So. Lily agreed to come.
Heh. This is going to be an interesting Easter. . . And there was me thinking it was going to be awful because dad was gone.
Anyway. I never knew it was her birthday, either.
Oh well.
Chance for a party.
But I'll admit, the time leading up to the two weeks just dragged on. . . and on.
Not just because I was now looking forward to it. But because of the exams drawing closer, the teachers were working us to the bone.
And then there were Quidditch practices. . . which were good. But I was drained.
Still. We managed to thrash Ravenclaw by 270 points to 60.
As if anyone expected anything less.
Lily's POV
We got up early the day Easter break started, because Tess had to floo to some house using Dumbledore's fireplace and blah blah blah. . . it was all very confusing when taken from the point of view of someone who had had five hours sleep.
So we hugged Tessie goodbye (who was still in a hell of mood that she didn't get to spend the holidays with James) and then went to go back to bed.
Why we had to get up, I don't know.
But when we got to the Common Room, we found that the Marauders were already awake.
"Come on," James ordered, as he grabbed me by the shoulders and turned me around. "Breakfast."
"Noooo," I whined. "Sleep!"
"Food."
"It's six in the morning!"
"We've got the train at eight. . ." Remus reminded me.
Who in the right mind makes a train leave that early?
"And you still have to get ready and stuff," Sirius added, already walking out of the Portrait Hole.
"Fine," Helen sighed.
"But if I fall asleep at the table, you're to blame," I said.
Nah. As if I would blame James. Well, it depends what mood I was in with him. If he mentioned Tess, then yep. He was to blame.
My mum had been so not happy about me going. For several reasons, she said.
One; I didn't get to spend my birthday with her. My argument was that I hardly ever spend my birthday with her since she's working anyway, and that she could always owl me her present.
Two; She's not seen me in so long. My argument for that one was that I could send pictures and that I was sure she'd survive a few more months.
Three; She didn't know who James was. The argument for that was that I was sure he wasn't a masked murderer and that he was a good friend of mine.
Maybe I added the 'good friend' part', but the point was, I got to go. So did Helen.
And I was really looking forward to it, actually.
By the time we got on the train, I was feeling a lot more human.
Not that many people were going home for Easter break, so we got a compartment to ourselves easily.
And then we had to prepare for the long, long journey home.
"What are you doing?" James laughed, as I pulled about a million chocolate bars out of my trunk.
I looked at the chocolate and shrugged, as if it could explain for itself.
Did I mention James has the cutest little laugh? He does. And his face goes all. . . aww. . . ish. . . ey.
Exactly.
"Oh, see, I don't like wizardly sweets," I said casually.
"You don't like them?" Sirius exclaimed.
Sheesh. It's not as if I just told him I had a different way of breathing to everybody else, or something.
"No, I don't. I prefer Muggle chocolate."
"So I can see," James smiled.
Remus and Sirius soon got caught up in a game of Exploding Snap, leaving me, Helen, James and Peter to talk. Not about much. Plus, Peter fell asleep within ten minutes.
James' POV
After a few hours, we all grew bored.
Peter was asleep and Helen was asleep. Then Sirius - who looked as if he was about to drop off any minute too - suddenly glanced at Lily, then sent me a meaningful look.
I frowned, not having a clue what he was trying to tell me.
"Ahh. . ." Sirius jumped up and stretched, then slapped a hand on Remus' shoulder. "I think we should go in search of the witch with the food trolley. Don't you Remus?"
Remus looked up from the notebook he was doodling in. "What?"
"I said. . ."
"Yeah, I heard, but she'll probably be here any minute anyway," Remus shrugged.
Sirius sent him a 'Look'.
Ooh, I get he was trying to do.
"Yes, but don't you think we should go find her now?" he asked, biting out the words.
I watched with amusement as Sirius tried to discreetly jerk his head towards me and Lily, and realization suddenly hit Remus.
"Oh! Ooohh. . . Yeah, you're right. Come on, I'm sooooo hungry. . ." Remus grinned, standing up and leaving the compartment.
I rolled my eyes and smiled as they left.
Sirius has such great 'plans'.
Lily's POV
As soon as Sirius and Remus left, I turned slowly to James, who was sat opposite me.
What was it with Black and leaving me alone with James? Huh? Huh?
It wasn't fair.
Well, actually, it was fair for me. Hey, I got 'alone' time with him, I suppose. . .
But dammit, he doesn't like me!
"So. . .?" I sighed, giving him a small smile.
"So. . ." James repeated. "What d'you wanna do?"
I shrugged, trying not to focus on how cute he looked.
Then I kicked my feet up next to him, on his seat.
"Sorry," I smiled. "It's more comfortable."
James grinned and nodded. "Okay. . . So we could play a game?" he suggested.
"Ooh, the alphabet game!"
"The what?"
Oh come on, what planet's he living on?
"You know, where you say like. . ." I paused, thinking. "In my bag, I have. . . an apple, a. . . boat, a cat, a dog, an. . . egg. . ."
Hmm. Are you beginning to realise how bored we were?
James stared at me for a moment, his smile getting wider. "That must be one big bag."
"You know what I mean!" I giggled. "And you've got to remember everything. Like, I start it off, you repeat it and add something else. . ."
"Okay, okay. But this sounds like one long game. Just better hope that Sirius and Remus don't come back anytime soon," he said.
After about fifteen minutes, I couldn't remember everything.
