Chapter 5- New Friends
Ginny
Wow! What a night she thought to herself as she lay down on her bed. Her thoughts sliding back to the events of the evening. She ran them through her head again. The Common Room for the Head Boy and Girl seemed to Ginny to be a study in Gryffindor opulence. The dark stone floors were inlayed with patterns of red and gold tiles. The Beautiful frescos on the ceiling depicted the lives of the four founders of Hogwarts. The deep maroon couches and chairs with their soft gold pillows, and the walls lined with books. The six of them had filled the room with laughter and warmth, seeming to fall into instantly into an odd camaraderie. Dumbledore had sent for Peter just before they left the Great Hall and he had sent a message back to the boys explaining that his father was very ill and he was leaving immediately for St. Mungos. He told them he would owl them later to fill them in. So it was only the six of them who filed into the room later on. The boys grumbled about their missing friend, and James seemed to be in a slight pout until Lily suggested him and Sirius nip down to the kitchen to get the group some snacks for later.
Lily's room amazed the girls when she showed it to them. Ginny wishing she had had a chance to see hers in her own time. The thought was fleeting however as they walked down the spiral staircase into the Common Room and her eyes alighted on him.
Sirius Black, Padfoot, or Snuffles, whatever you called him he was the man who had haunted her dreams and many of her wakening thoughts for nine months now. Who in this time looked at her with eyes that were un-shadowed by the pains he would later experience. A man who actually seemed to look at her here and see not the youngest Weasley, or his godson's ex-girlfriend, but her, a woman who although she knew she should stay away wanted him, and always had. Blushing even now in the darkness she recalled the heat his eyes had held when he looked at her. Something she had never allowed herself to hope she would see directed at her and she knew she couldn't acknowledge it even though she desperately wanted to. She had turned her attention to the safe men in the room. Keeping up a running flirtatious banter with James and Remus who seemed to take it all in stride, the group stayed up half the night laughing and talking and playing Exploding Snap. Sirius and Remus escorted the girls to the Gryffindor Common Room where they parted ways to fall into their beds, glad tomorrow was Sunday and they didn't have to start classes immediately.
Ginny sighed as she rolled over in her bed and tried desperately to not conjure the sent of him around her. I'll just have to learn to ignore how much I want him. She thought. We'll just have to be friends. Eventually I know I have to leave and if I cannot keep him I don't want to know what I am missing. Just Friends, her head insisted. Her heart broke a little at the thought and even as her eyes closed and sleep pulled her down into its inky abyss she knew her dreams would be of him. They always were, and this time was no exception.
Luna
Luna also lay on her bed thinking, but her thoughts were not about the Heads Common Room or about the evening they had just enjoyed. Her mind was consumed with one thing, one person. The man she had loved since her second year at Hogwarts. In her head, in her dreams she knew they were meant to be together. Their souls resonated together like Lily's and James's did even though they hadn't realized it yet. She could see the tie in her head that connected them together. Although he was her age now and she still saw him in her mind as the older harried man from her time, His gentle storm colored eyes, his quiet demeanor, his caring heart all these things alone would have endeared him to her even if she hadn't felt the shock of recognition deep within her the moment see saw him on the train to Hogwarts. She knew her heart had chosen her mate, even though she knew there was no way he would look at her that way, even if he felt the pull as well he was too stubborn and too damn noble to act on it. She had been content to love him from afar, to be there if he ever needed her, but to live her life alone. Her eyes glimmered with tears, but now she was here in the past, with him, and he WAS looking at her. Shyly and quietly as is his wont, but still he saw her now. Her heart swelled with the chance to finally be able to make her wildest dream come true, to have his love if only for a short time. She would do it, she decided. This would be her gift to herself, even though when she returned it would be harder then it was before. I can accept that, she thought to herself, I could live with that if I allow myself this one thing, one shinning time of happiness. Her dilemma decided she closed her eyes and let sleep claim her. The smile on her face did not fade for she knew she would see him in her dreams, and she did.
Lily
Lily sat at her vanity and brushed out her long red hair as she reviewed the events of the day. She had always loved September 1st, ever since she had gotten her Hogwarts letter.
