The Train Ride Home.
"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Bloody Fucking Hell. Open up, you fucking door." Lily cried as she kicked it. "Open up." she yelled as she hammered on it.
"For Christ's sake, Evans. It's not going to open from inside, our wands are not with us and no one can bleeding hear us." said James for what felt like the umpteenth time. He watched from his seat as Lily sighed and dropped beside him. Two hours ago he would have been delighted to find himself in a locked train compartment with Evans, all alone but as he watched her in distress, he couldn't help but feel hurt. Fuck, she really didn't want to be anywhere near him, did she?
Just sometime ago, he was sitting with the marauders, sans Sirius planning to meet over the summer holidays. They had been joking around when he decided he really needed to use the loo. And since it was only the loo, he didn't pick up his wand from where it was lying on the seat. He should have, he realized a bit too late. Once he did his business, he was on the way back to his compartment when he felt he heard Sirius calling for him. Frowning he stepped into the nearest compartment but it was empty. Just as he was about to step outside, Lily rushed into the compartment and locked the door behind her. Once she had successfully locked the door, she sighed and turned around and when her eyes fell on him, she let out a very audible groan.
James couldn't help but notice the way her eyes flashed. Her hair was running wild and she was gasping for breath. Unbelievably so, she looked extremely pretty just then. This was exactly how he imagined her to look when they had a good long snog, except with maybe less of the anger that she was directing towards him.
"What the hell! Of all the people in the entire of Hogwarts, of-bloody-course, I had to end up with you," she said glaring at him like it was his fault.
"Good to see you too Evans," he replied, his lips twitching.
As she glared at him some more, he cleared his throat and said, "Quit glaring at me Evans, I was not the one to lock the compartment. As much as you would like to ambush poor suspecting me for, well obvious reasons," he said waving his hand his body, "I must say, the glares are not much of a turn on."
Lily snorted and rolled her eyes, turning around to unlock the compartment when she found that it was jammed shut. That was when the profanities started. Merlin, the girl had more colorful vocabulary than he had assumed.
"Great. Just bloody amazing. The door's jammed shut." she muttered turning back towards him.
He smirked slightly before saying slowly, like talking to a child. "You're a witch Evans. Ever heard of Alohomora?"
Lily rolled her eyes turning to glare at the door instead of him. "I am not a dumbass potter. I just haven't got my wand on me."
"And you're not a dumbass, how?" he said cheekily.
"Why don't you try Potter?" she declared her temper rising. That was when he realized he too didn't have his wand on him.
"Err... I don't have my wand." he admitted sheepishly to her questioning look. She was smug for a moment before scowling once again. Brill-fucking-iant. She was stuck with pesky Potter and there was no way out. She considered the window and decided she valued her life dearly. And besides, she thought wryly, there were more creative ways of dying, like being in the same compartment as Potter. Bloody fucking Potter. She was certainly not in one of her best moods and she vexed out her frustration on the only available person in sight.
"And you call me dumb Potter."
"Hey, I never claimed to be smart." he replied smartly.
She rolled her eyes and started banging at her door while her companion settled down. He seemed to be taking it pretty well. Hmph. Ofcourse he was. He just a needed an excuse to be near her. She scowled darkly at her door while uttering a string of profanities. James didn't know if they for his credit or due to the door but he didn't want to find out.
And now here they were, sitting side by side, both lost in their thoughts of vexation.
"Here Evans." he said suddenly, flipping something towards her.
Lily caught droobles best blowing bubble gum slightly startled. "Thanks." she muttered guiltily.
"No matter. Besides, if we are going to be stuck together, I'd rather you didn't kill me." he said waving her thanks away.
"I'm sorry." she said, her guilty nature coming out.
"Aha! I knew you regretted not going out with me that last time," declared James, a teasing grin on his lips. She threw him a dark look.
"Why do you have to ruin a perfectly civil conversation by doing this," she said, waving her hand at him.
"Why do you have to ruin a perfectly civil conversation by doing this," he retorted, mimicking her actions.
She opened her mouth to retort when she thought better of it and closed it again. More silence ensued and James was considering apologizing when Lily spoke, "Am I that bad." she asked. James was baffled for a moment, not expecting such a question from her.
"No, actually, most times you're pretty darn great, except when you get angry. I would hate to come anywhere near you when you're angry." he said. Lily stared at him before deciding that he was being genuine. "Thanks." she muttered, smiling slightly.
"Oh Merlin Evans, is that smile I spot?" James said dramatically clutching his chest.
At his antics Lily let out an actual smile and James grinned.
"So Evans, why did you lock us together?" said James wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
"Oh, shut up. You really think I wanted to lock myself up with you." snapped lily, more cross with herself and the situation than with him. There was a flash of a disappointment on his face but it was quickly replaced with his usual smirk,
"Seeing that you just locked us..."
"Oh shut up." she said in a huff, crossing her arms. "If you must know, I was hiding from Snape."
"Oh, okay, good idea. I understand," he retorted, unsure because Snape was a difficult subject for them and just as they were making progress, she was throwing more hurdles at him. "I would want to avoid his greasy face too. Merlin knows I still have nightmares about his inhuman face." said James, a serious look on his face, nodding his head.
