The Cling-Thing
AN: I tried a different writing style for this. No narration, only dialogue. I hope I did okay :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Lily or James or Sirius... but one day, I promise you I will kidnap them and illegally own them!
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My love for James could be compared to cling-film. Weird analogy, I know, but that's the only thing I could find to compare it with. See, at first, when my love for him was fresh and new, I balled it up and stuffed it somewhere where it wouldn't distract me. But then, when it managed to get out of that unknown place and straighten itself out, it was wrinkly and old. Not in a bad way of course. I'm not saying that my love is wrinkly and- Ugh! Maybe cling-film wasn't a good analogy. Look, what I'm trying to say is that wrinkled cling-film is much harder to manage and it's stickier and clingier and it's just... stronger... Just like my stupid feelings for him were when they managed to resurface.
-12 October 1976, Herbology, Greenhouse 3-
"Hey, Evans? May I escort you to Hogsmeade this weekend?"
"Shut up Potter."
"I asked nicely!"
"And I told you nicely to shut up. You didn't listen to me, so why should I have listened to you?"
"If I had shut up, would you have gone with me?"
"I doubt it."
I once told him that if he would just ask nicely, I would accompany him even to Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom. That was just another excuse I had come up with: "He never asks nicely, so why should I listen to him?" But then he did ask nicely and I was in need of another excuse, one to persuade James AND myself with.
-12 October 1976, Astronomy, Astronomy Tower-
"Evans? Come to Hogsmeade with me?"
"Are you serious Potter?"
"No, I'm James Potter. However, he's Sirius. And even though he lives with me, he's still Sirius Black, not Potter."
"Yes! Yes! I'm Sirius! Who called?"
"No! You are not serious! Neither of you is serious! I am the only one here who's serious."
"No Evans, you aren't serious-"
"Then what am I? Does it look as if I'm joking, Black?"
"No, you look like your Lily Evans, not Joe King Black."
"There is no way you're serious. Clearly, I'm the only one who's capable of it."
"Hey! I'm the only one who's capable of being Sirius!"
"Shut up Black. You're anything but serious."
"So if I'm not Sirius, then who am I?"
"You're stupid! Both of you are."
"And who's Sirius, if I'm not?"
"Me! I'm the one who's serious."
"But-"
"Shut it Black and get back to work! I'm serious!"
"No! You're Lily. Say it with me; Lih-lee. LIH-LEE. Liiih-"
"I know that! Are you done now? Because-"
"No, I don't think he's Done Now either. He's Sirius. Is that so hard Evans?"
"Ugh! You guys are infuriating!"
"Nope, I'm James and he's Sirius and you're Evans. No Infuriating here."
"James, she's using big words. Maybe we should stop..."
"Why Padfoot. Are you scared?"
"No, I'm not scared, I'm serious."
"Sirius or serious?"
"Huh?"
"Please let me get on with my work. Some of us don't know all the constellations in the Universe by heart, Black."
"Was that a compliment Evans? Because I know I'm ace at Astronomy, but not-"
"God Black! Please-"
"Hate to burst your bubble, but contrary to popular belief, my name is Sirius Black, not God Black."
"Black. If you don't shut up and leave me alone right now I will go and change the scale on you Galaxy Chart! I'm serious."
"No you're not! I'm- Hey! Come back!"
"Mate, I think she just ran away with your name."
I had run away from there as fast as my legs would carry me and then collapsed in a burst of giggles as soon as I was out of their ear shot. To be honest, I was kind of doing the whole "Serious/Sirius" thing on purpose.
It got me out of saying 'no' to James, didn't it?
-13 October 1976, Breakfast, Great Hall-
"EVANS! GO OUT WITH ME?"
"Potter, announcing it to the whole world will not make me say yes."
"Oh. Dang it. Sirius! You cow! You said it would work!"
"Hey! I am not a cow. If I were then I'd-"
"-still be as stupid as you are now?"
