Ella was waiting for the potions lesson to end. She had once again ruined her potion and she had no idea how she had even done it this time. Severus had obviously made a snide comment, he always did. He didn't know what sympathy was it seemed. So, when the bell went, Ella was glad. She grabbed her satchel and threw it over her shoulder before going straight for the door.

     Severus commenting to her on her way out to. Ella tried not to let his words sting as she walked past him, heading out of the room. The darkness of the room leading to the bright corridors. James stood not too far from the door with a small smile on his face. Ella plastering a convincing smile on her face as she spotted the curly-haired boy.

     "'iya," She said as she joined his side. James grinned at her appearance and began to walk by her side as they walked away from the dungeons.

     "Hey. I was waiting for you," He said as they made their way up the stairs. James walking a little faster than her, Ella having to jog to keep up with him. James was taller than Ella by quite a bit and sometimes keeping up with him was more of a workout than it should have been. When he saw her lagging behind, he paused, giving her a teasing smile.

      "Waitin' for me, are ya?" She asked as she reached the top of the stairs. A small pout on her lips before James ruffled her hair. She swatted his hand away and he just smirked back at her. She rolled her eyes and they began to walk together. The corridors slowly getting quieter as everyone filtered into class. She didn't have any classes now and was hoping to spend time with James, as they had arranged.

      "I always wait for you. How was Potions?" He asked curiously. His hand brushing against hers. Ella having the overwhelming urge to just take a hold of it. But they were not dating, they couldn't hold hands. It wouldn't be right especially considering he was still waiting for Lily to say 'yes' to a date. It was only a matter of time now.

     Ella shrugged at his question, "Usual really. I'm failin' the exam either way." James gently shook his head at her, bumping into her playfully. Hoping that her frown would turn into a smile as he watched her. She looked back at him and couldn't help but smile slightly. The corners of her lips turning up faintly.

     "Not if we do some extra study. You can go over my notes and practice with me," James offered. Ella scoffed at the offer. She knew if they did study together, it would not be studying. James... was well James and they would quickly get distracted especially if they were alone.

     "Extra study like when I was trying to revise over the summer," Ella cocked an eyebrow. James smirked and shrugged as he began to walk up the stairs.

     "Not necessarily but sometimes I just can't control myself," He shrugged. Ella rolled her eyes and began to walk up the stairs behind him. Playfully whacking his shoulder as she grinned. She couldn't help but just grin as she put her hands in her pockets, "Not like you didn't enjoy it. Your grin shows it all. You loved the help I gave," He added, watching her for a moment. A playful smile on his face that made Ella roll her eyes.

     "As much as I enjoyed it, I didn't revise much," She responded. He tilted his head in thought before shrugging. She could tell he didn't really care about how productive they were. He had gotten what he loved out of their relationship and that was giving Ella all the pleasure he could while also marking her. The marks had been hell to cover up and ended up being healed by James but he enjoyed it nonetheless. He was hoping for a repeat of it now until he heard a voice.

     "Prongs!" Remus shouted causing the pair to stop in their tracks. Ella cursing under her breath while James turned to face him. A smile on his lips as he rested his hands by his side. James raised an eyebrow questioningly and Remus stopped a few steps below them, "I was just wondering if you were free?" Remus asked. James looked to Ella and then back to Remus, the brunette now facing both the boys. Trying to act casual despite the way that Remus was looking at her. He knew what they were going to do but she still didn't want to admit it.

     "Not really. I was about to do some potions studying with Ella," James explained, gesturing to the girl before he pushed his glasses up his nose. Remus sighed and Ella leant against the banister of the staircase, waiting to see how this would go. She knew that Remus was going to find a way to drag James away from her. She just knew it.

     "Oh. Do you reckon you could put a hold on that? It's just important," Remus said. Keeping his answer vague on purpose to stop himself from being caught in a lie. Ella looked at him, practically glaring before she sighed. James looked from Remus to Ella before he just gave in.

