I Smell You
"Potter!" Lily stood at the top of the stairs and glared down at the source of all her misery.
"Evans! You look lovely, as always," James smiled at her from the foot of said staircase.
"Ooh! Prongs! Lily Flowers speaking to you! This is an improvement," Sirius beamed at James.
Lily stomped down the staircase, maintaining her furious eye contact with James the whole way.
"I know you get embarrassed when I compliment you too much, but you just have to know how sexy you look when you're angry with me," James commented.
"Yes, Potter. Any clue why I would be angry with you?" Lily reached the bottom of the staircase and tried to stare down James, but realized that she was just a few inches too short for that. She walked back up two steps and glared down at him.
"You are too adorable. Now, why would Lily be mad at me? Hmm…" James pondered, turning to Sirius for any thoughts.
"Your head is "so big that sometimes the planets get confused and orbit around you instead", your face looks like "the bottom of the Giant Squid's tentacles", and you're getting a little tubby," Sirius shot off.
"Hey! I am not getting tubby!" James flexed, and a couple of third-year girls giggled. "See? I still got it."
Lily groaned.
"You are so infuriating! Do you really not realize that leaving love notes in my Potions textbooks makes it harder for me to read it in class? Professor Slughorn asked me a question today and I gave him the wrong answer!"
"I am beyond certain that he will love you anyways," James grinned adoringly at her.
"Now let's see these love notes!" Sirius clapped his hands with an air of impatience.
"Oh please, I don't have time for this," Lily started to walk back upstairs.
"Accio Lily's Potion textbook!" Sirius flicked his wand lazily.
The textbook zoomed down the stairs, hitting an unfortunate first-year in the head before landing in Sirius's outstretched hand.
"Ooh, sorry about that firstie! Now, Jamesie, let's see how you really feel." Sirius opened the book to a random page. "Uh, Lily, I don't know about you but 'Stir clockwise until green' doesn't really count as a love note in my book."
Lily sighed impatiently.
"…Page 383," she said reluctantly.
James' head whipped towards her.
"You memorized the page!"
She scoffed, and avoided eye contact.
"Ah, here we are," Sirius said. "I'm looking forward to this. James, don't disappoint me."
He began to read aloud.
"Evans,
I see you're learning about Love Potions today. Well, as I'm sure you already know, one of the most identifiable traits of a Love Potion is the three scents that are specific to each person. I thought you might want to know what I smelled in the Potion.
First, I smelled strawberries. As in the same strawberry scent of that the shampoo you use. Every day you sit in front of me in Charms, and every day I get distracted when you flick back your hair.
Second, I smelled butterscotch. As in the same butterscotch brownies you handed out in the Common Room in second year after you found the kitchens for the first time. Do you remember that? I do.
Finally, I smelled Sirius. Just kidding. I'm not in love with that fool, as endearing as he is.
Third, I smelled your jumper. You know the one I'm talking about. That Muggle one you have, that your mum knit you for Christmas. You wear it every time it rains, and you sit by the fire. Do you know what that jumper smells like, Evans? It smells like warmth, and comfort. It smells like you settling in for a long nap, or a good read. It smells like you, Evans.
I smell you, Evans. In that wonderful, wonderful Love Potion, I am utterly consumed by you, Evans.
James."
Lily looked at the ground, apparently finding something very interesting to concentrate on.
James stared intently at Lily, looking for some emotion, any, at all.
Sirius sniffled.
"Prongs, my boy. That was beautiful. Evans, I know you like to deny liking him…But when he does stuff like this…" he trailed off. "I'll be in the kitchen." He clapped James on the shoulder and walked away.
"Evans?" James asked, his jovial tone gone. "Evans, will you look at me?"
Lily reluctantly raised her eyes to his.
"Evans," James stepped forward and reached towards her, before doubting himself and putting his hand down. "I really don't know – I can't figure out – I don't get" he stuttered for a little bit. "I really can't figure out a way to convince you how head over heels I am for you. I've told you I love you countless times, but you just don't seem to believe me? What can I do?"
Lily remained quiet.
"I know I said I would never give up on you, Evans, and I really, really don't want to. I've dedicated so much of my life for you. You own me. You really do. But I just can't do this anymore. You need to give me some sign that it's not all completely pointless. That it's not going nowhere," he grabbed at his hair, frustrated.
"No," Lily whispered.
He looked up.
"No, what?"
"No, it's not going nowhere. Your efforts aren't pointless…I appreciate them. I'm just not ready…Give me time?" Lily looked up at him pleadingly.
James felt his heart melt when those green eyes made contact with his own.
He reached forward hesitantly and touched her hand.
"For you…Anything."
AN:
I missed Fanfiction. I missed James/Lily. I missed you guys. I've changed a lot since my last stories. I hope my writing style has improved too. I still love reviews though! Hope you enjoyed "I Smell You", regardless.