-- Shadow, my muse and light. Thank you for following me blindly, trustingly, this is for you --
Marry Me Stupid
By Penelope Jones
Chapter One: Wasted
"Be responsible and do something that matters with yourselves. Happy graduation class of 1977" Professor Dumbledore said. The hall erupted into cheers and screams as we were all finally free. I hugged my best friends Hannah Yardley and Bec Danewent. We all fell over and laughed together on the floor.
"I can't believe we finally graduated. It took forever" Bec said standing up and offering me her hand. I took it and she pulled me up then together we helped Hannah stand up.
"I know exactly what you mean" I said
"Who invited the reporters?" Bec asked and we all looked over.
"James… his dad is running for minister" Hannah said. We all looked over at the Potters.
"Why don't I know that?" I asked Hannah and Bec shrugged.
"Because whenever anyone mentions the word James or Potter you immediately – LILY – you immediately block it out" Hannah said frowning at me.
"Force of habit sorry" I said
"Evans… once more for old time's sake" James Potter said. I spun to glare at the man I'd hated for my past seven years here. His jet black hair looking all windswept and alluring his hazel eyes glinting mischievously as he grinned at me.
"Will you go out with me?" he asked
"No" I said he smiled and hugged me I shrieked in surprise
"I'll miss your daily rejections" he said I hugged him back quickly before pulling away slightly.
"Aw thank you… I'll miss… the noise" I said he laughed and let me go walking back over to his parents who were talking to the reporters. I turned back to my friends.
"So Lily your parents couldn't make it?" Bec asked absentmindedly tugging on her blonde side ponytail as she watched me with curious filled grey eyes. Her face always had a curious expression to it, like she didn't understand anything, I knew this wasn't true as she was really smart; she just used the clueless look to confuse and irritate people.
"No that's why I'll be staying with Hannah. I mentioned that didn't I?" I said in reply to her question.
"You did to me and that's all that matters" Hannah said with a smile.
"Oh ok" Bec said, glancing at her parents who were waving her over "Gotta go. I'll check you at Potters graduation party" she said
"You're going to that?" I asked she nodded slowly clearly worried I was about to explode, which I was.
"Lily everyone is going. Even the Slytherins"
"What no way" I said the two girls nodded.
"So you'll come then? Great see you there" Bec said and followed her parents out of the Great hall.
"Hannah no" I said turning to her. She was slightly shorter then I was, her short black hair curling slightly at the ends as she stared up at me with pleading brown eyes.
"It's not even at his house Lily. And with the one hundred odd students that graduated what are the odds you'll see him?" she asked.
"Hannah!" I said it was common knowledge that I hated James Potter and we did not get along no matter how desperately he wanted us to.
"Lil! Your staying at my house till your parents get back from the US and until then you have to go to the parties I do. And I'm going to James Potter's party no matter how much you hate him"
"But-" I started but she held up a hand.
"No! We're going" she said having made up her mind and now nothing could deter her from her task.
"Congratulations girls" Mr and Mrs Yardley said hugging each of us. They both looked a lot like their daughter with pale skin dark hair and dark eyes.
"Thank you" I said Mrs Yardley smiled.
"Well we'd better go we don't want to be stuck in traffic" Mr Yardley said
"What traffic? We flooed here" Mrs Yardley pointed out. He ignored her and led the way out of the magnificent castle and across the grounds.
"So graduated, what are you girls going to do in celebration?"
"Get drunk!" Hannah said her parents frowned at her.
"I'm taking Lily to her first party. Every time there was one over summer break she'd never go. But now I'm making her so I must attend also, I can't leave her alone" Hannah argued.
"Well I suppose it'd be safer if there are two of you but I want the address and all that" Mrs Yardley said.
"Yes mummy" Hannah said and smiled at me.
So Hannah dragged me to Potters party. And she had not lied; our entire graduating class was there.
There was a lot of inter-house rivalry over the years but right now everyone was just dancing and drinking and basically having fun together.
It was at some fancy hall Potter had obviously hired and even with its own open bar.
"Drink Lily… drink!" Hannah ordered handing me a glass of pink liquid.
"Then dance" Bec ordered spilling some of her drink. She'd already had quite a bit.
