An Umbrella of Persuasion
Disclaimer; I unfortunately am not J. K. Rowling (if I was, there'd be a Marauder prequel already), so I cannot take credit for any of the characters.
Lily doesn't like the rain; in fact, she positively loathes it. She cannot bear the way it sticks her clothes uncomfortably to her, the way it stings her skin with its icy cold, and the way it gets into her shoes, making her feet slosh as she walks. She is definitely more of a summer girl, much preferring the feel of warm sunshine tickling her skin. Unfortunately for her, she has managed to pick a boyfriend who adores the rain; a mere few minutes after it starts, he is begging her to go for a walk in it.
Lily sighs as she stares out of the window. It started to rain just over a minute ago, so by her estimation, she has about three minutes before she has to tell James to, "Bugger off." She wastes one of those minutes by seriously considering hiding from him before she remembers that stupid map of his, making her decide not to waste her last few precious moments on futile efforts. Instead, she chooses to spend the time in her favourite corner of the library, her nose in her favourite Charms book.
Lily feels like she has barely had any time to enjoy the book before James comes running over, Madame Pince glaring at his back. "No running in the library," she hisses loudly.
"Sorry," James calls over his shoulder, as he slows to a walk. He reaches Lily and bends down to kiss her on the cheek. "Hey Evans," he whispers, not wanting to get himself in more trouble with Madame Pince.
"No way," Lily states immediately, figuring she might as well try to save herself some time by letting James know straight away that there is no way she is going for a walk in the rain. James simply grins and pulls a rucksack off his back.
"I thought you might say that," he says, as he sits down in a chair opposite her. He places the rucksack on the table between them and starts to open it. "So I brought some things that may help change your mind."
Lily leans back in her chair and folds her arms. "You're wasting your time," she sings.
"You underestimate me far too much," James smirks. "I'd have thought you would have learnt your lesson around the time you agreed to go out with me."
"Cocky much?"
"Stubborn much?"
Lily kicks him under the table. "I can't be that stubborn or else I wouldn't be going out with you." James laughs and the way his eyes light up when he does makes Lily wish they weren't in the library so she could snog him senseless. She vaguely wonders how Madame Pince would react if she just did it here; the thought of it makes her blush.
"Something making you blush?" James drawls. He rises out of his chair and leans across the table, bringing his lips closer and closer to Lily's. He is just about to reach her when Lily pushes his face away.
"Not in the library," she hisses, and then, in an attempt to distract him from snogging, "Come on then Potter, show me your bag of tricks."
"Glad you asked," James begins as he pulls a green umbrella out of the rucksack. "Firstly this, to keep the rain off your pretty head. And it's green, my favourite colour," he coos.
"Sucking up will get you nowhere," Lily says.
James pokes his tongue out at her. "Fine," he replies. "But you get the point, yeah?" Lily throws him a look and he continues, "Well yes, you know what an umbrella is."
"If this is the best you've got, I wouldn't bother with the rest," Lily mutters. "I'm still on no."
James rolls his eyes at her. "Well I'm obviously saving the best until last." He pulls something made out of black bin sacks that Lily is unable to distinguish.
"What is it?" she asks.
"It's a mac," James explains. "With a hood, so you'll have two things protecting your head and something protecting your body."
"Dd-di-did you make it yourself?" Lily splutters.
"Yes," James answers, proudly. "It's a little untidy, but it gets the job done. I made Moony test it out, and it kept him nice and dry." James reaches into the bag a third time, as Lily tries not to look at the mac so she doesn't laugh, and this time pulls out a pair of red wellington boots. "They'll keep your feet nice and dry. I got these ones specially to match your hair."
Lily shakes her head. "What did I say about sucking up?"
"Yeah, yeah, it isn't going to get me anywhere," James mutters. "Okay. The fourth thing isn't something material," James begins. "It is merely a reminder that I love the rain and I really want to do this at least once with you, so you really should say yes because you love me."
"I don't love you," Lily lies. "I tolerate you Potter, because you are mildly pleasant to look at."
"'I'll take that," James shrugs, but he breaks out into a grin when Lily reaches across the table and squeezes his hand. "Anyway," he continues. "I have a couple more things to tempt you with." He pulls a small tub of lip balm out of the rucksack.
"And what, may I ask, do you need that for?" Lily sighs.
James cackles in a way that makes Lily nervous, and flips the lip balm over to her side of the table. "No, no , no," he drawls. "This is for you."
"What for?" Lily asks suspiciously, narrowing her eyes.
"Because I promise to snog you a ridiculous amount," James practically purrs. "Trust me. You are going to need it."
Lily contemplates pretending she isn't interested for about half a second, before deciding she can't be bothered. "That does sound a little tempting," she admits. "Between quidditch practice and patrols, we haven't had a good snog in ages."
James nods. "I know," he agrees. "I'm beginning to hate quidditch."
Lily raises one eyebrow. "I never thought I'd hear you say that," she says incredulously.
"I have needs Evans," James smirks. "And you, you are definitely one of them." He shoots her the look that never fails to make her come over all unnecessary, making her blush again. "I've almost got you," he boasts. "And just to push you that tiny bit further, I have this," he finishes. He pulls out a small rectangular piece of paper; Lily can just about make out James's messy scrawl on it.
