Title: Even If I Said No? (Don't worry, the title will make more sense later)
Slash: James/Lily (I love this pairing!! ^_^)
Rating: PG-13 (Language, possible sexual situations. Don't drool, it's unattractive.)
Genre: Romance/General (I'm a sucker for romance!)
Summary: J/L hate/love fic. But... where's the love, you ask? READ AND FIND OUT!
Disclaimer: Parry Hotter belongs to me, meanwhile Harry Potter doesn't and belongs to JKR.
Author's Note: It's Wednesday! This means a lot of stuffs. For Remus, it means almost nothing since he and Magenta are squared away. For Sirius, is means keeping his 'scoring' a secret until the Ball. For Peter, it means going to the Ball dateless with pride. For James, it means asking out Delilah, which isn't that hard since he's one of the most popular boys in the school. For Lily, it means going rehearsal-overdrive. For Traycee, it means still getting the nerve to ask out Sirius. For Poezee, it means the same as Lily as she comes into realization that she is the entertainment for the Ball. For Bertha, it means taking up the nerve to ask James out. Dear lord, may he say no. Well, I control what happens, so... MWA HA HA HA!! =)
~*~
CHAPTER THREE: Everyone's Got Issues
"For one sane moment, Poezee, can we try on what we have and THEN see if we want something else?" Lily said, taking a deep breath. Poezee and Lily were shopping at Candied Lips, a witch girl-stuff store, for their concert costumes. The store was huge, one of the most popular stores in the world. Most of its decorations was decked out in pinks and powder blues. Lily and Poezee grew ever more nervous for their first gig. They wanted things to be perfect for their performance as any musician would. So far Poezee had gone crazy and picked out ten different outfits for them to try on.
"No, we have to have several different options." Poezee said, checking a size on a silver-spandex robe that was sickeningly tacky. "We don't know what combos will look great and we have to get our hair done and then..."
"Poezee, don't make me use the Body Bind on you." Lily said. "You'd think you were high on something."
"Well--" Poezee started, then looked to her left to see a fat brunette and a thin brunette. "Crap, duck, Lil!"
They both dipped behind the rack of robes. From about 5 feet away, Traycee and Bertha were giggling and whispering to each other. Poezee and Lily both figured they were talking trash about people, especially them. They didn't notice the friends that hunched behind the robe rack. They just kept walking until they reached the dressing room and disappeared behind the curtain.
"They're snogging, I'll bet you a Galleon," Lily said, and Poezee laughed. "Well, Poe, what do you think?"
"I think we should come back later, you know, to get away from the Odd Couple."
They walked towards the exit in silence. When they strolled out into the lovely Wednesday afternoon, they saw that the roads were more crowded with people than they were an hour ago, when they had arrived at Candied Lips. Lily and Poezee were hungry for some lunch, then they would go back to Candied Lips. Hogwarts had this day be a half day, because someone has poisoned Professor Skowl's whole breakfast with Puke Juice and it was such a lovely day for a surprise Hogsmeade visit anyway.
Lily directed Poezee to the Hog's Head, Hagrid's favorite pub. They hoped they would find the friendly giant there, because he was a good friend to them. Just as they thought, Hagrid was flirting with Dame Aula, the bartendress. He had a long goatee instead of the huge beard he usually wore, and was wearing dirty beige robes and a robe belt, which from it a owl flute hung.
"Er, Hagrid?" Lily said, not sure if she was interrupting anything.
Hagrid jumped at his name, but when he saw the gentle face of Lily he smiled. "Hullo, Lil! Hullo, Poe! What's new?"
"Drink?" Poezee offered. She was nervous around Hagrid because of his size. She didn't know why, but she was, and she didn't tell anyone.
"Sure, I'll be payin', I s'pose." Hagrid nodded. Poezee was too afraid to say, 'No, I'm paying.'
They picked a table by the pub's large window. From its view they could see, from across the street, The Three Broomsticks and Candied Lips and several other shops. People were shuffling in and out from them, walking past. Hogsmeade was very busy for Christmas shopping. Oddly enough, there wasn't any snow this winter season, just an uncomfortable chill. Everyone was disappointed about that.
"So, what's new, gals?" Asked Hagrid with a smile.
"We are the entertainment for the Christmas Ball." Lily nodded and sipped her white wine spritzer. In the wizard world, the drinking age was seventeen.
"Really? Now, tha's summat ter be happy about. Yeh've achieved perfection, no doubts there, eh?" Hagrid said cheekily, and Lily smiled weakly.
Poezee rolled her eyes, "Lily's being fickle about it. She thinks we suck still."
