Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except for Harley and Zoe. Everyone else belongs to the wonderful and brilliant JK Rowling.
A/N: The cliche that's been around since the dawn of time (or L/J fics...) James teaching Lily how to fly. Enjoy. (:
Flying Lessons
"I want you to teach me how to fly."
Harley Pensky looked up from her Witch Weekly magazine. Lily Evans, one of her best friends in the whole world, bless her, was standing at the foot of her bed. Her hands were on her hips in an almost menacing way.
"Lils, it's twelve-thirty," Harley answered, glancing at her watch.
"It's Friday."
"Why do you want to learn now?"
"Because," she answered, turning slightly pink.
"It has to do with James, I'm calling it," Zoe called from behind the curtains surrounding her bed.
"I thought you were asleep," Lily said, wheeling around to her as Zoe pushed back her curtains.
"When do we ever go to bed before one o'clock on a Friday?" Alice asked, undoing the scarlet fabric from around her bed as well.
"Back to the issue at hand!" Harley raised her voice above all of them. "Lily, why do you want me to teach you to fly?"
"Well, you're on the Quidditch Team..."
"Skip to the part where James is involved," Marlene said encouragingly. She had crawled onto Alice's bed and was watching with rapt attention as well.
Lily faltered, looking around at her four best friends. She didn't seem to want - or had expected - such an audience.
"I - well - me and James were talking -"
"Or getting cozy in the Head's Room," Zoe smirked.
"Zoe, shush," Harley chastised.
"Sorry."
"Continue, Lily."
"Well... we were talking about Quidditch, and the Cup, and he asked me if I knew how to fly."
"Which you don't," Harley said.
"I know. But... I didn't exactly tell him that?" Lily said, raising her voice a little at the end.
"Why not?" Zoe asked, frowning slightly. "Lots of people don't know how to fly, it's not like you were born with a third arm you keep hidden in your bra or something."
"Thank you, Zoe," Lily said, not exactly sure if that statement required a 'thank you' or not.
"Why'd you tell him you could fly?" Alice asked, getting back to the point.
"Because two minutes earlier he asked me out to go riding with him tomorrow."
Harley's eyebrows shot up. "And you actually said yes?"
Lily's face was now the exact color of her flaming-red hair. "Well - I - you know - yeah."
"Lily!" Alice squealed excitedly. Marlene took out her camera and snapped a quick shot of Lily, who was smiling weakly as though she wasn't completely mortified by all of the excitement. This was the girl who not even a year ago had claimed James to be her sworn enemy.
"Aww," Harley cooed, leaning forward excitedly.
"But you don't know how to fly," Zoe pointed out.
"Thank you, Zoe, we had not just gone over that," Lily replied sarcastically. Zoe stuck her tongue out.
"And you have to meet him tomorrow," Harley clarified. Lily nodded. "And he expects you to be a competent flier." Another nod. "And if you aren't, he'll be disgusted and never want to look at your shamed, non-flying face again."
"I - well - I hope not. But my chances look better if I don't come off as a liar right off the bat."
"Point taken," Harley said. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!"
Lily, Harley, Zoe, Alice, and Marlene quietly made their way downstairs. Lily, being Head Girl with an easy excuse as to why she was out of the dormitory this late, would go ahead and check around corners and listen for footsteps then wave the others over so they knew it was okay. Once she had to shove Harley behind a suit of armor when Professor Sprout came around the corner at the last second ("Good evening, professor, just finishing up rounds.") When they finally reached the grand doors leading out of the castle, they all stopped short.
"How the hell did we forget that they'd be locked?" Zoe whispered furiously.
"Merlin, do we have to go all the way back upstairs?" Alice asked, eying the nearest staircase warily.
"We can't get out, so I guess we'll have to just try again in the morning," Lily admitted sadly.
Marlene and Harley exchanged a look.
"We can still get out," Marlene told them, "follow us."