"One drink won't hurt" I muttered taking the drink from Hannah who smiled.
As the night progressed Hannah poured more and more drinks into me. I didn't realise how completely out of it I was until Sirius Black started dancing on a table only to fall off and break it and I spat my drink out laughing at him. He smiled fixed the table simply with his wand and then pulled me up to dance with him and I did.
"I didn't realise you were fun Evans" he said
"Yes well I suppose I was a bit of a stick in the mud at school huh?"
"A bit? Evans you were-" we both screamed as the table broke underneath us and then lay laughing amongst the broken wood. He kissed my cheek then helped me up and smiled.
"Thank you my lady" he said and stumbled off.
As the night wore on Hannah was in a corner making out with the Hufflepuff Qudditch captain and I kept drinking, I soon found myself sitting at a table next to James Potter.
"You're so wasted right now aren't you?" I asked him
"I can hold my alcohol better then you" he said smugly "How many have you had?"
"Too many" I said nodding slowly.
"Yeah… I won't remember it tomorrow so that's all right"
"Yay" I cheered making him laugh.
"So did you hire this place or what?" I slurred sniggering to myself as I glanced around the magnificent reception hall my graduating class was wrecking.
"Yes…"
"That is so cool" I said nodding. "I get a bit silly when I've had alcohol. It's your responsibility to stop me if I try to dance on the table"
"I saw you do that already" he said I bit my lip
"Oh yeah well I'm not to do it again!" I said
"Sirius is having fun" Potter said indicating to his best friend dancing with a brunette Ravenclaw girl.
"Yes but wait till he-" there was a loud crash "falls again"
Potter just laughed at his friend who simply stood up and fixed the table with his wand and then got on it and began to dance again pulling another girl up with him.
"I'm asking you because you said you hold alcohol better so you're more sober. So make sure I don't do anything indecent ok" I said
"Ok" he said I smiled.
"Can I kiss you?" I asked
"Hmm?" Potter asked looking alarmed.
"I think this counts as pretty indecent" he said
"No, no, no it's my indecent ranking and because I asked… I can break my own rules. I mean I hate you… but I've always been really curious about what'd it'd be like… to kiss you. And you smell so pretty right now" I said. He nodded and I smiled and went to kiss only to miss and kiss his cheek.
"Wait…" I said taking his face in my hands and kissing him softly on the mouth.
"You taste like strawberries" I said giggling softly.
"That's because you're drinking some strawberry stuff… I should really taste like this" he said and held up his own drink. I took it from him and sniffed.
"Ew… I like strawberries better" I said
"So do I" he said I smiled and kissed him again.
Overactive hormones combined with alcohol sent my body into over load and soon I found myself unable to stop touching him.
The night went a little blurry from here. I remember making out with him a lot and him carrying me out of the club followed by Sirius and a pretty blonde girl. There was some more making out and then nothing.
I rolled over comforted by the arm wrapped around me. I sat up straight and felt as if I'd left my insides on the bed. I could feel nothing but the explosion of my head. I stood up and stumbled through the unfamiliar room and into the bathroom nearby. I rummaged through the cabinet and found some aspirin. I grabbed it and a glass of water heading back into the main room. I took the aspirin and downed the water completely before I sat down on the bed. There was a soft groan from behind me I looked around and saw a well built tanned body beside me. I couldn't tell who it was as all I could see was his back and his hair, piecing together what I could remember of last night there was of course only one conclusion. I leant over him my red hair sliding off my shoulders gently brushing the calmly sleeping face of James Potter.
Crap!
I quickly got up and found my dress easily slipping into it then began the search for my underwear. I heard a moan and froze glancing over my shoulder. He'd just rolled over and was facing me but still sleeping softly. I stared for a few moments before I found my underwear sitting on a lamp shade. I quickly slipped them on and searched for my shoes or at least some money to catch to a taxi home.
I felt dirty and just generally ill. I found my purse and then left forgetting my shoes; I just wanted to get home.
I hurried down the hallway almost crashing into some poor kid wheeling a tray of food.
"Sorry" I said as I rushed past.
"Not a problem Mrs Potter" he said I stopped where I was and turned to look at him. He was continuing along the hallway to the room I'd just left.