"Aw!" Hagrid said after a hearty sip from his tankard. "Lil, yeh've got the gift of muzak, yeh do. Why don' you admit it?" He laughed, "We know yeh do!" Poezee half smiled.
"You're sweet, Hagrid. I just th--" Lily started, but something from the scenery from the window caught her eye. It was that messy-haired, blue-eye boy James Potter. He was looking in a window from a jewelry store called 'Gems and Stones'. What was James Potter looking at jewelry for?
"Oh my word, James has a girlfriend." Lily said, turning her whole body towards James. He was bending forward, looking at the birthstones. He walked slowly past each one... opal... emerald... he stopped at topaz! "Topaz is my birthstone," Lily whispered.
"Uh, Lil?" Hagrid said, trying to see what his young friend was looking at through the huge window. "Didja see a sale, or summat?"
"Where?? Where??" Poezee said excitedly, her eyes darting to the different shop's doors, obviously looking for a 'SALE!' sign.
James beckoned someone to him... Sirius. He pointed towards a small pair of topaz earrings. Sirius nodded cheekily and James straightened up. They gave each other a high five and walked into the store. Lily couldn't believe that James was buying her a pair of earrings.
"I'll have to let him down gently." Lily said, turning back to her drink. Hagrid and Poezee exchanged confused looks, but went on to a different subject.
"So, Lil." Hagrid smiled, "Who're yeh takin' the Ball?"
*
"These are perfect," Sirius said, looking down at the earrings.
"You must really like whoever that girl is, Sirius." James said, looking at them too. "These have to be 24 carats."
"I have 17 years of allowance, trust me. I could pay for six pairs of these." Sirius rung the bell on the counter to summon the cashier. It turned out to be none other than Delilah Freeman. James grinned and Sirius tried to look casual. Sirius then said, "Hey, Lila."
Delilah narrowed her eyes at Sirius. "Do I know you? Oh wait-- you're Sirius White!"
"Black," Sirius mumbled, and pushed the earrings forward. Delilah put them in a little velvet box and tapped it with her wand. The old fashioned cash register popped open as Sirius handed Delilah the correct cash. She said, "Thanks, Curtis! Have a great day."
Sirius didn't bother to correct her and waited for James to hurry up and ask her out.
"Hey, Lila, it's James." James said, putting on the famous Potter charm. Delilah blushed and smiled. "Say, I heard you were free for the Ball. Care to join me?"
"James, I thought you'd never ask." Delilah leaned in closer. "I've wanted you since fifth year."
James tapped the side of his nose. "Boy, do we have things in common."
Delilah giggled and Sirius rolled his eyes.
"So, what do you say?" James winked.
It was like Delilah couldn't hold it in. She grabbed James by the collar of his Hogwarts uniform and parted his lips with her tongue. Sirius couldn't help it-- he turned around and put his fist in his mouth to keep from laughing. When Sirius finally heard the faint 'pop' that ended a snog, he turned back around. Delilah was smiling and James looked drunk.
"Of course I'll go with you, James! See you later! I have to go put a new pair of earrings in the window to display." She kissed James on the cheek and disappeared into the back room.
James was grinning like he had won a million Galleon prize package as they walked out of Gems and Stones. Sirius flicked his forehead and he seemed to come to, sort of. He marched merrily down the street.
"That went well, didn't it?" He said, to which Sirius rolled his eyes and stuffed the earrings into his pocket.
*
"There's a Quidditch match today! Gryffindor versus Slytherin!" Smiled Poezee. "Luc is a Chaser, you know."
Lily raised her eye brows. "You aren't supporting for the wrong team, are you?"
"I've decided to be neutral." Poezee shrugged. "Besides. Maybe we should rehearse by playing the Hogwarts Anthem. Of course, we'd have to practice for five hours..."
"Quit teasing me, for crying out loud." Lily threw a pillow at Poezee, who ducked. Unfortunately, a certain Traycee McNeal was sleeping behind where she was standing. She snorted awake to find Poezee and Lily looking at her expectantly.
"Are you trying to start something, Lily?" Traycee said grumpily. "Because I could curse you right now if I didn't have to make up for four days without sleep."
"Shove it, Traycee. By the way, you might as well ask Sirius out to the dance, because you aren't vocal anymore."
"Wha--?" Traycee was about say, lifting up her head more.
"C'mon, Poe. We have to rehearse." Lily grabbed Poezee by the hand and pulled her out of the dorm, slamming the door behind her. Traycee put her head back down on the pillow and tears glossed her eyes over.
