Chapter 28
Lily smoothed her hair again as she glanced once more at her reflection in the mirror. Her stomach was fluttering with nervousness and excitement. This was the day that throughout her school years she had never thought would come. But now she couldn't wait for it.
The grin on her face was goofy as she thought about it. She was going on a date with James Potter. Was she insane? She remembered their years together so far. They had been friends throughout Hogwarts, sure there had been patchy times but to her mind always friends. This was going to change things.
Sure he had been trying to change it for a while but she had refused it. She had been the one to say no. But now she had made the move. She had asked him out. She had thought for a moment he would say no to her. He hadn't after all asked her out once this year. But they had been flirting. She was sure that he had noticed that.
A giggle from behind her made her turn. Alice was shaking her head slowly.
"Who would have thought James Potter would make you act this way?"
"I'm not acting anyway."
Alice's arms were folded over her chest and she gazed around the empty dorm room.
"All these clothes on the floor, they're the ones you've tried on for this date."
"Branwen changed her outfit four times."
"You're grinning like a maniac."
"So are you!"
Alice gave a little sigh as she laughed.
"I don't mean it in a bad way Lily. It's good to see you this happy. I'm just surprised that its James is all. After all you've turned him down two hundred and seventy three times over the last three years."
"How'd you know that?"
"Amanda and Sirius have kept count. Apparently they've been having a bet for the last three years over whether or not you'd say yes."
"Really."
"Yeah, Sirius lost."
Lily laughed gently as she looked at her reflection one last time.
"Okay I think I'm ready."
***
"Will you stop pacing you're making me dizzy?"
James stopped and turned to look at Peter. He was sat in the armchair with his legs wrapped under his body. He had a copy of a comic that James was sure followed a muggle. Shaking his head he dropped onto the sofa.
"Sorry Pete I'm just worked up."
"Yeah I know you've been doing that since you got up this morning."
"I can't help it. I'm going on a date with Lily. Lily!"
Peter simply nodded as he folded the comic.
"Have you decided where you're going to take her?"
"Hey she asked me! Shouldn't she be in charge of the date?"
He couldn't help but grin as he said it. She had really asked him out on this date. That meant she actually wanted to go out with him. He had been over excited by the prospect of this date since Tuesday night. He had it all planned out in his mind. He would take her for a stroll around the shack before into the shops. He would pay for anything that she wanted to buy before taking her to the Three Broomsticks for a quick lunch.
"Morning James, Peter."
James looked up to see Alice stood behind the sofa. But his eyes didn't stay on her they shifted to the red head stood beside her. Lily looked stunning dressed simply in jeans and a jumper. Her hair lay against her shoulders and her eyes twinkled. He couldn't help but smile.
"See you all later."
He heard Peter's words and simply waved his hand towards him as he followed the two girls out of the portrait.
***
Alice couldn't help but grin as she walked a couple of paces behind her friends. They were lost in conversation that seemed effortless. She didn't mind that they had forgotten that she was with them it was sweet to see them together. They looked as if they went together.
She was careful to keep far enough behind them so that the words they were speaking wouldn't reach her. She remembered her first date with Frank it had been fun and easy but she would have been embarrassed to have her friends listening in. She wondered how Amanda had managed to keep her cool when the three boys had joined her and Sirius on their first official date.
The space between the two was shortening as their arms started to brush. Alice looked slightly to the left because she didn't want to watch them. She was thankful that they were almost at the village. She knew that if anything was to happen the two would snap out of it instantly and they would be fine together but this felt wrong to her.
She smiled widely as when the village came into view the two turned and walked towards the shack. They didn't even look backwards to say goodbye to her. A small shiver ran through her then as she looked around. The last time she had been here had been so different. She had been running behind Dumbledore to reach a fight that had cost nine students and a professor their lives. That wasn't including the fifteen locals and shoppers that had also been killed.
She picked up the pace as she walked through the street. So much for the plan that James and Lily had had to walk her to the café. Thankfully it wasn't far off the main road. Taking a left she saw the front of the shop. Taking a breath she slowed to a walk as she reached forward and opened the door.
***
Lily laughed as James made a howling sound at the top of the hill.
"Go on you try."
"James ghosts don't howl!"
"And who said I'm impersonating a ghost?"
