Ch. 14 NEWTS
It had been one week since the accident and Lily had returned to classes the Friday after the incident. NEWTS were fast approaching and all of the seventh years were studying long and hard, trying to do as well as possible on the exam that may determine what their future careers would be. Lily and James had not had a proper date since their engagement, but they had been spending a great amount of time studying together. Their studying sessions usually consisted of the two of them cuddling together in their armchair, books forgotten, kissing, talking, or just holding onto one another as they started into the fiery embers.
Tonight, however, Lily was studying History of Magic, a class that James was not taking, with Alice. The Maurauders were hunched over a table in the corner, planning their monthly adventure into the Shrieking Shack, signs taped to each of their backs that read, Do Not Disturb!
Suddenly, a shout rang across the Common Room, "WHO BLOODY WELL CARES ABOUT THE WITCHES COUNSEL OF 1949'S SELECTION OF BEST ROBE COLOR FOR THE HALLOWEEN SEASON?!?!?! WHY DOES IT MATTER? DOES ANYONE REALLY CARE ABOUT ANY OF THE SENSELESS CRAP THAT WE'RE LEARNING IN ANY OF THESE STUPID CLASSES ANYWAY?" Everyone turned in their chairs, shocked as the Head Girl threw her History of Magic textbook on the ground and burst into tears. James was on his feet in a split second, heading over to her.
"It's ok, Lily," Alice tried to soothe her friend. She patted her awkwardly on the back and pulled her down into the armchair, for Lily had stood when her shouting tyrant began.
"I'm so stupid!" Lily wailed. "I don't know anything! I'm going to fail my NEWTS and then I'll be exiled from the Wizarding World and-" She was stopped by a hand clamping gently over her mouth. James gently scooted her aside and settled into the armchair next to her. James removed his hand from her mouth and pulled her into a huge hug.
"It's okay, Lily," he said softly as he ran his fingers through her hair. "Listen to me. You're one of the top students in the year. You, my flower, are going to do fine on the exams. The rest of us are the ones who have to worry. You've got us all beat by at least fifty percent, anyway."
"I-I'm not top of the year anymore." Lily choked out. "McGonagall told me yesterday. She thinks is because of us. She said it was probably the stress of our engagement and that I wasn't putting as much effort into my work all because of you."
"What?'" James asked. "Lily I'm sorry you're not top of the year anymore. Why didn't you tell me, Lilyflower?"
"I thought you might, I don't know, break off out engagement or something like that. I was just overreacting I guess."
"I'm willing to bet that this is just another side-effect of that stupid potion. Remember? The one you took for you head?" Lily nodded.
"You're probably right. I think I'm just going to go up to bed." James nodded and kissed her softly. As he did, a collective, "Aww," sounded from around the common room. Lily and James had been so absorbed in their conversation that they had not even realized that half the Common Room was listening in on their conversation.
"Get to bed, every one of you, or I'm giving you all detention for eavesdropping!" Lily shouted at a group of first and second years that were sitting closest to them. They all scrambled into their dormitories. Lily turned to James. "It's going to be an interesting week!"
Lily was quite right in her prediction for an interesting week. The week of NEWTS was the most hectic either of them had ever experienced at Hogwarts. Lily insisted on going over each of their exams after they had finished them, something that made James and Alice very nervous as they always found they had missed several questions that Lily looked up in her textbooks to see if she had gotten them correctly.
James barely finished his Transfiguration written exam because he was too busy staring at the back of Lily's head and doodling on his scratch paper. He drew a perfect design of Lily's engagement necklace, which she had taken to rubbing between her thumb and forefinger when she was nervous. James thought this new habit adorable and made a nice sketch of Lily, nervously twiddling it between her fingers. James had always had some prowess in drawing. In fact, the design for Lily's necklace had been his own work. He had drawn the heart with hers and his initials on it in their fifth year whilst taking his OWLS. He later changed the letter from "E" to "P" for her last name on the necklace and had it made for her.
James suddenly looked up at the clock and saw that it was after midnight. This had been their last day of NEWTS and he and Lily had been enjoying their freedom together by the fireplace. James had been sketching since their exam. Lily had lain on the sofa, reading with her head in James' lap. Now, as he looked down at her, James realized that his fiancée had fallen asleep.
