Spoonfuls of Sugar
You know it's a bad thing when you fall in love with your best friend. It's not like I meant to do it (never did I wake up one morning and declare 'Oh, I think being in love with James Potter sounds nice') it just sort of happened. I couldn't even tell you when it happened. It definitely happened this year though.
It had to happen this year. After all, I wasn't even friends with James until fifth year. We were the most unlikely couple. In fact, I think we were known as 'LilyhatesJameshatesLily' which translates to "Lily hates James hates Lily". So you can imagine my surprise when I found out that I love him. Embarrassing to say the least!
It's all Dumbledore's fault anyway. First of all, we just had to be paired together as prefects in fifth year. I couldn't stand James but Dumbledore insisted that we get along. So I got to know James and found out he was human- big mistake! But Lily Evans would never fall for James even if they were friends, right?
Wrong. So now I sit here next to James and watch him as he drools over Zafira, the new transfer student. I try to avoid eye contact as I carefully dump spoonfuls of sugar onto my strawberries. She's tall, gorgeous, and thin as a stick. She eats a grapefruit. I am instantly self-conscious of my sugar. Perhaps I'll dust off my broom and pay a visit to the Quidditch field this morning. I have History of Magic first period. It is easy to skip- Professor Binns wouldn't notice if a herd of elephants stampeded through his classroom let alone a missing zombie student. My watch blinks 7:55, in other words it is time for the first class of the day. Perfect timing!
I look at James. He is looking at me. I feel a rose tinge beginning on my cheeks.
"Lily…" he wheedled. I continue looking in his direction. "Would you introduce me to her?" He nods towards Zafira.
"Yeah…" my voice trails off as I muster my courage. Not only do I not know her but I am painfully shy. Trust the love of my life to forget it in a time like this. I approach the goddess.
"Hi, I'm Lily Evans." Great, I sound like an idiot. From the top of Zafira's salon hairdo to the tip of her pedicured toe nails she is perfect. I feel like Oscar the Grouch, grungy and green with envy.
Zafira looks at me for a moment. Instantly I remember the small grease stain by my foot- a remembrance of Sirius and his attempts at weird experiments.
"Zafira Wursthorne," she says icily. I feel as though it is an honor to speak to her.
"My friend would like to meet you," I say pointing towards the entrance to the Great Hall. What a horrible pick-up line! Sirius and James are laughing over some joke or another. James turns and blows an enormously fake kiss. I roll my eyes.
Zafira examines him. Than she turns to the most popular girl in school, some Ravenclaw, and they hold a silent conference. Zafira looks back at me.
"Yes," she deigns. James passed their inspection- what a thrill. I resist the urge to vomit. As quickly as I could, I was outside in the blessed, blessed fresh air. I hover above the ground meditatively as I thought. What does James see in her? This, of course, led to other thoughts. Namely, why wouldn't James like me? I push these out of my mind.
I zing across the sky and the cool breeze whips gently across my face. What refreshment! The broom jolts and I swoop upward. Up, up, and away. I think. I race against the clouds, eventually brushing one. The damp, misty white combs through my hair and when I leave water droplets stay. Some more erratic examples of pure exuberance as I dart across the cerulean sky. Suddenly broom gives a jump and I lose my grip. I fall…
…and I fall.
With a whump! I land on the soft grass. It smells good. I hear the broom land a little ways away. For a while I just look at the clouds and breath. One looks like a donkey, another a rabbit. My watch beeps. It's time for the second class. I should go. But I don't want to!
A pinched face looms into view. James??
"Lily!" he says wobbly as he shakes me furiously. "I saw you- thank god you're all right!" He looks so worried, it's funny. I laugh and James gets mad.
"Of course I am all right, stupid," I giggle. "It was just a little fall. It couldn't hurt me, I'm a witch remember?"
" 'Just a little fall'," James repeats vaguely. " 'Just a little fall'? Little falls like that hurt people all the time. Why do think I was so worried?"
"Maybe because I'm your friend?" I ask stupidly. I thwap him lightly on the head before giggling a little more. Maybe that fall did do something to me. I feel a lot more free.
"Jeez Lily," James exclaims with exasperation before giving me a quick hug. "Are you all right now?"
"I said I was didn't I?" I demanded with some exasperation of my own while stumbling to my feet. I may have hit my head too hard…I collide into James. "Why is everything orange all of a sudden?"
James wipes his glasses. "Orange?" he looks around. "You'd better see Madame Pomfrey, Lily."
"I can take care of myself!" I yell as I walk back to the castle. Every once in a while I stumble again and pause to stop the dizziness. James doesn't seem to be following me. Typical, I think, just typical. I hear hurried footsteps crunching along the grass. I guess he is following me…
"Didn't want you to forget my broom," he grinned coming up beside me. Oh yeah, I'd been using his broom. Just like a man to think of that when his best friend is suffering from delusions! But then, I just said I could take care of myself. But was he really supposed to listen to a hallucinating girl? Heck no!
"Do you have any spoonfuls of sugar?" I say but it feels like I'm talking through syrup. James is looking at me oddly again as I crash into him.
"No.." he drawls. "Spoonfuls of sugar? What is it for, please tell me."
"Owls," I say thickly. We are going through the big entrance doors, thank heavens. "Owls and strawberries. Or is it towels and strawberries? Maybe I should eat the spoon myself." I think James is a little worried because he gets me to a trot on the way to Madame Pomfreys. My brain is starting to feel woolly, and stuff is flickering. Not a good sign. James sighs and I look at him he is looking at me.
"I was supposed to see Zafira after class," he explains.
"Oh," says I woodenly. Of course he wanted to be with her instead of his friend who is presently in a state of…well, something. I look away so I won't see the disappointment in his eyes.
"It's okay though" ('Naturally' I mumble, 'the hero') "because I don't think I really like her."
This brings me abruptly out of my self-involvement.
"WHAT?" I demand suddenly not feeling all that woozy anymore. "You made me talk to her even though I'm paranoid of strange people and then you decide 'oh, I don't like her anymore!'" This was stretching my adoration a little thinly. "James Potter, you-you-you-" My brain seemed to be unable to conjure the right word.
"Listen to me Lily," James pleaded. We had reached the infirmary and Madame Pomfrey had taken one look at me before rushing to get some miracle formula.
"I'm listening," I say.
"I don't like her anymore," he continues, "because I like you."
"Have my meds kicked in yet," I wonder aloud despite the fact that I hadn't even taken medicine yet, "or did you just say you liked me?"
"I said it," said James Potter to I, "and I mean it." The blissful shores of heaven! "After a saw you fall- well, I never want to go through that again." I smile beautifully at him and promptly forgive any past misdemeanor.
"I have a confession," I say in a tiny voice as Madame Pomfrey has just placed a glass of water and a pill next to me. "I like you too." James grins- the one he uses as his secret weapon to make you weak at the knees.
"I'm glad," he whispers. I nod. The glass of water is downed and so is the pill. I'm feeling sleepy and clamber onto a bed with James' help. Drowsiness kicks in as soon as my head is on my pillow. I haven't even kissed James but I know he is mine.
"G'night my spoon of sugar," I sigh as the blankets are pulled over my robe. I hear James' reassuring laugh and I fall asleep with my happily ever after in full gear. Goodnight my spoon of sugar, I love you.