synopsis: after being brutally rejected by James Potter, the last thing you expected was for him to show up in your common roomâgrinning, holding a bouquet, and calling you his girlfriend.
warning: cursing and kinda yearner james
i accidentally made him a yearner because i couldnât stop picturing that one scene of ATJ in kickass LOL
âSorry, I just donât see myself liking fairies,â James tells you, right after youâve finished confessing your long-standing, deeply rooted crush on himâone thatâs been quietly blooming since second year.
The two of you are alone just outside the Quidditch pitch. He had just been practicing with the entire Gryffindor team when you suddenly asked if you could talk to him for a moment. A few Gryffindors had gone, âOoooh,â or exchanged glances with smug, knowing smirks.
Itâs no secret that James PotterâQuidditch Captain and Gryffindorâs Golden Boyâhas a long list of admirers at Hogwarts. With his easy-going nature, magnetic charm, and that infuriatingly boyish smile, youâd be lying if you said you hadnât found him attractive at least once. It doesnât help that heâs genuinely good-looking. The only real flaw, perhaps, is that heâs arrogant, a bully, and a bit of a troublemaker. Still, even that doesnât stop some girls from loving the thrill of âfixingâ the bad boy.
You never really expected him to accept or say that he saw something between the two of you. But still, you didnât expect this to be his response to your confession.
âFairies?â you ask, confused. âWhat do you mean?â
Fairies?Â
What does that even mean?
He visibly looks awkward before scratching the back of his neck and saying, âYou know⌠really beautiful people, but thatâs it.â
You stare at him, confusedâand now slightly offended. âPardon?â
Did he just say you had no personality?
He just sighs and mutters, âThis is what I meanâŚâ He continues, âYou already know what I mean. Donât make me hurt your feelings moreâthen youâll go telling people I gave you some confusing reply.â
He says it, and all you can do is stare at him with the most offended, confused expression youâve probably ever made.
You couldnât believe this was real. Sure, you admit itâyou knew he wasnât going to accept your confession. He was most likely going to reject you. But not like this. He was always known as that really nice, one-year-above-you senior. You didnât expect that this was how he actually talked.
Can someone really be this full of themselves?Â
To think that if someone got rejected by them, theyâd automatically go around badmouthing him?
That was exactly what you remembered happened last yearâwhen you confessed to James Fleamont Potter about your childhood crush on him.
It was short, bittersweet, and you were ruthlessly rejected.
So why, exactly, had one of your housemates just barged into your room saying that James Potter was waiting for you downstairs⌠with flowers?
You look at her, confused. âWhat the bloody hell are you talking about?â
âIâm serious! Heâs been standing there for a couple of minutes nowâsome students are already starting to form a crowd!â she says, her hand still gripping the doorknob.
The two of you just stare at each other for a momentâyour eyes narrowing with suspicion, hers wide with urgency, silently begging you to believe her.
Then, you throw on your student robes and rush out of the room together, heading straight for the common room.
When you finally reach the common room, the first thing you notice is the crowd of students gathered near the door, all looking and whispering about something.
âE-Excuse me,â you say. âPlease let me throughâŚâ you continue as you try to push past the sea of people.
Did no one have classes today? Seriously.
As you finally make it through, your eyes land on the man of the hourâleaning casually against the wall, one hand tucked into the pocket of his robes while the other holds a bouquet of flowers.Â
Heâs staring down at them, looking at each petal as if counting them. But then, as if sensing your gaze, he lifts his head, turns in your direction, and locks eyes with you. His eyes widenâthen he grins and immediately jogs over.
âFairy! Iâve been looking for you!â he calls, picking up his pace before stopping right in front of youâand wrapping you in a hug, right there in front of everyone.
Shit.
He pulls away, and you just stand there, frozen. You donât even return the hugâyouâre still too stunned to move.
He pouts. âWhy didnât you visit me? I missed you,â he says, then offers you the flowers. âHere. Flowers for my beautiful fairy.â
You take them slowly, glance at them for a moment, then look back up at himâstill stunned.
Then, without warning, he cups your faceâboth hands gently resting just below your cheeksâleans in, and presses a kiss to your forehead.
Your eyes go wide.
And itâs not just yours. All around you, you can hear itâthe gasps, the stunned whispers. Some girls are even tearing at the sight, as if their world had just ended.
