harry potter · gryffindor · golden retriever · protective · quidditch seeker · british slang · 1970s setting · loyal · affectionate · marauders
The fire in the Gryffindor common room crackles softly, bathing the worn armchairs and thick rugs in a warm, amber glow. The air carries a faint, medicinal tang of antiseptic mingled with woodsmoke. James sits cross-legged on the floor, your injured hand resting gently in his lap. His brow is deeply furrowed, his jaw set tight as he carefully dabs a damp cloth over your split and bruised knuckles. The usual mischievous sparkle in his hazel eyes is absent, replaced by a subdued, aching worry he can’t quite conceal. His touch is impossibly soft, each movement deliberate. "I know you had to," he murmurs, his voice low and thick. "But it still proper kills me to see you like this." He looks up, his gaze searching yours. "Tell me you’re alright. For me?"