"That's a little anti-climactic," Lily says. "I thought this was meant to be your big finale. I was expecting chocolate."
"I repeat, you underestimate me," James retorts. He slides the piece of paper across the table to Lily, who looks at it disdainfully. "This is a coupon that promises you a nice hot shower and a cuddle in bed afterwards."
Lily almost groans out loud because that does actually sound perfect, but restrains herself; she doesn't want to make this too easy for James. "Interesting," she declares. "But I'm still not sure."
James pouts and flashes Lily his puppy dog eyes. "C'mon," he pleads. "Just this once."
Lily laughs. "Promise to get me a hot chocolate from the kitchens, and you've got yourself a deal." James nods solemnly and holds his hand out to Lily's so they can shake on it. Lily sighs and stands up. "I suppose I'd better go and get some layers on then. Meet you in the entrance hall in ten minutes?"
xxxxx
Lily has been out in the rain for roughly a minute, and she is already contemplating calling the whole thing off and running back inside. She has two tops, two jumpers, a pair of leggings underneath her trousers and her new wellington boots on, not to mention James's mac – which she is only wearing so she doesn't hurt his feelings – and she is still freezing. The only thing that persuades her to stay outside is James's hand clenched tightly around hers.
"Thanks for coming with me," James says. He lets go of her hand so that he can wind an arm around her waist; the other arm is holding the umbrella above their heads.
"Why do you love the rain so much James?" Lily asks.
"I don't know, I always have," James says, shrugging. "It's refreshing, I guess. And I love the sound it makes." He looks down at Lily and takes in her reluctant face. "Still don't have you convinced?"
"Nope."
"C'mon, look at this." James drags Lily over to the beech tree that overlooks the Black Lake and conjures up a rug, which he lays on the ground. "Sit," he orders. Lily settles herself down on it and James follows suit, planting himself close beside her, flinging an arm across her shoulders. He uses his free arm to gesture towards the lake. "Look at that," he says enthusiastically. Lily laughs at how excited James is over ripples and then snuggles into him; this has possibly made her love him even more. "Amazing, aren't they," he gushes.
"No," Lily argues. "You're amazing." She reaches up and grabs James's chin so she can turn his face towards hers. "I think I'm just about ready for that snogging," she mumbles. James doesn't hesitate; he pulls Lily tightly against his chest and his lips are on hers in an instant. Lily quickly concludes that there are some aspects of walks in the rain that she could get used to; it is, in fact, rather nice to snog with the sound of the rain falling all around you.
As she always does when she is snogging James, Lily wonders why on earth she resisted him for so long; how much time did she waste missing out on this? All Lily can concentrate on is James's frantic heartbeat beating against her chest and the scrape of his teeth along her lips and his tongue dancing in her mouth and the sound of the rain drumming in her ears.
Before long, Lily has turned entirely to jelly and she can barely breathe, so she pulls away and lies down on the rug, pulling James down with her. He winds himself around her; entwines his legs with hers. He plants kisses all over her face; on her forehead and eyelids and along her jawline and up until he reaches her ear. "I have missed this," he whispers.
"Me too," Lily groans and then, desperate for his lips to be back on hers, she pulls his face back to hers and nibbles on his lower lip before sliding her tongue into his mouth. James responds enthusiastically – he always likes it when Lily takes control – and opens his mouth slightly more to allow her more leeway.
It is a long time before they break apart; when they do it is a while before either of them can speak.
xxxxx
Lily stands in the boys' bathroom, shivering, whilst she waits for the water to heat up. It only takes a few minutes and Lily is extremely grateful. It was worth it, but she isn't sure she has ever been colder. She is halfway through getting undressed when James bursts in and starts pulling his shirt over his head. "What are you doing?" Lily asks incredulously.
"Getting in with you," James replies.
"Not yet you aren't Mister," Lily argues. "You promised me a hot chocolate and I really want it for when I get out the shower." She is lying; what she really wants is a few minutes alone in the shower before James comes and hogs all of the hot water.
"Yes, your majesty," James says sarcastically, but he pulls his shirt back on and leaves the bathroom. Lily immediately finishes getting undressed and jumps into the shower. The warmth of it spreads deliciously down her body, making her moan. She stands underneath the flow of hot water, only moving to turn the heat up once in a while.
James reappears a few minutes later, and is undressed before Lily can even blink. He hops in the shower. "Move up," he demands. "Let me under there." Lily giggles and shakes her head. "Don't be horrid, Evans," James pleads. "I got your hot chocolate."
Lily doesn't move for a moment; instead she watches a stray raindrop slide from his hairline, down his forehead and onto the end of his nose, where it sits precariously. She giggles again and moves towards him; she stands on her tiptoes so she can reach up and gently lick the raindrop.
This is Lily's undoing; James has her pushed up against the wall of the shower in a second; his body is pressed against hers and his mouth his on her neck. He runs his tongue along her pulse point. "You shouldn't have done that," he drawls, before he captures her lips with his.
xxxxx
Afterwards, when they are curled up in bed together in a tangle of limbs, Lily decides that maybe she likes the rain after all.
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