CHAPTER 12!! I think I deserve a round of applause (and perhaps to be shot aswell), I've had to rewrite this at least twice, having had a stolen laptop and a broken laptop since chapter 11 was posted out to you!
Good news is that I'm on holiday and you can honestly trust me this time that the next chapter should be up by the end of August!
Please review if you hadn't given up on me completely; I will love you forever!
12: Birthday Wishes
Dear Lily,
How is it being back at home? I hope everything is okay with your mum; send her my love. Has Petunia been keeping away? She'd better be or she'll have me to answer to!
Sirius and I have been very busy since I last saw you; my parents made us get jobs at the ministry for the last weeks of the holidays. Apparently it's supposed to help us mature! Although I fear that the endless filing that has become my life is dematuring my brain more than anything else!
Anyway, Lily, you must let me know if you need anything; you know I've always got time for you. I hope to see you soon.
With Love,
James
--
James,
Your handwriting is appalling! Has the filing made it worse or has it always been that bad?! Glad to hear that you're having a taste of the real world though – it's a hard life!
Mum and I are both doing fine, thank you; no need to worry! Mum keeps talking about you actually; I think you've really charmed this one, Potter … do you go in for the older woman?
No, Petunia isn't around a great deal, so I don't think I'll be needing your services!
Can you not get any time off work then? It's actually physically paining me to say this, but my mum wants you to come over for my birthday tea next Tuesday.
Love from,
Lily
--
Dear Lily,
You know I love your mum, Lily; her and I have got a real rapport going on … but do you want me to come?
With love,
James
--
James,
Of course I want you to come; what are you going on about? I just want to keep my mother away from you!
Lily
--
Lily,
Are you jealous?
James
--
You are absolutely off your rocker James Potter!! Are you coming round next Tuesday at 5?
Lily
--
Lily,
I will pick you up at 12 noon on Tuesday; wear something comfortable.
James
P.S. You are sojealous.
--
Lily snorted as she read the last line of James's letter. Then, brushing her hair off her face, she frowned at the letter as if hoping for clues. 12 noon on Tuesday? Where on earth was he taking her? Typical Potter, she thought, irritated, ordering me about and being vague.
"Everything okay, Lily?" Called her mother from her seat on the patio.
"Fine, Mum." Lily replied, and moved out to join her mum, tying her hair up off her sticky neck as she did so.
"Who were the letters from?"
"James." Lily replied absentmindedly as she sat down in the shade and began fanning herself.
Lily's mum smiled knowledgably and winked at her.
Lily raised her eyebrows, "What?"
"Nothing."
Lily's mum continued to smile but Lily ignored her, "He says he's going to pick me up at 12 on my birthday but won't say where he's taking me. What do you make of that?"
"Sounds terribly romantic, dear."
"Mum!"
"Well, I'm sorry Lily, but it does!"
Lily wriggled uncomfortably in her chair, "We're just friends, mum, you know that."
"Yes … but is that what you want?"
"I don't … we're not … I'm not having this conversation with you!"
"Alright love." Said Lily's mum placating, lifting a magazine slightly to cover her smile.
A silence fell between them and Lily, reaching for one of her mum's magazines, began to idly flick through the pages. Her thoughts were on James but she gave herself a little mental shake and forced herself to think about something else. She focused her eyes and found herself looking intently at a furniture set. Blowing air over her face frustratedly in an effort to cool herself, she began turning the pages again but slowed to a stop as she found her thoughts wandering in a direction that they hadn't for several days now…she stopped mid page turn…who attacked them…?
"Mum," She started slowly with a frown on her face, continuing after an affirmative noise, "I've been thinking…"
"About what, love?"
"Well, it's just… when you a-…when you were attacked…" She trailed off and looked at her mum who had put her magazine down, "Did you know that is wasn't… the type of people it normally is?"
"I'm not following you, Lily."
Lily bit her lip, wondering how best to explain the situation to her mother. She almost began to explain about the magical law system but stopped herself and decided to just take a deep breath and just go for the direct route.
"Mum, do you know any wizards?" She blurted, "Other than me, obviously."
"What?" Her mother responded quickly, "Of course I don't; you know that."
"Well yeah, but… the whole situation is just strange."
"Some things just are, Lily." Said her mother, with the air of someone closing a conversation, "I invited Petunia over for your birthday by the way."
"Huh?" Said Lily, who had been deep in thought."
"Your birthday, Lily! I said I've invited Petunia."
"Are you crazy, mum? Do you really think she'd want to come?"
Lily's mother ran a weary hand through her hair, "I just wish the pair of you would get along."
"I know mum, I know."
--
Lily opened her eyes slowly, smiling at the gorgeous sunlight filtering in through her curtains and basking in the fact that she was seventeen and could, therefore, finally perfrom magic outside of school.
Now grinning broadly, she sat up and stretched luxuriously before reaching for her wand and summoning her hair brush – just because she could.
She then dressed, aided greatly by her wand, and proceeded to make a delicous breakfast for her and her mum.
