CHAPTER ELEVEN

Tabitha, being inexperienced at dealing with her thoughts, ended up dealing with them by running away after her conversation with Alice. However, since this only left everyone in the dark about her reasons, it only made James more determined to find out why she had suddenly become so distant with him.

James found himself growing increasingly puzzled and frustrated by Tabitha's behavior. He couldn't understand why she was avoiding him and why her friends and brother all seemed to be withholding any explanation.

Every time he turned to them for an answer, he was met with the same response: "I don't know."

With each repetition of this reply, his confusion and consternation only escalated further. What could he have done to deserve such coldness?

As for Tabitha, she grew increasingly nervous as the night of the winter ball approached. On top of her usual anxiety about social events, she now had the added stress of having to face James, whom she had been avoiding for months. The thought of being in the same room with him again after all this time was daunting.

As she prepared for the evening, her mind was filled with conflicting emotions: dread, guilt, and a hint of curiosity about how their encounter might unfold.

But, her solitude did not last as James had made his way into her bedroom, catching her by surprise. She had been hiding out, trying to avoid the holiday festivities and, more importantly, avoiding him.

"Seriously, Bitsy, did I do something wrong?" he asked, only to see her nearly stumble off her bed.

Tabitha's eyes widened as she exclaimed, "J-James?! What are you doing up here?!"

James chuckled at the look of surprise on Tabitha's face. She had been attempting to hide from the festivities and from him, but he had found her anyway. He leaned against the door frame, crossing his arms with a playful smirk.

"I came to see you, of course," he replied slyly. "You've been avoiding me, and I'm wondering why."

"Also Frank and Alice filled me in as soon as I asked where you went," James replied casually as he settled onto the bed next to her.

He spoke calmly, a slight hint of bewilderment in his voice. "It's been three months now, and you've been going out of your way to avoid me. So, what did I do wrong?"

Tabitha felt a pang of guilt as James sat down beside her on the bed, casually stating that he knew she had been avoiding him. She fidgeted nervously, averting her gaze from his inquisitive eyes.

Tabitha let out a defeated sigh, drawing her knees to her chest. "James, what if I never recover my memories?" she mused. "I've tried to recall what happened that night, but I just can't."

James raised his voice in disbelief, exclaiming, "Is that it?" However, there was no hostility in his tone.

Tabitha was taken aback by his reaction, replying, "W-what?"

James threw himself onto the bed with a frustrated groan, nearly causing her to fall off. "Tabitha Longbottom, you are one silly woman," he chuckled. "

"Honestly, I couldn't care less whether you remember everything or not," he confessed. "Because the truth is, I simply enjoy spending time with you. That's all I care about."

Tabitha's eyes widened at James's reaction, confusion and surprise etched on her face. She had been expecting anger or disappointment, but instead, he seemed to find her dilemma humorous.

Her heart fluttered as he declared that he didn't mind if she didn't remember everything and that he simply enjoyed being around her. It was a simple yet powerful statement, one that eased her guilt.

"You don't care?" Tabitha repeated, her voice a mix of disbelief and relief.

"Really?" She questioned, her voice tinged with disbelief.

James chuckled in response. "Yes, really," he confirmed.

"But why?" she dared to ask, her eyes meeting his.

James looked at her, his mouth falling silent before he unexpectedly burst into laughter. "Surely you're jesting, Bitsy," he managed to say through his giggles.

He raised his head, catching sight of her serious expression. "Wait...you were serious?" he asked, propping himself up on his elbows as he studied her nodding response.

Tabitha's eyes widened as James erupted into laughter at her question. It seemed like he found her question absurd. She had asked him why he actually enjoyed her company, and his reaction was confusing. But as he spoke and saw her serious expression, he realized she was indeed not jesting.

James propped himself up on his elbows, the laughter fading from his face, replaced by a mix of surprise and disbelief. He studied her as she nodded in response to his question.

"Seriously?" he repeated for the second time.

James chuckled, shaking his head in mild disbelief at her obliviousness. "Merlin, Bitsy, you just don't get it, do you?" he asked, amused.

She retorted, "Obviously not, James Potter."

James looked at her, his eyes fixated on her puffed-up cheeks. "When you do things like that, it makes it extremely hard for me to not want to kiss you sometimes." He spoke the words casually, devoid of any embarrassment.

Tabitha's face turned flushed as she asked, "W-what did you say?"

James leaned up, crossing his legs in front of her. He took her hand and smiled warmly. "I said—hold on let be back track first," he began, his tone becoming more serious.

He held her gaze as he confessed, "Tabitha, I fancy you a lot. In fact, I think I have for a while now."

Tabitha's silence filled the room as she processed his unexpected confession.

James chuckled at Tabitha's bewildered reaction to his words. He spoke about wanting to kiss her as if it was the most natural thing in the world and now he was confessing to her?

He leaned closer to her, his eyes locked onto hers.

Tabitha struggled to find words as James confessed that he fancied her for a long time now. The combination of his casual admission earlier and this sudden declaration of feelings left her speechless.

She looked down at their joined hands, his thumb gently tracing patterns on her skin. Confusion and embarrassment mixed with a strange sense of giddiness inside her.

Their eyes met again, and the vulnerability in his expression made her heart skip a beat. He was being so open and honest, it made her feel both flustered and touched.

Tabitha took a deep breath, trying to force her brain to form coherent words.

"James, I..." she began, her voice wavering slightly.