A/N: Hi!! Don't shoot me, here's a nice juicy chapter to read!!
DISCLAIMER: It's all JK's!! All hail JKR for the wonderful masterpiece that was OoP!! Even if the ending was sad … I love Sirius!!!!
Chapter 13: Temper, temperLily and James listened to Lena's footsteps fade away. Lily stormed over to her record player and put on Revolver. The same thing she'd use later when murdering her best friend.
"Is that the same group you were requesting last night?" James wondered. Lily nodded. He picked up the record sleeve. Lily wanted to tell him to put it down, but she didn't.
"What did you say their names were again?" James asked, rather bravely, considering the looks Lily was shooting him.
"John, Paul, Ringo and George," she said. She pointed to a picture on her wall of the four of them pretending to fight. "John and Paul," she went on, pointing them out. "And Ringo and George."
"Which is your favorite?" James inquired.
"What is with all the questions?" Lily wondered.
"Pardon me for being friendly," James said indignantly. "I just thought it might be something you'd like to talk about.
"Why would I want to talk to you?" she asked.
"Well we're stuck here for bloody ages until your friend lets us out," James retorted. And we can talk about what she wants us to talk about, we can talk about the Stick insects or whatever, or we can sit here twiddling our thumbs all morning. I'm not a thumb-twiddling type of person, Lily and I don't want to discuss last night. So Lily, which is your favorite?"
"Firstly, it's the Beatles," Lily corrected. "And it's Paul."
"Why?" James wanted to know.
"I don't know," she said. "He just is."
"But why?" James wondered. "They're all good looking. Well, except for him." Lily smiled.
"Leave Ringo alone," Lily said. "He's got gorgeous eyes. And besides, I love them all."
"But Paul's your favorite," James checked.
"Well, yeah," she said. "Marginally."
"But why?" James persisted.
"I told you, I don't know why, exactly."
"There has to be a reason," James pointed out. "If you ask me, he's not even the best looking one. That one is," he went on, pointing to one of them.
"If Adele and Sophie and half the school heard that they'd be heartbroken," Lily said.
""Why?" James asked.
"You fancy George Harrison," she replied.
"I didn't mean it like that!" he said defensively.
"It sounds a lot like you've got something to hide. And you've got bad taste," she went on. "Everyone knows it goes, in order of the best-looking, Paul, George, Ringo, John."
"You're putting Ringo before John?"
"On the basis of his eyes and smile," Lily explained. James squinted at the album cover. Lily rolled her eyes and pulled a giant scrapbook from her locker. She flicked through it and found a suitable picture, then shoved it across the bed so James could see. He scooted nearer to the bed and peered at the book.
He began to leaf through the pages. It was full of newspaper clippings, pictures, badges, and magazine articles about the band. Song words had been written out by Lily and glued in. James was able to start at the beginning and trace their entire career.
"What's wrong with all those girls?" James asked, pointing to a picture of a crowd of girls screaming.
"The Beatles happened to them," Lily said. "There were girls screaming everywhere they went."
"I know how they feel," James said, grinning. "I have that effect on girls, too." Lily rolled her eyes. He could be so arrogant. He continued to flick through the book. "Is Paul your favorite 'cos John's married?" he asked, looking at an article about John and Yoko's honeymoon.
"Paul's married, too," Lily said. "To Linda."
"Then what is it that makes him your favorite?" James asked again.
"He's the nicest," Lily said.
"How do you know?"
"I just do."
"What do you mean by 'nice'?" James wondered. "It's such a general word."
"I don't know … friendly, kind, helpful, fun," Lily listed. "Is that good enough?"
"How do you know?" James wondered. Lily took a deep breath, in an attempt to calm herself down.
"I do," she replied.
"Bit how?" he asked again.
"I do!" Lily shouted, loosing her temper.
"George could be nicer," James argued. "How do you know that Paul's nicest?"
"Because I met them!" she exclaimed, and then clapped her hand over her mouth. "Bugger!" she shouted. She hit James across the head.
"What did you do that for?" he yelled, jumping out of her reach.
"I can't believe I told you that!" she moaned. "I didn't even say it to my mother!"
"That you met the Beatles?" he asked, rubbing his head. "Why not?"
"I don't know," she said for what seemed like the gazillionth time that morning. "My dad told her that I met them, but even he didn't know what happened …"
"|Why did you tell me?" James wondered.
"How the bloody hell do I know?" she said. "I didn't mean to, it just slipped out … you can't tell anyone, ok?"
