In the Days of Lily Evans and James Potter
Disclaimer: Not mine. Nuff said.
A/N: Okay, just wanted to thank you guys before I give you the next chapter. To my fans, my critics, my betas, and the people who have me or my story on their alert list: You are all awesome and keep up the reading and the great work. Your words have been kind to me.
Chapter 5
"Professor Retop better be good," Frank said as he and Lily joined Alice in the DADA room. James was sitting with his usual group just in front of them, and Lily could hear them talking. She secretly found their nicknames funny, but pretended to be disgusted everytime she heard "Moony" or "Prongs" or the others.
"Lily, about your book..." Alice began. James butted in.
"She gave it to me," James rushed. "She dropped it in the hall, so I picked it up for her and told you I would give it to you." He handed Lily her copy of the book. Lily was slightly confused at the look on Alice's face.
"Um, thanks, James...I guess," she said awkwardly. That was a very nice thing to do, but she assumed he was just trying to get on her good side so she put up her defense again as their new Professor came into the room.
"Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts, seventh years," she greeted stiffly. "Since today is the first day I will be seeing you, we should all get acquainted. On your desks--" she waved her wand "--there are papers their for you to fill out. Just basic information." Lily read the form.
1. Your name is .
2. Your year is .
3. Your ideal career is .
4. You think the Dark Arts are .
5. If you were in a duel, the first spell you would think of would be .
6. You think that You-Know-Who is.
7. Your family is: a. Muggle, b. Full blood, c. Half blood, d. More or less than half blood but not full or muggle.
Lily filled out her answers honestly, and felt very concerned at the last question. She was indeed muggleborn, but why did it matter? After she circled "a" her paper flew off of her desk and into Retop's hands.
"Thank you, Ms. Evans, you may go," she said, still in a stiff manner. James was quick to finish as well, following her out. Lilly rolled her eyes when she saw him in her peripheral vision.
"Is there something you want, James?" she asked, trying to quicken her pace. He grabbed her wrist, and she had a mind to slap him in the face.
"Lily, did you read the notice boards yet?" he asked, searching her face as if they had just met.
"No, it's only the first day back. I haven't even thought about it," she replied. "Why?"
"There's a costume party for seventh years on Halloween," he said. "I know there's almost two months, but say you'll go with me?" He let go of her arm and looked ready to go down on one knee.
Lily considered her options. Go to the party with James, go to the party with her friends (unless Alice had the courage to ask Frank or Frank saw that Alice wanted him back), go to the party with someone else (there were twenty boys out of the fourty students in their year, someone else might ask her), go alone, or don't go at all (which she would never do, as she wanted to go).
"If I don't get a better offer, than yes, I will." She almost regretted her words, but James looked thrilled, so she let him be happy. "Now, if you will excuse me, I'm going outside to enjoy the weather, since the first class left us with nothing to do." She half expected him to follow her, but instead he turned in the opposite direction, moving at her pace until he was out of sight.
Lily sat under her favorite tree, in a spot well hidden from prying eyes. She had a beautiful view right by the lake, and she could sit there for hours and think all she wanted. Her first thought was, of course--
"JamesPotter!" Lily screamed as he zoomed over her head. He laughed as she glared up at him.
"Knew if I flew high enough I'd find you," he said, leaning casually forward and coming down to the ground. Lily hated flying, and she was nervous around broomsticks.
"You insolent, careless, stalking idiot!" Lily shouted at him. He had been so nice. Why was he like this now.
"Lily, calm down, or else people will find your secret hiding spot," he said, placing his hands on her shoulders. She hatched a plan to make him leave her alone quickly, and decided how to put it into action.
"Well, we wouldn't want that, would we," she said quietly. She pushed him forward a little, trying to be flirty. He started to lean toward her when she spun away, letting him fall forward into the lake.
"Nice, Evans," he said, wiping his messy hair out of his eyes.
"Next time it's the Bat Bogey Hex, Potter," she laughed, and walked away to let him soak in the murky water and rethink her.
It was funny, though, that she almost wanted to go back and help him out of the lake. She turned around and watched him climb out, still almost wanting to help. He saw her watching him and waved for her to come over.
"You aren't pushing me in the lake," Lily said, still laughing. She came within a safe distance, as to confirm that she wasn't.
"Come here," James said. "I have something important to tell you." She took a step closer, then another. James rushed forward and put her in a big, wet bear hug, both of them laughing.
"James!" Lily laughed. "Now I'm all wet!" James shook his hair like a wet dog, his glasses very foggy.
"I know." He smiled, making her once again consider that he wasn't so bad. Awkwardly, he let go, now grabbing his forgotten broom on the ground. He looked up at her.
"What?" she asked, trying to shake the water off her robes.
"Care to come dry off?" he said, mounting his broom. Lily shook her head violently.
"I hate flying," she admitted. "I feel like I'm going to slip off the broom or run into a tree." She didn't move from her spot, feeling his grin root her to the ground.
"Come on, Lily," he said. "You'll be riding with the Quidditch Captain, you won't fall or run into anything with him. We've got loads of time before Potions. It'll be fun. Let's go." He patted the broom, and she found herself mounting it in front of him.
"You pull anything on here," Lily warned. "And you won't be able to ride anything ever again." She heard James snigger under his breath, and he helped her guide the broom into the air.
"Sounds like a threat," he said.
"No, it's a promise," she replied, and with that they zoomed off over the forest, going wherever they could, until Lily warned him about being late for class and they touched ground by Hagrid's hut.
"That was actually fun," Lily said as they collected her things at the tree.
"Told you," James said. They walked to the broom closet together, and then raced to Slughorn's class, making it just in time.
A/N: So there's a long chapter little bit of fluffy Lily/James bonding time. Still not a dating relationship yet, but at least they're coming close. WARNING: REMEMBER THE BROOM CLOSET AND THE SPOT BY TREE. Tell me whatcha think, and I will get back to you as soon as I can.