Chapter Ten
Lily hadn't had a real conversation with her friends for a long time. She missed the fun and talks they used to have. It wasn't that James wasn't funny and interesting, but it just wasn't the same. Her friends knew her better than anyone else on the planet.
Lily arrived down at breakfast and found her friends straight away, who were, for once, not with the Marauders. It was perfect timing.
"Hey guys." She said, sitting down next to them.
"Hi Lils," Morgan greeted.
"We haven't seen you in a while." Louise smiled.
"Exactly why I'm here," Lily said happily.
"What do you have in mind?" Morgan asked.
"I was thinking a little girls night... We can all camp in the Heads common room and I'll kick James out. Oh, and I'll bring some food." Lily suggested. The girls' faces lit up. They'd all been under so much stress lately, what with homework and You-Know-Who out there. They could use some fun.
"That sounds perfect," Louise said, "what time?"
"Nine o'clock tonight?" Lily said. The girls nodded. "Great. I've got to run; Divination first."
Lily stuffed a piece of toast down her mouth and walked out of the Great Hall. The Divination classroom was at the top of the North Tower; it would take her a while to get there. After travelling up several staircases, she arrived at the classroom. She climbed the ladder to the overly-heated and decorated room. Her usual seat near the window was free. Lily still didn't know why she continued Divination. It was much more interesting a couple of years ago, but now she knew it was just plain stupid. Lily daydreamed through the whole class. The pondered about tonight, James, her soft comfy bed – not that they were related... Still, her Divination teacher didn't know when she hadn't even touched her moon chart. How ridiculous, trying to read the future through moons. Divination finished and now she had History of Magic, which wasn't much more interesting, but she took notes like a good little girl. It didn't turn out to be as bad as she thought it would be. Lily had to stop herself from laughing out loud when James turned the teachers wig green, so he looked like an old wrinkly clown, or when he levitated his books over Snape's head. Next subject was Potions, which Lily excelled at but usually dreaded. Her teacher, Professor Slughorn, wouldn't stop fawning over her and her potions skills, sometimes commenting that she was better than Severus. Snape didn't seem to like that much. He used to be happy for Lily when they were friends, but now it just made him shoot dirty looks at Lily and Slughorn. At lunch break, it was a frosty Friday afternoon and she was sitting with the Marauders in one of the many courtyards in Hogwarts.
"What's everyone up to tonight?" Remus asked. He was sitting next to Louise again. They had been spending quite a lot of time together. Whenever Lily and Morgan asked about Remus, Louise blushed and quickly changed the subject. They never expected that she and Remus would like each other, but opposites attract, right? It seemed that way with James and Lily.
Morgan was about to answer but Lily quickly cut in. "Nothing, just having a quiet night." She said, sitting next to James on one of the benches, hands entwined. Morgan and Louise cast Lily questioning looks. Lily quickly shook her head, telling them to play along.
"Alright then..." Sirius said, looking between the girls, and then looked to James. "Is she always this weird?"
James laughed. "She's usually worse." Lily scoffed and punched his arm.
"Women..." Sirius whispered under his breath, but Lily knew he meant for Morgan to hear, who was right next to him.
"I heard that!" She slapped the back of his head.
They all returned to Defense Against the Dark Arts and then Muggle studies. James had a final Quidditch practise before the game tomorrow. This gave her extra time to get ready but there was one dilemma. She needed something from him. Something he valued very much. She figured he'd need softening up first.
Once they were in the Heads common room later and James was about to leave, she stopped him.
"Wait, James." She said. He stopped and turned around.
"Yeah?" He had his broomstick over his shoulder. Lily stuck up her index finger and motioned for him to come closer. He grinned mischievously. Lily wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her hands in his hair. She stood on her toes and kissed his cheek, then down his jaw line, further down his neck and kissed all of the tender skin. She untangled her hands and slid them down his chest, then up under his shirt, feeling his nicely toned stomach. She suddenly appreciated Quidditch. Lily didn't do this on a regular basis, well not ever really, but she was enjoying.
He couldn't quite figure out why she was running her hands all over him, but he wasn't complaining. Usually it was just a kiss on the cheek or a hug. In the back of his mind, he was a bit suspicious but he went with the flow.
Lily pulled back and turned on her puppy dog eyes. Damn those eyes, James cursed.
"Can I pretty please borrow your Invisibility Cloak?" She asked and slid her hands down the front of him, dangerously close to the out-of-bounds area.
James' eyes fluttered. "Yeah... Sure..." Then something clicked in place and he registered what she had said. "Wait, what?"
"Please? It'll only take ten minutes." She asked.
"What for?" He asked suspiciously. His cloak was his most prized possession. He trusted Lily, but still...
"It's a surprise." She hoped this would convince him. It was partly true... But the surprised just want for him, was all.
