Let me Belong

Chapter 12

Salty Lips Part 1

Lily jumped about her room enthusiastically with Lexy and Annie. They sung, in their own way, to Queens Greatest hits album. While they had a good time dressing up and dancing, downstairs Petunia sat on the edge of her tether.

Her mum, Gloria, was outside on the front lawn with the gardener, flirting her arse off for all it was worth. Rolling her eyes at the sickly sight out of the window, she got up onto her feet and made her way to the door. After slipping her baby pink flip flops on, Petunia ambled off down the drive.

It was a nice day, and she craved a bit of solidarity. Living in a house with Lily was at times, too much for her. Lily always had friends over, or was annoying Petunia- which bemused Petunia to the point of anger. Taking a deep breath of fresh air, she listening to the birds singing, and the soft breeze rustling of the leaves on the tree's.

She loved this kind of tranquility. It made the stresses of life disappear. It was soon disturbed by the sound of some kind of stampede. Further down the woodland path was her net door neighbour with his friends again. Rolling her eyes, she moved off the path, hoping to avoid more of their witty conversation.

Remus frowned concerned for his friends. They hadn't stopped going on about coconuts all day. It was quite worrying. If it wasn't how far they could throw a coconut, it was how long it would take them to open one. Remus saw Petunia dashing off the pathway up ahead. It made him smile. It was like being back at Hogwarts. People ducking out of their way was a sign they were either in the middle of pranking someone, or they were in so much trouble no would wanted to be seen near them. Sirius and James carried on talking regardless though.

When they got back to James house, his parents were sat in the front room, looking quite serious, Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall had been visiting for the past few days, and they were sat along with his parents looking glum and unimpressed. James stopped a little curiously. He hadn't seen his parents looking so serious in ages. The last time they hadn't looked this sour was after James had nearly been expelled for accidentally turning Malfoy into a slug.

Remus was trying to keep a stern face, but Sirius who was oblivious to the adults present, was tickling him and snorting hysterically. James hid the smile, knowing he was in trouble for something or other.

" Sit down James", his father commanded. He looked over at the giggling Wizards with annoyance. " You two too!"

Sirius stopped tickling Remus immediately, having never been spoken to like that by James' dad. Intimidated, he moved to sit with James, dragging Remus with him.

" Now, with all the strange behaviour that's still going on, I have asked Professor Dumbledore to come and help me figure it out. After talking with the house elves, we've found out that you have given the majority of youths in the area's roundabouts an illegal potion." Sighing, Mr Potter looked over at Albus.

It was Minerva who stepped in. "However, the effect of the potion is forgetfullness, in actuality, memory loss." James flinched. Minerva had the ability to completely destroy even the toughest Quidditch player. "So whoever it was who asked the house elf to make the potion was stupid beyond belief, taking the potion themselve. Since none of you will remember who it was, we have asked the maker of the potion to name the culprit.

Sirius gulped, knowing it was most likely him. A meek, fraidy looking hosue elf stepped forward, cowering under Mr Potter presence. With a increasingly annoyed lilt, Mr Potter asked the house elf to point at the culprit. With blazing eyes, the house elf jumped up and down pointing at James.

Truely afriad of his fathers reaction, and suprised it was him, he looked up at his mother for some kind of defence line. He failed to feel Sirius hiding behind him though. The house elf launched itself at Sirius and began tugging at his shoe like a retriever dog. Not at all suprised, Albus explained to him, " Sirius, this is...well...serious." Remus tried to hold back a snort of laughter which was caught in his throat.

"I had suspected as much you know, but since many of those involved won't remember anything important, or anything at all in some cases... Mr Potter and I have decided that it can't go unpunished Sirius. So-"

Sirius tilted his head and starred blankly at his headmaster. "Did you just say anthing I needed to hear?"

Groaning, James looked to Remus, who was trying to conceal his amusement.

