Note: This is a two parter! I also LOVED writing Harry as a kid, he was so much fun...

House: Hufflepuff

Requested by: Bella250202

 I loved James Potter wholeheartedly, so felt utterly ecstatic when he accepted my feelings for him. I knew he used to have feelings for Lily Evans but all of that changed when he and I got together - he treated me so well, he was kind, caring and fun to be with. He showed me his invisibility cloak and we often snuck out at night using it, him showing me various parts of the castle I didn't even know existed. The two of us would get up to all kinds of mischief in these dark corners, and many thought we were an excellent couple.

We went on many trips to Hogsmeade together, him being so gentlemanly and buying me my favourite sweets from Honeydukes, us having a sweet date at the Three Broomsticks whilst we were in the village. He was the perfect boyfriend, I knew that before we started going out hence why I loved him so much, and he told me that he loved me too. In fact he was the one to admit to these strong feelings first, and I couldn't believe my luck that the guy I adored felt so strong romantic emotions for me too, however all good things had to come to an end.

In our final year of Hogwarts he'd begun to grow distant from me, and whenever I asked him what was wrong he wouldn't tell me. He stopped meeting me at the entrance to the Hufflepuff dorms, where he'd usually pick me up so we could explore the castle together. He had stopped buying me sweets from Honeydukes, and he'd stopped suggesting we have a sweet date in the Three Broomsticks. I was feeling more and more alone with every passing day, and it felt as though he was becoming a stranger which hurt me immensely.

Just before Christmas, it happened. He pulled me from the Great Hall at dinner one evening, and I thought he was going to suggest a nighttime stroll for later on but instead he said the words I was fearing most. "I'm sorry (y/n), we're not working anymore... I... I'm breaking up with you," he whispered. I found myself frozen on the spot, breath having left my body as my eyes started to water. I didn't know what to say or how to react. We had been so happy over the past year and half, he told me many times how much he loved me, but now it all came crashing down and I had no idea why.

I felt tears making tracks as they fell from my eyes. "(y/n), please say something," he said, looking at me pleadingly.

"R-right..." was all I could think of. 'Fight (y/n), fight for him! Get him to see how much you love him! Beg for him to tell you why you're not working, and fix it!' I was screaming internally but no words were coming out of my mouth. What threatened to come along however was a sob. Before I could embarrass myself in front of him I turned and covered my mouth with my hand as I let out a sob.

"(y/n)-,"

"It's- it's okay," I breathed heavily, feeling too weak to turn and face him. "If that's how you feel," my voice was barely a whisper as I tried desperately not to choke on my words. Quickly I glanced back at him, knowing it was probably a bad idea. My heart hurt ten times more seeing his pained expression, and I knew I had to get out of there before I had a meltdown so I ran from the scene, ignoring his calls of my name.

I didn't have the energy to come out of my dorm room after he had broken up with me. My whole heart was shattered thanks to the feelings I still had for him. I was still in love with him, my feelings weren't like a switch and it pained me everyday knowing that he had decided that, despite saying 'I love you' first, it wasn't how he truly felt. It was pathetic really, I was moping about some guy but it was a painful feeling in my chest, one I never thought was possible to feel.

My friends brought me up food as I hadn't left my dorm room in days, not even to go to classes. They tried to encourage me to at least go down to the common room but I felt most comfortable in my dorm room.

When I finally left my dorm room it was the following weekend, at midnight. I was following one of the secret paths James had showed me, it coming out near one of the pretty courtyards in the castle. The moonlight was casting a glow over the flowers in the rustic setting, and I sat upon one of the old, slightly crumbling stone benches that outlined the courtyard. "Avis," I muttered, lazily pointing my wand into the sky and a few small birds shot from the end of it. They began to sing therapeutically above my head as I let the tears out, the pain having never really gone away. It was a horrible feeling, but one I hoped I would recover from if time let me.

- Timeskip -

I went back to classes the following week, avoiding James and his friends as much as I possibly could, it being hard but doable with the help of my own friends. My feelings for James never went away, but overtime it got easier to be somewhat around him, not directly talking to him but being in the same room as him became bearable. That was until he started dating Lily Evans.

As soon as I saw them together, I knew that I was nothing more than a distraction. He couldn't have Lily back then, so he simply settled for a nobody like me and when he tired of me he cast me aside. Not that I blamed him, I had come to believe that I wasn't anything important. I was slightly surprised at myself for not figuring out sooner that I was simply a distraction from the beautiful Lily Evans, him having been so head over heels for her before I confessed to him.