James Potter isnât in some temporary fling, this isnât a will-they-wonât-they with Lily Evans again.
No.
He has just publicly declared, to the entire student body of Hogwarts, that Gryffindorâs Golden Boy is officially off the market.
He then looks at you, still grinning. âSo, what time are your classes again? Want to sit in the courtyard while we wait?â
You look at him, now slightly confused. âUhâŚâ
Before you can respond, someone running towards you cuts off your thoughts.
âProngs!â the person yells again, sprinting overâtwo other boys close behind him. You squint to get a better look, and sure enoughâitâs Black, Lupin, and Pettigrew.
James turns towards the voice and, upon seeing Sirius, waves brightly. âPadfoot!â
Sirius finally reaches you, parting through the crowd as he pushes forward. Once he and the others are close enough, all three immediately fix their eyes on James.
âWeâve been looking all over for you,â Sirius says, slightly out of breath. âYouâre not even supposed to be out of bed yet, remember?â
Remus and Peter stand on either side of him, also panting, clearly having run all around the school.
James just laughs. âPoppy said I could go early. Said I heal fast,â he says with a grin, flexing his right bicep for emphasis. Then, he casually throws an arm around you. âAlso, I wanted to visit my fairy.â He turns to you, smiling as he gently tightens his grip on your shoulder.
His response makes all three of them look at youâeach with a different reaction, but confusion is the most obvious. They glance at one another, then at the lingering crowd still watching everything unfold.
âHey, ProngsâŚâ Remus is the first to speak. âCan we borrow, uh⌠Fairy? Just for a quick talk. Wonât take long.â
He steps closer as he says it, and James looks at him, puzzled.
âWhy? Iâll just come with you guys. Itâs not a big deal.â
âNo! Uh⌠Wormtail⌠has something to talk to you about,â Sirius says quickly, throwing a pointed look at Peter.
Peter stares back, blinking. âI do?â he asks, which earns him a sharper look from Sirius.
âI mean⌠yeah, I do! Itâs kind of a thing only you can help me with, soâŚâ Peter adds, hoping he doesnât sound suspicious.
James raises an eyebrow at them but eventually shrugs. âOkay,â he says, then turns back to you. âIâll talk to you later, yeah? We have a lot of catching up to do.â He caresses your cheek gently before winking.
You, still slightly frozen, can only respond with, âY-Yeah. Iâll see you⌠later?â
He grins, then walks away with Peter. Youâre still watching him when Sirius and Remus come closerâSirius lightly taking your arm.
âHaha, yeah. Just talk to her later,â Sirius says, waving back at James, who waves one last time before disappearing down the corridor with Peter.
Once theyâre out of sight, both boys turn back to you. âCan we talk somewhere more private?â one of them asks, casting a glance at the students still lingering nearby, though the crowd has thinned.
You just nod. âS-Sure. We can go to the covered bridge. No oneâs usually there at this hour.â
They nod, and you lead the wayâboth of them walking silently just a few steps behind. The air between the three of you is tense and awkward, thick enough to cut with a knife.
You still canât believe whatâs happening.
What was up with Potter? Why did Black and Lupin want to talk to you? Why did he call you Fairy when thatâs not even your name??
A hundred questions circle in your head as you finally near the covered bridgeâand just like you said, thereâs hardly anyone around this early. When you all get there, the three of you just stand in silence for a few seconds before Sirius finally speaks up.
âSo⌠youâre Fairy?â he says, arms crossed, staring straight at you.
You stare at him before replying, âIf you mean my name is fairy, then no.â
He squints, narrowing his eyes at you. âI meantâyouâre Prongsâ girlfriend. The one heâs apparently had for a couple of weeks that none of us knew about.â
His words make your eyes go wide, and instinctively, you throw your arms up near your chest, as if that could shield you from the absurdity.
âWhoa! I am not hisâor anybodyâsâgirlfriend. I barely even know the guy!â
âYouâre not his girlfriend? Then why did he say you were?â Remus jumps in quickly, eyes narrowing slightly.
You all stare at one another for a tense beat, glancing between faces. And then, all your heads click into the same thought.
âI did not give him a love potion!â
âYou love potion-ed my best friend!â
âYou gave James a love potion, then?â
All three lines fly out at once.
