Author's Note: Terribly sorry I haven't been updating. I just. forgot? No,
that's a lie. However, I DID write it! And before Clare came back from
camp, too.
Lily brushed her hair lovingly, ignoring the fact that the red locks were already silky from the many strokes endured half an hour before. Kate and Claire were gaping, open-mouthed from their beds as Lily hummed the refrain from "Someday my Prince will Come." Finally, Claire felt obligated to speak.
"Er- Lily? Are you alright?" Lily nodded, still dream-like. She was now carefully applying lipstick to her already make upped face. Kate was much more business-like.
"We've seen you happy after beating Gryffindor before, Evans, but never like this." Lily murmured 'Yes of course you did' before applying mascara to her eyelashes. Kate looked flabbergasted. She was sure the "Evans" remark would have worked. Claire spoke up again.
"What we're trying to say is, well, have you.?" she trailed off hopefully.
"You're absolutely right, Claire." Claire. Not Avery. Kate steeled herself for something desperate, and placed herself in front of the mirror.
"She's trying to say have you been seeing anyone." Lily's face lost its' dream-like quality, but she was still smiling.
"Of course not, Kate. Now move aside or I shall be forced to hex you."
~*~
James was still in a foul mood in the morning, and Sirius wasn't any better. Even Remus had stopped peace-making, deciding to sleep in. The two friends parted ways at the portrait of the fat lady, James taking the longer route.
James may have forgotten the previous match, but the rest of the Gryffindors hadn't. They kept throwing malevolent glances at the Slytherin table, while Sirius kept throwing glares at James. He ignored his best friend's looks, choosing instead to screw up his face and look at the Slytherins, failing miserably to look upset when Lily and he made eye contact. Thinking nothing could spoil the happiness of the moment, a whining voice sounded right behind his ear.
"They should have lost." Peter Pettigrew, a bumbling Hufflepuff, timidly sat down next to James. Rolling his eyes, James wrenched his gaze from Lily and forced a revolting smile on his face.
"Of course, Wormtail. Now, if you please-"
"They should have lost, and you should have won. Gryffindor should have won." James sighed.
"But it helps Hufflepuff's prospects overall. You're barely in second place-" he glanced at the hourglasses. "Just ten points and you'll be winning."
"But I want to be in GRYFFINDOR." Peter whined, tugging at a pimple. "With all you guys. My friends!" James wished he hadn't said it. A group of passing Slytherins sniggered appreciatively.
"Whatever, Wormtail. Look, I'm kind of bus-"
"Where's Padfoot? And Moony?" Peter cut in before James could send him away.
"Moony's asleep, and SIRIUS-" he said the word with emphasis, "-is over there." A sudden idea hit James. "Why don't you go and talk to him? I heard he's dying to tell you something." Not catching the sarcasm, Peter leapt up in delight.
"Okay!" he said, and waddled off to the other end of the table. James silently congratulated himself at getting rid of Pettigrew. He continued to shoot looks at Lily.
"Are you alright?" said a redhead beside him. "You look like you have a stomachache."
~*~
The day dawned bright and clear, much to the delight of the Herbology Professor, a woman named Sprout. She was young, energetic, attractive, and fresh out of Hogwarts.
James was giggly; they had double Herbology with the Slytherins. Og, the gamekeeper, passed him by and shook his head, telling his assistant, Hagrid, to hurry up.
Professor Sprout unlocked greenhouse 4, ushering the fifth years inside. Had Lily taken her mind off James, she would have realized that there was no conversation going on around her, from either side. The air was strangely tense as the door latched shut behind them, the sunlight seemingly stopping at the glass. Professor Sprout was the only unchanged element in the greenhouse.
"Come on, chaps, buck up! Venomous Tentaculas today! Can anyone tell me where they originate?" There were a few scattered hands raised among the students. Neither Lily nor James had their minds on plants. It was Sirius who answered.
"Brazil, mostly. But other parts of South America as well." James was brought back to the greenhouse with a painful jolt. Sirius was smirking in his direction, so James put his hand up for the next question. Unfortunately, it was a Slytherin that answered. Sirius's smirk grew. James stretched his hand higher, welcoming the challenge Sirius had unwittingly gotten himself into.
The battle raged on, both James and Sirius winning immeasurable points for Gryffindor in the process. Professor Sprout loved it, thinking of harder and harder questions for her pupils.
James had just answered a particularly tricky question about the breeding habits of Tentaculas when he caught Lily's eye. She looked disgusted, and refused to hold contact. James bit his lip, holding her in his gaze a moment too long.
Sirius had seen.
James barely had time to register that thought as Professor Sprout's perky voice cut across his daydreams.
"Potter, what was the primitive name given to Venomous Tentaculas?"
'Spiky Deathtraps,' James thought. He gritted his teeth. "I don't know," he heard himself say. Professor Sprout was shocked, but Sirius was beyond that. His eyes widened and his mouth hung open.
"Excuse me, Potter?"
"I said I don't know the answer, Professor," James said more firmly. Professor Sprout hadn't been ready for this.
