It was a hot summer day, the kind that makes you wish you knew somebody with a pool. And Lily did.
She was lounging with her two best friends Marlene McKinnon and Alice Prewett chatting about this and that when unbeknownst to the girls a black dot appeared on the horizon. The topic turned to Marlene's upcoming party.
"It doesn't have to be big" Alice said "Of course Emmilene is coming and she'll bring Maggie" referring to their fellow Gryffindor and her little sister. The black dot formed the shape of an owl and started to descend towards the girls.
"Look!" Cried Lily "I wonder who's it for?" The owl fluttered down in front of Marlene with a small piece of parchment in its beak. "Hey, I know that scrawl. But why would Remus Lupin write here?"
Marlene blushed a deep red as she hastily tried to tuck the letter away. But Alice was quicker and snatched the parchment out of her hand.
"Marley girl," She cried. "I daresay somebody fancies you."
"So when did this start?" Lily prompted, her green eyes showing nothing but delight for her friend.
"A few weeks before the end of term" Marlene grinned "we've been writing all summer."
"And when were you going to tell us?" Demanded Alice also smiling.
"Later." Marlene replied nonchalantly.
"So what did he say?" Inquired Lily pointing to the still folded letter Alice grasped. Alice complied by unfolding and reading aloud.
"It says 'Yeah, It'll be great.' What's great?"
Marlene sighed, "I invited him to my party." She looked at the girls. "I know it was supposed to just be us girls" She added hastily "but I really wanted to see him."
"We understand" Alice pat her friend's back. "Does this mean I can invite Frank?" She inquired referring to her long boyfriend of six months.
"Of course" replied Marlene.
"And Maggie can bring Matt" chimed Lily including another friend's boyfriend.
"Alright then" said Alice "we have a party to perfect."
The day of the party was just as hot as the day they planned it. The sluggish heat was difficult to apparate through making Lily appear a hundred yards short of her intended destination Marlene's front gate. No matter, she could walk.
Sweaty and exhausted, Lily strode in without bothering to knock and went straight to the pool. She dumped her bag down on one of the chairs and turned to give Marlene a hello hug. She stopped dead in her tracks. She had not been aware that she had an audience. In the pool, in addition to Alice, Frank, and Maggie, there were three boys. Three boys she was positive that had not been invited; Sirius Black, Peter Pettegrew, and the infamous James Potter.
Lily turned on her heel and staked towards the house intending on finding out just how the boys gained access. In the kitchen she found Marlene with Remus and Emmilene. Laden with platters of food, they were in the process of bringing them out to the pool. Lily took Marlene's tray and set it down on the counter, her eyes blazing.
"Let's get out of here" Emmilene whispered to Remus and they skedaddled out the door with Marlene's tray as well as their own.
"What are they doing here?" Lily cried now more exasperated than angry.
"Well," Marlene shifted her footing "Remus asked if he could invite a few friends and I thought it would make him more comfortable so I said yes" She said all in one breath.
"You didn't think of warning me?" cried Lily. "I would have worn something different! Or not come at all!" Marlene's face fell. Lily, realizing what she just said quickly apologized. "I'm sorry; you're not the one who has the problem with them. I'll behave." Lily grabbed her friend's arm and strode out onto the patio.
It was too hot to sit, and the pool offered a refreshing release. For the sixth time since she had arrived, Lily whished she had worn something more concealing. She watched everybody except for Maggie splash and play in the pool. Maggie didn't like to swim, she preferred to sunbathe. Lily had moved so that her feet were dangling in the water, but made no move to take off her sundress. Black amiably swam over to her and treaded water in front of her.
"Come on in" he grinned "the water is great."
"No" Lily said firmly, "I'm absolutely fine here"
"If you say so" said Black and swam off, making sure to send a wave over Lily as he departed.
The water felt good, really good. Lily decided that she had no choice. It was either swim or melt. She pulled off her green sundress revealing a plum bikini beneath.
A wolf whistle sounded from the pool. "Damn Evans" continued the voice "If I had known that's what you looked like under your robes I would have asked you out months ago." Lily, ignoring the voice, ran and dived into the pool. Black was right, the water was great.
James dived in right behind her swimming so close that he nearly brushed her. Lily noticed that he was just as good a swimmer as he was a Quidditch player. "Now that we're all in" he announced, forgetting about Maggie on the side "Let's play a game."
"Like what?" asked Frank who was sitting on the pool steps with his arm around Alice
"Marco Polo?" Lily found herself saying.
"Who-oh what-oh?" Marlene said
"Marco Polo" repeated Lily "It's a muggle game. It's pretty much tag in the water. And whoever is it has their eyes closed. They find other people by shouting 'Marco' while the others yell 'Polo' in return."
"It sounds worth a try" Said Remus "Who will be it first?"
"Me" Emmilene volunteered. "So I shout 'Marco' and I find people by sound?"