Harley led their (confused) procession past the Great Hall and into a hallway of unused classrooms. When they reached the end, they were staring at a tapestry of an old goblin with a beard that could put Dumbledore's to shame. He was sitting on a rock, holding a piece of parchment and quill, staring at the moon.
"...And why have you brought us to the Dramatic Goblin?" Zoe spoke up.
Marlene took out her wand and tapped the goblin on his nose, whispering "Tristis!".
Nothing happened except the tapestry might have moved a bit, as though hit with a soft breeze. Marlene and Harley were satisfied, though, and pulled up on one of the corners. Underneath the cloth was a large hole, big enough for someone their age to easily fit inside. At the end of the tunnel, a dim light could be seen.
"Good to know this thing still works," Harley said, stepping into the passageway.
"How did you guys find this?" Lily asked in amazement.
"We didn't, James and Sirius did," Marlene said, lighting up her wand so they could see. The other girls followed suit.
"In sixth year we were trying to find the kitchens, when we saw James, Sirius, and Peter sneaking down this hallway," Harley explained as they made their way through the tunnel. "They had kinda popped out of no where, it was strange. Anyways, Marley and I were curious, so we followed them."
"Did they catch you?" Alice asked.
"No, we only stuck around long enough to see where they were going. It was the middle of winter, we didn't fancy going outside just to see whatever Marauder-thing they were doing," Marlene said.
"I guessed that they thought they were following a secret treasure Map, since James kept checking this piece of old parchment in his hands. But whatever."
"We'll never know," Zoe contributed in a spooky voice.
"Can you not talk so loud? How will it look if we're suddenly all found in a small tunnel leading outside?" Lily said.
"Relax, Lils, I don't think anyone can hear us," Alice said.
"Yeah, and besides, this tunnel doesn't last forever. We're almost there," Harley said, pointing ahead, where they could already see the moon in the sky. "Come on!"
"Now, you just push off the ground and away you go!"
Lily looked down at the broom currently between her legs warily. Harley, Marlene, Zoe, and Alice were all looking at her expectantly.
"Are you sure it'll just... work?"
"Lily Evans, you've spent six and a half years at a magical school for witches and wizards. You've made objects fly, apparated, brewed potions, and turned a cat into a hedgehog, and watched countless games of Quidditch where fourteen people were flying around on brooms for hours. And you're even using Marlene's broom-"
"-which I still don't understand, since you are technically her teacher, Harley, shouldn't she be using yours?"
"I didn't want her to break it-"
"Hey!"
"Anyways! You've seen and done all of that, and you doubt you can hover in the air for a couple of seconds?" Harley finally finished.
Lily frowned. "Well-"
"Just push off a bit, like you're going to walk on your toes, but only a little harder," Alice suggested.
Lily looked at them all one last time before squeezing her eyes shut, and pushing off of the ground. The broom rose about four feet in the air and Harley smiled. "See! You did it!"
Lily opened one eye but then gasped excitedly. "Merlin, I'm flying! I'm-" The broom sped forward five feet and Lily fell off. "-falling. I'm fucking falling on my arse at midnight on a Quidditch field with four lunatics."
The girls rushed over and helped her up, Marlene retrieving her broom. "Maybe it just doesn't like her. Are brooms like wands, do they know when someone who isn't their owner is using them?"
"Maybe. Let's use mine?" Harley suggested.
Five minutes later, Lily was crashing to the ground again.
"This shouldn't be happening!" Harley said in frustration. "Everyone can fly a few feet on their first try!"
"Maybe they actually wanted to," Lily said sourly.
"You better want to, seeing as we're all giving up sleep for this," Harley retorted.
Lily looked like she was about to reply, but a voice behind them made them all jump.
"What are you all doing out here?"
James Potter was looking at all of them in confusion. His hair was even messier than usual, his shirt was wrinkled, and there was a sheet-print on his cheek.
"Oh... hey, buddy," Zoe said awkwardly.
"Hi," he answered.
An awkward silence followed that lasted so long Harley began to wonder if time had just stopped all together.