"Why is she being so mean?" Traycee said to herself. She looked up and thought about what Lily had said. "That's right, I have to ask Sirius out still, don't I?" She sat up and looked at her watch. "The Quidditch match is in a hour..." MWPP were all on the team, because since James was the captain he could decide. Sirius, Remus and Peter were Chasers. Frank Longbottom and Kirk O'Shea were the Beaters and Eileen Finnigan (a sixth year and future Quidditch Captain) was the Keeper. Quidditch was probably the only thing Peter was actually okay at.
Traycee stood up and reached for her glasses upon the dresser, but instead she found something else. It was pink, slightly chipped and in the shape of a spade. Traycee looked at it for a minute, then an evil grin crept across her face. "This is Lily's guitar pick, isn't it? She'll be torn to find it's missing. Then she won't be able to play at the Ball. She'll be sorry she cut me."
*
"Oy, Potter!" Called Frank. "We don't have all day, the match starts in thirty seconds!"
"Coming, Frankie!" James said quickly, and grabbed his Silver Arrow. The Silver Arrow featured a sleek, silver-wood handle and straight bristles. The only problem about it was it grew twigs from the handle and required a lot of clipping. James had done so last night, after he met up with Lily.
Lily. She had been springing up a lot lately.
James mounted his broom at the starting gate. His teammates clapped him on the back before it clanked open. When it did, the red and gold-clad crowd roared and cheered as the famous Seeker James Potter zoomed onto the pitch. He did a lap of honor, a loop-the-loop and a sharp dive for a crowd-teaser. James looked for Delilah in the mass of people, but couldn't find her. He did notice Lily, who was grinning toward his direction.
"Gryffindor players are: Potter, Black, Lupin, Pettigrew, Longbottom, Finnigan and O'Shea!" Said the commentator, David Jordan. The crowd's applauding grew a decibel louder.
Then James put out his arm and waited. The rest of the team gave him fives: Sirius, Remus, Peter, Eileen, Frank and Kirk. They assumed their positions and waited for the silver and green opponents to come out of their gate.
Their entrance was bland, all the teammates zoomed out with competitive faces. The Slytherin didn't need to be entertained, however, it seemed just seeing them look to confident made them happy. They screamed and cheered. David shouted, "Slytherins team: Clouse, Hew, Lyndon, Beemer, Judd, Donahue and Malfoy!"
As all the players got into position, Madam Hooch arrived on the field carrying the ancient box that held the balls. David continued, "Welcome to the fourth Quidditch match of the year. Gryffindor versus Slytherfucks...!"
"Jordan, you'd better civilize..." McGonagall shook her finger at the bald 17-year-old.
"...Slytherins! Ahem... Madam Hooch is saying the rules, blah, blah... she opens the box and the Bludgers fly out. Then the Golden Snitch. Watch it, James and Clouse, you don't want to lose it now. Okay, the Quaffle is... thrown!"
Sirius, Remus and Peter chased after the red leather ball as fast as their Silver Arrows would take them. James didn't pay attention to them after he noticed that, he kept an eye on Clouse. Clouse was doing the same for James, and it occurred to James that he would have to be the one to find the Snitch.
"Ah, Clouse is being a coward and making James do all the dirty work. Expected. Anywho, the game. Sirius caught the Quaffle first, and passes it to Remus and... This is why I despise commentating sometimes, because the Gryffindors go so freaking fast."
"This isn't a talk show, Jordan! COMMENTATE!"
David was right, though. Sirius and Remus passed so quick that it was all David could do to keep up. Peter was used when the rare moment arose when one of them wasn't open. Also for penalty shots.
"Sirius, Remus, Sirius, Remus, Sirius, Remus, Sirius, Remus, Sirius... SCORE BY REMUS! Gryffindor, 10-0!"
The gold and red-clad crowd cheered and James clapped, not breaking his concentration. James circled the pitch slowly, looking for the slightest glint of gold.
Lily breathed into her cupped hands. It was freezing outside and wondered how Poezee talked her into coming at all.
"Poezee, I'm cold."
"Deal with it." Poezee said, watching Lucius try to steal the Quaffle from Sirius and Remus's passing. "Besides. Quidditch is fun, try to enjoy yourself."
Lily rolled her eyes, knowing that Poezee knew full well that Quidditch wasn't an interest to her at all. She looked at James, who was near the golden hoops. He was kind of cute on a broomstick, with his legs spread apart...
"SHIT! SLYTHERINS SCORE! Aw, come on, Eileen, Beemer can barely chew with his mouth closed, let alone shoot a goal."
"Jordan, watch that mouth or I'll hex it."
"Sorry Professor. Tie, 10-10."
James saw a twinkle of gold next to Malfoy. He checked to see where Clouse was, and the German player was close on his tail. James would have to fake it. He dove to the opposite side of the Snitch. Dives were his specialty. Clouse took the bait and zoomed after him. James neared the ground... closer... closer...
