A week ago, Juniper had never been kissed, and now here she was, sitting in the back of beat up pick up truck, snogging a beautiful boy in the moonlight. Everything seemed so surreal. Her time in Los Angeles felt like a chapter out of someone else's life. She was on a cliff overlooking the goddamn ocean for one, though the water wasn't really the thing she was interested in. The minutes had gone by far too fast. A lightheaded, sun soaked daze full of stolen kisses, surfing, sand, tan lines, and polaroid pictures.

Juniper looked up at Alex, leaning back into his broad chest as he wrapped his flannel around her shoulders. He tilted her chin up for another kiss, and she smiled against his lips. The moment was bittersweet. They both knew from the beginning that this thing they'd embarked upon had an end date. A ticking time bomb of a fling, and a fling it would remain. Maybe in another life, those words that had been running through Juniper's head lately. Neither of them wanted a long distance relationship, but Juniper suspected that if they lived nearer to each other or just had more time she could have loved Alex.

She sighed, taking his hand, "We should probably head back soon, my flight's at six."

"Mmm, Alex murmured into her hair, probably." Neither moved.

"I wish-" Juniper started, not knowing quite what to say.

"Shhh." Alex softly put a finger to her mouth, "None of that c'mon Juniper." He held her closer.

"I know, I know." Juniper shook her head, and then mulled, "Maybe we'll meet again, some day, when we're all grown up. You'll have a beard."

"A beard?"

"Yes a big mountain man beard, and we'll meet at a coffeeshop somewhere. And at first you won't know it's me, but-"

"I'll know it's you."

"What if I'm wrinkled and horribly disfigured?"

"And why would you be wrinkled and horribly disfigured?"

"I was in a fire."

Alex chuckled, rolling his eyes, "I'll still know it's you."

"What if I had an eyepatch?"

"Even then."

"What if-"

"Juniper..." Alex gave her a look, shutting her up with a swift kiss.

"Okay, she smiled, blush rising to her cheeks, you'll know it's me. And I'll know it's you. And we'll sit down for coffee and-"

"You make it sound like we won't see each other for years." Alex laughed, "We can still be friends you know."

"Really?" Juniper's face lit up. She was hoping he would say that. She genuinely liked Alex as a person, and although the kissing was a great bonus, she could live without it. She wasn't sure, however, that she could live without having Alex as a friend. She'd grown surprisingly close with him this summer, James as well, and found she was glad her mother had dragged them all down here. This experience had really opened her eyes to how she was holding herself back. Why was it that every time she went on a trip she came back with a new sense of self?

"Of course." Alex shrugged calmly, and then gave her a daring grin, "Friends that can make out though. If that's ok with you."

Juniper giggled, punching him lightly on the shoulder, "Alex!"

"Hey what's a little kissing between friends?" He quipped, eyes twinkling, "Nothing says besties like swapping saliva."

Juniper laughed even harder, smiling so wide her jaw hurt. Another thing she liked about Alex. He was just so funny, and nice, easy to be around. She didn't have to worry about what he was thinking 24/7, or agonize over what he meant. He was just Alex. It was that simple. "I think you may be the most laidback bloke I've ever met."

"Here we call them chill dudes." Alex dropped his voice jokingly to assume that of a surfer boy's persona, complete with the shaka signs. "It kind of comes with the territory." He gestured to the postcard ready landscape surrounding them, and paused, "So who's the lucky guy?"

"Guy?" Juniper's brow furrowed, "What guy?"

"The guy back in London, Alex stated casually, the one who stopped you from kissing me on that beach. What was up with that by the way?" His tone turned teasing, "That was a cinematic quality kiss right there."

Juniper glared at him, stifling a smile, "I said I was sorry!"

"It's ok, he grinned, whispering in her ear, I think we more than made up for it. Don't you?"

"Shut up." She replied, flushing as she swatted him away. There was a beat of silence. "You'll write?"

Alex made a face, "Can't I call? I'm shit at writing."

"It has to be letters."

"What you don't have phones in Europe?" He snorted.

"None that work at Hogwarts." She explained smugly.

"Are you living in the Dark Ages or something?"

"Short answer?" Juniper nodded, snickering, "Yes." She gazed at him with big puppy dog eyes, "Please! They don't have to be good letters. Just enough information that I know you're not lying dead in a ditch somewhere."

"I think I'm going to need some persuasion." Alex smirked, cocking an eyebrow in challenge.

She pecked him on the cheek with exasperation, not wanting to let him know she was enjoying his little antics.

"You missed." He replied cheekily, kissing her full on the mouth. She felt the butterflies in her stomach start to go crazy again.