- - - - The Girls - - - -

After singing to each other, the girls had set off wandering into town. Lexy was working at the cafe that afternoon with Annie. Lily had worked the past three days, which was like big blur. It must have been forgetably boring since she couldn't remember much at all. Today wouldn't be to boring though. She was going to see Twinkle- a traveller wih a vardo (caravan) and then she was meeting up with David to go rock pooling.

After separating with Lexy and Annie, Lily pottered off to the ringroad, where a horse and vardo were camped. Sat on the vardo steps was Twinkle. Twinkle was a truely wonderful man. He had spent most of his life travelling Britain, though the first few years of his life were spent in Yorkshire, working with his mum in a factory.

He was a little rough around the collar. He had a growth of beard, which he tried to shave, but he kept cutting himself. His clothes were tattered and stained with mud and faded with time. He visited this part of Cornwall twice a year and stayed there for some time. The amount of time he spent in Cornwall was increasing yearly. He was a friend to the locals, and especially Lily, who found him fascinating.

Beaming, she ran upto him, having not seen him in ages. Twinkle at first was startled, but his lively brown eyes lit up with warmth and joy. Laughing, he said brightly, "Well, ayup Lily. Ah ant seen theur for eur long tahhm lil missy. 'a eur theur? (How are you?)"

Lily had never caught onto his Yorkshire dialect, but she enjoyed listening to it. Handing him some sandwichs, Lily answered the question, unsure of if she was giving the right answer.

"Well I'm alright. I've been at school, but I'm on holiday now so it's all good. What about you?"

Taking the sandwich's greatfully, Twinkle replied mystically, "I've bin gran'. Doin eur lil bit o' dis 'n tha'. Ah went ta see ahn ol'de mate of mine oup Norf in Bradf'd nut sa long bah."

Smiling, Lily looked over to his horse which was happy grazing on the grassy moud it was stood next to. It was refreshing to see Twinkle back. Lily had never really been sure of why he was called Twinkle, but she had never questioned him about it. He wasn't particularly sparkly on the outside, though on the inside he was like body shop eyeshadow. A fest of glitter and sparkliness.

Twinkle sat on the steps of his vardo, staring into the small camp fire he had built, watching the botom of his sotty blakened teapot, which was hung from a twig over the flames. Lily sat down on a stool, noticing that somehow, Twinkle seemed a bit faded. To Lily, he had always resembled a pathwork quilt. He was an odd mixture of waistcoats, beaded strings, feathered hats, colourful patches on ripped trousers, he was illuminous. Now though, he seemed to have lost some of the luminosity.

After taking a bite out her sandwich, Lily looked up at him curiously. "Whats wrong?"

Twinkle took a heavy, strained sigh. "Ah doun't kna lil' miss... I've seen um reet things i' uz tahme, bur late'ly, I've bin seein' things theur wouldn't even beleev, strange lights, green mist." ( I don't know, Little miss... I've seen some right things in my time, but lately I've been seeing things even you wouldn't believe, strange lights and green mist.) His eyes expressed his worry and confusion, but he chuckled helplessly, "Ah mun be gerrin owd, yung Lil'lee" ( I must be getting old).

Frowning, Lily thought about what he had said. " I'd always believe you Twinkle. What other kind of things have you seen?"

Rubbing his brow, Twinkle took off his hat to play distractedly with the rim. " T' dunt matter" Something of his old self lit up inside of him again. " Ah got a visit from yung Dav'd yestudi. 'E mentioned 'a' theur av um new neighbours. Sounds li' theur gerr along wi' 'un i' particular reeight well. ( He mentioned that you have some new neighbours. Sounds like you get along with one very well.)"

Lily blushed and looked out of the corners of her eyes. " No, we just argue so much it looks like we get on."

Putting his hat back on his head, Twinkle disappeared into his vardo. Lily waited for him to return, wondering what he had gone to get. He returned with a leather bound book in his hand. It was tattered and torn, and the edges of the thick paper were curled and stained. He handed the book to her, but before he let her take it off him, he said, " Dunt you go a openin' it b'fore ah go bac up norf!"