Seeing him and Lily together was painful to say the least, thanks to my feelings for him. I decided to bury myself in school work, spending the majority of my time somewhere I knew he'd never be: the library. I had spent enough time moping around feeling sorry for myself, so much so that I refused to feel that way anymore but I knew that if I saw them together I'd fall into that same pit of emotions, so I stopped going to Gryffindor quidditch matches even if they were against Hufflepuff, I stopped walking around the castle late and night and I instead focussed on my work, deciding I was going to do everything in my power to get my dream job, working for the Ministry of Magic in the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.

The studying I was doing paid off in the end, as I ended up with one of the highest grades overall in our year, plus I had managed to cast away feelings I had for James. They weren't completely gone and I didn't doubt that if I were to talk to him, or spend too long in the same room as him I would relapse so instead I kept my distance. It all helped, as before I had even left Hogwarts I received a letter from the Ministry offering me a job in the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, only being an assistant but it was a start to achieving more goals.

I sat at the Hufflepuff table, having already received a few compliments and congratulations on my job offer and how well I had done in the exams from other classmates and teachers. I re-read the letter from the ministry whilst nibbling on a piece of toast, feeling proud of myself when I suddenly felt a tap on my shoulder.

I looked up and my voice lodged in my throat when I saw James. "Congratulations... on the job offer," he gestured the letter in front of me, clearly seeing the Ministry stamp.

"O-oh... thanks," I swore internally for stammering.

"I remember how badly you wanted it so... you must be happy," he was clearly trying to start a conversation and I knew he was only trying to be civil but I was having difficulty dealing with it, and my friends who were sat around me noticed.

"Yeah, I am," I said simply, wanting this conversation to be over. He looked as though he wanted to say something but I didn't want him to speak another word. Thankfully after a minute he simply muttered another congratulations and went on his way, back to the Gryffindor table. After a moment or two I found myself standing up too, but I however walked out of the Great Hall, pain coming to my chest as I tried to wipe his words, his voice, him being stood there from my mind.

- Timeskip -

It had been eight years since I had graduated from Hogwarts and I was now secretary to the head of the beast division in the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, and she had assured me that I was likely to become the head when she retired. I had had a good life since Hogwarts, getting a great job and living in a gorgeous London apartment, but my love-life had never quite taken off.

I pathetically still had feelings for James which interrupted a lot of the relationships I was in. I had a habit of comparing them to James which was a habit I tried to break but couldn't. It was particularly hard when I heard he had married Lily, and that they had a child together. He was happy, he had found true love and a family whereas I was wallowing in what could've been.

I was upset to hear that Lily had been attacked and killed by You-Know-Who himself, and a part of me felt as though I should write to James to see how he was but I wasn't sure how it would look, or whether he'd want to hear from me after I spent the last few months of Hogwarts ignoring me. It was a difficult situation, and I knew he'd be heartbroken. I was sad that Lily was now gone from this world as despite her being the wife of the man I loved, I did like her. She was sweet and kind; it was easy to see why he fell for her.

A few years had passed since that incident, and James was raising their child on his own, although he did have help from his friend Remus. From what I had heard Sirius Black ended up in Azkaban after being revealed as a Death Eater and the murderer of the fourth Marauder, Peter Pettigrew. Despite the amount of time that had passed I felt somewhat guilty for not writing to James as all this shock and death happened on one night, so I didn't doubt the trauma he was feeling and just checking up on him might've made him feel better. It was a small thought but one that haunted me. Still, I hadn't seen him nor Remus for a very long time, Hogwarts feeling like an age ago.

Now however I was carrying a fairly heavy box of documents up towards my office in the Ministry of Magic, knowing I was going to have a fun night of sifting through paperwork. As I was walking, a gentleman in front of me wasn't looking where he was going and almost walked straight into me had I not abruptly stopped with surprise.

"Excuse me please, sir-," I froze on the spot when I realised James was standing there in front of me, looking as smart and as handsome as ever.

"(y/n), hey!" He said with a surprisingly bright smile. "Sorry, didn't mean to almost walk into you there."

"I-it's okay... what're you doing here?" I asked, still a little in shock and trying to stop my rapidly beating heart.

"Oh, I'm just dropping some documents off," he waved the papers in his hand. "And Harry fancied seeing the Ministry, so I thought we'd come in person rather than mail them, didn't we?" He glanced down and I spotted a small boy who looked exactly like James, glasses as well, who was clung onto his fathers leg timidly. "It's alright Harry, this is a friend of mine from school. Are you going to introduce yourself?"

"H-hello," Harry said, refusing to step out from behind James.

"He's not usually this shy," James chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. I found it adorable however, so crouched down to Harry's height and smiled at him.

"Hello Harry, my name is (y/n)," I said sweetly. Slowly he began to peer out from behind James' legs, and smiled back at me. "Do you like the Ministry?"

"Yeah, it's cool," Harry said, looking around fondly.

