Hey all.
Just a little something that popped into my head when I was cooking dinner tonight. It demanded to be written before I forgot it!
I don't know if this is going to be a oneshot or a twoshot. Or even a threeshot. It has the potential to stand on it's own or be part of a short series. For now I'm going to label it a oneshot, but if I get enough positive feedback I may do a second one.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything associated with it. All rights to Harry Potter and affiliated products belong to Ms J.K. Rowling and the other proper entities.
Summary: "Listen, you cow, I don't like you." He said rather abruptly. She gave a shrug. "I know you don't. I really don't give a toss what you think of me." "Feeling's mutual."
Rating: T
Genre: Romance
Warnings: There's quite a bit of coarse language.
Timeline: Early November, 1977. Seventh year.
Enmity
A pale hand brushed a fiery curl behind her ear as Lily Evans flipped a page of the huge potions tome she was so completely focused on. Normally, she did her reading in the Common Room or the Library, but the clear autumn day had beckoned her out into the quad between the east and west wings of the castle; she sat on the stone bench at the base of the lone tree in the enclosed courtyard, enjoying the feel of the sunlight filtering through the leaves and dappling her hair and skin.
There were other students outside; most of them were first years enjoying the lazy Friday afternoon, with a few older students dotted in between. There were some sixth and seventh years who were rushing through the area to get to their next classes, but Lily was one of the few fortunate enough to have a timetable that gave her a mostly-free Friday. She'd been to her two classes—Potions and Charms—earlier in the day, and intended on getting her homework finished that night so that her Saturday could be free after watching the first Gryffindor versus Slytherin Quidditch match. Luckily she didn't have much of it. She had a sneaking suspicion that the teachers were saving up the piles for the winter break in six weeks.
She was just making a note on a piece of parchment when a shadow fell across her page, prompting her to look up and acknowledge the person who had been standing on the periphery of her vision for the last half an hour. She suspected that he'd been contemplating the best way to approach her without getting castrated for his efforts. A ginger eyebrow travelled up her forehead as she regarded her visitor. She removed her bag from the other side of the bench, setting it on the grass at her feet as she nodded to the now-vacant seat when he hesitated. "Sit down."
He deposited himself gracefully onto the stone bench beside her and looked at her with an expression that bordered on the line between frustration and outright anger. "Evans."
She regarded the dark-haired boy with a level expression. "Hello." She tucked a wayward strand of hair back behind her ear from where it had fallen when she'd shifted to free the seat for him. "Something I can do for you, arsehole?"
"Listen, you cow, I don't like you." He said rather abruptly; she saw the barely contained wince as he insulted her. Last year she'd have smacked him for talking to her like that.
She gave a shrug. "I know you don't. Actually, I'd think less of you if you did. And, to be honest, I really don't give a toss what you think of me."
Anger won out—it painted itself across his face in the form of a scowl, pursed lips, and eyes that silently shot daggers at her. "Feeling's mutual." He spat. "But I'm sick of your games."
Her expression morphed into a wry smile. "I have no idea what games you're talking about." She told him. "I've always considered myself rather forward, actually."
"Don't bullshit me." He snapped. "I've watched you, all term. Both of you. You spent months telling everyone you weren't interested in him, and now you're flirting with him. Every day. It's driving me mental. What the hell are you up to, Evans?"
Her eyebrows shot up again. "Wait, what's this?" Her wry smile twisted into an expression of amusement. "You're on my case for changing my mind about someone?" She laughed; the sound carried across the courtyard and startled a few older kids who knew her history with him and his friends. "Who I flirt with is none of your business." She dismissed the topic. "If that's all you came for, kindly piss off and leave me alone."
He growled, clenching his fists. "You're a bitch, Evans."
She cocked her head to the side, her face smug as her hair tumbled over her shoulder, shining a reddish-gold like the autumn leaves above their heads. Her brilliant green eyes sparkled as she identified something burning in his eyes; she'd seen it often enough in other people—and felt it often enough herself—to know it on sight. "What? You jealous?" She teased.
"Whatever you reckon." He spat, standing up and starting to stalk away. She appraised his form from behind; tall, broad shouldered, shaggy, dark hair. It was a pity that she was so interested in someone else; his good looks—though not completely lost on her (she wasn't blind, after all)—didn't seem to stand out so glaringly to her. He was just another arsehole in a school full of wankers.
She called out to him when he was about five feet away. "Oi! Black!"
He half turned, his eyes hard as he waited for her to speak again.
She grinned, packing up her things to relocate to the Library. "You might want to get used to me hanging around and stealing his attention from you." She told him conversationally. "I plan on saying yes when Potter asks me to Hogsmeade next week."
Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she laughed as she brushed past him and entered the castle.
Hmm… oneshot? Or twoshot? I don't know.
I'm going to say this now, to avoid any confusion: SIRIUS IS NOT IN LOVE WITH JAMES. He is merely annoyed that he thinks Lily is playing with his best friend; when Lily teased him about being jealous, she meant that he was jealous that his best friend had started (or was about to start) spending time with someone else.
Anyway, please review. :D I love feedback of all kinds.
Thanks for reading!
Sparky Faerie