Sirius pointing accusingly at you, you flailing your hands wildly in protest, and Remus standing there with arms crossed and one brow raised.
âThenâŚâ Sirius stands up straighter. âWho are you to Prongs?â he finishes.
âIâŚâ you start, trying to find the right words. âHe rejected me last year, if that counts as being something to him.â
They both stare at you, visibly confused by your answer. You got rejected by James and now youâre his⌠girlfriend?
âWaitâŚâ Remus says, brows furrowing as something clicks in his head.
âDidnât Madam Pomfrey say something about possible distorted memories? Since he got hit in the head really hard by that quaffle?â he continues, turning to Siriusâwhose eyes widen in realization.
âIâm sorry, but who was hit in the head?â you ask, completely lost.
âProngs wasâlast week, during the match with SlytherinâŚâ Sirius says, his tone shifting into confusion. âHow do you not know that? Itâs been a pretty big deal all week.â
You just shrug. âIâm not a Quidditch fan.â
They exchange glances before diving right back into the earlier conversation, discussing everything Madam Pomfrey had told themâthe possible outcomes of James forgetting or misremembering things, how there was even a chance heâd forget his name or his friends entirely. Thankfully, that didnât happen. Only the first part though.
You suddenly cut in, realization hitting you like a train.
âWait. Are you saying Potter thinks Iâm his girlfriend?â
Your voice snaps them both out of the conversation, pulling their full attention back to you.
âYesâbut itâs fine! Itâll just be for a few weeksââ Sirius starts, trying to reassure you that the situation is temporary.
âNo way,â you interrupt sharply, immediately turning on your heel to walk away from the madness.
There was no bloody way you were going to pretend to be the girlfriend of the same guy who rejected you. Especially not now, when youâve finally moved on from him.
They chase after you instantly. âWait!â they both shout, jogging to catch up to you.
Once they do, Sirius starts again. âItâll just be until he gets his memories back on his own. We promise.â
âI donât care. Iâm not doing it,â you say, still stubborn, still walking. You turn a corner without slowing down.
Sirius sighs and turns to Remus.
âI just realized this must be why he couldnât name who âFairyâ wasâbecause he didnât even know her name at all.â
Remus gives him a look, then replies, âRealize things later. Right now, weâre convincing her.â
And with that, they break into a jog againâjust in time to see you turning another corner. Youâre speed walking now. You have free period and your classes are done, so youâre heading back to your common room.
âPlease reconsider,â Remus calls out. âMadam Pomfrey said itâs not advisable for us to interfere with how he regains his memory.â
You glance at him, before sighing and suddenly stoppingâmaking them nearly crash into each other trying not to bump into you.
âAnd what is advisable?â you ask, looking at Remus directly.
âThat we donât tell him anything too stressful. Madam Pomfrey said any added pressure might worsen his condition.â he answers calmly.
âAnd the news that his girlfriend isnât actually his girlfriend is⌠kind of stressful. Iâd be going insane if I were him,â Sirius adds with a shrug, which earns him a glare from you.Â
He shuts his mouth, then offers a sheepish smile.
You look at the both of them, arms crossedâstill unconvinced, but clearly thinking it over.
âWeâre pleading with you here,â Remus says. âWe know itâs a little weird, but honestlyâwhat isnât weird at Hogwarts?â
âItâll just be a few weeks. Or days, even! Prongsie does heal fastâaccording to him, at least!â Sirius chimes in.
Youâre still staring at them, and just as youâre about to speakâ
âAlso, being Prongsâ girlfriend is a title every girl in Hogwarts would die for,â Sirius mutters under his breath, and you immediately glare at him then start to turn around again.
âNo, no, no! Come back! I was just joking!â Sirius says quickly, reaching out a hand.
Remus simply watches him, sighs, and rolls his eyes.
This tosser.
You turn back around, staring them both down.
âFine. But only because Madam Pomfrey specifically said those things,â you say. Then, you continue. âNot because of⌠that.â
You finish with another pointed glare in Siriusâ direction. He just flashes you a sheepish grin again.
âFairy!â
All three of you are suddenly interrupted by someone calling you. You glance over Siriusâ and Remusâ shouldersâand there he is.
Your apparent boyfriend.
