Beautiful Day by Rhima Ohks
Disclaimer: Scrimgeour – "Rhima, you have been charged with taking credit for characters, settings, spells, magical objects, and many other recognizable things from the Harry Potter series belonging to one: J.K. Rowling. You are hereby sentenced to a lifetime in Azkaban prison."
Rhima – sits up in bed in a cold sweat "Ahhh! No! Don't send me there! I don't own any of it! It all belongs to Jo! DON'T SUE ME!"
Summary: In a world where "Snape's Worst Memory" never happened; where James barely glanced Lily's way when in class; and in a time when unrequited love is finally returned.
Please R/R. Enjoy the story!
Chapter 1: Of Dress Robes and Enchanted Tape Measures
Lily Evans stood on a stool looking at herself in a mirror. She was trying on a new school robe at Madame Malkin's, her old school uniform being too small on her now. This upcoming year was to be her last at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
She grimaced at her reflection and sighed. She wasn't ugly; it's just that she had never thought herself really beautiful.
She sighed again as Madame Malkin came out from the back room with an enchanted tape measure and extra pins. "A little loose as usual, dearie?" The kindly woman asked. Lily had always gotten her robes fitted a bit loosely so that she could make use of them for more than one school year.
Lily thought for a moment. But this was her last year… it's not like she'd have any reason to wear them again once she graduated.
Would it really make a difference? She wondered for a moment.
"Miss?" Madame Malkin snapped Lily out of her reverie. She looked up at Lily, awaiting a response.
"Umm… no. I'd like them fitted, please." Madame Malkin looked pleased.
"About time, dearie. You're quite a lovely girl, you know. Now your pretty frame won't be drowning in your robes anymore. " She gave Lily a sweet smile and began pinning while the enchanted tape measure flew about her.
As Madame Malkin used one hand to pin the fabric along Lily's waist and the other to scribble down her measurements, a couple of rowdy teenage boys entered the shop. The small bell at the door rang, drawing Lily's attention to the reflections of the boys who had just waltzed in; she let out a small gasp.
"Oh, I'm sorry, dear! Did I stick you?" Madame Malkin asked through a mouthful of pins.
"No, no, it wasn't you. The doorbell startled me, that's all." Lily lied. She had been startled, but not be the bell; by the people who had come in. Lily subtly turned her head and stole a glance at James Potter, who had walked in with his best friend Sirius Black.
James Potter. Now there was a very popular subject among the Gryffindor girl's dorms. As Gryffindor's best chaser on the Quidditch team –not to mention captain- and leader of the infamous prankster group dubbed the Marauders, he was the envy of every wizard at Hogwarts and the object of every witch's affection… including Lily's.
Lily was in his classes at Hogwarts and they were in the same house and year, but he had never noticed her. Why would he? She thought. Lily had always been more studious than boy-crazy, so she didn't put very much effort into looking "acceptable" all the time like some of her roommates that spent about an hour primping in front of the mirror every morning.
She stole another glance at James, who at this point had turned his back to the mirror and held up a silver dress robe for Sirius to critique. As Sirius began listing the pros and cons –of which included, "They don't compliment your eyes, much, mate,"- he looked around the small shop, his gaze stopping on Lily for a moment, who blushed and quickly turned away. James dismissed this and continued shopping.
Lily mentally smacked herself for so obviously blushing like that. Why don't you just throw yourself at him? Her mind scolded her.
"You're all done, dear. Why don't you browse for anything else you might need while I make a few alterations?" Lily thanked the woman and stepped down from the stool. After carefully removing her new school robes and handing them to Madame Malkin, she reached into her jeans pocket for her Hogwarts materials list.
Her eyes found an item only found on the list for seventh year students: dress robes for the 'Graduation Eve Ball'. This dance was an intimate celebration, as it only included students of the current graduating class, but it was a definite formal event to celebrate the years they had shared together at Hogwarts.
