Hi! As I've said before, I cannot write fluff for the life of me, so I tried my best,
Honestly, I'm very unsure on whether I like this or not, because I enjoy writing darker stuff, but I need to challenge myself as a writer.
Hopefully you like it!
Lily huffed in frustration as Peeves, once again, knocked over her newly-placed snowflake decorations.
"PEEVES!" She shouted, causing him to cackle and glide over to where she stood in the corridor near charms.
"Is Silly Lily mad?" the poltergeist laughed, then reached out and swatted at her face before the red-haired girl could step back.
"GOT YOUR NOSE!" And before she could scold him, he sped off.
"YOU STUPID POLTERGEIST- I'LL GET THE BLOODY BARON!" she threatened him angrily as he raced speedily around the corner, but she knew there was no use.
Sighing, she picked up the fallen snowflake ribbons and tried in vain to place them back up onto the ceiling.
Lily stood alone in a corridor, trying her best to set up the Christmas decorations for those who would be staying the break, though it wasn't going the way she had hoped.
Lily brushed a bit of red hair out of her face and jumped up in down in a weak attempt to reach where they had been placed.
Maybe if I toss them up...then I can jump in mid air and place them...no no no, I'm not a gymnast… she thought, cursing mildly under her breath.
Okay, okay…She stood on her toes and prepared herself to leap.
If only I had my bloody wand...or perhaps a stool...
She shot vertically into the air and waved her arms wildly, trying to throw the snowflakes where they had been before Peeves came around.
She fell to the ground and landed on her bottom.
This time, she did not curse lightly.
Well, Lily reflected, dusting off her pants and standing up. That didn't work.
One more time….
Lily tied back her hair and, once again, failed in her attempts to set the decour where it had originally been.
That damn poltergeist, the girl growled inwardly. She grabbed the snowflakes and was just about to prepare herself to jump when-
"You do realize that you're a witch, right?" A voice behind her startled her out of her thoughts.
"James!" she yelled as the decorations once again fell to the floor. She began to curse at him, muttering explicit things under her breath as she bent to pick them up.
"Ah, Lily. Why don't you just use your wand?"
Lily turned to face a boy her own age, who had untidy black hair, rectangular glasses with hazel eyes hidden behind them, and a very infuriating (but endearing) ever-lasting smirk.
"Why aren't you in your school robes?" she snapped, narrowing her eyes at her boyfriend. Ah, yes- did she mention? This ever-so-angering boy just so happened to be the boy she was courting.
He tilted his head to the side and grinned.
"Because it's nearly Christmas break?" Her fellow Head student replied, leaning onto the wall nearest him.
Lily snorted. "Of course that's your excuse. You're Head Boy- you should be setting a better role for the younger students."
But really, if she were to be perfectly honest, she was trying very hard not to stare at him. He looked more dashing than usual, with his loose-fitting blue button-up shirt the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and worn-out blue jeans.
"You know the younger kids love me," he grinned, tapping her nose.
She fought the urge to smile. Okay, he was a great role model- but no way Lily would say that now- she would lose the argument!
He worked hard, set goals, and was a great leader- but right now he was annoying her.
"Go away, James. I'm busy," Lily told him, turning away. Even though she could not see him, she could feel him smiling.
"But you never answered my question, Lily-flower: why aren't you using your wand? You have it for a reason, you know."
She rolled her eyes and spun around on her heel so she was once again facing him (and just as she had guessed, he was smiling).
"Honestly, James. Maybe I just want to do Christmas decorations the old-fashioned way- besides, it's terribly fun."
Okay, she knew that was a total lie, and she could tell James knew it as well.
"Really...How interesting. You never seemed to do this in our previous years?" He drawled, raising one eyebrow (How did he do that? Lily could never figure it out herself).
"Um…" Lily stuttered for an excuse (curse his observational skills). When it was clear the boy wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, she gave in.
"Okay, fine. I left it with Marlene...and she's at Hogsmeade with Sirius," she snapped.
"And now I can't get these bloody decorations up without my wand, so I've been hopelessly trying for thirty minutes now!"
James opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off.
"And no, I cannot go to Hogsmeade to get it back because a) that would ruin Marlene's date and she would get so bloody mad at me, and b) it would take too long to get to Hogsmeade and back! I only have another hour to get all these ornaments and such all around the halls!
James was obviously struggling with what to say (Probably something along the lines of, 'Oh, don't worry Lily, you look like a bloody Christmas tree already, with your green eyes and red hair- you're decoration enough!'), but Lily didn't give him a chance to finish whatever he was going to say.
She interrupted his thought quickly and began to speak rather rapidly.
"Also I'm really really stressed about what McGonagall will say if I don't finish in time- the students are counting on me!"
James waited for her to continue her rant, and when she made it clear she was finished,. he took this as an opportunity to make her shiver.
"You know, I could help relieve you stress," he smirked, a teasing gleam in his eye.
She blushed but did not relent.
"No, I've told you many times- I'm busy."
He sighed, but nodded understandingly.
What he said next rather surprised Lily- though it really shouldn't have: James was a Gryffindor, and this house was known for being chivalrous.
"At least let me help," the boy asked, pushing his shirt-sleeves back up to his elbows.
Lily could see no problem in allowing him to, so she nodded- but not before asking why.
"Don't you have quidditch practice today?" She questioned, but he shrugged.
"Nah- half the team's at Hogsmeade or snogging in some closet, no need to be a spoil sport and ruin their fun."
Lily couldn't stop the grin that tugged on the corners of her mouth.
"Okay...sure. But no detours, and no goofing off. We've wasted ten minutes talking, and we have the rest of the castle to go."
James nodded once, and grabbed his wand from out of his belt buckle, then cast a levitation charm on the snowflakes that had caused Lily so much pain.
She beamed at him- a full on beam, which in turn made him smile.
"Okay- let's do this."
One hour later, the decorations were successfully set up, and Lily couldn't be happier with James.
"You just earned yourself many brownie points from me," she told him as they made their way up to the Gryffindor common room.
James opened his mouth in confusion, and tilted his head like a confused puppy. "If you say so…".
Lily smiled again (she smiled rather often when she was in James's presence).
"Yes. I'd say around 50. Yes, 50 brownie points I give you."
"Okay, sure. That's good-right?" He said after walking a few steps. Lily laughed.
"Yes, yes it is James. It basically means, like- well…Thank you for helping me, James. Brownie points are little 'points' you give someone when they've done a good deed," she explained.
The two wandered into the common room, which was empty of other students, though th4e fire was still on, evidence that their peers had been here recently.
"Hm….so, like little house points in your head?" James asked, sitting down in a chair near the fire.
Lily snorted. "Yeah, you could say that."
A smirk appeared on James's face.
"Well….do I get a reward?"
Lily's green eyes gleamed and she took a step closer to where James sat.
"Why not. It is Christmas, after all"
It was not a surprise to either of them when they were late to the Prefects meeting.
Yee! Done!
Was it terrible?
It's certainly better than the fluff I wrote two years ago!
Anyway, thanks for reading, amigos.
~Brynn