Chapter 14
Hey guys...I'm writing this heading way before I'll update (believe me, I know) because I have the attention span of a butterfly.
Ugh...pray for me!
Enjoy! Thanks for all the reviews! I'm hoping to make it one fifty! LETS DO IT!!!
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Dear Aphy and Jen,
HELLO! Lils is asleep right now so I thought it would be safe enough to write you two. I have an idea of a gift but I just wanted to know, what's Lily's favorite dog? Do either of you have a picture of Lily and her dog? Is her favorite type of dog the one she owns? Write back!
James
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Lily stretched, then yawned. She blinked her eyes open and screamed. James shot out of his bed, wide awake, furiously rubbing his eyes.
"Lily, what is it? What's wrong?" She wordlessly pointed to the thirty or so owls perched on various bed posts and drawer handles. They were small and big, brown and white, eagle and snowy, and all were carrying a parcel.
"What the bloody Merlin is this?" said Lily, staring incredulously at each bird. James cast an uneasy glance at Lily and cleared his throat. She laid a hand delicately across her chest and breathed deeply.
"Lily...they're just owls. I know you aren't afraid of owls." I hope, James thought wearily.
"No, I'm not." James breathed out, "Its just my adrenaline's pumping now...I'm ok." She got up from her bed and made her way to the nearest owl. She reached toward it and, the small brown owl obliging, stuck its leg out. Lily untied the parcel. She pulled the knot out of the string and unwrapped the parcel.
"It's...puzzle pieces?" Lily put one of them out in front of her to look at. James swallowed a gulp and said, his voice cracking slightly, "Sure is a lot of owls..."
"Yeah..." Lily mumbled, squinting at the puzzle piece. "It looks like...well its mostly green with a spot of brown...Hm. Wait! Do you think there's more puzzle pieces in the other packages?" she asked excitedly. James shrugged. Lily sped around the room, opening each little present and squealing at the site of each puzzle piece. After a few minutes, there was a hefty pile of puzzle pieces in the middle of her bed. When she got to the last one though, there wasn't a puzzle piece, but a small message. She read it to herself then smiled. James almost asked, "Do you like it?" then remembered himself and instead asked, "Do you-uh-wanna tell me what it says?"
"It says...'Dear Lily, When piecing together all the love I have for you, the puzzle would probably have an infinite amount of pieces...I thought about getting you a puzzle with that many pieces, but since the number is so grand, I figured one hundred would have to do. Hope you like the picture. Your Secret Admirer.' Aw! How sweet...Oh! Let's put the puzzle together, James! Come and help me." She jumped on her bed, gasped as the pieces jumped too, then giggled and looked for the edge pieces. In no time at all she had pieced every edge piece to its partners and began to fill in the middle.
After a while she noticed James staring at her, unmoving. "Well, are you going to sit there like a baboon and wait out the millennium or are you going to help me?" She raised an eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest with a confused smile. He chuckled and leaned over, kissing her. Her arms unfolded from her chest and instead wove their way through his hair, the puzzle temporarily forgotten on the bed. Her back arched until he laid her down on the bed and began kissing her more thoroughly. Her hands gently placed on his chest and a slight push broke his lips away from her. He looked into her eyes.
"Too fast?" he asked. She raised a disbelieving eyebrow.
"Merlin no...I just really want to finish the puzzle. I've only put together twenty pieces or so."
"So you'd rather do a puzzle then snog me?"
"Maybe." She said, smiling and biting her bottom lip. He grinned his lop-sided grin that she loved.
"I don't think so." He attacked her mouth with his again, his hand cupping her cheek. "Don't be daft...I know you can't resist me." She broke away from his kissing and put her hands on her hips. He raised himself on one elbow. She looked ready to retort very nastily to his remark but her messed up hair, untucked shirt, and smeared makeup from the day before took away some of the intimidation in her stare.
"James Potter I don't think I want to be kissing you if you are in an arrogant mood this morning."
