A/N: This is it! The one we've all been waiting for! However please note that this is NOT the end of the story and more drama will follow! Excessive use of exclamation marks! Never mind! On with the story!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 9 - A Thousand Eyes
Finally, the day of the match came. Every House sat in silence at breakfast; it was as though the whole school had literally been put under a spell. On each face was a look of longing, desperation, hope, anxiety or fear.
In the stands, so many banners were being waved it looked like they had been redecorated, half in red and gold, half in blue and bronze. Everyone was impatient for the Final to begin, yet they were also reluctant for the ordeal to start. Who would be celebrating tonight? And who would face the humiliation of losing?
As Head Girl, Lily had a V.I.P. seat, right at the front, right in the middle, with the Head Boy and the Prefects. Matthew sat beside her, stroking her palm reassuringly (A/N At least, he THOUGHT he was being reassuring, actually he was just making it worse).
"It's OK," he said, "We'll win-"
But Lily wasn't worried about the match. There was no point in worrying, it wasn't as if it would help the Ravenclaw team. She was far more concerned about Matthew, and the way he was stroking her hand...
This is wrong, she thought, I shouldn't be doing this. I don't love him, and I'm leading him to believe otherwise.
Lily still hadn't found the courage to break up with Matthew. He was so devoted to her, practically waiting on her hand and foot. But with every day it got worse. With every day the fire in eyes grew brighter, his kisses were longer and more passionate, and it became harder and harder to break away. The longer she delayed the more hurt she would cause, and yet Lily still couldn't get the words out.
A roar of applause distracted her from her thoughts. The two teams were walking out onto the pitch. Remus Lupin, Potter's friend, was commentating.
"Hello, and welcome to this year's Quidditch Final!"
It was unusual for him to be commentating, on account of his being ill all the time. For the last two matches at least he'd had to be covered by Kaia Patil. It was a wonder he was able to do this match, seeing as he'd been too ill for Lily's Ancient Runes class last week.
"The two competing Houses today; Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw! And Madam Hooch opens the crate... There goes the Snitch! And she gets out the Quaffle... One... Two... Go go go! We're off! Natalie Boot of Ravenclaw in possession, tailed by Siobhan Finnigan of Gryffindor... Some wonderful bludgering by Beater Gordon Johnson, and yes, Finnigan takes the Quaffle... And she's off like a rocket down towards Ravenclaw keeper Hilary Fawcett... She passes to Bertha Jorkins and oh! Nice bludger there from Vivian Chang of Ravenclaw... Edward Corner takes the Quaffle... Ravenclaw in possession... Passed to Melvin Prewitt who drops it... Ravenclaw, no, Gryffindorin possession with Arthur Weasley doing some fantastic flying... He's really putting his Copper Arrow through its paces... Wait a moment, was that the Snitch?"
James Potter was diving down towards the ground - with Cecil Lovegood struggling to keep up. Just before he crashed, Potter wrenched the nose of his broomstick upwards. He had been feinting. The Snitch was actually on the other side of the pitch, but Lovegood hadn't noticed.
Lily felt sick. Matthew had his arm round her. This has got to stop, thought Lily, it has to finish today.
She looked up at Potter, who was now streaking towards the real Snitch. He really was the most fantastic flyer. No one, let alone the bonkers Cecil Lovegood (who was crumpled in a heap) stood a chance against him. Potter's untidy black hair was just visible; a mess of spikes, much more exciting than Matthew's boring plain brown fuzz. He gripped the broomstick tightly, the wind rippling his robes to show off his strong tanned arms. Lily had never noticed them before now. To her, Potter had been just a friend, or so she thought, but when she watched him flying that day, she saw him properly for the first time. Something clicked, and suddenly Lily understood why so many girls idolised him. Tall and fit, he was gorgeous. And he fancied her.
Potter was diving down again, the crowds were roaring, but all Lily could see were memories of Potter. Potter as a first year, when he was as idiotic as all the boys, swinging schoolbags and shouting. Potter as a second year, when he was cheeky and irritating, but always nice to Lily. Potter as a third year, when he swore, made tasteless jokes and pulled endless pranks. Potter as a fourth year, when he started asking her out and swaggering down the corridors. Potter as a fifth year, when he showed off, boasted and hexed people for fun.
