The Ladders Of Love: James Potter

16

the dinner

"SO HOW LONG HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN DATING?"

Since they had started the pretend dating for parental reasons, the duo had come up with ridiculous answers for questions to have a little fun.

And that's why Clarisse confidently answered with, "Four years." making James Potter choke on his lasagne.

"And you hid from us for this long!" Fleamont gasped astonished, slapping the back of James' forehead making the boy squeak.

"She's joking!"

"Yeah, it's actually been five."

James huffed loudly, glaring at the girl with crossed arms. "What a liar!"

Clarisse rolled her eyes at the boy before lying again. "It's been a couple of months."

Euphemia smiled brightly at their banter, her eyes darting back and forth between the two. "You guys are so cute!" She gushed making the couple blush.

"This lasagne is delicious Mrs Potter." Clarisse attempted to clear her throat and will the blush away.

"Call me Mia!"

"And me Monty!"

"Call him Flea," Euphemia started with a cheeky grin, "he's like a fly with rabies!"

"Mia!" Fleamont exclaimed with a pout making Clarisse grin and giggle.

"I can't believe that you are genuinely friends with my younger brother." Sirius piped up randomly as he stabbed the lasagne with no shame, his head tilting. "I didn't think he had any friends."

"Little harsh, Pads." Remus mumbled gently, patting the boy's back lightly.

"No seriously," Sirius paused to smirk before turning back to the group with wide eyes, "I siriusly didn't think he had genuine friends."

"He's got Barty and Evan."

"Rosier and Crouch don't count." Sirius waved them off provoking Clarisse to blink hard. "I mean actual friends."

"Barty and Evan are his actual friends." Clarisse furrowed her eyebrows. "So am I."

"You're like the James to his Sirius." Sirius explained vividly as he punched his brother's shoulder. "It's just a little strange to think that he has a James."

"I suppose you could say that..." Clarisse trailed off as she ate the dish. "Or you could just say that we are best friends-"

"No that's boring and doesn't relate to me whatsoever." Sirius waved her off.

"Attention seeker." Remus coughed loudly making Euphemia muffle a laugh.

"Mia you traitor!" Sirius accused as he turned to the woman who was smiling. "You're supposed to be on my side, you're my mother!"

Euphemia smiled at his exclamation, a sparkle dancing in her eyes as Clarisse silently cooed at the interaction. "Let's be real Sirius, you are a narcissist."

Sirius stuck his nose up into the air as he turned away from the woman snootily. "I am not!"

The table went silent as the occupants raised their brows at the boy who righteously guffawed. "That hurt."

"It's why we love you!" Peter drew a heart in the sky and blew a kiss to the boy seductively making Sirius wink back.

"I knew you guys were my adoring fans!"

"Speak for yourself Peter." James scoffed.

✤

Loud groaning annoyed practically everyone in the room as Euphemia started to flick through the baby photos with Clarisse, leaning into the girl on the sofa with a mischievous smirk. James was stationed behind them with a growing red blush and a loud groan.

"This is so mortifying!"

"And this is James naked in his toy firetruck-"

"Mum!" James quickly leaned over and flicked to the next page, skipping the baby photo quickly.

"Damn, I was excited for that one." Clarisse said teasingly making the boy narrow his eyes at her.

"Shut up Reese."

"You first Antlers."

"And this is our Sirius!" Euphemia showed a photo of the raven haired boy when he was around five playing with mud in the garden.

"How do you have this?" Sirius gasped with a horrified yet proud expression on his face.

Euphemia tapped her nose with a small smirk, the boys all sharing scared looks. "I have contacts."

"Your mum is scary." Peter muttered from the opposite couch as he played with the gift that Clarisse had gotten him.

She had given out her presents, par James', around half an hour ago and received grateful feedback. The cookery book, mixer and set of italian cards that she had gotten Peter had kept the boy busy as he ogled at the gifts.

The hardback edition of 'The Bell Jar' and a beaded bookmark lifted a happy smile onto Remus' face as he preoccupied himself with the book shortly after opening it.

However, the look on a Sirius' face when he saw the joint present that James, Remus, Peter and Clarisse had bought him was priceless. The motorcycle that was parked outside waiting for him had been taken for a spin by the raven haired boy before he came back to the house and brightly jumped on his friends with a radiant smile.

The Russo girl had yet to give James his present so they migrated into his bedroom shortly after the baby picture viewing, Clarisse still cackling from seeing James mid fall out of a tree in a photo.

They duo wondered into James' bedroom, Clarisse looking around with curious eyes, smiling as she exchanged the package in her hands with the package in his own.

James opened his present quickly, loudly squealing at the sight of the latest quidditch broom with a set of polishing gear and a cotton maroon jumper that had his number and last name in yellow printed on the back. "I love it Reese!"

Likewise, the girl happily jumped up and down at the gift of the gift he had gotten her. A pair of black headphones and the hardback edition of 'The Night Circus' had the girl smiling brightly.

"I've also got one last thing for you." James mentioned as he pulled the girl gently to the corner of his room, pulling the blanket off of a small glass box with air holes punctured into it.

Inside of the glass box was a small green stick with a wide smile as it tilted its head at the duo.

"A bowtruckle?!" Clarisse exclaimed with a gleeful expression as she jumped onto the boy with attacking arms. "Thank you so much!"

James chuckled deeply as he hugged the girl back, pulling away to open the glass box and hand her the bowtruckle. The small figure clung into her index finger as it climbed up her hand.

"The shop owner said his name is Terry, but you can rename him if you want." James explained as he watched his girl with an absentminded smile.

"Terry sounds perfect." Clarisse said dreamily as she gently stroked her bowtruckle with a sweet smile. "Thank you so much Antlers, this is the best present ever."

James sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck with a grin. "I'm glad."

"So..." Clarisse trailed off as she held the bowtruckle with an awkward smile on her face. "Would you maybe like to go on a date with me?"

The confidence that has built up in the girl, mostly due to the firewhiskey that they had shot earlier, immediately deflated at the surprised look on James' face.

"You don't have to say yes if you don't want to." She stumbled out, a horrified expression slowly creeping onto her face.

James' eyes widened. "I'd love to." He murmured as he tucked a piece of mousy brown hair behind her ear, leaning closer to her. "I was just surprised because I was about to ask you the same thing." The duo smiled at each other for a little while with starry eyes, their hands clasping together.

And James had never felt more happy in his life.