The month of January went by fast as everyone got back into their routines. Wake up, breakfast, classes, lunch, classes, dinner, James goes to quidditch practice, study and hang out, make out in the empty common room, go to bed, repeat.
As much as I hated sleeping alone, I was able to keep it under control most nights. Though I still had nightmares every night, except the nights we had sleepovers.
Every Friday and Saturday night I would have a sleepover with the boys in their dorm, much to their roommates' dislike. It was nice to at least get to fall asleep next to James, even if it was only two nights every week.
After the second week of this, Frank gave up on complaining about it, and I actually got to have a conversation with their fifth roommate, Adrian Tonks, the younger brother of Ted Tonks, making Adrian Sirius's second cousin or something. They weren't close.
Lily, being a Prefect, was obligated to acknowledge my disappearance from our dormitory every Friday and Saturday night, but she never reported me for it. She knew about the nightmares, and she's heard me wake up screaming, so Lily let it slide.
"Guess what's next Monday?" James asked as he leaned in close to me.
I didn't take my eyes off of my parchment as I sarcastically replied, "I don't know, a Potions exam?"
James and I were sitting in the library on a Thursday afternoon, working on our homework since we both had a free period.
"It's Valentine's day!" James exclaimed as he took my parchment away from me.
I looked up at him, "Yes love, I did know that, however, I was trying to finish my Charms essay."
"Wanna go to Hogsmeade on Saturday?"
"Are you asking me on an official date?"
James smirked, "Yes, I am."
I touched my quill to my lips as I pretended to think for a few seconds. "I would love to."
James kissed me on the cheek, "It'll be day one of our Valentine's day."
"I don't like Valentine's day." I admitted, looking at James, who was staring at me adoringly.
He furrowed his brows, "Why not? How could you not like Valentine's day?"
"Well," I sighed, "It's a lucrative holiday that relies on people's short-lived relationships. Valentine's day is solely made to benefit the economy." I took a breath and smiled at James, "So yes, I am not a fan of Valentine's day."
James looked at me, "You just sucked the fun right out of Valentine's day."
I rolled my eyes, "Valentine's day is just a reminder to all single people that they're single."
"Well this is your first Valentine's day having a strikingly handsome boyfriend, and it's my first Valentine's day where I'm not getting constantly rejected," James teased, "So I'm going to make you like Valentine's day if it's the last thing that I do."
I kissed James on the cheek, "If that's your way of asking me to be your valentine, then my answer is yes."
James grinned triumphantly, "I was hoping you'd say that."
"Can I have my parchment back now? I really do need to finish my Charms essay."
James slid my parchment back to me and kissed me on the head before returning to his own essay.
About an hour later, I was finally done with my essay and was helping James finish his when Sirius and Remus came walking into the library, a copy of the Daily Prophet in their hands.
Remus gulped as he sat down across from me, and Sirius handed James and me the paper before sitting down next to Remus.
I quickly looked at James, who was as equally confused as I was, before turning my attention to the parchment in front of me.
Attack in Diagon Alley - Muggleborn Targeted
There was an attack on Diagon Alley late last night, which resulted in the casualties of three wizards: Thomas MacGowen - muggle-born, and his wife, Selene - half-blood, and their four-year-old daughter, Josephine.
The MacGowen's were a young wizard family who resided in one of the many flats in Diagon Alley. They were out celebrating the announcement of their second child when things took a turn for the worst.
All three MacGowen's were murdered by assumed Death Eater's. There was one witness whose name will not be released at this time.
I took a deep breath as I finished reading the paper. James took my hand in his reassuringly.
"It's happening." I mumbled, looking up at Remus and Sirius. "It's actually happening."
"This is the first report." Remus confirmed, his voice hushed in the busy library.
Sirius dropped his head into his hands, "They're going to mark Reg, as soon as he's of age."
"I'm so sorry, Padfoot." James muttered, his voice was sincere but he looked scared.
Sirius scoffed, "He's their lap dog-, my parents. I tried to get him to leave with me, but he was so scared."
"He's only fifteen," Remus spoke, "Regulus is still so young."
"He doesn't have a choice." I added.
Sirius looked up at me, a scowl on his face. "Of course he has a bloody choice! I had one, and I choose to leave."
James cut Sirius off.
"Reg doesn't have a choice. It's different for him because he's in Slytherin, he's being forced to live up to those idiots standards."
Sirius nodded in agreement and took a deep breath, "It's too late for him."
The four of us sat at a table, hidden back in the corner of the library until Madam Pince came to kick us out at the closing time.
We went back to the common room, and Sirius went right to bed, Remus right behind him.
Marlene and Mary were sitting in the common room in front of the fire when we walked in, and they both smiled when they saw us.
"Hey, lovebirds!" Marlene joked as we sat down across from her and Mary.
James grinned, "Hello to you too, McKinnon."
Mary smiled at the two of us, "Got any special plans for Valentine's day?"
I looked at James, "I'm not sure, do we, love?"
"I can't give away all my secrets."
