::Midnight Lily::
PG
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter – it belongs to J.K. Rowling.
Chapter Four
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Lily made her way back to her dormitory in silence. She kept thinking about the deal she had made with James and about how she had cheated in the test. If she had just studied harder then maybe she wouldn't have cheated and then she wouldn't be in the situation she was in now. What had forced her to go to Alex anyway? What had forced her to use the 'Watson' Quill?
It was just that little voice in her head. The one that said that if she failed – she'd have disgraced herself. Furious at herself, Lily opened the door of her dormitory and saw that Amber and Katie were talking in soft voices.
"Hi Lily! Where were you?" asked Katie when she saw who had entered the dormitory.
"I was stitching up my bag," Lily reminded her. She walked to her bed and placed her troublesome bag to the side. Then she began to untie her shoelaces. Lily took a couple of deep breathes to cool down her rage. "What were you up to?"
"Nothing much," Amber replied. She walked up to Lily's bed and sat down beside her. "Are you okay?"
Lily shot them a glance. "Amber's right," Katie said, walking up to Lily's bed as well. "I mean, you look very uptight."
Lily looked at Amber and sighed, "I'm alright." She stood up after she finished taking off her shoes and then just realized what she had said. Of course she wasn't alright. Right now, her whole body was fuming at what she had done. Why hadn't she just hit him with a Memory Charm and be done with it? Why hadn't she thought of doing just that instead of getting herself in so much trouble?
"No, I'm not alright," Lily said suddenly. "I just, – HATE JAMES POTTER!!!" She chucked her left shoe across the room, where it slammed into the wall between Charlie and Katie's bed, making a loud hollow thump. "I HATE HIM!!!!!" She roared. She blinked back the tears that had begun to show up in the Transfiguration classroom.
"Lily," said Amber gently. She stood up and forced Lily down onto her bed. "Angel, what's wrong? What happened?"
Lily looked at Amber. Revealing the pact she had made with James would reveal that she had cheated in the test; but, what would her friends think when she began to be James's girlfriend? The very thought made her skin crawl. Worst, she had cheated; they would pressure her to tell the truth to Professor McGonagall, to do the right thing. All of her efforts would have summed up to nothing.
Telling Amber what she had done would be alright. Amber would keep secrets. She wouldn't pressure her to do anything she wouldn't like. But Katie was different. Even though Katie was Lily's best friend, she had a sort of blind eye when it came to gossip. She usually wasn't the kind to keep secrets. Even if they were the kind of friends who would think it would be alright – Lily couldn't tell. If she told then she would be hurting herself.
"Nothing," Lily said finally. "I'm – just overreacting that's all."
There was a long pause.
Forcing a smile on her face, Lily finally said, "Katie, tell me the story of Midnight Lily again."
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Lily woke up with a start. It was still dark and the dormitory was completely silent. She closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep but she couldn't. The wind outside was howling loudly and rain splattered against the windows. At the far end of the dormitory, a window was wide open and thrashed wildly.
Lily groaned and quickly walked towards it. Who would have been stupid enough to open a window in this weather? She fastened the lock as thunder boomed heavily from outside. A flash of lightning past Lily's vision. She looked outside the window. The full moon was casting a brilliant beam across the sky. Lily looked down and saw dark silhouettes linger at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
A large black dog bound forwards in hot pursuit towards another sinister shadow. Then a third shape, larger then the rest of the four, formed beside them. To Lily it looked like a horse of some sort. She closed her eyes and shook her head then looked out the window again – the silhouettes were gone.
Thinking to herself that she had gone completely mad, Lily made her way to her dressing table and sat down. In the mirror was the reflection of herself.
Her red locks were matted in a sort of enigmatic way. For a few seconds, she suddenly realized why James like his hair ruffled, before she shook the thought out. The last person she wanted to think about was James. So this was how she looked?
Lightning flashed and her emerald eyes sparkled softly. Her friends were right in a way. She had looks. She had brains. Lily Evans could ask any guy to the Graduation Ball and he'd go with her. But then why was she worrying? She could always just take Remus. But then again she didn't want to always drag him in for her sake.
Lily thought back to previous years. Why had she never fallen in love? The answer came almost instinctively. Her friends made the decisions for her. Every time she fell in love her friends would be the ones to pinpoint whether the boy was good or not. Lily had been on many dates. But no guy had ever passed a date with Lily Evans. Not even James. It was said to be a miracle.
Lily gave a short sigh then made her way back to her four-posted bed. By the unexplained bay of the wind and the heavy downpour of rain, Lily, against all odds, fell asleep.
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Lily ate her breakfast alone that morning in a very content manner. Lily had only slept for three hours where she had ended up waking at four. The rain was now a mere drizzle and was slowly coming to a cease. A rainbow was cast across the Great Hall's magical ceiling where first years continued to point at it and gasp. The colours that reflected onto the floor gave the Great Hall a somewhat peaceful look. Completely absorbed in a book, Lily didn't notice at first when James came to sit beside her.
"Hey, Evans," James said composedly. He took a slice of toast and began to spread butter and jam onto it.