"Hey," he said softly in her ear. "Wake up Lilyflower. It's after midnight." Lily only sighed and fell back asleep. James smiled down at her. "Come on," he continued his futile attempt to rouse her," it's really late babe."
Lily was completely unresponsive. James sighed wondering what to do. He didn't want to wake her if he could avoid it, but he hated going up into the Girls' Dormitory after hours. The girls seemed to swarm him the moment he appeared, wanting him to "Come check out their new dress robes" or "See the new lamp they just bought." James wasn't stupid. He knew perfectly well that he and the other Maurauders were somewhat popular with young women. Sirius had quite the reputation of being the best shag in the school. James didn't doubt that he and Peter were the only Maurauders to remain virgins whilst at Hogwarts. This was simply because girls wouldn't go near Peter with a ten-foot pole and James had always known that he wanted to wait until the right person came around. That person was Lily and they agreed to wait. James didn't like the way other girls treated him and spoke of him as if he was some sort of sex toy for their enjoyment. For one thing, he didn't particularly like the reputation. For another, he knew it hurt Lily's feelings and that was something he worked quite hard not to do. Therefore, he did not like to venture into the Girls Dormitory with a sleeping Lily in his arms.
James considered simply staying here and letting himself fall asleep with her, but he didn't fancy the idea of getting caught again and he knew that Lily was still on probation for her badge. He didn't want her to loose it on account of him. James also didn't want to leave her by herself so late at night. Eventually, he decided the only thing to do was to bring her up to his dorm and transfigure a blanket into a cot on the floor for himself. He didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea, as Sirius certainly would is he was given the chance. James slowly lifted Lily's head from his lap and stood up. He placed on arm around Lily's shoulders and moved the other to the back of her knees and carried her, bridal style, up the Boy's Staircase. Lily stirred slightly and awoke, looking up at him.
"James? What are you doing? What time is it?" she murmured sleepily.
"Shhh. It's after midnight, Flower. I'm just taking you up to bed. It's ok, I've got you." Lily smiled up at him and put her arms around his neck.
When James reached his Dorm, he put Lily down in it and reached into his pocket for his wand. He took a spare blanket out of the bedside cabinet and spread it onto the floor to transfigure it.
"What are you doing?" Lily asked from the bed.
"I'm just gonna transfigure this for me. I didn't want to go up into the Girls Dorm so late, so we're in my Dorm."
"Come here, then," Lily replied patting the bed beside her. James looked at her for a moment then climbed into the bed next to her. Lily rolled over and lie on her side, facing him. James kissed her softly.
"I love you. Goodnight," he said. Who cares what Sirius said? It wasn't like they were actually going to do anything. They were just sleeping in the same bed, not sleeping together.
"Love you too. 'Night." Lily whispered, snuggling into him.
Sirius and Remus came in sometime later. They were laughing loudly about a prank they remembered pulling on the Slytherins in third year. James sat up in the bed, very quickly.
"Shut it!" he hissed. "You're going to wake her up!" They now both noticed a small red head, nestled into James' shoulder.
"That is Lily, right mate?' Sirius joked, now whispering. James shook his head disapprovingly and lie back down next to Lily, drawing the curtains around his bed closed as he did.
Sirius turned to Remus. "Our little Prongsie just got laid!"
"I doubt it," Remus replied, now walking over to his own bed. "Lily's just not like that. Not like the girls you and I date."
"Whatever," Sirius replied, "I'd still like to think that our little Prongsie just got laid for the first time. After all I've taught him you'd think he wouldn't have agreed to that no sex before marriage deal, but does he ever listen to me? NO!"
A/N: OMG! Another chapter finished! I can hardly believe how fast this story is coming along. I LOVED writing this chapter. It was really fun to do. Just to clarify, Lily and James did NOT sleep together at the end of that last chapter. I am a strong believer in abstinence and I am going to have my main characters believe the same way. If you have a problem with that, try some other fic. I don't condemn people who don't believe the same way I do, but that doesn't mean I'm going to write about pre-marital sex. Ok, enough on that subject, lol! I also wanted to apologize for this chapter taking so long! My computer is broken, so I can't get on the Internet right now, but I'm going to try really hard to have two chapters ready by the time it is fixed! Review please! I love to know if you like the story. Or if you hate it that's fine too, just let me know! Also please say something if you thought this chapter was rambling in places or didn't make sense somewhere. I really appreciate it!
Love from Lyny Angell