â
Just a day after that, the news had already traveled all around Hogwarts that James Potter was apparently dating a girl no one even knew existed. And by that, they meant you.
You werenât known as the smartest, like Evans. You werenât considered one of the prettiest, like anyone from the Black family. You werenât even a well-known Hogwarts Quidditch player.
No one knew who you were.
Soâwho was Fairy?
You werenât aware of any of this yet. You were just heading out, having just finished getting dressed and about to make your way to the Great Hall for breakfast. You told your friends to go on ahead, saying youâd answer their questions another time because you werenât quite comfortable yet. Truthfully, you just didnât think it was your place to explain Jamesâ situation.
âGood morning, my fairy.â
The moment you opened the door, the first thing you heard was his voiceâthe one you now knew far too well.
âPotter!â you exclaim. âW-What⌠are you doing here?â
You look at him and see him leaning against the wall, just like yesterday. Heâs already in his Gryffindor robes, hair still a messâlike he just rolled out of bed.Â
Has he been waiting for you?
âIâm walking you to breakfast, obviously,â he says with a slight tilt of his head. Then, more pointedly, âDid you just call me Potter?â
You, now slowly walking towards him, glance up. He waits for you to catch up, and the two of you begin strolling together, side by side. His question still lingers in the air. Oh. Should you be calling him something else? Like⌠what?
âSorry, uhâŚâ you cough lightly, âlove, I didnât sleep well last night,â you say, deciding on that nicknameâbecause thatâs what people in love call each other⌠right?
He goes quiet. The two of you continue down the corridor towards the Great Hall. There are barely any students aroundâmost of them are already eating. Youâve always been a bit late anyway, so it feels normal to have a few quiet moments before the noise.
Then suddenly, he turns to you with a smirk. âIâm your love now, huh?â
You look at him, confused. âWhat?â
He grins wider. âThought you said you werenât the nickname type? You used to only ever call me James. What changed?â He leans into you, bumping your shoulder like heâs teasing.
âAm I⌠making you change your ways, fairy?â he whispers in your ear.
Your eyes widened at the way he said it. And before you know it, you shove him away and start walking faster towards the Great Hall. You donât notice itâbut your ears are now the faintest shade of pink.
He laughs at your reaction, finding it adorable, then jogs to catch up.
âWait for me, love!â
âSod off, Potter!â
â
You told yourself that you werenât going to fall for this again.
For him, again.
âAnd thatâs another ten points to Potter!â screamed the Quidditch commentator as James scored once more, causing the crowd beside you to erupt in cheers. You were sitting in the Gryffindor stands because James had asked (begged) you to come. He insisted that the reason he was hit last time was because his âlucky charmâ wasnât there.
Of course you werenât there. He hadnât even known who you were.
And yet⌠you didnât tell him that. Youâd reluctantly agreed, which meant cramming all your homework the night before just so you could make time for Jamesâ game.
âPotter gets the quaffle again, now zooming past the Ravenclawsâwill he score another goâHe did! Potter scores another goal for Gryffindor! What a game!â the commentator shouted as Jamesâ name echoed across the pitch once more.
James immediately began scanning the Gryffindor stands, eyes darting as though searching for somethingâor someone. Then he spots you, locking eyes. He then grins and points right at you.
Your eyes widen, and you instinctively shake your head slightly, mortified. James only laughs at your reaction.
âOh! Looks like Potter is dedicating that goal to someoneâwho is⌠his lucky charm?âwait, no, my partner just told me that itâs Potterâs Fairy! Woo!â the commentator cackles, his partner whispering excitedly beside him to clarify just who you were.
The moment the announcement was made, the Gryffindor crowd exploded again. People beside you began pushing playfully at your shoulders, cheering for you, teasing you, all in good fun. Jamesâ âdedicatedâ goal had now turned you into a minor celebrity. You smiled at them, laughed along with the teasing, trying desperately not to let the heat rise to your cheeks. You were not going to make this a big deal.
You were here to help him recover. To keep your promise to his friendsâthat you wouldnât stress him out. That youâd go along with it until his memories returned. And when that day came, youâd forget this ever happened.
Thatâs what this was supposed to be.
Itâs justâŚ
Maybe you were starting to wish it would all be over sooner, because if this went on any longerâŚ
You werenât sure youâd be able to stop yourself from falling for him all over again.