"Then I suppose. Black, do you know the answer?"
"Spiky Deathtraps," Sirius replied, without a single smirk or trace of triumph in his voice.
"Right. class, if you'll please turn to page 30." the rest of the class passed slowly. James and Sirius had taken half-an-hour of the class's time, and the Slytherins weren't apt to forget it.
~*~
Quidditch practice went terribly. The whole team was angry about the match and were performing terribly. Only James seemed unfazed, though he was missing just as badly as the others. He had slipped Lily a note in the fray of leaving Slytherins and Gryffindors, telling her to meet him at the edge of the Forbidden Forest at 8'o'clock. Practice ended at 7:30.
Hurrying toward the allotted spot with broom slung over his shoulder, he checked his watch. 7:57. He swore and urged his feet on, coming to a halt sweating and panting. He tugged at his lip; she wasn't there. Checking his watch again, he realized he was being stupid. Five minutes late was nothing! She was probably making up some story to get out of the Slytherin common room. Yes, that was it. James settled down to wait, resting his back against a tree.
Ten minutes later found no change to the situation. James pursed his lips irritably and stood, running a hand through his hair. Was she coming at all? He thought angrily, before pushing that thought to the back of his mind. Deciding he'd wait five more minutes, he heard a shriek and a black blur pushed him over!
James scrambled up, hotness running through his veins. He groped for his wand only to realize that the culprit had his, or rather HER, arms still around James. His face broke into a smile and he kissed Lily fiercely.
As if suddenly realizing was she was doing, Lily let go and grinned at James in an embarrassed sort of way. She mumbled an apology before James took her in his arms again and kissed her. And then Lily was gone, swimming in a world she thought she had lost long ago. She emerged once to dimly hear James' question of why she was late.
"Friends. Excuses," she unglued her lips long enough to say, before plunging back in.
James drew Lily deeper into the forbidden forest, ensuring their privacy. Half-an-hour later, James gently drew apart from Lily.
"Lily, he said, breathing her name in a sort of reverence."I have to go. Sir- Remus will be waiting for me." Lily glanced at him reproachfully, and then bowed her head in submission.
"Alright, James," she whispered, slipping out of his arms and out of the forest. James shook his head and made his way to Gryffindor tower.
~*~
James finally got there, having been berated severely by the Fat Lady. Ignoring the portrait's protests, James scrambled in and breathed again. There had been a couple of close calls with the caretaker. Next time he would HAVE to bring his invisibility cloak. A stupid grin plastered on his face, he made as if to go up the spiral staircase to his dormitory. A single word stopped him.
"So." It was Sirius's voice.
Lily brushed her hair lovingly, ignoring the fact that the red locks were already silky from the many strokes endured half an hour before. Kate and Claire were gaping, open-mouthed from their beds as Lily hummed the refrain from "Someday my Prince will Come." Finally, Claire felt obligated to speak.
"Er- Lily? Are you alright?" Lily nodded, still dream-like. She was now carefully applying lipstick to her already make upped face. Kate was much more business-like.
"We've seen you happy after beating Gryffindor before, Evans, but never like this." Lily murmured 'Yes of course you did' before applying mascara to her eyelashes. Kate looked flabbergasted. She was sure the "Evans" remark would have worked. Claire spoke up again.
"What we're trying to say is, well, have you.?" she trailed off hopefully.
"You're absolutely right, Claire." Claire. Not Avery. Kate steeled herself for something desperate, and placed herself in front of the mirror.
"She's trying to say have you been seeing anyone." Lily's face lost its' dream-like quality, but she was still smiling.
"Of course not, Kate. Now move aside or I shall be forced to hex you."
~*~
James was still in a foul mood in the morning, and Sirius wasn't any better. Even Remus had stopped peace-making, deciding to sleep in. The two friends parted ways at the portrait of the fat lady, James taking the longer route.
James may have forgotten the previous match, but the rest of the Gryffindors hadn't. They kept throwing malevolent glances at the Slytherin table, while Sirius kept throwing glares at James. He ignored his best friend's looks, choosing instead to screw up his face and look at the Slytherins, failing miserably to look upset when Lily and he made eye contact. Thinking nothing could spoil the happiness of the moment, a whining voice sounded right behind his ear.
"They should have lost." Peter Pettigrew, a bumbling Hufflepuff, timidly sat down next to James. Rolling his eyes, James wrenched his gaze from Lily and forced a revolting smile on his face.
"Of course, Wormtail. Now, if you please-"
"They should have lost, and you should have won. Gryffindor should have won." James sighed.
"But it helps Hufflepuff's prospects overall. You're barely in second place-" he glanced at the hourglasses. "Just ten points and you'll be winning."
"But I want to be in GRYFFINDOR." Peter whined, tugging at a pimple. "With all you guys. My friends!" James wished he hadn't said it. A group of passing Slytherins sniggered appreciatively.
"Whatever, Wormtail. Look, I'm kind of bus-"
"Where's Padfoot? And Moony?" Peter cut in before James could send him away.