"Oh, Lily!" Exclaimed her mum as she entered the kitchen, "I'm supposed to be the one making breakfast on your birthday."
"It doesn't matter, mum." Lily smiled and waved her wand, "I can use this now remember?"
Her mum gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek, "Happy birthday sweetheart."
"Thanks, mum."
--
"Look who's here, Lily."
Lily looked up from her book to see James standing next to her mother in the doorway.
"James!" She exclaimed, jumping up and throwing her arms around him in a tight hug.
James chuckled and Lily felt it reverberate through her, "Hello, Lily. Happy birthday."
Lily let go of him and felt herself blush slightly at her enthusiasm, "Thanks."
"Missed me?" He asked grinning cheekily.
Lily swotted his arm, "You wish, Potter."
James moved his arm out of harms way and draped it over her shoulder, giving her a quick squeeze. "Well I missed you."
Lily met his eyes and felt her blush deepen all of a sudden and was very grateful for the reappearance of her mother with a drink for them both.
"Thanks very much, Mrs Evans." Said James, accepting his lemonade with a smile, "How are you?"
"Oh, I'm okay, James." Lily's mother beamed back at him, "Are you well?"
"Fantastic."
Lily reached over for her drink, hissing in her mother's ear for her to behave herself.
"So, where are you two going today then?"
"Oh, that's a surprise, Mrs Evans." Said James with a wink.
"Oh, how exciting!" Said Lily's mother, grinning at her.
"Very." Agreed Lily, trying to glare at her mother without James noticing, "Don't we have to go soon, James?"
James smiled at Lily and glances at his watch, "Actually we should get going really. We'll be back later, Mrs Evans."
"Okay, love. You two go and have a good day."
"Thanks, mum." Said Lily as they passed her on their way out.
"James!" Lily admonished as they left the house, "Stop encouraging my mother!"
"What?" He replied innocently, "I can't help it if she loves me."
Lily rolled her eyes, "Do you actually know where we're going?"
"Sure I do."
"But why are we walking? We could have apparated from my house."
"We're not apparating that's why."
"Intruiging." Lily frowned at him, "So where are we walking to?"
"Muggle train station."
Lily laughed, "Do you even know how to use the muggle trains?"
"Lily! You've got so little faith in me!"
"You've never given me any reason to have faith in you."
There was a silence and Lily stopped when she realised James was no longer beside her. She turned to find him standing a few steps behind her, staring at her with an unreadable expression on his face.
"What?" She said, frowning. Then when he didn't say anything; "Why are you looking at me like that?"
James let out a barely audible sigh and walked to catch Lily up before replying.
"Has your opinion of me really not changed?" He asked her, quietly and seriously.
"James…" She replied hesitantly, "It was just a bit of banter."
James looked entirely unconvinced. "It didn't sound like it." He paused, "Lily… what's the point in this – us being friends, if you still think of me as an idiot?"
Lily's eyes went wide and she suddenly felt terribly guilty for the offhand comment she'd made. She put her hand on his arm placatingly, "I'm sorry, James, I really am. I didn't mean it…" she trailed off as James's eyes found hers and she suddenly found it extremely difficult to verbalise her thoughts.
"Am I overreacting?" James said softly, still holding Lily captive with his eyes.
Lily's breath caught in her throat and she silently berrated herself for losing all coherant thoughts when in such close proximity with James.
"Yeah." She managed, "You are."
James's lips twitched upwards in a smile and Lily couldn't help but mirror his expression.
She tore her eyes away and linked her arm though his, giving him a little tug, "Come on, James. It's my birthday – you can't be mad at me on my birthday!"
James let out a little laugh and began leading her on, "I'm not mad at you." He glanced at her sideways, "I couldn't be mad at you anyway."
"Really?" Said Lily in a teasing voice, "What if I stole your broomstick?"
"You would never do that." Said James confidently.
Lily smirked and purposely changed the topic, "We're at the train station, James."
"I have noticed," He replied, leading her inside and towards the platforms.
"We have to get tickets, James!" Lily said exasperatedly.
James winked at her, "Already got them."
"Impressive, Potter."
"Thank you." James gave a little mock bow causing Lily to laugh.
"Ooh," She said as their train pulled in, "Are we going to Brighton?"
"Such a clever girl." Sang James as he ushered her onto the train ahead of him.
--
"Mmm, this ice-cream is so nice." Enthused Lily as she and James sat in a little ice-cream parlour on the sea front.
They had spent a manic day messing about on the beach and wandering around the town before stopping for an ice-cream; watching all the families on the beach hurridly packing up their posessions as the tide crept up the sand, sneakily wetting their towels.
James smiled, "I came here when I was a kid – I was hoping it was still around."
"You did?" Said Lily, surprised – pausing with a spoon halfway to her mouth.
"My parents were very big on introducing me to muggle stuff when I was younger." James explained.
"I didn't know that."
"There's a lot you don't know about me." Said James with a wink.
Lily snorted and flicked some ice-cream at him.