So do I go back and question him? Or do I assume it was just how Potter and I had checked in?
I shook my head and hurried over to the lifts. I climbed into the lift and turned around as Potter opened the door at the end of the hallway. He stared at me and I froze luckily the doors shut at that moment. I stared at the ground and went down the lobby hurrying over to the service desk. I rested my hands on the higher counter of the desk and smiled at the young woman.
"Morning Mrs Potter" the young woman behind the desk said.
"Can I use the phone?" I asked
"There's one in your room ma'am"
"But I'm not in my room" I said she nodded and lifted up the phone from the lower counter and placed it in front of me.
I dialled my home phone number and actually jumped when it was answered.
"Hello?"
"Mum?"
"Hi honey" mum said I could almost here her smile.
"Where are you? Hannah bringing you back to us my graduation girl?"
"What are you doing home so early?"
"Our flight got in at five. If you didn't know we were home why'd you call?" she asked. Damn my crafty mother and her relevant questions.
"LILY!" Potter shouted making me drop the phone. I quickly picked it up
"I'll see you soon" I said and hung up. Potter was staring at me only wearing jeans. The guests scattered about the lobby frowned at his lack of clothes.
"Thanks… Jodi" I said reading the woman's name tag then quickly sprinted for the door.
"OI!" he cried. I kept running and out into the street looking left and right.
He sometimes showed up at my house during the summer but after our move in sixth year he hasn't been able to find us. I'd never have to see him again.
I felt a little bad but I'd gone seven years without so much as kissing him, part of the appeal to my drunken mind but to sleep with him? At least I assume I did, why else would I be naked in a bed with him?
I ran over to a taxi that a young tourist couple were exiting. They grabbed their luggage from the trunk and smiled at me as I slipped into the back seat.
"Drive!" I said to the driver he nodded. I glanced back and saw Potter holding out his hands. I gave him an apologetic look and he flipped me off before walking back inside the hotel.
"Disgruntled boyfriend?" the driver asked
"Drunken mistake" I replied sadly then gave him directions to my house.
I slept the whole trip and he was kind enough to wake me, the whole trip cost me fifty quid. I almost cried
"Took the shortest route I could luv" he said I sighed and pulled out my purse.
"I've got a tenner" I said he raised his eyebrows.
"One sec" I said getting out of the cab and hurrying up the steps to my house. I opened the door and grabbed the first wallet I could find which was my dads sitting on the little hall table. I hurried back out side and handed the man the money and watched him pull away. I then walked back into my house where my dad stood frowning at me.
"Not looking so great Elle" he said I handed him his wallet and then shut the front door.
"Are you ok?" he asked I shrugged.
"Well where have you been? And don't you dare say Hannah's!" dad said I frowned at him
"Your mother called the operator got them to redial. So why were you saying at the Holloway Hotel on the other side of the fucking city?" dad asked.
"It was just a graduation party. I got a little tipsy and couldn't find Hannah so I crashed at a friends" I replied
"Why call at all? You could have shown up and pretended to be at Hannah's? You're not stupid enough to deliberately set yourself up for punishment Lillian" he said I cringed at the use of my full name.
"Dad… I wasn't thinking"
"Because you were so hung over?"
"It's the first time I've ever done anything like this… I made a mistake. A really big mistake…" I added more to myself.
"Have you slept?" he asked I shrugged he sighed and pointed to my room.
"Your mother and I will talk to you later" he said. I walked past him
"Where are your shoes?" he asked I looked at him and just felt so disgusting I couldn't hold his gaze for more then a second. I turned away and walked to my room feeling tears in my eyes.
I lay on my familiar bed relishing the fragrances of my youth. It wasn't long before I'd fallen asleep. I woke up a little while later and walked out into the hallway. I headed down toward the kitchen past my parents bedroom, their suitcases sat on the floor untouched and unpacked. They'd probably just gotten home as I called. I walked into the lounge room where my parents sat. Dad was watching the telly and mum was flipping through a glossy tabloid.
"I was going to get someone to come get me" I said they both looked up. "I woke up in a room with a boy and I don't know how I got there"
"Does he know how you got there?" mum asked her normally kind and welcoming blue eyes dull and rather un-welcoming. Her whole form seemed off.