     "Alright but you owe me one. Let me just give Ella my notes and I'll come, alright?" James asked. Remus nodded and then took a few steps back from them. James adjusted his satchel and opened it, grabbing his potions notes. He then gave them to her, Ella sliding them away into her satchel.

     "It's alright if he needs ya. The full moon is comin'," Ella said as she adjusted her satchel, making sure it was closed. She didn't want James' notes spilling everywhere. Even if they weren't actually going to study, they had to keep up appearances and she was sure that his notes might be useful anyway. He was better at Potions than her anyway.

     "I'll try and come and meet you if it turns out it's nothing," James said, smiling at her. Ella shrugged and tried to play it off like it didn't matter but the look he gave made her stop in that train of thoughts, "If I can't meet you this period, we can try after perfect duty, alright?" He asked. Ella nodded as he smirked. He then went down the steps heading towards Remus. Ella watching with apprehension. They seemed to start talking pretty quickly as they walked away.

     Ella turned away and headed up to the dorms not a moment later. Her mind already buzzing with thoughts of what Remus would be telling him about. She knew that Remus wouldn't be cruel enough to tell him her feelings but the anxiety still lingered as she muttered the password, the portrait door swinging open. Remus was loyal and he didn't like keeping secrets so maybe he would just tell James.

     The thought making Ella feel nauseated as she crossed the common room to take a seat at one of the free desks. She placed her satchel down and slouched down in her chair. Resting her head in her hands as she tried to think it over. What could she even try and tell James if Remus did tell him? That it was a joke. It wasn't true. It was just some stupid prank?

     No. James wouldn't believe that. He wasn't stupid though he was often ridiculously oblivious to just about anything. When someone told him, he'd see the signs and Ella wasn't one to prank him. In their long friendship, she had never pranked him. Not once. She was always the good one out of the two and was always dragged into pranks. Never the architect of them.

     If Remus said a word, Ella would lose him and that thought made her stomach churn. But she had to distract herself so she grabbed her satchel from the desk and opened it up. She took out her own Potions notes and James', placing them in front of her. At least if she could try and study while she waited for him, if he was even able to make it back. Though knowing Remus, he wouldn't be back at all. Remus was adamant that she tell him the truth. Maybe this was his way of getting Ella to do so. Not that she would. Nothing he would say would cause her to give in. She wasn't going to risk their friendship, she just couldn't.

     So, when he didn't return, Ella continued her studying before she went to her last lesson of the day. Her chest full of worry about what Remus had said as she walked into ancient runes. She knew it would be fine but at the same time, the possibility it wouldn't was very much still there. Lingering. Just like he was, sat at the back of the class next to Kalia.

***

     It was the night before the first Quidditch match of the season and Ella was lying in her bed. Layla sat next to her as the two of them read Romeo and Juliet. Ella was over-dramatically reading Juliet's voice, purposefully making herself sound proper and overly high pitched. Whereas Layla - who was reading most of the male lines - was attempting different accents and keeping a deeper male voice. Causing both of the girls to spend more time laughing and cackling over the play rather than actually reading it.

     Ella loved Shakespeare's play and enjoyed reading it but with Layla, it was always more fun. And with the voices, it felt like a whole different experience. When one of the many fight scenes came out, they had proceeded to pretend sword-fight with their book in one hand. Most of the lines being left unread as they attacked each other. The pair ending up laughing as they lay on the carpet. Their door-mates were all either studying or spending time with other friends in the different dorm rooms. Leaving the two girls to have free reign.

     Now, as they had finished over-dramatically enacting the ending. Ella was hanging off her bed, giggling to herself. The copy of Romeo and Juliet hanging precariously over the end of the sheets. Layla was resting with her head against the pillows, silently reading some of the notes at the end of the play. It was the first piece of muggle literature that Layla had truly read all the way through and she enjoyed it a lot more than she expected.

