Woww…I'm such a procrastinator!
Ahh well..here's a reward for bein' so darn patient with me!
Oh. And when they're quoting, there are the little ' things inside the " real quotes. Get it? So, like, if Lily said "'Hey,'" it would be her quoting someone else. I know it doesn't make sense now, but do read on and you'll get it!
-Sasss
Chapter 10, Bad Transmission—Good Kissin'
"Can you hear me, Lils?" asked Hermione's voice in Lilly's left ear.
"Yeah...this is so weird." Lily shook her head. "I feel like there's someone in my head."
"It's okay…it'll wear off in a few hours. You and James just gotta be back here by eleven…okay?"
"Yeah, definitely. So…now what?"
"Now? We wait." Hermione shifted her position in the bushes. "Any idea where he's taking you?"
"No…he said it was a surprise. Something tells me he just said that because he didn't know…"
"Yeah, me too."
"I love this dress you leant me, Hermione. It's gorgeous." And it really was, Hermione thought in agreement, smiling. She didn't know why she'd had the red slimming dress in her trunk, but she did, and she was glad. At least Lily could look special on their first date, no matter how much she hated James right now.
"Yeah, I think it looks great on you."
"Hey! There's the idiot. Okay, game time!" Hermione chuckled.
"Just repeat after me…starting now."
Lily smiled as James approached. "Hey, beautiful," he said boldly, offering her his arm.
"'Hey, handsome,'" Lily quoted from Hermione's voice in her ear, smiling at the ingeniousness of this spell, "'any idea where we're going?'"
"Just take my arm and we'll be off," he replied genuinely, smiling.
"'Take his arm,'" Lily repeated. She froze.
"Don't say it!" Hermione practically yelled into the cold night. "I meant for you to actually take his arm!"
"Ahem," Lily coughed, taking his arm and promptly turning pink. "Let's go then?"
"Yes…" he said, trailing off.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
What now, Sirius? James thought over and over in his head, oh, what now, what now, what now? We're here, and what the bloody hell do I do?
"Here we are," Sirius articulated into the thin air just outside the Quidditch Pitch, grinning at how perplexed James must be.
"'Here we are,'" James repeated loyally, continuing to escort Lily, towards the center of the field.
"The Quidditch Pitch?" Lily asked on her own accord hinting discreetly to Hermione as to where they were.
"'Bingo,'" replied James happily. "'It was my idea…like it?'"
"'Erm, yes,'" Lily said, looking the place over.
"'And here's the piece de resistance.'"
They had arrived at the center of the field, and there was a setup, provided (obviously) by James and Sirius. A small table, set for dinner for two, with one candle, and five roses in a vase at the center. The whole thing was incredibly romantic, and Lily just wanted to scream and hug him.
"Wow, James! This is so…amazing!" Lily was listening intently for Hermione's voice. "'I had no idea you could be so romantic.'"
"'There's a lot of things about me that you didn't know. Sometimes, you just gotta give a guy a chance.'"
Lily nodded. "'I know that now,'" she gushed, forgetting his arm and taking his hand. "'I really appreciate this, James. I should've dated you sooner!'" Don't push it, Hermione, she thought.
"'Well, have a seat, love,'" James quoted, pulling out Lily's chair for her. "'I've got to tell you something.'"
"'What is it?'" Lily asked as soon as he'd been seated.
Here we go, Padfoot, James thought, just before his best friend's voice ran through his head.
"'Lily, you see these three roses here. Five different kinds, right? I've got to tell you why they're there.'" Outside the pitch, Sirius grinned. He'd written this speech, and knew it would knock any girl off her feet.
"'Lily,'" James quoted on, "'the white thorn-less rose symbolizes love at first sight. And it really was. The coral rose…well, it symbolizes desire, and that's because I desire you, and your return of my love. The orange rose represents fascination…because I'm simply fascinated by you. The dark pink rose shows thankfulness, which synchronizes with my thankfulness for you. Without you, I'm nothing. And finally, the red rose. It's a sign of love, and respect, and together with the white rose, it means unity. Lily, I love you. I really hope you love me, too.'"
"Nice work, James," Sirius added in there.
James, practically shaking, looked over at Lily who looked completely and totally awestruck. "I dunno what to say to that," Hermione prompted, and so Lily decided to adlib. Hermione, now able to see into the pitch, watched as Lily stood, walked over to James's chair, and planted a chaste kiss on his lips.
