Author: the-girl-who-lived
Disclaimer: Methinks as thou art scrolling, It will be obvious to thee, That 'Harry Potter' ect. belongs to J.K Rowling, And most definitely not me (Disclaimer was made by Mrs.James Potter thanks for the wonderful disclaimer!))
Summary: All seventh year Hogwarts students have to participate in a One Month Marriage project at school in order to learn how to take care of themselves. And Lily Evans is paired with her worst nightmare... James Potter.
A/n: If the document doesn't look right it is because I loaded it off of notebook because I am left with no other choices. Here it is!
Chapter 1: Memories and a Worst Nightmare
"Where is it... come on Lily... where did I put it," Lily questioned herself out loud as she looked frantically through her drawers for her emerald necklace.
"Come on Lily think... how could I have lost it... I know it's here somewhere... I should have never taken it off," Lily said outraged with herself for being so forgetful.
"Where is it... I'm not going to be able to eat before school... ow," Lily cried out when she stupidly hit her knee on the wooden trunk in front of her bed. Lily grabbed her knee and sat on the floor massaging it. Now fully aware this was not going to be one of her best days.
Lily stayed on the floor massaging it for a minute or so and then decided she might as well look inside her nightstand since she was only a foot or so away and standing up was completely out of the question. So after being sure to not hit her knee against anything she slid herself over to her nightstand in order to continue her frantic search. She put her hands up to the knobs protruding from the nightstand drawer and slowly slid it open and started pulling out different papers and other belongings that rightfully belonged in her junk drawer.
"No... that's not it... no...no...no...no," Lily said as she went through her seemingly useless belongings hoping her necklace slipped through a few things while in there," no...no...n---," Lily's heart beat quickly as if she had just been caught with her hands in the forbidden cookie jar.
Oh, how she would have rather been caught doing such a forbidden thing, anything rather than finding this photo. She brought the picture closer to her curious eyes even though deep down she knew she should be pulling it as far away from her face as she could. Unknowingly a single tear flowed down her cheek as she stared at the picture of her and Derek. In the photo Derek had taken a book out of her hands in order to gain her attention and Lily, in the photo was hopelessly trying to get the book back from him. Derek teasingly held it as far from her as possible as Lily pleaded with him to give it back and was currently leaning over him in a hopeless attempt to get back her book. As she leaned over him she remembered realizing she wouldn't get it back by wrestling him for it. She looked at him and gave him a pouty look. Derek threw his head back and allowed his floppy and extremely sexy dirty blond hair to fly back as he laughed at her antics.
"Fine you can have it back if you kiss me," Derek said with sexy grin on his face. The Lily in the picture immediately obliged and gave him a daring kiss on the lips, that kiss had been their first.
Lily's mind was immediately on a rampage trying to figure out why she had been unable to throw this photo away. As if the answer had always been there, trying to pry itself into her mind, it came to her. She hadn't been able to throw it away even after he had hurt her so badly because this single photo represented the beginning of their relationship. Why did she have to come across this photo? This was the one photo that when looking at it could only make Lily remember the happiest moments of their relationship. She knew it was inevitable that these resurfacing memories would happen and there was nothing she could do to stop them. Or perhaps she didn't want to stop them. No, she shook her head, I can't still care for him. I couldn't possibly... He hurt me so much how could I even begin to still love him. Slowly as if in a trance she brought the moving photo up to her face and wondered if she really did still love him. No I couldn't she thought furiously and brought the photo away from her face angrily.
She felt something on her cheek and so she brought her hand up to her face to brush it off. Once she felt the wet tear on her finger she knew she still cared for him. She couldn't deny what she had pushed from her mind for the last seven months by an immense overwork load she had given herself. As early as September she had been preparing for the frightening exams called N.E.W.T's. Even her friends teased her about the fact that she studied all the time for these tests that most students hadn't even begun to study for. Constantly they told her that if she took the tests now she would pass with flying colors. Deep down she knew why she had been doing this to herself... she wanted to push Derek Logan from her mind. But her attempts had been futile because now after seven months of overworking herself she was questioning if she still loved him. Get over yourself Lily he's the one who broke up with you! She couldn't stop thinking about him. This had been the first time in months that she had even begun to allow him to enter her mind without pulling out yet another book to study as a punishment for the brief thought.