"Moony's asleep, and SIRIUS-" he said the word with emphasis, "-is over there." A sudden idea hit James. "Why don't you go and talk to him? I heard he's dying to tell you something." Not catching the sarcasm, Peter leapt up in delight.
"Okay!" he said, and waddled off to the other end of the table. James silently congratulated himself at getting rid of Pettigrew. He continued to shoot looks at Lily.
"Are you alright?" said a redhead beside him. "You look like you have a stomachache."
~*~
The day dawned bright and clear, much to the delight of the Herbology Professor, a woman named Sprout. She was young, energetic, attractive, and fresh out of Hogwarts.
James was giggly; they had double Herbology with the Slytherins. Og, the gamekeeper, passed him by and shook his head, telling his assistant, Hagrid, to hurry up.
Professor Sprout unlocked greenhouse 4, ushering the fifth years inside. Had Lily taken her mind off James, she would have realized that there was no conversation going on around her, from either side. The air was strangely tense as the door latched shut behind them, the sunlight seemingly stopping at the glass. Professor Sprout was the only unchanged element in the greenhouse.
"Come on, chaps, buck up! Venomous Tentaculas today! Can anyone tell me where they originate?" There were a few scattered hands raised among the students. Neither Lily nor James had their minds on plants. It was Sirius who answered.
"Brazil, mostly. But other parts of South America as well." James was brought back to the greenhouse with a painful jolt. Sirius was smirking in his direction, so James put his hand up for the next question. Unfortunately, it was a Slytherin that answered. Sirius's smirk grew. James stretched his hand higher, welcoming the challenge Sirius had unwittingly gotten himself into.
The battle raged on, both James and Sirius winning immeasurable points for Gryffindor in the process. Professor Sprout loved it, thinking of harder and harder questions for her pupils.
James had just answered a particularly tricky question about the breeding habits of Tentaculas when he caught Lily's eye. She looked disgusted, and refused to hold contact. James bit his lip, holding her in his gaze a moment too long.
Sirius had seen.
James barely had time to register that thought as Professor Sprout's perky voice cut across his daydreams.
"Potter, what was the primitive name given to Venomous Tentaculas?"
'Spiky Deathtraps,' James thought. He gritted his teeth. "I don't know," he heard himself say. Professor Sprout was shocked, but Sirius was beyond that. His eyes widened and his mouth hung open.
"Excuse me, Potter?"
"I said I don't know the answer, Professor," James said more firmly. Professor Sprout hadn't been ready for this.
"Then I suppose. Black, do you know the answer?"
"Spiky Deathtraps," Sirius replied, without a single smirk or trace of triumph in his voice.
"Right. class, if you'll please turn to page 30." the rest of the class passed slowly. James and Sirius had taken half-an-hour of the class's time, and the Slytherins weren't apt to forget it.
~*~
Quidditch practice went terribly. The whole team was angry about the match and were performing terribly. Only James seemed unfazed, though he was missing just as badly as the others. He had slipped Lily a note in the fray of leaving Slytherins and Gryffindors, telling her to meet him at the edge of the Forbidden Forest at 8'o'clock. Practice ended at 7:30.
Hurrying toward the allotted spot with broom slung over his shoulder, he checked his watch. 7:57. He swore and urged his feet on, coming to a halt sweating and panting. He tugged at his lip; she wasn't there. Checking his watch again, he realized he was being stupid. Five minutes late was nothing! She was probably making up some story to get out of the Slytherin common room. Yes, that was it. James settled down to wait, resting his back against a tree.
Ten minutes later found no change to the situation. James pursed his lips irritably and stood, running a hand through his hair. Was she coming at all? He thought angrily, before pushing that thought to the back of his mind. Deciding he'd wait five more minutes, he heard a shriek and a black blur pushed him over!
James scrambled up, hotness running through his veins. He groped for his wand only to realize that the culprit had his, or rather HER, arms still around James. His face broke into a smile and he kissed Lily fiercely.
As if suddenly realizing was she was doing, Lily let go and grinned at James in an embarrassed sort of way. She mumbled an apology before James took her in his arms again and kissed her. And then Lily was gone, swimming in a world she thought she had lost long ago. She emerged once to dimly hear James' question of why she was late.
"Friends. Excuses," she unglued her lips long enough to say, before plunging back in.
James drew Lily deeper into the forbidden forest, ensuring their privacy. Half-an-hour later, James gently drew apart from Lily.
"Lily, he said, breathing her name in a sort of reverence."I have to go. Sir- Remus will be waiting for me." Lily glanced at him reproachfully, and then bowed her head in submission.
"Alright, James," she whispered, slipping out of his arms and out of the forest. James shook his head and made his way to Gryffindor tower.
~*~
James finally got there, having been berated severely by the Fat Lady. Ignoring the portrait's protests, James scrambled in and breathed again. There had been a couple of close calls with the caretaker. Next time he would HAVE to bring his invisibility cloak. A stupid grin plastered on his face, he made as if to go up the spiral staircase to his dormitory. A single word stopped him.
"So." It was Sirius's voice.