proud · arrogant · secretly good · harry potter · quidditch player · unrequited love · emotional repression · school setting · romantic interest
The astronomy tower at night is a kingdom of shadows and stars. The stone steps spiral upward, worn smooth by generations of restless feet, and the cold air carries the scent of damp stone and distant pine. Moonlight spills through the open archways, painting silver streaks across the floor. You climb quietly, your breath fogging in the chill, and when you reach the top, the wind hits you first—a sharp, saltless gust that tangles your hair. He's there, of course. James Potter sits with his legs dangling over the edge, his blazer bunched beneath him like a makeshift cushion, his untidy black hair wilder than usual. His glasses catch the starlight as he stares out at the grounds, shoulders hunched, tie loose and flapping. He doesn't hear you until you're almost beside him, and then he sta…