"Okay! Okay! I'll stop." He grinned mischievously up into her face and couldn't resist adding, "Would you like some help with that puzzle of yours, m'lady?" Her mouth opened in amused outrage. She grabbed a pillow and smacked him on the head with it.
"You! Mr. Potter are an impossible nuisance. You will be no help as we both know deep down. You can't keep your lips from mine for five minutes." She grinned, knowing he wouldn't back down from her challenge. He looked to be battling with himself, part of himself wanting to kiss her now and the other part not wanting to lose to her.
"Okay, I take your bet."
"I didn't bet you."
"If I win," he ignored her, "this bet, then you sleep in my bed. But if you win–"
"Then you have to use my body soap tomorrow morning in your shower."
"What?! But, but then, I'll...Holy Cricket! I'll smell like a girl!"
"Exactly." Lily smiled evilly. "Personally, I think cherry blossom suits you." She grinned at his rapidly opening mouth. She swooped in and kissed him quickly. "Hey!" He yelled, pulling away, "that doesn't count! You kissed me."
"Your point being...?"
"Lily!" he whined, "that doesn't count!" he said again, with his puppy dog look sliding slyly onto his face. She couldn't resist.
"Oh! Fine, I guess. Now help me." She picked up a piece and help it up to another, frowning and making a "hmmm..." sound, then shook her head and set one of the pieces down. She scooted so close to James that their knee's were touching and Lily leaned towards her boyfriend, an innocent look on her face. "James..." She started, placing her hand on his thigh, not knowing that butterfly's began to swarm in his stomach, and started to rub it back and forth. "What does this piece look like?" He gulped and shook his head, indicating that he didn't know. Lily tilted her head, made the same "hmmm..." sound as before and set it down next to another on the bed. "Oh...save me lady, you will be the death of me." James whispered huskily and immediately began kissing her very forcibly. Lily grinned to his mouth and pulled away. He was leaning over her again and had a hungry look in his eyes. "Let's finish the puzzle later." she whispered. She sniffed twice with her nose and said, with a widening grin, "I think I smell cherry blossoms, James."
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"Tonight we do each presentation of our school," Lily stated matter-of-factly and pushed a piece of hair behind her ear. She was walking between Danielle and Boy Alex (as they had begun to call him, though he didn't mind) and on the ends were James and Tricia. Danielle smiled and giggled excitedly.
"Just wait until you see what Nathan and I have in store for you! It will be amazing!" Just then, Lexie and Philip ran up to the group and all exchanged Hello's and Good Morning's.
" 'Ello eve'yone. I am 'oping zey 'ave zose zings 'ou call 'scones'?" Lexie said. The other's laughed and nodded.
"My favorite's are the orange glazed raspberry ones. They're delicious." Danielle sighed and closed her eyes, picturing the tasty treat in her mind. Lily grinned and turned to Nathan; she whispered something in his ear, that the others didn't notice because they were listening to a blown up cauldron story by Philip, and he grinned back at her. He crept to the other end of the group and stood quietly behind Danielle, when suddenly his hands shot out and began to tickle her sides. She let out a blood-curdling screech, scaring the magic out of everyone in the hallway. She whipped around, saw it was Nathan, who began to run away, and let out a battle cry before jumping onto his back, piggyback style.
"You bum! You completely evil BUM! Now you have to carry me all the way to the Dining Hall!" She commanded, thumping him several times on the head. He grinned a lop-sided grin and hitched her farther up his back because she was beginning to slip off. "Yes, your Majesty." And so they walked, Danielle on Nathan's back, the rest comfortably walking on the ground while Danielle kept her fist in the air, shouting "Onward, soldiers!".
When they reached the Dining Hall, each was astonished at the enormity of it. It was filled with a homey glow and laughter and chatter took up the silence. The room consisted of, instead of four long tables, thousands of smaller, four seater booths. Lily smiled with fascination. She had never seen anything like it before. The eight I.E.M.C. Representatives pushed two tables together and sat down, beginning their morning feast.