     "Romeo reminds me of you," Layla said causing Ella to scoff before she pulled herself up onto the bed properly. She moved to lie up, her hands supporting her body as she gave Layla a questioning look. Layla smirked, then closed the book and discarded it on the bedside table.

     "Gorgeous and well-loved by many but jumps to conclusions before considering other possibilities," Layla said as she pulled Ella to sit up fully. Ella tilted her head and instantly knew where this was going. A pout appearing on her lips very quickly. Layla shook her head and put her hand over her friend's lips. Quickly causing Ella to dart out her tongue and lick Layla's palm. The girl groaning in disgust and pulling back.

     "Don't even try convincin' me, Lay. You know I'm not gonna," Ella said as she moved to lie down. Her hands resting on her stomach as she sighed. She knew that this was going to end this way. Layla had spent the last few weeks trying to get her to say something, anything. Remus also had since joined in on that quest. Both of them determined to get Ella to just admit something. She had been stubborn thus far and nothing would change that.

     "But why? Why can't you just admit something to him? He'll be glad if you do," Layla tried to argue. It was always in a similar vein. The conversation usually went one of two ways. He'd be glad to know or Ella is decieving him. That was their lines that they prayed would convince her. Thus far, they had not done so. Instead, they left Ella feeling worse and wanting to hide away from everyone.

     "I've said why. He won't be glad for anythin'. He doesn't wanna know. Me and 'im are happy as we are, Layla. Why can't ya accept it?" Ella asked as Layla crawled over. She pulled one of Ella's arms away and snuggled up to her best friend. Ella's arm wrapping around Layla as Layla rested her head, listening to Ella's heartbeat.

     "Because I think he should know. You know he should. You agreed to communicate with him. You're not communicating with him now," Layla responded. A soft sigh escaping her lips. Ella let her hand flop to the bed as she thought over Layla's words. While to an extent that was true, they had been talking more since Ella's feelings have developed. Communicating a lot more often. Omitting something wasn't preventing communication. Not really.

     "We communicate. We spent the other night together," Ella said, her free hand moving to drape her forearm across her face, "Where else would I 'ave gotten the marks?" She added, more in a mutter than anything else. Layla cocked an eyebrow at that and glanced over her friend, sitting up properly. Layla hadn't noticed any marks.

     As Layla looked the girl up and down, she noticed them. Her school shirt was riding up and there were a few dark marks splattered across her stomach and there were a few more obvious just below the collar of her shirt. Layla tutted softly and Ella looked at her, cocking an eyebrow. It wasn't like it was anything bad. They were just two teenagers having fun.

     "You've gotta tell him to stop. You've got to stop all of this. You can't just walk around covered in his marks like you're together," Layla said quickly. The disapproval lacing her tone as she stared at Ella. Ella pushed herself to sit up again, pushing her hair away from her face before standing up off the bed. It wasn't anything wrong.

      "Why do ya think not tellin' 'im is so wrong? What he doesn't know can't hurt 'im, Layla. He's 'appy. Let 'im be!" Ella said, her voice getting louder as she watched Layla's face. It contorted from neutrality to annoyance as she slid off the bed, moving closer to her friend. Ella waiting to see what would happen. Once Layla reached Ella, she stopped and looked at her.

     "Because these are not something you should have," Layla said, pulling Ella's collar down to expose the bruises that would be there for days should James not heal them at one point or another. Ella shoved Layla's hand away, "Casual hook-ups don't mark each other up and act like you do. You are being irresponsible. Letting yourself get heartbroken for some stupid boy that doesn't even care about you! You're being stupid! That's why I care!" Layla finished her rant. Taking a step back from Layla, huffing before she just walked to the bedside table. She picked up the book from her bedside table. Ella watching as Layla flicked through a few pages, "Out of her favour, where I am in love." Layla read before Ella continued the passage. Reciting Benvolio's line back to Layla who flicked to the next page and instead read dialogue to her.

