Higher Than Your Heart
Prologue
You might notice some hesitation
Cause what's important to you is not important to me
Way down by the edge of your reasons
It's beginning to show
And all I wanna know is...
Where'd all the good people go
Good People
Jack Johnson
They say nicotine is so addictive because it bonds almost perfectly with human blood. Nicotine is more powerful than anything else, really. It can take over someone's life as quickly and easily as they can light up a cigarette… and no one will notice.
Lily didn't really contemplate this much as she sat in the courtyard, puffing away. Lily Evans was seventeen: red hair, green eyes, great grades, perfect figure, and Head Girl to boot; but a dedicated smoker.
No one knew, of course, but her very close friends. Most people assumed she was a goody two-shoes, the know-it-all of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry.
She wasn't, of course, and that's where this story begins: with Lily sitting on a bench in the lonely courtyard. All the other students were inside, enjoying escape from the frost and snow. Well, almost all.
"You'll get caught," someone reprimanded, tugging the cigarette from her lips. She started a bit, mentally cursing her oblivion to him approaching behind her. The smoke fizzled out in the snow as a booted toe crushed it.
"That was my last fag," she said demurely, watching the rolled paper grow sodden, then black. "Thanks a lot."
"Sorry," said he, settling on the bench beside her. He was James Potter: the son of a wealthy family, and he looked it – black hair, brown eyes framed by wire spectacles, and an exceptionally elegant Grekko-Roman nose. He kept about an air of fineness, even when he was acting completely immature. "I'll buy you a new pack, how about? Though I didn't even know you smoked."
"Do you?" she asked, curious. Despite a long-standing acquaintance which remained on good terms, she didn't know much about him.
"No." He grimaced. "I tried one. Most disgusting thing I've ever experienced, really."
"You must've had a bad brand." Lily twiddled her thumbs. "Hey, you won't mention this to anyone, will you? I don't want it to get back to Dumbledore that his Head Girl's a nic addict."
"Nah." James stood and brushed himself off. "Who nowadays doesn't do something like that, anyway?" He paused. "Coming back in?"
"Yeah."