"So, Danielle, are you going to give us any clue's as to your performance that will take place this evening?" Lily asked. Danielle opened her mouth to reply but Nathan cut her off with a "Nope, it's a surprise." Danielle glared at him.
"I was going to say that, you know."
"Yes but I can never take any chances with you. Regardless of your being cute you couldn't keep a secret to save your life."
"I'm flattered by the compliment but a little distressed at the censure you say. I am cute, you're right, and I could keep a secret. In fact, I'm keeping one right now." She said, picked her fork up daintily and smiling knowingly at Lily, who returned the gesture. In a matter of seconds Nathan had crawled under the table and squeezed himself between the two girls. He began to tickle Danielle again yelling "Tell me! Tell me! What deep dark secrets doth the lady keep all to herself?"
"I..I cant...(giggle)...tell you! Stop! Please! I HATE BEING TICKLED!!!" Everyone at the table was laughing hysterically by now. Lily smiled at her new friends here then gave James a silent grin. She was happy to be here.
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"Um, Lily, could you help me with the ties in the back?" Danielle asked from her side of the room.
The girls were all in the huge bathroom they shared that held twelve sinks, showers, and toilets, six on each side of the room with a huge amount of space in the middle. The middle of the floor had a beautifully decorated rug, woven with many complimentary colors, and was soft and comfortable. There were bean bag chairs and pillows scattered everywhere, since the girls had all made sure they would all become fast friends the night before, and that the bathroom was the only place they could all fit and not be bothered by the boys. At this moment, the room was full of noises: frustrated groans at rips and loose ends, the clamping of curling irons and straighteners, and frantic requests for help, like the one Danielle had just made of Lily. Lily set down her brush and immediately came over.
"Oh! Danielle! Your costume! It's...beautiful!" She leaned her head close to Danielle's and looked at her in the mirror parallel to them. She smiled as she whispered, "You're really going to impress Nathan!" Danielle turned glum eyes on her.
"He's already seen it and he never said anything..."
"We're you wearing it when he saw it?" Lily asked indignantly, tired of Danielle degrading herself.
"Well, no, but--"
"No 'but's'! You look absolutely gorgeous!" And she did. The dress was a sea foam green and white; the sleeves were long and draping and sea foam green, the torso was white and accented her somewhat large chest nicely, but still modestly, and continued to be white all the way down to the flowing skirt but with a sheer, floral design in sea foam green over the white silk.
"Don't stand there all modestly Lily! You yourself look beautiful! The red and gold makes your hair flash all prettily." Lily's dress had a knee-length somewhat puffy skirt with gold vertical stripes and gold lace sticking purposely out under it, a red torso with a gold shawl wrapped around her arms, and gold spaghetti straps, roughly the size of three fingers holding it all up; and all of it was made in a sheer, silky material.
"Danielle! You look so much more prettier then me! I just love your hair!" Danielle's hair had been curled and pined up, with the curls falling everywhere and framing her face very prettily. Deni smiled evilly. Lily backed away. Danielle laughed.
"Silly! Come here, I'm gonna do your hair!"
"Should I be worried?"
"You were just complimenting my hair a few seconds ago!"
"Point taken...if you can make my hair as nice as yours I'll be happy." Ten minutes later, she was surprised but appreciative as she stared, in awe, at the curls arranged on top in a French Braid style but ending in a knot at the nape of her neck then spilling out under that.
"Danielle! Thank you! I love it so much!" Danielle scoffed.
"At least you have a boyfriend to compliment you..."
"We'll see." They giggled and took each others' hand. "Good luck!" They yelled to everyone as they ran, grinning, out of the room, stopping only once to give hands to Kaleigh while she was pinning up her hair. They ran to the top of the stairs and stopped, giving each other an encouraging smile.
"Me first or you?" Lily asked. Danielle bit her lip, thinking if she wanted everyone to stare at her or to come after another beautiful girl. She was going to take her chances with the latter. "You first." She said, gently shoving Lily forward.
