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THERE'S NO BETTER TIME TO START
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GAMBIT HAD BEEN HOURS late to her classes. Already having missed two of her lessons as she stayed up late, finishing to rush her rolls and rolls of parchment, she was running on two hours of sleep. And with James sitting right beside her for Charms, this wasn't going to be easy for her.

"James, I'm trying to listen...!"

"You look like shit, Gambit, you have bags under your eyes.."
He was concerned for the girl's well-being. He knows just how hard and brutal Hogwarts school work was and it's obviously taking a toll on her.

It been three months since she attended, one more month and she'd be free from all the previous school work with only Seventh year papers to focus on.

He thought it'd be nice if he'd help her, but she declined once before and persisted she was fine and can manage herself. Clearly, she was lying.

He couldn't keep his eyes up front as the girl would snooze off and almost drop her head on the table. Always making sure to wake her up before she'd embarrass herself, he'd kick her table lightly to snap her out of it.

"You better get some rest after this. You shouldn't have bothered to come to last period, I'm sure the Professors would understand,"
James whispered, but Gambit shook her head.

"I'm fine, Potter."

That struck a cord in him.
"Potter? Normally it's James..! You really are out of it, Gami--"

"I'm sure Mr. Potter and Ms. Gaunt would like to share something?"

The couple stayed silent, shaking their heads.

Earning themselves a detention after classes.

Gambit scowled at the boy, earning an apologetic smile from him.
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The two spent detention together in silence. Wiping down the dusty silver trophies with one wash cloth and a pail of water.

"Honestly, this isn't that bad. I'm sure this won't get in your record,"
James' blabber was all that could keep Gambit awake at this point. As the boy noticed and kept talking, it didn't matter if she answered or not.

"You could just... sleep and I'll finish the rest--"

"No, I'm alright. I can do it,"
Gambit sighed, finishing her fourth trophy while James was on his seventh.

She had been dozing off from the beginning, it was only a matter of time before she'd finally give in and just sleep.
James got up, taking the dirty trophies left and got to work--not before covering the sleeping girl with his jacket.
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"Finally! I've finsihed all the old work and I only have to do my seventh year stuff!"
Gambit exclaimed, alone in her dorm as everyone went out for the day. She sprawled out on her bed, stretching every muscle she had.

Gambit had been sleeping normally after the detention she served with James, she was thankful he let her rest but it would've been better if he woken her up before Professor Flitwick came back,

Her stomach growled, urging her to the kitchen as she entered the secret passages.

She's been using them ever since she noticed a wall was sticking out, sometimes even passing by a few students who uses it too--including the Marauders--she's caught them several times planning for pranks they'll do, using a map they created.

This time, it was different. She met Peter while on her way to the kitchen,

"Hey, Gams..."
He didn't sound too good, his tone was worrying to the girl.

"What's gotten you so down?"

"It's just, one of my friends had just said something really shocking."

The girl hummed, fiddling with the hem of her skirt,
"How so?"

She didn't mind talking to Peter for a few minutes, he was a friend and he was in a dilemma. A dilemma that included her and a friend of his.

"Your friend, said to you that he... fancies me..?"

"Yeah--on second thought, I shouldn't have said that..."
Peter smiled apologetically at her,

"Can't keep a secret, can you Peter?"
The girl chuckled, saying it was fine and she didn't mind someone fancying her.

After Peter reminded her of the Quidditch match, the two separated and went on their ways.
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Gambit grew anxious as she pondered over who fancied her. I mean, she knew she wasn't ugly but definitely not all that either. She was so lost in thought she hadn't noticed Lily and Xenophilius walking beside her,

"Where are we off to, Perryl?"
Xeno asked, rummaging inside his pockets,

"Kitchen, I'm frankly starving--ooh what's this?"

The platinum haired boy gave her a ring, adorned with a mushroom on the middle and a few small vines wrapping itself around the band.

"I made it, now we're matching!"
He smiled as he presented his own ring, watching Gambit giggle, putting the ring on herself.

Lily pouted,
"What about me..?"

"Don't worry, Lily, I'll give something to you later on."

The trio gathered food from the kitchen as they set off to the Black Lake, having their usual picnics for the afternoon.
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"Have you finished the Potions essay?"
Gambit asked while braiding strands of hers and Xeno's hair on to Lily's fiery locks.

"I passed it to Professor Slughorn just awhile ago,"
Lily paused, glancing over to Gambit.

"You know, I'm quite shocked no one's confessed to you yet."

"What do you mean?"
The Slytherin laughed,

"I mean, you're very pretty, Perryl. I'm sure there's boys that would like to be with you,"

"What about you, Xeno?"

"I just said she's pretty. But she's my friend,"
Xeno explained, having an unspoken rule about not dating his friends.

"Besides, I've got my eyes on someone else entirely."

"Ooh, do tell.."
Lily teased, just seconds before James appeared.

"Hello Ladies, Lovegood."

"Hello, James."
The trio said in unison,

The boy joined them sitting down between Xeno and Gambit, as he'd sit and watch them do their usual activities.

"Yeah, and Peter was acting weird too!"
Gambit added, noticing how the Marauders were acting strange towards the two girls--Lily and Gambit.

"Do you know something about this James?"

The ladies looked over at him,

"I... Well, it depends, how weird was Peter?"

Gambit huffed, saying it's a secret.

"You can just come close and whisper," his hair blew against the wind as Gambit neared him.

"Right, I met Peter inside the secret passages and he said that.."

"That..?"

"That someone fancied me..! Said it was one of his friends and I'm panicking slightly--"

"Is that right? I'll get back to you on that one Gami, I just need to.. Sort things out with Peter," he waved them goodbye, running off as he smiled.

"Don't forget the Quidditch match this weekend!"
His figure went out of their sights,

The three left were confused,

"Was I supposed not to tell him that..?"

Xenophilius shrugged.