He sighed. "Fine. I have to go, I'll be late. It's under my bed." He told her.
"Train hard!" She called after him, grinning.
"I'm already hard, thanks to you." He called back. Lily cracked up laughing, pleased with her work. Now she knew what she had to do if she ever needed something. She walked into room and saw it sticking out from under is bed. Now that she was in his room, alone, she had the urge to search it. But she knew she shouldn't. Plus, she didn't have time. She grabbed the cloak and run out of the portrait hole.
The one thing about going with James Potter is that you have to hang out with the rest of the Marauders too, which is more useful than one may think. Many times she had heard them talking about getting food from the kitchens. She knew exactly where it was and how to get in. She arrived outside the kitchens under the Invisibility Cloak and tickled the painting of the pear. A handle appeared and she grabbed it, pulling it open to reveal the kitchens.
Lily gasped. She didn't know a hundred off House Elves worked there. They all started huddling around her, beaming from ear to ear. Lily smiled back nervously. She weaved in between all the elves. The room was quite large, wooden and there were four long tables, identical to the ones in the Great Hall.
"Good evening, miss. What have yous come to see us for?" A tiny elf spoke, a female by the looks of it, wearing her old battered clothes with the Hogwarts crest on it.
"I was just wondering if you have any spare food. I missed dinner." She lied.
"Oh yes, miss. Of course we does." The elf squeaked. About ten different elves come up, pushing sweet food and savoury food into her arms. She gathered as much as she could. She thanked the elves and then climbed back out, throwing the cloak back on. If she hurried, she could back in time to hide the food before James got back. She sped down the corridors to the Heads common room and whispered the password. Lily let out a long, relieved breath. James wasn't back yet. She shook off the cloak, laid it on the couch and carried the food into her room. Just as she threw it all under her bed covers, she heard James return.
"Lily?" He called out. Lily shook her hands and rolled her head back. Okay, be casual. She walked out like nothing was happening and smiled at the sight of him. His hair was all ruffled up – more than usual – and his Quidditch gear was all muddy.
She crinkled her nose. "Gross." James grinned. He started stripping off his gear right there and then. Thank heavens he kept his pants on at least. He chucked his shirt on the ground beside him. Lily blushed. She couldn't stop staring at his chest. She didn't even know how he could be so brown. Maybe he was just blessed with olive skin, unlike Lily, who was cursed with fair, milky skin.
James laughed at Lily's expression. "What's up?"
She pulled her eyes away from him. "Oh, um, not much... I've got some bad news for you, though."
James' face fell. "What is it?"
"Don't worry; it's not that bad." She said.
James raised his eyebrows, telling her to go on. He braced himself for what she was going to say. For a split second, he thought she was going to say she didn't want to be with him anymore. But she said it was nothing too bad...
"I need you to stay in Sirius' room tonight." She told him.
"Why?" He asked. Did she have a problem with him? Or did she need 'me time'?
"Morgan and Louise are coming over tonight. I haven't spoken to them much so we're going to camp out here and stuff." She explained.
"Oh, right... You know that the Quidditch game is tomorrow?" He said slowly.
"Of course I know. It's just for tonight. Is that alright?" She asked him with her puppy dog eyes.
James chuckled. "Yeah, it's fine. I understand. Sirius will be thrilled." He winked.
"Thank you." She ran over and jumped on him, wrapping her legs around his waist. James held her and buried his face in the nape of her neck. It wasn't too much strain on James; she was so light.
"I'm sorry, but I really do need you to leave." She said, sliding down. "You might want to put a top on and pack some stuff. The girls will be here soon." She checked her watch.
"Sure thing," he kissed her forehead. "What are you guys planning that needs me out of her so quickly?" He asked, walking over to his door.
"Oh, nothing," she said innocently, following him. "Just girls stuff."
James' eyes widened mockingly. "Sounds scary!" Lily rolled her eyes and pushed him into his room. James rushed around his room, grabbing clothes, a book, his wand and other things, stuffing them in a bag wile Lily was calling, "Hurry up!" He came out with his bog over his shoulder. Lily was sitting on the couch.
"I'm off." He said, walking over to her. He bent down low over her and kissed her neck.
Lily giggled. "See you tomorrow." James walked over to the portrait hole and she jumped up quickly, having an idea. "Wait!"
He stopped and faced her. She grabbed his face and brushed her lips against his briefly. "For luck," she told him. James looked down at her, too stunned to say anything. Eventually, he blinked and said, "Thanks," and then left.
Five minutes after he left, the portrait told her two girls were outside asking to come in. She let them in.
"Hey." Lily hugged them.
"Didn't have too much trouble getting lover-boy out?" Morgan teased.
"Shut up!" Lily laughed. "It was easy as pie." The girls grinned.
"Ready to get started?"
"Hell yeah."