A/N: I STILL own only Elly Mae, Kit, and Lucille. I'm not smart or clever
enough to come up with this kinda stuff. Hey, did u know that J.K. got
married a couple months ago? May the man who married her be good to her
because she deserves to be happy.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 2: Kitchens and Chairs
James and Lily were sitting down staring at a chessboard while their friends were leaving the Great Hall after breakfast. Lily was sitting with her face in a look of intense concentration.
"Geeze Evans, its just a game," James said jokingly.
"You wouldn't say that if YOU were losing," she retorted mildly. He laughed at this and made his next move.
"Checkmate," he said with a triumphant smile.
Lily stared at the board for a moment than threw up her hands. "How did you do that?! I didn't even see it coming!" she said in an exasperated voice.
He smiled at her. "Care to try again? I'll go easier on you this time."
"I don't need anybody to go easy on me Potter!" she said with a glare.
He laughed again and reset the board. One more game turned into several and several turned into dozens. Lunchtime came and went unnoticed as Lily tried desperately to beat him.
"I give up! I give up!" she cried. Then she smiled slyly. "Bet you can't bet me at a game of Gobstones." Lily had never been beaten by anyone at Gobstones.
"Fine," he said, his eyes glinting with challenge. "Go get your set, I left mine at home this year."
She smiled slyly again and ran up to get her game board.
Right then, the Marauders along with Lucille and Kit came into the common room.
Sirius saw James and pretended to be astonished. "He's alive after all! We were sure that Lily had come in here and found some way to finish you off!"
James smiled at that and found himself saying, "Nope, I haven't seen her. Its too bad really," he said with a insincere smile that brought laughter from the five.
"Honestly James," Kit said, "you should give her a chance. She's not all that bad. I mean, we can stand her and all," she said bringing a laugh from everyone.
"Well come on James," Remus said. "You've already missed lunch. We thought we'd sneak down to the kitchens and get a snack," he said coming over to James' side.
James shook his head. "Honestly guys, I'm not feeling real well. I'm not sure if eating is a good idea for me right now. You go ahead without me, I think I'll stay here and rest. I might come down to dinner," he said.
"You sure?" Sirius asked looking at him as if he suspected some sort of prank.
"Yes I'm sure. Go ahead," James said with a small smile.
"Ok then. See ya later!" Sirius said with a wave and turned and left through the portal shortly followed by the rest after they all said they hoped James would feel better soon.
James shook his head and frowned. He had no idea why he was inventing excuses to stay in the common room. He felt fine. He was still distressed about his sister but like Lily had said, moping about it wasn't going to do him any good.
Lily came down a few minutes later to see James lost in thought again. "Sorry, I had to find it. Kit borrowed it and put it back in a different place," Lily said with a sigh. "She's slightly hopeless really," Lily said with a smile. This statement earned her a small laugh from James and feeling that she was successfully diverting his attention she set up the game. Once again, one game turned into several and several turned into dozens.
Lily looked at James as he stared at the game. "Honestly Potter, its just a game," she said smugly.
"Ha ha ha, very funny Evans," he said not looking up from the game. Being beaten by a girl at any game was not something James was used to so when Lily moaned something about being hungry, he jumped on that as an excuse to leave the game.
"Why don't we go down to the kitchens? The House-elves always give away free food," he suggested, hoping that she would go for the idea and he could get away from the games that he was losing horribly.
Lily smiled to herself because what he was doing was very obvious. But she WAS hungry so she agreed. With an excitement born of not having to lose anymore, James bounded ahead while Lily followed, her shoulders shaking in silent laughter.
While this scene was unusual, it was not unprecedented. There were times when they spent whole weeks in each other's company while with all their friends before there was a another blow up. However, the longer the nice period went, the larger and more awful the blow up was usually.
Several minutes later, they stepped into the kitchen and immediately, House-elves swarmed around them, James especially. From the babbling of the House-elves, Lily gathered that he was quite well known here. She suppressed a giggle at that.
"They seem to know you quite well," she said with her best poker face. He simply gave her his most charming smile. Soon after, they were seated at a small table surrounded by the best food the elves had to offer.
As they sat and ate, James turned to her. "What's your family like?"