"I am not stupid Moony. If I was then I'd-"
"-still be failing Herbology like you are now?"
"Hey! That 'T' was because I fed Evans' exam paper to the plant that she was monitoring. You know that Moony. You were the one who-"
"Saved your sorry arse when she came to castrate you?"
"It wasn't my fault anyways! Prongs told me the plant would belch answers out loud if I fed it her papers…"
"And that makes it okay?"
"Whose side are you on anyways?"
"The right side."
"Psht! Fine then! Go make babies with Evans if she matters to you more Prongs and I do!"
"I heard that Black!"
"Dammit! She'll kill me! Hide me Moony, hide me!"
"Why? It's James you should be scared of. At least he didn't hear you say that."
"At least I didn't hear him say what?"
"Nothing! Just that you and Evans would have beautiful children."
"Why yes, yes we would Sirius."
"And you should name them Sirius and Siriusina."
"Black! Firstly, I am not having children with anyone. Not with Potter, not with Remus, not with the Giant Squid! And secondly, I sooner name my children after Potter than after you!"
"Really? Bloody hell Padfoot, I told you she loves me! She wants to name her children after me!"
"That's not what I- God, you people are hopeless!"
I agreed with Sirius when he said that mine and James' babies would be beautiful, but he took it too far when he said that they should be named after him. One Sirius is quite enough. Although it was later that I realised that once again, I had wormed my way out of saying 'no' to James.
-13 October 1976, Potions, Dungeons-
"Hey Evans. You-"
"No Potter, don't you dare ask me out again!"
"I was just asking you about the Potions work…"
"Oh."
"…and whether you'd like to come to Hogsmeade with me."
"Ugh! Go do your Potions work!"
"I've already done it…"
"Then why-?"
"To ask you out. So will you go out with me?"
"I thought I just told you that I wouldn't?"
"You didn't exactly say that, but it was worth a second try."
"No it wasn't."
Of course it wasn't worth a second try! All it did was make me feel guiltier and crueler by the second. It was amazing how I managed to even sleep at night after hurting him so much during the day. I told myself that he brought it upon himself, but I could never manage to fully persuade myself with that.
-13 October 1976, Gryffindor Common Room-
"Evans?"
"Potter, please go away. I'm in no mood for your crap."
"You swore! Anyways, he's not asking you out Evans. My best mate here did something-"
"Shut up Padfoot. I didn't do anything. It was you who-"
"Me? So you're saying it was me who suggested sneaking into Evans' dorm to check whether she had a muggle boyfriend?"
"Err-"
"Yes, Sirius. It was actually your idea."
"Moony! Oh gosh, you scared me! Where did you come from? Did you just materialize out of thin air? Holy hell! Moony are you practicing Black Magic!"
"No Sirius. I am not. And as for how I got here, I walked in through the Portrait Hole."
"Ah. How very practical."
"Yes. It was very practical, unlike you going into the girls' dorms to-"
"To what? What stunt have you pulled this time? I'm already extremely exasperated. Please do not aggravate me any further."
"Psst! James! She's using big words. I think we should bolt."
"Quit whispering Sirius! You're tickling my ear!"
"Sorry about that Evans, but we must get going… uh, Quidditch, you know?"
"Black, stop making up fickle lies. What have you worthless slobs done?"
"We haven't done anything as such…"
"Whoa! Evans! You look really like McGonagall when she's about to give me detention!"
"Shut up Black, or I'll show you how really like McGonagall I can be. Continue Potter."
"Do you… recognize this?"
"No, Potter, that thing in your hand looks like a white ball of a wadded up plastic bag…"
"That's pretty much what it is."
"And…?"
"…"
"Wait! Oh god, oh hell, oh shit! Is that from-?"
"Hey! Evans! You just swore again!"
"Shut up Black! Oh bloody hell! You took off the cling-film from my Potions ingredients!"
