Author's Note: So...hi. I'm still alive! Also, for anyone who reads The Start of Something, that story is not abandoned. I work on it all the time, but with school and everything...yeah, it's gonna be a while. But, hey, it isn't abandoned! Here's just a small thing because I felt like publishing something.
Disclaimer: Despite my dreaming, I am not J.K. Rowling.
A Quidditch Match
"You are ridiculous," Lily laughed. James, half his face painted navy blue, the other half gold, wearing quidditch robes of the same colors and a tall, spinning top-hat boldly declaring 'Spank the Franks', just shrugged.
"I'm patriotic." Lily shook her head woefully.
"I've attached myself to a maniac." James grinned and snaked one arm around her waist.
"I know you love it," he whispered in her hair. She turned her head towards him.
"hmm, don't be so sure," she said, smiling. James' grin turned decidedly devious.
With no warning, he picked Lily up, threw her over his shoulder and yelled "For Puddlemere!" while running through a row of elaborately decorated tents.
"Put me down!" Lily half yelled, half giggled as she pounded his chest.
"FOR PUDDLEMERE!" James shouted again, louder. That time, a few people in the aisle echoed his chanting.
James had a sizeable following when he set Lily down to catch his breath, laughing.
"INSANE!" she gasped, "ABSOLUTELY BONKERS!" He stepped closer to her and Lily scurried away.
"Oi!" Both Lily and James looked behind them. "Shag later! Let's get our seats!"
Sirius, Lily, James, Remus, and Peter all made their way up a seemingly never-ending staircase which, according to the boys, did eventually end at the 'best bloody seats in the whole pitch', as James described them.
"What about the Minister's Box?"
"Rubbish," Sirius said.
"Absolute rubbish!" Peter echoed, excitedly.
"Our seats are worth a billion of sodding minister boxes!" James said, pulling Lily to his side. She turned to Remus and gave him an exasperated look which Remus reciprocated with a small smile.
"Apparently, they're lucky," Remus explained.
"'Apparently'!" James and Sirius yelled, scandalized.
"Moony, since third year-"
"Here we go."
"every time we sat in those seats-"
"I know, Prongs, they-"
"kick arse! Demolish the competition! WIN!" James threw the arm that wasn't around Lily in the air and let out a cheer, as if Puddlemere had already won. Lily just smiled, because there really is no hope for James' insanity.
After about a century, they made it up to The Seats, which were even in height with the hoops and slightly left of center. Lucky or not, these were good seats.
"I bought the tickets a year ago," James said after everyone had settled. "Last game I waited and we got stuck a section over. Worst loss I have ever seen…" James shook his head regretfully.
The boys talked around her, but Lily was stuck counting back months.
"A year ago?" Lily asked, thoughtfully, "we weren't even dating then, James. Did you get my ticket later?" She turned her head toward him.
"No…We were friends." James shrugged, but smiled and leaned in, "and I had high aspirations." Lily blushed and failed to suppress a smile of her own.
Sirius took out a flask filled with firewhiskey and everyone, even Lily, if a little reluctantly at first, sang 'Beat Back Those Bludgers, Boys' until each team whisked into the air and the referees released the balls.
Puddlemere did win. The crowd erupted in cheers, and James lifted Lily off her feet – they were all standing at that point – swung her around, and planted her with a hard, exhilarated kiss. She laughed and threw her arms in the air. Right then, with the full-concentration of his face-splitting smile, Lily decided she liked ridiculous.
Later – much, much later - lying next to James, the paint cracked over his face, his eyes shut and his lips unconsciously quirked,
Lily decided she loved ridiculous.