A/N: I'm dedicating this story to Oy! Angelina. She is my sole inspiration.
Her story Pensieve deserves to be read before you continue. And don't get
scared because it's long, every word is wonderful.
Someone was knocking at her door. The fact floated around in her head as she emerged from a very deep sleep. Her heart sank. It was the first of September, and she would be boarding the Hogwarts Express in a few painfully short hours. Boarding the Hogwarts Express that would carry her back to James. Lily gave an early morning groan of frustration, and determinedly sandwiched her head between the mattress and her pillow. The pounding on her door continued.
"I'll be down in a minute!" Lily yelled grumpily from underneath her pillow. It was deliciously warm between her sheets, and she did not want to get up and go to school. The summer had gone by far to quickly. What time was it anyway? How late had she slept in? The pounding hadn't stopped. Giving another annoyed moan, Lily unearthed her body from the tangle of blankets strewn across her bed and allowed the cold early morning air to hit her. Her room was always cold in the morning. She shivered, fighting down the temptation to fling the covers back over herself and go back to sleep. The horrible pounding was starting to give Lily a headache.
"I AM UP!" She yelled at the door. "I SWEAR! I'M OUT OF BED AND EVERYTHING!!" Lily glared at the door, as if to shoot down the person pounding on the other side. The pounding continued. Thoroughly annoyed now, Lily got out of bed and took two steps towards the door before realizing the pounding wasn't from the door at all. Lily could feel her jaw drop as she stared, transfixed, at her window in surprise. Her jade green eyes were as big as galleons as she opened her window to invite no less then twenty owls carrying a huge package into her room. Two owls followed behind carrying a smaller package. Lily rubbed her eyes and blinked at the incredible sight before her. She pinched herself, she had to be dreaming. The image in front of her remained identical, and Lily shook her head, an amused smile on her face. No one ever remembered to pinch themselves in a dream anyway. Yes, she knew exactly what this was. Lily left the room, still not believing he could have done this. Creeping down the stairs into the kitchen, Lily picked out a bowl and filled it with water for the owls, being careful not to wake her parents or Petunia. It was no less than six AM, and Lily's family wouldn't be up for another hour or two. Lily took a deep breath, and walked back up the stairs, careful not to spill any of the water from the bowl. Hoping the owls hadn't made to much of a mess in her room, she opened the door and set down the water. The owls flocked to it like moths to a flame, and Lily winced as they began to nip and peck each other loudly to get at the water. I should've brought two, Lily thought. Sighing softly, Lily turned her attention to the packages the owls had brought. Yes, they were definitely from James. Who else would send her anything this big? Who else was that obnoxious? James Potter had been flaunting his wealth in her face all summer.
Lily smiled slightly as she remembered James's previous gifts. He never left a note, but it was apparent he was making no effort to hide his identity. The second week of summer Lily had received the first one. She smiled as she remembered how an owl had come tapping at her window at six AM, just like today. This had become James's trademark move, and Lily was no more impressed with it now then she had been in June. She remembered opening James's first gift, wondering if it was from Gideon Prewett, a Ravenclaw boy that fancied her last year. She remembered her outright laughter at the actual present, a heart-shaped music box. Finding and opening it now, Lily watched the miniature Lily and James waltz around the miniature ballroom, and listened as James's mild tenor burst out in song "L. is for the way you look, at me. O. is for the only one, I see." Lily closed it reluctantly, worried that it might wake someone. Lily wasn't sure why she bothered listening to that music box so much, she figured it was simply because she felt sorry for James. Much as she hated him, he had taken time and money out of his holiday to make and send this to her, and she didn't want it. His weird obsession with her for the past three years showed that he really did like her, deep down somewhere, and she couldn't bring herself to send the music box back to him with a howler, as she was first inclined to do. She didn't want to destroy it either. It was pretty. There was no harm in listening to it every once in while, was there? Frowning slightly, Lily put the music box back under her bed, where she had hidden it so her sister wouldn't find it and make fun of it.
Most of the owls had flown away now, a select few still lapping the last drops of water from the bowl. Lily didn't want to open her presents. She really should just send them back to James unopened. She smiled to herself. She couldn't do that now, the owls had just flown out her window, and she wouldn't see them again. Besides, the presents weren't worth the money it would take to buy enough owls to send them back. James knew that. He probably told the owls to fly right out so she would have to keep them. That was the way James thought. Still inwardly grumbling, Lily felt a spark of curiosity creep up from her stomach. James's second gift had been horribly creative, how perverted it might have been. James's second gift had been a gorgeous pair of 24 karat gold earrings. Lily had been thrilled when she got them, only to find they whispered naughty suggestions in her ear when she wore them. Lily bit her lip, remembering how she had begun blushing in the middle of breakfast when she had first worn them. She hadn't known it was physically possible to do some of the things James's voice had suggested to her that day.