"Cling-thing? What's that?"
"Is it a thing that clings to you?"
"Cling-film. It's called cling-film you-"
"So that means it's a film that clings to you?"
"What's a film?"
"No Moony, it's obviously a muggle torture device!"
"Sirius, you could make everything muggle into a torture device… how exactly does this look like one to you?"
"Well, you spread it out… like this, and then you place it on someone's face, like this. Then you pull it tighter, so that it covers the nose and the… mouth, like... this. Do you understand now Moony?"
"Padfoot, I think Moony is choking. He looks a bit- MERLIN SIRIUS! REMOVE THE- HE CAN'T BREATHE! HE- HOLY CRAP! REMOVE THE THING!"
"Ow! Prongs, you're jumping on me!"
"WOULD YOU SHUT UP AND GET THAT THING OFF OF MOONY!"
"James, your elbow is poking my very sensitive area!"
"YOUR SENSITIVE AREA WONT'T MATTER IF MOONY DIES! REMOVE THAT-! SHIT PADFOOT, WOULD YOU-"
"It's stuck!"
"WHAT?"
"It's stuck- Ow Moony! I understand that you're about to die, but that gives you no right to- Ow! He's scratching me Prongs! Why is he scratching me?"
"MAYBE BECAUSE YOU'RE BLOODY KILLING HIM!"
"He's ruining my face! Ouch Moony, I hate you!"
"GET IT OFF!"
"Rasilio."
"Thanks Lily! …. Merlin! … I swear- Sirius… I… will… kill… you…"
"Moony, why are you breathing like that? Why is he breathing like that, Prongs?"
"Maybe because you almost suffocated him to death?"
"I told you it's a Muggle Medieval torture device!"
"It's not, you idiot."
"Then what is it Prongs? You don't seem to know any better!"
"Shut up Black!"
"Yes Padfoot, like Evans said: shut up. And I do know what this cling-thing is!"
"You obviously don't, Potter, because you decided to remove it from my phials, and wad it up-"
"And play catch with it."
"Black, didn't I just tell you to shut up? You've done enough as it is! My ingredients and-! I was working on a- Oh god, oh god, oh god, what am I going to do?"
"Don't Potions ingredients come with Sealing Charms when you buy them?"
"You're such a smart-ass Potter, but guess what? I didn't buy these! I actually did something useful and discovered these ingredients. And a bloody load of time it took me too!"
"You could find more…"
"I could but the only way I managed before was because I had Sev with me, and now because of you, I'm not even talking to him!"
"Prongs, she's getting mad. Run if you want to remain with the ability to reproduce!"
"You go. I have to-"
"No Potter, you do not have to stay behind just to ask me out again! I've said 'no'! Why can't you understand that? Do you not know what 'no' means? How many times will I have to say it before you'll understand? No, no, no, no, no, and no!"
"You've never really said-"
"No!"
"I just-"
"No!"
"Will you-"
"No!"
"Merlin! Just listen to-"
"No!"
"Evans, I will-"
"No!"
"You're being childish and-"
"No!"
"Lily! Would you-"
"N-"
"…"
"Potter! You prat! What the hell is wrong with you?"
"You weren't shutting up!"
"So you went and kissed me?"
"…Yeah?"
"Haven't you done enough?"
"Listen, I'm really sorry, but I have to ask: will you go out with me Lily? Please?"
"Potter, why can't you understand? Why do you have to keep on asking me? I don't like saying no to you every time and hurting you and watching your face fall so why do you have to keeping on making me do it? I don't like to say no!"
"Which is why you never do. But you never say yes either. Just once say yes…"
"No Potter, I don't like you like that."
"But you dislike hurting me?"
"I dislike hurting anyone."
"Then just say yes and you won't hurt me!"
"Yes, I will. Tell me it won't hurt you, if I go out with you when I have no feelings whatsoever for you."
"You do Evans, you do!"