"I didn't stick around to find out" I said staring at my dirty feet.
"Do you even know who he is?" mum asked I nodded
"So you can contact him if you wind up pregnant?" mum asked I nodded flinching as a tear drop hit my leg. I quickly wiped my eyes not wanting them to see me cry.
"Well look at the bright side I'm not off the coast of Hawaii six months pregnant with a boy I met in Spain" I said
"This isn't funny Lily!" dad shouted
"And don't you dare try and bring your sister in to make you look better. Because it doesn't it makes you petty and makes me all the more disappointed in you!" mum said. I said nothing and simply left the room. I couldn't stand their looks.
I walked into my bedroom and flopped down on my bed landing on something uncomfortable. I sat up and found one of my shoes from that night. I stared at the silver strappy shoe turning it over in my hands discovering a note.
We need to talk
Not on your life James Potter.
I sighed and tossed the shoe into my wardrobe and sat on my bed. It was then I noticed another note sitting on my desk. It was a letter. I looked around and saw the window was open so maybe an owl had swooped in and dropped it off. You've gotta love wizard post.
I walked over to the table and picked it up opening it quickly
Mrs L. Potter… congratulations… copy of your marriage certificate…
I slowly pulled the official certificate from the envelope and stared at it.
I guess we do need that chat after all.
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James
"What the hell is this?"
"It appears to be a magazine" I replied dad hit me over the back of the head.
"Read it" he ordered.
"Britain's first son's wild night" I read looking at him.
"Do you know what this little stunt has cost me?" dad asked glaring at me.
"I'm going to wager a lot" I said he frowned at me.
"Carla! Have you got anything?" he asked turning to his PR.
"I'm trying to see if I can flip it on the girl" Carla said. I looked up at Carla then at dad.
"Kind of hard to blame ginger when you haven't got a name. It'll just be Francis Potter's son claims it was all 'Mysterious red head' girls fault" I said quoting from the magazine.
It was just my luck dad was staying at the Holloway Hotel and saw me screaming after Lily Evans' taxi. Unfortunately the paparazzi had seen it to and I was front page news. I was impressed. Dad hadn't even won yet.
Even after she rudely bolted I still wanted to help her, protect her from dad and what he might do to her for ruining his rep.
He was still fuming.
"I already have her name" he informed me darkly.
"Oh do share Mr Sherlock I'm curious" I said
He held up a certificate. I recognised it as my marriage certificate. I really should have burnt it.
"I agreed to the stupid party… but this James… really? Do you hate me or something?" dad asked
"Oh this'll be good" I muttered
"YOU GOT MARRIED" he shouted flipping the table over. I leapt up and stood back.
"YOU GOT MARRIED! This girl will ruin everything! Carla FIND this girl. I think Mrs Potter needs to understand what being a member of this family means"
"I don't think she's the table flipping type" I said watching dad's assistant rush out of the room.
Ah poor Carla I wonder what she was thinking when she accepted this job. I followed her out of the room and headed to my bedroom while she headed upstairs.
It'd only been a day since that night, I of course worked out I was married and planned never to tell anyone about it ever but of course someone did. I wonder if Lily knows.
I took one of the shoes she'd left behind and attached a note before sending my owl off to deliver it to her. She wouldn't reply I knew she wouldn't but I wanted to at least look like I'd made an attempt to warn her. This was going to end badly. Really, really badly. If everyone already knows we're married there's no getting out it. Quickie weddings aren't really that great for politicians.
I walked back into the kitchen where dad was standing next to the flipped table talking to his body guard the very well built and rather freaky Gerald. They were talking about my not so single life.
"Jimmy you got married? Aw" mum said walking into the room and putting some breakfast down on the flipped over table.
"Mum… have you been listening at all?"
"Yes… and I think your father is over reacting" she said glaring at dad.
"Nina what am I supposed to do? He got married! If this gets out I'm ruined"
"Not if you use it to your advantage" mum said
"How?"
"Get the girl… hold a huge engagement party then a huge wedding and make it seem like they're in love. I assume you are right?" mum asked I looked at dad who was glaring at me then at my mum.
"Uh… well funny story…" I said trailing off. My parents where both frowning at me now.