Lily took a deep breath. "Okay...wish me luck!" She squealed squeezing Danielle's hands. She scoffed again.
"What do you need luck for? You look beautiful." Lily's eyes softened and she squeezed Daniele's hands again.
"You wonderful to me. Thank you for being a great friend the last...twenty one hours."
Danielle laughed, saying, "Go on! Knock 'em dead, girl!"
(Wow that sounds corny)
Lily walked slowly down the stairs. When she was about halfway down, she heard Boy Alex yell, "GIRLS! What's taking so long!" He came to the bottom of the steps and stopped in his tracks. Another of the boys (Lily assumed they were all in the common room because of the deep buzzing chatter that reached her ears) yelled something along the lines of, "They're probably just putting on all their makeup! You know girls..." but Alex did not hear him. He just kept staring at Lily. She pulled her gold shawl tighter around her arms, feeling suddenly self-conscience while the Spanish boy gawked at her.
"James--" he finally croaked, and Lily heard footprints, "You are so lucky—I wish I was dating you Lily," Just then, Lily resuming her way down, James came to stand next to Alex and dropped his mouth. Lily smiled; it was easier to be comfortable around James then Alex, though he was a doll, but not the man whom she was in love with.
"Lily, how could you?" James said, feigning disappointment. Lily instantly looked saddened and discouraged. I spent so much time looking this way and he doesn't like it? Tears threatened to spill when James cheekily said "None of the other girls are even going to be noticed with you being in the room! How utterly mean Lily, I mean, I thought I was dating a sweet, nice little girl."
Lily sucked all the sadness back into her as joy took over. She chokingly replied, "James Potter, I'm going to kill you if you make me cry and mess up my makeup." He held his hand out to her as she came down the last few steps. She took it as a radiant smile spread across her face.
"James you lucky--" but Alex didn't finish his sentence when Lily gave him an exasperated look. He held up his hands in a defeated gesture and walked away, all the while muttering things like "taking away my manly pride..." and "how am I supposed to be superior and dignified with that gorgeous girl around...?" Lily smiled at his retreating figure then looked up into James' eyes. He leaned his head down slowly and gave her a long, loving kiss. Afterwards, he laid his forehead against hes and they both closed their eyes and sighed, regardless of all the eyes fixed on them.
"I love you Lils...so much...and you look so beautiful." He said, opening his eyes partway to look into Lily's. She looked up at him appreciatively.
"Thanks..." then she turned her head for a voice had faintly called her name. She looked up the stairs and saw Danielle's worried head poking around.
"Lily! Would you get Nathan's attention for me! Just don't make it too obvious, but I want to show off--"
"NATHAN!"
"Oh dearie..." Danielle muttered as Nathan appeared at the bottom of the stairs.
"You needed me?" Lily jerked her head in Danielle's direction and Nathan looked up at his partner. He smiled (see, cause he still cant see her body, just her head) and motioned for her to come down.
"Danielle! Why are you standing up there! Come on down!" Danielle gulped and smiled and came completely into view. She walked regally down the stairs, slowly, one at a time, letting Nathan take it all in—and that's just what he did. He watched her lithe and beautiful body come closer, could see the outline of her legs against the dress slide back and forth with each step...her tanned shoulders were held back by her posture and he saw them roll with her movement, gracefully and somewhat seductively...he saw the curve of her chest jut out by the way the dress held it up and he gulped.
Get your mind out of the gutter Nathan! He thought desperately. She came to the bottom and looked up at him, her mouth slightly parted and her breath tickling his throat. Oh my...he thought, gulping, staring down at the girl he had regarded as only a friend until this moment, where she seemed the epitome of his desires.
Nathan cleared his throat awkwardly and uncomfortably, wondering why he couldn't control his sudden hormone attack. Many different feelings rose to his chest and he blushed a bright red. Feeling stupid and awkward he did the only thing he could think of; he offered his arm wordlessly. She took it, the same. He took her to the door and they exited first and alone. Lily and James watched all this happen with big smiles.