The day always meant she was going home, for the house with her parents and her sister in it never seemed much like home anymore. This time however she'd had a different reason to be excited, James Potter. She had finally decided to accept when he next asked her out. She grinned to herself, which usually was within 5 second of seeing her. She had been dwelling on it all summer and had realized that she really did like him, maybe even loved him. His brash and bold manner, which she had once associated with his enormous arrogance, seemed to be endearing. Once his head had deflated a bit at the end of last year his antics had seemed endearing. Not that she would admit that to him then…Hell she was barely able to admit it to herself now. Her eyes darkened, but he had not asked her, it hadn't happened. Maybe that was why she allowed herself to get so angry and accuse him of pranking the first year on the train, even thought while he was famous for his tricks he would never have been so deliberately cruel to a youngster. Her heart had plummeted so fast and far when he didn't ask her out that she had felt a sharp pain in her chest. I'm so afraid I've waited to long, she thought. She shook the feeling away before she started to cry and tried to concentrate on something else. Lunara and Ginnae, the new girls just seemed to click with her. The Marauders too, but Lily wasn't going to think about that.
They seem so cool, actually like people I can relate to. It would really be nice to have some girlfriends she thought. She had never really gotten along with the other girls her age and the one friendship she almost made had been cut short when Narcissa, Sirius's cousin had found out she was a muggleborn. The fledgling friendship had died quickly albeit not quietly. Lily thought about her impulse to invite the girls to her room to hang out that evening. Ginnae's gregarious personality and Lunara's forthright direct comments and the dry humor that matched her own had allowed Lily to truly relax around James and his friends for the first time. The six of them had laughed easily and really seemed to bond. Lily lay down on her bed and thought about James in the next room, her eyes suddenly filled with tears. I hope its not too late she thought as sleep overwhelmed her.
James
James took the mirror out of his trunk and held it up. "Sirius Black"
"Damnitall Prongs, Wadda ya want? I was almost asleep," Grumbled a deep voice from within the mirror.
"You don't lie very well Pads" the dark eyed boy shot back at his best friend. "I can't sleep."
"Thinking about Evans again?" Sirius asked his friend gently
"Yeah, I know I decided to give it a break, but after this evening Sirius she didn't yell or insult me once!"
"I know it was a wonder all in all" Sirius replied "The last time the two of you were in a room together for that long she told you, you had all the sensitivity of a flobberworm"
"Thanks for reminding me Mate!" James said darkly
"Always happy to help." His friend laughed,
"I'm serious!"
"Really? And here I thought I was Sirius."
"Oh Sod Off Paddy!" James groused, "What am I going to do? I love her!"
Sirius smiled "Give it time Prongsie, don't rush stick to the plan and maybe just maybe it will work out."
James's face looked confused for a second. "Mooney got his hand up your ass? Pads? That sounds more like him then you."
James heard a laugh from beyond the mirror. "I heard that!"
"Damn werewolf hearing" James swore. "Alright I'll try to sleep then. See you guys at breakfast."
"Night Prongs" he heard chorused from his friends.
He waved his hand over the mirror to clear it and lay down on his bed. Gods she was driving him crazy. His thoughts turned to her like they always did. Her hair, her eyes, her mind, her laugh. He loved everything about Lily Evans and he had since the first time he had seen the shy girl mount the stool during the Sorting Hat Ceremony seven years ago. Bloody Hell! He thought to himself he had tried everything he could think of and most of what Sirius could for the past seven years and nothing had helped. She had insulted him laughed at him and refused to give him a chance at every single turn. Mooney was right maybe it was time to move on. James's eyes filled with moisture and he dashed it away angrily, but he loved her and he didn't want to give up. He knew in his heart they were meant to be together. He just wished he could get her to see it to. Maybe the two new girls would help. In their presence Lily had finally seemed to relax and enjoy herself.
He had watched her laugh with Remus and Ginnae; tease Lunara and Sirius. Her emerald eyes had sparkled and she had seemed happy. He sighed now if she would just realize that all I want is to make her eyes sparkle like that again. Closing his dark eyes he settled down to sleep, thoughts of her led the way into his dreams, and he murmured her name.
