CHAPTER FOURTEEN

James recognized that the situation was different when it came to Elodie. Unlike most females, she wasn't someone he expected anything idealistic from. Despite their recent friendship, she was one of the few or more like only female he had genuinely gotten to know without ulterior motives. He valued their friendship more than any potential intimacy.

James, while experienced in the physical aspect, lacked an understanding of the realm of love and emotional connections due to his limited understanding of relationships.

Elodie, on the other hand, was an entirely different case. She had experienced love firsthand and was aware of the depth and complexity of the emotions involved.

With absence of OWLs and NEWTs during their sixth year gave James an unexpected advantage. This newfound freedom from academic pressures freed up his mind and allowed him to truly focus on his thoughts and feelings.

He started delving deeper into his thoughts, seeking answers. What had influenced his past actions? Why had he gravitated towards multiple girls when he knew it could hurt them?

The more he pondered, the more he grappled with a strange sense of guilt. He began to realize the extent of his actions and how his behaviour might have hurt Elodie. This newfound understanding only heightened his inner struggle.

"I don't know how to love someone," he admitted, each word carefully enunciated as it reached Elodie's ears. He braced himself for mockery or laughter, but her reaction was different.

She sought clarity and asked, "Romantically?" To which he nodded in confirmation.

"Why do you think that James?" she inquired, her tone genuinely curious.

He repeated the question before continuing with his response. "Because how can I love someone when I can't even love myself?" He confessed, his voice tinged with a hint of resignation.

"My entire life, I've been told how to act, how to behave. I've been trained to be the perfect son, the ideal nephew, the perfect representative of the Potter family as the eldest," he explained.

"My siblings are cut from the same cloth. Albus is just like my father, even if he is in Slytherin, while Lily is just like my mother. And me? I'm the odd one out."

He paused momentarily, gathering his thoughts before continuing, "Who am I supposed to be? I never got the chance to discover who I truly am. I was forced to fit into a mould, to live up to others' expectations." The frustration in his voice was obvious, mixed with a hint of sadness.

She answered calmly, "Yourself, James." James paused for a moment, expecting her to scoff or brush off his words. However, she surprised him with a challenge.

"You wouldn't understand how—" he started, a hint of defensiveness in his voice before her next question cut him off.

"Then make me understand, James," Elodie calmly stated, her expression firm.

"It's not as simple as just saying it, Elodie," he explained, his voice laced with frustration.

He paused for a moment, then she proposed, "Then show it."

Slightly taken aback, he processed her words. "But what about the expectations? What if I fail to meet their standards?" He protested, still grappling with the weight of his family's legacy and the pressure to live up to their reputation.

"How can I just act like I don't care about my fame when it's been a part of my life since birth?" He continued, his frustration growing.

Elodie, however, offered a different perspective. "Who cares if you aren't like your parents? You despise the idea of your fame. Why not live beyond it?" She reasoned.

He sighed heavily, shaking his unruly hair. "Saying it is much easier than actually doing it," he admitted, a hint of frustration in his voice.

Elodie shrugged nonchalantly, "Old habits are tough to break, but did I say you had to act instantly?" He scrutinized her as she continued to make eye contact with him.

"Guess I never did," Elodie added, maintaining a steady gaze.

She paused for a moment before continuing, "I know I wasn't around for the whole Louis situation, but I suppose it's fair to say that he had a valid point, albeit an unkind one."

He chuckled lightly in response, a hint of amusement in his expression. "Are you trying to lift my spirits?"

She admitted with a casual tone, "Honestly, I'm not usually one to dispense advice, so consider yourself lucky, Potter. I don't typically act this way."

"You know, you did quite a good job," He added.

"But I beg you, do not let my words inflate your ego. It's not an attractive quality."

He listened to her words, his expression growing thoughtful. He couldn't help but chuckle at her mention of modesty.

"So I should feel special because you're giving me advice?" He teased a hint of amusement in his voice. He then feigned a hurt look as she criticized ego inflation. "Oh, and here I was, getting ready to inflate my ego. How disappointing." He quipped, not able to hide a smile.

She rolled her eyes, a playful smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Oh, stop pretending to be hurt," she responded, clearly amused by his feigned expression.

He shrugged playfully, a smirk still lingering on his face. "You caught me. I was just about to give myself a round of applause, but you had to step in and burst my bubble."

Her smile widened at his playful admission. "Of course I did. Someone had to keep your ego in check," she replied, a teasing tone in her voice.

He huffed dramatically, feigning annoyance. "You could've at least given me a few seconds before crushing my ego."

"Oh, you're such a martyr," she playfully retorted, a soft chuckle escaping her lips.

He chuckled himself, shaking his head in exaggerated despair. "I suppose I'll just have to live with the fact that my ego has been crushed by your ruthless honesty."

She gave a mock sigh, pretending to sympathize with his plight. "Oh, how will you ever recover from the trauma of having your ego deflated?" She teased, a smirk playing on her lips.

He feigned a dramatic expression, placing a hand on his forehead in mock despair. "It's a travesty, truly. My ego is utterly shattered. Whatever shall I do?"

She couldn't help but laugh loudly at his exaggerated display, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "You're so melodramatic, Potter," she chuckled, her face flushed with suppressed laughter.

