Perfection
Harry Potter, NC-17, ~1,000 words, vague spoiler for PoA. James/Peter.
The moment Peter set eyes on James, when they were stepping off the boats with the other first years, he knew he had found something that was perfect. It was raining and the whole herd of eleven-year-olds was soaked through, robes trailing on the ground and hair dripping into apprehensive eyes. Only James kept from looking a total idiot. The just-fell-in-a-puddle look somehow worked for him. When they reached the Great Hall, he ran his fingers once through his tangled black hair, and Peter watched.
He didn't realize then that the only reason James hadn't looked as bedraggled as the rest of them was the water-repelling charm he'd affixed to his glasses, robes, and key portions of skin. In Charms class three years later, they learned that same charm, and the ease with which James mastered it caused even slow little Peter to put two and two together: James had been practicing fourth-year spells before he even started school. The boy was brilliant, no doubt about that, but that fact only served to increase the level of respect Peter had for him.
Of course, James became fast friends with Sirius Black, the other smartest kid at Hogwarts. Peter liked Sirius, and looked up to him, but he was just a little too wild. James balanced reckless fun and common sense, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, and Peter tagged along at the rear, hoping some of James Potter's perfection would rub off on him.
Somehow, Peter became one of the gang, and not until then, not until he was officially a Marauder and had a nickname and bumbled through the process of becoming an Animagus, did he notice how often James and Sirius touched each other. Not until then did he see the secret smiles they shot each other when they thought no one was looking; not until then did he pay attention to the number of times they both stayed in the common room long after everyone else had gone to bed. Peter wasn't surprised when he realized what was going on, only ashamed of not having seen it sooner. It was perfectly natural that his perfect idol would choose his almost-perfect best friend, and Peter thought nothing more of it.
It was Severus Snape, of all people, who eventually broke up the perfect couple. Sirius often went too far, but it took a lot to go too far for James. Finally, he managed it. Again they stayed up in the common room after everyone else had gone to bed, not snogging this time but yelling loud enough that the only Gryffindor who got any sleep that night was Remus (who always collapsed as if he were dead the night after the full moon).
It was nearly five in the morning when James stomped into the dorm. Peter clambered out of bed and stood there, not knowing what to say, as James tossed his clothes onto the floor. Finally, he murmured, "James? Are you okay?"
Naked, James stopped short and looked over. He was red-faced from yelling and, Peter was embarrassed to note, he was hard. "Okay? No, I'm not bloody okay. I'm pissed off and horny as hell."
The idea of James being sexually interested in him had never before crossed Peter's mind, not seriously. He had fantasized about it, but never considered the possibility that it might actually happen. Their roles were clear: James was the perfect one, Sirius was his roguish sidekick, Remus was the quiet one, and Peter was the other one, the one who always tried to please and nearly never succeeded. But Sirius was clearly no longer James's sidekick, at least for the moment, so why couldn't Peter succeed for once?
"James? You know..."
James, halfway to his bed, stopped again. "What?"
"I could... if you want..."
Peter let his words trail off, not because he didn't know what he was offering but because he knew that he would be rejected if he was direct. As it was, James was eyeing him, thinking about it. Peter could almost hear him think Well, it's either this or jack off, and when he glanced quickly at Remus's bed to make sure he was asleep, Peter knew what was about to happen.
He didn't expect James to kiss him, but he did, biting and sucking and taking absolute control. He pushed Peter down onto the bed and knelt over him, rubbing Peter's cock through his pajamas, making sure Peter was as frustrated and desperate as he was. Then he rolled Peter over, his grip leaving fingernail marks in Peter's arm, and before Peter's mind had caught up with the action, James had yanked down his waistband and slammed into him.
It hurt. Peter's immediate reaction was a startled groan, which was quickly and effectively silenced by a pillow. James had no time for Peter's pain; he was intent on his own pleasure, and once Peter forced himself to relax and give James what he needed, he started to feel the pleasure too. James clearly knew what he was doing, even with the roughness. He angled down and his thrusts began to hit a spot inside Peter that made him clench the pillow between his teeth to avoid moans that would wake even Remus.
The friction of the mattress under him combined with the sensation flooding him from inside made Peter come first, and the muscular contractions from his orgasm pushed James over the edge. They lay there for a moment, saying nothing, recovering, then James pulled away and returned to his own bed, leaving Peter to clean up the mess.