Lily wandered to a rack of expensive-looking women's dress robes and looked for something that would compliment her pale completion and wouldn't clash with her fiery red hair.
At the other end of the shop, James and Sirius split up as Sirius climbed onto the stool to be fitted by one of the seamstresses. James was also looking for something to wear to the ball and was having a hell of a time trying to find something that was... well, 'James Potter' enough.
He sauntered to the rack near Lily labeled "Men's Dress Robes by Tolbertsky Norm." As he walked about the circular rack, he couldn't help but notice Lily sorting through her rack as well. Must be a Hogwarts student… I can't seem to place her, though…he thought.
Lily felt eyes on her and uncomfortably tucked a stray bit of hair behind her left ear. She decided not to inspect who was looking at her, because it would only make her even more self-conscious.
She spotted a pale blue dress robe. It was quite stunning, with Grecian bell sleeves that flowed elegantly to the floor, and a braided hem. She took it off the rack and put in front of her, inspecting herself in a nearby mirror. She was quite pleased; it didn't clash with her hair and it accentuated the pink in her skin.
She instantly regretted walking back to the rack, for when she turned around, she tripped over what seemed like thin air and collided with the rack. The rack then fell backward, causing a chain reaction among three other racks in the shop.
Lily watched with horror as the last rack to fall hit Sirius Black. He was –naturally- startled and twisted and turned trying to balance the stool. The enchanted tape measure was trying to get the measurement for his inseam at the time.
This all resulted in the tape measure weaving in and out of Sirius' legs, tripping the poor boy and causing him to topple over. He then knocked over a rack that began the final chain reaction that ended with the Tolbertsky Norm rack, knocking James over as well.
Lily looked up from the mess of dress robes that surrounded her. "Sorry," was all she could come up with in a situation like this.
Madame Malkin smiled, clearly amused and ordered a couple of seamstresses to begin levitating some racks.
Lily looked around and noticed that James was chuckling to himself. He saw her next to him, blushing furiously and got up. He offered her a hand, and she accepted. She felt like her face must be redder than her hair and looked down while he helped her get up.
In doing this, she noticed a peach colored robe and picked it up. This one was in a more medieval style, with shorter bell sleeves, an empire waist and a ruffled hem; it gave her a warm glow. She held it up next to the blue one and sighed: she couldn't choose. "I like the blue one." Lily started and turned her head.
She was met by James looking at her with his hands in his pockets. "Excuse me?" She asked politely.
"Oh, well, I was just saying that I like the blue one." He came towards her, taking the blue robe and measuring it up in front of her petite form. "It looks more exotic and interesting." He smiled at her. She blushed nearly as red as her hair.
"Umm, thanks." She managed to mumble.
"No problem. May I inquire as to the occasion?" He asked.
"Seventh year ball at Hogwarts." I knew it, James thought and triumphantly smiled inwardly.
"Well, that means I'll be seeing you around, I'm a seventh year as well." He said, still puzzled as to how he could've missed any female face in his own year.
Lily was about to answer when Madame Malkin rand a bell at the desk yelling, "Number two hundred and twenty, Evans!"
"Oh, that's me." She put the peach robe back on the rack and turned to James. "Thanks." She said hurriedly and sped off to the counter, cursing herself for not handling her departure more smoothly. James half-smiled to himself, "Nice girl." He picked out a dress robe.
Lily paid for her uniform and dress robe, leaving an address to owl her dress robe when it was done being altered. She quickly looked around the shop to see if James was still at the same spot.
She found him stepping up onto a stool to be fitted and didn't have the courage to wish him goodbye properly, so she simply left, hoping to gather up some confidence before the school year started up. This year it'll be different, she told herself.
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A/N: Well? What do you think? Please review! I promise not to withhold chapters for reviews. If you still aren't inspired to click that little button on the bottom left-hand corner of the computer screen… Hands everyone platters of cookies :) 'Till chapter 2...
Rhima Ohks