Chapter 12: Of igloos and hot chocolate
(a/n yes I know, it's been forever since I've updated last. School is keeping me busy. As a matter of fact, I should be doing a social studies report now...but...what the hey. R/R!!)
"Mmmm," Lily mumbled. She sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes. Once her eyes were cleared of all crusties, she looked around. The three other girls in her dormitory were gathered around the window. Lily got up to see what was happening.
"Morning," Lily said, forcing back a yawn. "What's going--?"
"It's Ruby!" said Chairity Lennix.
"Where?" Lily asked quickly, pushing people away from the window so she could see.
"There! Walking with McGonagall!" whispered Luemma Watson. Lily peered out the window. Ruby was indeed walking across the snow-covered grounds with Professor McGonagall. Lily's brows furrowed.
Lily quickly pulled on her winter cloak and raced out of the dormitories and into the common room, where James and Sirius were engaging in a rousing game of chess, while Remus stared into the fire. James quickly stood up, knocking over the chess board.
"Morning Lils!" James said.
"Can't talk," Lily said distractedly as she made for the portrait hole.
"Not even a good morning snog?" James asked, slightly put out.
"Can't kiss," Lily replied as she walked out of the common room and raced down to the entrance hall and onto the cold, snowy grounds.
She walked over to the courtyard. Fresh snow was falling from the grey sky, sprinkling Lily with snowflakes. Lily was just about to round the corner to the courtyard, when she heard Professor McGonagall's voice.
"...Really shouldn'tve. Gotten you into a lot of trouble, hasn't it?" came McGonagall's voice. Lily leapt behind a large shrub as Ruby and Professor McGonagall walked out of the courtyard.
"Yes...I suppose," Ruby said cooly.
"And Dumbledore has warned you of the dangers you've put yourself at risk, as well as Mr. Black?"
"Mmmhmm."
"Has," Professor McGonagall lowered her voice. "Has Dumbledore taken you to Saint Mungos yet?"
"No."
"When is he taking you?"
"I really don't know...actually, to tell you the truth, I'd rather not...erm...*go* with Professor Dumbledore to Mungos. I'd sort of...much rather...go with--with you. If it's okay," she added quickly.
"I see. Have you been to a...erm...what is it those Muggles call it?"
"Something like a--gyna-whosiwhatsit?"
"Mm. Yes. Well. Close enough."
"No, I haven't."
"Okay. I'm free tomorrow...I guess that'd be a good time."
"Sure."
"Alright."
"Bye."
Lily narrowed her eyes at the strangeness of the conversation Ruby and Professor McGonagall just had. She watched Ruby and Professor McGonagall disapear into the entrance hall. She walked out of the shrubs, the snow crunching beneath her feet. James, Sirius and Chairity were running towards her from the entrance hall.
"LILY!" James shouted as he ran full speed at her.
"James--James, what the--!" Lily started, but James had collided with her, knocking her into the snow. Lily laughed along with James.
"What's the word with Ruby?" James asked.
"McGonagall's taking her to St. Mungo's for some tests...I overheard," Lily admitted.
"Ah, now now Lilykins, were you *really* eavesdropping?" Sirius said playfully.
"Yes...I was. McGonagall also said something about you," Lily replied cooly.
"What?" Sirius demanded.
"She said something about...how you as well as Ruby were at risk."
"Risk for what?"
"I don't know," Lily snapped, "or I would've told you." Sirius hung his head. There was a very awkward silence. Lily stared up at James, who was still on top of her, in a straddling position.
"So," Chairity said, trying to lighten the mood. "Know what an igloo is?"
The other three stared at each other. Chairity, coming from a Muggle family, would know.
"It's a house of ice," Chairity explained to the confused group. "You have to mold the snow in the shape of a dome. Then you crawl inside and...it's warm."
"Cool. Let's make one," Lily said, trying to lift Sirius's spirits.
"Okay," Sirius mumbled in agreement.
"Let's make it a contest," Lily said. "The first one to build their igloo wins."
"Okay," the group said in agreement.
"We can have teams!" Chairity suggested. "Lily can be on my team. Y'know...girls versus boys."
"Okay!" James said. "Count of three! One..."
"D'you know HOW to make an igloo James?" Sirius muttered.