"A-hem... Lovely night for flying," Marlene supplied.
"Yeah."
Zoe was braiding a small lock of hair, Alice determinedly looking at her shoes. Harley and Marlene were paying quite a bit attention to their respective brooms, smoothing the twigs and wiping off fingerprints with their cloaks. Lily was playing with her hands when she finally burst out, "James, I was lying! I don't know how to fly, I'm awful at it, and I don't know why anyone would feel any need to ride one of those God-forsaken pieces of wood."
James was silent for about three seconds before bursting out laughing. His shoulders shook and he even had to push his glassed back up his nose when they came very close to falling off.
"You really think I didn't know that, Lily?"
"I - wait - what?"
James calmed down and wiped a tear from his eye. "I've known you for six and a half years. You think I never figured out that you don't know how to fly?"
"Stalker!"
"Observatory," James corrected.
"And I've decided I don't like flying," Lily commented, wiping off a blade of grass from the last fall.
James's eyes bugged out of his head, until he resembled some sort of featherless owl. "How can you not like flying? It's the best thing on this planet!"
"You fall off brooms. You break your skull when bludgers hit you. And Quidditch is just overall a dangerous sport!"
"That's what makes it so exciting!"
"James, your Quidditch Captain is showing," Zoe said dryly.
James gave her an exasperated look. Suddenly, though, he wheeled around quickly, facing Harley and Marlene. "Pensky! McKinnon!"
Marlene jumped slightly at the sudden loud noise. They both looked up to him.
"How have you been teaching her?"
The two exchanged looks.
"Er.."
"We've sort of just putting her on the broom and then... letting her go," Harley answered.
James rubbed his forehead. "Seriously?"
"Well, how the hell else are we supposed to go about it?" Marlene asked impatiently.
"If she doesn't want to learn, she won't be able to fly."
"Well then it looks like there's nothing we can do about it," Alice spoke up. She and Zoe were both sitting on the grass, tearing up blades and throwing them at each other.
"Not quite," James said. He looked at Harley and something passed between them. Without a word she handed over her broom, and he swung his leg over it. "Hop on, Lily."
"What?" she frowned.
"You have to know what it's like to fly, or else you'll never want to."
"But..." her mind raced at the speed of light, looking for a way out of it. She'd already humiliated herself enough for one night, falling off the back of broom wouldn't be necessary. "Harley or Marlene could -"
"Merlin, guys, I'm tired!" Harley gave a very exaggerated yawn, and Marlene nodded in agreement, stretching her arms above her head. "You stay out here with James, we'll head back up to the castle."
"Don't worry about it!" Zoe said quickly when Lily opened her mouth to protest. "It'll be easier to get back up to the castle as four, and it'll be better if you two get caught, since you're Head Boy and Girl."
"'Night, Lils!" Alice and Marlene chorused, and the four ran off before Lily could open her mouth in protest.
Mutinous thoughts ran through Lily's mind.
"Subtle friends you got there," James said, but he was smiling.
Lily smiled at her feet. "Yeah. They could be spies, and you'd never know."
James chuckled, but then he asked. "Are you gonna get on?"
Lily looked at the broom apprehensively.
"You know, you did agree to do this," James reminded her innocently.
Damn, she had.
"Come on, it'll be fun," he encouraged softly. "Especially since I'm here."
Lily rolled her eyes. "I'm surprised you can get off the ground with that fat head." But she climbed on behind him.
James laughed. "I haven't heard that one in a while. I kind of miss it."
Lily took a deep breath when the broom rose a few feet so that it was parallel to the ground. Their toes were a few inches above the ground.
"You won't go too high?"
"You can push me off if I do."
"But then I'd have to fly it!"
"Drat! My evil plan has been foiled."
"Oh, just start flying," Lily finally said, suppressing a giggle.
"Er, Lily?"
"Hm?" she responded, ignoring the slight chill that went down her spine at the sound of her name.
"You might want to hang on."