"OY! JAMES!" Shouted David. WHAT IN THE BLAZES... Oh, nevermind. Er, Malfoy... then Lyndon, then Beemer... Lyndon, Malfoy... Oh, Sirius caught it in mid pass. Great, here we go again... Sirius, Remus, Sirius, Remus, Sirius, Remus... Hey, Judd stole the Quaffle! Can Beaters steal balls from Chasers? No, I don't think so! Penalty to Gryffindor."
James pulled out of the dive and made a risky 180 degree turn towards the Snitch, just as Peter missed the penalty shot. James noticed it wasn't there anymore. 'Dammit!' He thought. 'I took too long.' He noticed that the wind was howling, and that the wind-chill was probably a negative number.
"Poezee, I'm fucking cold."
"Hold on. Just watch."
Lily put her eyes on James again. Why did he do a dive and then just stop? Lily didn't understand Quidditch at all. James seemed to be searching for the little golden thingy and Sirius and Remus were pretty quick with the red ball thingy-ma-bobber. That's all she knew, besides that Frank just hit a bowling ball towards Malfoy and it almost it him. "Poezee, I don't get what's going on."
"Shut up for a second."
Lily shook her head. She saw James looked her way. She smiled and waved.
James took the opportunity to look for Delilah in the crowd again. She wasn't there. But a red head was waving his way. Lily was waving. James smiled and waved back. 'She's actually not bad looking...' Just as he did so, a Bludger wisped across the top of his head. It didn't hurt him, but James nearly fell off his broom in surprise.
"Oy, James! I almost didn't get that one, work with me, here!" Kirk said sharply.
"Sorry Kirk." James nodded. He steadied himself and did a loop-the-loop.
"Quit showing off while you're at it." Kirk added and zoomed off, leaving James to continue.
"Alright, it's still a tie, 10-10." David said, boredom consuming him. "The Sirius and Remus act is still going on. They are going in circles. For Pete's sake, score already! Give me something to do, here! THANK YOU! GRYFFINDOR SCORES BY SIRIUS, AND IS NOW IN FAVOR! 20-10!"
James clapped again. The Gryffindors applauded enthusiastically and the Slytherins booed, and of course being Slytherins, hissed.
"Okay, James and Clouse still not seeing anything apparently. I bet they're cold, even in their winter Quidditch uniform thingies. I know I'm cold. I wish I had a nice hot cup of hot chocolate. And some rum cake. Rum cake is good."
"Jordan, I'm not going to say it again."
"Okay. Sirius, Remus, Sirius, Remus, Sirius, Remus, Sirius, Remus, Sirius, Remus, Sirius... wow, a stunning steal from Malfoy. Damn. He's taking it up the field. Sirius and Remus, please for the love of gawd, try scoring on your own when you steal it back, okay? On. Your. Own."
James dodged a Bludger and continued the search for the Snitch. This was the most boring game he had ever played. James scanned the scene. He just noticed that Frank and Kirk were whacking Bludgers toward... him! 'No, wait...' James thought quickly. He immediately ducked, knowing full well that Clouse was behind him. A spilt second later--
CRUNCH!
"Oh my word. I guess the only painful teamwork isn't with Remus and Sirius. Frank and Kirk had whacked both Bludgers to what seemed their own teammate, James. But Clouse was behind him and James ducked just in time. Ouch-- and Clouse is hospital patient. Slytherin better work their fannies off if they want to win this one."
The Slytherins hissed and booed as their Seeker was carried away on a stretcher.
Lily had gotten fed up five minutes ago and went to sit with David. She and David used to date, but they thought it would be better if they were friends. Poezee was with her other friend, Delilah, who was sitting next to them the whole time.
"Hey, Dave." Lily said when she sat next to him, between David and McGonagall. David nodded, concentrating on the game. Lily shrugged and turned to Professor McGonagall. "Hello, Professor."
"Evans," McGonagall nodded. "Studying for the Midterm, I hope."
"Yes," Lily said. "Why so much homework, though?"
McGonagall grinned. "It's your last year. Can't we torment you for your last months with us?"
"Hilarious, Professor."
James smiled to himself. The game was in the palm of Gryffindors' hands. James could take a nap if he wanted, but it was really cold outside. It was very bitter out, and everyone was getting sick of sitting out in -3° weather...
Finally, yes finally. James saw a glint of gold near Malfoy's foot.
He dove.
James jumped off his broom.
"Holy shit..." David said, then side glanced at McGonagall, who narrowed her eyes. "Er, Holy shitake mushrooms!" Lily giggled. "James is doing his famous trick to excite this game- The Flying Trapeze!"
He caught it in midair.
James looked down and saw his broom didn't quite make it.
