Chapter Text
Leda and James kept their relationship under relative wraps for the first few weeks. They told their close friends, siblings, and cousins, but that was it. James rather enjoyed sneaking into broom closets and abandoned classrooms for a snog, but Leda was slightly concerned with the reaction they would get once everyone found out about their relationship.
They decided to mention the news to their families over the summer break. Which would have been fine and perfectly acceptable had Leda’s parents not moved up their summer party to the day after they arrived back from Hogwarts.
The Malfoy’s annual summer party was just an excuse her parents used to actually catch up with all their friends and to have the kids entertain themselves before everyone went their separate ways for the summer. Though Leda was hoping to still keep seeing one particular Potter despite the summer months separating them.
Leda clutched her drink in her hand while she watched her boyfriend talk with her father. Of course, she knew their conversation was not about her relationship with James. There was no way her father would look that calm if it was.
“You look beautiful, dear,” Narcissa Malfoy beamed, walking over to hug her eldest grandchild. “I’m glad to see the dress I bought you fits properly.”
“Thanks, Grandma.” Leda smiled as Narcissa inspected her with a knowing gaze.
“Scorpius tells me that you have many suitors after you at Hogwarts.”
“I think suitors is a strong word for them,” Leda chuckled nervously. Her eyes flittered over to James, who had moved onto discussing something with Albus and Scorpius.
“Well, I think James would make a lovely addition to the family,” Narcissa whispered with a wink, causing Leda to pale. “I won’t tell your father. Though perhaps the two of you should learn to be more discrete. One of you always has the eyes on the other. It’s quite obvious, dear.”
“Thanks, Grandma. I just don’t want him to freak out,” Leda sighed, looking at the floor. Narcissa nodded in understanding.
“He is rather dramatic, is he not?” she mused before shaking her head. Spotting James making his way over, Narcissa smiled softly. “I’ll leave you two be.”
“Mrs. Malfoy, you look radiant as always,” James complimented, earning a wider smile from the Malfoy matriarch.
“Thank you, James, dear. Excuse me, I should go check on the hors devoirs.”
As Narcisssa walked off, Leda sent an amused look towards James. “Radiant? You called my grandmother radiant? You really are trying to win family points today, aren’t you?”
“Well, your mum likes me. Your grandma likes me. You like me. I’d like to think that cancels your dad out,” James joked, causing Leda to shake her head. “I brought your gift, by the way.”
“You didn’t have to—”
“—Of course, I’m getting you a gift, Leda. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t get you something for your birthday? We just need to find a way to sneak out so that I can give it to you.”
“This better be a PG rated gift, James.”
“Well, I won’t argue if it progresses past that at a later point,” James winked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Leda rolled her eyes at him.
“Not if you keep looking at me with that bloody smirk.”
“Noted,” James replied, instantly dropping the smirk.
With all the people milling around, James and Leda had managed to sneak off to Leda’s room as the second round of drinks and hors devoirs were served around the room. Once they were out of sight, James reached for Leda’s hand, grabbing it as they hurried up the stairs as quietly as they could.
Leda closed the door behind her before turning to James, who was instantly on her. Giggling into the kiss, Leda pushed him away lightly. “If we return with swollen lips, I think we’re going to have a lot of questions.”
“Then make your lips look less kissable."
“I’ll try,” Leda joked, leaning up to press a quick kiss to his lips. Taking a small step back, James reached into his pocket and pulled out a small fabric bag. Leda raised an eyebrow as he placed it into her outstretched hand. “If whatever is in this bag ruins this dress, you’ll be both dead and dumped, James Sirius Potter.”
“Just open the bag,” James huffed, pouting slightly.
Leda rolled her eyes but opened the bag anyways. James stared to look giddy, earning an amused expression from his girlfriend. Leda’s fingertips brushed against some cool metal. Pulling it out, Leda stared in surprise at a ring with a metal replica of a snitch in place of a gemstone.
“It’s not a proposal of any kind,” James assured her, reading the surprised look on her face. “It’s a pinky ring. I know you lost the other one you usually wore.”
“How did you know I lost it?” Leda asked as she studied the new ring.
“Well, I asked Albus to ask Scorpius who asked one of his Ravenclaw friends to steal it from you so I could figure out your size. And then I may have lost it,” James admitted sheepishly. Leda shot him a look. “I’m 90% sure it’s somewhere in my trunk but—"
“—It’s fine, James,” Leda spoke, shaking her head playfully. “It didn’t even cost a galleon.”
“And I got you a better one as a replacement. Touch the snitch.”
Leda slid the ring onto her left pinky before pressing a finger to it tentatively. The snitch drew back, showing a small Ravenclaw crest beneath it. Leda’s eyes widened in surprise, before she turned to James, who looked rather pleased with himself.
