'standards'
‘You could’ve been gracious about it.’
‘Gracious? What for? He gave me a bet, I took it and won it. And because he’s an arse I got the bonus of rubbing his nose in it with the whole school watching.’
‘It was hardly a challenge.’
‘Ho, ho!’ He’s shaking his head but smiling. He is sitting in the one of the broad window ledges that overlooks the Forbidden Forest. ‘I do work hard. You underestimate my efforts, Evans.’
I get up from the four-poster and walk to his window. ‘You're a bugger who always gets what he wants easily.’
He laughs slightly at the undertone of accusation in my voice. ‘I didn’t get you easily,’ he says boldly. His voice is soft. He pulls me in between his legs. The sun is setting outside, and it darkens his eyes. I climb on his thighs and am as tall as the length of the window. My hands begin trembling because we’re sitting so close to the edge, and I can’t help but feel like this seems the edge of everything. ‘Does this mean you agree?’
‘No.’ I bring his face up and press my lips lightly against his. After a few seconds, he pulls me breathlessly away from him.
‘You’re in the mood for this, I could tell. But see behind me, I ought to at least bargain for a snog before plummeting to my death.’
‘I must be offended. You forget James that you’d be taking me with you.’