"Two...not a clue."
"THREE!"
Chairity and Lily sprinted off to a mound of snow near the frozen lake. They grabbed handfulls and began molding their igloos. Lily shaped the snow into blocks while Chairity grabbed more snow. Lily started piling the blocks into neat rows.
James and Sirius jogged over to the skirts of the Forbidden Forest. Snow-covered trees towered above them. Some trees were even bent over from the weight of the snow. James observed this, and quickly came up with a plan.
"Padfoot," James said. His eyes gleamed as he stared at a certain cluster of bent trees. Sirius nodded, and they began to gather snow and pour it all over the trees. After about five minutes, James collapsed.
"We'll never get finished in time!" he moaned.
"Nobody said we couldn't use magic," Sirius grinned. James whipped out his wand and said quietly, "adlevatio ningues," and a large patch of snow lifted into the air and fell ontop of the trees. James and Sirius grinned at each other as they stood back to admire their work, and then ran off to Lily and Chairity by the lake, who were half way through building their own igloo.
" 'Lo girls!" said James as he approached the hard-working team. Lily froze in the middle of molding a block of snow and Chairity stopped in mid-grab.
"You're not telling me that you're...you're...finished?" Lily said, her mouth agate.
"Sure are," Sirius said cheerfully. "Come, look for yourselves!"
Lily and Chairity got up and followed James and Sirius with suspicious looks on their faces. James ran in front of the igloo and Sirius bounded behind him.
"Ta-daa!" James shouted, throwing his arms up. Lily eyed the igloo. /Wow, I have to admit, theirs *is* better/ Lily thought.
"Nice," Lily said without showing too much enthusiasum.
"Isn't it though?" Sirius said, beaming at his creation. Lily rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling.
"Okay, you win," Lily said reluctantly.
"Don't I always?" James replied, playfully punching her in the arm. Lily grinned in spite of herself as they made their way up to the castle, holding James's hand.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Lily sat in front of the common room fire, occasionally gazing out the window as the snow softly fell and slowly covered the darkened grounds. She couldn't get to sleep. She'd been thinking about Ruby and Professor McGonagall's conversation. Lily was so worried about Ruby...and Sirius.
There was a rustle of robes from behind her. She automaticaly turned her head. James stood there in his bathrobe, grinning at her.
"James!" Lily said. "Didn't I tell you *not* to sneak up on me like that?"
"I don't recall," James said, pretending to think. Lily rolled her eyes.
"So what're you doing up?" Lily asked, scooting over to make room for James on the sofa.
"Ahh, I just couldn't sleep. Hey, wanna go down to my award-winning igloo?"
"James, it's after curfew--"
"You're forgetting, my sweet, that *we* are the Head boy and girl, thus giving us permission to be out after curfew," James said in an official-like tone. Lily laughed.
"Okay. Let me go change into my winter cloak. Be back in a flash," Lily said as she sped up the stairs and into her dormitory. She changed silently and raced back into the common room.
"Right then," James said. "Let's get under the cloak."
"I thought you said we--"
"I lied. So come on." Lily walked over to James and he covered them both with the invisibility cloak. James led the way as they slid out of the common room, snaked down the halls, and slithered out the front doors to the grounds.
Lily laced her fingers with James's as they walked over to the igloo. James bent down and rolled into the igloo, the cloak falling off of both of them. Lily rolled in after him, but was stopped in mid-roll by James's lips. Her body went from very cold and numb--to warm and numb. She gave in to his kiss. James pulled Lily in the igloo all the way, still kissing her.
James stopped. Lily blinked.
"What's wrong?" she asked softly.
"I'm just not sure we should be doing this," James replied.
"Why?"
"Because...well...I look at Sirius and Ruby and wonder...could that happen to us?"
"Someday, James. But not now." Lily made to kiss him again be he stopped her.
"But Lily...there's so much passion between us."
"Oh James, don't flatter yourself."
"Seriously Evans...I don't want something to happen to me...or worse...you."
"Why are you so worried all of a sudden?"
"I don't know. I really don't."
"Well...since you don't know...can we pick of where we left off?"
"Mmmm...okay!" James rolled over and kissed Lily hungrily. And their passion became more intense as the midnight hours grew to dawn.
