This is my submission for alohamora080's One day Competition. I've been WAITING for her to put a new competition up since my entry for the True Colours one was probably the only good thing I've ever managed to write.
I hope this measures up.
Enjoy everyone! :)
Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns the magical world of Harry Potter. I don't.
January 19th
1972
Lily stirred her potion hysterically, glancing up at the clock. There were ten minutes left until the end of the class, and she had yet to perfect her concoction. Next to her, Severus was calmly stirring his own concoction, unfazed by the condensation and clamor that filled the classroom.
'Sev,' she said frenziedly. 'Sev, can you pass me the – ?' Lily stopped short, ducking. She let out a cry of shock, as Severus's nearly finished potion flew out of its cauldron and splattered on the floor. Lily looked inside; a miniature Quaffle floated at the surface, the initials J.P. engraved into the side.
Lily looked across the room. James was grinning. 'Sorry, Snivellus!' he called out, turning to her and winking.
She glared at him, disgusted.
January 19th
1973
'I think McGonagall made us do this project together for a reason,' James told her knowledgeably. He was sitting in Severus's customary seat in the library across from her, leaning back in his chair. 'I bet she thought it would get us to get along.'
'Well, it's not working,' snapped Lily, scribbling down notes from the book she was scanning through. 'Now, why can't you make yourself useful, and help me with these notes?'
'Now, Evans,' James said at once. 'Your notes look so beautiful. Do you really want me to ruin – er, I mean – help with them?' He waggled his eyebrows at her.
Lily rolled her eyes.
January 19th
1975
Lily marched up to her dormitory, seething. It wasn't fair, she thought, flinging her bag onto her bed and sinking to the floor. It wasn't fair that Potter and Black could do whatever they wanted without getting into trouble. But, Severus . . .
Severus got detention for simply defending himself against them.
Lily gnashed her teeth. Then, she caught sight of herself in the nearby mirror, and jumped, unable to recognize herself. She flicked her crackling, red hair out of her face and sighed.
Potter always brought out the worst in her.
January 19th
1977
Her father was dead.
Lily fingered the book's blue binding distractedly, her gaze focused loosely on a point in the distance. Her mind whirled with disjoint thoughts, finally coming to rest on the one memory she had been trying to subdue. 'Daddy! Daddy, no! Daddy, please don't die! Please don't leave me!' Lily felt her eyes sting, and she roughly swiped a hand under her nose.
'Evans?' Lily looked up. James was standing over her, looking worried. 'Are you all right? What're you doing holed up back here?'
Lily ignored him.
'Lily . . .'
Lily pressed her lips together tightly, tears filling the corners of her eyes. She felt so helpless, so alone, so stupid and afraid.
James crouched down beside her, tentatively resting his arm on her knee. His hazel eyes sought out her emerald ones, and Lily felt something stir within her.
The next thing she knew, her face was buried in the front of his robes, and her body racked with tears.
January 19th
1978
They stood together outside the portrait hole. Lily smiled to herself as James nervously ran a hand through his unruly black hair, offering her an uncharacteristically hesitant grin.
The light of the corridor was dim, and everything was completely silent. The Fat Lady was snoozing in her frame.
'I had a lovely time tonight, James,' Lily said softly, looking up at him. 'Thanks for the Butterbeer.'
'I told you I could make head patrol fun,' James laughed. 'And, you didn't believe – '
But that was as far as he got. For Lily had rocketed forward and kissed him, full on the lips.
January 19th
1980
Lily touched a hand to her stomach, where it protruded slightly. It was unbelievable, inexplicably incredible, that inside, another life was growing, day by day.
There was a click, as James closed the door to the bathroom, and bounded into bed beside her. In instant, he had snuggled up beside her, his right arm looping protectively around her belly, as it always did.
Lily smiled.
January 19th
1981
'Not even a year old, and his hair is already as ridiculous as yours!' Lily exclaimed, laughing, as she bounced her gurgling baby boy in her arms.
'What can I say?' James grinned. 'It's the Potter charm.'
'More like curse,' Lily corrected, bending down to press a kiss to Harry's forehead.
'Hey, you married me.' James shrugged. Suddenly, the doorbell clanged, long and loud, and James ran to answer it.
Sirius ambled in first, chatting in his habitually earsplitting tones. Remus followed, rolling his eyes at Sirius, and reaching out to hug James. Peter trotted in after Remus; Lily frowned. There was most definitely something off with Peter. The last few times she'd seen him, he'd looked anxious; now, he looked almost ill with worry. Lily made a mental note to talk to him afterwards.
Alice and Frank . . . Mary and Reginald . . . little Neville . . . Lily beamed as the familiar faces filled her living room . . . as Sirius babbled with his godson . . . as Mary, Remus, and Reginald laughed over tall glasses of Butterbeer . . . as, finally, James came over to her and slipped his arm around her waist.
And they shared a smile.
Because, even if only for now, everything was perfect.