"I think I know my feelings better than you do."
"…"
"…"
"I'm sorry about your ingredient thing. Does it really matter that they're uncovered?"
"Yes. That is exactly why I put on a Sticking Charm on that cling-film. So that no one would be able to remove it without a counter-spell."
"That was Sirius' doing. He wanted to see what was inside the tubes… and then he found the cling-thing fascinating, so…"
"…"
"Look. I'm really sorry Li- Evans. I'll even put the cling-thing back on."
"That won't help... and for the hundredth time, it's called cling-film!"
"It'll be punishment for me, putting the thing back on."
"Go ahead then. Enjoy yourself."
"Aww, don't be like that Lily."
"Don't be like what? Don't be depressed? Don't be miserable? Don't be fed-up? Because I am. Of everything. Of my sister, of Severus, of my so-called friends, of all the work I have to do, of me not being good enough, of everything!"
"Of me?"
"Of you."
"I expected as much. But I promise Lily, I've changed for you. I really have. But then, when I'm around you, I just, I dunno. I just- ugh! Forget it. I have to go get the cling-thing back from Sirius."
"Cling-film. Sirius is right over there."
"Padfoot-"
"James! Oh Holy Merlin! Our dorm's on fire!"
"WHAT!"
"WHAT?
"Ah, I'm just kidding."
"Black you are a bloody-"
"Uh uh Evans. No cussing."
"Padfoot you are a moron."
"No, I'm not. I'm a genius."
"Why, pray tell."
"Because now you no longer want to kill me for removing your cling-thing, and you no longer want to kill me for running away and making Evans hate you more than she already does."
"Yes, but now I want to kill you for giving me a heart attack."
"A heart attack? You care that much about our dorm? And it's called cling-film."
"Nope. My broomstick is in there."
"Figures. Potter cares more about his broom than his-"
"Stop grumbling like that. I have you cling-thing right here and Jamesie can go and put it back on."
"Once again, it won't help and once again, it's cling-film."
"It'll keep him busy enough not to rant on and on about you. Hey! You're blushing! Look Prongs, Evans is blushing. I made Evans blush!"
"Yes, that's no big accomplishment. Even Peter can make her blush."
"Did you just compare me to Wormtail?"
"No. Yes. Yes I did."
"Okay. Peter's a good enough guy… even though he was snoring like a… troctoc last night."
"A tractor?"
"Yes that one. Thanks Evans!"
"Now, I shall head out for dinner. We're the only ones left here and I fear that Pete's finished all the jelly trifle. See you Prongs. Evans. Oh and here's your cling-thing."
"Cling-film."
"…"
"…"
"So, how am I supposed to do this?"
"Let's go to my dorm so I can give you the phials and get myself a book to read."
"Your dorm?"
"Yes Potter, my dorm. Problem?"
"N-No."
"Good. How will you get up the staircase?"
"I have my ways."
"Stop being so cocky."
"You go on ahead. I'll be right behind you."
I was so mad. Not only did he ruin my research, he actually had the nerve to kiss me. Why? Just to shut me up. True, I was being childish, but it felt so good to finally say no, so I said it and said it, and said it again. What was better was that when I said it, he didn't look hurt. He looked frustrated... and I'd take that over him being hurt any day.
-13 October 1976, 6th Year Gryffindor Girls' Dorms-
"So which one's your bed?"
"Not that you don't already know, it's the one next to the window."
"I thought you were afraid of heights?"
"I am. But that doesn't mean I don't like them."
"Right."
"Here you go. The rack has twelve tubes. Make sure that you cover all of them and that they are air-tight."
"Do I… tear the cling-thing or should I use it in one-piece for all of them?"
"One piece, of course. And it's called cling-film."
"…"
"…"
"I'm done."
"What?"
"I've done it."
"No, that one isn't covered."
"Oh."
"…"
"…"
"Aagh! Stupid thing! It's sticking everywhere!"