He threw his hands up in mock helplessness, pretending to look utterly broken by her words. "How can I function without my ego? It's my lifeblood!" he joked dramatically.

She rolled her eyes at his actions but found herself backed up against a wall with no escape. He placed his hands on both sides of her head, trapping her in her spot. He wore a mischievous smirk as he looked down at her.

"No escaping now," he taunted, his smirk deepening. "Caught you."

She tried to look defiant, but the situation was clear—she was at his mercy, her back pressed against the wall, and his hands framing either side of her head.

"Now, what shall I do with you?" he teased, a playful glimmer in his eyes.

She huffed a small laugh, pretending to be annoyed by his taunting. "Oh, please. I can handle myself, you know," she retorted, trying to maintain her defiant expression, despite their intimate proximity.

"Is that so?" he replied, his smirk growing wider as he leaned in closer, the distance between them shrinking.

She tried to maintain her mock feistiness, but a hint of a blush betrayed her attempt. "Of course," she said smoothly, her voice slightly shaky, "I'm not some damsel in distress just because I'm against the wall."

"You sure about that?" he asked, leaning in even closer, his voice dropping to a lower tone.

She attempted to keep up a cool demeanour, but she could feel her heartbeat quicken at his words. "Of course I am," she answered, her attempt at nonchalance faltering as she fidgeted slightly against the wall.

"Hmm, not very convincing," he noted with a hint of a smirk, noticing her slight fidgeting. He took another step closer, their faces now mere inches apart, their breaths mingling.

She tried to regain her composure, but the proximity of his face sent a shiver down her spine. "I'm perfectly fine," she protested weakly, her voice cracking slightly.

He leaned in, anticipating the next moment, only to be caught off guard as Elodie swiftly ducked under his arm and moved away. He nearly smacked his face against the wall, surprised by her quick manoeuvre.

Elodie, now safely away and with a smirk on her face, looked at him with a wicked sparkle in her eyes. "Nice try, Potter," she taunted.

He rubbed his forehead, letting out a small swear of surprise and annoyance. "That was a slick move," he conceded, a hint of admiration in his eyes despite his frustration.

"You're not as easy to trap as I thought," he admitted, a smirk forming on his face as he looked at her.

"You're a quick one," he acknowledged, still rubbing his forehead and shaking his head in amazement. "I'll have to be more on my guard around you, Goldstein."

Elodie couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at his compliment. "I'm full of surprises," she replied with a smirk, feigning nonchalance.

"Oh, I noticed," he smirked, his irritation giving way to grudging respect.

She chuckled at his comment, her smirk growing wider. "You're not half bad yourself," she teased. "Maybe you should focus on your own tricks, Potter, and stop trying to trap innocent victims."

He rolled his eyes, shaking his head in amusement. "Innocent victims? You're playing the innocent now, huh?" he retorted, a hint of a grin playing at the corners of his mouth.

"I'll get you next time, Goldstein," he jested, the competitive glint in his eyes sparkling.

"We'll see about that," she replied with a smirk, a challenging gleam in her eyes.

He chuckled at her response, admiring her fire. "Oh, I absolutely relish the challenge," he said, his smirk widening. "And I always come out on top."

"Please," Elodie said with a confident tone, "I'm always the one on top."

James was taken aback by her comment but couldn't help a suggestive smirk from forming on his face.

It didn't take her long to realize the sensual nature of his look, and she promptly huffed and flushed red, her face turning an immediate shade of pink.

"NOT LIKE THAT, JAMES SIRIUS POTTER!" She cried out, her voice slightly higher-pitched than usual.

She rolled her eyes, shaking her head in mock indignation. "You know exactly what I mean," she retorted, trying to maintain a stern expression.

He shrugged casually, feigning ignorance. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he responded innocently, his smirk widening.

She let out an exasperated sigh, frustrated by his feigned ignorance. "Stop playing dumb," she huffed, crossing her arms.

He chuckled at her annoyed expression, unable to contain his amusement. "Why? It's so fun to see you flustered."

She pouted, her frustration building as he continued to play dumb. "You know exactly what comment I was referring to!" she exclaimed, her cheeks still flushed.

He chuckled again, relishing in her flustered state. "Oh, do I? Care to enlighten me again?" he teased, his tone laced with amusement.

She let out an exasperated sigh, shaking her head. "You know exactly what I meant, Potter," she insisted.

He feigned a look of concentration, mulling over her words before looking back at her with a mischievous expression. "Enlighten me, Elodie," he said casually, enjoying her flustered state.

"You know very well what I was referring to," she replied, her voice tinged with annoyance.

He chuckled again, his smirk widening as he continued to tease her. "Oh, really? Because I'm pretty clueless right now," he denied, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

She huffed, her patience thinning. "Oh, please. You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

He snorted, unable to hide his amusement. "What gives you that impression?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

She rolled her eyes, clearly not convinced by his pretence of innocence. "You're not fooling me, James."

He shrugged indifferently, pretending to be oblivious. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he said, his smirk still in place.

She held his gaze, feigning ignorance, but in truth gladdened by his newfound openness. She hoped that by being by his side, she could help him view things from another perspective.

He noticed her look, appreciating her support even as she pretended to be oblivious. "You're too smart for your own good," he teased, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

She chuckled, pretending to dismiss his compliment. "And you're too stubborn for your own good," she retorted, her eyes twinkling with amusement.