"She kind of… uh how to put this…"
"Wants his balls in her trophy case" Sirius Black chimed in.
Ah the ever supporting best friend of mine. I turned to stare at him. He knew quite well he wasn't helping. I looked back at my parents. My mum beamed at Sirius while dad just frowned.
"Guess who the witness was?" dad asked holding up the marriage certificate.
"Please say Maggie Smith" Sirius said crossing his fingers.
"You!" dad snapped.
"Damn!" Sirius said "She was great in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie"
"Sirius dude shut up" I said he fell silent.
"How could you sign this?" dad asked
"Ah clearly I was as smashed as he was. Why on earth would I let James marry that bitch?" Sirius asked.
"Sirius!" I snapped
"That's the lovely Lily Evans your son has been pining after forever" Sirius said smiling.
I glared at him and mouthed very dark and dreadful threats I wouldn't dare utter aloud even if we were all alone in some dark woods.
He ignored me and smiled at my parents.
"Do you know where she is?"
"Nope… haven't been to her place since fifth year when Jamie here decided to try a little late night stalking. Apparently they moved after that" Sirius said.
"Would any one know where she is? What are her friend's names?" dad asked I violently shook my head. My dad wasn't looking at me so it was safe, Sirius didn't glance my way but I knew he could see.
"Ah Loner Lily didn't have any. Pretty big dag but smokin' hot which of course was why your son loved her. Oh and add the fact she wouldn't give him the time of day even though even being spoken to by the glorious James Potter is instant popularity. Never seemed to stick though, most girls hated her because James was so hung up on her" Sirius said.
"You're a dead man" I mouthed at him. My parents turned around
"This is good. No hush money or anything… and no need to cover up a divorce it'll be perfect" dad said smiling.
"Uh Francis… Lily wants him dead. Guts for garters. His head for her hood ornament. Are you following?" Sirius asked.
"I'm very persuasive" dad said nodding. Sirius shrugged.
"Good luck finding her" he said and then nodded to me. I followed him out of the kitchen and into the large entrance foyer.
"You have to get me to Lily's"
"I don't know where she is" Sirius said obviously.
"But Hannah does"
"So?"
"She's your sex toy, ask her!"
"Oh… right yeah I'll do that sure" Sirius said.
"Oh and find me the nearest courthouse"
"I thought you'd be stoked to be married to Evans"
"Don't do it man" I said he shrugged and left in search of Hannah.
A few hours later I was standing in front of the only wizarding court house I knew of. As we'd gotten married at only seventeen illegal in the muggle world we'd obviously had a magical wedding.
Sirius walked over to me followed by a disgruntled looking Lily.
"My parents are at a movie we've got about an hour so make it quick" she said I stared at her. We wouldn't be able to get divorced in an hour but I nodded letting her think as she wished and we quickly headed into the courthouse to get divorced.
It didn't take all that long to find where we were supposed to be. We stood there filling out forms as Sirius sat patiently waiting to take Lily back home as she still refused to even look at me.
We sat down in the waiting area after filling out some forms and signing each others.
"Aren't you catholic?" I asked
"So!" she snapped
"Well isn't this sort of thing I dunno not allowed?" I asked. She glared at me so I fell silent.
"This was your brilliant idea remember. And besides if no one knows about it then they can't prove I did it" she said folding her arms over her chest.
"Next!" the lady behind the desk called.
Lily and I leapt up and hurried over to her.
"We need a divorce" I said
"Hmm… right. You have your marriage certificate?" she asked we nodded.
"Right. Be with you soon just fill this out" she said and handed us a huge stack of forms. We both sat down and began to fill out our respective forms, age, birthday, full name, mother's maiden name and so on.
I finished mine and handed them to her to sign a few things. She handed hers to me and we began to sign each others.
We walked back up the desk and handed them to the lady.
"Great. Come back tomorrow"
"NO! I'm going home very soon and I'd like to do so single" Lily said to her.
"Just have a seat. I'll see what I can do" she said. Lily sighed and walked back to her seat I sat down beside me.
"This is your entire fault" she said
"I love you too" I said. She rolled her eyes and glared at the floor.
I sat next to her staring at my hands.