Juniper thought about Alex the whole flight home, and it was a hard feat considering James's loud snores next to her. She thought about the beach and surfing. She thought about Alex's lips on hers and laughing so hard her stomach hurt. Her birthday was in three days, well her and James's she supposed. She hadn't told Alex that. He probably would've wanted to get her a present or something. He was sweet that way. For a brief moment she wondered what it might have been like to spend her birthday with Alex, in California, but then cleared the image from her head. Every year she spent her birthday the same way. Pancake breakfast and presents with the family, and then the rest of the day was spent with Charlie, Leo, and Teddy. Sometines they did a movie marathon, Quidditch scrimmage, anything you could think of. What mattered was that they were all together. She couldn't remember a birthday where they hadn't been there, in fact, she was pretty sure there wasn't one. Juniper wouldn't trade that for the world.

It was then Juniper realized how much she had missed them this summer. She didn't notice it before because she was always distracted, by surfing, or swimming, or Alex...but now all she wanted to do was see their stupid faces again. She could tell James missed them too. Her eyes grew heavy, and her head lolled back onto the seat. Juniper fell asleep dreaming of her familiar house, hoping by the time she awoke she would be home.

They arrived at Heathrow late. The plane had been delayed for a while, meaning the Potters got back even later than expected. Cali was dead asleep, Harry carrying her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Meanwhile, Vanessa looked as though she hadn't gotten wink of sleep the entire flight, dark raccoon-esque circles ringing her eyes, and her headphones pressed firmly to her ears. Juniper thought she actually growled at her when she tried to make conversation. James was bleary eyed and barely coherent, stumbling through the airport like their uncle, Ron, when he'd had too much brandy. She wasn't much better, her entire body was in protest of her being up right now, on the verge of shutting down, no matter how much caffeine she tried to shove in it. The first thing she did when they got home, the familiar scent of fresh laundry and lilies hugging her warmly, was flop down on her bed. Oh her bed! Her wonderful, wonderful bed. Juniper curled up like cat on her comforter, out cold the minute her head hit the pillow.

The next day was a haze of chugging iced coffee, sleeping, and repacking their suitcases for the World Cup. They were meeting everybody at the lake house tomorrow. Thank god the championship was close by this year, Juniper didn't think she could handle another time zone change.

She groaned, throwing stuff out of her dresser, "Mum have you seen my Holy Head Harpies tee shirt?" Juniper yelled down the stairs, hiding back massive yawn.

"Juniper I told you to make sure you had everything this morning!" Miranda chastised. "Harry are we out of coffee?"

"I was sleeping Mum!" Juniper called back indignantly, tearing her room apart in search, "I swear it was right here! Are you sure you didn't put in the wash?"

"What?" Her mother shouted with confusion.

"DID YOU PUT MY SHIRT IN THE WASH?" Juniper repeated loudly.

"James did you hear what your sister said?" She heard her mother sat faintly from down below.

"JUNIE WHAT DID YOU SAY?" James bellowed, not helping in the slightest.

"I SAID, DID-" Juniper began, shouting at the top of her lungs.

"OH FOR FUCK'S SAKE!" Miranda sounded as though she were at her wit's end. Juniper could hear her marching up the stairs, and stared sheepishly at the floor when her mother bustled in to her room, hands on her hips. "I am not shouting up the fucking stairs anymore. What is it that you need Junebug?"

"Mum!" Juniper's eyes widened, "You just-"

"I curse Juniper, I'm an adult. An adult in desperate need of a margarita or preferably a black coffee. So what is it that you need?" Her mother was frazzled, obviously feeling the strong effects of jet lag.

"I can't find my Holy Head Harpies t-shirt."

"Which one?"

"My favorite one."

"Oh Junie," Miranda clucked her tongue disappointedly, "not the one with the holes!"

"Yes mum, the one with the holes." Juniper sighed, annoyed.

"I thought I threw that out."

"You tried. I fished it out of the garbage."

"Don't tell me things like that. It must barely cover your torso now."

"Mum please just help me, I can't find it anywhere, I could've sworn it was-"

"Are you talking about the Holy Head Harpies shirt that is right there on your bed?" Miranda massaged her temples tiredly, sending Juniper an I told you so look.

"Er- yeah. Thanks mum." Juniper smiled sheepishly. How had she not seen that? Juniper was fully convinced that all mums had an uncanny knack for finding things.

"Make sure you pack warmer clothes too Junie, it can get cold at night." Miranda reminded her, walking out the door.

"I know Mum." Juniper pointed to the several hoodies already in her duffel.

"And please don't let your brother forget his underwear again." Miranda said in parting, "We all remember last time."

short filler chapter:)))
i adore alex
fun stuff to come

jealous teddy? maybe ;)
teddy and juniper povs? maybe;)
some family content?
yes yes and yes

goodnight,

coco