Lily awoke with a start.
Why was she so cold? Looking to the other side of the bed, she sighed. James was up already, probably prepping for the big game. Opening her eyes more, she saw her boyfriend pacing back and forth, throwing that snitch up and down again.
"Oi, twat." She spoke, causing his eyes to snap to her. "You know you're a chaser, chasers throw the quaffle."
"There was me thinking I'd be able to prepare in peace, but it turns out you've woken up," he replied, feigning a throw at Lily. She squealed and ducked, then glared at him once she realised what he'd done.
"Just trying to be helpful," she said, winking at him and dragging the covers up to her shoulders. It was so cold in her room. "Plus, my human radiator decided to get up and start throwing a bloody snitch up and down."
"Well, maybe you should have worn something to bed." He winked, continuing his little game.
"You weren't complaining last night." She laughed.
"The lady doth speak the truth." He smirked, before yelping slightly. He pulled the enchanted mirror out of his pocket and grinned down at Sirius' face. "Why did we make these heat up when we call each other? What about some sort of noise?"
"'Cause Minnie wouldn't have noticed that." The other boy's sarcastic voice floated around the room. "Hey Lily."
"Morning, Sirius.
"I see James is getting ready for the match today."
"It appears that way, yes." She self-consciously pulled up the covers even further as James turned the mirror to face her. "I can't really tell how it's helping - perhaps he's psyching himself up?"
"I'm not sure about that, but it's certainly psyching me out," Sirius commented, snorting.
"You're not the only one it has that effect on," Lily replied, smiling.
"I'm just glad it's not the only effect I have on you," James chipped in, smirking at Lily. "And you can't even try to deny that - your tomato cheeks say otherwise. And so did your actions last night."
"Oh wow! Go James!" Sirius piped up, cheering loudly as Lily rolled her eyes.
"I'm glad your boyfriend supports you in everything you do, Potter," she said, trying to be serious but breaking into a grin even as the words escaped her mouth.
"Again with the gay thing, Evans? I swear it's you spreading those goddamn rumours." Sirius laughed, winking at the girl through the mirror.
"I guess we'll never know." She laughed. "Now can you turn that thing around so I can get out of bed please?"
"Aww but Evans…" Sirius whined, causing James to glare at the back of the mirror.
"Go get ready Padfoot," James almost growled, placing the mirror face down. Lily laughed and climbed out of bed, pulling a robe on to cover up.
"Your friends are really weird," Lily commented.
"Sirius isn't even that bad," James replied.
"I know, and that's worrying," Lily stated simply, moving into the bathroom which connected their rooms.
"Tell me about it, seven years I've put up with them."
"Your fault for picking such rubbish friends."
"Eh - no one else wanted me."
"I still don't see what they see in you."
"My stunning looks? My amazing wit and hilarious sense of humour?"
Lily sent him a look and shut the bathroom door, stepping into the shower. When she exited the bathroom, James was nowhere to be found but Alice had let herself in and was sat on one of the sofas in the small common room.
"Hey sexy." The blonde smiled at her best friend, standing and jokingly looking up and down Lily's crimson and gold clad body.
"Hey." Lily grinned and linked arms with Alice, turning towards the portrait hole. "Breakfast?"
"Breakfast."
James wasn't at breakfast along with the rest of the team. There was a tradition that the Gryffindor team ate breakfast in the kitchens on match day.
"So what's the bet for today's game?" Remus asked, his hand reaching for the chocolate spread.
"I think we're in for a win," Lily said, munching on a slice of toast.
"I don't know, Ravenclaw will definitely give us a run for our money," Peter said, eyeing up the Ravenclaw team sat across the hall.
"I don't think they stand a chance." Alice rolled her eyes. "They've got three second years on their team and two of them are chasers. What Fenwick was thinking, I don't know."
"We'd better get going if we want to sneak into the changing rooms before." Remus grinned, looking at Lily.
"Wait, what?" Marlene McKinnon asked, having caught that last sentence.
"Pre-game ritual." Lily explained, standing up and brushing off her skirt.
"Yeah, it's a good luck sort of thing," Remus added. "At least, it is unless we get caught."
"You sound so confident," Marlene remarked, rolling her eyes.
"We've done it for every game this season and we haven't been caught before." Lily smiled. "Come on Remus, else we'll miss them."
"You do realise there's only been one game this season?" Marlene called out as the other two started walking off.
"What's life without a little risk?" Alice smirked, watching the two walk off. "Now, are you coming to sneak in or what?"
Marlene sighed and looked at the retreating forms of Lily and Remus before standing up. "Sure, I might see Sirius."
They regrouped outside the changing rooms, trying not to appear suspicious. It was a hard thing to do, considering how many of them there were. Everyone seemed happy enough, but Marlene was having second thoughts.
