Friends Make What You Are
Disclaimer: Nope, don't own this, never have. Own the plot, though! ^_~
~*Chapter 2*~
"Hey, Lily, what's up?" James asked, strolling into the Common Room with a light step.
Lily looked up from the parchment she was poring over and smiled. "Just the ceiling, why?"
James sighed. "I should have known," he muttered. Then, "I mean, what are you doing right now?"
"Well. . . I'm just working on some research. Again, why?"
Grinning, James commented, "Well, I bet that research is getting a bit boring, right? So come on, I want to show you something!"
When he began to drag her away from her parchment, Lily glared at him and snarled, trying to stay in her seat. "Whoa, wait a minute! I happen to like that research, thank you very much. Also, the last time you 'wanted to show me something,' I ended up being a scapegoat to one of your pranks! I had to sweet talk the Professor before I could get loose. Good thing she didn't think I would actually put up posters of Snape as a baby sleeping with a thumb in his mouth. . . So, you are going to tell me exactly what you'll show me before I'll go with you."
James paused and tried to look innocent and derisive at the same time. "First of all, research? Interesting? I don't think so."
"Just because you don't have to study doesn't mean –"
"Ah, ah, ah," James cut Lily's argument off. "You're pretty smart, too, and you know it. You don't have to do research either, and –"
"Yeah, right. If I didn't do research for the Transfiguration homework, I would have been in big –"
"And," James overrode Lily's voice once more as he looked at her warningly, "you were certainly not a scapegoat, as you so derisively call it. You were just. . . a distraction of sorts, that's all. Really. Besides, I'm not going to be using you as a distraction for a prank. This is a one on one sort of things. Just you and me. I promise."
Lily looked skeptically at the tall boy, trying to figure out if he was serious about his promise. After all, he had broken promises before on much less incentive. Seeing her skepticism, James sighed and held up both hands.
"See, Lily? No fingers crossed."
"Fine, fine," Lily said exasperatedly, putting away her parchment. "Just let me put this away in my dorm and –"
"Oh, no you don't!" James cried, pulling her away from the stairs leading up to her dorm. "You're going to put a whole bunch of charms on yourself because you don't trust me. I know that's what you did last time, don't try to disagree. So, you are coming with me now."
"But my stuff –" Lily protested, trying to keep from being pulled away from her chair. Everyone in the Common Room was looking at them because of the big racket they were making, with Lily clutching to the chair and James trying to pull her away, at the same time trying – unconvincingly – that he wasn't going to involve her in a prank.
Suddenly, Lily gave up fighting and let go of the chair. James, who wasn't expecting that, had been pulling her hard at that time, and he was so startled that he flew backwards, carrying Lily with him. She shrieked as she landed on top of him, then jumped up as fast as possible.
"James Potter! What were you thinking?" she cried.
"I wasn't," James replied ruefully, trying to assess the damage done to his body. "Oh, if I get a bruise. . . it'll ruin me for the girls for sure!"
As James looked himself over, Lily just rolled her eyes. Sometimes she couldn't believe the ego of that boy! She sighed, put a charm on her bag so that no one could steal it, then dragged James towards the portrait guarding the Common Room, not even letting him up as he protested.
"Hey, Lily, stop! You'll muss up my clothes! What if some girl tries to ask me out or something?"
"Oy, James, we still think you're pretty hot!" a girl sitting next to the fireplace cried out as her friends nodded in agreement.
"Oh, brother," Lily muttered. "I have got to get James away from these ditzy girls who stupidly think 'James is pretty sizzling hot.' In fact, they think he's a 'sizzling hunk o' meat'!"
James looked startled at her comment. By that time, they had reached the portrait, and Lily had to let go of James in order to push open the portrait, so James managed to stand up in time before she tried to drag him all over the place. After he got his balance back, he raced after Lily, looking at him impatiently.
"Wait, Lily! What did you say? I'm a sizzling hunk o' what?" he asked, appalled.
"Meat. Doesn't it feel good to feel like something about to be butchered and cooked?"
"Lily Evans, never, ever, say that again. That's the most horrid thing I've ever heard!"
"Well, guess what? Your ex-girlfriend of one week was overheard saying that – after you broke up with her. So, I think it's probably revenge. Unless she really did think you were hot. Unlikely, considering how you look," Lily commented.
James turned red with embarrassment. "Are you saying I'm not hot? How dare you! I'm the best thing in this school since. . . since house elves!"
"What about sliced bread?" Lily muttered under her breath.
"Huh?"
"Never mind. Now, what were you going to show me?"
"Oh, right. That. Well, Lily, do you mind if I sort of. . . well, ummm. . . put a charm on you or something so you can't see where we're going?" James blustered, slowly backing away from Lily.
Good idea. Lily blew up at him. "What? Are you trying to get me into trouble? How in the name of Merlin do you think I will be able to walk? And trust you to lead me someplace innocent? I don't think so! I mean, whenever you want something like this, you need something pretty badly – like a favor. And when you want a favor, you blackmail me and threaten me and all that other stuff. I absolutely refuse to do so!"
James sighed. He had some explaining to do, he suspected, as he looked at the furious girl in front of him. Really, he mused, it could have been a comical sight if he hadn't be subject to that horrendous glare of hers. After all, she was so short – well, maybe just a head shorter than he was – and she was so small. Still, her red hair did her justice. She could be quite the flaming vixen when she wanted to be. Secretly, James admired her for all the things she did, and at the bravery she showed whenever something horrible came up. Like her parents' death. She had shown remarkable recovery that, if he had not known her well enough, he might actually have suspected she didn't care. However, he knew that Lily cried in her bed every night. Knew that she needed comforting many times. Knew that she needed a friend and companion she could trust. And he knew all these things because he was the comfort. He was the friend and companion she could always trust. He smiled, then.