Lily closed her book to look at him. "Hello," Lily replied. "What are you doing up so early?"
"Quidditch practice," James replied. "Just look around and tell me if Ailsa is here." His face started to go a little red.
Lily looked around and spotted Ailsa on the Hufflepuff table. She was chatting animatedly to her two friends. Lily was surprised that a girl like her would even wake up this early. "She's here," Lily said softly. She had no idea what James had in plan to make Ailsa think he was romantic but she knew that she wouldn't like it at all. "Do you have a plan?"
"No," James said shortly. Lily shot him an impatient glance. "Come on, how am I supposed to know what girls find 'dreamy?'"
Lily sighed. "So am I supposed to come up with a plan for you?" she asked heatedly. "Because you know I'm not going to do that – I have so much work to do for my NEWTs!"
"And I don't?" James said in a dangerous tone. "What, am I supposed to be the one writing poetry and making up songs every night?"
"If you really want to show her that you're a good guy, then yes," Lily replied. She poured some more syrup on her oats and tasted it.
James gave Lily a quick look. Lily tried to catch it but it was too fast. Did he just give her a smile? But then he said, "Do you think I'm a good guy?"
Lily spooned up some of her oats. What did she think of James? At first she thought he was pathetic with all the pranks he pulled to gain her attention. She thought that he was low and foul. But when she agreed to go on a date with him it was different. She had thought that she could change him. But now?
"I really don't know," Lily said, shaking her head in resignation. "You say that you can make improvements – but I'm really not so sure Potter, I don't know what to believe now."
James's face fell.
"If you don't want to help me with a plan, then fine," he said. "I'll come up with something soon and I'll let you know then, okay?"
"Fine with me," said Lily grimly.
James finished the last bit of his toast then stood up. He swung his bag onto his shoulder and then looked down at Lily. "Can you tell me something?" he asked her after some time of thought.
Lily finished her oats and picked up her book again. "What is it?" she asked.
"What," he said slowly, turning red again. "Um, what do girls find romantic from guys?"
"Commitment," Lily said dully. "Something you, James Potter, will never have."
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A/N: Sorry if this chapter is too short. I'll make a longer chapter next time, promise. Please R/R!!
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Replies to a few reviewers:
Miroku's Child-bearer:: I guess Lily was very stressed out about her end-of- year exams at the moment and she felt that she couldn't afford even one fail. And you're right about James being Head Boy as well. I remember Lupin saying something about him being made Head Boy by Dumbledore because they thought that he would keep his friends out of trouble. Oh well.
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PG
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter – it belongs to J.K. Rowling.
Chapter Four
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Lily made her way back to her dormitory in silence. She kept thinking about the deal she had made with James and about how she had cheated in the test. If she had just studied harder then maybe she wouldn't have cheated and then she wouldn't be in the situation she was in now. What had forced her to go to Alex anyway? What had forced her to use the 'Watson' Quill?
It was just that little voice in her head. The one that said that if she failed – she'd have disgraced herself. Furious at herself, Lily opened the door of her dormitory and saw that Amber and Katie were talking in soft voices.
"Hi Lily! Where were you?" asked Katie when she saw who had entered the dormitory.
"I was stitching up my bag," Lily reminded her. She walked to her bed and placed her troublesome bag to the side. Then she began to untie her shoelaces. Lily took a couple of deep breathes to cool down her rage. "What were you up to?"
"Nothing much," Amber replied. She walked up to Lily's bed and sat down beside her. "Are you okay?"
Lily shot them a glance. "Amber's right," Katie said, walking up to Lily's bed as well. "I mean, you look very uptight."
Lily looked at Amber and sighed, "I'm alright." She stood up after she finished taking off her shoes and then just realized what she had said. Of course she wasn't alright. Right now, her whole body was fuming at what she had done. Why hadn't she just hit him with a Memory Charm and be done with it? Why hadn't she thought of doing just that instead of getting herself in so much trouble?
"No, I'm not alright," Lily said suddenly. "I just, – HATE JAMES POTTER!!!" She chucked her left shoe across the room, where it slammed into the wall between Charlie and Katie's bed, making a loud hollow thump. "I HATE HIM!!!!!" She roared. She blinked back the tears that had begun to show up in the Transfiguration classroom.
"Lily," said Amber gently. She stood up and forced Lily down onto her bed. "Angel, what's wrong? What happened?"
Lily looked at Amber. Revealing the pact she had made with James would reveal that she had cheated in the test; but, what would her friends think when she began to be James's girlfriend? The very thought made her skin crawl. Worst, she had cheated; they would pressure her to tell the truth to Professor McGonagall, to do the right thing. All of her efforts would have summed up to nothing.
Telling Amber what she had done would be alright. Amber would keep secrets. She wouldn't pressure her to do anything she wouldn't like. But Katie was different. Even though Katie was Lily's best friend, she had a sort of blind eye when it came to gossip. She usually wasn't the kind to keep secrets. Even if they were the kind of friends who would think it would be alright – Lily couldn't tell. If she told then she would be hurting herself.