"Ok," he said, and turned back to the scrapbook. Lily blinked.
"You're not going to bug me to tell you more?" she asked, bewildered.
"Would you like me to?" he wondered.
"No," she replied. James grinned and flicked thorough the book. "I just expected you too, that's all," she went on.
"What sort of person do you think I am?" he asked her. She shrugged. He was leaning on the bed with one arm and was totally absorbed in the book. She knew that once he took even the slightest interest in the Beatles, it would grow and grow … Beatlemania was most certainly contagious.
But James wasn't fascinated by the short length of time it too the band to record an album, it was the effort, concentration and care that Lily had put into the book. Each picture was labeled, each newspaper clipping dated. Every album was presented in chronological order with cover illustrations, reviews (all glowing) and song lists. Every song had two pages devoted to it; with sheet music, guitar chords and song words presented impeccably.
"Do you play guitar?" he asked, upon seeing the chords.
"Yeah," she said, "since I was eight."
"Remus taught me," James said. "We've never tried Muggle stuff, though, mostly WWN. Do you have your guitar with you?" he wanted to know.
"yeah," she said, and pulled an acoustic gutar from under her bed. "My bass and my brand new electric guitar are at home," she said. "I got the bass when I was twelve and the electric last Christmas. It's beautiful."
"I only have an acoustic, it's in my trunk," James said, taking the guitar. He looked at the chords in the book and tried to play.
His brow furrowed.
"Um, Lily, it's upside-down," he said, puzzled.
"Sorry!" Lily said. "I forgot. It's a left-handed guitar, I'm a leftie."
"I didn't think there was such thing," James admitted.
"Of course there is," Lily said. "Paul McCartney is a lefty too," she said, and James flicked to a picture of him.
"Oh, yeah, he's holding it backwards," he said. "You play for me, then." He handed the guitar back to Lily. She blushed slightly and strummed along with the song playing on the record at that moment.
"Cool," James said after a minute.
"Nothing like it's really meant to be," she said modestly. The record finished, and James looked up. "Can we play another one?" he asked.
"You pick," Lily said. He flicked through her collection.
"How about this?" he suggested, holding up 'A Hard Day's Night.'
"Good choice," Lily said. "This song has the best intro ever." He listened to the single crashing strum that marked the start of the song. He grinned.
"That is so…," he said.
"Isn't it?" she agreed, grinning back.
"Yeah. How long have you been … well, as far as I can see …," he said, gesturing to the book, "obsessesed with them?"
"My dad bought Please Please Me when I was six months old, but I had been listening to them on our little radio in our kitchen and giggling for ages before," she told him. "I first smiled when Love Me, Do was playing. So, anyway, any time I cried, for any reason, whether I was sick, or tired, or hurt, or cross, the Beatles would make me stop. He bought the album like I said and I danced around on the floor to it. I could sing He bought the album like I said and I danced around on the floor to it. I could sing She Loves You before I could say 'Dada.' It was one of their first singles, and it went, 'She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah,'" she went on, noticing James' blank expression. "It just grew. My dad nurtured it ...bought the albums for me, spoiled me rotten, all that." James grinned. "He took me to see them play when I was four ...he wanted me to see them live, 'cos it was looking like they were going to stop touring."
"Why?" James wanted to know.
"They couldn't hear themselves play with all the screaming," she explained. "Dad thought we wouldn't be able to hear, either, but he reckoned it would be worth it."
"But why bother then?" James asked. "And wouldn't a four-year-old get crushed in a crowd like that?"
"You'd think so, wouldn't you?" Lily said mischievously. "But there was something we weren't factoring in."
"What was it?" he asked. Lily grinned.
"Well it was something I didn't even know I had," Lily said. It was James' turn to grin as the penny dropped.
"Magic," he guessed. She nodded.
"We got really good places to stand, I wasn't pushed elbowed or brushed off all night, and I could hear every single glorious note they played," she said. "I was concentrating so hard on hearing them that my powers must have blocked out all the other sounds. Of course my dad didn't believe me that I could hear them, he thought I was only pretending …"
"Is that when you met them?" he asked.
"No," she replied.
"Sorry, I know you don't want to talk about it," he said.
"Actually I'm getting the strangest urge to tell you about it," she admitted. "But …"
"It's entirely up to you," he said. "I don't mind, what you do. But I do have to admit that I'm curious."
"It's just ...well I've never told anyone what happened," she said. "I always wanted it to be my special secret. But it would be cool to tell someone else so I'd know it was real."