He panicked and grabbed onto the very end of his broomstick and threw his foot around. He balanced himself carefully on his Silver Arrow and held the Snitch in the air with pride. Gryffindors were beside themselves, and cheered as the Slytherins scowled and filed out of the stadium.
"Finally. Gryffindors win, 170-10. We are ever closer to the Cup." David turned toward Lily, the crowd screaming and flooding the field. "Can I interest you in a slab of rum cake and hot coca?"
*
Figuring he was lucky he didn't get frostbite, James was in the shower in the locker room, cleaning up. He enjoyed the warmth of the water, because being outside for an hour and a half in the cold wasn't comfortable at all.
Suddenly, James heard footsteps. "Hello?"
"Hey James, it's Lil."
"Oh." James relaxed. The last time someone interrupted his shower it was Frank, who thought he was his girlfriend and ex-Quidditch player, Lola Spinnet. James didn't like to talk about that little experience much. James turned the knob on the shower. The water stopped and we called out to Lily, "Towel, please?"
There was a pause, then Lily said in an amused voice, "How bad do you want one?"
"Lily, don't!" James said. "I'll come out there myself if you don't give it to me."
"That is such a big lie, you wouldn't." Lily laughed. She knew James wouldn't show off his parts to her, because James wasn't a pervert. Lily stood about seven feet from the shower James was washing in. She held onto the scarlet and gold-trimmed towel, taunting James.
James shook his head, pushed the shower curtain aside and stepped out of the shower. Lily's eyes got wide as he walked slowly towards Lily, grabbed the towel and wrapped it around himself. Then, as if nothing happened, James walked toward the sink and brushed his teeth. Lily's eyes followed him.
Lily's face was beet red and her body was tense. She had seen more than Delilah had, and not by accident. 'Okay, so I thought James wouldn't but he did... wow, that was...' Lily thought, she cleared her throat. 'Boy, it's hot in here...' Lily took off her heavy coat. She was wearing Muggle clothes, a electric green T-shirt and faded jeans. Her hair had gotten a little messed up by the wind, but it was in braided pig tails that went just past her chest.
"So what do you need, Lil?" Asked James. He was naked besides the towel. James Potter wasn't bad looking at all, in fact he was well toned. He had a tight stomach and great biceps.
"Er, uh... you played, er, well." Lily stammered.
"Hey, thanks, Granny Smith." James smiled. He knew Lily thought he was cute. "You know Poezee's friend I'm dating, Delilah? Was she in the crowd?"
"She was sitting by Poe." Lily said.
James's eyebrows furrowed. "You sure? I didn't see her."
"Yeah, I talked to..." Then Lily seemed to come to realizing. "James! That was perverted! That was disgusting! That was juvenile!"
"I gave you a fair warning, it's your fault you didn't believe me." James smiled with a small shrug. Then he went behind a shower to get dressed.
"Well, I didn't actually think you'd do something like that!"
"Now you do. Besides, you didn't seem to mind too much for about two minutes."
"Er, well... shut up."
James stepped out of the shower fully clothed. He hung his Quidditch uniform on a hanger and put it in a closet, conveniently put in the locker room and across from the sinks. "Hey Lil, how come you don't play Quidditch? You have the build for a Keeper." James's eyes played around at Lily's figure.
"I don't even know the names of the balls." Lily said. She started out of the locker room.
"Ah, I could explain it." James offered, walking with her.
"It'll go one ear and out the other. Poe already tried."
"Oh. Are there any Muggle sports you play? I heard you were Muggle-born, and all."
Lily thought back to before she came to Hogwarts. "I was on the Youth Badminton Team when I was eight."
"What's bad-mitten?" James asked.
"Nevermind."
There was a silence, not awkward for once, between the teenagers. Lily started to hum a song James didn't recognize. It had a soft vibrato to it and was very relaxing.
"You have a nice voice." James commented. His hands were in his pockets, and he was trying to be as casual as possible.
"Thanks." Lily said simply. "You have a nice-- er, nevermind."
"You're not very talkative." James said, looking at Lily.
"You talk too much." Lily replied, looking back at James with a smile. James just looked at her with a smile for a moment, and Lily was about to say something else...
Then, it wasn't expected-- James stopped walking and, forward and pressed his lips on Lily's. Lily didn't close her eyes for the first second. Then when she did, she found that her arms had wondered around James's neck, resting on his shoulders. James's were found on Lily's hips and from there, gliding along her back.
James let go of Lily's lips and took a small step backward, ending the kiss. He looked surprised at himself, possibly more surprised than Lily. "Um..." He thought for a second. "You had something in your teeth."
Lily laughed and James blushed and grinned.