"Well, my mum has no family at all. She was an only child and so were both of her parents. No cousins or anything. But my dad has a pretty extensive family. Lots of siblings and lots of aunts and uncles. My dad is really an oddball in the family though. If his family knew that I was a witch, they'd probably disown my dad," Lily sighed. "And my sister Petunia is much the same as the rest of the family. She hates the fact that I'm... 'abnormal' as she puts it. What about your family?" she said and then she closed her eyes and bit her tongue. "Sorry," she said. "Stupid stupid!" she thought. "I spend all this time trying to distract him and then I go ahead and mention that! Such an IDIOT!" she shook her head sadly.
He looked at her with a sad smile. "Its ok Lily." She jumped slightly at the name because he hardly ever called her Lily, but he didn't seem to notice. "My family on both sides has been pure wizard blood. Back as far as we can trace it, which is about 25 generations, it's been pure. Not that it matters to me, that... that Ti is a squib. But, it matters to her," he said quietly.
"I'm really sorry about Tiana, James," she said in a soft voice.
He stood up suddenly, having finished eating. "Shall we go back to the tower?" he said, trying to keep his voice calm. She simply nodded.
Seeing all the House-elves crowding around saying goodbye and filling their pockets with sweets seemed to cheer James up. They headed back to the tower, several pounds heavier due to the treats loaded up in their pockets.
When they got there, James sat down in a chair and Lily stopped short.
"That's MY seat James!" she said with a glare.
"Fine then," he said then he reached up, grabbed her hand and pulled her down on his lap.
She fell onto his lap in surprise and looked at him with astonishment. "Ok," she whispered. She looked deep into his eyes and for the first time she wondered where she had been the last four years. His arms crept around her waist and he drew her closer. The next thing she knew was his lips against hers.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The Marauders, Kit, and Lucille, stayed out till late and they had not seen James or Lily the rest of the day. Kit and Lucille were slightly concerned but Lily had done this sort of thing before.
When Remus stepped through the portal to the common room he stopped dead and the others all bumped into him.
"Owwwwww. Move Moony!" Sirius said angrily. Remus stood transfixed staring ahead. The others moved around then saw what he saw and stood there open-mouthed.
Lily Evans was sitting on James Potter's lap with her arms about his waist, and her feet swung over the side of the chair. Her head was on his shoulder and her eyes were closed. His head was on top of hers and his arms were about her waist as he too slept.
The group stared at the spectacle for a long moment.
"Well, would you look at that," Sirius said with a low whistle.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 2: Kitchens and Chairs
James and Lily were sitting down staring at a chessboard while their friends were leaving the Great Hall after breakfast. Lily was sitting with her face in a look of intense concentration.
"Geeze Evans, its just a game," James said jokingly.
"You wouldn't say that if YOU were losing," she retorted mildly. He laughed at this and made his next move.
"Checkmate," he said with a triumphant smile.
Lily stared at the board for a moment than threw up her hands. "How did you do that?! I didn't even see it coming!" she said in an exasperated voice.
He smiled at her. "Care to try again? I'll go easier on you this time."
"I don't need anybody to go easy on me Potter!" she said with a glare.
He laughed again and reset the board. One more game turned into several and several turned into dozens. Lunchtime came and went unnoticed as Lily tried desperately to beat him.
"I give up! I give up!" she cried. Then she smiled slyly. "Bet you can't bet me at a game of Gobstones." Lily had never been beaten by anyone at Gobstones.
"Fine," he said, his eyes glinting with challenge. "Go get your set, I left mine at home this year."
She smiled slyly again and ran up to get her game board.
Right then, the Marauders along with Lucille and Kit came into the common room.
Sirius saw James and pretended to be astonished. "He's alive after all! We were sure that Lily had come in here and found some way to finish you off!"
James smiled at that and found himself saying, "Nope, I haven't seen her. Its too bad really," he said with a insincere smile that brought laughter from the five.
"Honestly James," Kit said, "you should give her a chance. She's not all that bad. I mean, we can stand her and all," she said bringing a laugh from everyone.
"Well come on James," Remus said. "You've already missed lunch. We thought we'd sneak down to the kitchens and get a snack," he said coming over to James' side.
James shook his head. "Honestly guys, I'm not feeling real well. I'm not sure if eating is a good idea for me right now. You go ahead without me, I think I'll stay here and rest. I might come down to dinner," he said.
"You sure?" Sirius asked looking at him as if he suspected some sort of prank.
"Yes I'm sure. Go ahead," James said with a small smile.