I mean, the alphabet has loads of letters. . . try remembering in order an object for every one of them.
"You know what, I'm bored," I interrupted James, as he tried to rattle off everything, but getting stuck on 'P'.
"Okay," he agreed, grinning. "Me too. Anyway, I've got a better game. . ."
Nope, nope, nope.
I hate truth or dare.
I mean, I always go for dare. But, have you noticed, if someone wants to find out the truth, the can always 'dare' you to tell them?
That's totally ruining the whole point of truth OR dare.
Tuh.
"Oh yeah? And what's that?"
"Who would you rather go out with?"
"What?" I cried, before collapsing with laughter.
I was not expecting that.
"Shh," he laughed, nodding towards Helen and Peter. "Come on! It's a game."
"It is not a game. But. . . alright," I gave in.
Oh, why on earth did I do that?
In the hope that I could drop hints?
Smooth.
"Okay, I go first," James said, shifting in his seat to make himself more comfortable. "Sebastian McKenzie or. . . Dylan Webb?"
I stared at him blankly.
You know what would so help?
If I knew who these people were.
"Who McWho and Dylan What?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.
James frowned for a second, then snapped his fingers and nodded. "Oh yeah! You're Muggle born. Sorry. They're famous. . . wizards."
"Oh." That's nice. "Come on then, say people I know."
"Okay, okay, okay. Remus. . ."
Oh, here we go.
"Or. . . Peter?"
"Remus," I answered immediately. "Okay. . . Lorredana?" James moaned loudly, making me smile. "Or. . ."
I trailed off. If I said Tess, I'd know. I mean, I already knew, but there'd be no hiding it.
And - for some strange, bizarre reason - I didn't want to know he was crazy about my best friend.
"Who?" he asked after a few moments of silence.
"I. . . I can't think of anyone," I said lamely.
James hesitated, and then murmured something like, "What about you?"
"What? Me? What about me?" I asked, totally confused.
"I mean you. Lorredana or you," he said slowly. Then he cleared his throat as, well, it took me awhile for that to make sense. "Never mind."
Oh no, don't say never mind!
"I've got one for you. Logan. . ."
Oh God, Logan. I forgot about him!
"Or. . . me?"
James' POV
Okay. I was about to die, and Lily wasn't saying anything.
I mean, I'd just put myself out there and if she was to just shoot me down-
"You?"
I laughed lightly. You know, as if 'Hey, so I'm madly in love with you and am about to find out just what you think of me. Big deal! Ha! Ha! Oh Gods, this is so bleedin' funny!'
"Yeah. Me or Logan?" then I stopped laughing and looked at her seriously.
For two reasons. One, to show her that I wasn't really joking around. And two, because. . . well, I was serious, and there's only so long you can keep up an act when you feel as if you're about to throw up.
Ooh, why didn't I just keep quiet?
"You or Logan. . .?" Lily murmured, becoming very interested in her hands, and a blush creeping across her cheeks. "Um. . . I dunno. That's not fair."
"Why's it not fair?"
Because Logan's her boyfriend, you prat.
"Because. . ." Lily looked thoughtful. "It was my turn! You didn't answer mine. Lorredana or. . ." Suddenly she looked uncomfortable as she remembered. "Me?"
Is she kidding?
I rolled my eyes and smiled. "You," I said simply.
"Over Lorredana? Yeah, I should hope so. . ."
"No, not just over Lorre. . ." I trailed off and sighed.
She so was not helping.
"You."
"Me?"
Like I said, not helping.
"Yes," I insisted softly. "As in, you. Overall. Over. . . everyone."
She looked at me in surprise, and while she took that in, I breathed a sigh of relief.
So I was now awaiting her answer.
At least she knew.
And. . . um. . . well, Sirius would be happy.
Lily's POV
"Um. . . Um. . ."
Well, what the heck was I supposed to say?
If I were to start jumping for joy and smothering him in kisses for him to turn around and say 'Hey, I was only kidding', then I'd be more than a little embarrassed.
"S. . . Seriously?"
James laughed bitterly, looking as if he suddenly regretted saying anything. "Seriously."
"I. . . wow," I breathed. I hesitated, trying to keep the massive smile that was growing on my face.
And you know what I was thinking? And I was thinking it gleefully, no matter how horrible it was?
Tess is gonna kill me!
But she'll get over it.
After all, I'm the one who loves him.
Wait! Loves him? I don't. . .
"Uh, Lily?" James said nervously, looking completely uncomfortable. "Um, you've gotta say something."
"I. . . well. . ."
Why was I getting so tongue tied?
I've planned this
moment out in my head often enough.
Oh my God, he'd said. . .
and he meant it!
I looked up at James and grinned.
"James. This is so-!"
"Hey!"
Sirius peered around the door and smiled innocently. "What's
going on?" He then glanced at Helen and Peter. "Wow.
They've been asleep long enough-"
"Sirius,"
James growled, and he looked at him in surprise.
"What?"
he asked, and was answered with a glare.
Soon they were
having a conversation with their eyes. Don't ask me how they did it,
but they understood each other to the extent that Sirius suddenly
grinned, smiled slyly at me, and then ducked back out of the
carriage.
"You were saying?" James looked at me
cautiously.
He's so cute when he's nervous.
"I
was saying. . ." I leant forward, but instead of
finishing my sentence, I kissed him gently on the lips.
Now
that took guts.