I woke up the next morning, my insides burning with hunger and my eyes still glued together. I'd gotten merely one hour of sleep, thanks to the Sherlock Holmes novel I'd started reading late in the evening. I dragged myself to the door, and made my way to the Bathroom, my eyes half closed the entire time. I was never staying up reading again.
"Oomph!" I was lying flat on my back, stars dancing in front of me. Within seconds, I was imagining scenarios involving me punching the thing I'd collided against with my bare, hands even if my fists broke. I bit my tongue to keep from spewing out the most colourful profanity. Forcing my eyes open, I glanced up at – James Potter?
James Potter, who was currently laughing his head off.
A James Potter who was currently half naked.
My eyes, refusing to open a minute ago, widened like they'd never get the chance to open again.
Because, Merlin, James Potter was hot.
As in, suck-out-your-air, punch-you-in-the-gut, sculpted-to-perfection hot. I stared up at him, curses stuck in my throat. I'd never seen a piece of artwork like that before. I thanked my lucky stars for the fact that he couldn't read my mind.
He'd stopped laughing now, and was staring down at me with an amused grin.
"Planning to get up, Evans?"
His voice tore through my thoughts, thoughts I'd have never believed the Lily Evans mind was capable of producing, and snatched me back down to Earth. My temper came flooding back.
I stared at the hand he'd extended, and brushed it off as hard as I could.
At least, I tried to brush it off.
What I actually managed to do was miss my target badly and land flat on my face.
I sat up, intending to curse the world, when my eyes fell on James, also on the floor – on the floor because he was rolling about laughing, arms across his stomach, holding his sides. I glared at him, a scowl etched upon my face. He laughed and laughed – head tipped back, eyes watering – and the frown slipped off my face, much as I tried to hold on to it. Instead, the corners of my lips turned up into a disinclined smile.
Presently his laughter subsided, and he simply looked at me, as if looking at an especially amusing insect for the first time. Then he stood up in one fluid motion, and made to help me as I tried to pick myself up off the floor. I pulled back my arm and punched him hard as I could – just because I was smiling didn't mean I wasn't angry – then immediately regretted it.
"Ow!" Merlin, had I just punched the very thing that'd sent me crashing to the floor?
The idiot was laughing again.
I stood up (finally) and walked to the sink. I splashed water across my face, and then looked up to see James' reflection smirking at me.
"Will you get out, James?"
His smirk widened into a grin. "You do realise you just paid me a huge compliment, right?"
I scowled. Genuinely this time.
In your dreams, Potter.
"I'm not too proud to accept the facts," I said. Then gave myself a tight mental slap.
"Sure you aren't," he said. Then he made his way towards the door, closing it behind him. I shook my head, and got ready to brush my teeth.
"Oh, and Evans?" I turned around; there he was again, holding the door open just enough to poke his head inside. "You look very adorable in the morning," he said, looking right at me.
I stared at him, then – I don't know why – broke eye contact. When I looked back at him, he grinned at me, then shut the door again.
I turned back the mirror. Somehow, the way he'd said it, like he was merely stating a fact, it sounded so genuine.
I shook my head. Potter. This was Potter we were talking about. Potter, who flirted with anything in a skirt.
When was the last time I saw him flirting?
I grabbed my brush and thrust toothpaste upon it. Why was I even standing and thinking about this? It was a stupid compliment. I should just thank him and be done with it!
I went on to take a shower, all the sleep having left my eyes.
We were gathered in the boys' Gryffindor dormitory, ready for the game of Truth and Dare after an exhausting day of classes. Sirius was sitting on the armchair – or, well, sitting wouldn't be the right word for it. He was flat on his back, his head hanging down over one arm with his hair almost touching the floor, and his feet dangling over the other. James was lying comfortably on the vase he'd transfigured into a couch, hands behind his head and feet one on top of the other, in the air, almost touching Remus' head who was sitting on the edge of the couch – he barely had enough space to sit, what with James' long legs taking up most of the space. He didn't seem to notice this at all, though; he looked like it was completely normal.
It must be, I thought. He'd shared a dorm with them for six years now. I truly felt sorry for him.
"Where's Marlene, Lily? And those love-birds?" James asked, his head still turned towards the opposite side, fingers twirling his wand absently.
"I dunno about Marlene, James...her detention should've been over by now. Alice had gone with Frank to the owlery to send a letter...they should be here any minute," I said, wondering what was taking them so long.
