Disclaimer: None of the characters in this story, or the world they live in, are mine.
A/N: I've been wanting to write a fic like this for a while, and I'm in a Remus Lupin kind of mood. So, this has appeared. Also, I think this fic is a subtle tribute to the joy of food, perhaps? Either way, go food! Go Remus! Leave me a review, please? Also, per the rules of this main comp, prompts are underlined throughout the fic, sorry. Written for:
Diagon Alley II's New Year's Grand Battle: (Rnd 1) - Dialogue: "Well as long as you two don't shag in my bed..." (3); Characters: Remus Lupin (5), Lily Evans (2); Pairing: James/Lily (2); Words: velvet (1), blackberries (1), summer (1), ice (1); Creature: house elf (3); Spell: expecto patronum (5) bonus (1) for instance of compatible patronuses;
categories comp 2: marauders era; every letter challenge: z;
Zones
The kitchens were as busy as always. Lily Evans sat amongst the throng of bustling house elves, who shuffled from one end of the kitchen to the other, carrying the numerous practically empty trays of delicious food that the students had just finished.
Lily had eaten her supper in the kitchens that night; the elves were always happy to have her. Her friends would have happily eaten with her in the Hall, of course, but that would mean a certain Black and a certain Peter and Remus and their certain best friend who Lily couldn't help but let her mind keep wandering back to and she didn't know why because his name was Potter, and she used to hate him.
James, she clarified with soft smile. She hadn't called him Potter in a long time. When did everything become so complicated?
Potter was the boy who picked on her everyday of first year for her braids, but decided to ask her out everyday by third; he was the boy who grew to pick on the man who used to be her closest friend, and terrorized the first years nearly as often; he didn't care about school work as much as he cared about her, no matter how often she professed that she could care less in return.
James was different. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back, allowing those moments where a whole new side of him appeared, where he showed her he was capable of compassion. He was the boy who owned up to his mistakes and apologized, when he asked her to help her with homework to forgo his arrogance in exchange for confidence, when he comforted her in the aftermath of an exchange with Petunia. He continued to puzzle her.
James... James was so much more.
She opened her eyes when she felt like something was coming; her view took in a corporeal patronus. A wolf. She reached out and it extended its snout and tried to nuzzle her hand, even though they weren't tangible. Lily laughed softly.
"Finally got it in Defense today, thanks to you."
Remus was standing in front of her, grinning. She grinned in return. "A fine casting of Expecto Patronum, if I do say so myself, as your fantastic teacher. I told you you just needed that memory. Not a problem, thanks for the help in Charms."
"As if you need help, Miss Head Girl, you got it in five minutes! We've been working on that patronus for nearly three days of class now."
Here, Lily sighed. "God, don't remind me."
He sat beside her. "Lily, is everything all right? I know you and James were a little embarrassed, but it's nothing to fret over; wizards can have matching patronuses at no meaning - after all, there's only so many animals out there."
"Remus, I was a doe, and he was a stag. It couldn't have been more embarrassing if I tried."
"Now that's not true; Sirius and I could have made that incredibly painful for him, if you wanted. You need only say the word before Sirius teases him into next week. It's not like we got enough in summer holiday," he winked.
Just then, the house elf who had brought Lily her meal, Hetty, returned to check on her.
"Would Missus Evans like anything else?" she squeaked.
"Do you want something, Remus?" asked Lily.
"Chocolate cake please, Hetty," he replied eagerly to the house elf instead. Fortunately for Remus, there was already spare cake from dinner, and he was with his dessert, velvet in texture and covered in blackberries, in a under a minute. He nudged her. "Want some?"
"No, thanks."
"Your loss."
"Thank you."
"Of course." His cheeky smile slipped and he sighed. "What can I do to cheer you up?"
"Unless you can tell me why Potter's patronus is a stag, not much I'm afraid."
"Potter? I thought we left Potter?"
"Not when he's confusing the hell out of me."
"In his defense, he's confused as hell, too."
She looked at him almost desperately. "I can't... I don't know if he's different. I feel like he is, but what if I'm wrong? And what if I like him - as in, really like him, after all these years he's liked me. That might be worse; he hasn't show any interest in me in months. For heaven's sake, I'd be friend zoned."
Remus let out a resounding "Ha!" She looked at him with a confused expression. "The last place James would put you, Lily Evans, love of his life, is in the friend zone. He's too busy concerned about the fact that you have him placed in the I-hate-you zone."
"That doesn't make sense at all! He's seen me change as he's changed and he knows were friends now and unless he's blind he must know the way I feel about him — "
Remus's eyes filled with glee. "Excuse me?"
Lily backtracked as quickly as she possibly could. "No, no, that's not what I...Hetty, could I have some ice water, please?"
"Hot and bothered?" He wiggled his eyebrows sensually.
Lily punched him in the shoulder.
"Would it be so bad to tell James how you feel? He's been waiting on it for years, and now he finally deserves you, because you like him back."
"I don't..." Lily looked at him seriously. "What if this isn't what I want? What if I'm looking at James through rose-colored glasses because he's matured for me, so that I would date him? When in reality I don't like him all that much?"
Remus put a hand on her shoulder. "That's the thing, though. James hasn't changed for you, he's changed because he's growing up, because he cares, and because he realized there are more important things in life than pranks and taking the mickey. Look at me, Lily. Do you think I would've been friends with James for all these years if I didn't see his true self? This is who he is, and now he wants someone to share that with: you."
Lily let out a giggle.
"It's true! Ask him yourself. I think you'll like what you hear."
"Oh no, I can't do that."
"Why? Scared of being in the zone of the people James Potter cares about the most? I've got news for you, you're already there."
Lily let the words roll from her tongue silently, trying to decide if there was any doubt in her feelings.
I'm already there.
Could she really like James? Her feelings were so skewed for so many years, it's nearly impossible to tell.
I'm already there.
He's been there for her, hasn't he? When she had to deal with her sister time and time again, all year for Head duties. Even in classes. He waited until that last possible moment to show the McGonagall his stag, because he she would be embarrassed.
I'm already there.
Severus had always said they were bad news, and it turned out that Severus hadn't held their friendship to the level she did. Remus was her best friend, and Peter and Sirius weren't half bad. And now James... he was her friend, a good friend that she cared about. She hugged him close when she needed it, and he would happily respond. They helped each other in classes, ate together, hung out on Hogsmeade weekends.
When she started to talk to him, she never wanted to stop.
Could I love him?
"I'm already there."
Remus smiled.
"Do you think I should, Remus?"
"Well as long as you two don't shag in my bed..." She hit his arm as he laughed and she blushed. "I think you know."
She hugged him tightly.
"Thank you."
"Of course."
The next day, Lily Evans would ask James Potter the question he had asked her nearly one hundred times over: Will you go out with me?
To no one's surprise, he said yes.
But to Lily's, he swept her off her feet.
Any feedback would be great!