(a/n yes I know, it's been forever since I've updated last. School is keeping me busy. As a matter of fact, I should be doing a social studies report now...but...what the hey. R/R!!)
"Mmmm," Lily mumbled. She sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes. Once her eyes were cleared of all crusties, she looked around. The three other girls in her dormitory were gathered around the window. Lily got up to see what was happening.
"Morning," Lily said, forcing back a yawn. "What's going--?"
"It's Ruby!" said Chairity Lennix.
"Where?" Lily asked quickly, pushing people away from the window so she could see.
"There! Walking with McGonagall!" whispered Luemma Watson. Lily peered out the window. Ruby was indeed walking across the snow-covered grounds with Professor McGonagall. Lily's brows furrowed.
Lily quickly pulled on her winter cloak and raced out of the dormitories and into the common room, where James and Sirius were engaging in a rousing game of chess, while Remus stared into the fire. James quickly stood up, knocking over the chess board.
"Morning Lils!" James said.
"Can't talk," Lily said distractedly as she made for the portrait hole.
"Not even a good morning snog?" James asked, slightly put out.
"Can't kiss," Lily replied as she walked out of the common room and raced down to the entrance hall and onto the cold, snowy grounds.
She walked over to the courtyard. Fresh snow was falling from the grey sky, sprinkling Lily with snowflakes. Lily was just about to round the corner to the courtyard, when she heard Professor McGonagall's voice.
"...Really shouldn'tve. Gotten you into a lot of trouble, hasn't it?" came McGonagall's voice. Lily leapt behind a large shrub as Ruby and Professor McGonagall walked out of the courtyard.
"Yes...I suppose," Ruby said cooly.
"And Dumbledore has warned you of the dangers you've put yourself at risk, as well as Mr. Black?"
"Mmmhmm."
"Has," Professor McGonagall lowered her voice. "Has Dumbledore taken you to Saint Mungos yet?"
"No."
"When is he taking you?"
"I really don't know...actually, to tell you the truth, I'd rather not...erm...*go* with Professor Dumbledore to Mungos. I'd sort of...much rather...go with--with you. If it's okay," she added quickly.
"I see. Have you been to a...erm...what is it those Muggles call it?"
"Something like a--gyna-whosiwhatsit?"
"Mm. Yes. Well. Close enough."
"No, I haven't."
"Okay. I'm free tomorrow...I guess that'd be a good time."
"Sure."
"Alright."
"Bye."
Lily narrowed her eyes at the strangeness of the conversation Ruby and Professor McGonagall just had. She watched Ruby and Professor McGonagall disapear into the entrance hall. She walked out of the shrubs, the snow crunching beneath her feet. James, Sirius and Chairity were running towards her from the entrance hall.
"LILY!" James shouted as he ran full speed at her.
"James--James, what the--!" Lily started, but James had collided with her, knocking her into the snow. Lily laughed along with James.
"What's the word with Ruby?" James asked.
"McGonagall's taking her to St. Mungo's for some tests...I overheard," Lily admitted.
"Ah, now now Lilykins, were you *really* eavesdropping?" Sirius said playfully.
"Yes...I was. McGonagall also said something about you," Lily replied cooly.
"What?" Sirius demanded.
"She said something about...how you as well as Ruby were at risk."
"Risk for what?"
"I don't know," Lily snapped, "or I would've told you." Sirius hung his head. There was a very awkward silence. Lily stared up at James, who was still on top of her, in a straddling position.
"So," Chairity said, trying to lighten the mood. "Know what an igloo is?"
The other three stared at each other. Chairity, coming from a Muggle family, would know.
"It's a house of ice," Chairity explained to the confused group. "You have to mold the snow in the shape of a dome. Then you crawl inside and...it's warm."
"Cool. Let's make one," Lily said, trying to lift Sirius's spirits.
"Okay," Sirius mumbled in agreement.
"Let's make it a contest," Lily said. "The first one to build their igloo wins."
"Okay," the group said in agreement.
"We can have teams!" Chairity suggested. "Lily can be on my team. Y'know...girls versus boys."
"Okay!" James said. "Count of three! One..."
"D'you know HOW to make an igloo James?" Sirius muttered.
