fine line- J.P

chapter two

╭──────༺♡༻──────╮
i'm looking for something to buy
╰──────༺♡༻──────╯

IT WASN'T UNTIL THEY WERE IN THE COMMON ROOM WAY AFTER DINNER WHEN VALENTINA AND JAMES GOT THE CHANCE TO SPEAK AGAIN. He had been lounging in front of the fire with Sirius when the common room was starting to clear up. Only a few older students were still hanging around. Valentina was one of them, she was sitting on one of the desks completing school work.

He needed to work on the Quidditch sign-up sheet, so killing two birds with one stone he stood up and made his way over. Setting down he pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill. Valentina looked up briefly, wondering why he was sitting with her when there were open seats but let him stay nonetheless.

"Have you thought of anything for the project?" He asked, breaking the silence.

"No, but we can do the essay on Human-Transfiguration and figure out a spell, but if you want to do the Animagus process I'm fine with that too."

"I would like to, I know we won't get the extra credit though."

"It's fine," She shrugged. "Is there any particular way you'd like to split this up?"

"You don't want to work with me, Hall?" James smirked,  but sighed at her deadpan expression. "We can do it together. We'll go to the library and get some books." James said, smiling kindly.

Valentina sighed deeply, "Fine. What are you working on?" She asked curiously, closing her book.

"Quidditch. Do you like watching?"

"It's fairly easy to follow, but I can't say I'm the biggest fan. Why are you working on a play already? Don't you have to hold tryouts?"

"Yeah, this is just a mock one, it gives me ideas for actual plays." He shrugged, he ran his fingers through his hair, not in the way that he messes it up when he's trying to get Lily's attention but in a casual way, which in Valentina's very private opinion makes him look good.

"Can I ask you a question?" She said, placing her head on her hands.

"Sure, what is it?"

"Have you thought about your career, like what you want to do when you get out of here?"

James looked taken aback, not expecting that to be her question. "I don't know. I wanted to do professional Quidditch, and play for Puddlemere United. But now with everything happening, all those people missing, supposed Death Eaters, I don't think that's a likely choice anymore."

Valentina hummed, "I get that. It's scary isn't it?  Not knowing what's happening or why."

"That's the whole point of life isn't it? Not knowing but you keep going anyway?"

Valentina sighed, holding her head in her hands. "That seems like a lot of guessing."

James smiled, nodding his head in agreement. "It does, doesn't it? I think... well more so, I hope that we all turn out alright."

"Have you always been this optimistic?" Valentina teased. James rolled his eyes, "Yes, I have. I mean what's the point in being pessimistic all the time? I know life if shit, so why not be a little positive?"

"It sets you up for disappointment." She mumbled.

But that's inevitable isn't it?"

James and Valentina stayed quiet, thinking and wondering about the misfortunes of life and the simple fact that that's life's game.

Valentina had known that Leo would be okay with her being James' partner but there was little she could do to. She had explained again and again that she had no choice in the matter but he refused to listen to her. She knew it wasn't going to be a fight she was going to win, so giving up, she let him be jealous and continued to meet James in the library for the rest of the week.