Prompt 18 of Jilytober,
"This isn't what is looks like"
Muggle AU at Hogwarts University feat. Chris Evan's sweater from Knives out
Group chat: Lily Evans, Marlene McKinnon, Mary MacDonald, Dorcas Meadows
Lily: He's here!
Marlene: Who?
Mary: SEND A PIC PLEASE
Marlene: Who are we talking about?
Lily: I can't send a pic! That is super stalkerish
Dorcas: do it do ittttt. btw be there in 4 minutes, just got out of my chem midterm
Marlene: Who are you talking about
Lily
? Also I grabbed your charger from the dorm
Lily: Arms is here. That guy we saw at the gym after cycling class and who is in mine and Dorcas' bio lecture
Marlene: Arms? BRUH make a move!
Mary: You guys have been talking about him all week… I NEED A PIC
Lily: Ok hold on, he walked away from his table.
Lily:
D
hurry up and get here!
Lily: He's back!
Mary: picccccccsss betch! :)
Marlene: Is Man Bun with him? Asking for Remus.
*Remus Lupin added to conversation*
Remus: i stg man bun better be there after this psych lecture gets out ?
Dorcas: lmaoooo Mar get that man some water #thirsty
Lily: brb gonna be the world's creepiest stalker and snap a pic
"Hey babes," Dorcas sat across from Lily, propping open her macbook. She craftily hung her bag on the back of her chair, secretly peeking at Arms and Man Bun behind them. "Remus is so peeved they had a make-up lecture today." As if on cue, their group message lit up on their laptop iMessages.
Remus: we're waiting
Mary: you are the world's hottest stalker! I believe in you!
Lily casually leaned onto her shoulder, and flipped open the camera on her iPhone. She feigned scrolling up through her phone. Very casual. Any onlooker could clearly see she was probably scrolling Instagram or Tik Tok and absolutely not about to take a photo. Arms was within perfect line of sight, two tables down from her in the library. Chair tilted back on its hind legs as he lounged back, hands interlaced behind his head. He laughed at something Man Bun had said as one hand ruffled his dark brown hair.
*flash*
The next several moments of Lily Evans' life proceeded in a mortifying succession.
Camera flash.
Arms looked directly up, catching her in the act.
Man Bun whipped around, an amused expression on his face when he saw who was holding the camera.
Lily: omfg
Dorcas: YOU GUYS HER FLASH WENT OFF
Marlene: nooooooooooooo
Mary: rip x
Arms smirked, humor glinting behind his circular specs as Lily felt her face burn. Man Bun leaned in to whisper something and Arms turned and nodded.
"Sorry D, text me when it's safe to come back." Lily hopped out of her seat to find solace in the library stacks so she could go hide out in the bathroom. Her mobile buzzed incessantly as her group chat continued to blow up. "Shit shit shit," Lily swore under her breath, looking down to respond, "Oof" she collided with another student, "Sorry sorry I was just-" She stopped short when she realized who she ran into.
"Hey mate," Arms stood in front of her, dark jeans, cream colored knit jumper really doing wonders for his torso. He leaned against the end of the bookshelf and crossed his arms.
"This isn't what is looks like," Lily blurted.
"So this is not you running away after you tried to take a photo of me when your flash went off?"
"Ok so this is exactly what it looks like." The jig was up, Lily saw no reason to lie about it.
"And why are you staking me out in the library exactly?" Arms seemed to enjoy making her squirm.
"I'd like to clarify that I was not staking you out. I've been coming to this section of the library for the past two years and have never seen you here before," she started, flipping her phone to Do Not Disturb, "and I was simply gathering photographic evidence of the hot guy in McGonagle's lecture so show my friends."
"Mhmm, and did you get this photo?"
"I did, yes, thank you. But now I must go and die of embarrassment in the loo, so if you'll excuse me," Lily attempted to slip past him, but he quickly sidestepped in front of her.
"And no apology for this gross invasion of privacy?" His voice was lighthearted and smile proved he was not actually upset.
"Oh!" Lily scrunched her face, "You're right. I'm sorry. That was wrong of me. I can delete it now actually." Sorry Mary, she thought as she opened her phone to delete the picture.
"I'm going to need a little more than that," Arms arched a brow at her, before swiping the phone from her unexpecting hands.
"What the-" Lily started as his thumbs began moving across her phone screen.
"Dinner will be a good start though," He handed her her mobile back, reaching into his back pocket as a ping! Messaging sound rang from his own phone.
Lily looked down to find a text message crafted to an unknown number, a lone camera emoji encased in the blue text bubble.
"Dinner…" Lily repeated slowly.
"I get off football practice at 4:30 tomorrow so can we can meet in the Great Hall for 5:30? They've got pasta bar on Wednesdays." He named off the dining hall on campus known for its rotating themed dinners.
"Erm, like a date?" Lily's brain was working over time to process their conversation.
"An apology dinner, a date, potato, potahto," Arms shrugged, grinning devilishly, "Text me your name will you?"
"I'm Lily," her thumbs fired off a quick Lily Evans to the text thread he had opened.
"Great. See you tomorrow, Evans," he winked before slinking away, undoubtedly returning to rehash the turn of events to Man Bun.
Her phone lit up.
+1-555-523-4251: James Potter ;)