Ba-bump.
Ba-bump.
Ba-bump. Lily's heart was beating unusually fast.
In her heart's defense, she was running at an unnaturally quick pace just to keep up with apparent speed-demon James Potter, but still.
Last year, she would have been running away from James, not following him around a Quidditch field. Also, his lack of shirt wasn't helping her heart any. Shaking her head of that thought, Lily inhaled deeply and let out a raspy breath.
James slowed to a jog. "Want to take a break?"
Her stubborn nature said no, but her legs screamed yes. Her legs won.
Joining her on the ground, James stretched his hamstrings. "So, if you hate running so much, why did you beg me to go running with you?"
Lily attempted to look scandalized. "First of all, I do not hate running. Though, I am not overly fond of doing so behind Mr. Daddy Long-Legs over here. I swear, one of your steps must be equal to three of mine, at least. Second of all, I did not beg you." James guffawed at that, welcoming a glare from his running partner.
"You literally dragged me up to my room, so that I could change into 'proper running attire,' which by the way you seem to have filched from Marlene."
"Well, if she had bothered to wake up at a normal time, she could have worn them. It's not my fault she refuses to wake up before lunch on Sundays. You were the only option left. Sirius and Peter were off who knows where doing who knows what. Remus is studying. And Mary is," she trailed off. Suddently, it felt like her heart had stopped beating.
"I heard she went to the hospital wing again." Ba-bump. "She's still having nightmares?" Ba-bump.
Lily could only nod, but at least her heart was working semi-properly again.
"I just needed to move. I just needed to get out of my room, out of my head," she said in a low voice.
Despite herself, tears streamed down her face. "I-I just felt so weak. She was screaming and there was nothing I could do. Absolutely nothing. And like-like I can't make a difference, you know? It's not just Mulciber's gang. It's happening everywhere now, every time I open the Daily Prophet. I just needed to do something, anything."
James was uncharacteristically quiet. Wiping her eyes, Lily glanced up, surpised to see that he was glaring. Not at her, nor anything in particular, but his eyes sparked with anger.
"Bloody Mulciber," James muttered under his breath. Distractedly, he got to his feet.
"Where are you going?" Her voice cracked.
James turned to her, his eyes steely. "I'm going to do something about it."
Getting to her own feet, Lily took hold of his arm. "Mulciber was already expelled over a year ago. Don't go starting an unneccesary fight." The tears still not dry from her eyes, she added, "And who's going to to teach me to fight, huh? I can't even run two laps without collapsing on the ground."
James laughed dully, but his arm finally untensed under her grip, his whole body relaxing. "You're already a fighter. And your defensive charms are top-notch."
"Ah, yes, but my offensive charms?"
"You've managed to hex me plenty of times." With a slight smirk, he added, "Plus, your grip on my arm is rather tight." Releasing his arm, Lily's cheeks flushed red. Ba-bump. A slightly different kind of heart palpitation.
"Well, my stamina is still severely lacking, so let's run, yeah?"
James waggled his eyebrows. "There are other ways to increase your stamina, you know?"
Smacking his head, Lily offered her own smirk. "Now, see, that is what I call an offensive charm."
A/N: Finally out of my writing rut! Hopefully, will be able to finish the next chapter of Something More soon. Sorry for the wait!
Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns all these characters. I would love to buy them from her, but alas I am much too poor.