"Oh." Feeling her face heat up, Lily tentatively wrapped her arms around his waist.
"Ready?" James said, turning his head slightly to look at her.
Lily looked up and caught his gaze and paused, noticing his eyes had green flecks in the middle of the light brown.
"Yeah," she breathed.
Suddenly, though, the perfect image was shattered when James smirked and turned around, leaning forward. The broom shot into the air, flying quickly over the stands and out of the pitch.
"JAMES!"
"What's that? I can't hear you over the sound of how fun this is!"
"I'm going to bloody kill you!"
Lily tightened her grip, hiding her head into his back as the wind whipped her hair behind her. Below them the tops of the trees were whizzing by, melting together into a see of leafy green.
"I swear to Merlin, James Potter, if you don't let me down right now I'm going to get a knife-"
"Lily, calm down. We've stopped."
She looked up and saw the she and James were stopped above the Forbidden Forest, the moon in front of them.
"Oh."
"What were saying you'd do with that knife-?"
"Oh well, let's not discuss that," Lily said, and she could feel James laughing.
"I promise to go slower now," he said, and took of at a much more comfortable pace, creating just enough of a breeze to ruffle their hair slightly. They flew on in silence for a couple minutes. Lily found herself enjoying the sensation. Finally, James broke the silence.
"Lily?"
"Hm?"
"Why'd you agree to do this?"
"Well, I was kind of forced to, in case you didn't not-"
"No, I mean yesterday. When I asked you to go flying."
"Oh. Well. I mean-"
"You know what? Don't worry about it, I'm just being stupid. You probably just wanted to learn how to fly or something."
"No! James, that wasn't it. I knew I couldn't fly, but I didn't want you to know that. So I made the girls come out with me and teach me, so I wouldn't embarrass myself in front of you. I... I really just wanted to spend more time with you," she admitted, thankful he couldn't see exactly what shade of red her cheeks had turned.
James shifted a little. "Really?"
"Yeah," Lily said softly.
Lily, at that moment, would have thought that she'd have gotten through the broom ride alive, but suddenly James turned around (as best as he could while straddling a broomstick) and kissed her.
Lily stiffened for a moment but then every one of her defenses broke down and she melted. Her hands left his waist and she put them around his neck, James turning towards her more.
Both of them had their eyes closed, and it was only when the top of a tall tree hit James's knee that he realized they were all but falling straight to the ground.
"Shit!"
James quickly pulled upwards and they shot into the air, almost completely vertical, going faster and faster until his heart stopped beating so quickly. Lily's arms were back around his waist, her chest pressed up against his back and he could feel her hammering heart beat as well. As soon as he could, he landed back in the Pitch.
"Well, I think we learned one thing," James said, climbing off the broom.
"What's that?"
"There are times to snog, and while flying high over the Forbidden Forest is not one of them."
"Hmm... and when exactly is it a good time to snog?"
James rubbed his chin, pretending to inspect the position of the moon. He moved around a bit until he was standing directly in front of Lily, barely a foot away, still looking at the stars and then his watch.
"Well, by my calculations - having learned from the prestigious Remus Lupin, mind you - I'd say right now is perf-"
Lily closed the gap and pressed her lips to his, standing on her toes to reach him.
She'd interrupted him, but James didn't really mind all that much.
A/N: I'm on a roll! Two one-shots in... however long it's been. A week? A little less? That's like a regular update. :D
Thank you all for reading! Again, it's with the same characters. You can pretty much assume that the rest of what I publish (L/J wise, I mean. Though I doubt I'll do anything else) will be with this same bunch of characters.
I haven't done anything with the rest of the marauders though! D: Next time, I promise! I already have an idea. (: Sirius, Remus, and Peter will be with us soon (;
The story is coming along great, to all of you who care/are possibly looking forward to it (I hope you are, I know I am :D)
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the US, Happy November 24 to everyone else!
Would you readers be so kind as to drop a review? Tell me what you think? ^_^
Until Next Time!
~Smile