"Yes, it's cling-film. It's supposed to. Not to mention, there was a Sticking Charm on it."
"That is not making me feel better."
"It's not supposed to. It's your punishment."
"Why am I being punished? It should be Sirius!"
"You're the one who volunteered."
"True... Ugh! How did you manage to get it on the first time?"
"Well, you see when it's fresh and new, it doesn't have so many wrinkles, so you don't have to worry about straightening it out every second. Of course, since Sirius decided to bunch it up into a ball, that is not the case here. And the wrinklier it is, the harder it is to manage... and the stickier it is. Wrinkling it... it's like you strengthen it. It'll stick anywhere, to anything."
"I hate you Sirius. Stupid, stupid, stup- So what're you reading?
"You wouldn't know it. It's a muggle book."
"Oh. Ugh! Stupid, annoying piece of- What's it about?"
"Magic."
"Really? So- Oh look! I've done it! I did it!"
"Good."
"I did it!"
"Yes Potter, I heard you the first time."
"Well, can I read it? The book?"
"No Potter, I'm reading it."
"I meant after you… Don't look at me like that! I know how to read!"
"Fine then. I'll give you the book when I'm done. You can go now."
"I don't want to. Everyone's at dinner, and I've already eaten. I'm thinking I'll stay here."
"... Okay."
"…"
"…"
"Potter. Is that a flower? And why are you killing it?"
"It's a daisy."
"Why are you stripping it off its petals?"
"It's not alive. I just transfigured it from a piece of paper."
"But still, you're ruining something beautiful. Why are you doing that?"
"...Well you see there's this girl… It's all her fault."
"A girl? I wonder who she could be…"
"Hey! Don't flatter yourself. It's not always you."
"I never said it was me!"
"But your tone implied it."
"You're moving off-topic and you're doing it on purpose. What's James Potter afraid of telling Lily Evans?"
"Nothing."
"Then say it."
"So there's this girl. And then there's this flower. I think of the girl really hard and then I pluck of the petals of the flower."
"Is this the 'loves-me, loves-me-not' thing?"
"Don't laugh Evans."
"I'm not laughing! I was just asking! Anyways, go on."
"But these flowers, they're as stubborn as the girl they're being denuded for."
"So it usually ends on loves-me-not?"
"No Evans, it always ends on loves-me-not."
"Always? That's not logically possible."
"That's what I tell myself every time; maybe someday it'll be a different result. The thought keeps me hopeful."
"I still don't think it's possible."
"Let me complete this one and show you; she loves me not. She loves me. She loves me not. She loves me. She loves me not. She loves me and-"
"She loves you not."
"I told you."
"Cheer up Potter. I don't wanna see that look again."
"What look?"
"That hurt look you get every time I say 'no'. It makes me feel guilty."
"It shouldn't. She loves me not, see?"
"Aw James, these things are stupid. They're not really true."
"Aren't they?"
"Quit looking at me like that."
"Like what?"
"Intensely."
"You have a problem with my expressions don't you?"
"Only the ones that freak me out."
"Yeah well, when a guy's in love, and all things, even bloody flowers, show that his love is unrequited; all his expressions would freak you out."
"I'll tell you what. Let's do one together."
"What, a daisy?"
"Yeah."
"Uhh...Let me just- can I transfigure this?"
"Hey! That's my hair band… Okay, fine, you can turn it into a stupid flower."
"Flos Verto. There we go."
"It's a pretty flower."
"You're a pretty flower too. So, should we start?"
"Ye- Ow! Hey! What are you doing?"
"I'm lying down."
"Why?"
"So that we can share the flower."
"Ugh! Potter, move over! You're hogging the pillow! I have no space! Might I remind you that it is my pillow?"
"Mfgg! Evans, your hair is in my mouth!"
"What? Are you crazy? It's tied back! It's probably your own messy hair."
