Chapter 7
Lily awoke that morning with the sun shining down onto her face. She sat up and tried to remember why she felt so free. Then it hit her: she, Lily Evans, had voluntarily kissed the infamous James Potter. Oh my God! What was I thinking Lily thought as she jumped up out of bed and hastily threw on some clothes. It was only 9 o'clock, James would still be asleep and she could easily avoid him. Sure enough as she hurried down the stairs James was not in sight. Lily quickly climbed through the portrait hole. She walked toward the Great Hall in search of Dylan and Claire.
Lily found them sitting at the end of Gryffindor table talking about the ball.
"You kissed him! Oh my gosh, Dylan. Did he seem surprised? Was he any good? Are you two a couple?" Claire sputtered spraying her pumpkin juice on Lily. "Oops sorry Lil."
"Oh my, that was a lot of questioning hold on," Dylan said as Lily sat down next to her.
"Urgh, answer the first one," Claire replied impatiently.
"No he wasn't surprised. It's not like we'd never kissed before."
Claire dropped her jaw. That was news; apparently they had been going out for awhile. She was going to leave it at that but her curiosity got to her. "And the second one?"
"Yea he was good," Dylan said as though it didn't matter even though deep within her she blushed. But Dylan would never show her embarrassment to them.
"Well?" Claire said as she stomped her foot.
"And I guess we're a couple," Dylan said. "Is that better?"
"Yes."
Lily jumped in, "So what happened with you and Sirius?"
"Oh, nothing really we just danced and he kissed me good night on the cheek like a proper gentleman," Claire said looking dignified.
"Oh wow, I didn't know Sirius could be gentlemanly," Dylan said with a smile. She obviously was still thinking about Remus.
"I can," Sirius said from behind Dylan. She jumped up.
"Well, good for you," she replied quickly regaining her composure.
"Hey Claire," Sirius said turning his attention toward her.
"Hi, how goes it?" she asked.
"Pretty good, mind if I sit here?" he asked, and motioned toward the seat next to her, his nervousness had quickly vanished after last night.
"Yes," Claire said scooting over. "Oops, I mean no I don't mind."
Remus came up from behind Lily and sat down next to her across from Dylan.
"Hello all. Everyone have fun last night?" Remus asked rather loudly.
"Tons," Lily said sarcastically.
"Well I should hope so seeing as you danced with me. I'm sure it was the highlight of your night," James said pompously as he plopped down on the other side of Lily.
Lily smiled and replied, "Oh yes you know how I love to dance with little pricks."
"Ouch Lily that hurt."
In someway the two had found a limbo in between friendship and lovers. They had sarcastic conversations and it felt normal. Both carefully avoided mentioning the night before even though both replayed it over and over in their minds. They kept their one kiss so secret that they both conveniently forgot to inform their friends.
"So what is everyone doing today?" Remus asked.
"Quidditch," replied Sirius, James, Dylan, and Claire.
"Ahh, I guess that leaves you and me Lily."
"Yea and I have a ton of homework." Lily said sadly.
"Me too, maybe we should do it together and mock the stupid Quidditch players who are out there having fun," Remus said as he stirred his porridge.
That was something Remus and Lily had in common, neither one of them was into sports, possibly because neither one of them had enough coordination to play one.
"Ok that sounds good," Lily said.
The six spilt up after breakfast the four heading out towards the pitch and Lily and Remus walking slowing toward the library.
Hours later and Lily was beginning to get frustrated with her essays.
"Remus this is impossible, this is all review potions. And I can't remember any of it. Like what is the draught of living death? I know it puts you into a deadly sleep but how do you make it?" Lily said in a hurried voice demanding an answer. They had been working for an hour and neither one had made much headway.
"Well..." Remus began explaining but was interrupted.
The four Quidditch players had walked in all cleaned up. They were deep in conversation when Dylan spotted Remus and scream, "Hey!" earning a look from the old gloomy librarian.
Remus looked up and smiled, "Dill, lets get out of here alright, find a better way to spend a Sunday."
"Sure," Dylan said with a grin obviously knowing they were going to make out. She and Remus were quite comfortable after one night which was something Lily envied.
"Claire, shall we follow suit?" Sirius said extending his elbow.
"I don't know, I'm tired, you might have to carry me," Claire said sheepishly. Sirius picked her up and carried her off giggling.