"James Potter," she breathed, "you are perfect. I love you, too."
"Alright, Lily!" Hermione said. Then she glanced at her watch. 11:20. Lily was on her own. "I think I'll leave you lovebirds alone," Hermione muttered. She headed around to the other side of the Pitch, to cut off time, and walked headlong into someone else. "What the—," she was cut off by a hand being shoved over her mouth.
"Oh, God, Hermione," breathed Sirius's voice from behind her, and he released her mouth at once. "I thought you were some Slytherin or something. Blimey, I'm sorry."
"It's alright," she replied shakily, breathing deeply. "Wow, that was…weird."
"Hey," he said after checking his watch, "are you headed back to the castle? Because, if you are, I'll walk you in."
"Oh." Hermione looked around. What could be the harm? "Sure. I'd like that, very much."
He grinned.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
"So, Sirius, you haven't told me what you were doing out by the Pitch," Hermione said with a hint of curiosity, sitting down on one of the Common Room couches. She'd just changed into her pajamas, and was now sitting down for a spot of tea with Sirius, who was similarly clad in his pajamas…which happened to only be bottoms.
"Oh…well, you'd never believe it, but James wanted help with his date, so I cast a spell—,"
"—that allowed you to transmit words into his left ear?" Hermione asked. Sirius nodded. "Oh, me too! Only, with Lily, not James."
"So…everything that she said was really you?"
"Mmmhmm. And everything that James said was you?"
"Yeah. So it's kinda like we went on a date, then, isn't it?" Hermione spat out her tea. "I guess you weren't thinking of it like that." He looked awkwardly away, drumming his fingers anxiously on his teacup.
"Wow…that was an interesting thought." Hermione averted her gaze towards her hands, and thought sullenly how it wasn't fair. Everyone had someone except her, and she might have Sirius had it not been for this stupid time-continuum.
"Was it?"
"Yes, it was." She nodded. "Sirius, I definitely enjoyed our date."
"So did I." He looked back over at her. "First kiss time?"
Hermione struggled desperately. "Nice try," she said, before getting up and stretching. She tapped her wand against the rim of her cup, which was on the table, and it vanished. "Like I said. 'Interesting idea'. Idea. Don't go getting any more, okay?"
"Alright, fine," he replied stormily, folding his arms and pouting. "But I'm not eating all my vegetables."
"What?" Hermione laughed. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"It just felt like I was talking to my mother. You make me feel like a little kid. Can we please stay at the same age level here? Mm?"
"Alright fine."
He held out his pinky finger. She blinked. He thrust the finger expectantly in her direction, and she chuckled, then linked her pinky with his. "Okay…goodnight, Sirius Black."
"Goodnight, Hermione Granger."
Hermione turned and headed for the stairs, allowing her mouth to break out into a wild grin the moment she reached the girls' dormitories.
"Why are you all happy?" Hermione started. She looked up, and sitting on her bed were the three Weasleys. Ron, who had spoken, stood and crossed his arms.
"Fred…George…Ron…How in the name of Merlin did you all get in here?"
"Fred and George are masterminds that know how to cheat the system," Ron replied automatically, stopping walking and watching her sit timidly on her bed next to the twins. She shot him a look that said quite plainly "that makes no sense and you know it".
"Well, what are you doing in here, then?"
"We were just curious. Why are you so darn happy?" George asked, smiling and looking about as innocent as a venus fly trap.
"I'll have you know that first and foremost, it is none of your business. That being said, you will understand completely why I will not reveal such glorious information to the three of you goons."
"What did she say, Fred?" George asked, mocking curiosity.
"I dunno, George. All I heard was 'Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah'." He shot a look at Hermione. "'Mione, we know you're up to something, and it's gotta be a big deal if you won't tell us." He gave her a pleading puppy-eyed look, "So…tell us, love?"
"Is that so?" Hermione eyed them all, one by one, "well…I don't see the difference between this secret and whatever you're keeping from me."
"Alright!" yelped George as her gaze landed on him, "I did it! I put the ink on your telescope! Just don't hurt me!" He flung his arms over his head protectively. Hermione sent a questioning look at Fred, who mouthed 'No idea'.
"Uhm…okay…that wasn't what I was talking about, though I was wondering about that…" she trailed off, and rubbed the area around her eye that had been colorized just the other day. "I meant how you wouldn't tell us why you didn't need to see Dumbledore when we showed up. 'We've got our past plans all figured out,' you guys said. So…you tell me, and I'll tell you."
