She sighs heavily. She's barely three foot in to this Potions essay and it's already nine in the evening. Add to that another Charms assignment, a Transfiguration homework and a History of Magic reading prep.
Normally, she would have finished all of this by eight. After all, she is Lily Evans and Lily Evans is smart, everyone knows that. Not only smart, but hard working. But no, here it is, nearly time for supper and she hasn't completed one of her tasks, let alone four. Moaning, she dumps her head in her hands, and her stupid, stupid mind instantly turns to the source of all her problems.
James Potter.
He's the reason she's been barely able to concentrate all evening. The reason why she is now hopelessly behind on her workload, why her pale, freckled cheeks have been constantly stained in a blush and why she is currently in a state of such despair.
True, he has been the source of all her problems for a good six years. Well not all of them, but most. But she could always heartily banish him from her mind to complete her schoolwork- after all, he could ask her out every three seconds and make her life a living hell but he would not stop her getting top marks! But this…this is so much worse. Now, instead of wanting to punch the slimy git's face off, all she wants to do is kiss it off instead. The artfully ruffled, jet black hair, the beautiful, piercingly blue eyes, the lithe, strong arms…
NO! Stop it Lily, she thinks, this is JAMES POTTER your fantasising over, the arrogant toe-rag you have spent the last six years hating with a passion.
Just then, she finds her thoughts interrupted by a loud bang from the direction of the fat lady's portrait, and thanks the lord that she can no longer dedicate thinking time to the delightful way that James' eyes sparkle when he smiles, as she has an important duty as head girl to investigate the source of the noise. Raising her head from her hands, she directs her eyes to the painting and instead of finding a clumsy first year who's tripped over the portrait hole, she finds herself face to face with the eyes she was dreaming about just thirty seconds earlier. For just a second she allows herself to look into his eyes, thinking about what it would be like to wake up next to them every morning. His voice, cocky as usual, breaks the spell and she shakes herself out of her idiotic trance. James Potter, he is James Potter. Not the ideal fantasy guy. Right?
"Alright there Lils?"
Putting on her most sarcastic tone, she replies to him in her usual way. "Absolutely fine thank you, Potter." She does, however, put something of a smile in her voice, because since September he's been so much (she wrinkles her nose at the use of the word, but says it anyway) nicer. He's been helpful with duties, kind to the little first years, stopped jinxing people willy nilly. He's been really quite lovely, actually. And so she smiles at him, to show she's not being taciturn, just bantering with him in their usual way. He smiles back, his grin lighting up his whole face, and pulls back from her to stand with his cronies.
Sirius, Remus and Peter are the marauders. Her friendship with them started at the beginning of this year, at the same time she started to like James. She learned that they weren't just a bunch of good for nothings and they learned she wasn't a stuck up bitch.
Figures.
So, the smiles at them too, and it takes a couple of seconds for her to notice that Peter is clutching a microphone, Sirius a karaoke machine, Remus a guitar and James some drumsticks. She groans. The marauders with a karaoke machine can only ever lead to trouble.
"We've prepared a little surprise for you, Lily-pad."
"Don't call me that."
"Aww, flower, you love it really."
"No, I don't."
Her good mood has evaporated, James has a trick up his sleeve and whilst he has improved since first year, tricks and James Potter never bode well for Lily Evans.
"What are you up to, Potter?"
"Call it a last ditch attempt, Lily my darling. Now you sit right there."
Frozen in horror she does so, because the strain's of Madonna's 'Burning Up' have reached her ears, and Sirius is picking up a red and white electric guitar, Remus in perching behind a newly summoned set of drums and Peter is tapping a tambourine. Her cheeks flare up in embarassment as all of the Gryffindor common room turns to look at the marauders, who are now happily jamming to the muggle track.
She soon realises that the worst is far from over.
A soft, edgy voice has started to play from behind her, and she turns to find James Potter singing, directly at her.
"Don't put me off, cause I'm on fire, and I can't quench my desire…"
She goes even redder, and swears she can feel steam rising from the top of her copper head.
"I'm burning up for your love, your not convinced that that is enough…"
He's sashayed up to the fireplace now, and breaks off from his verse to shout "THIS ONES FOR YOU, LILS!"
Lily can barely breathe, she has never been so mortified in all her life. Just when she thought he'd changed. She gets up to storm out, and is pacing furiously towards the door, when she finds herself face to face with Potter, again.