â
âHow long are you going to write that? Itâs been hours,â James complains, watching as you scribble another paragraph for your Potions homework.
âAs long as I need to, Jamesy. Thereâs no time limit when it comes to finishing homework,â you reply, skimming over the last paragraph before adding a transition to connect them smoothly.
He just groans again and lays his head down on the table. The two of you are currently in the library. Youâd both just finished classes, and he was about to invite you for a walk around the Black Lakeâuntil you told him you were going to finish assignments that werenât even due for another three days. Heâd grumbled at first, clearly displeased with the idea, but eventually gave in, realizing this was the only way he could spend more time with you.
âIâm surprised you didnât have practice today. I thought Quidditch was like your number one priority,â you say, glancing at him before returning your attention to your parchment.
He gasps dramatically, placing a hand over his heart.
âHow dare you?â he says. âSpending time with you is my number one priority. Quidditch is only a close second.â He grins at you.
You make a face at his words before looking up from your work, you punch him playfully on the shoulder.
âEugh! Youâre so cheesy!â you say, scrunching your nose at him.
He laughs, rubbing the spot where you hit him. âIâm not kidding. Youâll always be my priority.â
âPfftâstop it!â you say, punching him again. âI doubt you even know me that well to say things like that.â
His right brow arches. âOh? Are you challenging me?â He shifts into a mock-thinking pose, arms crossed. âLetâs see⌠First offâyou like doing your homework way earlier than anyone else in your year,â he says, gesturing toward your parchment, making you giggle.
âYou⌠like arriving late to the Great Hall because you enjoy the silence in the hallways when you walk. You like putting your hair in braids when it gets too hot. You love talking about your familyâespecially your four dogsâŚâ he goes on, and now youâre smiling, looking right at him.
âNow letâs get into what you hate... hmm,â he muses, tapping his chin. âYou hate people telling your stories for youâthatâs why you never do that to others either. You hate anything too sweet, especially sweet coffee, because in your wordsââthatâs not the purpose of coffee!â he mimics in a high-pitched tone, trying to sound like you, which makes you laugh.
He carries on, âYou hate it when someone uses something and doesnât put it back where it belongs. You hate running out of inkâso you buy ten bottles every month, just in case. AndâŚâ
He leans in closer, the space between you two vanishing, and suddenly itâs just you and him, smiling at each other.
ââŚYou hate knowing that Iâm right about everything Iâve said so far,â he finishes, grinning at you.
Then, without another word, he leans inâand kisses you on the lips.
Youâre the one who pulls back first, both of you staring into each otherâs eyes. His hand gently caresses your left cheek.
âI shouldâve never rejected you.â
Your thoughts are suddenly interrupted by what James just said.
âWhat did you just say?â you ask, now slowly leaning back.
His eyes widened. âI meanââ
Before you can hear another word, you gather your things in a hurry and speed-walk towards the library doors.
âFairy, wait!â you hear him call out behind you as you rush through the halls toward your common room. Tears are building at the corners of your eyes. Luckily, no oneâs around to see itâbecause if anyone did, you just know this would be all over Hogwarts by tomorrow.
Someone suddenly grabs your shoulder, spinning you aroundâof course, itâs James Bloody Potter.
He stares at you, eyes pleading. âPlease, let me explaââ
âExplain what?â you snap, your voice raising in frustration.
âWhat I said earlier, itâs not what it sounded like.â
You just stare at him, giving him the chance to explain himself.
âI really, really, really do like you. Itâs why I never brought up that⌠Iâve already remembered what reality is. What you and I actually are,â he says, voice soft, almost desperate. âI know itâs selfish. I know Iâm in the wrongâŚâ he trails off.
âBut I didnât want to lose youâŚâ he finishes, his hands now resting gently on either side of your arms.
You just look at him, tears in your eyes as he gazes back at you with those soft, pleading eyes of his. The hallway youâre currently in is quietâonly the two of you, and your voices, would be heard if anyone happened to walk through right now.
You take a breath first before asking, âHow long⌠have you had your memories back?â
He just looks at you, silently begging you not to make him say it. But you shake your head and ask again.
âHow. Long. Potter.â You say each word with heavy emphasis.
ââŚI got them back the night before our game with Ravenclaw,â he admits, still holding onto you.