"Oi! If you keep throwing ice-cream at me then I won't give you your present."
"You got me a present? You didn't have to do that, James."
"Of course I did, it's your birthday!"
Lily smiled at her ice-cream, "Alright then."
James pushed a wrapped box across the table, "Here, you can open it now."
Lily opened the box and gaped slightly at the beautiful silver necklace encrusted with a small bright emerald stone and matching earrings. She lifted the necklace and it glinted in the late afternoon sunlight.
"James… it's beautiful." She said in a slightly hushed voice and lifted her head to meet James's eyes; he smiled at her. "It must have cost you a fortune."
"You deserve it."
Lily felt the heat rise to her cheeks and she averted her eyes, feeling embarrassed.
"Let me put it on." Said James, and he reached around her to clip the necklace in place.
Lily turned her head and found James's face very close to her own.
"Suits you." He whispered.
"Thank you." She whispered back, feeling her cheeks going redder.
"We're closing up, kids." Called the café owner causing both Lily and James to jump and move apart from each other.
"Um," Said Lily and she looked at her watch, "We need to go anyway or we'll be late for my mum."
"Oh yeah, okay." James replied slightly distractedly. He got to his feet and looked at Lily, "Have you, er, got everything?"
"Uh huh."
James looked at his watch too, "Damn!"
"What?"
James turned to Lily with a sheepish look on his face, "I sort of lost track of the time… looks like we missed the train …"
Lily smiled then started laughing and immediately felt like it broke the tension in the air as James grinned back at her.
"I knew it was too good to last." She teased, "we'll have to, you-know… come on."
"Yes ma-am." Said James, following her out of the café.
--
Lily picked at her cake distractedly as her mum chatted animatedly to James. She couldn't quite figure out what was going on between her and James; they had had such a laugh during the day, he had a way of making her forget about everything else … and she had felt so relaxed around him. Had, it seemed, because ever since that moment in the café when he had given her her present, she felt as tense as a bow string.
James brushed her arm as he reached for his drink and Lily almost shivered; what the hell is wrong with me?! She thought furiously. There was definitely a moment in the café she decided, a look in his eyes that she couldn't quite identify … and then when they'd apparated, he'd grabbed her hand and she felt a tingling where his fingers had touched hers. But, she thought decidedly, there was no way he had been about to kiss her … right?
"Lily!"
Lily looked up and saw both James and her mum looking at her questioningly. She flushed and put her fork down, "Sorry, what?"
James grinned and her mother replied with a laugh, "I was only asking if you liked the cake – because you didn't seem very interested in it."
"Oh. No, I mean yeah, it's nice cake." She picked up her fork again and shoveled some in her mouth, "Yum." She managed.
James snorted and Lily swallowed her cake before glaring, "Don't laugh at me, Potter."
James held up his hands in defence and continued to smile at her in the way that was beginning to make her stomach churn. She looked away from him hurridly.
"I liked the cake, Mrs Evans." Said James, turning his charm on her mother.
"Good, you can have another slice." Lily's mum beamed at him.
"Thanks, Mrs Evans but I'm afraid I'm going to have to go."
Lily lifted her head and found James looking at her, "Oh." She said. Dammit Evans, she told herself furiously, couldn't you come up with anything else to say?!
"Yeah, sorry… I promised my parents I'd be home by eight."
"Oh no, it's okay." Said Lily, finding her voice, "You've been here ages."
"Thanks for the cake, Mrs Evans." Said James as he stood up.
"My pleasure dear," Lily's mum replied, "You take care of yourself now."
"I will." Said James.
"I'll see you out." Lily murmered, standing aswell and walking out into the hall with him.
"I swear your mum gets more charming every time I see her." James winked as they stopped by the door.
Lily smiled, "Don't start that again." She paused and fingered her necklace unconcsiously, "Thanks for today, James." She said quietly.
"You're welcome." He replied and wrapped his arms around her tightly.
Lily responded to his embrace and pressed her face into his shoulder, suddenly and inexplicably fighting back tears.
"You okay?" James whispered after a moment.
Lily lifted her head and nodded, "Yeah, sorry … it's just, you know …" She trailed off but James nodded and gazed into her eyes with a tender expression on his face. He knew how much she was missing her dad, even if she didn't say it.
James reached out and pushed some of her hair out of her face and Lily felt paralysed, her breath caught in her throat and she couldn't tear her eyes away from James's as he bent his head and gently brushed his lips with hers. His lips felt soft against hers and she felt herself respond slowly to his kiss for several seconds until she felt something inside her snap and she pulled away from him, averting her eyes.
"Lily …"
She ran a hand through her hair out of nervous habit, "Aren't you going to be late for your parents?"
"It's okay." James said softly, "I really think –"
"You should go." Interrupted Lily, focusing on the wall to the left of James's head.
"Lily, I-"
"Just go, James." She whispered to her feet and didn't look up until she heard the pop that meant he had disapparated.
She took a shaky breath and leant back against the wall with her eyes closed, trying to understand what had just happened…