But then Potter as a sixth year, when he stopped that and started thinking about other people. Potter as a seventh year, the funny, witty, charming person that Lily knew and admired. And Potter last Tuesday, when Lily had wished him good luck for the match and he'd replied,
"Thanks, Evans. But please, don't call me Potter anymore. I'm James."
James. If only he knew what she was thinking, as he soared above her head. She knew now. She knew who she wanted to be with, she knew in whose arms she belonged. She loved James.
An explosion of cheers and moans rang in her ears. Potter -no, James had caught the Snitch. Gryffindor had won the Cup for the third year in a row. Lily had longed for a Ravenclaw victory, but know the whole thing seemed so small and insignificant. All she could think of was James, James... She wanted to be near him, to hug him, to kiss him; her handsome, daring, talented James.
She leapt up and vaulted over the barrier that marked the edge of the pitch.
"Lily, what the-" Matthew grabbed her, but she wrenched her arm free. She had to get to James...
He had just touched the ground, his broomstick held triumphantly above his head. If she ran, Lily would be the first to reach him, before his fans swallowed him up and carried him away. Her heart pounded louder and louder with every step that took her nearer to him, nearer to James.
Up in the stands, Remus turned to Sirius and asked, bewildered,
"What in the name of Quidditch is Evans doing?"
"Having a mental relapse, by the looks of things," replied Sirius, grinning. "Goldstein is not gonna be a happy bunny."
Matthew gripped the edge of the chair. For the first time in his life, he felt powerless. Lily? Running to meet - Potter? The stupid, irresponsible, popular show-off who had just snatched away the Cup? He couldn't bear it. He'd done everything, everything, to try and make her happy, and she was going to join the army of Potter's fans? He loved her. Couldn't she see how much he loved her?
Lily was almost there now, only a few metres from James. What was she doing? James considered the possibility of her formally congratulating him, but no, surely not. She wouldn't do it here, now, and she most certainly wouldn't run to meet him. Then what was she doing?
James... Lily loved him, she could almost touch him... He was perfect, perfect... She had to show him how special he was... She had to... James...
Lily didn't say a word. She just took his head in her hands and kissed him, savouring every moment. He was so gorgeous...
She stopped. She leapt back away from him. She'd kissed him in front of the whole school, in front of the teachers, and Matthew. And she was Head Girl.
As the horror of realisation washed over her, she desperately searched James' face for help. He stared back, stunned.
"Wow, Lily," he whispered.
She turned and blindly ran from the pitch, watched by a thousand eyes.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Wow! I am so proud of this chapter!
What a cliffhanger, huh? James is left standing there in the middle of the pitch having just been kissed by the girl of his dreams, who happens to be going out with somebody else who, incidentally, was watching the whole thing. Along with the rest of the school. I mean, what can the guy do?
Please review and tell me your thoughts because it would mean a lot to hear from you. I have been writing this story since June and I've only just finished it, so I would love to know that all my hard work has been appreciated. That's over 6 months! I have only just realised that!
By the way, I know that James.. James.. James... Gets a bit repetitive but that's the point, before anyone flames me for it. It's the first time that Lily thinks of him as James, not Potter, and she is just coming to terms with the idea. She gets a bit crazy and can't stop thinking his name over and over again. She is obsessed with it.
I really really hope you like it and if you don't, tell me what I need to change so other people can enjoy it too.
Dancingmango xxx
PS Message to Posels, because she wants one:
Hopefully this was worth the wait.
Have noticed that Lily's obsession with James' name is the same as Jess' obsession with Miss Hoyle's name (among other things about Miss H.)
Maybe this is how she thinks.
I've got to get to Maths... I'm almost there... I have to... She's so special... I have to show her that I am the best at Maths so that she will like me...
Oh dear. Hope that this is not the case.
But probably is.
Ah well.
xxxxx