"Stella! What on earth have you done?" Lily snaps as I waddle into the common room. My hair clings determinedly to my cheeks and my sopping robe encapsulates me, I probably resemble a very large slug. I am absolutely freezing but I don't care. The rain makes the dripping clothes and icicle fingers all worthwhile.
"I went outside," I choke through my chattering teeth. Lily flicks her emerald eyes to the ceiling and thrusts her own robe over my shoulders. Clearly she's forgotten the drying charm Snivellus taught her in the third year. I know she is silently cursing me under her breath, but frankly I couldn't care less because Lily Evans is possibly the loveliest person to ever grace this earth.
Lily is one of the very few people that I can stand for more than ten minutes at a time. She's sensible but sensitive and you can get a decent conversation with her, unlike many of the other gibbering giggly girls in our year. If it weren't for Lily, I might have become a hermit. A grumpy slug woman, lurking in the darkness and waiting for the rain to come, only venturing into the world when others shelter. It actually worries me how many traits I share with slugs.
"You're a complete idiot, I hope you realise that," Lily grumbles. I nod quickly and Lily stifles a smile, her stern expression ruined by the glint in her green eyes. I toddle over to the nearest sofa and slump on the cushions, draping my slug like form over the pristine velvet. Lily quirks an eyebrow and perches on the arm of the sofa, waving her wand into a whirlwind. I shouldn't have doubted her memory, that girl has one of the biggest brains in Britain.
Lily eventually finishes drying me off, her smile growing until it swamps the whole of her face. She gnaws on her lips, but the hysteria can't be contained and she eventually collapses in a fit of laughter.
"Lily, what have you done?" I question warily, just as four boys enter the common room. My stomach does several somersaults and I feel my pulse dramatically increase.
"Nice hair Stella," James sniggers and I warily glance at Lily, who is attempting to cull her giggles. Clearly I am the victim of Lily's strange brand of revenge.
Lily has always had odd ways of getting back at people. In the second year, James 'accidentally' locked himself and Lily in a closet for over an hour. Flitwick found them, Lily somewhat ruffled but undamaged and James utterly thrilled. Lily spread the rumour that James only had three toes as vengeance. Last month, Peter copied the entire of her potions essay, so Lily took off all the buttons on his shirts. How she managed to get the shirts, I have no idea, but one thing is for sure, Lily Evans is a master of vendetta.
"Lily, what have I done to deserve this?" I question, pointing to the ominous mass of curls on my head. My hair looks like a haystack. Lily, now having managed to quiet her laughter, ruffles my unruly locks playfully and grins.
"Next time, think twice before venturing into a storm without an umbrella." I sigh and pout, Lily flashing a quick grin at me before springing up the stairs. What is that girl up to? Lily may be my best friend, but she is also incredibly puzzling. I cross my legs and lean over, reaching for a discarded copy of the Daily Prophet. My hand brushes against another and my heart bursts into palpitations.
"I'm sorry," Remus Lupin mutters, instinctively swiping his hand away. My eyes search for something to look at that doesn't make me feel awkward, and they eventually settle on his ankles. I focus there happily for about three minutes before I realise that he has undoubtedly gorgeous ankles.
I first realised I have a crush on Remus Lupin when I was in first year. Being an incredibly clumsy soul, I accidentally managed to knock my cauldron over all his books, disintegrating them. I got two weeks detention but it was worth it just to get him to talk to me. As I got to know him more, the crush grew and grew and now it's transformed into a scary monster that lurks at the pit of my stomach, rearing its ugly head whenever Remus appears. It's pretty easy to control, I don't think anyone knows about my feelings and I have little hope for our relationship developing any further. I'm pretty certain that he only thinks of me as a friend. I hide my loneliness because I must, although sometimes it really hurts.
"Stella?" My head snaps upright and I discover that Remus has been repeatedly asking me a question. I can't help but blush at his earnest hazel eyes watching carefully and his quietly curios expression.
"How was your day?" He asks politely. I can tell from his tone of voice, that he is genuinely interested. It is one of the many things I have noticed from my crush fuelled staring sessions that occur every Wednesday in DADA. Remus doesn't say that much, but when he does talk, he genuinely means what he says. He isn't bravado fuelled or arrogant like his friends; he's reflective, gentle and complacent.
"Oh, fine thanks. How was yours?" I mumble, trying not to embarrass myself further.
"Much better since I saw your new hair." He chuckles, his eyes glimmering playfully. It is at this point, that Lily reappears from the dormitory, brandishing a hairbrush like a particularly wayward banshee. She barges past a herd of fourth years, halting at the sofa and beginning the battle with my hair.
"I'm sorry Stella," Lily states, gradually taming the mass of frizz.
"Don't worry about it, I don't mind as long as it's not permanent." I say, throwing a smile in Remus's direction.
"That's a shame, I quite like the windswept look," Remus light-heartedly mutters. Why did Lily choose now to try and gain penance? Or is he joking? That's one of the other things that I've noticed from my crush fuelled staring sessions. It's difficult to tell when he's joking and when he's serious. Lily clearly has trouble differentiating between the two.
"Really?" She questions, surprised, "I think she looks like a Poodle." My best friend is so complimentary.
"Yeah," he muses, surveying my tendrils for a moment before replying. "It's quite wild. I like it." Note to self, don't brush hair.
"Oi, Moony! Come and help with my potions!" Sirius barks across the room. Why must he steal my dearest Remus? Perhaps Lily can leave my wild hair alone and go and help Sirius, she excels at potions. Remus clambers off the sofa, his mousey fringe momentarily flopping into his eyes. I stifle a gasp, butterflies storming in the pit of my stomach. He casually smiles before ambling towards the table where James, Sirius and Peter are all sitting. The doe and the slug are left, Lily blissfully unaware of my shortness of breath and frantic pulse.
It's not raining, but there is thunder in my heart.