It's Always Been You (James Potter x Reader)

The comfort of your bed hadn't been enough to stop you from waking up early the next morning and realizing your hyperactive brain wouldn't be letting you go back to sleep anytime soon. Doing your best not wake Lily or Marlene, you'd gathered your ink and parchment and headed down to the common room in front of the comfort of the fireplace to work on your Ancient Runes assignment.

You sat down on the aged fabric of the couch and it had your mind unwillingly drifting to the events that had happened in this very spot the night before. Maybe the common room wasn't the best choice.

Your feeling was confirmed when you heard the bold creak of the portrait entrance to the room swinging open. The sun hadn't even risen yet, a fact that had you peering back in curiosity at who in their right mind would be roaming the castle at this hour.

The same fact should've told you exactly who you'd find when you looked through the portrait hole and watched as James walked out of it and into the common room where you sat.

It took him a few seconds to notice you, head bent downwards with a slight hunch to his shoulders, breathing slightly labored. When he did, he stopped in his tracks like a deer in headlights.

You seemed to freeze from where you sat on the couch too, not knowing what to say right away like you normally would've. You didn't like that feeling; you always knew what to say around James.

The silence gave you a second to scan him over, taking in his appearance. He had a shine to him like he'd just gone for a run, something not out of the ordinary for James, especially with Quidditch season around the corner. Sweatshirt thrown over his shoulder, flushed cheeks and messy hair, the disheveled look only made your brain short-circuit even more.

"Hey," you greeted, if only to break the rigid silence that you could tell was forming.

"Hey." He stared at you bright eyed like he hadn't expected anyone to be in the common room at this hour, let alone you. His tone had a weight to it like he was out of breath, words coming out hesitantly and small. "What're you doing up so early?"

His eyes seemed to move across your position on the couch then too, showing genuine concern. Yet, you'd felt a sense of insecurity you weren't use to feeling in front of James. Shrugging, you said, "Couldn't sleep much."

"Yeah," he said, shaking his head. "Me- uhm, me neither."

It somehow felt like that was the first acknowledgment of what had happened the night before, the memory rippling through the air between you uncomfortably. The feeling pried at you, along with the fact that James was only acting like this because of you. Because of your feelings for him that he probably came to discover last night. You tried to swallow your awkwardness and forced yourself to act normal, but it seemed impossible to now.

"Practicing for Quidditch?" You turned fully in your seat with your hands on the back of the couch. James stared at you blankly for a second before answering, like it dawned on him you'd said something.

"What?" he asked, blinking. "Oh- yeah." With a dim breath of a laugh, he rubbed at the back of his neck, not moving any closer to your position on the couch. The distance between you felt miles wide.

"Did the guys mention the plans for the prank to you?" He asked the question as he put his hands in his pockets. You could tell he was trying to seem normal, like you were.

"Yeah."

He nodded again. "Good."

You nodded. The silence came back. "So, uhm, I'll meet you all at your dorm tonight to help set up?"

When he silently agreed, you took it as a your signal to head back to your own dorm, ignoring the fact that you'd only been downstairs for a few minutes. He watched you collect your things at your side wordlessly, turning back to him before you left like you'd forgotten something.