Finally allowing herself to think about him she picked up the photo and gazed at his face, wondering. Her thumb began massaging his handsome face and that was when she remembered. Today was the very day she realized she truly cared for him. That was all she needed to know in order to allow herself the luxury of indulging in their memories together.
Flashback
"It's now a tie between Slytherin and Ravenclaw thanks to a superb score by Faris(Ravenclaw chaser). Look over there it looks like Manfre (Slytherin seeker) has just spotted the snitch. Come on Steel get over there," Jenn Smuckers commented making it very obvious she was a Ravenclaw.
"Oh... that had to have really hurt," Jenn said as she winced in mock pain along with everyone else in the stands.
They were all very glad they had not just been hit by bludger in the arm. Derek Logan had hit the bludger and anyone who wasn't a Slytherin supporter was cheering his name. Single handedly that bludger had saved the game for Ravenclaw. Manfre had been inches away from the snitch and Ravenclaw's seeker was just out of reach of it. Everyone was watching Steel as he dove for the snitch but not Lily. She had just stopped clapping so as not to draw attention to herself and was now merely beaming at him as he did a victory lap around the field but was keeping an eye on Steel. But, Derek never saw Steel's dive for the snitch prove to be successful. Instead Lily watched as a very powerful bludger hit him the back of the head and he then fell dozens of feet to the floor. No one seemed to have noticed except Lily since she had been the only one watching Derek. Not a single adult or professor saw Derek fall so no one was able to conjure up a spell to save him from this perilous fall. Even Dumbledore had been to engrossed in the match between Slytherin and Ravenclaw.
The second Derek hit the floor Lily ran faster than any other moment in her life to him, despite the cheering crowd. As soon as she reached him she slid like a baseball player would to first base and upon landing she grabbed his limp hand and once she positioned herself appropriately she cupped his left cheek in her hand. All she could do was stare into his motionless face and hope he was all right. Just as she was about to change her position so his head could rest in her lap Madame Pompfry arrived.
Madame Pompfry cried out as she tried to catch her breath," Don't... move... up... his... head."
Lily quickly moved her hands from his head as fast as if she truly had been burned. Foolish was the only word Lily could use to describe how she felt. How stupid am I? Everyone knows you are not supposed to pick up a person's head after a fall like that. If Madame Pompfry hadn't stopped her she could have very well paralyzed him... if he was still alive. No Lily don't think like that. He will be all right, he just has to be. Lily's attention was adverted from her thoughts when she saw Madame Pompfry whip out her wand and make a stretcher appear out of nowhere. Derek's seemingly lifeless body was then lifted safely onto the stretcher by another one of Madame Pompfry spells. When Madame Pompfry began walking away with Derek at her side Lily began to follow her.
Madame Pompfry immediately stopped her by saying," Don't it's better if you stayed out of my way as I tend to him. Plus Dumbledore doesn't want students around if I have to pronounce someone dead. I'll send word for you later Miss. Evans."
Lily's watched Madame Pompfry walk away in batted breath. Apparently everyone else in the stands had been watching her with curiosity. But none of this mattered to her. All she could even begin to think about was Derek. Oh, please don't have let anything have happened to him. He couldn't possibly be dead. Out of the corner of her eyes Lily saw Dumbledore go down the stairs and follow Madame Pompfry to the infermery with a very solemn look on her face. Lily finally took a breath when she realized her air supply was running low but still continued to hope he was all right. If he is dead I just don't know what I'll do. Why do I care so much? Yes, he is my friend but why do I feel as if his death could result in an emptiness that will fill the rest of my life. Could I possibly love him? Before she could answer these questions she overheard McGonagall, Burns and a few other teachers yelling at a Slytherin beater named Crabbe.
McGonagall was outraged as she spoke to Crabbe,"I can't believe a Hogwarts student would pull a nasty trick like that. Do you know he could be dead right now? And one other thing how could you hit that bludger at Logan when not only he was hardly twenty feet from you but Steel was about to catch the snitch. Maybe if you hit the bludger at Steel you could even begin to justify it. That is not the only reason I am disgusted in you. There is also the fact that we had this same conversation just last month when you pulled this nasty trick at your match against Hufflepuff!"
Lily was shocked when her friend Chloe ran up to her and engulfed her in a hug.
"Oh Lily did you see it? Someone told me all about it! Crabbe hit a bludger as hard as he could at Derek and he was not even twenty feet from him," Chloe cried and then questioned," is he alright?"