"Ok then. See ya later!" Sirius said with a wave and turned and left through the portal shortly followed by the rest after they all said they hoped James would feel better soon.
James shook his head and frowned. He had no idea why he was inventing excuses to stay in the common room. He felt fine. He was still distressed about his sister but like Lily had said, moping about it wasn't going to do him any good.
Lily came down a few minutes later to see James lost in thought again. "Sorry, I had to find it. Kit borrowed it and put it back in a different place," Lily said with a sigh. "She's slightly hopeless really," Lily said with a smile. This statement earned her a small laugh from James and feeling that she was successfully diverting his attention she set up the game. Once again, one game turned into several and several turned into dozens.
Lily looked at James as he stared at the game. "Honestly Potter, its just a game," she said smugly.
"Ha ha ha, very funny Evans," he said not looking up from the game. Being beaten by a girl at any game was not something James was used to so when Lily moaned something about being hungry, he jumped on that as an excuse to leave the game.
"Why don't we go down to the kitchens? The House-elves always give away free food," he suggested, hoping that she would go for the idea and he could get away from the games that he was losing horribly.
Lily smiled to herself because what he was doing was very obvious. But she WAS hungry so she agreed. With an excitement born of not having to lose anymore, James bounded ahead while Lily followed, her shoulders shaking in silent laughter.
While this scene was unusual, it was not unprecedented. There were times when they spent whole weeks in each other's company while with all their friends before there was a another blow up. However, the longer the nice period went, the larger and more awful the blow up was usually.
Several minutes later, they stepped into the kitchen and immediately, House-elves swarmed around them, James especially. From the babbling of the House-elves, Lily gathered that he was quite well known here. She suppressed a giggle at that.
"They seem to know you quite well," she said with her best poker face. He simply gave her his most charming smile. Soon after, they were seated at a small table surrounded by the best food the elves had to offer.
As they sat and ate, James turned to her. "What's your family like?"
"Well, my mum has no family at all. She was an only child and so were both of her parents. No cousins or anything. But my dad has a pretty extensive family. Lots of siblings and lots of aunts and uncles. My dad is really an oddball in the family though. If his family knew that I was a witch, they'd probably disown my dad," Lily sighed. "And my sister Petunia is much the same as the rest of the family. She hates the fact that I'm... 'abnormal' as she puts it. What about your family?" she said and then she closed her eyes and bit her tongue. "Sorry," she said. "Stupid stupid!" she thought. "I spend all this time trying to distract him and then I go ahead and mention that! Such an IDIOT!" she shook her head sadly.
He looked at her with a sad smile. "Its ok Lily." She jumped slightly at the name because he hardly ever called her Lily, but he didn't seem to notice. "My family on both sides has been pure wizard blood. Back as far as we can trace it, which is about 25 generations, it's been pure. Not that it matters to me, that... that Ti is a squib. But, it matters to her," he said quietly.
"I'm really sorry about Tiana, James," she said in a soft voice.
He stood up suddenly, having finished eating. "Shall we go back to the tower?" he said, trying to keep his voice calm. She simply nodded.
Seeing all the House-elves crowding around saying goodbye and filling their pockets with sweets seemed to cheer James up. They headed back to the tower, several pounds heavier due to the treats loaded up in their pockets.
When they got there, James sat down in a chair and Lily stopped short.
"That's MY seat James!" she said with a glare.
"Fine then," he said then he reached up, grabbed her hand and pulled her down on his lap.
She fell onto his lap in surprise and looked at him with astonishment. "Ok," she whispered. She looked deep into his eyes and for the first time she wondered where she had been the last four years. His arms crept around her waist and he drew her closer. The next thing she knew was his lips against hers.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The Marauders, Kit, and Lucille, stayed out till late and they had not seen James or Lily the rest of the day. Kit and Lucille were slightly concerned but Lily had done this sort of thing before.
When Remus stepped through the portal to the common room he stopped dead and the others all bumped into him.
"Owwwwww. Move Moony!" Sirius said angrily. Remus stood transfixed staring ahead. The others moved around then saw what he saw and stood there open-mouthed.
Lily Evans was sitting on James Potter's lap with her arms about his waist, and her feet swung over the side of the chair. Her head was on his shoulder and her eyes were closed. His head was on top of hers and his arms were about her waist as he too slept.
The group stared at the spectacle for a long moment.
"Well, would you look at that," Sirius said with a low whistle.