Part Four: Lily Evans & James Potter
One Thing On Their Minds…
Reading peacefully by the fireplace of her large and comfortable family home, Lily Evans flicked a tendril of her auburn hair off her face, before turning the page of her book gracefully. Her emerald eyes scanning the small, inked pages at an even pace, she breathed in the smoky smell of the fire, enjoying the peace and quiet that was next to impossible to experience amidst the loud and raucous atmosphere of Hogwarts. Reading the beautifully poetic words of the romance novel with a small relish, she let her mind wander slightly before it came to rest on a particular, familiar looking face.
Setting her book down on her lap with much unneeded force, she blinked furiously, trying to erase the messily raven haired, bespectacled and hazel eyed face that had swum into her mind, implanting itself as the character in her book whose words rolled off his tongue with a precious grace.
'I do not like James Potter.' She said defiantly before the fire suddenly gave an ominous crackle, turned green and two figures came rolling out onto the hearth rug, choking and gagging on soot.
Jumping up out of her seat in alarm, her paperback book sent flying in her sudden movement; she clutched her chest with a slight wheeze.
'What in the name of Merlin are you two doing here!' she exclaimed as she watched James and his best friend Sirius Black brush the soot off each other's clothes.
'Good evening Lily dear.' Sirius said sarcastically with an impish grin.
Nodding stiffly to him, she turned on James, who was standing to the side slightly, a bashful smile on his face.
'I take it that this was your idea?' she enquired in a monotone.
'Well, it's like this…' he began, before Sirius cut him off.
'He was moping around like a puppy that'd just gotten its ribs kicked, so I decided to do something about it.' He said, flicking his dark fringe out of his eyes.
'And it involved you two covering my room in soot, why?' she asked, raising a delicate eyebrow.
'He was moping about you, duh.' Sirius answered coolly, picking her book up off the floor and settling himself in her chair.
'Oh.' She said quietly, frowning slightly as her stomach gave an unexplained leap.
'I miss you Lily.' James whined, a look of intense pain on his face.
'It's only been a week since I saw you!' she said.
'I know, but that's ages!' he protested.
'James, I will not go out with you.' She said harshly, wincing as his face fell.
My mama said to stay away from guys like you.
She said they were nasty, make me do things I don't wanna do
Stay away from bad boys they've got one thing on their mind
Their hormones are raging and they want it all the time…
'I know,' He replied quietly, 'but I did write something for you.'
'You wrote something for me?' she echoed as he nodded excitedly.
'It's quite good.' Sirius interjected loyally, before going back to his reading.
'Ahem, this is a poem-y, letter-y thing that I wrote especially for you.' He said, pulling a piece of folded parchment from his pocket with a flourish.
'Lily, you are the flower of my heart -
The blossom of life that blooms in the spring;
You are the sunshine's perfect rays,
Lightening my day with subtle hints of warmth.
I love all there is to love about you,
From the way you laugh,
To the way you yell at me,
And have never stopped thinking about you
Since the day I first saw you.
Your beautiful auburn hair
Is like a fire of passion that stirs my heart,
And your deep emerald eyes
Are like precious stones of treasure.
I love you
And no one else…'
Re-folding the parchment and placing it back inside his jacket pocket, he stood staring at his feet, waiting for her reaction.
My God… Lily thought to herself, her mouth agape with shock, James Potter is a poet..?
'Erm, wow.' She said, unsure of what exactly to say.
'You like it?' he asked enthusiastically.
'It was beautiful.' She said truthfully with a small smile.
'I'm glad.' He said, returning her smile gratefully.
'I told you it was good.' Sirius said to Lily, not looking up from the page, 'This, however, is a load of rubbish – Prongs' poem was ever so much better.'
'That's Shakespeare!' Lily choked, turning on the handsome brunette.
'Who is?' Sirius asked vaguely.
'Only the most famous writer of all time!' Lily exclaimed in return.
'Padfoot, I would appreciate it if you would go and grab Moony for me – and you can stay at home.' James interrupted, furious at his moment being stolen.
'What d'you want Moony for?' he asked confusedly.
'He happens to be more sensitive to timing, silence and the like.' James responded sharply, causing Sirius to mock pout and walk back into the fire.
'Mind if I keep this for a bit?' he asked Lily, who scowled as he disappeared in the flames.
As soon as he was gone, James turned around to look at the auburn haired beauty, who was still frowning at the space where Sirius had been moments before.
'Lily, I really hope you know how much that poem means to me.' He said quietly.
I do know James, that's what scares me… she thought, I just wish it hadn't affected me like it did… I can't like him. He's an arrogant toe-rag with all the charm of a goat.
…And I know, know coz she said so
And I can't just let you go
And I know, know coz she said so
And I can't just let you go…
'Yes, I do.' She replied softly.
'Then you understand why I came?' he asked.
'No…' she trailed off unconvincingly.
'I came because I want you to know that I've changed.'
'Ah.'
'And that I love you very much.'
'Oh.'
'And that even if you don't love me, I still love you.'
'Argh.'
'And that that poem was entirely my own work – my heart splayed out on parchment.'
'Nrgh.'
'Are you going to say anything that makes sense?'
'Erm.'
Looking at her with an expression so haunted that she recoiled, he sighed and turned back towards the fireplace.
'I guess I'll be going then.'
Reaching in his pocket for what she thought would be Floo powder, he instead pulled out the poem he'd just read to her. Holding it out in front of him, Lily realised in one split second of horror that he was going to drop it in the fire. Diving towards him, she reached out to grab the parchment, but tripped on the folded hearth rug and fell in the direction of the fire. Using his excellent Quidditch reflexes, James caught her split seconds before she hit the flames, dragging her instead towards the lounge, pulling them both over in the process.
Lying half on top of the tall and lean boy and breathing heavily, Lily sighed in relief. 'Oh my God.'
'I agree.' He said, still holding onto her tightly.
'Thank you.' She breathed, laying her head on his chest in post-traumatic horror.
'Are you alright?' he asked softly, touching her cheek lightly.
'I think so.' She said shakily.
'That's good.' He replied, his arms still around her.
'James?' she enquired gently.
'Yes Lily?'
'I love you.'
…I love you very much,
You're nice to see and nice to touch
And I'll never ever treat you wrong,
I've been waiting for you all along…
Sitting up, James looked at her with a hard, blazing look.
'Do you really mean that?'
'You're a disgusting, arrogant, self-absorbed pain in the arse, whose relentless determination tires me to the brink of exhaustion. You're always rude, never right and always on my bad side, and I am fully, totally, completely and crazily in love with you.' She said truthfully, her cheeks flushed slightly.
…And I know, know coz she said so
And I can't just let you go
And I know, know coz she said so
And I can't just let you go…
'You really mean it!' he repeated a little excitedly.
'I really mean it.' She confirmed, smiling at the grin that had broken out onto his face.
'That's good.' He said happily, 'Coz I love you too.'
…Never let go.
Never let go.
I said 'I want you to know'.
I said 'I want you to know right now.'
I want you to know
I said 'I want you to know'…
Note: song lyrics - 'I know' by Save Ferris
hi!
Well, i've been trying to post this for about four/five days, but the site was being a royal pain in the rear end, so thus, i didnt get to post it til today...
Anyway, thanks to all my reviewers... Love ya's!
Cheers,
Ash xx