Warning: This chapter contains some cursing and drunken behavior. I do not condone under-age alcohol consumption and neither does anyone with rights to the Harry Potter Series (as far as I know). If you do not want to read curses or see drunken behavior, please skip to the next chapter.
James was waiting in the common room for me when I came down the girl's stairs. "Ready for a night to remember that neither of us will be able to?" He said standing from an armchair.
"Shhh. Potter, you may have no problem with earning yourself a detention but I do!" I looked around the empty common room and then back at James.
"Evans, stop worrying. The quidditch parties have fire whiskey and you know McGonagall rarely comes into the common room. Relax," he said throwing an arm round my shoulder. I shrugged it off. "You really do need a drink."
I heaved a sigh. "Let's just go. The sooner we get to the Three Broomsticks, the sooner your company will be more bearable." I moved to the portrait hole and out with Potter following behind.
The walk to the front doors was silent. It was only slightly uncomfortable which was a somewhat relief to me. I had doubted my decision to go to with Potter. I didn't want to lead the boy on. He was insufferable as it was and his crush on me was widely known. So why spend the most romantic day of the year with him? As we waited for the 3rd floor staircase to stop moving, I realized that I wanted to be around him for two reasons. One was the guarantee of getting plastered and the second was the guarantee of feeling desired. As much as I hated Potter's constant pursuit, it felt good to feel wanted.
Before I knew it, we were passing Filch and moving towards the carriages. He opened the door for me and I climbed in without looking at him. He closed the door and took the seat across from me. "Are we not going to talk this whole time? Just be each other's excuse to drink?" He asked looking somewhat stern yet disheartened.
"Oh I have many excuses for needing a good strong drink. You are just one of them." I said gazing out the window. "Plus, my tongue loosens with liquor. You might regret asking me to talk later tonight when you can't shut me up."
His laugh was deep and rich like good fudge. "I'll keep that in mind." He looked out the window with me. "Do you want to do anything before hitting the pub? Maybe some shopping? I know I need to take a quick stop to Zonkos and Honeydukes but if you want to go straight to the Three Broomsticks, I wouldn't object."
"No I could use a quick stop by Honeydukes and I could really use a new quill. My spelling is horrid so one of those spell checking quills might be nice to pick up," I responded, glancing over at him.
"We can split apart for shopping if you want. Meet up after." I glanced over at him as he said this. His face was blank but his hands twisting. He was trying so hard. He hadn't said anything overly conceded yet, hadn't mentioned quidditch, or tried to make a move on me. I was surprised to say the least.
"Why don't we meet in Honeydukes? We both need to drop by and candy stores are much for fun with company." He looked over at me. I was still watching his hands, which stilled. "I see candy how I see alcohol. You look pathetic having it by yourself." I met his eyes, which danced with amusement.
"You're funny sometimes Evans."
"I like to think so," I said looking back out the window. I had a sneaking suspicion however that his gaze still rested upon me.
It wasn't long before the carriage arrived. He stepped out first and playfully offered a hand to help me down. Stepping out, I offered an exaggerated curtsy before making my way over to the quill shop.
As exciting as quills are (note the sarcasm) I was ready to leave the store as soon as possible. I grabbed a spell checking quill and an everlasting phoenix quill before making my way to Honeydukes.
The store was packed. I didn't know how I was going to find Potter. Deciding that he was probably still at Zonkos, I moved to my favorite section of the store I liked to call chocolate paradise. Spotting a display of chocolate roses, I moved towards them to read the advertisement.
Sick of the routine Valentines Day? Offer that special someone a chocolate rose. Realistic petals with a rich, creamy chocolate taste. A great option for those allergic to roses. Not such a great option for those allergic to chocolate.
I grimaced. I'd take a rose allergy any day over an allergy to chocolate. Madam Pomfrey would see me in the hospital wing every night after I had my chocolate brownie at dinner. Gliding away from the display, I eyed the heart boxes filled with different flavored chocolates longingly. Sure Valentines day sickened me, but I couldn't say I didn't want that jumbo box. Suddenly, the large box flew over my head. I turned and watched it glide into the hands of James Potter. He smiled wickedly. "What's Valentines Day without gorging yourself with a ridiculous amount of delectable chocolate?"
I eyed him warily. "Will you share?"
He laughed walking over to me, holding the corny heart shaped box that was the size of his torso at his side. "If you're very nice miss Evans." He wiggled his brows.
A look of disgust crossed my face and I probably would have slapped him if he did not have the object of my affection clutched tightly beneath his arm. "Buy the darn thing so we can get down to our wonderfully, unromantic, Valentines Day." I pulled him towards the register. We must have been an odd sight: a petite yet livid red head pulling a large smirking quidditch player clutching an enormous box of chocolate.
