Random Fact of the Week #68
Against all odds and expectations, James was the one to give Harry the least amount of grey hairs as a teenager.
Perhaps it was Karma. Fate's way of making it up to Harry after dealing with the boy as a child--the endless behavior issues, the stressful calls down to the school, the ugly fights with his siblings.
Fate--and James--owed Harry an easy adolescence.
And it was. Truly, it was.
Until James started dating.
After the massive fall-out that came with Harry's rather unfortunate opinion towards his latest girlfriend Gemma, James refused to speak to him for a week.
"All I'm saying is that she might care more for your name than she cares for you!"
Harry shook his head, trying to forget for the umpteenth time the words that had plagued him since last Tuesday. The words that had caused a look of hurt on James' face that Harry never dreamed he'd be the cause of.
"It'll be fine," Abby said, breaking him out of his thoughts.
She walked towards him where he was sitting on the bed, and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Let's go downstairs, she'll be here soon," she said.
Harry sighed loudly and rubbed his face. "Why am I nervous?" he said. "She's a fifteen year old girl."
Abby grinned and stroked the hair at the back of his head. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm sure she's nervous too."
He laughed and shook his head. "God, I'm being ridiculous."
"You’re not," Abby said, sitting down next to him and resting her chin on his shoulder. "You want this night to go perfectly, so you and James can go back to normal. I get it, Harry. But it'll be fine, trust me. James is just glad you're giving her a proper chance."
Harry sighed again and nodded. "Okay, let's get this over with," he said standing up.
"Is that the attitude we're looking for?" Abby said raising her eyebrows at him as if he were a child.
"Let's get this over with!" he said sarcastically, pumping his fist in the air.
Abby snorted. "You're such a shit," she said, pushing him forward through the doorway where he pretended to stumble over, nearly running into James.
"Oi!" the boy said, sidestepping him.
Harry straightened up at once and cleared his throat. "Sorry."
James gave them both an annoyed look as he walked by. "Gemma will be here soon. Keep the cringe to a minimum please."
"Keep the cringe to a minimum please," Abby said in a whiny voice. "Is he getting more snotty or is it just me?"
"I heard that," James called from the stairs.
*****
The arrival of Gemma Jenkins was met with various reactions.
James stood up at once, leading her out of the grate and helping her brush the soot off her shoulders.
Abby smiled adoringly at the boy's back, while Harry stood tall, attempting to appear kind but imposing.
"Hi, Gemma!" Abby said apparently unable to wait any longer for introductions.
"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Potter," the girl said, her cheeks turning a bit pink as she met their eyes. "Thank you so much for having me over."
"Thank you for coming," Harry said, stepping forward and offering his hand.
Gemma's eyes went a bit wide as she accepted his handshake before shaking Abby's hand as well.
"It's so nice to meet you both," Gemma said. "Mr. Potter, I--I've heard so much about you."
Harry could feel James' eyes on him, and he forced a pleasant smile on his face. "Have you?" he said, already not liking where this was going.
"Oh, yes. James talks about you a lot. You're like his hero," Gemma said with an awkward giggle, before turning to Abby and clearing her throat. "And you of course, Mrs. Potter."
"Oh, I'm sure he talks about his dad more," Abby said with a roll of her eyes causing Gemma to give a relieved smile.
Harry didn't respond, looking over at James instead and feeling his heart warm and ache at the same time.
If he felt shit before, it was nothing compared to how felt now knowing that James seemed to speak so highly of him. And to his girlfriend of all people. Did she seem a little starstruck? Sure. But God, she was fifteen.
He'd been so ridiculous.
Harry vaguely heard Abby calling for Al and Lily to come downstairs as he walked over to James.
"Come on," Harry said, giving his shoulder a squeeze. "Let's go meet Gemma properly. I'd really like to get to know her better. She seems sweet."
James looked up at him, his lips turned up just a fraction in a smile. "Sure thing, Dad," he said, clapping Harry on the back.
"So...Gemma Jenkins..." they heard Al say as they approached. "How does it feel knowing that your name is an alliteration?"
"Erm..." Gemma said.
"Her first name starts with a 'G', you git," Lily said.
"Alliteration is based on phonetic sounds as well as letters," Al said at once. "Who's the git now?"
"Still you," James said pushing Al out of the way as he sat beside his girlfriend and gave her a quick peck on the lips.
This was met with immediate outcries from Harry, Al, and Lily while Abby tutted at them loudly.
"Oh relax, it's not as if they're snogging," Abby said, causing Gemma to turn a bright shade of red.
Lily pretended to gag. "Please, not before dinner."
"Speaking of," Harry said, standing up. "Why don't you lot sit yourselves down at the table. James, you want to help me bring the food out?"
James nodded and followed him into the kitchen.
As soon as they were alone, they faced each other and spoke at the same time:
"How am I doing?"
"Do you like her so far?"
Harry laughed before looking down at his feet. "It doesn't matter what I think," he said. "I trust you, James, I do. You're such a good kid, and you've got such a big heart. And I want to protect it with everything I've got, but..."
Harry swallowed hard and met the boy's eyes. "I can't," he said, shaking his head sadly. "The older you get, the more I realize that. I'm just so sorry I hurt you."
He drew the boy into a hug and held him tightly.
"I know," James said quietly. "And I forgive you obviously. I did, like...right away, but I was mad and wanted you to stew a bit."
Harry laughed and ruffled his hair as he let him go. "Are we good, now, though?" he said. "I know it was only a week, but...I missed you, mate."
"We're good," James said with an easy smile. "And we've got a lot to catch up on, but I'll fill you in after dinner. Don't ever make me ignore you for a week again. "
"I'll do no such thing."