Taking the book in her hands, Lily gave him her promise that she would not. Turning the book over in her hands, she felt a sense of wonder wash over her. Twinkle store down at her, admiring her curiosity. " So missy, ow's it gonneur wi' david? 'Ee seems reeight fon' o' theur. Ah expect tha'il gerr wed 'un day." ( So how is it going with David? He seems very fond of you. I expect you'll get married one day.)

Laughing, Lily shook her head. " Me and David?" Smiling up at Twinkle, she felt herself blush a little.

Stepping out from the woods, David appeared. " Me marry this little vagabond?" He joked, scruffing her hair about. " Nah, she's too wild for me. Anyways, we're both too young to be thinking about marrying, let alone each other."

David sat beside Lily, who put the book on the floor, a little offended. " You mean you wouldn't even think about marrying me ever?" She looked up at Twinkle acting gobsmacked.

Furrowing his brow as to why she would ask, he replied, " Lily, you're my best friend. Why would I want to marry you?"

Looking into it a bit much for David's liking, Lily said, " Well why not? I'm just like any other girl!"

Rolling his eyes, David turned to face her, " Yea, but your also Lily. Don't take this offensively, but you're not really the marrying kind. And, I don't think I could face living with you", he joked. "I think the part that puts me off is the whole contact, night time thing." Although he hadn't meant it to sound the way it did, Lily jumped to her feet.

" I beg you pardon?" She screeched, her heat beating faster in her chest.

Feeling a little uneasy, Twinkle went to calm his horse, who was disgruntled by the shouting. " I didn't mean it like that", he sighed, tiresomely.

Bending down, Lily picked up her book and began to storm off. Groaning, David got to his feet and followed her. Pulling her lower arm, he stopped her from leaving.

" Lily, come on, you know I didn't mean it in that way. I just meant that-"

Pulling her arm away from him, Lily snapped, "I know. Now if you don't mind I'm going home."

David frowned as Lily tried to walk off dignified and as if she didn't care and wasn't upset, although he could tell she was infuriated. " I thought we were going rock pooling Touq?" Frustrated, he shouted after her, " You're such a grumpy cow sometimes you know!"

Lily bit her lip hard, 'Whats wrong with me?'

- - -

Hours had passed in which Lily simply sat in her room glaring at her phone, waiting for it to ring, and for David to be on the other end, concerned and apologetic. When the phone did ring, Lily lept at it.

" Hello"

" Heyas Lils, it's Lexy." Lily felt disaapointment rise within her. " We're all here. Aren't you coming out?"

Confused, and a little upset, Lily asked, " Even David?"

She heard Annie and David laughing in the background at Tig, and that confirmed it. Feeling even more hurt than she had before, Lily put down the phone and felt anger bubbling within her. Not only had David not apologised, but all her friends were out without her.

Grumbling, she grabbed her jacket and was off, storming out of the house, around to James'.

James was quite happily snoozing on the sofa, dreaming about flying, when he felt a heavy thud on his legs. Jumping up, he looked down at lily, who was sat in a sulk, arms crossed menacingly and squashing her bum into his legs. " Get up Potter, you're coming with me!"

James blinked. " Pardon?"

Hitting his leg with a clenched fist, Lily repeated herself, much to James amazement. Stunned into an open mouthed silence, he waited for Lily to climb off him, before following her out of the house, grabbing his coat.

" Where are we going?" He asked her, looking down at her slip of a body. She was so delicate and graceful, it was mesmerising to watch her walk.

The evening was nearing, and James wondered just how cold Lily was going to get in her denime shorts, and small top. She didn't seem to care. She just glided down the road, not saying a word. Just staring straight ahead. It was quite eerie being stood next to her. It was like talking to a zombie, although zombies at least groaned. She just walked off calmly.

Although he was more than confused as to why Lily was leading him somewhere while dusk was setting in, he was more than intrigued by whereever they were going, and ever so attracted to this element of Lily. He hung back a bit and watched her hips swinging smoothly while her flip flops, flipped and flopped. There was something so sensuous about the way her top had writhed up her back, allowing him a glimpse of her glowing skin.

