Disclaimer: Harry Potter, names, characters and indicia are solely JK Rowling's. I do not take credit for anything you recognize in this story.
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The world had stopped.
The world had stopped because he was there, his body stiff, his knuckles clenched, his eyes dangerously dark, and he was shouting something but she couldn't focus.
The room was raucously loud, but she couldn't hear it either.
She could only hear the loud thumping of her heart in her ears, and a sob had risen in her throat and her vision was blurring.
"—anymore! You're a hypocrite and I–"
She couldn't listen anymore. She knew how this argument would end, like it always did. She would retaliate, slap him on the cheek and storm away.
But she couldn't move. Her voice was stuck in her throat, her fingers numb and her feet stuck to the ground.
"—nothing to say to me, is that it?!" He was bellowing and people were staring because Lily Evans was speechless, and was that a tear sliding down her cheek?
His deep sigh resonated in her ears, and his hand was rubbing tiredly at his eyes, and then he was the one walking away, his stride fast and sure, and the only thing she could do was feebly call out "James", but he didn't hear her, the sound of the portrait hole closing behind him reverberating in her bones, because for the first time in her life, Lily Evans was wrong.
-&-
The world had stopped.
The world had stopped because she was walking through the Great Hall and everyone had looked up from their breakfast to look at her, but she kept looking ahead towards where her friends were seated, her legs shaking uncontrollably and her stomach clenched.
No one said a word as she took a seat, and she was grateful for it.
She shook away the piercing looks everyone was giving her and stared down at her plate, her stomach heaving uncomfortably.
"I was wrong," She whispered and her friends stared shock-still at her, forks and knives hovering in midair. "I was wrong," She repeated and she felt Dorcas' hand on her back, rubbing in comforting circles.
"Go tell him, then."
-&-
The world had stopped.
The world had stopped because she was standing in front of James' dorm door, and her heart had jumped to her throat and her palms were sweaty.
Her knuckles rapped lightly at the wood and she heard shuffling from inside the room before the door was wrenched open.
He was still in his pyjamas and a look of surprise, anger and unease washed across his face. He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. "Can I help you?" He asked and the words were stuck in her throat. "Okay, then," He rolled his eyes when she didn't answer and was going to shut the door, when she put her hand out and held the door open.
"Wait," She croaked. "Just wait, please."
He gave her a long look, his eyes smothering, before nodding and beckoning her in. He stood near the door, leaning against the wall, his hands in his pants pockets and an apathetic look on his face.
She swallowed and fumbled with her robes before meeting his gaze. "I'm sorry."
He nodded slowly and opened the door again. "Okay, thank you. You can leave now."
She dismissed his hurtful tone and shook her head. "Not until you hear me out." He rolled his eyes again and closed the door, regaining his previous position. "I'm sorry I started that fight. I was wrong; I never meant those things I said. You're not that person anymore, James and there's a reason why I came on so strongly." She hadn't noticed moving closer to him, and she could tell how uncomfortable he was by her proximity. "And – and that reason..." She continued, "is that – that—"
"That what?" He had pushed himself from the wall and she could almost feel his rage pushing against her in waves. "Please enlighten me on why you thought it appropriate to call me a snobby selfish spoiled asshole with no consideration for anyone's feelings but his ow—"
"Because I was talking about my feelings!" She blurted out, cutting across him, and he couldn't do anything but stare, completely taken aback.
"Your feelings?! What feelings?" He shot back and he was so close to her she could barely breathe.
"I fancy you, alright?!" She exclaimed, busying herself with her robes, just so she wouldn't have to look at his burning eyes.
There was complete silence, and she glanced at him to see him staring at her, confusion written on his features. "You do?" He whispered and the hope and pain in his tone broke her heart.
-&-
His lips were against hers, pressing and bruising and she could swear her heart had stopped beating in her chest. There was passion and tenderness in the way he touched and held her and she could almost hear his heart beating erratically in his chest, and it was because the world had stopped.
-fin-
A/N: Reviews make the world go round (L)