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I never understood how James Potter could be all things all at once. How he could be loud and joyous in one moment; soft and sweet the next. He was simultaneously the sun and the rain, all colliding to create the most stunning rainbow I could ever imagine. And, more than anything, he was utterly, overwhelmingly mine.
"Remind me how I ever managed to convince you to go out with me," he whispered, hazel eyes gazing up into mine, his fingers interlacing with mine as I stared down at him, not quite sure how he had ended up with his head in my lap, but also unwilling to risk him moving by asking.
"I believe you asked."
"And you said yes."
"Simple as that." I could feel my lips twitching upwards at the sight of the lazy grin resting on his lips, the sunlight bouncing off the frames of his glasses, almost as dazzling as his smile. "And now look at us."
"The power couple of Gryffindor!" James thrust his hand - still holding mine - into the air, though it maybe would have been more impressive if anyone else had been around to witness it.
"I think that title might belong to Remus and Lily." I rebutted, enjoying the way James shook his head defiantly, his hair spreading into a halo around his head.
"Couldn't be," James muttered. "They're too book-y to be a power couple."
"Book-y?" I repeated with a laugh, flushing as he stared at me, his gaze unwavering and so full of feeling it was almost scary. "I think you mean bookish."
"I don't think I do," James mumbled. "But if it will make you smile like that then I'll make up all the words in the world."
I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks and I was suddenly glad we had the Common Room to ourselves, relishing in the way his eyes scanned my face, attempting to take in every detail. These stolen moments together always felt like the epitome of perfection.
"Oh, you will now, will you?" I whispered. "That might be a problem."
"Why?"
"Because quite a lot of them have already been invented."
James let out a breathy laugh at that comment, adjusting slightly before returning to stare at my face. I pouted as he dropped his fingers from mine, though it quickly turned into a smile as he reached up to take hold of a strand of hair, twirling it around his finger
"Did you know your hair is just like spun sugar?" The words were soft, gentle, too sweet for me to disagree. I also suspected he wouldn't take it as as much of a compliment if I told him his was like an ink-blot on parchment, even if it was meant nicely enough.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. It dances in the sunlight and makes your eyes look so so blue."
"Well, aren't you a poet?"
"I'm a poet and I know it." James grinned as he parroted my words back to me. I had said the same thing to him too many times over the years and I would have pouted at him if I hadn't been so flattered by him remembering.
"Don't you just?"
The silence returned, filling the little space between us with an undeniable warmth. It didn't take long for James to break it though, and his words certainly weren't unwelcome.
"Do you know what I'd like more than anything in the world?" he asked, his eyes boring into mine.
"To play Quidditch?" I suggested. Sometimes it was impossible to read James's mind, or his face, and the game could usually be brought up to answer any vague questions he asked.
"Well"—His face twisted as he thought, clearly he hadn't expected that answer—"I was going to say a kiss but I would also like to play Quidditch. Can I say both?"
"You're the one who asked the question." I laughed. "I'm pretty sure you can make up whatever answer you want."
"Oh, well, great." James grinned, adjusting to sit up properly and cracking his back as he did so. "In that case, kiss and then Quidditch?"
"It depends," I told him as I rose to my feet, telling myself that I could handle the loss of contact with him, "on whether you can catch me."
Perhaps, if I had played fair, he would have done. But I had more than a few tricks up my sleeve for situations just like this. And besides, what was the point of being an Animagus if not to use it to spite my boyfriend?
James called out my name as I ran for the window, attempting to dart around the sofa but tripping over a side table and going sprawling across the floor as I cackled, using his moment of distraction to reach the window. Glancing once more around the room, I let the rush of magic which lay humming beneath my skin take over me, my body shrinking and twisting to form the sleek raven which was my Animagus form.
Letting out a victorious squawk, I soared out the window, relishing the rush of the wind in my feathers as I heard James call out behind me. I sort of hoped someone would walk into the Common Room at that moment and question the sight of my boyfriend yelling my name at a raven for no apparent reason, though given his reputation it was entirely possible that none of them would even think it worth mentioning.
I transformed back once I reached the ground, making sure there was no-one around before resuming my human form and taking off across the grounds on foot. I knew James would meet me at the Quidditch pitch with both our brooms and a pout covering his face, and I wasn't disappointed.
"You abandoned me." He sulked as he made his way onto the pitch. "And you laughed at me."
"Aw..." I didn't try as hard as I should have to contain my smile. "Poor Jamesy."
"Yeah," James muttered, the crease in his forehead deepening, "I agree, poor Jamesy."
I couldn't contain my laughter at that, though it soon turned into a shriek as James wrapped his arms around my waist, tossing the brooms to the side and pulling me close to him, starting to tickle me.
"Stop it." I gasped out between chortles, writhing in his arms as he laughed along with me.
"Only if you say you're sorry."
"No way."
James shrugged at that, continuing to tickle me until I managed to twist in his arms, wrapping my hands over his shoulders and pulling him into a kiss. It was a dirty trick to be sure, but it worked. I felt his fingers still, his hands wrapping around my waist to pull me closer to him as he smiled into the kiss.
This was our quiet moment, tucked between two loud ones and James had never felt so perfect as I considered the fact. Pulling away, I let myself fall for his dazzling eyes all over again, my heart beating far too fast as his lips twitched up into a smile. That smile could break hearts and I was so thankful that he had chosen to lift mine up instead of crushing it.
"I love you."
I don't know who muttered the words first, or whether they were perfectly in sync as we stood there, basking in the light of the mid afternoon and wondering when the pieces had fallen together in such a way for us to enjoy this moment together. The statement felt more like a promise than anything, a pact between us that we would never let this moment end, that the sun would never set on a love like ours.
"So, Quidditch now?"
I laughed, stepping away from him and retrieving my broom from where James had discarded it, testing the wood beneath my fingers before I took off into the air, wondering how I had ended up with a guy as incredible as James Potter.