The next morning, Aisley, who had stayed overnight at the sprawling Potter mansion, was downstairs eating breakfast and checking out the advertisements in the Daily Prophet when Cameron Apparated to a spot directly behind her. Normally, he wouldn't even try to sneak up on someone after Apparating behind them- it was too loud to go unnoticed. But Aisley, bless her, was so absorbed in her paper that she didn't even look up, much less hear him.
“Boo!” he whispered in her ear.
“Aaaaah!!!” she shrieked, jumping out of her seat. When she realized who it was, Aisley glared. Cameron had the gall to continue with his borderline-hysterical laughter.
“It’s not funny!” she growled. “You scared the living daylights out of me!”
“I know.” Cameron replied, looking extremely pleased with himself. “And it was so easy, too.”
“Cam! I was in the middle of something!”
“Yeah? What?” Curious, Cameron boosted himself up to sit on the counter. “Looked to me like you were just reading the Prophet.”
“For your information, I was looking for a place to rent.” Aisley huffed, for once in her life able to stay mad at him for more than two seconds.
“How are you going to afford it? Last time I checked, you didn’t have a job, or if you did, it wasn’t a paying job.” he countered, already forming a plan in his head.
“Shows how much you know, Cameron Arthur Potter.” Aisley retorted angrily. “While I was traveling, I took the time to start my Auror training. I’m in my last year, and I’m going to finish up my studies here. That means I’ll have some pay, plus what I saved while I was traveling- Aurors get much better pay in France, Belgium, and Spain, as do all trainees. I can afford to rent a place somewhere.”
“Fine. “ Cameron grabbed the paper from her hands. “Come live with me.”
“What!?” Aisley exploded. “I’m not THAT desperate, Cam, to want to live with you.” Cameron was strangely hurt by her comment.
“I didn’t mean just me, Aisley.” he said quietly, ignoring the look of shame that had crossed her face. Served her right. “I’m sharing a house with Sirius and Rebecca. It’s a nice, comfy, homey, affordable place, but entirely too much space for just the three of us. And Rebecca is getting tired of being the only female in there. It’s fairly close to headquarters, and it’s a better deal than you’ll find in any of those advertisements. But since you obviously don’t want to be around me..” he trailed off.
“Cam.” Aisley hadn’t missed the hurt that had come into his voice. “I’m sorry. I...you know I hate feeling like I’m being coddled.” Aisley ran a hand through her waist-length hair.
“Yeah, whatever.” Cameron replied, still stinging. Aisley sighed.
“You dolt. What I’m trying to say is that I accept.”
“You what?” he asked incredulously.
“I accept. I’ll come be your roomie. Or one of them, anyways.” Cameron hopped down from the counted and swung her off her feet.
“I knew it!” he said joyously, giving her a smacking kiss. “We’ll have you completely moved in by noon.”
“Hey Cam?” Aisley said after a beat.
“Yeah, darling?”
“You’re going to have to let go of me first.” she said dryly. Cam, much to her amusement, blushed, but all he said was “Oh...right.”
“Well, come on roomie. The least you can do is help me finish my breakfast.” Aisley said, trying to make the awkward silence disappear.
“You won’t be sorry, Aisley.” Cam stated quietly.
For whatever reason, as she looked at Cam’s handsome face in the early morning light, Aisley had the suspicion that she would regret her decision.
By 12:15 that afternoon, Cam and Aisley had moved all of her belongings to the house.
“Merlin, girl!” Cam said when they were finally finished. “Why do you have so many bloody clothes?”
“Because.” Aisley said simply, plopping into a chair.
“Because why?” Cameron persisted.
“I just do, okay!” she sputtered. “It’s a girl thing, one which I’m too tired to try and explain.
“Well then, I’m going to go do a ‘guy thing’ and grab a snack.” he retorted. Aisley just nodded and stayed where she was. She was completely exhausted. Since Cam and his siblings lived in a predominantly muggle neighborhood, they’d had to move all of her stuff without magic.
When Cam reappeared, Aisley moved over slightly so he could slide in next to her- the chair was plenty big enough to seat two people. As he sat down, she took a good look at his ‘snack,’ which consisted of enough food to feed a small army.
“Hungry, are we?” she asked, one eyebrow delicately lifted.
“Mhmm..” was Cam’s only reply. Aisley decided that he had more than enough food to share, so she grabbed a handful of chips. Cam jerked the bag away.
“Hey!” Aisley cried.
“Go get your own.” Cam said, amused.
“Meanie.” Aisley pouted, something she did remarkably well for a twenty-year-old.
“That may have worked when we were six, honey, but not anymore.”
‘Maybe not.’ Aisley thought. ‘But this certainly will.’ With a flick of her wand, she summoned the chips to her and commenced eating. To her surprise, Cam retaliated by knocking her out of the chair. Before she could react, he had gotten out of his seat and was tickling her mercilessly.
“Cam!” she giggled, trying desperately to escape.
“It’s what you get! Now say ‘Cam is my master; I live to serve him’ or I won’t stop.”
Instead of complying, Aisley knocked one of his feet out from under him. A violent tussle ensued. After fifteen minutes, Cam managed to pin Aisley underneath him.
“Say it!” he growled. “Or I won’t stop at tickling.”
Aisley tried to say something, but she was laughing so hard that Cam couldn’t understand her. He leaned in closer to try and catch her words.
“What did you say?” he asked, but Aisley didn’t answer. She just looked at him, those bright blue eyes huge and wary. Not having any idea of what he was doing, Cam leaned in closer still until they were less than a centimeter apart. Closer, closer still until their lips were almost touching.
“Well, well, well.” a voice sounded from the front door, only a few feet away.
Hey, so it's me again! I know, I know, lousy way to end the chapter, but where I had it ending before made it entirely too short. Anywho, read and review, please!
Write a Review Life, Love, and Everything in Between: Moving Day, Part 1
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