Shaking her head slightly, Lily reached for the smaller package just as the last few owls flew out her window. Trying not the get excited as she unwrapped, she couldn't help gasping when she held out the most gorgeous dress she had ever seen. This must have cost him a fortune! She thought as she picked up the dress and held it up to her body. How the hell did he know the right size? She asked herself, puzzled. Forgetting the dress had been sent by someone she despised, Lily dragged a comb through her hair and put it on. It was a dark emerald green color, sprinkled with little stars that twinkled with their own light. True, it was a little low cut, and it dipped down to her hips in back, but looking at herself in the mirror, Lily could tell she looked gorgeous. The dress brought out the color of her eyes, and matched her pale skin and violent red hair in harmonized contrast. The sparkles made her positively glow. Moving around a little, Lily discovered the dress was undeniably comfortable, and although it reached down to her toes, Lily never once stepped on it. She sighed. It was such a shame it was from James. If it had been from anyone else Lily could have worn it to one of Hogwarts' many dances. As it was, if she wore it now, James would know she appreciated it, and become so intolerable Lily wouldn't be able to stand him. Not that she could stand him now.
Not ready to take off the dress just yet, Lily reached for the big package, wondering if James had sent himself in a box. Shuddering at the thought, Lily opened it rather cautiously. She held her breath as she opened up the package, half expecting James to jump out and, and. Do whatever James would do in that situation. However, James had not mailed himself to her, as Lily found after she opened her eyes. Instead was a book, the biggest book Lily had ever seen. Well, longest was more like it. The book was taller than Lily herself, and only slightly wider. The title read 'Let Me Show You Beautiful'. Lily frowned at it, still unsure of what it was. Grunting a little with the effort, Lily picked it up and leaned the giant book against the wall. As soon as she opened it she understood. On the top of the first page it said, 'Angelic' the rest of the page was a mirror. The next page was 'Beautiful' with a mirror. Lily couldn't believe James would do something like this! This wasn't like James at all! This bordered sweet! As Lily flipped through the book, her smile got wider and wider. 'Beautiful' was followed by 'Bewitching', 'Charming', 'Cute', 'Dazzling', 'Divine', 'Elegant', 'Enticing', 'Exquisite'. The list went on and on.
"Alright James. Show's over." She whispered, purely because she knew he couldn't hear her. She took off the dress and got back into her pajamas, but she didn't bother trying to go back to sleep. Instead Lily dragged out her trunk and placed the book and the dress in the very bottom. She smiled at them. Suddenly seeing James Potter in a few hours didn't seem so terrible. In fact, it seemed rather 'enticing'.
Someone was knocking at her door. The fact floated around in her head as she emerged from a very deep sleep. Her heart sank. It was the first of September, and she would be boarding the Hogwarts Express in a few painfully short hours. Boarding the Hogwarts Express that would carry her back to James. Lily gave an early morning groan of frustration, and determinedly sandwiched her head between the mattress and her pillow. The pounding on her door continued.
"I'll be down in a minute!" Lily yelled grumpily from underneath her pillow. It was deliciously warm between her sheets, and she did not want to get up and go to school. The summer had gone by far to quickly. What time was it anyway? How late had she slept in? The pounding hadn't stopped. Giving another annoyed moan, Lily unearthed her body from the tangle of blankets strewn across her bed and allowed the cold early morning air to hit her. Her room was always cold in the morning. She shivered, fighting down the temptation to fling the covers back over herself and go back to sleep. The horrible pounding was starting to give Lily a headache.
"I AM UP!" She yelled at the door. "I SWEAR! I'M OUT OF BED AND EVERYTHING!!" Lily glared at the door, as if to shoot down the person pounding on the other side. The pounding continued. Thoroughly annoyed now, Lily got out of bed and took two steps towards the door before realizing the pounding wasn't from the door at all. Lily could feel her jaw drop as she stared, transfixed, at her window in surprise. Her jade green eyes were as big as galleons as she opened her window to invite no less then twenty owls carrying a huge package into her room. Two owls followed behind carrying a smaller package. Lily rubbed her eyes and blinked at the incredible sight before her. She pinched herself, she had to be dreaming. The image in front of her remained identical, and Lily shook her head, an amused smile on her face. No one ever remembered to pinch themselves in a dream anyway. Yes, she knew exactly what this was. Lily left the room, still not believing he could have done this. Creeping down the stairs into the kitchen, Lily picked out a bowl and filled it with water for the owls, being careful not to wake her parents or Petunia. It was no less than six AM, and Lily's family wouldn't be up for another hour or two. Lily took a deep breath, and walked back up the stairs, careful not to spill any of the water from the bowl. Hoping the owls hadn't made to much of a mess in her room, she opened the door and set down the water. The owls flocked to it like moths to a flame, and Lily winced as they began to nip and peck each other loudly to get at the water. I should've brought two, Lily thought. Sighing softly, Lily turned her attention to the packages the owls had brought. Yes, they were definitely from James. Who else would send her anything this big? Who else was that obnoxious? James Potter had been flaunting his wealth in her face all summer.