"Honestly, Hermione," breathed Fred, "why do you seem to be able to remember everything we say?"
"I have my ways."
"Alright…well, we can't tell you, so we'll have to force the truth out of you….at a later point in time. Watch your back, Hermione."
Fred and George both stood at the same time and went to leave. They were gone, and it was just Ron and Hermione. Then, the door creaked back open and Fred's head peaked in between the door and the wall. "Ron, we're leaving. As in, the verb; to go out or away from….in this case, away from Hermione. So…let's go."
Reluctantly, and turning red, Ron left with the twins.
Hermione, suddenly happy at the thought of her first period class with Sirius, bit her lip and grinned emphatically, falling back onto her bed with a longing sigh.
Things could only get better.
Alright…here's to my patient readers! I hope you like so far, and I'll have you know that this puppy is just getting started! Read on, faithful people!!!
REVIEW RESPONSES (these go back to the reviews for the sixth chapter….sorry about postponing them!):
Nina616: Hey, it's a romance story, right? And it's Truth or Dare. That's the reason people like reading about the game, right?
Mrs. St. John Allerdyce: Thank you for the positive review!
Amrawo: I'm so glad you approve of my shipping choice! Please keep reading, and reviewing!
The Jersey Girl Next Door: I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter! Please, read on!
Anna: I'm wicked glad that you like the shipper!
Notwritten: Thanks for the great review!
GoddessGirl16328: I really hope you keep on reading!
Gir Crazy: Hmm…a triangle? Could try it out if people approve. I dunno. Maybe I'll write a special HG/RL fic just for you. I'm trying to think of a good plot anyway.
Gueneviere: (does the 'I-made-a-reviewer-happy' dance 3 times in a row) wow! Thanks for the superifical review!!
Forbidden Mage: As you now know, I don't update as much as I ought to…but I hope you don't stop reading because of it!
WorldOfLilyEvans: BTW I love your user name! I'm so glad you reminded me of the whole Sirius not being a nervous pushover thing! You are definitely correct in saying that he's not that kind of guy (thank GOD)!
Aria Deloncray: I'm so glad you like! Please, read on!
I'm a misfit: Interesting username…I like it. Please keep reading!
BloodyMarry: Wow! I'm so sorry I forgot to respond that time…a WHILE ago! I really hope you're not too hurt.
Nynaeve80: Here's the coupling…or the beginning of it, eh? Like it?
Black.And. Thanks for the review!!
Angel Sumoritos: Thanks for liking it so much! Makes me feel loved!
RandomObssesivePsychoFangirl: Thanks for the articulative review!
Random Zinthos: SOOOO glad you like it! Please read on!
Murdrax:trust me…the truth will be revealed…
Leslie: Thank you for pointing out my problem with the dialogue. I think I have an addictive issue…I tend to write more talking than actions. Please, keep reminding me of that…it might help my writing out.
Sarah: Wow, you're right. I've got some problems. I meant Fiction press dot com.
Summerblack23: Thanks for the compliment. It means so much to me! Please keep reviewing and reading!
Cute Lover Gurl: Sooooo excited that you love it! PLEASE, read on!
Saphirina: So glad you like it! Keep reading, eh?
Hotkat144: Trust me, Hermione gets almost EXACTLY what she's looking for.
Gurlonthemove: I'm still writing…hope you're still reviewing!
DracoGinnyforever: They weren't really in love with Hermione (well, not Fred, George, or Ron) but they were trying to keep her away from James, because that would totally like, kill Harry. So, in order to do this, they tried to make her like them instead.
Brooke-ella1690: You shall see their plans for the past, but for now, you've just gotta keep reading! Stay tuned to find out what happens next!
Lunababe: So glad you like it so much! Sorry I took forever…..it's a problem I'm working on! Read on, lovely reader!
Eddie: Yeah, Hermione and Sirius—the perfect couple. Please, read on!
WannaBArtist: Love your username! I hope you DO like this….here's more!
Thatsphat: YESS I'm NOT the only one! So take THAT, mom!
Sweet-single: So glad you think it's funny! Please, keep reading!
WHEW!!!!!! That took so long! Never putting the responses of again! Please, all of you; keep reading and reviewing!
LYASFM
-Sasss