Bloom Again /James Potter/ ❁book 2❁

❁Chapter 2❁

Chapter 2

"If you want to come home," Lyall whispered quietly, voice trailed off into the busy platform and his hands on either of her shoulders and Bea nodded silently. It had been a long, very lengthy progress and they weren't quite there yet but it was slowly forming, a relationship sprouting from love instead of hate for the oldest and youngest Lupins and it was better than what they had

"Write every week, Bea," Hope whispered teary eyed and had to force herself not to pull her into a hug. She was more reserved and even interacting like now was a lot for her, too much for her in some cases and James never left her side.

She turned to leave her family after a small nod and a forced, very tiny smile that made up for what she couldn't do and James patted Lyall's shoulder, though he was still bitter towards him - no, he hated him, and Lyall knew so, but he was grateful for the gesture.

Usually, the father hated the boyfriend, but their situation wasn't common.

James was close next to her, and she stopped until he was right by her side. She needed him, and that was alright though sometimes she didn't see it like that. She hated the thought of needing someone but she needed James.

Everyone was there for her and she knew that but he didn't act differently, he pushed his own feelings aside, he bit back his anger and tolerated her father because no matter how immature he could be, and no matter how much he wished to scream and cry and fight for the girl, no matter how much he wanted her smile back.

He knew it wasn't that easy.

It was as though a switch had flipped and he loved her far too much to risk her pushing him away, so he did what he had to do and he kept his distance whilst being there every second. His voice was hushed and quiet because the sound of voices, of loud noises and banging startled her and the hushed whisper his voice stayed at was enough for her.

He didn't touch her unless he was absolutely sure that it was okay, most days she would initiate any touching and it would a simple lean into him or a brush of their shoulder because being intimate was far too terrifying for her that she couldn't bring herself to be intimate with him anymore, and he knew that and he didn't mind because he would rather her be comfortable.

Sometimes she would take his hand, or his hand would be in her view and she would reach out for it or he would brush her finger with his hand and watch the gears turn, to take his hand or move hers away and mostly she took it, sometimes, though, she didn't.

"James," her voice was quiet, breathy, slow, and caught in her throat as fears ran through her body and nausea waved over her, "e-everyone's staring at me."

It was true, the train had stopped, the scattered few students in the halls had turned at the sight of her and thrown sympathetic smiles her way as if the attention would possibly make her feel better. Students of all ages eyed from compartments and some familiar faces even mustered a "hi, Bea!" but they got nothing in return, and they wouldn't lie and say they didn't expect that.

She was shaking and James could feel it behind her, so he made a split-second decision to wrap his arm around her and she sunk into him, her shivering vibrating his body and her nerves not calming but she knew she wasn't alone, and there and then it was enough.

"Look at me, Bea," he mumbled quietly, voice as soothing as it always was and his eyes bore into hers when they lifted from his chest, "just look at me, keep looking, come on that's it." he encouraged her to keep looking whilst he moved his eyes in seconds just to look for a compartment she could shield herself in.

Her eyes didn't leave his even when his moved and she stumbled over her legs until he had her stable, and he finally found a compartment for the two of them and he closed the door and pulled the small curtains over the windows to shield out any unwanted eyes.