"Yeah, right. Anyway, you know that never happened, right?" Lily said, raising her eyebrows.
James looked at her for a minute. "Oh! Oh, right." He turned away and headed towards the Quidditch Pitch, where he said he was going to meet his team for a small celebration.
Lily waved. "Good-bye, Showoff."
"Good-bye, L-- Hey! Wait a minute!" James spun around and grinned open-mouthed at Lily. He was about to say a polite good-bye, then realized what Lily said. Lily laughed as she made her way back to the Gryffindor House.
'He kissed me,' Thought Lily. 'Plus I saw him naked. This has been a weird day. But, the weirdest thing is, I liked it.'
When Lily entered the Common Room, a lot of Gryffindors were either talking, studying, playing games, or some other activity. Lily almost ran into three first years, who were playing catch with a fake Golden Snitch, which was about the size of Lily's head and made of beach-ball material. Lily smiled at them and kept walking. She needed to practice for the Ball gig.
When Lily opened the dorm room, it was empty. The cloudy skies' light showed through the window, making the scene sort of depressing. Lily put a long pigtail braid behind her ear. She found her guitar in the last place she found it, her bed, and put it around her. She absentmindedly put her hand on the dresser for her pick, while looking at sheet music. She felt around for it abut couldn't find it. Lily looked on the dresser.
Her pick was gone.
*
"Oh, Lucius! Oh my god!" Moaned Poezee.
"You like that?" Asked Lucius with a wicked grin.
"Oh! Oh yes!" Poezee took a deep breath.
Lucius pressed harder, and Poezee gasped with a pleasured smile.
"You give the best foot massages!"
"Thanks, Poe." Lucius gently took his girlfriend's foot off his lap. They both leaned forward and kissed each other. Poezee had this twinkle in her honey-colored eyes that Lucius loved. It came as a shock to him, also, when he found that he was attracted to this girl. Not just to the Gryffindors and Slytherins.
They sat in the Slytherin Common Room. It had squashy green velvet chairs made from the Greek era. It was true that Slytherins had a huge ego; there were pictures of silver serpents and Slytherin all over the place. In the gray brick stone in the back of the Common Room was the biggest fireplace Poezee had ever seen, with pots of green roses which grew in Floo Powder. The matching stairs that led to the dormitories had a different colored runner one it; girls had silver and boys had green.
"So," Lucius said, putting Poezee on his lap. "Your friends didn't seem too thrilled with me."
"Lily doesn't care any longer." Poezee shrugged and kissed Lucius' pale cheek. "I'm not friends with Traycee anymore."
"Oh yeah, you told me that."
"You looked great on the field today." Poezee grinned. Lucius grinned back.
"Thank you, my love." Lucius leaned in for a kiss, and Poezee took it. When they looked up, a question sprang to her mind.
"Are you a virgin?"
Lucius eyebrows furrowed. "Are you?"
"I asked first."
"I asked second."
"I have the body you want."
"Okay, you win." Lucius said with a shrug. "No, I'm not."
Poezee cocked her head to one side. "Who with?"
"That's not a fair question."
"Sorry, curiosity took me over."
"I'll take you over," Lucius said, kissing Poezee's cheek. Poezee giggled and kissed his. "So, are you a virgin?"
Poezee's cheeks went pink.
"Oh, I see. You are."
Poezee nodded.
"Well, that's okay. I don't mind, I'll have fun on the night of the Christmas Ball then, eh?"
Poezee giggled. "You sure will."
Suddenly the stone wall that was the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room opened, and in came Narcissa Pyre. Lucius glared at her just as much as Poezee did. Narcissa rolled her eyes and made her way up to the girl's dorms.
When Lucius and Narcissa made eye contact, Poezee sensed a weird vibe, but couldn't place it.
*
"Mum!" Yelled Petunia. "Mum!!!"
Mrs. Evans popped her head into the room Lily's older sister by three years, Petunia, lived in.
"Yes, dear? What's all the fuss?" She asked, not appreciating her daughter's screaming. Petunia scowled and pointed to a auburn owl that made a mess on her bed.
"Ooh, Lil's written!" Mrs. Evans said excitedly. Mrs. Evans was used to owl post by now, and patted the owl's head. Mrs. Evans had made it a maroon sweater which was on Lily's owl. "Thank you, Rubies!" The owl hooted affectionately and soared back out the window.
"Well, I'm not cleaning that mess up!" Petunia said. "Can you wash it? Vernon and I need to move to our new house in an hour--"
"Oh, she is playing at the Christmas Ball, how wonderful!" Mrs. Evans said to the letter, ignoring her other daughter. Petunia went downstairs to speak to Mr. Evans.