"How long ago was it?" he asked.
"I was eight, well, almost eight," she told him. She looked as if she was experiencing a powerful internal struggle.
"How about you tell me this and I'll tell you one of my secrets," he suggested.
"How would that help," she wondered.
"Insurance," he explained. "If I breath a word to anyone about you meeting the Beatles, you can tell everyone my secret." Lily thought about this for a second.
"What is your secret?" she asked.
"You go first," he suggested. She took a deep breath.
"Ok. Well, it was about ten years ago … they worked across the street from my dad. They had a production company, Apple and a basement recording studio. It was during half term and mum was away on a trip with 'Tuna, my sister. I went to work with my dad. The last day I got to spend an afternoon with them."
"Why?"
"Paul; met my dad and mentioned that they had a meeting that evening," Lily explained, "and he was looking after his stepdaughter Heather, so he was stuck for a babysitter. Dad volunteered his services and they agreed to swap kids for a bit.
"Did you have fun?" James asked. Lily nodded eagerly.
"I was just learning how to play guitar, so I played for them."
"And did they play for you?" James wondered.
"Yeah, a bit," she said.
"Did you hear them recording?" he asked.
"Yeah, they did 'Let it Be ' while I was there the first time," she said.
"You met them more than once?"
"Yeah, I stopped by with a pressie on George's birthday. Same day as mine," she added.
"Did they give you any presents?"
"Guitar picks," she said.
"I'd bet they're worth something," James said.
"I have the original LPs, too, they'll be worth loads," she said. "But I'll never sell them. Not only do they mean too much to me, but I'd have to take the charms off."
"Tut tut," James said, grinning. "That's a Misuse of a Muggle Artifact."
"I didn't want them to wear out," she said sheepishly. "And I had to charm my record player to work at Hogwarts. I couldn't live without them."
"So I'm the only person who's been told about meeting the Beatles?" James checked.
"Don't tell anyone," she ordered.
"I won't," he swore.
"So are you going to tell me your big secret?" she asked, not realizing that she was having fun in James' presence. "Was I right about you fancying George?"
"No," he said. "I'm in love."
"James Potter in love?" she asked incredulously. "I didn't think you did love."
"Well, I didn't," he admitted. "Until her."
"When did this happen?" she asked.
"Well, I've known her for ages, but lately I've seen her in a different light," he said
"I'm happy for you both," she said, not really meaning it.
"Thanks, but she doesn't know it yet," James said.
"Oh," Lily said, becoming very interested in her bedspread.
"I haven't told her," he went on.
"Oh," Lily repeated, tracing the outline of a daisy. James reached into his pocket and pulled out a rubber ball. He bounced it, looking at Lily all the time. A grin flickered across his face.
"She likes someone else, you see," he told her. "And I don't think I stand a chance."
"James Potter doesn't stand a chance?" Lily said, feigning disbelief. "You must have strong competition."
"Well he's pretty famous, and I'm guessing rich," he said
"Quidditch player?" Lily guessed.
"Musician," James corrected.
"Oh," she said a=gain. "So what's so great about her?" she asked, with only the slightest trace of bitterness.
"Everything," James replied eagerly. "She's really smart. And so funny! She has a tough time of it, too, if you ask me, but never complains. And, to top it all off, she's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."
"Sounds perfect," Lily muttered. "Pity she's already taken."
"Oh, she's not taken," James told her.
"But the musician –" she started.
"Oh, she's not going out with him, she just fancies him," he said.
"Does she fancy you aswell?" Lily wondered.
"I think there's a strong possibility that she does," James said. "Or, you know, I could just be being arrogant." He looked up at Lily, and grinned.
"Well, you can be," she pointed out.
"I used to be way worse," he said, in his own defence. "I have matured a bit."
"Not much," Lily said quietly, smiling.
"Well, this is about as mature as I can get, for now," he said. "Take it or leave it."
"D'you reckon you're mature enough to be in love?" Lily asked. James scrunched his nose in thought.
"Well ... maybe I was a bit hasty in calling it love …," he said. "But I know that I've never felt like this before."
"Tell me more about Ms Perfect," Lily said.
"Well, she's really clever, like I said. She speaks her mind, too. If there's something she doesn't like, she'll make sure everyone knows. She tries to stick up for everyone, too, even if they don't deserve it. People pick on her, but she still defends them when they're having a tough time. They don't deserve it, mind … but there's no telling her that." He continued to bounce the ball, sneaking glances at Lily every so often. "She's a great kisser too," he added with a slight grin. Lily's head shot up.
