Parties weren't unfamiliar to James Potter. He went, drank a bit, flirted with some girls, and then left. He'd been going to upperclassmen parties since he as a forth year. And even after two years, the parties hadn't changed.
In fact, most of the parties he'd been to had blurred together because they were all the same. Thinking back, the only party that resonated with him, other than the Marauders own parties, was the first time he saw Lily Evans at one.
It was the summer before sixth year, at Elizabeth Clearwater's party. James remembered that she was a cute, short blond with some minor acne (not that it mattered to him) but that he didn't really feel like convincing her to put out. He'd been standing around, joking with Jeffery Glenn with a fire whiskey in his hand when he saw Mary McDonald. He smiled at Jeffery, a seventh year, and politely excused himself to go and talk to her.
Mary was certainly popular. She carried an air of arrogance around her, not that unlike the arrogance of the Marauders. James, however, never really found her attractive. She was obviously pretty, with her straight brown hair and perfect face. Her eyes were a warm brown, contrasting from her rather rambunctious personality. She was relatively short and skinny. She dressed nice. In fact, many guys at James school thought she was one of the most attractive girls there. But james thought she was average. He'd seen her type before, and he'd see her type again, long after she was good and gone from his life. The only startling thing about her appearance was the accessory next to her.
Lily Evans was Mary's best friend. But most of Hogwarts saw her as nothing but Mary's accessory, put next to her just to make Mary look better. Lily was quiet and thoughtful, she didn't speak much and was completely withdrawn. She was a shoe-in for head girl because all the teachers loved her quiet brilliance. She was the only person who beat James in academics. And the only girl that wasn't attracted to him. Lily, at the tender age of sixteen, had never had a boyfriend but wanted someone who was her intellectual and emotional equal, and James just wasn't on her level emotionally. At Hogwarts, it appeared that no one was on her level emotionally. In school, she was viewed as a peaceful, but ambitious girl who would forever be eclipsed by the beauty and popularity of her best friend.
What startled James at this particular party was Lily. She had finally grown into her own. She towered over most girl at a beautiful 5'8". Her body was small and smooth, pale and fragile looking. Her wide eyes were a deep emerald green. Her lips were a dark pink. Her freckles were faint, due to her lack of time in the sunshine, and her skin nearly stark white. If her long, wavy red hair had been black, one might of called her Snow White. Her legs were long, sticking out from underneath her dark blue dress. Her short, dark blue dress. James remembered thinking that Mary must have dressed her. Because she was beyond gorgeous. She was glowing. She looked fresh, and nearly makeup free. Tonight especially, one could see why Lily was James' object of desire.
"Hey Mary, Lily, what's up?" said James.
"Oh nothing, just working the party circuit. Have you stopped at Lendon's yet? Don't bother. It's completely trash. Everyone's already drunk and nearly having sex while there dancing. Didn't their parents ever teach them manners?" said Mary.
James smiled a bit at her. Mary has been raised much like himself, very polite and poised, saying the right things at the right time and interacting with the right people. James was no virgin, and he was pretty sure Mary wasn't either, but such actions were to be kept, at the least, inside the bedroom, and at the most, inside one's inner circle. And never were to be displayed so flamboyantly in public.
"I haven't been by, but dully noted Mary. Ready for school yet?" said James.
"Well, of course, I'm never ready for vacation to be over but I expect this year will be good for me and I..."
James was glad that he asked a question that would get Mary talking for awhile. He nodded and agreed at the right parts but her ranting gave him time to glance over t Lily. She was standing, quietly of course, staring off to the side. Following her line of vision, he found no particular item she could be so intently focused on and figured she must just be thinking about something.
She looked beautiful, and even though he'd always thought that there was no one prettier, he felt that since the end of school last year she'd grown even more stunning. He loved the way her collar bone stuck out from just beneath her skin, not in a way that meant she was underfed, but in a way that begged for him to kiss it. He loved how small her shoulders were, it added to her delicate appearance. He loved her vulnerability, how she wore it on her sleeves. He wanted to wrap her up in his arms and never let her go. Her blue dress, the color of midnight, was a cotton sweetheart that his mother would have adored. He loved the shape of her body. She had subtle curves and long legs that would just take a guy's mind wandering. He hated how uncomfortable she looked in the party setting though.
He hated that she allowed herself to be walked over by Mary and he hated that she didn't tell Mary that she hated that dress. Lily was much to indie for that dress, so he knew she probably hated it. She wore fashion forward clothing, but it usually bordered more on the unique than the uniform fashion girls like Mary wore. Lily liked vintage and modern, her style a mixture of both. And James hated that she wouldn't stand up for something as simple as a dress.
"...I'm just really excited for this year. How about you?" said Mary.
"Oh, yeah. I guess this year will be all right. Say, Mary, I think Sirius was asking about you earlier, why don't you go find him." said James, still staring at Lily.
"I guess... We kind of broke up, you know? He wasn't really my type anyway... but if he was asking for me I shouldn't let him down." Mary giggled as she strutted away.
James smirked as he registered her strut. Mary had a particular way of walking, with just the right amount of hip shaking goodness that made a guy go wild. It wasn't so much obnoxious that they were asking what the hell she was doing, but enough that a guy noticed.
James turned back to Lily and smiled. She was caught looking at him, so she lowered her head with a blush.
"How are you Lily?" asked James.
"Okay..." said Lily, her voice quiet.
"Could you say that again?" James stepped closer to her.
"I said I was okay." She looked up and James was very close to her. She gasped and stumbled back.
James had the tendency of making her strangely uncomfortable. Most people made her feel out of place but James just intensified the feeling.
"Good, good. How's your summer been so far?"
"It's been alright."
James smirked. "Will you ever say more than a couple of words to be?"
She looked up from the ground again straight into his eyes, with almost a touch of humor. "No, probably not."
"Okay, honesty hurts. Is there anything I can do to change that?"
"Do you really think making me feel uncomfortable is funny?" asked Lily, annoyed.
"I find you interesting. I'm not laughing at you but more your actions. I can't decide if you're completely socially withdrawn, or if your just a shy flower that hasn't bloomed yet. I'm betting on the latter."
"You've known me for five years, if I was going to bloom, I think I would've already."
"Not if nobodies ever given you a reason to flower."
She look up at him, her eyes innocent, for a second before she stared at the ground again. "Maybe."
"I can take a maybe." He smiled even bigger at her.
"Did Sirius actually want to see Mary?"
"No. I just wanted to talk to you."
Lily's face turned bright red.
"You look exceptionally gorgeous tonight. Would you like to dance?"
"No." she said, blushing even more.
"Another time then." James stated at her, instead of asking.
"Probably not." James laughed a good, hearty laugh.
"I'll be seeing you then, Lily. Have a good rest of your holiday."
"You too." And then she was back to thinking.
James walked away shaking his head. It was no secret of his affections for her. Nearly the whole school knew but anytime he was out right blunt with her she quickly dispelled his advances. When he tried to slowly develop their friendship, she pushed him away even more. One day, he was going to break down her walls.
One day.