Lily smiled slightly as she remembered James's previous gifts. He never left a note, but it was apparent he was making no effort to hide his identity. The second week of summer Lily had received the first one. She smiled as she remembered how an owl had come tapping at her window at six AM, just like today. This had become James's trademark move, and Lily was no more impressed with it now then she had been in June. She remembered opening James's first gift, wondering if it was from Gideon Prewett, a Ravenclaw boy that fancied her last year. She remembered her outright laughter at the actual present, a heart-shaped music box. Finding and opening it now, Lily watched the miniature Lily and James waltz around the miniature ballroom, and listened as James's mild tenor burst out in song "L. is for the way you look, at me. O. is for the only one, I see." Lily closed it reluctantly, worried that it might wake someone. Lily wasn't sure why she bothered listening to that music box so much, she figured it was simply because she felt sorry for James. Much as she hated him, he had taken time and money out of his holiday to make and send this to her, and she didn't want it. His weird obsession with her for the past three years showed that he really did like her, deep down somewhere, and she couldn't bring herself to send the music box back to him with a howler, as she was first inclined to do. She didn't want to destroy it either. It was pretty. There was no harm in listening to it every once in while, was there? Frowning slightly, Lily put the music box back under her bed, where she had hidden it so her sister wouldn't find it and make fun of it.
Most of the owls had flown away now, a select few still lapping the last drops of water from the bowl. Lily didn't want to open her presents. She really should just send them back to James unopened. She smiled to herself. She couldn't do that now, the owls had just flown out her window, and she wouldn't see them again. Besides, the presents weren't worth the money it would take to buy enough owls to send them back. James knew that. He probably told the owls to fly right out so she would have to keep them. That was the way James thought. Still inwardly grumbling, Lily felt a spark of curiosity creep up from her stomach. James's second gift had been horribly creative, how perverted it might have been. James's second gift had been a gorgeous pair of 24 karat gold earrings. Lily had been thrilled when she got them, only to find they whispered naughty suggestions in her ear when she wore them. Lily bit her lip, remembering how she had begun blushing in the middle of breakfast when she had first worn them. She hadn't known it was physically possible to do some of the things James's voice had suggested to her that day.
Shaking her head slightly, Lily reached for the smaller package just as the last few owls flew out her window. Trying not the get excited as she unwrapped, she couldn't help gasping when she held out the most gorgeous dress she had ever seen. This must have cost him a fortune! She thought as she picked up the dress and held it up to her body. How the hell did he know the right size? She asked herself, puzzled. Forgetting the dress had been sent by someone she despised, Lily dragged a comb through her hair and put it on. It was a dark emerald green color, sprinkled with little stars that twinkled with their own light. True, it was a little low cut, and it dipped down to her hips in back, but looking at herself in the mirror, Lily could tell she looked gorgeous. The dress brought out the color of her eyes, and matched her pale skin and violent red hair in harmonized contrast. The sparkles made her positively glow. Moving around a little, Lily discovered the dress was undeniably comfortable, and although it reached down to her toes, Lily never once stepped on it. She sighed. It was such a shame it was from James. If it had been from anyone else Lily could have worn it to one of Hogwarts' many dances. As it was, if she wore it now, James would know she appreciated it, and become so intolerable Lily wouldn't be able to stand him. Not that she could stand him now.
Not ready to take off the dress just yet, Lily reached for the big package, wondering if James had sent himself in a box. Shuddering at the thought, Lily opened it rather cautiously. She held her breath as she opened up the package, half expecting James to jump out and, and. Do whatever James would do in that situation. However, James had not mailed himself to her, as Lily found after she opened her eyes. Instead was a book, the biggest book Lily had ever seen. Well, longest was more like it. The book was taller than Lily herself, and only slightly wider. The title read 'Let Me Show You Beautiful'. Lily frowned at it, still unsure of what it was. Grunting a little with the effort, Lily picked it up and leaned the giant book against the wall. As soon as she opened it she understood. On the top of the first page it said, 'Angelic' the rest of the page was a mirror. The next page was 'Beautiful' with a mirror. Lily couldn't believe James would do something like this! This wasn't like James at all! This bordered sweet! As Lily flipped through the book, her smile got wider and wider. 'Beautiful' was followed by 'Bewitching', 'Charming', 'Cute', 'Dazzling', 'Divine', 'Elegant', 'Enticing', 'Exquisite'. The list went on and on.
"Alright James. Show's over." She whispered, purely because she knew he couldn't hear her. She took off the dress and got back into her pajamas, but she didn't bother trying to go back to sleep. Instead Lily dragged out her trunk and placed the book and the dress in the very bottom. She smiled at them. Suddenly seeing James Potter in a few hours didn't seem so terrible. In fact, it seemed rather 'enticing'.