The librarian glared at James and Lily suspecting the same rambunctious behavior but was thoroughly relieved when they sat down and pulled out a couple of books.
"So...umm...Lily," James said looking over his book at her.
"Yes?"
"How have you been?" he stuttered trying to make conversation.
"Good. And you?" she asked back.
All comfortable conversation vanished once their friends had left them. They were not longer witty and sarcastic. It was as if they hadn't seen each other for years. They were like old sailors from sea returning home from their separate trips and finding one another so unbearably different from their former selves. They did not know what to say to one another.
Lily could not handle the silence and got up to leave in search of anyone or anything. As she stood up and walked toward the door her arms laden with books James looked up. He saw her go and grabbed his chance. Carelessly leaving his books open on the table he hurried out after her.
"Lily," he yelled. "LILY!" he shouted louder when she didn't turn.
Lily heard him and sped up hoping to avoid this inevitable conversation.
"Lily, just listen to me," James begged.
She turned and looked at him with her big green eyes. "What?" she snapped.
"Look I know that we are both avoiding each other because of well last night," he said with his hands in his pockets. "But what happened was good. Do you not agree?"
"No I do," Lily said choosing her words carefully looking away from James' eyes. Instead she turned her glance at his messy black hair.
"So then can we...you know...go out...I mean will you be my girlfriend?"
"James I honestly don't know. You used to be such a prick and all those girls who you've broken their hearts. I don't want to be just anther one. I don't know if I could handle going out with you. I just don't know. I like being friends with you just that James," she said and turned to go.
"Lily, I know who I was. I'm not proud of it but at least give me a chance."
"All those other girls gave you a chance didn't they?"
"I guess."
"And what happened to them? They were carelessly cast aside the moment you met a new one. I'm not sure if you deserve another chance. I offered you my friendship take it or leave it." She turned and walked off up the stairs.
James let her walk off this time feeling hopeless. He was so sure that he had a chance with her. He was sure that for the first time in 7 years he would get to be with Lily.
Lily walked off feeling confused. She liked James, but she didn't. She couldn't possibly work out her feelings towards him but at least she had been honest.
The other two couples were happily sharing what James and Lily didn't have but desperately wanted. Monday dawned on the two a rainy pointless day.
Lily awoke that morning with the sun shining down onto her face. She sat up and tried to remember why she felt so free. Then it hit her: she, Lily Evans, had voluntarily kissed the infamous James Potter. Oh my God! What was I thinking Lily thought as she jumped up out of bed and hastily threw on some clothes. It was only 9 o'clock, James would still be asleep and she could easily avoid him. Sure enough as she hurried down the stairs James was not in sight. Lily quickly climbed through the portrait hole. She walked toward the Great Hall in search of Dylan and Claire.
Lily found them sitting at the end of Gryffindor table talking about the ball.
"You kissed him! Oh my gosh, Dylan. Did he seem surprised? Was he any good? Are you two a couple?" Claire sputtered spraying her pumpkin juice on Lily. "Oops sorry Lil."
"Oh my, that was a lot of questioning hold on," Dylan said as Lily sat down next to her.
"Urgh, answer the first one," Claire replied impatiently.
"No he wasn't surprised. It's not like we'd never kissed before."
Claire dropped her jaw. That was news; apparently they had been going out for awhile. She was going to leave it at that but her curiosity got to her. "And the second one?"
"Yea he was good," Dylan said as though it didn't matter even though deep within her she blushed. But Dylan would never show her embarrassment to them.
"Well?" Claire said as she stomped her foot.
"And I guess we're a couple," Dylan said. "Is that better?"
"Yes."
Lily jumped in, "So what happened with you and Sirius?"
"Oh, nothing really we just danced and he kissed me good night on the cheek like a proper gentleman," Claire said looking dignified.
"Oh wow, I didn't know Sirius could be gentlemanly," Dylan said with a smile. She obviously was still thinking about Remus.
"I can," Sirius said from behind Dylan. She jumped up.
"Well, good for you," she replied quickly regaining her composure.
"Hey Claire," Sirius said turning his attention toward her.
"Hi, how goes it?" she asked.
"Pretty good, mind if I sit here?" he asked, and motioned toward the seat next to her, his nervousness had quickly vanished after last night.
"Yes," Claire said scooting over. "Oops, I mean no I don't mind."
Remus came up from behind Lily and sat down next to her across from Dylan.