"Are you sure this is safe?" she asked.
"Well, we're not going to die, are we?" Lily deadpanned, rolling her eyes.
"No, but… What if someone catches us?"
"You're so boring," Remus remarked. "Seriously, what's the worst thing that could happen?"
"Plus the fact that you spend nearly every night in someone else's dorm room. Why the sudden fascination with the rules?" Alice laughed, looking at her friend.
"Alice, you spend nearly every night in Frank's dorm." Lily smirked, raising an eyebrow.
"Eh - at least mine's one dorm. Marley's all over the castle."
"Are you ladies done?" Peter asked, looking around for any sign of a teacher. Seeing none, the group began to move towards the back entrance to the Gryffindor changing rooms.
"Peter!" a high, shrill voice called out. "Have you forgotten the way to the stands?"
The rest of the group stopped and sighed as they saw the tall figure guarding the entrance to the changing rooms.
"Not at all," Peter replied. "I thought I knew a shortcut, that's all."
"Through the Gryffindor changing rooms? I think not, Mr Pettigrew!" Professor McGonagall chuckled. "Will that be all? I suggest you lead your group away from here and support your house with everyone else."
The group spun on their heels, heading up to the stands.
"Nice going, Wormtail." Remus glared, looking at his friend.
"How was I meant to know McGonagall was going to be guarding the back entrance?" the boy shouted as they climbed the stairs.
"It's alright, Peter." Lily smiled, sitting down in the front row of seats by the barrier. "There's always next time."
"Thanks, Lily."
"You know guys, I think I might know another way in," Marlene piped up, trying to cheer the group up.
"Oh look who's all for sneaking in now," Alice joked, looking at the brunette. "You know another way in apart from the back entrance?"
"The front?" she suggested, and everyone laughed. "What? I'm being serious."
"You think that they're not going to have a teacher outside the normal entrance to a room with a load of half-naked students in?" Remus smirked.
"Have you ever seen anyone out there?" Marlene raised an eyebrow. "Besides, it's hardly sneaking in if we walk in the way that they intended people to do."
"Miss McKinnon makes a good point." Peter smirked. "I'm in."
"Me too." Lily grinned, standing up from the uncomfortable wooden bench.
As Marlene had rather helpfully pointed out, there were no teachers in sight as the group made their way towards the front entrance of the changing rooms.
"Quickly," Marlene hissed, taking the place at the front of the group. Remus rolled his eyes at the bossy brunette but did as she said, slipping inside without a second glance outside.
"Who'd have thought we'd be able to sneak in through the front?" Lily laughed, making sure the whole group got in without capture before seeking out James.
He was with Sirius and the two were dressed in their Quidditch robes, discussing something in detail. As she approached, he spotted her and smiled, his eyes lighting up. Sirius noticed this and rolled his eyes, but still did the same thing walking towards Marlene when he saw her.
"You guys just can't bear to be without me for more than an hour at a time, can you?" James winked as he welcomed his friends into the changing rooms.
"Something like that," Lily replied, putting her hands around James' neck and pulling him down for a kiss on the cheek.
"Self-centred bastard, aren't you?" Remus said, smiling. "We just thought we'd wish you good luck."
"Not that you'll need it," Alice chipped in, appearing behind Remus' shoulder with Frank at her side. "But good luck all the same, I guess."
"Well then, if this is a good luck visit, I think I'm entitled to a little more than a kiss on the cheek." James smirked down at his girlfriend who rolled her eyes but appeased him all the same.
"Whoa guys, keep it age appropriate, Jones is only 13." Sirius chuckled, covering up the young seeker's eyes.
"Get off me!" She laughed and pushed him off with a scowl.
"Or, failing that, at least let me do the same with Sirius," Marlene exclaimed, throwing a wink at the boy in question, who smirked at her.
"Well, if you insist," he replied, obliging to Marlene's wishes.
"It's like bloody couple central in here." Remus rolled his eyes, trying to find somewhere to look.
"If you can call Sirius and Marlene a couple," Alice teased, laughing when they mumbled "We're not" through the kiss.
"Alright, five minutes!"
The group gasped as their head of house entered the changing rooms.
"Miss Evans, Miss McKinnon, Miss Prewett, Mr Lupin! What are you doing in here?"
"Um… We just wanted to say good luck, Professor." Lily smiled sweetly, attempting to turn on the charm.
"Yeah, it's an important game," Peter added, trying to back up his friends.
"Mr Pettigrew! Didn't I tell you to get to the stands just five minutes ago?" McGonagall glared, her eyes boring into the boy.
"Um, sorry Professor!" he squeaked and headed out of the changing rooms.