Remus
Remus's eyes were closed as he listened to his friend unpack his trunk in the dark. But his mind was not on Sirius or the noise he was making. His thoughts were the same place they had been since he had looked into those eyes, on her. Her hair was like heavy silver silk the way it slithered around her when she walked, her sea green eyes held such a deep unfathomable mystery to him. Everything about her stirred him in a way no other girl or woman ever had. It was as if she was the Lodestone of his existence and he didn't know what he was missing until he saw her, touched her hand. He shook himself; give over Moony you know better. It can never happen no woman will ever want to tie herself to a beast. You are just imagining the connection between you. He growled softly you're just horny and she's beautiful. His eyes cracked open as he heard Sirius talking softly. He followed the conversation with James trying to tear his mind away from the silver haired girl who had captured his thoughts. Sirius's voice gently asked his friend about Lily, and the conversation continued while Sirius tried desperately to get his friend to smile. Remus smiled to himself in the dark. As he heard James cry out that he loved her. He actually understood what his friend was feeling for the first time in seven years.
He shook himself again. Did I really just think that? I've only just met her I can't love her already. It's impossible. But then it wasn't impossible for James who has loved Lily since the first moment he saw her. A quiet voice sounded in his head.
Sirius smiled "Give it time Prongsie, don't rush stick to the plan and maybe just maybe it will work out."
James's face looked confused for a second. "Mooney got his hand up your ass? Pads? That sounds more like him then you."
Remus looked up and laughed out loud.
"I heard that!" He said with mock effrontery.
"Damn werewolf hearing" James swore. "Alright I'll try to sleep then. See you guys at breakfast."
Moony laughed at his friends reply and said goodnight at the same time as Sirius, before closing his eyes. His thoughts as sleep finally crept up on him were drawn back to a pair of lovely aqua eyes and silver hair, and that quiet voice in his head again telling him not to fight against his mate. "Shut up" he murmured to the voice as he fell asleep.
Sirius
He bustled around unpacking his things trying to work of the abundance of nervous energy the evening had given him. A lot like his animagus form he wasn't able to stay still when he was excited or happy, and he was both. He was home at Hogwarts, James' place had been a second home to him but since the fallout with his family Hogwarts had become his real home. He was in the middle of actually folding his clothes when the mirror chimed. He grabbed the mirror and sat down on his bed his cleaning interrupted.
"Damnitall Prongs, Wadda ya want? I was almost asleep," He grumbled at his friend
"You don't lie very well Pads" the dark eyed boy shot back... "I can't sleep."
"Thinking about Evans again?" he asked his friend gently
"Yeah, I know I decided to give it a break, but after this evening Sirius she didn't yell or insult me once!" James' voice sounded almost pleading.
"I know it was a wonder all in all" Sirius replied "The last time the two of you were in a room together for that long she told you, you had all the sensitivity of a flobberworm"
"Thanks for reminding me Mate!" His friend said darkly.
He laughed "Always happy to help."
"I'm serious!"
"Really? And here I thought I was Sirius."
"Oh Sod Off Paddy!" James groused, "What am I going to do? I love her!"
Sirius smiled "Give it time Prongsie, don't rush stick to the plan and maybe just maybe it will work out."
James's face looked confused for a second, before he shot back "Mooney got his hand up your ass? Pads? That sounds more like him then you."
Remus's eyes opened and he lifted his head up from his pillow. "I heard that!"
"Damn werewolf hearing" James swore laughingly into the mirror. "Alright I'll try to sleep then. See you guys at breakfast."
"Night Prongs" Sirius said in unison with Moony, and put the mirror down as it went dark.
Sirius lay down on the bed and smiled to himself, his friend was so in love; it really almost hurt to see his brother in pain over a woman. He had often wondered what it would be like to care about someone that much. He had never really gotten attached to any of the girls he dated and there had been a lot over the last few years. He had gotten quite the reputation as a ladies man. A reputation he really enjoyed but he was tired of dating. He was, although he would never admit to his friends, looking for someone he could settle down with but no woman ever really fit the bill. They were all pretty or smart or fun but they all lacked a certain something he could never really define. There was something about the new girl that drew him though. Ginnae seemed to be a study in contradiction, so strong and yet at times she seemed lost within herself. He was sure she had seen things, like he had. Her eyes held shadows that the others couldn't see. There was softness to her gregarious personality that attracted him. The way she looked at him it was like she knew him to the core. That seemed odd to him but he shrugged it off.
She was beautiful, oh yes; her hair so dark like a black ruby had been spun out into hair, her magnetic silvery eyes drew his instantly. He had utterly enjoyed the evening spent with his friends and the three girls. He had never had so much fun in the company of women he wasn't sleeping with before. His mind drifted off as sleep came closer.
His last thoughts were of a pair of silvery violet eyes and a smile that made his heart skip a beat.