Marlene and Mary laughed at this. The four of us talked for a bit before the two girls went up to our dormitory to get ready for bed.
James pulled me onto his lap and wrapped his arms around me. He kissed me softly, his hands running through my hair.
"We'll be okay, Daph."
I looked into his hazel eyes, "Will we?"
"We will," James affirmed. "And on the plus side, we have Valentine's day to take our minds off of it."
I rolled my eyes at him jokingly, "Whatever you say, lover boy. I'm going to bed."
James kissed me again.
"Goodnight, darling."
I kissed him one last time.
"Goodnight, mon amour."
• • • • •
On Saturday morning, I was woken up by the sounds of all of my roommates getting ready to go to Hogsmeade. Normally, I would just go back to sleep, but I had a date today.
I got out of bed and went into the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face, brushing past a panicking Mary, who was panicking because she wasn't sure about her outfit for her date.
Jolie was in the bathroom doing her makeup, and she smiled at me when I walked in.
"Good morning, sunshine."
I looked at myself in the mirror to see that my hair was a total mess and that the dark circles underneath my eyes were darker than usual.
"I look awful."
Jolie looked at me in the mirror, "A little bit, don't hit me I'm doing my eyeliner."
After I finished in the bathroom, I picked out my outfit, which consisted of my black mom jeans, James' Gryffindor quidditch jumper, and my black Doc Marten's.
My hair was styled into two French braids, which I threw my red hat over, and I went for natural makeup.
I grabbed my coat from the hanger and slung the knee-length black jacket over me.
When I reached the common room, James was waiting for me and smiled when he saw me.
I kissed him, "Good morning, love."
He grinned at me, "You look gorgeous as ever."
"Are we going down for breakfast, or are we going straight to Hogsmeade?" I asked, looping my arm through James.
We walked out of the portrait hole and into the corridor.
"Brunch in Hogsmeade-, as long as that's alright with you?"
I smiled, "It sounds perfect."
James and I walked through the castle and into the courtyard with our arms linked.
Professor McGonagall was at the gates, along with Lily and a couple of other Prefects, supervising who was leaving Hogwarts to head to the small village.
She saw James and me and gave us a small smile, "Ah, Mr. Potter and Ms. Beaufort, I see the Prophet was right."
James smiled, "Yes they were, Minnie! Now if you don't mind, my girlfriend and I are going to go get brunch."
"Have fun!" McGonagall chimed as James and I began our trek to Hogsmeade.
When we finally reached the village, James and I walked right into one of the many restaurants and sat down.
I ordered pancakes-, my favorite, and coffee. James got the same.
"These pancakes are amazing." I muttered as I cut into my stack of pancakes.
James laughed, "They really are, how have we never been here before?"
"Because we love to sleep, and we usually get here at two in the afternoon, not ten in the morning."
"It was worth getting up early." James smiled.
I smiled back, "Yes it was."
After we finished brunch, James paid and we stepped back out onto the snow covered street. Students were milling about. Some of them were on dates and others were with their friends.
"What's next on your agenda?" I teased as James intertwined his fingers through mine.
James grinned, "Honeyduke's and Zonko's?"
I nodded in agreement and we ventured off down the street to Honeyduke's.
The candy store was packed with people, and I looked around to see if I knew anyone.
My eyes landed on Mary, who waved at me from her place in the checkout line. Her brown hair fell in ringlets from underneath her hat-, well the Ravenclaw hat, that she was wearing.
I gave her a questioning look and she pointed to the boy beside her, the boy that she was stressing out about this morning.
"Look at the new candies they got!" James exclaimed as he pulled me over to a display of candies.
We both ended up getting chocolate frogs, exploding bonbons, and treacle fudge, all of which James paid for despite my protests.
"I'm just being a gentleman." James claimed as we walked out of Honeyduke's.
The chill air nipped at my nose as soon as we stepped outside of the warm storefront, and I shivered, even though I was all bundled up.
James rubbed his hands against my arms, "Cold?"
I rubbed my hands together, "Absolutely freezing."
"You look really cute when you're cold," James laughed. "But we should get you back to the castle to warm up."
"Are you sure? I can suck it up, we haven't gone to Zonko's yet."
James cut me off with a kiss, which I practically melted into. His touch warmed me up, as our lips moved together.
When he pulled away, James smiled.
"Today was about making sure you have a good time," James admitted. "And since you're cold I think we should go back to the castle, sit in front of the fire, warm up, and cuddle. I mean unless you want to stay out here in the cold-"
I pecked James on the lips and grabbed him by the hand as I practically began to drag him back to Hogwarts. "You're amazing, let's go."
James smirked, "This is why I love you."
My footsteps came to a halt, causing James to run into me. I turned to face him and looked into his wide hazel eyes.
"Shit-, it slipped out, you don't-"
"I love you."
James stopped rambling, "You do?"
"I do?"
His arms quickly wrapped around my waist as he pulled me in for a kiss. Against my lips, he mumbled, "I love you, too."