CHAPTER FIFTEEN

"The sexual tension between you and James is intense," Blake teased, his voice laced with amusement.

Albus made a disgusted face at his words, cringing at the idea. "Ugh, can you not? He's my brother," he groaned, clearly uncomfortable.

"Aww, does the little Potter feel embarrassed?" Blake teased, patting his head.

Albus swatted away his hand, his expression a mix of annoyance and embarrassment. "Cut it out," he grumbled, clearly not amused by the gesture.

"Oh, lighten up, little Potter," Blake smirked, patting his head again, enjoying the annoyed expression.

Albus let out an exasperated sigh, swatting away his hand once more. "Really? I told you to stop that."

Elodie raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms in mock annoyance. "What are you implying, Blake?"

Blake snorted in amusement before leaning on his palm. "Everyone can see the chemistry between you two. The constant glances, the tension—it's all there. So, care to explain again why you're not together?"

She groaned, rolling her eyes at Blake's insistence. "Oh, here we go again. Can you not with this?"

Blake continued to plead, shaking Elodie playfully. "Come on, Ellie! It's so obvious you two fancy each other," he whined.

Elodie's grumbles only grew louder in response to his persistence.

Blake continued to press on. "Seriously, it's so blatantly obvious. The tension between you two is electric."

She huffed and averted her gaze, clearly fed up with the persistent questioning. "Oh, sod off, will you?"

"Oh, come on, Ellie! Don't be so uptight," Blake teased, still shaking her playfully.

She sighed in exasperation, her patience wearing thin. "I'm not uptight. I just don't want to discuss this right now."

Scorpius, who had been quietly observing the exchange, suddenly interjected with a question. "I thought you two got back together?"

Shocked, Elodie and Blake responded in unison, "What?"

"Oh, yeah. Everyone's been saying that." Scorpius nodded, watching as Elodie and Blake shared a look, breaking into laughter.

He leaned towards Albus and whispered, "Did I say something funny?"

"No," Albus whispered back, covering his face with his hand. "Just ignore them. I do it every day."

Elodie stood up, causing Blake to raise an eyebrow.

"And where exactly are you going?"

Elodie smirked mysteriously, not wanting to reveal her plans. "That's for me to know, and for you to find out."

Blake huffed, gesturing for her to go. "Off you go," he said, rolling his eyes. "Not like you'd ever actually tell me, anyway."

She chuckled under her breath, patting Blake's head before leaving through one of the numerous secret passages hidden behind the tapestries in the corridors. She was making her way through the winding halls, her destination clear in her mind.

Just as she was about to turn the corner, she suddenly collided with someone.

Elodie groaned, having stumbled and fallen, straddling the unexpected person below her.

It was James.

With a smirk, he teased, "I know you can't get enough of me, El. But seriously, you really do enjoy being on top."

Elodie glared at him, still pinning him down with a look of annoyance. "Don't tempt me, Potter," she warned, "or I will accio a broom and smack you with it."

James protested, "They're for flying, not hitting!"

Elodie continued to glare down at the male trapped underneath her, a mixture of frustration and amusement in her eyes.

James, still pinned to the ground, feigned an expression of hurt and indignation. "Excuse me?" he scoffed. "Respect the broom, alright? It's a precious instrument of flight, not some makeshift weapon."

She rolled her eyes before running her fingers through her hair, "Why did you want to meet up, exactly?" she questioned, craning her head to look at him.

"What? I can't just have a reason to hang out with you?" James retorted, his smirk widening.

She huffed, "Nope," she bluntly replied, making his face fall.

"Why do you always have to make this so difficult?" James protested, a hint of frustration in his voice.

Elodie responded with a grin, "You are easy to mess with, though and I am not into being all—."

James interjected with a mocking voice, imitating her tone. "Lovey Dovey"

Elodie slapped his chest, grumbling, "Shut up, I do not sound like that."

James sat up, maintaining his grip on Elodie, who was still straddling his lap, "Yes, you do," he teased with a grin.

She rolled her eyes, shifting slightly in his lap. "Can you just tell me what we wanted to talk about now?" she asked, growing impatient.

James's hand continued to trail down her back gently, eliciting shivers from her. He questioned, "How much longer are we going to wait to tell people?"

Elodie clarified, her breathing slightly laboured as she responded, "You said you wanted to wait for someone to notice, but if you want to tell people, I'm not stopping you."

His hand on her back sent a shiver down her spine, causing her voice to slightly falter, "But do you want people to know?"

Elodie interjected, grasping his hand as she smiled at his question. "James, I don't care if they know or not," she reassured him.

"But..." he began, his concern for her safety clear in his tone. "What if people target you again?" he added anxiously.

She snorted with amusement, giving his hand a gentle pat.

Leaning forward, she placed a soft kiss on his lips, her gaze steady. "You really think I can't handle myself?" she playfully challenged, her smirk wide.

James chuckled, shaking his head. "Let's spite them if they're determined to try something," he agreed, his lips meeting hers in response.

Elodie was still straddling him, her movements a bit constrained due to their current position. However, she took advantage of the situation and started to leave a trail of warm kisses along his jawline.

James couldn't help but let out a small moan at her closeness, his hands gripping her waist a bit tighter. "You really know how to tempt me, don't you?" he murmured, his voice husky with desire.