"Daddy, can you help me move my things into my car? I need help moving my things to the new house."
Mr. Evans looked up from his newspaper. "Of course, pumpkin! Let's go grab the boxes out of your room." Mr. Evans kissed Petunia's forehead and started for the stairs.
"Leonard!" Mrs. Evans said quickly, walking down the stairs. "Lily's playing at the Ball!"
"What's your point? Said Mr. Evans. Petunia grinned smugly. She and her father didn't love music as much as Lily and Mrs. Evans did. Although Mr. Evans loved the idea that Lily was a witch, and of course that ticked off Petunia.
"Leonard, do you realize just how much music means to Lily and I?" Said Elizabeth, putting a hand on her hip. "This is like winning the lottery to Lily."
"Well, she still has the grand piano here, the one she got for her twelfth birthday? Why doesn't she come and stay for Christmas?" Petunia snapped.
"She had to play a concert at the Christmas Ball." Elizabeth repeated to Petunia the same way. Petunia let out a teenaged growl.
"She gets to go to a Ball and I can't even go to Steven Bader's party?"
"There will be alcohol there, and no adult supervisors. You are not going. Now go pack your things and we will gladly help you leave." Leonard said rather harshly.
When the door slammed, Elizabeth told Leonard, "I never understood why she never liked Lily."
"Sibling rivalry. It's a phase and it will pass." Said Leonard, sitting back down to his newspaper. His red hair was neat upon his head, and his red mustache was small and sensible. His favorite pattern of clothing was argyle.
"The phase has been going on for 17 years, Leonard." Said Elizabeth, sitting on the sofa in front of the TV. "She hates Lily, but Lily is such a sweet little thing." She retied her long, black curly hair into a bun. Her blue denim dress was stained from polishing a table. "I've never seen such a case before in my life."
"Petunia does seem to have attitude problems." Leonard said thoughtfully. "Perhaps a good analyst?"
"Then she'll hate us."
"Well, she's moving in with that nice Vernon Dursley fellow. I love Petunia so much, but I fear she is just slowly drifting from us and her family."
Elizabeth nodded and went into the kitchen to fix dinner. "I'll speak with her later."
In her room, Petunia was throwing things into a huge box, muttering to herself. "I am *so* sick of that little demented FREAK getting all of the attention." She threw a stuffed tortoise into the box. "I wish I could make her life miserable somehow, but I haven't an idea where that... that *school* is." She threw in a antique lamp, shattering it. Petunia didn't care. "If only I had an owl, even if they are dreadful creatures. The next Lily time sends us a letter, I'll--"
An evil grin went across Petunia's face just as she as about to throw a picture of Mr. and Mrs. Evans into the cardboard box. "Yes, until the next owl comes. Perfect."
*
"AHH!" Came Lily's scream. "Where is it??"
A sound of stomping feet came from outside the dorm. Not a close friend but a dorm-mate Magenta Brown tore into the room, half expecting Lily to explode into a million pieces. Lily was looking under everything from beds to pencils to bottles of nail polish. "Lil, what's the problem?"
"My pick... I can't find my pick..." Lily said between sobs. "My pick... help me find my pick..."
Magenta sat down next to Lily and put a hand on her shoulder. "It's one little pick, every guitarist loses them."
"But... my boyfriend gave me that guitar pick..."
Magenta's eyebrows furrowed. "I thought you said it was a saleswoman, Lil."
"That's what I *said*." Lily stood up slowly, went to the closed door, leaned against it and slid down until she sat down in a mess of sobs. "The thing is, no one really knows this minor detail.. that it was actually a salesman and not a saleswoman. I thought that if anyone knew, they wouldn't understand."
Magenta crawled over to Lily and put an arm around her. "Who was the boyfriend?"
Lily looked at the ground, playing with her toes. "James's brother, Thomas."
Magenta gasped and Lily nodded. "The Inner-Circle member with You-Know-Who?"
"Yeah, that one, though I never knew until..." Lily swallowed the lump in her throat. "We fell in love, in fifth year, when he was seventeen. Last year he just disappeared and left this... this note, that explained everything... how he was a Death Eater and had to go into hiding from You-Know-Who. For..." Lily closed her mouth and swallowed many tears. She shook her head.
"For.. what, Lily?" Magenta urged.
"...Me."
Magenta nodded solemnly. Lily tossed her hair back from her face with a flick of her head.
"Then his friend, Ian Flamel, sent a letter to me that he had... had passed on... and the pick he gave me was all I had left of him."
"I see." Magenta didn't know Lily that well, and didn't know what to say.
"I'm over the love I had for him, but.." Lily coughed. Crying made her whole head congested. "I miss his friendship. Come to think of it, what about James? What does he think about it?"