“It also has your name inscribed on it next to the phrase ‘best seeker at Hogwarts’,” James replied, sticking his hands in his pocket as Leda smiled softly. Cupping his cheeks with her hands, she pressed a kiss to his lips.
“I love it.”
“But not as much as you love me, right?” James teased, wrapping his arms around her waist.
“Hmm, maybe. Not sure yet,” Leda joked, causing James to gasp in mock hurt.
“You wound me, woman.”
“Let me make it up to you then,” Leda smirked before reconnecting their lips.
James eagerly responded, and Leda seemed to forget her earlier scolding about swollen lips. Leda tilted her head to the side as James pressed another heated kiss to her lips. One of her hands slid down his chest to fist his jumper. James, ever the cheeky bastard, snuck a squeeze of Leda’s bum, and deepened the kiss when his girlfriend gasped at the action.
But Leda did not seem to mind, moaning into the kiss. Her hands flew up to his hair, tousling it with her nimble fingers. She didn’t have to worry about James and messy hair meaning anything. He’d never been able to tame his hair before, much like his father.
“Leda,” Draco called suddenly, knocking on the door. Leda hurried to push James off of her, both teenagers suddenly panicking.
“Yeah, Dad?” she returned nervously.
“Are you alright? You’ve been up here for a bit.”
“I’m fine!”
“Your mother was wondering if you had your grandmother’s necklace. The one that Cassie was asking about.”
Leda cursed under her breath before pushing James towards the curtains around her windows. “Yeah, I’ll look for it, Dad! I’ll bring it downstairs!” Leda yelled over her shoulder, before turning to her boyfriend, a terrified expression on her face.
Leda knew that her father would have been displeased to find out that Leda and James were dating. He would have been irate—murderous even—if the way that he found out included finding Leda and James alone in her bedroom.
“Are you sure that you’re alright, Leda?”
“I’m fine, Dad!”
“Can you open the door?”
“Yeah, just a second!”
Leda ushered James behind the curtains. He winked at her, earning a harsh glare, before quickly casting a disillusionment charm over himself to hide. He knew he should have brought the invisibility cloak. Leda quickly straightening herself out, checking the mirror just to be sure. Rushing, Leda smiled sheepishly as she opened the door for her father, who raised an eyebrow at her expression.
“Hey, Dad.”
“Are you sure you’re fine, sweetheart? You look a bit flushed.”
“Just a little warm is all,” Leda lied, before clearing her throat.
“Are you sick?” Draco continued worriedly, pressing the back of his hand to Leda’s forehead.
“I’m fine,” Leda insisted, pulling his hand away. “Now, the necklace.”
“Right, yes, the necklace.” Leda walked over to her jewelry box and started rifling around for the stupid necklace that seemed intent upon ruining her time with her boyfriend.
Draco waited patiently when he paused, thinking he heard a slight shuffle. Raising an eyebrow, he turned around, auror senses sharpened and on edge. Just because he didn’t see anything amiss did not mean that nothing was amiss.
The small shuffle of the curtain caused Draco to narrow his eyes. He pulled out his wand, subtly standing in between his daughter and the curtains. Leda was too busy desperately rifling around her jewelry box to find the bloody necklace to comment on her father’s actions.
“Here it is, Dad,” Leda announced, finally pulling the necklace out of her jewelry box.
Of course, the moment that she pulled it out was the same moment whereby Draco Malfoy yanked back the curtain, wordlessly ended the disillusionment charm, and pulled James from his hiding spot by the front of his shirt. Not even registering who it was, Draco pinned James to the ground roughly, holding his wand to James’s neck.
Draco’s eyes widened suddenly in shock before narrowing in fury at the sight of the familiar teenage boy. James could do nothing other than smile and chuckle nervously, clearly knowing that he was in serious danger.
“Hey, Mr. Malfoy,” James stated sheepishly.
“Dad, get off him!”
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing, Potter!? I should have you strung up by your hair for sneaking in here and hiding behind the curtain like some disgusting voyeur—”
“—He’s not a voyeur, Dad! Get off of him!” Leda interjected, trying to push her father off of her boyfriend.
“Leda, he violated your privacy and that’s completely unacceptable—”
“—He didn’t do anything! I invited him up here! I hid him behind the curtain!”
“What?” Draco gasped out, looking utterly flabbergasted.
“What is going on here?” Hermione called, walking into the room.
She took a moment to survey the scene. James was still pinned to the ground by Draco, who looked a mix of murderous and utterly confused. Leda was still trying to push Draco off of James, who looked rather close to pissing himself.
“Draco, get off of him for Godric’s sake!”
