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What A First Date
Lily walked slowly down the stairs into the entrance hall. It was 6am. Breakfast wouldn't even start for another half hour, but she couldn't sleep. The castle was eerily silent as she wandered the deserted halls. It was Saturday morning. Nobody else was up this early. She passed the large hour glasses keeping tally of the house points with their gleaming jewels. Gryffindor was winning, as usual, mainly thanks to the Quidditch team. James hadn't let the snitch get passed him in years.
James. Lily thought, her heart fluttering, I'm going on a date with James today.
She was still trying to believe the amazing events of the previous day. James had asked her out again, like he did every day. But this time she had actually said yes. And even more unbelievable, she realized that she actually liked him. It was so against what she had felt for years that she was finding it hard to trust herself now.
How can I like him? She questioned herself. He is such a dork. He always has been…. But he is sweet. I mean just last week I saw him helping a first year with his transfiguration essay. Who knew James knew so much about Animagi. I never really counted him as the smart type.
Lily hadn't stopped thinking about James since she realized she loved him. The other girls in her dormitory had taken the news that she was finally going on a date with James Potter with enormous enthusiasm. They stayed up talking about it well into the night. And after staying up so late, still she couldn't sleep. So now she was wandering around the castle before anyone else.
After circling the castle twice she decided it was time to get ready for the day. Lily walked slowly back to Gryffindor tower, her feet feeling like lead. The common room was empty except for a couple of fourth years who were notorious for being early risers. They were playing chess by the fire and looked up when Lily walked in.
"Good morning!" the girl said cheerfully.
"Good morning." Lily responded kindly, though not feeling in the mood to talk. She quickly headed toward the girls dormitory, but stopped when she heard the boy speak.
"Hey, are you going out with James Potter?" he asked.
Before Lily could answer the girl let out a squeal.
"James Potter!? He is so good looking! Hasn't he been asking you out for years? Won't even give the rest of us girls the time of day! And you always reject him! Did you actually say yes to him!?" she was talking so fast that Lily could barely understand her. She just stood staring at her as if trying to decide whether a silencing charm was a good idea.
A low laugh came from the entrance to the boy's dormitory. All three looked over in surprise to see Remus standing in the open door.
"Yeah, she did say yes to him," he said smiling at Lily. "A fact he has woken up screaming about all night long because he thinks it was all a dream."
"Him too?" Lily sighed.
"You couldn't sleep either?" he asked.
Lily shook her head.
Remus laughed again. "Well you had better make him believe sometime or none of us are going to be able to sleep every again." He looked around the room noticing for the first time that it was practically empty. "Um…what time is it?" he asked sheepishly, "Sirius threw the clock at James the second time he woke up shouting. Let's just say Sirius is not a morning person."
"It's a little after 6:30," the boy responded, checking his watch. He exchanged a nervous look with the other girl. "Come on Jane, let's go get breakfast." And with that the two fourth years rushed out of the portrait hole, abandoning their chess game.
"Guess they know about the wrath of Sirius." Remus chuckled.
"Of course they do!" Lily laughed, "Don't you remember in fifth year when Sirius almost blasted the whole tower because James woke him up at 5am to play a trick on somebody. Now nobody even considers waking him up before he is ready." She rolled her eyes, "He is such a drama queen."
"He sure is." Remus agreed.
"Well I'll see you later Remus." Lily said walking to the girls' dormitory.
A few hours later Lily stood waiting for James in the entrance hall. She looked at her watch again. He was ten minutes late.
Of course. She thought, He asks me out every day at the same time without fail. Yet the one time I say yes, he is late.
She tapped her foot impatiently, checking her watch every few seconds.
"Lily!" James shouted, coming around the corner at a sprint and skidding to a stop in front of her. "I am so sorry I'm late. I was at the greenhouses trying to convince Professor Clark to give me this"
He held out a beautiful white lily fixed to a thin silver chain.
"I put a freezing charm on it so it will last forever," he said quietly, his face turning pink.
"Oh James! It's beautiful!" Lily said, picking up the little flower. It felt smooth and silky in her hands.
He gently took it from her and clasped in around her neck.
"I hope it's not too much."
"No James, it's perfect." Lily whispered.
"It looks beautiful on you," he said smiling.
Lily blushed and looked away, a small smile lighting up her face.
"So…" James said after a moment. "Shall we?"
He led the way out of the castle. Every student was outside, taking advantage of the warm weather. They followed other groups into Hogsmead, the all magic town just outside of Hogwarts.
They wandered around the village, stopping at all their favorite stores. Lily insisted they stop at Honeydukes for some sugar quills. Before she could take her money out James had already paid.
"Um…thanks James," Lily said, blushing as they walked out of the store. "You didn't have to do that."
"I asked you on this date," he said, laughing, "There is no way I am letting you pay for anything!"
They stopped at the Three Broomsticks for some butterbeer around noon, then decided to walk up to the Shrieking Shack, an old house that had been abandoned long ago, and only a few years ago had been said to be haunted.
"The locals say that sometimes, under the light of a full moon, they can hear restless spirits inside the house screaming!" James told Lily in a mysterious voice.
"You don't really believe that do you?" Lily asked, looking skeptically at the silent house.
"Of course I do!" James said smiling, "I know quite a few restless spirits who would love to come here and do some screaming."
"Ha ha," Lily said, smiling up at James. As she looked at him she thought she saw an almost wistful longing on his face as he looked at the house. But it was gone in a second as her turned back and beamed at her.
"Are you having fun Lily?" he asked.
"Yeah, actually I am," she responded laughing.
"Good."
They spend the rest of the day just walking around the village. They talked all day about the most random things. Lily couldn't remember a time she had more fun doing nothing in particular. She never realized how smart he was. How funny. How sweet. One minute he could be saying the funniest joke, and the next his words could be so tender it could have been the words of a poet.
The sun was just starting to set as they walked back to the school. The evening was warm, and Lily didn't want the day to end. But only too soon it did.
"I guess I need to go," she sighed as they walked up the front steps."I promised Tracey I would help her with her Transfiguration essay."
"Okay," he said, trying not to look sad. "I'm so glad you came with me today. It was the best day of my life! Thank you so much!"
"You're welcome," she said smiling. "It was my best day too."
They walked into the entrance hall, and when they reached the main stairs Lily turned and kissed James on the cheek.
"See you later James," she said quickly, blushing fiercely, then rushed up the stairs.
Wow, she sighed when she reached her dormitory, What a first date.
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