"It's not my hair... Yuck, it was your robes."
"My robes? Agh! Potter, move over!"
"Hey! Quit pushing, I'll fall- Ow! Evans you cow!"
"Whoopsi- Holy shit! Potter, get off me!"
"Sorry. Ow! I think you just broke my glasses with your abnormally large head."
"My abnormally large head? In case you hadn't noticed, I'm not the one who's taken over the entire pillow. I'm the one who has no pillow too put her head on."
"Here; use my arm."
"As opposed to this as I am, I need a pillow, so I won't chop off your arm, and will instead… place my head on it… like this..."
"Evans, I don't bite."
"Yes, but you kiss, and that's worse than- Dammit, I wasn't supposed to say that out loud."
"Ouch… so can we get... uh get on with it?"
"Yeah. You start."
"She loves me… she loves me not."
"She loves you… she loves you not."
"She loves me… she-"
"Ouch! Potter, that petal went in my eye! Ow!"
"Sorry Lils- loves me not."
"She loves you… she loves you not, because you go around throwing plants in people's eyes!"
"She loves me, because I apologize… she loves me not, I have no idea why."
"She loves you, three more left… she loves you not."
"She loves me…"
"She loves you not."
"See? I told you."
"I'm sorry Po- James."
"It's not your fault. She just doesn't love me."
"..."
"..."
"Hey! I just remembered something!"
"I think you just burst my ear-drum."
"Forget that, I just remembered something!"
"…What?"
"Don't look so suspicious. I just remembered that you do the stalk as well."
"Huh?"
"The stalk! You count it as well!"
"You just made that up."
"No I didn't!"
"Lil, don't lie. You're no good at it."
"I'm. Not. Lying."
"Hey! You don't have to hit me!"
"I do, because you're not listening to me!"
"So she loves me? She loves me every time?"
"I guess. I dunno. Maybe she does and just hasn't realized it. Or maybe she's realized it but she's too scared to accept it. Or maybe she's accepted it and she's too scared to confess it. Or maybe-"
"I get it. I just really hope you're right."
"I usually am. I'm Lily Evans, remember?"
"How could I forget?"
"..."
"This is getting too cosy for comfort."
"And my arm's become numb, so you'll have to get up Lils."
"Fine. Pass me the stalk... and gather all the petals."
"Why?"
"Because."
"...Of?"
"Just get up and give me the damn petals!"
"Okay woman! Relax! ...There you go."
"Thanks... Accio Empty Phial. I'll just put these in here... and you can have it."
"Why?"
"Because she might love you."
"Wait! Give me a quill for a second... What's this?"
"It's called a pen."
"What do I do with it?"
"Write with it."
"Uh, Lily, I'm not saying that you're crazy or anything, but there's no inkwell."
"Just. Write. Potter."
"Okay! Don't get scary."
"What're you writing?"
"She... loves... me."
"Maybe! It's a maybe!"
"I refuse to believe that."
"...Whatever you say. Here, cover it with the cling-film."
"Why?"
"To keep it safe of course... I mean, uh... if you want to... that is if you want to... keep it safe..."
"Are you blushing?"
"Just cover it with the bloody cling-thing already!"
"Cling-film Evans, it's called cling-film. And yes, I do want to keep it safe."
And I finally decided to admit to myself that I loved him; that the reason I hated saying no to him was because I hated hurting him; that the reason I distracted him from the "why won't you go out with me" topic was because I wanted to distract myself from it; that the reason I hated him for loving me was because I hated myself for loving him; that the reason I pretended to hate him was because I wanted to persuade myself to hate him.
I finally admitted to myself that I had been falling in love and I had been scared.
¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•. ¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•. ¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•.
How was it? This came to me out of nowhere, honestly. I just had a few awesome lines and I wrote them and kept adding stuff to them, and this is what came out.
And I like it a lot. A LOT.
Tell me you do too! Review :)
TMs'M