"Chloe I don't know. Madame Pompfry told me not to go to the infirmary because she could be announcing him dead," Lily said unaware of the tears pouring down her cheeks.
"He can't be dead. Not Derek," Chloe said as she shook her head disbelievingly and then she realized something," Lily you really like him don't you?"
"I really don't know but I think I might," Lily said.
Chloe nodded knowingly and said this as she began to whip the tears off Lily's cheeks," You know what, we are going to go straight to the infirmary and see him. I don't care what any nurse says, you have a right to know what's happened to him."
"Thanks," Lily said appreciatively just as Chloe grabbed her arm and began to confidently march to the infirmary.
Once Chloe and Lily reach the doors she marched through them completely ignoring the Do Not Disturb signs despite the fact that they were only put up in cases of an emergency. Immediately Chloe began searching for the bed Derek was in and she spotted it quite easily since it was the only one being used and it had the curtains pulled around it. Chloe continued to march straight to the bed while a less confident Lily followed. This was the first time she had ever knowingly disobeyed an authority figure. But Chloe seemed no to care because she was now throwing the curtains open. Madame Pompfry looked up from her tending to Derek once both Chloe and Lily were inside the curtains. Lily felt as if she truly breathed for the first time once she caught sight of Derek lying there and she immediately fell to the floor beside his bed and held onto his hand and didn't even pay attention as Madame Pompfry scolded them for their disobedience.
Madame Pompfry said looking at them angrily," Miss. Evans I told you personally not to come up here so you can't say you didn't see the sign posted on the door. And Miss. Lenell what are you doing in here. I am very disappointed in the both of you. Now please leave."
For the first time Lily decided for herself to disobey an adult's orders. Her only response to Madame Pompfry's demands and accusations was gazing at Derek's face and for the first time she realized just how much she truly cared for him.
End of Flashback
Lily looked up from the photo and the tears were now streaming down her face. Angrily she whipped them away. Just yesterday she had been so positive she was completely over him and now she was sitting here not able to think of anything but him. She truly needed to get over herself. He had hurt her so much that she had started to become bitter and she knew what everyone was saying about her in the halls. That she would become a bitter old maid one day and that she would never allow love to get into her heart again. Secretly she knew it was the truth. Whenever her friends would try to get her to talk to a guy and try to get her to go out with him, she would brush him off using excuses like he's way to taller than me. Or his hair is to long or that his hair was to short.
But she couldn't help it. Derek had hurt her so much. Hell, she even gave her virginity to him. She had been hopelessly in love with him and was absolutely certain they would spend the rest of their lifes together. That all ended abruptly though when she caught him making out with some witch at a witch/wizard mixer club for teenagers over the summer. They had been going out since the end of their fifth year and up until the summer before their seventh year at Hogwarts. I can't still love him! I just can't! I tried so hard to push him from my mind and now I am nearly certain of the fact that I am still hopelessly in love with him. But I could I love someone who has hurt me so much?
The only answer to these questions was Lily's stomach which had just emitted a very loud rumble. In a haste she checked the time and realized she would be luck if made it to class on time let alone have time to eat breakfast. Forgetting about her search for her necklace she picked up her bag and made a mad dash to her Transfiguration class. Just as the bell rang she entered the class and took her seat next to her friends Bionca, Chloe and Carrie.
Bionca leaned over and asked," Why weren't you at breakfast?"
Lily replied hastily," We'll talk later," and when Bionca gave her a questioning look she continued with," it's a long story."
She said all this as she began looking around the classroom for Derek and she spotted him up front with two very pretty Hufflepuff girls named Gisselle and Dawn. Of course he was flirting with them but why were they in here. Lily's Transfiguration class was supposed to only be filled with Ravenclaws and Gryffindors. Her question was soon to be answered.
Professor McGonagall announced," I am sure you are all wondering as to why all of the seventh years are in this class together. It's very simple actually. All of you are going to be participating in something new this year called a one-month marriage. Before you decide you are not going to participate you should all be aware that this project will count as half of your grades for all of your classes. It's blatantly obvious that if you plan to graduate this year then you should participate in this assignment. For some of you this could give you an actual chance to graduate this year," she said while eyeing Peter Pettigrew (A/n: Slimeball author pokes him with her pen sorry I had to do that.)