"Sorry" she said
"For?" I asked
"A lot of things" she said
"Yeah…" I said quietly still not looking up from my hands. She sighed
She'd been doing that a lot.
"I'm trying to be nice and-"
"Lily" I said she looked at me "Just shut up" I rested my head in my hands as she slumped in her chair beside me.
I liked her a lot. I always had… but I knew of course this would not be a good way to go about winning her heart. I had to let her go.
"Mr and Mrs Potter?" the lady behind the desk asked. I stood up and Lily followed.
"You're in luck. A judge is going to see you and see if you should get divorced" she said and pointing to the room on the far right. I led her into the room and even held open the door for her. She frowned at me as she walked passed and sat down opposite the judge.
"Morning sir" she said as I sat beside her.
"Good morning I'm judge Corwick… so want a divorce. You look a little young how long have you two been married?"
"Few days" I said. Corwick frowned
"A few days?" he asked, we both nodded.
"Well why do you want a divorce?" he asked.
"We're really young and we realised that this isn't the right time for us to be making such rational decisions" Lily said
"I'll say" Corwick said.
"So how 'bout it?" I asked.
"No" Corwick said. Lily and I raised our eyebrows.
"What?" she asked.
"You kids today. Thinking you can make mistakes willy nilly and have it all cleaned up nice so your parents never know how rotten you are. Not this time, you made a mistake and you will now live with the consequences"
"In my defence I was completely drunk" I said Lily groaned
"I think I've heard enough"
"Your honour you don't understand. I hate this man if we have to stay married I'll kill him" Lily said
"So if he dies I'll tell the authorities to look for you?"
"No sir-"
"You must remain married for a whole year-" Corwick started but I interrupted.
"What? Sir, please. I am begging-" I was cut off by Corwick
"No! Besides you've already agreed by signing this" Corwick said and held up one of the forms we signed.
"You just helped prove a point! None of you kids give any thought to what you do. You just agreed to stay married for a whole year because you didn't read the form! Now if you get divorced you'd break the legal contract meaning you won't just get fined but you'll also be arrested" he said. Lily's mouth fell open and she began to cry.
"You will move into Mr Potter's property and if all is well in six months I might even consider giving you a divorce then" Corwick said.
"Here's the marriage counsellor you'll be trying to convince you're happily married" he said giving me a business card as Lily sobbed beside me.
"This is your fault Potter" she said glaring at me tears still falling from her big green eyes.
"Loving couples usually use their partner's first name" Corwick said
"Potter I hate you!"
"They don't usually hate one another either" Corwick said. I smiled and stood up picking her up into my arms.
"We're fine… see"
"It feels good to unite young couples. I think you two will grow from this experience and make it all the way" Corwick said this made her cry harder. I rolled my eyes and carried her out into the waiting room. I dropped her violently on the floor and stepped over her to talk to the lady behind the desk.
"Why aren't I divorced?" I asked.
"Sorry, judge Corwick never gives divorces"
"Then who will?" I asked as Lily slowly got up from the floor.
"Well now no one because you signed that contract that said you'd stay married for a year. Unless judge Corwick rules other wise no one can do anything. Have a long happy marriage"
We began screaming at her and less then four seconds later we were thrown out of the building by two burly security guards. Sirius was thrown out on top of us and we both winced as he rolled off us.
"Dude watch the hair!" Sirius cried I glanced over at Lily who had a small smile on her lips as she watched Sirius abuse the guards.
I stood up and offered her my hand which she took and I easily pulled her up.
"Sorry" I said she shrugged.
"Hey at least I got married. My parents were a little upset when they found out I'd had sex" she said
"We'll figure something out" I said
"Wow 'we' not a term I thought I'd ever hear… referred to us I mean…" she muttered
"Yeah… uh… I'll talk to you later" I said she nodded.
"I'll be heading home… uh Remus knows where I am so…" she said quietly I nodded she smiled and headed off with Sirius.
There she goes. The girl you've wanted for years. You can't force her to stay with her. It's right to let her go. Your first love and you're letting her go.
Idiot.
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I've had so many ideas lately it's been really great. I like this story; it's sweet and just really fun to write. Now fixed up slightly and tweaked a little for your enjoyment. Tell me what you think, Penny
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