He watched from the sidelines. He watched as she grew with him. He watched as she passed all of her O.W.L.s with flying colors except for Divination and Astronomy. He watched as she graduated with all Outstandings in her N.E.W.T.s and left Hogwarts to move in with him, her best friend, and take up a spot in teaching with him. He watched as they graduated with their diplomas and accepted a post as Care of Magical Creatures and Potions teachers. He especially watched with jealousy and desire when his own twin brother skipped off into the imaginary sunset with her and barely got around to notice his stares, his looks, his loving attitude.
He knew he had to eventually stop watching and do something. It was his life too. He never did, still. He didn't want to break their friendship. By then, those long winter nights had been oh, too freezing cold. The long and hot summer days, oh-so-torrid. His feelings, mixed. His mind, blank.
One day, a student came up to him.
"Professor Scamander, why do you look so sullen?" she asked, the look on her face full of concern.
"Now what makes you say that?" he said curiously.
"Well, you're staring out into the Forbidden Forest and you seem to be thinking deeply. I've read all of your mother's articles. It seems the wrackspurts are swarming. You must be thinking something." He swelled with pride of his mother and this student. She was very kind.
"I'm alright. I just have to talk to talk to Professor Potter later." He forced a fake smile.
She waited in the spotlight. The stage was ever-so-lonely and cold. She waited for him as they grew. She waited for him as he passed all of his O.W.L.s with flying colors. She waited as he passed his all of his N.E.W.T.s with all Outstandings. She waited as they moved in together and took up a post in teaching at Hogwarts. She was tired of waiting when she had been waiting for 20 damn years for him to do something. She dated his twin brother just to make her think that she really was dating him and to make him jealous. It seemed he never noticed her regretful face, hating her decisions.
She knew she had to simply stop waiting and do something about it. She was on stage, him waiting for his cue to come on. She never did. The stage was too lonely, but she never had the courage to cue him on, so he'd watched the scenes for too long. One day, she'd fainted. Fell off of the stage while the audience laughed. She heard a gasp, strong arms were carrying her and she laid down on a bed. She heard his voice. She could hear and feel, but couldn't see or move. "Can I do anything to save her?" His voice came, so soft it was sotto voce, but she could hear it all too well. A hand touched her wrist.
"Her pulse is only slight . . . She is only just alive. She will be in a comatose state for a long time. Any other way . . . I'm unsure of." another voice, female, spoke. She couldn't be dead, could she?
Suddenly yet gradually, she was transported into a room. Her room with Lysander. The walls were her favorite shade of crimson red,Gryffindor banners hung on the walls. She could finally see. She could finally move. The only thing wrong was . . . a large ruby hourglass, much like the one for house points, was sitting where her desk was supposed to be.
His bed was there too. His bed was the same crimson color, with the same Gryffindor banners and the same hourglass where his desk should be. A soft voice was coming from her hourglass. "Lily, oh Lily. You could be dead! I have to go teach, but I'll be back. Please recover." His pleading voice spoke out. Lily gasped, but no one was around. She quickly found her wand and grabbed it. She creeped outside of their room and a hologram stood in the middle of the room, with Lysander.
He was back. "Oh Merlin Lily. When you'd fainted I'd no idea what I would do! Please come back. I know this is long overdue, but I love you. I'm sorry I didn't tell you when you were awake, but I didn't want ruin anything. Please wake up. I'm not enough without you. Please." Then, she could feel soft lips on hers and fireworks went off in her mind. It felt just like her dad said it would be. Better than firewhiskey, better than butterbeer, better than everything at Honeydukes. She could feel herself being energized and transported back to the Hospital Wing.
Her eyes fluttered awake. She was done waiting. He was done watching. He overcame his fears of disappointing the audience and walked onto the stage. He jumped a little in surprise. "Hey Ly," she said. "Sure is funny how we got here. I love you too!" she giggled. To him it was a melody. The sweetest melody that was oh-so-beautiful.
"Love you Lily. So, how's it going? I got tired of just watching you and Lorcan do all of that stuff, so I thought I'd finally tell you." he said, caringly.
"And I got tired of waiting. So tell Lorcan I'm sorry, but I only dated him so that I could feel like I was dating you. But I guess I was wrong, only you can make me feel something. I love you, Ly."