âArgh!â you push his hands off your arms, clutching your things tightly to your chest as you storm off againâthis time faster, heading toward your common room.
âNo! Please, just give me another chanceââ he calls, catching up to you easily and wrapping his arms tightly around you from behind as you struggle to get free.
âLet go of me, Potter.â
âNo. Not until you hear what I have to say,â he insists, still holding you in his arms.
âIâve already heard what you had to sayâand I donât want to hear anything else,â you say, still struggling.
You can hear his ragged breathing near your ear as you swipe at your tears. âY-you rejected me⌠y-you said I-I had no substanââ
âI was wrong. I was so wrong,â he interrupts. âYouâre vibrant, sweet, funny, and kind.â His head drops near your shoulder.
âSo, so kind⌠pleaseâŚâ
You try to breathe properly as his words trail off. His warmth surrounds you as he continues to hold you from behind, your tears silently soaking into your hair and robes as you struggle to steady your breath.
âIâllâŚâ You slowly pull his arms off of you, taking a deep inhale as you try to calm yourself. You turn around to face him, and see that his eyes are red now too, his breathing heavy. You swallow hard before speaking, âI canât. Not right now⌠I just⌠I want some distance between us.â
As soon as you say it, he looks like he wants to objectâbut then he sees your state. He takes a few more deep breaths, trying to ground himself.
He reluctantly nods. âOkay. Take all the time you need.â
â
It had been a few weeks since that day.
As you predicted, rumors had indeed started swirling around Hogwarts about your supposed breakup with James Potter. The theories varied, most suggesting that James simply wasnât enamored enough to stayâthough you were convinced those were mostly crafted by his more obsessive fangirls.
Just like James had promised, he gave you all the time and space you needed to clear your head before speaking to him again. Still, every now and then, heâd send you a letter just to remind you that he was still waiting. Sometimes, you could feel his eyes on you from across the Great Hall, the Courtyard, the Library... even while walking the hallways. And yet, every time you glanced in the direction of his gaze, he was already looking elsewhere.
You were now walking towards the Quidditch pitch, remembering that James once told you they held practice every Friday after classes. When you finally reached the changing rooms, you approached a player whose name you didnât know and asked if he could call James for you. He looked confused at first, then his eyes widened slightly as he seemed to recognize who you were, nodding quickly before rushing off.
As you waited outside, you heard a chorus of playful âOoooh!â followed by James yelling, âBuzzer off, you wankers!ââwhich was followed by a round of muffled laughter and teasing.
He appeared moments later, scanning the area before spotting you tucked in a corner.
âHeyâŚâ he greeted you with a smile.
âHey,â you replied, smiling softly back at him.
There was a pause, just a few seconds of quietness beforeâ
âSoâŚâ you both began at once.
âOh no, you go first,â you said quickly.
âNo, you go. Iâll just listen,â he insisted, nodding for you to continue.
You smiled again before glancing at the ground, your hands slightly clammy from nerves.
âIâve thought about it andâŚâ you started, âI think we should move on from everything that happened.â
You raised your head to meet his gaze. James was watching you closely, giving you his full attention.
You continued, âItâs not fair for either of us to stay hung up on a ârelationshipâ that started from something as absurd as memory loss. We both deserve to go through all the cute little thingsâthe awkward first dates, the late-night talks, the butterfliesâbefore being in a real relationship. I donât want either of us to miss out on that. Iâm really sorry.â
You finished your piece and waited. You were bracing yourself for disappointment, maybe even denialâbut instead, James just smiled.
He nodded. âI respect that,â he said. âAnd I hope the person you confess toâor the one who confesses to youâmakes you just as happy as I was when I was with you.â
You smiled at that, and almost instinctively, you stepped forward to hug him.
He hugged you back.
A few seconds passed before you both pulled away, exchanging goodbyes. You wished him luck with practice, and he cheekily wished you luck on your walks, which made you laugh.
As you walked away, your heart felt light and a little heavy all at onceâhappy but sad, calm but kinda conflicted. That was, until you heard that familiar nickname again.
âHey! Fairy!â
You turned around, surprised to still see James standing in the exact spot you left him. His hands were cupped around his mouth as he called out across the pitch. You tilted your head, confused.