"Hello all. Everyone have fun last night?" Remus asked rather loudly.
"Tons," Lily said sarcastically.
"Well I should hope so seeing as you danced with me. I'm sure it was the highlight of your night," James said pompously as he plopped down on the other side of Lily.
Lily smiled and replied, "Oh yes you know how I love to dance with little pricks."
"Ouch Lily that hurt."
In someway the two had found a limbo in between friendship and lovers. They had sarcastic conversations and it felt normal. Both carefully avoided mentioning the night before even though both replayed it over and over in their minds. They kept their one kiss so secret that they both conveniently forgot to inform their friends.
"So what is everyone doing today?" Remus asked.
"Quidditch," replied Sirius, James, Dylan, and Claire.
"Ahh, I guess that leaves you and me Lily."
"Yea and I have a ton of homework." Lily said sadly.
"Me too, maybe we should do it together and mock the stupid Quidditch players who are out there having fun," Remus said as he stirred his porridge.
That was something Remus and Lily had in common, neither one of them was into sports, possibly because neither one of them had enough coordination to play one.
"Ok that sounds good," Lily said.
The six spilt up after breakfast the four heading out towards the pitch and Lily and Remus walking slowing toward the library.
Hours later and Lily was beginning to get frustrated with her essays.
"Remus this is impossible, this is all review potions. And I can't remember any of it. Like what is the draught of living death? I know it puts you into a deadly sleep but how do you make it?" Lily said in a hurried voice demanding an answer. They had been working for an hour and neither one had made much headway.
"Well..." Remus began explaining but was interrupted.
The four Quidditch players had walked in all cleaned up. They were deep in conversation when Dylan spotted Remus and scream, "Hey!" earning a look from the old gloomy librarian.
Remus looked up and smiled, "Dill, lets get out of here alright, find a better way to spend a Sunday."
"Sure," Dylan said with a grin obviously knowing they were going to make out. She and Remus were quite comfortable after one night which was something Lily envied.
"Claire, shall we follow suit?" Sirius said extending his elbow.
"I don't know, I'm tired, you might have to carry me," Claire said sheepishly. Sirius picked her up and carried her off giggling.
The librarian glared at James and Lily suspecting the same rambunctious behavior but was thoroughly relieved when they sat down and pulled out a couple of books.
"So...umm...Lily," James said looking over his book at her.
"Yes?"
"How have you been?" he stuttered trying to make conversation.
"Good. And you?" she asked back.
All comfortable conversation vanished once their friends had left them. They were not longer witty and sarcastic. It was as if they hadn't seen each other for years. They were like old sailors from sea returning home from their separate trips and finding one another so unbearably different from their former selves. They did not know what to say to one another.
Lily could not handle the silence and got up to leave in search of anyone or anything. As she stood up and walked toward the door her arms laden with books James looked up. He saw her go and grabbed his chance. Carelessly leaving his books open on the table he hurried out after her.
"Lily," he yelled. "LILY!" he shouted louder when she didn't turn.
Lily heard him and sped up hoping to avoid this inevitable conversation.
"Lily, just listen to me," James begged.
She turned and looked at him with her big green eyes. "What?" she snapped.
"Look I know that we are both avoiding each other because of well last night," he said with his hands in his pockets. "But what happened was good. Do you not agree?"
"No I do," Lily said choosing her words carefully looking away from James' eyes. Instead she turned her glance at his messy black hair.
"So then can we...you know...go out...I mean will you be my girlfriend?"
"James I honestly don't know. You used to be such a prick and all those girls who you've broken their hearts. I don't want to be just anther one. I don't know if I could handle going out with you. I just don't know. I like being friends with you just that James," she said and turned to go.
"Lily, I know who I was. I'm not proud of it but at least give me a chance."
"All those other girls gave you a chance didn't they?"
"I guess."
"And what happened to them? They were carelessly cast aside the moment you met a new one. I'm not sure if you deserve another chance. I offered you my friendship take it or leave it." She turned and walked off up the stairs.
James let her walk off this time feeling hopeless. He was so sure that he had a chance with her. He was sure that for the first time in 7 years he would get to be with Lily.
Lily walked off feeling confused. She liked James, but she didn't. She couldn't possibly work out her feelings towards him but at least she had been honest.
The other two couples were happily sharing what James and Lily didn't have but desperately wanted. Monday dawned on the two a rainy pointless day.