It hadn't been perfect, not at all. But it had been real, and Peter was beginning to suspect that was even better than perfect.
The moment Peter set eyes on James, when they were stepping off the boats with the other first years, he knew he had found something that was perfect. It was raining and the whole herd of eleven-year-olds was soaked through, robes trailing on the ground and hair dripping into apprehensive eyes. Only James kept from looking a total idiot. The just-fell-in-a-puddle look somehow worked for him. When they reached the Great Hall, he ran his fingers once through his tangled black hair, and Peter watched.
He didn't realize then that the only reason James hadn't looked as bedraggled as the rest of them was the water-repelling charm he'd affixed to his glasses, robes, and key portions of skin. In Charms class three years later, they learned that same charm, and the ease with which James mastered it caused even slow little Peter to put two and two together: James had been practicing fourth-year spells before he even started school. The boy was brilliant, no doubt about that, but that fact only served to increase the level of respect Peter had for him.
Of course, James became fast friends with Sirius Black, the other smartest kid at Hogwarts. Peter liked Sirius, and looked up to him, but he was just a little too wild. James balanced reckless fun and common sense, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, and Peter tagged along at the rear, hoping some of James Potter's perfection would rub off on him.
Somehow, Peter became one of the gang, and not until then, not until he was officially a Marauder and had a nickname and bumbled through the process of becoming an Animagus, did he notice how often James and Sirius touched each other. Not until then did he see the secret smiles they shot each other when they thought no one was looking; not until then did he pay attention to the number of times they both stayed in the common room long after everyone else had gone to bed. Peter wasn't surprised when he realized what was going on, only ashamed of not having seen it sooner. It was perfectly natural that his perfect idol would choose his almost-perfect best friend, and Peter thought nothing more of it.
It was Severus Snape, of all people, who eventually broke up the perfect couple. Sirius often went too far, but it took a lot to go too far for James. Finally, he managed it. Again they stayed up in the common room after everyone else had gone to bed, not snogging this time but yelling loud enough that the only Gryffindor who got any sleep that night was Remus (who always collapsed as if he were dead the night after the full moon).
It was nearly five in the morning when James stomped into the dorm. Peter clambered out of bed and stood there, not knowing what to say, as James tossed his clothes onto the floor. Finally, he murmured, "James? Are you okay?"
Naked, James stopped short and looked over. He was red-faced from yelling and, Peter was embarrassed to note, he was hard. "Okay? No, I'm not bloody okay. I'm pissed off and horny as hell."
The idea of James being sexually interested in him had never before crossed Peter's mind, not seriously. He had fantasized about it, but never considered the possibility that it might actually happen. Their roles were clear: James was the perfect one, Sirius was his roguish sidekick, Remus was the quiet one, and Peter was the other one, the one who always tried to please and nearly never succeeded. But Sirius was clearly no longer James's sidekick, at least for the moment, so why couldn't Peter succeed for once?
"James? You know..."
James, halfway to his bed, stopped again. "What?"
"I could... if you want..."
Peter let his words trail off, not because he didn't know what he was offering but because he knew that he would be rejected if he was direct. As it was, James was eyeing him, thinking about it. Peter could almost hear him think Well, it's either this or jack off, and when he glanced quickly at Remus's bed to make sure he was asleep, Peter knew what was about to happen.
He didn't expect James to kiss him, but he did, biting and sucking and taking absolute control. He pushed Peter down onto the bed and knelt over him, rubbing Peter's cock through his pajamas, making sure Peter was as frustrated and desperate as he was. Then he rolled Peter over, his grip leaving fingernail marks in Peter's arm, and before Peter's mind had caught up with the action, James had yanked down his waistband and slammed into him.
It hurt. Peter's immediate reaction was a startled groan, which was quickly and effectively silenced by a pillow. James had no time for Peter's pain; he was intent on his own pleasure, and once Peter forced himself to relax and give James what he needed, he started to feel the pleasure too. James clearly knew what he was doing, even with the roughness. He angled down and his thrusts began to hit a spot inside Peter that made him clench the pillow between his teeth to avoid moans that would wake even Remus.
The friction of the mattress under him combined with the sensation flooding him from inside made Peter come first, and the muscular contractions from his orgasm pushed James over the edge. They lay there for a moment, saying nothing, recovering, then James pulled away and returned to his own bed, leaving Peter to clean up the mess.
It hadn't been perfect, not at all. But it had been real, and Peter was beginning to suspect that was even better than perfect.