After Potter paid for the box, we dashed to the Three Broomsticks. Throwing ourselves into two seats at the bar, we set the box between us, tossed it open and grabbed our first pieces. Swallowing his piece James looked at me seriously. "Ok, don't take anything I do from now until sobriety too badly ok? I need to flirt with Rosmerta a bit to ensure complete shittiness. I will flirt with you drunk. This is your only warning. This is your opportunity to run screaming from the bar."
"Potter, you flirt with me sober all the time and everyone knows that Rosmerta has little crushes on you and Sirius," Potter looked slightly embarrassed. I just shook my head at him. "Now get working man whore, there are drinks to be retrieved."
"Is that what you think I am? A man whore?" he asked looking me dead in the eye.
"Only sometimes." I felt kind of bad that he had taken it seriously. It had come out meaner than expected. "But heck, everyone acts a bit like a whore to get what they want. You'll understand better when I'm drunk and want food."
He nodded in a stoic way before turning in his stool to search the bar for Rosmerta. He spotted her chatting with Sirius and Sirius's none too pleased date. She appeared to not like being ignored. Seeing this, James cast a glance back at me. I looked at him strangely and he looked back at Rosmerta. After about a minute, Rosmerta spotted James and bid a due to Sirius and his date much to the relief of the girl trying to get into Sirius's pants.
I looked away as she approached. I didn't know if I was part of James's plans so I decided to remain neutral until he made it clear.
I heard him jump to his feet. "Rosmerta!" He called sounding extremely enthusiastic. "You grow more beautiful each day I must say." 'Cue blush,' I said to myself mentally. I cast a quick glance over my shoulder. Yep, she was red as … my hair.
"Oh James Potter, you are too much! What brings you to my pub on Valentines Day? You're not alone are you? A good looking man like you without a lady on each arm?" I rolled my eyes.
"Actually," responded James, "I came with a friend." I felt him grab my arm and I took that as my cue to stand up. "This is Lily Evans. We've had classes together since first year, I've been in love with her since I saw her under the sorting hat, and we both hate this bloody holiday which is Valentines Day." I looked at him mouth a gape. "Now Lily Evans here wouldn't give me the time of day if I destroyed Voldemort and every death eater in existence but she will stand my presence on Valentines Day since it is a day of torture to us both." My mouth still hung open. "So I wanted to drink to the occasion. To me, who finally got Lily Evans to go to Hogsmeade with me even if only as two desperate souls avoiding the lovey dovey world as much as possible. I also hope to numb her never ending pain of having me worship the ground she walks on with liquor." Finishing, he looked over at me.
I couldn't speak for the life of me. If Voldemort had held his wand to my head and told me to speak right at that second, I would be dead for sure. Luckily, Rosmerta knocked me from my shock.
"I'll grab my best bottle of fire whiskey for you two then," She said with a sincere smile walking to the back of the bar. James sat back down in his stool but I couldn't will my knees to bend. I just stared at James who stared back.
"I did warn you," he said with a wide grin upon his face.
Rosmerta poured to mugs for us and left the bottle. I thrust myself in my seat and downed the mug in one big gulp. I shook myself as fire burned down my throat. I looked at Potter. "I hate you."
Sipping his quietly he said, "I know." Turning with me he muttered more to his drink than to me, "I know."
From then on, everything continued as planned. We drank until we felt that one more drop would make us incapable of finding the castle. We had stuffed our faces with chocolate and chips. I had complained endlessly about the lack of fish while James complained about how Americans call chips French fries when he didn't even know if they were invented in France. As I stumbled up to bed that night, I began to think that maybe the boy wasn't that bad. He had made me not think about Amos as I often did when sloshed. Even with me vulnerable and intoxicated, he behaved himself and acted as gentlemanly as one can while spilling alcohol down one's front. I jumped onto my bed, too drunk to competently get ready for bed. It wasn't until the next morning that I noticed a singular white lily on my night table.
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Another fluffy chapter. Sorry that I copped out at the end. I promise to write a good drunk scene… in a different chapter. That one will be based off real occurrences. I guess you could call this one a pleasure chapter since it's all fiction. Unfortunately, I do not yet know if I will marry anyone I know right now so I have no James in my life. Therefore, I use Lily as my opportunity to have an imaginary perfect man in my life… well maybe not perfect but perfect for Lily.
So as to keep you all interested, I will be including Snape in here and the story will be DH relevant. Yes… the white lily was from Snape.
Oh, also keep in mind; many of the plot points of the story are out of order from how they occurred in my life.
Oh and PLEASE REVIEW!!! GIVE ME SOME LOVE!!!!
Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling. As much as I wish I did, I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters from the series.