"Two...not a clue."
"THREE!"
Chairity and Lily sprinted off to a mound of snow near the frozen lake. They grabbed handfulls and began molding their igloos. Lily shaped the snow into blocks while Chairity grabbed more snow. Lily started piling the blocks into neat rows.
James and Sirius jogged over to the skirts of the Forbidden Forest. Snow-covered trees towered above them. Some trees were even bent over from the weight of the snow. James observed this, and quickly came up with a plan.
"Padfoot," James said. His eyes gleamed as he stared at a certain cluster of bent trees. Sirius nodded, and they began to gather snow and pour it all over the trees. After about five minutes, James collapsed.
"We'll never get finished in time!" he moaned.
"Nobody said we couldn't use magic," Sirius grinned. James whipped out his wand and said quietly, "adlevatio ningues," and a large patch of snow lifted into the air and fell ontop of the trees. James and Sirius grinned at each other as they stood back to admire their work, and then ran off to Lily and Chairity by the lake, who were half way through building their own igloo.
" 'Lo girls!" said James as he approached the hard-working team. Lily froze in the middle of molding a block of snow and Chairity stopped in mid-grab.
"You're not telling me that you're...you're...finished?" Lily said, her mouth agate.
"Sure are," Sirius said cheerfully. "Come, look for yourselves!"
Lily and Chairity got up and followed James and Sirius with suspicious looks on their faces. James ran in front of the igloo and Sirius bounded behind him.
"Ta-daa!" James shouted, throwing his arms up. Lily eyed the igloo. /Wow, I have to admit, theirs *is* better/ Lily thought.
"Nice," Lily said without showing too much enthusiasum.
"Isn't it though?" Sirius said, beaming at his creation. Lily rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling.
"Okay, you win," Lily said reluctantly.
"Don't I always?" James replied, playfully punching her in the arm. Lily grinned in spite of herself as they made their way up to the castle, holding James's hand.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Lily sat in front of the common room fire, occasionally gazing out the window as the snow softly fell and slowly covered the darkened grounds. She couldn't get to sleep. She'd been thinking about Ruby and Professor McGonagall's conversation. Lily was so worried about Ruby...and Sirius.
There was a rustle of robes from behind her. She automaticaly turned her head. James stood there in his bathrobe, grinning at her.
"James!" Lily said. "Didn't I tell you *not* to sneak up on me like that?"
"I don't recall," James said, pretending to think. Lily rolled her eyes.
"So what're you doing up?" Lily asked, scooting over to make room for James on the sofa.
"Ahh, I just couldn't sleep. Hey, wanna go down to my award-winning igloo?"
"James, it's after curfew--"
"You're forgetting, my sweet, that *we* are the Head boy and girl, thus giving us permission to be out after curfew," James said in an official-like tone. Lily laughed.
"Okay. Let me go change into my winter cloak. Be back in a flash," Lily said as she sped up the stairs and into her dormitory. She changed silently and raced back into the common room.
"Right then," James said. "Let's get under the cloak."
"I thought you said we--"
"I lied. So come on." Lily walked over to James and he covered them both with the invisibility cloak. James led the way as they slid out of the common room, snaked down the halls, and slithered out the front doors to the grounds.
Lily laced her fingers with James's as they walked over to the igloo. James bent down and rolled into the igloo, the cloak falling off of both of them. Lily rolled in after him, but was stopped in mid-roll by James's lips. Her body went from very cold and numb--to warm and numb. She gave in to his kiss. James pulled Lily in the igloo all the way, still kissing her.
James stopped. Lily blinked.
"What's wrong?" she asked softly.
"I'm just not sure we should be doing this," James replied.
"Why?"
"Because...well...I look at Sirius and Ruby and wonder...could that happen to us?"
"Someday, James. But not now." Lily made to kiss him again be he stopped her.
"But Lily...there's so much passion between us."
"Oh James, don't flatter yourself."
"Seriously Evans...I don't want something to happen to me...or worse...you."
"Why are you so worried all of a sudden?"
"I don't know. I really don't."
"Well...since you don't know...can we pick of where we left off?"
"Mmmm...okay!" James rolled over and kissed Lily hungrily. And their passion became more intense as the midnight hours grew to dawn.