"You're impersonating the sounds that come from within the shack. Everyone knows that this place is the most haunted building in Britain."
He shook his head giving her a funny look.
"What?"
He brushed his hands through his hair as he gave a little shrug looking around them.
"Lily this place is only haunted during the time of the full moon."
"What of course is isn't …"
Suddenly the howl that James had made became clear to her. She felt her eyes widen as she looked back at the shack. Everything that she thought she knew changed in that second. She shook her head and looked back at the boy in front of her.
"You're saying that this is where Remus …"
James nodded to her. She felt her brows pull together in a quizzical way.
"But how would you know."
"Because we know where he goes. He told us back in second year."
She gave a little nod. A new understanding came to her mind. Then giving a quick glance out of the corner of her eye in James direction she let out a loud howl. She could hear his laughter when she stopped.
***
Frank watched from the back room as Alice stepped inside the café. It was empty today he had spoken to his mother and she had agreed to close up for the day. He was thankful to her for that. Lifting his wand he gave it a flick and the closed sign on the door turned over as the lights dimmed.
"Frank?"
There was a nervous sound to Alice's voice. Frank knew that she would maybe think that this was an attack waiting to happen after what had happened last time. So he opened the door and stepped into the main shop. She looked at him with her eyes wide and he simply smiled.
She was across the room in a second and he felt her arms fly around his neck as her lips pushed against his. He didn't fight her movement. His arms tightened around her as he deepened the kiss. He had missed her so much, this felt like home to him.
***
James couldn't help but smile as he walked back down the track towards the town with Lily. He was glad that he had thought to take her to the shack. It had been fun to see her let loose and howl with him. He knew that it would be thought childish but it was a good way to get rid of pent up emotions and now his mind felt clear.
He noticed though how close her body felt to him. They were side by side and his arm was easily brushing against hers. But because of the cold November weather the layers of clothes stopped any skin contact. It had snowed during the night and the temperature had dropped. But it gave the area a magical feel to it.
Drawing in a breath he wondered how brave he could be on this date. Reaching his little finger towards Lily's hand he managed to wrap it around hers. He felt the way that she tightened hers around his. He felt the smile grow as slowly he reached over a little more and took her hand properly. She didn't pull away and laced her fingers through his. Happily they walked back towards the village.
***
Alice sat at a small table that was covered in a checker red table cloth. A single white candle brunt in the middle of it with a little white vase with a red rose beside it. Around the café the other lights were low.
"I can't believe you did all this Frank."
She smiled as he placed a platter on the table in front of her.
"I wanted to be alone with you and this seemed the best way."
"And your mother was happy to close the café for the day."
"She owed me a favour and this is her way of paying me back."
"Why what did you do?"
"I didn't go home last night. And please don't ask why she wanted me out I don't want to think about what she had planned for Victor."
Alice laughed lightly as she picked up a sandwich and took a bite.
"You know I am glad that she agreed. It's very nice to have you to myself for a few hours."
"I'm glad you think so."
She just grinned at the way Frank was smiling at her.
***
Lily picked up the book and turned it over in her hand. It looked like it could be interesting. She needed a new book to read for pleasure. She had finished hers and although she could have gone to the library she had heard good reviews about this book.
She looked over at where James was stood. He was holding a book himself turning it over and back again. She wandered over and tipped the cover up to look at. On the front was a beautiful witch with flowing blonde hair. She was clung to the chest of a very muscular looking brunette male.
"Really James I didn't know you liked to read romance books."
She noticed a small amount of red go to his cheeks as he looked back up at her.
"It's not for me. My mum loves this stuff and it says that this book is new. So I was thinking that it might make a good Christmas present for her."
"That's very thoughtful of you."
"What have you got?"
Lily showed him her book and he took it from her hand turning it over. She gave him a smile as she spoke.
"It's about a young wizard who is plagued by his past. He was brought up by his mother in the muggle world before discovering that he was a wizard. Only once he got to the school he noticed a resemblance between himself and one of his professors. Suddenly he's thrown into a world of discovery over his own background and his mother's involvement with the wizarding world."
"I think I've heard of this book. Didn't that witch on the radio give it five wands?"
"Yep its suppose to be great."
He gave her a soft smile as he walked towards the cashier.
"James what are you doing?"
She followed him as he placed the two books on the counter. Her eyes widened as the cashier picked them up and hit the prices into the till.
