirius said you were looking for me, what is it?" He asks her and he stands up. She looks over his shoulder, seeing that Elara was getting out of the bathroom. "I just wanted to give you this," she grabs his face and she slams her lips against his.
He closes his eyes and he wraps his arms around her waist. He hears the door slam and he pulls away from her, seeing Elara walking out. "Wait, no," he leaves some money on the table before running out, ignoring Lily.
"El, what's wrong?" He asks her but she continues walking away from him. He grabs her arm, swinging her around to hit his chest. "What's wrong?" He asks as he sees her tear-filled eyes. "N-nothing, I just need to go," she says and she lightly pushes him away. "See you later James," she whispers before walking towards the castle.
She wipes her tears, "I knew I had no chance."