"Potter!" Lily exclaimed, slapping his arm.
"Oh come off it Evans, you have to admit you are worried he will fall asleep on your notes and smudge them with all the grease he carries around with him." said James looking at her, ready to jump back in case she hit him.
However, her reaction was the most unexpected. She was trying to give him a stern look but failing miserably due to the grin that was forcing to come out on her face.
"You look funny when you can't decide whether to laugh or not." said James casually, like it was a completely normal reaction. This pulled Lily over on his side when she broke into a barking laughter.
"You really shouldn't tease him." she scolded through her laughter.
"I believe this is the most positive you have been in my presence." declared James.
"Seeing that most of our conversations involve you asking me out in a million different ways, I'm not surprised." said Lily, sobering up slightly.
"Right, that reminds me. Evans, go out during the summer with me?" said James sitting up straighter with mischief twinkling in his eyes.
Lily looked at him slightly annoyed before spotting his teasing tone and smiling, she shook her head.
"Why do you ask me out Potter?" she asked suddenly.
"Well, its traditional for me to ask you out everyday and I was a bit busy today and I... " started James when he was cut short by her.
"Not today Potter, why do you ask me out everyday?" explained Lily impatiently.
"Fishing for compliments, are we Evans?" said James with a slight smirk.
"Not really, its just that Godric knows I've rejected you more than once. Most people would give up and move on." she asked seriously, her voice bereft of any insulting tone.
"Well, I'm hardly your most normal people Evans?" said James in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere. "I'm special." Oh Merlin! Why was the compartment so stuffy and hot and uncomfortable all of a sudden.
"Potter!" Lily chided.
"Right, err... All jokes apart, I've never found a reason not to." He said looking slightly uncomfortable and worried that he had finally crossed the line. She was going to be mad at him once again.
Once again, she surprised him with his reaction. She looked thoughtful, as if seriously considering his response. And slowly a hint of a soft smile curled up on her lips which James saw only because he was accustomed to watching her in a detailed manner. He was acutely aware that they were sitting side by side, the closest they had been as far as he could remember, and he remembered nearly every single moment he was with Lily.
Suddenly the train jerked, rather violently and James found himself on the floor, Lily pined underneath him. The closest they been, yeah it just changed.
"Aargh... Ergh...uff... Oi, Potter, gerroff." Lily squirmed underneath him and he scrambled up , giving Lily a hand.
"Oh Merlin, Evans I'm so sorry, the train jerked and I... " he rambled on, unaware that Lily was not paying attention to him. Her eyes were fixed on the door knob where she would've sworn she heard a click. Her brain started working furiously and she turned back to James, who was still apologizing, looking rather remorseful.
"Its okay." She interrupted him and sat down. James followed the suit and for a while they sat in comfortable silence.
"So what are the holiday plans?" James asked , finally breaking the silence.
"Nothing much really. Just laze around before N.E.W.T.s" replied Lily vaguely. "What about you?"
"I'm going to visit France and go bike shopping with Sirius" he grinned, "oh and also write you a letter every day that I'll never sent" He didn't say the last part aloud.
"Does Sirius realize how dangerous bikes are?" asked Lily skeptically.
"Do you realize this is Sirius we're talking about," asked James equally skeptical.
Lily snorted before saying, "Never took him to be so masochistic."
"He not masochistic. He's a dog," James added as an afterthought.
Lily wrinkled her nose as she said, "I'm more of a cat person. What's your favorite animal."
"A deer." declared James proudly.
"Odd choice but I suppose you're right. They are majestic and noble." Lily said looking oddly at him. "Isn't your patronus a deer?" She added as an afterthought.
"It is. Didn't know you paid so much attention to me, Evans," He said smirking.
"How cliche for your favorite animal to be your patronus," said Lily though her face was flushed.
"You didn't deny it. I knew it! You're secretly in love with me Evans," said James his face shining.
"Yes Potter. I can't live without you. I dream of you all night and when I am awake, I am only thinking about you. I am going to spend my summers crying myself to sleep because I couldn't see you." She said her tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Alright, so you don't love me yet, but it is only a matter of time." said James shrugged offhandedly.
"You know Potter, when you're not acting like a git, you're not that bad." said Lily mirroring his grin.
"The apocalypse has arrived. Voldemort has won. Lily Evans complimented me." Said James getting up and waving his arms round dramatically.
"Very theatric Potter"
"Why Evans, thank you. Are you sick? Did you hit your head too hard when you fell? Two compliments in a row. May be Sirius spiked my juice with Felix Felicis." said James thoughtfully, scratching his chin to add to the effect.
However before Lily could tell him to bugger off, the train came to a halt. They had arrived at King cross station. Startled, Lily jumped of her seat and walked to the door.
"Evans, the door is locked. It can't open." Said James just as she opened the door. In response to his confused expression she said,"I think the lock clicked open when the train jerked."
"And you didn't run off screaming away from me, Evans?" asked James, even more confused. Maybe Sirius had really spiked his juice with Felix Felicis. Lily narrowed her eyes and said,"Whatever, don't push your luck." And nearly walked out before turning around and saying,
" oh and James, its Lily."