"James wait I can pay for my own book."
"Don't be silly Lily."
"But I can afford it."
"Lily my father would be horrified. He always taught me that when on a date it's the man's job to treat the lady. So I'm paying for your book."
Lily wanted to fight about it but couldn't help the smile that was threatening her lips. She had never guessed how much of a gentleman James was.
***
Frank was silent as he watched Alice walk around the table. She reached his side and brushed her finger across his cheek.
"That was a great meal Frank."
"It was just some sandwiches and crisps."
She was smiling as she leaned towards him.
"It was the thought that counted."
Then her lips were on his. She tasted so sweet to him. It only took him a second to push his chair away from the table and pull her onto his lap. He had missed kissing her these last three months. His arms tightened against her as her lips pulled away and kissed down his jaw. His own found her neck before their lips once more found each other…
***
James watched as Lily put her fork down and smiled at him.
"That was really good. Thank you James."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it."
She was looking down at her plate and James leaned over towards her.
"What is it?"
"I'm just thinking that I wish I had said yes to you before."
"Really?"
"Today has been the best date I've ever been on."
"Are you just saying that?"
She shook her head and James grinned wider.
"So does that mean that you would be willing to come on another date with me?"
"Are you asking me?"
She was smiling now. James reached across the table and took Lily's left hand. Looking into her eyes he leaned over and kissed the back of it.
"Lily Evans would you consider being my girlfriend?"
She pressed her lips together and looked to one side making it look she was thinking long and hard about it. Then with a smile and a wink she spoke.
"Yes."
It was a simple answer but James felt the flutter in his chest. The grin on his face was wide as he squeezed her hand in his.
***
Alice gave a little gasp as suddenly her mind started to kick in. It was as if she had been elsewhere and her body was acting without her control. She pulled her hands from under Franks top and pulled her lips from his.
His grey eyes opened and looked at her. She gave a little sheepish grin before looking down. Frank's fingers were brushing against the skin beneath her jumper and she could feel his fingers rubbing against her bra.
"Sorry."
His words were low and breathy as he pulled his hands down brushing over her waist before pulling them out. Her cheeks were red she could feel the blood in them. What had just happened? Had she started that? She knew that she had kissed Frank and happily sat on his lap. But had she placed her hands on him before he had her. She shook her head slowly.
"There's nothing to be sorry about."
"I didn't mean to push you Alice. I don't want you to think –"
"I don't think anything Frank."
She leaned over and kissed his lips gently before standing up.
"I do think I should be heading back to Hogwarts though."
"I'll walk you."
***
Lily happily held James' hand as they strolled up the pathway towards the school gates. She felt giddy and well like a school girl. It felt strange thinking that. She was a school girl but this was something new. She wondered if this was how you were suppose to feel in a new relationship. She never had before.
The smile that was plastered on her face felt like it would never go away. But she didn't care. She could picture smiling with James forever. Maybe she could picture being with James forever. No that was just too strange. This was just one date. That was getting far to ahead of herself.
As they stepped into the school grounds though Lily couldn't help but think this was the start of something. Things were due to change very soon. So much was about to end and more to begin. Maybe this was just the first of many wonderful things to come.
***
"Alice I am sorry about earlier."
Frank squeezed his girlfriends hand a little. He didn't know what had come over him. He missed her yes but he had never intended to feel her up. What if Alice hadn't have pulled away when she did? Would he have gone any further? Would he have slipped his hands further up her body or maybe even lower? He knew that he loved her and that he had imagined such things many times but to actually do it. Well that would be something else.
"Please don't apologise anymore Frank."
"But Alice –"
"But nothing. I love you Frank and we've been together what? Four years now. I think we're both mature enough to deal with a bit of groping."
She gave him a stunning smile and Frank couldn't help but return it. He leaned towards her and gently brushed his lips against hers.
"I love you Alice Scott."
"I know."
They stayed like that for a few moments. Then Alice pulled back.
"I really should get back in."
He nodded and gave a little rueful smile.
"I guess that I'll see you at Christmas next then."
Her lips brushed his cheek as she sighed.
"I miss you Frank."
"I miss you too."
Then he watched as with a little wave she turned and walked into the school grounds. He waited until she rounded the corner before concentrating and leaving the spot to head back home.