âWhat is it now, Potter?â
He grinned. âI like you! And I want to get to know you moreâover butterbeers in Hogsmeade!!â
Your smile faded, your eyes widening.
What?
He kept going, calling out again with a grin that didnât falter. âWhat do you say?!â
You stared at him, frozenâyour expression stunned, lips parted slightly. He stood there, just smiling.
A few seconds passed before a grin slowly crept across your face. You laughed, the joy bubbling up inside of you as the words finally registered. He kept grinning, watching your reaction. You cupped your hands around your mouth, your voice carrying back to him.
âAbsolutely! Iâd love to go on a date with you!â
summary: you and remus are trying to navigate your first week as parents
wc: 0.7k+
cw: jily appearance and toddler harry
âYou just want to support his head here, okay?â A five year old Harry nodded at Remusâs words, arms extended as he sat stiffly on the couch next to your husband, trying to hide his excitement. Remus passed his fragile son over, carefully transferring him into the careful boyâs arms. Harryâs feet kicked up enthusiastically from where they hung over the edge of the couch, the rest of his body comically still.
Across from them, Lily and James were cuddled up on a couch, love written all over their features. Clearly, they were contemplating having another child. Remus sat next to Harry, lovingly staring at his newborn baby. Heâd only been around for a week now, but perfectly healthy, you were all prepared for him to meet his family.
âHeâs so small,â Harry whispered, not even bigger than him by a lot, but definitely feeling protective over his cousin. âI love you Teddy.â He added, immediately causing Remusâs eyes to cloud with tears. âWeâre gonna be best friends, and I will teach you to fly a broom.â James chuckled at his sonâs words, trying to pretend he wasnât emotional over the entire situation.
âEverything okay?â Your voice came in through the entrance of the living room, hair sopping wet from the shower you just came out of. You smiled at the sight of Harry carrying Teddy in his short arms, relief clear on your face to know that Teddy wasn't crying, as it seemed he nearly always was.
Remus extended an arm towards you from where he was sat, immediately curling it around your waist when you were close enough, tilting his head to rest on your stomach, his eyes still glued to his child. âHe didnât cry or anything?â You asked, sounding slightly worried. Remus shook his head, glancing up at you. âItâs almost been three hours since he last fed, so I assume he might grow restless in a bit.â
And as though cueing his behaviour, Teddy began wiggling around in Harryâs arms. Harryâs eyes widened in panic, immediately looking to Remus for help. Your husband gently scooped Teddy up, grimacing when he didnât calm down in his comforting arms. Similarly to Harry, Remus glanced over to you with an apologetic expression, and you reached out to take Teddy from him.
âYou did great Harry, you're both going to be such good friends.â You told the young boy, who smiled widely, launching himself off the couch and running to his parents giddily. You rocked Teddy in your arms, making your way back to your bedroom to feed him. Remus immediately followed, racing you to the bed so he could fluff up some pillows for you before helping you onto the bed. You smiled at your husband, waiting for him to climb onto the bed next to you before handing him Teddy once more.
Remus delicately held him in the crook of his arm as you slipped your arms out of your jumper, but just as you made way to slide it above your head, Remus called your name out. You hummed, glancing towards your husband, shoulders immediately slumping down. In his arms, Teddy was completely still, eyes shut as he slept soothingly.
âHuh.â You mumbled, putting your jumper back on. Remus smiled, standing up and walking over to Teddyâs crib on the other side of the room. Yawning, you crossed the room to join Remus, wrapping your arms around his waist as he straightened back up, leaving Teddy in his crib.
Remus turned to face you straight on, keeping you snug against him as he leaned his cheek on the top of your head. âYouâre doing so good sweetheart.â He said, one big hand caressing your back. You tilted your head up, prompting him to lift his head off yours, and smiled at him as you looked at him properly for the first time in a while. Just like you, Remus was visibly tired, hair messy and eye bags more prominent than usual, but he seemed happier, like something in him was suddenly complete.
âSo are you. I knew youâd be a good dad, but youâre better than I could imagine.â Remus breathed out a flattered laugh, settling on thanking you by pressing a kiss to your forehead.
In the silence, the grumble of Remusâs stomach was loud, and you giggled softly, resting your head on your husbandâs chest. âSo⌠weâre not cooking tonight, right?â