"You will all be paired boy/ girl boy/girl and will be living together with this person in an apartment where you will be expected to cook and clean without magic. This will prepare you for the real world because when all of you have your own home you won't be able to look around for a spell to wash the dishes. Believe it or not you will have to actually hand wash dishes from time to time," McGonagall explained and the Slytherins did nothing to hide their disgust.
Some even aimed rude gestures at her underneath the table. Lucky for them Professor McGonagall didn't notice this as she continued on explaining the project.
Professor McGonagall continued," You will be married to this carefully chosen partner in a mock ceremony performed by someone who used to do such things. Your partner has been carefully chosen according to how much you know about cleaning and cooking without magic. For example, if you have little or knowledge about this then you will be paired with someone who knows how to cook and clean without magic. Not only that but each pair will be given money to use to pay for their food and rent."
Sirius held up his hand urgently and when it became apparent Professor McGonagall could ignore him no longer she called on him.
Sirius asked calling her by her first name which he often did," My dear Minerva can I buy a motorcycle with this money?"
"No Mr. Black you may not this money is all fake. And please call me Professor McGonagall not Minerva, I find it very disrespectful. Now if you would be kind enough to let me continue I will explain the rest of the project before you have to leave," she said sarcastically," this project will help you become responsible adults which is something Mr. Black should do well to learn."
Bionca leaned over and whispered," I feel bad for whoever is his partner."
Lily nodded but was not really paying attention since Derek was continuing to flirt with the two Hufflepuffs up at the front of the classroom. By now jealousy was enveloping her… which was very surprising because just yesterday she had been certain she was over Derek.
Professor McGonagall continued," The amount of money you will receive will be according to your G.P.A. If your grades are very good then you will receive more money than others. I'll hand out a sheet with this information on it when you leave and this sheet will also include when you are to go to the infermery to pick up your fake baby over the weekend. Each female partner is to wear a twenty-pound stomach all day except for when you are in the shower or sleeping. If you are caught without this on during the next few days yours and your partners' grades will drop one grade level. Believe me I will know if you take this off," she continued despite many of the scoffs from the girls in the classroom," There will be numerous empty frames throughout your homes in your living room, bedroom and kitchen. There will be a chaperone who will make sure you do this project appropriately. This chaperone figure will tell me if there is any inappropriate behavior between you and your partner since you will be sharing a room together. Of course you will have separate beds but it is necessary who are in the same room together since who will have to share the duty of taking care of the baby in the middle of the night. Obviously when you are changing you are to do so in the bathroom."
"That's not fair we won't have any privacy," James said defiantly and Lily shook her head in disbelief.
"And you shouldn't in a bedroom alone with a girl Mr. Potter," McGonagall replied even all of the teachers were fully aware of his reputation," now please no more interruptions, class is almost over and I need to announce your partners. No need to worry all of this has been carefully thought out since it will prove to be an important part of your grade. Now here they are."
"Black and Mahon" (Bionca).
"No," Bionca whispered and when Sirius turned around to wink at her she put her head down in disbelief.
"Lupin and Lenell" (Chloe).
"Hey it could be worse," Chloe said knowingly looking at Bionca.
Malfoy and Carmine" (Carrie).
"No way," Carrie said nearly in hysterics she couldn't believe her misfortune. Even Bionca gazed at her sympathetically.
"Steel and Williams"(Dawn).
Lily watched as one of the pretty Hufflepuffs by Derek turned around and winked at one of his friends.
"Pettigrew and Black"(Bellatrix).
"Lestrange and Turpin"(Jamie).
"Logan (Derek) and Logan "(Gisselle).
Lily gasped at this announcement and her jealousy reach boiling points when Gisselle flipped her beautiful blond hair over her shoulder and winked at Derek. Chloe curiously looked over at Lily, and gave her a questioning look. She could recognize Lily's jealousy as easily as if it were her own. Lily ignored her friend's questioning glance and continued to seethe, not paying attention to the rest of the names. She missed quite a few because once she started to pay attention it was the last announcement and it was her name with her worst nightmare.
"And finally Potter and Evans."
Lily's mouth dropped seemingly forever and wished she had the courage to flip off James when he turned around and winked at her. This truly was her worst nightmare.
A/n: Please REVIEW!! I will post quicker if I get loads of reviews!! They inspire me!!!