"I put myself in the misposition, and I deserve the imposition but you don't even know, I'm alive…"
She's about to yell at him and shove him out of her way but something in those lovely blue eyes stops her. She realises he's not making fun of her, he's pleading with her. She's shocked to see he actually means every word he's saying. And so she steps back again and sits back down, auburn ponytail whipping in her face as she is guided back to her seat by Marlene and Jamila, who have appeared seemingly from nowhere.
"And this powder in my heart just won't die, I'm burning up, oooooh!"
She actually allows a giggle to pass through her lips at the sight of James jumping on the common room table, belting the chorus with all his heart. She feels herself relax, knowing that she's in for at the very least an amusing performance.
"I'm burning up, burning up for your love, I'm burning up, burning up for your love, I'm burning up, burning up for your love, for your love…"With a start, she realises the backing vocals are coming from her two best friends, who have somehow left Lily's side when her attention was focused on James and now Marlene is standing next to Sirius, Jamila shaking her hips to the time of Remus' drums beat.
"You're always, closing the door, well that only makes me want you more…"
James is next to her now, messing up her hair and giving her his adorable grin and she only laughs harder, because James Potter is singing a Madonna song to her. Madonna!
"And day and night I cry for your love, you're not convinced, that that is enough…"
Now he's pulling her from her seat, twirling her under his arm as he sings and she struggles to breathe through the laughter. She gives him a smile, because now she's wondering why she doesn't just face up to it and admit it- she loves James Potter. He's doing the very same in front of the entire Gryffindor house, practically.
"To justify me wanting you, now tell me what you want me to do…"Now he's back at the front but it doesn't matter, because everyone's up and dancing, and Lily couldn't care less if they weren't, because James isn't joking around. He really does love her. And it's taken her six years and a badly sung Madonna number to get her to realise it.
"I'm not blind, and I know, that you want to want me but you can't let go…"
Now he's back, pulling her closer to him and dancing for all he's worth. She's still laughing but goes with it, putting her arms around his neck and ruffling his already ruffled hair.
""I'm burning up, burning up for your love, I'm burning up, burning up for your love, I'm burning up, burning up for your love, for your love…"
He belts out the chorus again, still dancing madly, before dragging her up to the front and getting down on his knees, whilst Sirius has given up playing guitar to snog Marlene next to him.
"Can't you see you've got me down on my knees, I'm bending over backwards now won't you be pleased…"
He looks so ridiculous that she's practically in tears now, giant bursts of laughter rolling through her body. She looks up from his handsome face and stares in awe at the screaming, dancing Gryffindores that surround them. However, he's having none of it, and drags her attention back to him by standing up suddenly and picking her up bridal style.
"Unlike the others I'd do anything, I'm not ashamed, I have no shame, I'm on fire!"
Spinning her around, she looks up into his eyes and smiles happily because she's not had so much fun in years. The singing pauses briefly and he stops goofing around for a second and just smiles at her, a pure, honest smile that tells her everything she needs to know.
"I'm burning up, burning up for your love, I'm burning up, burning up for your love, I'm burning up, burning up for your love, for your love…I'm burning up, burning up for your love, I'm burning up, burning up for your love, I'm burning up, burning up for your love, for your love…"
He walks back to the chair she was sitting in and places her in it, before waltzing back to the front to belt out the chorus to his adoring fans. Then the final part of the song comes on, and he starts walking back towards her in time to the music.
"You know you got me burning up baby, you know you got me burning up baby, you know you got me burning up, for your love!"
The song ends and he's right in front of her, smirking like there's no tomorrow and with more mischief in his eyes than you could shake a stick at. The common room bursts into riotous cheering and applause, and the other three lap it up, Sirius even performing a stage dive. But she's focused entirely on him.
"Why, Miss Evans, you seem to be burning up in a blush."
He says it matter of factly, with a self satisfied tone. They're right in a far corner now, pushed backwards by the crowd to a small nook.
"Oh shut up Potter and kiss me would you?"His face is worth a lifetime of humilation to see. Shock, amusement, disbelief and amazement all appear one by one, only to be replaced by elation when he doesn't obey her orders fast enough and she pulls his mouth down upon hers.
Maybe she can finish the Potions essay tomorrow.
She's got a feeling she's got something more important to be doing for now.