James reply was cut off as a speeding figure burst through the Portrait Hole. Marlene raced over to me, tripping and tumbling the whole way, and grabbed my shoulders.
"You wouldn't believe what just happened, Lily," she said, gasping, trying to catch her breath.
"Marlene, what – "
"I saw Lestrange swoon."
All right, this one had me stumped. I always expected the unexpected from Marlene, but this was really unexpected, even by her standards. I saw Remus' jaw drop.
"You're exaggerating, Marlene," he said.
"I am not, Remus. Bellatrix Black asked him out. And he..." She shuddered.
"You should have seen it...he grew dreamy-eyed...and...ugh – I can't get the image out of my head. He actually staggered, Lily...he swooned. He looked like a goddess was asking him, Lily...Oh gosh...oh gosh oh gosh oh gosh...Lily, I wish I could have used your muggle camera and recorded it!"
I decided there was no point in telling her then that muggle electronic devices didn't work in Hogwarts.
She finally turned from me and took note of James and Sirius, who'd been listening to her intently, apparently as stupefied as I was. Sirius, though, had lost some of that relaxed demeanor of his. It figured, since this was his cousin we were talking about.
"Bella's liked Lestrange since she was seven, Marlene. Since he started coming over to our house for those pure-blood get-togethers. It was Rodolphus this and Rodolphus that. He was the only one she thought was sick enough to complement her. I didn't know it was worse on the other side. Stupid git deserves her," Sirius said, his forehead furrowing in irritation.
This was the first time I'd heard Sirius talk about somebody other than Severus with genuine dislike. Marlene probably noticed this too.
"Hmm...probably...but I'm scarred for life! The mental image! I can't get it out of my head!" She said, looking pained. I could see right through her attempts to lighten the atmosphere. It seemed to work, though.
"Is that what you're worried about? Its easy," Sirius said with a grin, scrambling off his armchair. He walked over to the table on the opposite corner and returned with a bottle of...Firewhiskey. No way.
"Sirius...?" I began, in a seemingly sweet voice.
"Yes, love?"
I hated that term of endearment. I ignored it, though.
"Put that bottle down right now, or I wouldn't hesitate to take points from my own House."
"Oh, go ahead, darling Evans. I'd love to see you try."
Resisting the urge to stamp my foot, I turned to tell Marlene off for not refusing Sirius herself, but stopped short at the sight of her happily taking small sips of the blasted drink, sitting on the arm of Sirius' chair.
"Marlene!"
She jumped.
"Close it!"
Oh Merlin, why did I even agree to come here? I wondered regretfully, looking at her sheepish expression.
And then I remembered. Alice. Alice was supposed to be here too. That was the reason I'd agreed in the first place, wasn't it?
"Where is Alice?" I demanded.
"She's just around the corner, Lily. She'll be here in two minutes," Remus said after a second, looking up from a worn-out looking piece of parchment.
"And how would you know that? Can you see through walls, or something?" I asked, annoyed.
I thought I saw James give Sirius a knowing look. Really, it was like those three shared the same brain or something. Whatever went on in one's mind, the other two seemed to automatically tune in.
"Why, didn't you know, Evans? Our Moony has magic eyes," he said, clapping Remus on the back.
"Shut u – "
"Oh, look, here she is," Remus said, pointing towards the Portrait Hole.
I turned around. There was nobody.
"What d'you –"
I was interrupted again by the sound of the Portrait Hole sliding open, and Alice scrambling in. Now I was really surprised. How could he have known? Super hearing powers?
Probably. I got over that soon, though – I'd never been as happy to see anyone in my entire life.
"Alice!" I ran over to her. "Oh, thank goodness." I exclaimed, giving her a tight hug. She looked bewildered.
"Lily – "
"What took you so long? Were you planning on letting me die at the hands of these wolves?" I accused.
Remus, James and Sirius exchanged a grin, like they were enjoying some inside joke.
Yep, definitely a shared brain, I decided.
"I got held up, Lily. I had to dodge Filch over three floors."
"And where's Frank?"
"He wouldn't be able to make it...he just remembered he had some essay due. I tried getting him to come...but he said he couldn't. Apparently, his mum is extremely strict, and also really good friends with the Professors."
That had to suck.
"Oh. Maybe some other time then..." I said, feeling kind of sorry he couldn't make it.
"So, shall we start?" Sirius said, rubbing his palms together.
"Does everyone know the rules?" He asked, throwing himself to the floor from the armchair, and looking around at each of us.