"I hope they don't do anything dirty before the show...that'll mess up Danielle's hair." Lily swatted his arm playfully, whispering, "hypocrite..." he laughed and kissed her forehead lovingly.
Nathan walked slowly down the dark hallway with Danielle. It was lit by a few candles, casting the whole space in a romantic glow, but Nathan was feeling far from romantic, though he suddenly wished he didn't. He truthfully felt awkward and clumsy and was still blushing brightly. Danielle noticed this, along with her own red face. She bit her lip, forgetting about how tediously and carefully she had applied her lip gloss. If there was one pet peeve Danielle Gorman had...
...IT WAS AWKWARD SILENCES!!!
So, what to do...what to say...Danielle thought bleakly. His family! I'll ask about them!
"So...how's your family been...since the summer, I mean!" He made a noise sort of like a grunt in the back of his throat before answering.
"They're doing well...um, Gabby just got accepted into the Ministry into the Department of Law Enforcement...I guess all those years of yelling and torturing us has finally paid off for her." Danielle laughed weakly at this. Nathan chanced a sidelong glance at her and sucked in his breath sharply. Just then the light from a nearby candle cast a luminescent glow on her face, making him want to kiss her so bad right on the spot.
"Good grief," he squeaked. Danielle whipped around in his direction.
"What?" She asked frighteningly. He held up a hand.
"Um, nothing, I was just—well you see, uh—oh this wont do!"
"Uh, what wont do exactly?" By then they had both stopped and Danielle was facing him, but he was looking everywhere but at her.
"You being positively alluring at the moment, that's what wont do." Danielle gasped slightly and began to smile. Finally, he notices! Uh-oh! What if he'll only notice me when I'm in a drop-dead gorgeous ball gown?!
"Uh...I promise to notice you, no matter what you're wearing." He said uncomfortably. GAH!!! DID I JUST THINK THAT ALOUD?! Danielle was about to have a heart attack from all the nervous tension in the room.
"Oh my gosh..." she began to laugh incredulously. "We're so pathetic. I'm sorry about how I look, I wont go out as much, uh, next time."
"Oh, no, no, no, no! I think you look...very beautiful." He said quietly, at a loss for words for the first time in his life. He looked deep into her eyes and begin to think about the last few years he had shared with Danielle...all the fun times during Charms (her favorite, he was surprised to remember her saying one day) And I've been only wanted to be in her company above others' who I thought were closer...Oh...I've fallen in love with Danielle!
"I—I beg your pardon?"
AH!!! I just said that out loud! Nathan thought as he frantically began to speak.
"I'm sorry! I-I-I am, uh, just, well, to tell you the truth I'm thinking aloud and that probably isn't the best thing to do with the things that I'm think--" But he didn't finish his sentence as Danielle stood on her tip-toes and kissed him. He stood, shocked for a moment, then gave in, even allowing himself to wrap an arm around her waist to pull her closer. After a few moments had gone by in this fashion they broke apart, breathing heavily but grinning from ear to ear. Danielle threw her arms around his neck and he spun her around.
"I've been waiting so long for this!" she squealed happily. He set her down with a soft 'thump'.
"You have?"
"Yes! I've been trying to send inconspicuous signals for a while now, but..."
"Wha-?! And I haven't noticed? Well, I suppose we shall just have to make up for lost time then, eh?" She giggled as he swooped for another willing kiss. Then suddenly she shoved him away. He gave her a hurt look.
"Don't look at me that way! Do you know how long it took me to get my lip gloss just right?"
"Frankly, my dear, I don't give a darn."
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"So...I saw you and Nathan as James and I entered the hallway. I hope we didn't disturb the two of you?"