     "Romeo asked 'Dost thou not laugh?'. Benvolio responded to him 'No, coz, I rather weep' and Romeo asked once again 'Good heart, at what?'. Finally Benvolio says 'At thy good heart's oppression'," Layla finished, looking up at her best friend. Waiting to see if Ella realised what was Layla was desperately wanting to convey. As Ella stared at the play in Layla's hand, it seemed to click on the brunette's head.

     "I'm not like 'im. I'm not Romeo," Ella rebutted and Layla chuckled, closing the book and discarding it on the bed, "I'm not some lovesick fool that's gonna kill myself for James," Ella waved her hand. Layla gently took a hold of Ella's hand. Clearly, the girl had not understand what Layla actually meant.

     "It wasn't about you being Romeo. It was about why I care about you. You have a good heart. You are the most wonderful girl I know yet you let your heart be beaten down by a boy who you know doesn't love you like you love him," Layla said as she looked into Ella's eyes. The brunette let out a sigh and then pulled away, sitting down on her bed again. Layla was certainly right but Ella couldn't say anything. Not now and not with his obsession over Lily still very much ongoing.

     "I can't tell 'im and you know why. I don't want to break my heart even if I know he doesn't love me back. And I can't tell 'im now. Not with 'is match tomorrow and not with 'im trying to impress Lily. She'll probably say yes to 'im after she sees 'im tomorrow, actin' as Captain and winnin'. He'll break it off after that and I'll be free. He won't have to know." Ella said quickly. Wanting to put off the inevitable and also convince Layla that was she is doing is the right thing. That she isn't being cruel and making James deal with unfair emotions before his big day. Gryffindor needed to score highly and they needed to be on their a-game. He didn't need to be thinking about Ella's feelings while he is playing.

     "You have to tell him, Ella. After this match, next week. Just soon, you know you do," Layla responded. Ella nodded and then she threw her copy of Romeo and Juliet onto her bedside table. Her exam timetable skittering off onto the floor. A soft sigh escaped her lips. There was no way she'd be able to tell him soon. She had to revise. She didn't need to be thinking about that.

     "I'll tell 'im after the exams." Ella muttered as she grabbed her wand. Muttering "accio" to bring her timetable to her. Once she had it in her hand, she read over the timetable. The amount of exams she had was standard but it didn't stop her stomach from twisting. They were in two weeks time and she didn't want to lose him before then.

     There was too much riding on these exams for relationships to even matter. She had to just concentrate on doing well. She needed to study. She didn't want to jeopardise James either. He was doing well in class. He was going to come out with amazing grades but if she said something about her feelings, she might ruin that. It would send him off-track and that was the opposite of what she wanted to do. She wanted him to do as well as he deserved to.

     "I'll hold you to that. It's better to tell him then than let them simmer over the Christmas Holidays. I know how close your families are. It'll cause even more issues if you say nothing. You know it will," Layla said. Her words seemed logical but Ella knew that if she told James, it would only cause a larger rift. Ella often went to James' house for the Christmas break. At least a week of it was spent at the Potter's and if she said something before Christmas, that week would be the worst week of her life.

     Now, she had no idea when she was going to tell him. If she did it after Christmas, she was sure she'd lose her nerve but she couldn't ruin Christmas. She just couldn't. That was her happy time that she spent with her mother and James' family. She couldn't ruin it with the feelings she wasn't even supposed to have. Rather than responding, Ella just let out a 'mhm' and then went back to looking at her timetable. Deciding to do some studying before she went to sleep that night.

***

𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄 ! sooo more of the aftermath, remus being not so subtle in trying to keep them apart and the real motives for layla have come to light. or more of her motives anyway, ella and layla's friendship is one of the best things ella has in her life but she's just too lovesick to realise, it's lowkey sad but we move. ahhh i feel like i do not have much to say here though it is a shorter chapter. so anyway i hope you enjoyed <3