I was just guessing at numbers and figures
Pulling your puzzles apart
Questions of science, science and progress
Do not speak as loud as my heart.
–The Scientist, Coldplay.
The sun's just peeking over the clouds as a fifteen year old Lily Evans makes her way through the Gryffindor seating section of the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch and sits down, opening a large, dusty book and poring herself over it.
The wind ruffles her red hair slightly and the fresh morning air is pleasant. She sighs contentedly, sitting back and relaxing.
However, the peace is only short-lived, as the rowdy Gryffindor Quidditch team bursts through the changing room doors on one end, laughing and pushing each other as they assemble in front of their captain.
One boy in particular is louder than the rest, shoving someone aside and throwing his head back in laughter, his shaggy black mane dancing in the wind.
Lily huffs loudly, trying to ignore them. What kind of team comes to practice at seven in the morning? She thought she'd actually get some quiet here, but no, of course her House team was crazy enough to go and practice at a time when no one else should be up and ruin all her plans for Arithmancy reading.
"Hey! Is that you, Lily?"
Said girl groans in annoyance, sliding down in her seat in a pathetic attempt to become invisible.
Why? Why her?
"Lily!" the boy yells in glee, and before Lily can escape, there are footsteps running up the steps to the top row seat where she's sitting. "You came to watch me?"
Looking up, she sees jade eyes that are far too close for her liking. Backing up, she scoffs. "Hardly. I came because I thought it would be a quiet place to read my book."
"What about the library?" he presses further. "And, why would anyone read that?" He points to the book in shock.
"I wanted to get some fresh air, and besides, the library isn't even open this early," she bitterly answers. "And this book isn't that big! Contrary to what you may believe, James, reading does not kill you."
James gasps in shock, leaning forward. "Really? So studying won't fry my brains?"
"No, James," she sighs, growing more irritated with him by the second. The bitter feeling returns in strength, and she resists the urge to slap him with her supposedly huge book. "Now, just let me read in peace and go back to practice. They're all waiting for you."
"Will you stay?" he asks, staring at her with this impossible expression that is almost cute, dare she admit it.
She sighs, a smile tugging at her lips for no reason. "Sure."
A grin breaks onto his face before he jumps in glee, like someone who just won the lottery. He then rushes down the steps, shouting about how Lily wanted to watch him play.
Blood rushes to her cheeks. "As if! I just wanted to read, and I don't think the practice will bother me that much!"
But no one's listening, and James is so happy that she feels almost bad for trying to break the truth to him.
He can think what he wants; as long as she gets to read, she'll be fine.
About an hour later, another group of boys bursts through the changing room doors, this time dressed in striking emerald rather than red. Looking up at the sky, they sneer at the opposing scarlet team.
"Oh, look what the cat dragged in," Garret Flint, the captain, says, and the others go along.
The Gryffindor team all come back down, and the Gryffindor captain steps forward. "I've had the field booked for the entire week for this time. You can't tell me now that it was a mistake."
"Oh, but it was, pretty boy," Garret retorts. "See, I've got proof right here." And so the two teams begin arguing.
One player is still in the air, and that is James Potter, because he needs to find the Snitch, regardless of what's going on. The last thing they need is a lost Snitch.
"Damn," James mutters under his breath. He can't concentrate with all the arguing gorillas underneath him.
Meanwhile, a few petite Slytherin girls climb up into the stands and sit down in the first row, not even noticing little Lily, buried in her book many rows above.
"Oh, they're at it again." A girl with crazy black hair rolls her eyes. "Why can't they actually book the field properly for once?"
There is no answer.
"Right, Cissy?" The girl turns to the smaller girl next to her.
"Right, Bella," Cissy, otherwise Narcissa, absentmindedly answers, her eyes lingering on the field.
"Checking out Lucius, huh?" Bellatrix smirks. "Good."
Narcissa blushes heavily, her eyes coming to rest on the tall blonde boy that stands next to Garret, smirking in that confident, border line arrogant way of his.
But she can't control it; her eyes flicker over to the one scarlet boy that's still up in the air, the one with the raven hair and Slytherin eyes.
He's well-built, stupid, and pretty much everything Lucius is not. His hair is always messy and falls over his gorgeous eyes and she longs to have him pester after her like he does to that despicable Mudblood.
Maybe it's because Lucius has owned her since birth and she never got the chance to develop a spark for him.
Maybe it's because the only man she was ever allowed to look at took advantage of her when she was far, far too young.
Maybe it's because her sister has left for another man, and if she can do it, why can't she?
Maybe Narcissa has always wanted to rebel.
(But she can't, because she's fucking scared and has no courage but to watch from afar and hopehopehope, like some dainty glass princess locked up in a tower with an evil blonde dragon guarding her.
How is she ever going to get rescued if her prince dressed in scarlet is chasing after the wrong ruby princess?)
"Lily!"
Said girl turns around to see James, sweaty with his robes clinging to his body.
Heat rushes to Lily's cheeks as she looks away. James is not in any way good-looking. She will not stare at him.
"Did you like what you saw?" He smirks, reaching to hold her shoulder. "It was all for you."
Lily huffs, slapping his hand off of her. "Don't you touch me, Potter. And no, I wasn't watching you, I was reading, like I said I would."
"You couldn't keep your eyes off me," he says cheekily, and she rolls her eyes, pushing past him to get by-
Except she trips on the stairs and tumbles right into James, who, luckily, was sturdy enough to hold the two of them up.
He holds her arms and waits for her to steady herself, but doesn't let go. leaning down, he whispers to her face, "I guess you're really falling for me, aren't you?"
Lily gasps, stomping on his foot hard. James curses loudly, stumbling out of the way as Lily proudly storms away.
"Don't you pull anything on me, James!" she shouts, before disappearing.
A huge grin breaks onto his face. It was a first; she had called him James instead of Potter!
But then he hisses, doubling over. Damn, she could kick.
Unknown to both of them, Narcissa had been watching from her faraway seat. She had seen everything - how he had rushed to her as soon as practice was over, how they argued like a married couple, how she literally fell into him, and how James breamed broadly long after she was gone.
Sighing, she stands up, the sun making her hair shine like a wedding veil as she walks to her future husband, who is waiting for her at the exit of the pitch.
"Despicable, isn't it?" he hums in her ear, his hands lingering on the small of her back like an impenetrable lock on a door to a life she could only wish for.
Narcissa simply nods, not looking back at the life-changing boy who has already impressed himself on her mind.
Maybe if he hadn't been a Gryffindor, or if she hadn't been a Black, things could have been different.
Toujours pur.
A/N: Been a long time since I last wrote Jilly. Is Narcissa IC? Also, note: toujours pur means always pure, the Black family motto.
Done for:
Big/Lil Sis Competition - Round 6 (Prompts: word, quote, phrase, emotion, and item. Related to Lily Meet Ginny's fic Fervor.)