"Nothing," Lily said finally. "I'm – just overreacting that's all."
There was a long pause.
Forcing a smile on her face, Lily finally said, "Katie, tell me the story of Midnight Lily again."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------
Lily woke up with a start. It was still dark and the dormitory was completely silent. She closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep but she couldn't. The wind outside was howling loudly and rain splattered against the windows. At the far end of the dormitory, a window was wide open and thrashed wildly.
Lily groaned and quickly walked towards it. Who would have been stupid enough to open a window in this weather? She fastened the lock as thunder boomed heavily from outside. A flash of lightning past Lily's vision. She looked outside the window. The full moon was casting a brilliant beam across the sky. Lily looked down and saw dark silhouettes linger at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
A large black dog bound forwards in hot pursuit towards another sinister shadow. Then a third shape, larger then the rest of the four, formed beside them. To Lily it looked like a horse of some sort. She closed her eyes and shook her head then looked out the window again – the silhouettes were gone.
Thinking to herself that she had gone completely mad, Lily made her way to her dressing table and sat down. In the mirror was the reflection of herself.
Her red locks were matted in a sort of enigmatic way. For a few seconds, she suddenly realized why James like his hair ruffled, before she shook the thought out. The last person she wanted to think about was James. So this was how she looked?
Lightning flashed and her emerald eyes sparkled softly. Her friends were right in a way. She had looks. She had brains. Lily Evans could ask any guy to the Graduation Ball and he'd go with her. But then why was she worrying? She could always just take Remus. But then again she didn't want to always drag him in for her sake.
Lily thought back to previous years. Why had she never fallen in love? The answer came almost instinctively. Her friends made the decisions for her. Every time she fell in love her friends would be the ones to pinpoint whether the boy was good or not. Lily had been on many dates. But no guy had ever passed a date with Lily Evans. Not even James. It was said to be a miracle.
Lily gave a short sigh then made her way back to her four-posted bed. By the unexplained bay of the wind and the heavy downpour of rain, Lily, against all odds, fell asleep.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------
Lily ate her breakfast alone that morning in a very content manner. Lily had only slept for three hours where she had ended up waking at four. The rain was now a mere drizzle and was slowly coming to a cease. A rainbow was cast across the Great Hall's magical ceiling where first years continued to point at it and gasp. The colours that reflected onto the floor gave the Great Hall a somewhat peaceful look. Completely absorbed in a book, Lily didn't notice at first when James came to sit beside her.
"Hey, Evans," James said composedly. He took a slice of toast and began to spread butter and jam onto it.
Lily closed her book to look at him. "Hello," Lily replied. "What are you doing up so early?"
"Quidditch practice," James replied. "Just look around and tell me if Ailsa is here." His face started to go a little red.
Lily looked around and spotted Ailsa on the Hufflepuff table. She was chatting animatedly to her two friends. Lily was surprised that a girl like her would even wake up this early. "She's here," Lily said softly. She had no idea what James had in plan to make Ailsa think he was romantic but she knew that she wouldn't like it at all. "Do you have a plan?"
"No," James said shortly. Lily shot him an impatient glance. "Come on, how am I supposed to know what girls find 'dreamy?'"
Lily sighed. "So am I supposed to come up with a plan for you?" she asked heatedly. "Because you know I'm not going to do that – I have so much work to do for my NEWTs!"
"And I don't?" James said in a dangerous tone. "What, am I supposed to be the one writing poetry and making up songs every night?"
"If you really want to show her that you're a good guy, then yes," Lily replied. She poured some more syrup on her oats and tasted it.
James gave Lily a quick look. Lily tried to catch it but it was too fast. Did he just give her a smile? But then he said, "Do you think I'm a good guy?"
Lily spooned up some of her oats. What did she think of James? At first she thought he was pathetic with all the pranks he pulled to gain her attention. She thought that he was low and foul. But when she agreed to go on a date with him it was different. She had thought that she could change him. But now?
"I really don't know," Lily said, shaking her head in resignation. "You say that you can make improvements – but I'm really not so sure Potter, I don't know what to believe now."
James's face fell.
"If you don't want to help me with a plan, then fine," he said. "I'll come up with something soon and I'll let you know then, okay?"
"Fine with me," said Lily grimly.
James finished the last bit of his toast then stood up. He swung his bag onto his shoulder and then looked down at Lily. "Can you tell me something?" he asked her after some time of thought.
Lily finished her oats and picked up her book again. "What is it?" she asked.
"What," he said slowly, turning red again. "Um, what do girls find romantic from guys?"
"Commitment," Lily said dully. "Something you, James Potter, will never have."
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A/N: Sorry if this chapter is too short. I'll make a longer chapter next time, promise. Please R/R!!
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Replies to a few reviewers:
Miroku's Child-bearer:: I guess Lily was very stressed out about her end-of- year exams at the moment and she felt that she couldn't afford even one fail. And you're right about James being Head Boy as well. I remember Lupin saying something about him being made Head Boy by Dumbledore because they thought that he would keep his friends out of trouble. Oh well.
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