The delegates were all lined up, in alphabetical order by the name of their country, behind a red curtain, all dressed in their extraordinary and colorful attire. Lily glanced around at everyone, smiling and waving and giving thumbs up to them all. They stood, quivering, as they listened to Headmaster Donatelli introduce them, the organization, and stated how much fun they would be having in the course of the evening.
"Please welcome our guests!" He called to the crowd and the curtain opened. The girls took the boys' arms put on big fake smiles to cover their nervousness. They each took a seat in the chairs provided in the front row. Everyone settled down and quieted as the Headmaster continued.
"First performing will be our delegates from America, Patricia and Matthew, then the delegates from Australia, Lise and Jonathon, then the delegates from Egypt, Alexandria and Mikkel, and I will announce the rest when the time comes. But for now I'd like you all to give a warm welcome for Patricia and Matthew!" Applause ensued.
"Oh! Wish us luck!" Patricia squealed before she took Matthew's arm. Lily admired her velvet blue gown as the two made their way up red carpeted stairs and onto the stage.
They began with a pretty sort of dance and the whole night passed by in a flash of color and music before Lily's eyes. After a half hour, it was Lily's and James turn. They were announced and Lily stood up, taking James' offered arm. When she passed by Danielle in the row she grabbed at her friends hand and squeezed it; Danielle squeezed it back and gave her a big smile. Lily let go and walked up the stairs, and onto the stage, stopping in the middle as James walked off a bit to the side. Everyone's eyes were on Lily, so no one noticed James' receding back until he came back, holding a broom. Lily took out her wand and gently waved it. A bright streak of sparkling red made a wavy line in the air, as the wake of her wand. James watched with a smile as the crowd stared, eager and anxious, until Lily did it again, this time making a blue streak right where the red one had previously been. The crowd held their breath; James mounted his broom, muttering a quick spell under his breath. Then Lily threw both her arms in the air, holding her wand still and shot out a rainbow of sparkles. That's my cue, James thought in the split second before kicking hard off the ground and zooming into the air, circling the rainbow pillar and making a golden spiral from the sparkles coming out the end of his broom. The audience clapped madly as James continued to zoom around, making different designs from the end of his broom and while Lily continued to shoot out different colors. After about five minutes of this, Lily began to shoot a different color into each row in the crowd. The streak of glittery light would dissolve and little presents would rain down on people; rings, bracelets, other little trinkets, all bearing the Hogwarts crest. They concluded with James doing a Wonski Feint, scaring the entire crowd, then he pulled up, jumped off, and landed with a bow beside Lily.
Lily could barely hear her own laughter over the deafening roar of the crowd as they screamed approval and applauded James and herself to no end, until they left the stage and Headmaster Donatelli introduced the next couple to perform. Lily watched the rest of the acts, grinning when Danielle and Nathan's turn came up and saw them holding hands on the way to the stage and while they performed; They sang a duet in when colors flew out of each other's mouths' and danced while they did it. It was truly amazing and lily watched on in awe.
At the conclusion of the evening, Headmaster Donatelli gave a short speech, then everyone went on to bed, the whole school applauding the delegates.
Back in the bathroom, when all the girls had taken off their makeup, let down their hair, on put on their PJ's Lily pulled her beanbag chair next to Danielle's and gave her a quick hug.
"You were so amazing tonight...I really enjoyed your performance." Lily whispered in her ear. Danielle smiled gratefully.
"Thank you...but I think yours was excruciatingly better!" Lily playfully shoved her shoulder.
"Ah... you're just saying that..." the two girls laughed and talked into the night.
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OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH, I FINALLY UPDATED!!!! WOOHOO!
Did you all know that I was planning on QUITTING this fic? I was even going to quit FANFICTION! (closes hands over ears blocking out deafening gasps) I know, surprising, but I already know how I'm going to start the next chapter, but not what else I'm going to do, so we'll just have to see from there on, ok?
BARE WITH ME!!!
Danielle
P.S. I've been working on only this chapter for FOUR DAYS!!! It's nine pages long...I think that's the longest any of my chapters have EVER been...oy!