The way her hips curved to her slender waist was irresistable. He knew the corners of his lips had curled smugly, but it was so satisfying that Lily was too busy thinking whatever she was thinking of to notice his gaze. He longed to slide his hands over her hips desperately.

Just as he was about to reach out and touch the side of her hip, she stopped and turned to face him. She looked at his hand which was out in front of him, reaching towards her. Glaring at him, she inclined her head to a small pathway which was by this point, shrouded in a serene sort of musky blue. It wasn't pitch black, in fact it was still quite light.

Raising his brow amused, James took the lead down the pathway. It was now Lily's turn to walk behind him smiling from amusement. She liked being in charge of him for once, and have him doing what she told him. Sighing, she looked about her. It would be back to school soon, and she'd be missing all this.

As she watched James up ahead taking in his surroundings, she couldn't help but feel very hurt with David. He could have at least begged for her forgiveness. Grumbling, she imagined all her friends having a good time without her. Narrowing her eyes, she walked over to James, "Hurry up slow poke, I don'twant to be here all day."

James watched as Lily stalked off past him. Catching up with her, and walking along side her, he pestered her about where they were going, and if she was cold and if she had anything he couldn't see peirced, and how often she liked to shower, and in which room.

Rolling her eyes, Lily tugged James' arm, pulling him onto the beach he path led to. She knew her friends would be around here somewhere. It was just a matter of finding them.

Playfully, she tugged on James' sleeve harder. James looked around the beach. It was so peaceful at this time of night. There were a few people with barbeques, and a few others in small groups, or people walking their dogs. The sea lapped gently against the sand, making the most soothing sound James had heard in ages.

Smiling up at him, Lily looked down at his feet, which were in some sandals which a lot of the boys wore around the beach. She was actually impressed that he had managed to buy clothes which made him look like a local. Without a word, Lily slipped her flipflops off, feeling the sand squidge around her toes. Following her example, James took his sandals off, only Lily had already started walking off.

Turning to walk backwards, she called out, " You really are slow tonight aren't you?" Laughing, she turned around again, heading to the sea. With determination taking over all rational thought, he rushed up towards her and snatched her flip flops, and continued to run off down the beach.

Taken aback at first, Lily couldn't help but smile, and set off after him. Forgetting about her friends, she chased Potter, trying to win back her sandals.

As James ran into the sea, the cold water splashing his legs,and long shorts and t-shirt, he felt exhilirated. Lily ran into the sea after him. As she chased him along the shallow sea line, she thought she heard her name. Ignoring it, she dived on James, causing them to both fall, soaking themselves in the cold salty water, giggling, Lily tried to catch her flip flops before they disappeared into the sea. As she caught one, she failed to see the other, drifting up the beach.

James sat up in the cold water, looking over at Lily who was laughing, and still trying to find her other flip flop,slipped. It was a good job he had clutched onto his extra tight he thought as Lily gave up and looked down defeated at her one flip flop.

"Idiot!", she fired, trying not to laugh. Raising an eyebrow, James moved over to her, both of them sat beside each other for a moment, the small waves passing over their legs. It was quite relaxing to sit there, not having to think about hating each other.

"Nice move you pulled there Lily. Not exactly your cleverst idea, but it worked, you got me wet."

After rolling her eyes, Lily shot James an attentive, cheerful smile. Although she probably didn't realise it, it gave him a warm feeling. As she stood up, she looked down at her wet salty legs, and soaking, tight shorts. Her top was clingy and heavy now, and just a tad bit see through. James was too busy trying to get up without falling over.

When he managed to get to his feet, they both walked out of the sea and towards the back of the beach. " So where are we going now?" He asked Lily curiously.

Lily stopped and looked down the beach. She couldn't see her friends, so it had been a waste of time. Sighing, she replied, " We can go get some fish and chips if you want?" Looking down at her big eyes, James just smiled and headed off to town.