"Pretty much" Lily responded
"Ok then. Marco"
A chorus of Polo's sounded around the pool and Emma swam off. She got Frank, who tagged Marlene, who caught Peter, that caught Emma again. This time Emma tagged Sirius, who got James.
"Marco" he sounded and everybody replied "Polo." He cocked his head as if listening for something in particular and repeated "Marco." Of course he got a round of Polo's back, but this time, he shot off, in Lily's direction. She squealed and swam away, almost just as good a swimmer as he was; almost. He caught her ankle and dragged her toward him all the time yelling "I caught one!" He then pulled her under and stared tickling . Lily spasmed with laughter and tried to break his grip on her. He brought her up for air and she managed to break free, using his chest as a springboard to propel herself forward.
He just grabbed her ankle again, and stared the process over again. Twice more this happened before Lily got exasperated. As he held her under the fourth time, she struggled and went limp, letting a few bubbles escape her lips. Worried, he brought her up and finally, Lily managed to wriggle away. He grinned and watched her go. They hadn't noticed everybody else lave the pool for a much needed snack break.
Lily and James climbed out of the pool as well and each wrapped themselves in a towel. Upset, Lily drank lemonade and sulked. Remus took James aside and questioned him.
"Why'd you do that mate? You really pissed her off. The first time it was funny, the third time it was overkill." Remus popped a chip into his mouth.
"I only meant to do it once" James confessed not knowing that Lily was in earshot. "Once I caught her, I had a really hard time letting her go."
Lily blushed, everybody knew that James fancied her, she just hadn't realized how much. She realized that she liked how James' skin felt on her own. It had been like silk. She also pondered how he knew exactly how ling her air supply could last. Every time she started to feel the pangs in her chest, he had bought her up. It was uncanny.
The group returned to the pool and lounged. Sirius and James tried to outdo each other on the diving board. Each one did more flips than the last. Then, they stared cannonballing. Soon they were doing it simultaneously, attempting to create the largest wave possible.
Lily tread water with Emmilene and Maggie chatting about their upcoming year at school. Remus and Marlene had paired off, as well as Alice and Frank who were nowhere to be found. Peter was napping on one of the lounge chairs.
"I'm sad that this will be our last year" Emma said "Who knows what we'll be doing after this"
"We have to take NEWT's this year" contributed Lily. "I am really not looking forward to that."
"Ugh" Said Emma. "I completely forgot. If it's anything like OWL's I will kill somebody"
"OWL's aren't that bad" Maggie said worried "right?" Lily had forgotten that Maggie was two years younger than her and Emma and still in her fifth year
"You'll be fine." she consoled. "Your sister just likes to dramatize." Emmilene pulled a face. Lily scooped her hair up intending to pull it into a ponytail. She had her hair in a fist behind her head that she realized he hair band was missing.
"Oh no!" she cried. "Have either of you seen my hair band?" The three girls scanned their surroundings.
"There!" Emmiline pointed to the bottom of the pool. Twelve feet from the surface lied Lily's hair band. She dove to get it. Unfortunately, Sirius chose that moment to cannonball in. He landed right on top of Lily.
Sirius came up first. "Sorry Evans" he said looking for her. Lily hadn't come up; she was sinking towards the bottom. "Oh shit!" said Sirius as he dived to her, but James was faster. Everybody now had their attention on James as he kicked up from the bottom with Lily in his arms. He surfaced and brought her to the edge of the pool where she lay unmoving.
"Lily" he said his voice full of worry. "Lily open your eyes. Come on Lil" he pleaded. He hit her chest hoping to dispel the water that was in her lungs. "Lily wake up!" he screamed now panicked.
"Lily" Marlene said also worried. "Come on girl"
Lily coughed and breathed raspily. The entire group let out a sigh of relief. James picked her up and gingerly sat her down on a lounge chair. She stayed where she was placed with her eyes closed.
"I am going to kill Black" she whispered. A relieved laugh ran around the group.
"She's fine" breathed James "Absolutely fine."
For the rest of the day Lily lounged and James didn't leave her side. They chatted for hours while the rest swam. Lily didn't want to shoo James away. She was grateful that he saved her. And surprisingly, she liked his company. As the sun want down, the guests departed leaving Remus, Marlene, James and Lily.
"Let's give them some privacy" James suggested. Lily was feeling pretty weak form her ordeal, so James helped her to her feet and guided her to the gate. "Do you need help getting home?" he asked obviously still worried.
"No, I'm fine" Lily said as she walked forward away from his grasp. Unfortunately, at that moment she swayed rendering her statement moot.
"You can't apparate in this condition" James chided. "I'm taking you he insisted." Too tired to protest, Lily just nodded and allowed James to scoop her up. She felt the familiar pressure in her ears as James turned on the spot. The appeared directly in front of her house, Lily didn't bother to wonder how he knew where she lived. James put her down and helped her up the walk.
"Hey, James," Lily said "Do you want to stay for dinner?"