"Lily," he began, "you know how you really want something to cheer you up sometimes? Well, this is it, but it's supposed to be a big deal and everything, so you can't see it until then. If you really don't want to be blindfolded, fine. That's alright. But when we get there, you have to be blindfolded. Okay?"
Lily looked suspiciously at him once more. She didn't know whether to trust him or not. His gray-blue eyes looked at her entreatingly, and she had to give in. He used that look every time, and every time it would work. She should know: she taught it to him.
"Fine," she sighed, giving in. She wouldn't admit it, but she was also pretty curious about his surprise.
James grinned and grabbed her hand. "C'mon, then, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"
"We were waiting for you to lead me to this oh-so-secret location," Lily muttered under her breath as she hurried to keep from being dragged by James.
James snorted but didn't reply, intent on making his way towards his destination. Lily gritted her teeth, trying not to yell at his "slight" stupidity. Where were they going? If Lily didn't find out within the next five seconds. . .
"We're here," James abruptly said, stopping in front of a portrait of a brilliant flower, bending and moving in the bright sun and cool wind.
Lily didn't really notice this, however, as she narrowed her eyes. James seemed to have read her mind and had led her to his destination within five seconds. Now she couldn't pummel him to death!
"ARGH!"
James slowly backed away from her. "Uh, Lily, we're here now. There's no need to get mad. And I have. . . to. . . blindfold you?"
Lily snarled at him. "You. . . you imbecile! You just had to arrive in five seconds, didn't you?"
Looking at her with an extremely confused look, James shook his head. "Lily, calm down. Breathe. In, out, in, out, in, out. . ." He imitated his own instructions, breathing in and out rhythmically.
Some more glaring was involved. "Come on, if you're going to do this, get on with it!" Lily snapped.
James was extremely confused about her sudden change in mood, muttering to himself about PMS as he got out a blindfold and placed the soft cloth over Lily's eyes. He tied it so that it wasn't too tight, but made sure that she couldn't just pull the blindfold down. That done, James stepped up to the portrait and said indistinctly, "Booga wooga."
Lily laughed at that password, her mood already clearing up. She just enjoyed teasing James – he became scared of her so easily! It was so fun to see him get scared. . . Then, she felt James's hand in hers again, and she let herself be led into the room that the portrait, had, apparently, revealed, hoping against hope she wouldn't trip.
"Annnd, without any further ado, I present to you. . . hey, I rhymed! I'm a poet and I didn't even know it! Cool, I seem to rhyme all the time! And –"
"James, if you don't get this thing off me in the next ten seconds. . ."
"All right, all right. Don't get all weird on me! So, without any further ado, I give to you. . ." James took off Lily's blindfold. "This!"
Lily looked around her, gasping slightly. Had James done all this, just for her? A fireplace crackling ever so softly lighted the room, and its slight glow bounced off a big armchair. Next to it, and behind it, there were books. Hundreds of them! James obviously had known that Lily loved books, and he had brought her here, to do. . . what? She turned around and looked at him with shining, yet questioning, eyes.
James shuffled around slightly, "Well, Lily, I saw how sad you were, and I knew that you loved books, and that your parents. . . used to send you tons of Muggle books. And since Petunia probably won't send you anything, much less books –" James's voice held scorn and disdain for the absent Petunia – "I though that maybe you'd like to have your own personal library. So, I just asked around, found a room that was unused – there are a lot of them around here, you know – and that looked like it would fit my needs, and I just, well, stocked it with books! All types of books, too, research books, fiction Muggle books, everything you'll ever need. And it's all yours, Lily, all yours."
Lily smiled then and hugged James as tight as she could. "Oh, James, thank you so much! I'm so glad you cared enough to go to all this trouble and get me this – Wait. How did you get all these books, anyway?"
James looked even more embarrassed. "Well, I sort of asked around, and –" He caught sight of Lily's stern look and caved in. "Fine, fine. I owled my parents and asked them for help, and they started sending me books. That's why it took me a month to get this together. I hope you like it and will use it a lot."
James's voice went up on the last word, making it into a question. Lily couldn't speak, and she just nodded fervently. "Well, come on, James, show me around! I can't possibly know how everything is done unless you tell me! I got lost in the Hogwarts library the first time I went in there. Oh, wait, I should name this room, shouldn't I, just to make it feel cozy?"
"Nah," James replied. "It's already named. I didn't know it was until when I was almost done with the books, so I didn't bother to move out. Besides, I think it fits you."
"Well?" Lily prodded. "What is it?"
James smiled. "The Tiger Lily Room."
Lily and James spent the rest of their day inside the Tiger Lily Room, talking and laughing and reading. It had become their own sanctuary, just for them.
A/N: Oh my gosh, this is a horrible chapter, because nothing really happens, so I'm really sorry! I just hope the next chapter might be better. Right now, I don't really know how to continue this story, so. . . any suggestions? And I know the name of the room isn't that great – help me out there, too, please? I do hope you liked it at least a little bit! Please, R/R! ^_^
Shout-outs:
J.E.A.R.K.Potter – Thanks! I just wish my nice start won't stutter into a bad finish. . . I hope this is another good chapter!
ShOrTnSwEeT9013 – Yup, this is the next chapter (as you must have gathered. I'm the queen of obviousness!) and maybe you'll like this one too?
sweet chicky – I'm glad my story is easy to understand. I've always thought my stories were convoluted with words they didn't need. (Convoluted = clogged, etc. See what I mean?) Oh, well, I don't think I went overboard in this one!
