"Oi, Evans and McKinnon started their own Quidditch match!"
A bunch of lower level Gryffindors shouted to the table and ran out. A few from the other houses followed, and soon the hall was emptying.
James Potter and his friends turned to each other at the news, blinking. Sirius Black was instantly up, grabbing food and shoving it in his pockets.
"This I have to see." Sirius all but skipped out of the Hall, pushing through the crowd.
James was right behind him, chugging the last of his juice and running after Sirius. Their laughter echoed through the halls behind them as many students were shoved or dove out of the way.
Remus shook his head and folded his Daily Prophet, turning to his companion.
"Shall we then, Pete?"
Wormtail looked up from his breakfast and nodded. The two leisurely made their way out of the castle and to the pitch.
-x-
James and Sirius arrived at the bustling Quidditch pitch. Almost the entire house of Gryffindor was out in the stands, cat calling and cheering. James bit back his jealousy when a few of the boys were yelling to Lily specifically to compliment how great she looked out there.
There was a decent few from the other houses too, even Slytherin. A few teachers had filed in their box to watch as well. The energy in the air was a welcome reprieve from the normal school bustle.
Sirius elbowed him. "Easy, Prongsie. She's still your girl."
James snorted, turning to the sky. "She's not my girl, Pads." 'Yet,' he thought as he scanned the players.
Sirius shook his head and followed his vision. They didn't go into the stand, watching from the edge of the pitch by the locker rooms.
Marlene McKinnon and Mary McDonald floated by their red-headed companion. Lily Evans wasn't the best on a broomstick, but she wasn't going to turn down the friendly competition. They had gotten into a … mildly heated discussion about the sport last night.
Marlene was actually on the team, and Lily wasn't even sure particularly how the game was even played. Of course, she attended games for her friends and the loyalty toward her house. Definitely not to see any of the other players, and especially never stared at a messy-haired player, no thank you.
The girls chatted to themselves, eyeing the crowd. Marlene was used to all this, but the other girls either didn't make the team or were just playing to be with their friends.
The boys calling to Lily received a half hearted wave from her and an eye roll from her friends. They all broke out in elbows to each other and commented about who she was waving at.
James clenched his jaw, rolling his own eyes but focused on Lily as she looked through the crowd. She finally saw them on the pitch and gave the two dark-haired boys a more earnest wave.
James felt a catch in his throat, and waved back, feeling the back of his neck flush. The other two girls mocked Lily's wave and James could see them snickering at each other.
Lily shoved Mary as much as she could but Marlene floated out of reach, her head thrown back and cackling.
Sirius shoved James. "See, mate? She seemed much more welcoming toward you. I almost feel like I was intruding on something with that wave."
James shot him a death glare.
A few more of the girls' friends took to the sky and everyone started assembling in a somewhat proper format
Marlene tapped her throat with her hand, using a microphone charm on herself to be heard.
"Thanks to all for attending our impromptu first annual, never to probably happen again, Gryffindor girls Quidditch match."
There was laughter all around.
"Now, mainly, this was a - ahem - challenge from my dear friend Lilsie."
Catcalls ensued, Sirius joining in. James watched as Lily shook her head, giving her friend the middle finger and he smirked.
Marlene returned the favor. "I love you, too, Lily, always so lady-like. If you know any of us, you know we never turn down the chance to win."
Everyone cheered in agreement, stamping in the stands. "Now, there won't be any Bludgers, just a good old Quaffle and a snitch. We're going to have fun though, right, Lily?"
Lily tapped her own wand to her throat, her green eyes sparkling and smirking as she answered her friend for everyone to hear.
"I'll be having fun when the snitch is glittering in my hand and we win, McKinnon."
The stadium erupted in laughter and cheering, Gryffindor the loudest, of course. James was unsure if he could love Lily Evans more than he did in this moment, hearing her smack talk her best friend about Quidditch. It was definitely a major turn on, and he never would have thought he'd see the day.
The girls behind Lily that made up her team cheered, while the others stuck their tongues out and jeered. Marlene smirked, but wasn't surprised. Lily was always competitive and she always wanted to win, just like her.
"Let the best witch win."
They winked at each other and with a whistle blow from another of their friends acting as referee, the game was off.
The girls all flew around each other, showing off and making goals. Everyone was in great spirits, cheering and having fun. Some had snuck down some food and drink, especially some alcohol, and the crowds made up some cheers for each player.
James felt his eyebrow twitch when they tried to rhyme "Evans" and "sevens", then soon gave up and began describing her "smarts" winning their "hearts".
Sirius was joining in with the cheers, as he chugged his own flask. He soon joined Remus and Peter on the grass watching the game.
James stood standing, arms crossed and eyes never leaving Lily.
"She's alright up there, James. Come have a drink with good Ol' Padfoot and his delicious firewhiskey," Sirius told him, as he lay flat across Remus' lap.
Remus patted his shoulder before firmly shoving him off. "Leave him alone, Sirius, he's in Lily land. Also, lay off the pastries, you've gained some weight."
Sirius tried to sound indignant, but it came out mostly slurred. "Oi, the man is clearly in denial and needs his lads to hold his hand, but you're shaming my sexy body?!"
James wondered if his friends thought he was daft or deaf, and his eyebrow twitched every time they commented on him. "I can hear you lot!"