"Worst marauder ever," James whispered in Lily's ear before turning to the teacher. Lily giggled under her breath. "Sorry Professor, I asked them to come in. I was feeling a little sceptical about today's match and Lily always seems to bring me good luck."
"That may be the case, but I don't think the rules about the changing rooms have changed since I was a student here, and they're not going to change for you and Miss Evans. Get to the stands, you lot." She glared and tried to contain her smile, failing miserably.
"McGonagall's such a spoilsport," Remus complained as he sat down at the back of the stands, their front row seats having been taken in the time they'd been in the changing rooms.
"Remus, why are you sitting there?" Marlene said, shouting at him from one of the benches at the front of the stands.
"Because our seats were taken…" He trailed off.
"Only by first years. Are you coming to sit with us or what?"
"Marlene! You can't just do that!" Lily sighed, moving to sit on the bench.
"Why not? They're only first years, they'll get their turn. We've got to maintain the hierarchy, Lils. Besides, do you want to gaze at James from far away? Or would you rather you could actually work out which one he is?"
"I do not just gaze at James!" Lily said, offended. "I am interested in the game!"
"Come on Lils." Alice smirked, rolling her eyes. "I don't think your eyes leave him for most of the game."
"He gets the ball a lot," the redhead defended, ducking her head in embarrassment.
The stands started shaking as the students roared in support for the players that had started flying out onto the pitch. James and Sirius gained an extra loud cheer as they whizzed past the Gryffindor stands, the wind causing their capes to fly out behind them.
"GO GO GRYFFINDOR!" the house yelled as the team flew around the pitch. Everyone was on their feet and the sound was deafening.
The Ravenclaw team flew onto the pitch and the other side of the stands went crazy, a loud booing noise coming from the Gryffindor stand.
The game started tamely with Gryffindor scoring three goals in the first twenty minutes which of course caused the stands to go wild. James grew more and more confident throughout the game, whirling around on his broom. He hung upside down and flew in a loop, gasping as he almost lost his balance. He winked at Lily as she laughed loudly at him, directing his broom towards her.
"Laughing at my skills, Evans?" He smirked, hovering in front of the stands.
"What skills?" she snorted but smiled at him all the same. "So it's going well?"
"Of course it is, I'm here." He winked, gaining a cheer from the rest of his friends. "See, at least those guys appreciate my skills."
"I'm still yet to see these skills," Lily commented.
"I'll show you, if I get another one of those good luck kisses."
"She didn't mean those kind of skills, James - stick to ones we can all watch, will you?" Remus chuckled.
"Watch it, or there could be a rogue Bludger coming your way," James replied.
"Or a mystery chocolate thief." Peter laughed, knowing his friend's affinity for chocolate.
James laughed and looked back at Lily. "One kiss?" He asked and she smiled, obliging. The crowd roared as they kissed, but then gasped and held their breath as James suddenly disappeared from sight.
"James!" Lily shouted, watching her boyfriend fall off his broomstick and plummet towards the floor.
"Guess that's what he gets for showing off and kissing you in the middle of a game," Remus said, gaining a glare from Lily.
"Remus! This is not a time for joking around!" She jumped up from her seat and pushed past the crowds, almost flying down the stairs to the stands. In a crumpled heap on the ground was James. He was clutching his arm and his face was contorted in pain.
"Hey, Lils." He smiled when she got to him. She was fluttering around him nervously.
"You absolute idiot!" she screamed, grabbing his face in her hands.
"I was fine until I let go." he defended as teachers crowded around them.
"Potter, hospital wing, now." McGonagall stated, looking at Lily. "Evans, take him there."
"I'm fine, Professor." James insisted, trying not to wince as pain shot up his arm.
"I'm not buying that, Potter. Hospital wing, go."
Lily helped him up and they headed off the pitch, towards the castle.
"Do you think you'll need a cast?" Lily pondered as they walked.
"A what?" James asked, looking at her with a raised eyebrow.
"A cast? You get them when you break a bone? When I was six, I broke my leg bouncing on my parents' bed and I had a bright pink cast for a month." She grimaced as she remembered the hospital visits. Why she'd chosen pink was beyond her.
"A silly muggle invention, no doubt." James dismissed the very thought of having anything like that on his body.
"So what happens when you break a bone in the wizarding world?" she asked, holding his hand as he winced.
"Magic, Lils, magic happens. Did you forget you're a witch or something?" He laughed, smiling down at her as they entered the hospital wing.
"Again, Potter?" Madame Pomfrey sighed, directing him into the wing. "What happened this time?"
The couple flushed as James retold the story resulting in a raised eyebrow from the Matron.
"They say young love conquers all," Madame Pomfrey said as she led the couple to the nearest bed. "At least, I think that's what they say. Or perhaps they say it'll end in a curse…"
"Or apparently a broken arm."