"No idea." Magenta said honestly. "You should ask him."
*
"To Gryffindor!" Shouted James, holding up a bottle of butterbeer into the cold late-afternoon sky.
"To Gryffindor!" Agreed Sirius, Remus and Peter. They all took a swig of alcohol. James never believed in drinking, all he bothered with was butterbeer.
After a hearty swing of Brady's Hard Lemonade, Remus took out a piece of paper from his pocket and read off it. "Report on Operation Birth of the Jork?"
"Success, Remus." Sirius said, a little tipsy from his bottle of hard root-beer float. "Pictures were taken. Her hair is periwinkle, most of her robes are scorched and everyone knows about her overactive bladder problem." He gave James a high five. Peter giggled and took a long drink from his bottle of country cocktail.
"Perfect. Get those pictures. Now, James, I'm not too clear on how Operation Water Lily is worked out. Have you 'fine-tuned' it?"
"Er, yeah." James said, swaying the bottle of butterbeer between his calves as he sat in his normal position: leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. "Basically, we steal her guitar and throw it in the lake."
His three friends stared at him blankly. "That's it?" Peter said.
"Yeah." James said with a shrug.
Sirius, Remus and Peter looked at each other for a moment. Then Sirius shouted, lifting his alcohol, "Let's get drunk!" James, Remus and Peter laughed.
"Well, I'm gonna turn in, okay?" James said, and began to leave.
"Oh, James." Sirius stood up. "I'm sorry. Isn't today...?"
"Yes, yes it is. Thanks, buddy."
They hugged quickly as Sirius went to drink with Remus and Peter in the stands of the empty pitch. On the way back, James had the prodding thought that always stung the back of his mind every December 22nd- Thomas's birthday. If he were alive, his nineteenth.
*
"James?"
"Lily?"
"Oh dear god, I'm so sorry."
"It's alright, Lil..."
Lily ran up to James and threw her arms around James, crying. He swallowed the lump in throat and patted Lily on the back.
"Lily, it's alright. Seriously, I miss him too."
"I'm not worried about me, I'm worried about you." Lily said, letting go of James and climbed over the back of a spongy sofa, putting her face into her hands, weeping. James did the same and pulled her into his lap and held her.
"I'm worried about you, Lil." James said. "Even if I am a self-centered prat, right?"
Lily smiled slightly. "I'm sorry I gave you so much grief over the years."
"It's alright, I probably deserved it. Actually, it's I who should apologize... Sorry, Lil."
Lily looked up, about to say something. Probably to wave away the apology. But when her eyes met his, the thought left her. Tears were flowing down his cheeks like tiny rivers, and his eyes were puffy and bloodshot. It was in the early morning, about 2 AM, and the soft glow of the fire hit his face so it looked like a piece of art. He grinned a little and used his thumb to wipe a tear from Lily's nose.
"James?" Lily whispered.
"What, Lil?" James asked softly.
"You've got something in your teeth." Lily tilted her head upwards and her lips met James's. Only this time it was like nothing they had never felt. It was so passionate, it felt so real that they thought that it was a dream almost. Everything escaped their minds, all their thoughts, all their worries, nightmares, fears... they just melted away.
Sort of...
*
"Traycee, wake up."
"I'm up, I've been waiting all this time," Traycee said, sitting up in her bed. Bertha smiled and took out her notebook, and read from it. "You hid under the bed, right? What happened?"
"Lily reacted just the way you wanted, but I got the dirtiest bit if fiery gossip you'll ever hear."
"What? Tell me!"
"Lily Evans dated Thomas Potter!"
*
((A/N- God, I hate Bertha. Anywho, this was sort of a dark chapter, but as you can see, I was setting up the plots and subplots and sub-subplots and all that shmoofy stuff. Didja notice the James/Lily action? Huh? Didja, didja? There was also some Lucius/Poezee too. So that means, in the next fic, there's some Sirius/Narcissa. I *might* be risky with it and up the rating to R instead of PG-13. Doesn't that excite you? Anyway. Ahem. The Ball is ever so closer. Will James go with Delilah still, is what I'm trying to decide. Oh, btw, now that you know what Operation Water Lily is, doesn't kinda disappoint you? It was that simple. Oh well, who cares. What's important now is if James will still go through with it... maybe he will, and maybe he won't... Hmmm, what should I torture you nice guys and gals with next? I just wanted to say something... I know a lot of fics have Remus acting mature but I like to stress the fact that he's a 17-year-old boy too. Holy jeez, this chapter is twelve pages long on my computer!))
((Oh, what a pretty little box, such a loverly light bluish! I wonder what would happen if you were to press it? Please R/R!!! Reviews fuel up a new chapter!))