"We know," they said in unison, shaking their heads. Peter squeaked out an apology, and shuffled away from the pair. James felt his eyebrow twitched again but chose to ignore them.
Lily was doing well. She was certainly nowhere near the best at flying, but she was having fun and she was trying her best. It helped that this wasn't actually a match, so no one would be challenging her head on. opted to be the Seeker, since there would be less of a chance of a squabble in the air, but she was still slightly anxious.
'You would think a flying, golden ball would be easy to spot,' she mused.
She joined in to help her team score, but after a while, lingered on the side to find the flying ball.
After a while of not spotting anything and flying around aimlessly on the perimeter of the field, Lily closed in. She noted the other teams Seeker was doing the same.
She floated to where the Marauders were, noting James hadn't looked away from her.
She nodded to him, hovering a few inches above him. "Alright there, Potter?"
He smirked and his hand went in his hair. "Just watching a great match here, Evans." She laughed, and waved to the others.
Peter waved and Remus gave her a knowing wink. She shot him a look, and he only chuckled in response, going back to his book. Sirius was half coherent, waving slightly but not really in Lily's direction, and slurring out, "'ello there, sweet cheeks."
She blinked and shook her head, turning back to the match. She hovered near them a while longer, scanning the pitch. James did the same, but kept glancing back at Lily.
She had a determined look on her face as she scanned the area. He caught her eye and she turned back to him, smirking.
"Looks like we switched positions, hm? Usually you're up here."
James laughed. "And you're usually watching me?"
She blushed and started, "that's not what-"
She cut off as a golden streak flew past his head and her eyes locked on it. James watched her features change and spun around in time to see the snitch shoot past their group. They both paused for a second, and then Lily was off.
She blew past him and James felt a swell of pride as she maneuvered her broom, the wind blowing his hair and cloak.
There had been a fake announcer that took over midway through the game.
"Looks like Evans has spotted the snitch!"
Everyone saw the red streak fly past, holding on to their hats and scarves as Lily chased the golden ball around the pitch.
'So close,' she ground her teeth. It kept flitting closer and farther to her. She almost had it a few times. It flew slightly above her head as she dodged a podium, and flew in and out of the pitch. She tuned out the crowd roaring, the announcers, James Potter and every distraction. She only focused on the snitch's wings whirring and how close she was. It kept going a bit higher and higher.
The other Seeker was on her tail, but Lily was faster. The Snitch taunted her, coming just in reach before shooting out past her fingertips.
She knew she had to get to it, it wasn't coming back down. She slowly moved to her knees, resting for a second before slowly pulling to her feet.
There was a shift in the tone of the stadium. She heard people yelling her name but she could only focus on the ball.
She could hear James' voice through the crowd clearly and she really did not want to decipher why she could pick him up in a stadium full of thousands of their classmates. She was so close, stretching her hand and on her tiptoes, she could feel it on her fingertips if she just got a little higher.
'Come on, I'm almost there … just a little bit… I almost have it.'
The whirring stopped and the world went upside down as her broom tipped and she went flying.
-x-
There were screams and people slamming the stands. Everyone began filtering out of the stands, most of the Gryffindors flying to where she was.
James felt like he watched in slow motion as Lily went flying off her broom, tumbling and then falling to a stop on her back in the middle of the pitch. All the players zoomed to her and the students flooded the pitch, but he was faster. He hasn't even realized that his feet started moving the second she was off the broom and he didn't stop until he reached her.
He slammed through the crowd forming and fell to her side on his knees.
Marlene was next, slamming to the ground next to him not very gracefully. She threw her broom as she tore through the grass to kneel next to him. James drew Lily into his lap, shaking her and yelling.
"Evans! Evans! Lily, come on. Lily, you better open your fucking eyes, I swear on everything that is good in this world-"
She groaned and moved, grunting as her body shifted. Lily blinked her eyes open, taking a deep breath. Her eyes met his and his breath caught. She stared for a second before a smirk spread across her face.
His eyes moved to her arm, as she raised it and opened her left hand. Everyone looked at her palm as it opened and the snitch twittered for a second, before relaxing into her hand and folding its wings in.
"Got the snitch, McKinnon," Lily whispered, smirking at her friend.
Marlene blinked before laughing loudly and grabbing her friend in a bear hug as best as she could since she was in James' grip.
The relief rippled through everyone instantly and the crowd around them erupted in cheers. The other Quidditch players laughed, some high-fiving and elbowing each other. Lily turned back to James, who was clutching her to his torso. She smiled at him.
"How'd I do, James?"
He blinked stupidly, before shaking his head and laughing. Lily giggled in his lap weakly, and James bent down and kissed her forehead.
"You stupid, brilliant girl." He murmured against her skin, and he rested his forehead against hers. "You won the stupid game."
Lily didn't have the energy to fight even if she wanted to, and honestly, she didn't want to. She was very content right here in this moment. She closed her eyes and laughed, both their bodies vibrating and soon James joined in.
Everyone around them was jumping around and cheering, celebrating a good game and that no one was actually severely injured. Even McGonagall and Dumbledore stood off to the side, smiling as they watched their students have a rare bonding experience in the name of Quidditch.
Sure, she felt like shit after flying through the air slamming onto the Quidditch pitch, but being held by James Potter after winning felt pretty great.
"I'm still making you get checked out by Madam Pomfrey," James told her sternly. She snorted.
"Whatever you want, Potter."