- - - David and the Gang - - -

David watched the silhouette he recognised walking up the beach with one he didn't recognise. It upset him that Lily was ignoring him, and why on earth she would put the phone down on Lexy then go out with someone else mystified him. Lexy hadn't been too bothered, and told David off for not being nicer to Lily.

Her friends all looked at each other knowingly. Not only were Tig and Tog a bit envious, but David was stressing out over who that boy had been. Smiling, Annie flashed Lexy a quick flicker of knowledge.

- - - Chip Shop - - -

Lily waited for Malcome to make up her order. They were chatting about things James didn't really understand. He was contented just watching Lily shift her weight onto different feet, and lean over the counter, and try to fit both feet into one flip flop.

They were both still soaking and currently standing in a pool of sea water. Malcome hadn't minded too much though. " That'll be four twenty Lily."

Smiling at Malcome, Lily turned around away from him, forgetting momentarily that James was there. Shoving her hand down her top, Lily tried to find the wet five pound note in her bra. James suprisingly didn't look at her chest, but her face. She looked so concentrated and focused. When she had found it, she handed it to Malcome, who looked at it a little disconcerted.

Without being judgemental, he took the fiver and handed her the change. Grabbing the chips, Lily and James began to make their way to the benches on the harbour. Lily hobbled all the way to them, which James had found entertaining.

After eating their chips, the two decided to head back to James house as his parents were out that night, and his sister was sleeping at her boyfriends house. Lily didn't find being so wet funny anymore. Now she really was cold, and shoeless.

On their way back, James had taken his jumper off, to reveal that he had a shirt on underneath, and so he offered his jumper to Lily. As they walked along the road, both drying out a bit, Lily gratefully accepted James' offer of a jumper, and moved in closer to him, just for that extra body heat.

" You're like a radiator", she commented as she ran her hand up his arm. James shivered without realising it. Lily's hand was smooth and soft and warm. He could see the top of his house over some trees to the right. Lily, being that bit smaller failed to see them, but knew they were close.

It wasn't long before they were at the bottom of the gravel path, which both their driveways led to. Lily looked down at her already blistered feet. " Tell you What James", Lily suggested, " You carry me".

James pulled a funny face and answered, " I don't think so. All you have to do is put one foot on my foot, and we can walk together."

After some debate, Lily grudingly put her foot ontop of James. Immediately he began to walk, and keeping up with him was nearly impossible. Taking a quick breath, James, without warning, grabbed Lily and threw her over his shoulder. " Women!" He muttered, " Helpless half of the time, and akward the rest."

Lily had never liked being thrown over peoples shoulders, but she couldn't exactly complaim. She was suprised James managed to make it to his front door step.

He dropped her carelessly on some grass while he unlocked the door. He stepped into the warmth of his house, which was like having a feather duvet wrapped around you. As Lily followed him in, she heard him order one of the house elves about.

She watched James wander into his front room ad sit down on the sofa again, where she had found him before. He looked through the doorway to where Lily stood on the door mat. She looked like a drown rat,poor thing.

He could see her staring at him uneasily. " Come on in then."

Almost as soon as Lily had sat down, she was getting back up again to have a huge blanket wrapped around her, while another was being wrapped around James. The house elves even tried to undress her, but she managed to shoo them away.

Tired, she feel down on the sofa like lead. James was sat on one end reading something. Desperate for some comfort, she shuffled over to him, and soon slipped into a peaceful sleep, resting agsinst his chest.

It must have been the hot air, and comfy blanket which made James begin to feel sleepy himself. Tenderly, he slipped an arm around Lily to support her, while he moved to lay down, and then position Lily next to him.

Satisfied that she was alright, James slowly felt his eye lids dropping. The salt from her wet hair sugared his lips, while the smell of her perfume mixed with sea water flavoured her neck, which James' lips were hovering next to. Softly, before he dozed off, James managed to press his lips against her neck, not wanting to wake her.