“You invited him up here!?” Draco hissed at his daughter as he begrudgingly stood up. Leda ignored him for a moment, helping pull her boyfriend back to his feet. “Why!?”
“Because we’re dating,” Leda announced firmly, holding James’s hand in her own. Draco and Hermione shared an incredulous look before turning back to their daughter.
“Mr. Malfoy, if I may—”
“—You may not, Potter. I’ve heard enough from you today.”
“Dad, he hasn’t even said anything!”
“Draco, honestly, we should discuss this like adults.”
“What is there to discuss? This . . .” Draco fumbled around for a word that was harsh enough to explain his displeasure without setting off his wife or daughter, “. . . hooligan was hiding behind your daughter’s curtains when I came up here. With a disillusionment charm.”
“Is that true, Leda?” Hermione asked, turning to her daughter.
“Well, yes, but—”
“—But nothing. You’re not allowed to have boys up here, Leda!”
“Would you be freaking out like this if I had been hiding a girlfriend up here instead?” Leda huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.
“A girlfriend can’t get you pregnant!” Draco snapped back.
“Who’s pregnant?” Ginny inquired, walking into the room. “What’s taking so long? Your mum wanted to start dinner soon.” Ginny surveyed the scene for a moment before she glanced over at her own son, who was standing awfully close to Leda. She sighed and frowned, shaking her head. “I swear to Godric, James Sirius Potter, if you got poor Leda pregnant—”
“—I didn’t, Mum!” James yelped, before pausing and turning to his girlfriend. “Right?” Leda glowered at her boyfriend as Hermione held her husband back from committing murder. “I mean . . .” he trailed off, clearly nervous.
“Oh, I’ve heard enough! Leda, you’re not allowed to see James anymore!”
“Dad!”
“Draco, you can’t ban her from seeing him! They go to Hogwarts together!”
“Watch me!”
“What is going on here?” Harry questioned, walking into the room. He had heard the yelling from downstairs and decided to investigate. “What’s gotten you worked up now, Malfoy?”
“I caught your son hiding in my daughter’s room! And apparently,” Draco trailed off, shooting a deadly glare at James, “this isn’t the first time he’s been alone with her.”
“James, is that true?” Harry asked his son, who nodded in confirmation.
“We’re dating.”
“For how long?” Harry continued, hoping that drawing out the questions would allow Draco’s skin to return to a less tomato-like color.
“A couple of months.”
“James.”
“Six months.”
“A bloody Potter, Leda, really?” Draco sputtered out, causing Hermione to smack her husband’s shoulder.
“Dad!” Leda scolded, her cheeks tinting red. Draco rubbed his temples tiredly, already feeling a headache coming on.
“Hey, what’s wrong with Potter’s?” Harry demanded, crossing his arms over his chest as he shot Draco a look.
“How long have you got?” Draco scoffed, before turning back to James and Leda. “You two are not allowed to be alone together. Ever again.”
“Draco, they’re old enough to date,” Hermione huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “James is already seventeen and Leda is almost seventeen as well. And it’s not like James is a complete stranger to us either.”
“We’ll have a talk with James when we get home about how to properly conduct himself,” Ginny added, shooting a look at her eldest. “But otherwise, I don’t think there’s anything any of us can do about this situation. They’re old enough to make their own decisions.”
Narcissa Malfoy chose that moment to enter the room, an amused smile on her lips. “I see that you didn’t take my advice, Leda.”
“You knew!?” Draco accused his mother, who shot him a look.
“Of course, I knew, Draco, dear. Don’t act like you were a saint when you were their age either.”
“Mother,” Draco huffed, but Narcissa simply raised a challenging eyebrow, daring her son to fight her on this. “Fine,” he muttered out, turning back to James and Leda. “You can date.”
“That was never the question,” Leda shot back at her father, crossing her arms over her chest.
“As long as Potter behaves himself that is,” Draco continued, shooting a look at James. “Potter, keep your hands and all other appendages to yourself. And I do mean all. Or they will be removed. Permanently.”
“I’m not sure what you’re suggesting, Mr. Malfoy,” James spoke before wincing as Leda reached out to pinch his side.
“Pretend you’re dating me. Don’t do anything to my daughter you wouldn’t do to me,” Draco replied. Leda groaned, covering her face.
“I think we’ve embarrassed them enough for one night.” Harry gestured for the adults to follow him, but Draco reached out to grab his arm.
“Would you leave your sixteen-year-old daughter alone in her room with a seventeen-year-old boy?” Draco asked Harry in a deadpan. The two former enemies turned to glance between James and Leda, who had already taken a few steps closer to each other.
“Fair point. James, you better come with us,” Harry sighed, motioning for his eldest to join him.
“Dad—”
“—We’ll talk about it later, James.”