Elodie continued the trail of warm kisses along his jawline, enjoying the way he responded to her touch.

James' breath hitched, his hands digging into her waist as he relished in her closeness. "You're such a tease," he breathed, his voice thick with desire. He pulled her in even closer, their bodies now fully pressed together.

In response to his proximity and the way he pulled her closer, Elodis couldn't help but let out a low hum of amusement.

He noticed the sound, a smirk forming on his lips. "You like being close to me like this, huh?" he teased, his hands roaming across her back in a possessive manner. "You're enjoying this a bit too much."

Elodie couldn't deny that she was indeed enjoying this entire exchange, the way he held her close and touched her sending tingles down her spine.

"Maybe I am," she admitted, a hint of a smirk playing at the corners of her lips. "What are you going to do about it?" she challenged, arching an eyebrow playfully.

James's smirk widened at her challenge.

"Oh, I could think of a few things," he replied, his tone dripping with subtle danger. He leaned in closer, his breath hot against her ear. "But I think it's better if I show you instead." His hands tightened around her waist, pulling her flush against his body as he nipped playfully at her earlobe.

Elodie let him hold her for a while longer, but her nature as a tease compelled her to slip away without warning.

James let out a frustrated sigh as she escaped his grasp, whining in protest. "Elodieeee," he called, watching helplessly as she adjusted her robes.

His hand gestures indicated his frustration as he pointed to his lower region, clearly displaying his... situation.

She chuckled, crossing her arms. "You have your hands," she responded slyly. "Figure it out, Potter."

James groaned loudly, his frustration growing by the second. "You can't just do this and expect me to figure it all out," he protested, running a hand through his hair. He watched her walk away with a mix of annoyance and begrudging admiration.

She turned back to him with a cheeky grin, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "I can and I did," she retorted, her voice filled with amusement. "Good luck, Potter." With that, she sauntered off, leaving him alone with his... predicament.

James couldn't help but admire her audacity. Despite his frustration, her confidence and playfulness only fueled his desire for her even more.

"You are a menace, you know that?" he called after her, grinning despite his predicament. "You've left me a bit, ah...troubled, you see."

She turned back with a mischievous smile, catching a glimpse of his dishevelled state. "Oh, I'm well aware of the power I have over you," she replied, her voice brimming with a satisfied tone. "It's quite enjoyable, really. All it takes is a bit of spite and voila - it becomes quite an entertaining situation."

James chuckled despite the... predicament he was in. Elodie's response had piqued his curiosity, and he adjusted his robes slightly to make an attempt at concealing the source of his... issue.

"Is that right?" he mused, his eyebrows arched in mock offence. "You derive pleasure from watching me struggle, it seems. And here I thought you were just having a bit of fun."

She shrugged, her smile widening. "What can I say? It's quite enjoyable," she confessed. "Playing these games, putting you in these predicaments... It's like a fun pastime I've developed."

Their banter continued a mix of amusement and frustration in the air. James shook his head slightly, still in disbelief at her relentless teasing. "You're unbelievable," he chuckled, adjusting the robes around his waist again. "You really do get a kick out of making me squirm."

"Oh, absolutely," Elodie responded, her smirk never leaving her face. "Watching your desperation and trying to fix it? It's quite entertaining."

"You're allowed a little kiss and touch, however," Elodie clarified, her lips curving into a seductive grin. "But the rest is for after we graduate."

James groaned again, his frustration evident on his face. "It's not like I have much choice, do I?" he muttered, running a hand through his messy hair. "But I suppose I can wait. I'll just have to find ways to... relieve my tension in the meantime."

Elodie laughed at his reaction, her gaze fixed on him, enjoying his visible frustration.

With a cheeky smile, she replied, "You're absolutely right; you have no choice in the matter. But don't worry, I have faith in your ability to endure such... wait."

James groaned again, his eyes narrowing at her smugness. "You're really enjoying this, aren't you?" he grumbled, adjusting his robes again.

"Oh, absolutely I am," Elodie confirmed, her smirk deepening. "This is quite entertaining. Watching you struggle... it's quite satisfying, I must admit."

She shook her head slightly, her eyes filled with amusement. "You have willpower, Potter," she observed. "I'm impressed you're holding out this long."

"Well, you are making it a test of willpower," James shot back, grumbling under his breath. He crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"You just wanted to see how long I could last, didn't you?" he asked, studying her expression closely.

Elodie shrugged, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Perhaps. Perhaps not."

She leaned against the wall with a casual air, enjoying the game they were playing. "But can you honestly say you're not enjoying this just a little bit?" she pressed, knowing he was secretly relishing the challenge.

"Enjoying this?" he snorted, his expression sceptical. "I wouldn't use the word 'enjoy,'" he retorted, rolling his eyes. "Although I do appreciate the challenge."

He took a step closer to her, a hint of determination in his eyes. "You think you can break me?"

"Challenge accepted," Elodie smirked, her head tilting to the side as he stepped closer. "Try me," she challenged, her voice laced with confidence.

She uncrossed her arms, her gaze fixed on him with a mixture of mischief and desire. "I think you'll find my will to tease and test you outmatches yours every single time."