"Maybe when you're bigger you'll get to work here, then you can see it everyday," I said enthusiastically and he giggled.

"Dragon!" He suddenly exclaimed, then pointed at one of the sheets that were in the box I was carrying. It indeed had a Ukranian Ironbelly on, it being transferred here to be used in the vaults of Gringotts as security. Despite the goblins assuring us the dragon would be treated with care and diligence I wasn't so sure, so I was in the process of setting up weekly visits to the vaults to check on the dragons welfare.

"Yeah, it's my job to look after this dragon," I said to Harry who's eyes lit up.

"That's so cool! Dad, can we get a dragon?" Harry asked James eagerly, and both he and I chuckled.

"Maybe when you're older, Harry," James ruffled his sons hair and he pouted. "We'll stick with the cat for now," he added. I stood up again, trying to avoid direct eye contact with James but it didn't seem to be working; it was though he was a magnet for my eyes.

"I'm sorry about Lily," I finally said, unsure whether it was a good idea to bring her up or not. His face turned slightly solemn as he glanced down at his son.

"Yeah..." was all he said and I immediately felt like a fool. "Anyway, however you doing? You still working for the magical creatures department I presume?" He gestured the contents of the box and I nodded.

"Yes I am, I'm secretary to the head of the beast division. She's told me that she's retiring soon and plans to make me the head," I said and to my surprise, his eyes lit up.

"Congratulations (y/n), that's incredible! Well done, you really have achieved your dreams," he chuckled and my heart hurt as he referenced our Hogwarts days, the days we spent together.

"What about you?" I asked politely, wanting to stay and chat with him but feeling unsure whether it would do me good in the long run.

"I took a bit of a break from being an auror so I could look after Harry, but I'm slowly beginning to get back into it, helping the ministry round up the last of the Death Eaters," he said. We spent a moment simply looking at each other until Harry interrupted our gaze.

"Whoa, a werewolf!"

We both looked down to see Harry rummaging through my documents in the box I had been carrying that I had since placed on the floor. "Harry! What are you doing, get out of there, that's (y/n)'s work!" James quickly pulled his son away from the box, apologising profusely.

"It's fine James, don't worry," I said, although Harry had messed up a the order in which a few of the documents were supposed to be in.

"I'm so sorry (y/n), has he ruined anything?"

"No, honestly it's fine," I assured him calmly. "So you're interested in werewolves, Harry?"

"Yeah, we actually know a werewolf, don't we dad-," James quickly covered his sons mouth, staring at me awkwardly.

"It's fine James, if you mean Remus then I already know. Werewolves have to register themselves with us so we can provide help for employment and easy access to the newly developed wolfsbane potion," I told him and he seemed shocked.

"Wow, that's amazing," he said and I chuckled.

"I thought werewolves could do with a bit more support, so I devised a plan to help them live as normally as possible," I said and his eyes widened.

"You organised all of that?" He asked and I nodded. "That's amazing (y/n)."

"O-oh, it's what anyone would've done, I'm sure-,"

"No it's not, and thanks to you Remus will live an easier life now," James said and I felt my cheeks heat up again. 'This is bad, I really need to get out of here before I do something I regret,' I spoke internally.

"I should probably get going, I mean I've got all of this paperwork I need to get through," I gestured the box, but James was just looking at me as though he'd completely missed what I said. "James?"

"Oh, right," he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Yeah of course. C'mon Harry, give that back," James gestured the information on werewolves Harry was still holding. He did as was told and I picked up the heavy box, smiling one last time at James before walking past him and trying to steady my rapidly beating heart. "Wait, (y/n)!" He called out to me, shocking me slightly. "Would it be... inappropriate if I asked to take you out for a coffee?" He seemed oddly nervous, and one part of me was saying that yes, it wold be inappropriate but the other part of me was saying to go for it. My feelings for him overtook my brain and I nodded in agreement, him letting out a light laugh in relief. "I'll send you an owl?"

"Yeah sure, here's my address," I jotted down my flat number on a scrap piece of paper and handed it to him with a smile.

"Great, I'll see you soon," he said and I nodded. We departed ways and I was having trouble wrapping my head around what had just happened, but I knew it was nothing more than a friendly catch up so I had to try and remain calm, if my feelings for him let me.

- James' POV -

"She's nice," Harry said, wearing the smile I loved.

"Yeah, she is," I said, looking down at her address and smiling to myself.

"Dad?"

"Hm?"

"Why are you blushing?"

It was then that I felt my cheeks, not realising I was feeling incredibly hot. I gulped and shook my head, shoving her address in my pocket and taking my sons hand. "I'm not," I lied blatantly, then carried on through the ministry towards the correct office, giving Harry a tour whilst I was at it.