"I thought you weren't going out," she said.
"Not technically, but we have kissed," James said.
"So she's the kind of girl that goes around kissing loads of people, then?" Lily said scornfully.
"No!" James exclaimed. "She's not like that at all! It's complicated …"
"Sure," Lily muttered. It had been almost bearable there for a second ... but she couldn't wait for Lena to come back and let them out. Listening to James describing his dream girl was just as annoying as seeing him attaching himself to his latest girl in the common room …
"Lily? Are you still in there?" James was calling.
"Yeah," she said, snapping out of it.
"The kiss, it's complicated," he said. "We were out for the night, you see. It was her friend's birthday and a big group of people went out," he went on, not taking his eyes from Lily. She had looked up at this stage, in apparent disbelief.
"Don't, James …," she barely whispered.
"We were both under the influence," he said. "Though I'm sure it was her first time to be drunk, and it was mostly my fault that she got that way in the first place. Anyway, when I woke up the next morning I told my friends that I couldn't remember … but I could."
"James—"
"I remember every second ...her smile, her hair – soft and silky." James stood up and walked over to her bed. Lily could only remember being this confused, excited and nervous before – and that was hen she had met the Beatles ...his eyes hadn't moved from hers and she was vaguely aware of him speaking …
" … She suggested it, but I'd been dreaming about it for ages ...it was somehow less romantic than I'd thought it would be," he admitted, touching her hand. "I was hoping – could we try again?"
"What?" she said, turning away, her heart hammering in her throat?
"Lily, you know it's you," he said. "I can't get you out of my head, never could. All those other girls … were just to make you jealous. The showing off, the arrogance … you were so mature from day one o0n the Hogwarts Express … you worked so hard and didn't have time for plonkers like me ...I was intrigued – you weren't impressed by the flashy stuff … Lily, look at me," he ordered.
"You can't just come in here and say those things and expect me to swoon—" she started.
"I don't. Lily, give me a chance, please," he asked.
"We'd be terrible together," she said. "We don't agree on anything. And we're polar opposites – you come from a rich, pure-blood family and live I a mansion somewhere, and my dad is a banker and we live in a three-bedroomed flat in Tooting."
"Who cares?" he said. "What's our background got to do with it?"
"Everything," Lily said.
"Only if we let it," James said.
"It's too complicated," she said.
"How?" he challenged.
"Well, Sophie and Adele will tell everyone and they'll all be talking about me. And I won't be Lily Evans anymore; I'll become 'James Potter's girlfriend.' Not to mention Malfoy and Snap, who'll point out at every available opportunity that you're befouling your blood or whatever? Sirius Remus and Peter will tease me mercilessly and probably make my life hell with all their pranks, 'cos they'll be worried I'll try to stop you causing trouble. Not to mention the fact that I've been denying that I like you for six years. Plus, I wouldn't subject you to Petunia and Vernon, ever. I can handle her attacking me, but I couldn't stand it if she said anything about you." she stopped and inhaled after an age. James blinked.
"But how do you feel?" he asked.
"I just told you—" she started.
"No, you outlined every other person in the world's opinion except the one that matters most: your own," he said. She looked momentarily stumped, and James took advantage of the moment to cup her chin in his hand. She didn't move, which he took as a good sign.
"Just stop thinking," he instructed. "See if this helps. He kissed her softly on the lips. Lily obeyed and found that it helped almost as much as Lena's potion. For a few blissful minutes, they kissed. But then Lily's brain kicked in. she pulled back.
"No," she said. "I can't, James."
"Because of what everyone else thinks?" he asked angrily. "Who cares? As long as you're happy, what else matters?"
"But that's just it, James, I don't want to be talked about," she said, close to tears. "You may crave attention, but I hate it. I don't like it when the Slytherins say things about my parents. I don't show it, but it does effect me."
"Lily, this is too important to let anyone else influence it," James shouted. "Don't tell me that kiss meant nothing, I was there, I felt it!"
"James, just drop it, it's not going to happen," she said, turning up the volume on her record player.
"Lily, please," he begged over the music. "I can't go on like this!" she didn't respond. He felt his temper rising. "Fine! Lena was right; all you do is run away. If you were a teensy bit braver you might enjoy life, but you just won't risk it. You're a Gryffindor, you're meant to be brave." She barely blinked. "I'm getting out of here," he fumed, pulling out his wand and blasting the door from its hinges.
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A/N: Phew! So sorry it took forever, please be nice when you review …
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