Yays! Its chapter 8! -dances- It was up a little after the one on HPFF, but thats because I was on vacation. I hope you guys don't mind
Last Chapter:
"Now, I'm not saying you have to date other people," Remus said, "Just give her a chance to decide what she wants. Okay?"
James sighed again. "Okay."
Chapter 8: Midnight Rendezvous
For Lily, the next few weeks were pure bliss. All of her classes were wonderful and her new found friendship with the Marauders was lovely, and to her astonishment she loved being around them.
She and Amos finally went on their date; first Hogsmeade weekend, they went to a charming little place called Madam Puddifoot's. Lily was in absolute heaven.
After an enjoyable Saturday with Amos, hours after everyone else had gone to bed, Lily had the sudden urge to have a bath in the swimming pool like tub in the prefect's bathroom. She slipped into her bathrobe and fluffy slippers, not forgetting to bring her Head Girl badge, if Filch should cross her path.
She managed to make it all the way there without meeting anyone and whispered the password to the door, ("tersus balineum,") and slipped inside. The giggling mermaid in her portrait on the wall was sleeping peacefully.
Lily grabbed one of the fluffy towels from the corner and placed it beside the tub. She twisted all manner of knobs until the huge bath was full of bubbles and water. She stripped down and within seconds she was in the warm water.
She swam across a few times before settling in the corner of the tub. She closed her eyes and sighed contentedly.
James rubbed his eyes wearily.
He was having trouble sleeping, again. He sighed deeply and sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He wanted to have a bath.
He decided he was going to use the Prefects bathroom. The tub was much bigger, and the bubbles in there were really nice. His favorites were the tiny greenish ones; they reminded him of Lily's eyes.
He didn't bother putting on a robe; he just pulled on his cloak. He snuck silently across the common room and out the portrait hole.
He crossed paths with no one on his way there. Once, he thought he heard Filch around a corner but he passed.
When he finally arrived at the bathroom he thought he caught a whiff of the perfumed bubbles. He shrugged his shoulders, thought, 'it's probably just from someone who was here earlier,' and slipped through the door shutting it quickly behind him.
There was a person in the bathtub. A person with red hair.
Lily heard the door close and whipped around.
"James!" she cried, and sank into the bubbly water so only her head was visible.
He quickly turned away and covered his eyes. "I'm sorry Lily! I didn't know anyone was in here." He couldn't rid his mind of the image of her long, wet, hair, sticking to her bare neck and shoulders.
"I-its ok," she stammered, "I'm just going to put my clothes back on. Don't look," she added warningly.
He chuckled silently; as if he would just turn around. He wasn't like that…. Sirius, on the other hand….
He heard her sigh and pull on her robe.
"Is it safe now?" he asked, trying to lighten the mood; his face must be bright red.
"Yeah," she said, "I'm dressed,"
He turned around and saw her smiling timidly at him, her wet hair all around her face.
"I'm really sorry Lily," he said, "I really didn't—"
She cut him off, "James, really, its fine," she blushed a little, "do, you want to…. to…um…" she wrung her hands nervously.
He looked at her expectant and confused as to what she was trying to say.
"Ok," she stopped stammering, "starting over,"
James grinned.
She took a deep breath, "I am going to go back to Gryffindor Tower now, do you want to walk with me?"
James pretended to think for a minute, "Alright. Just promise not to tell Diggory about any of this. He would probably bite my head off."
She laughed and reached down at the side of the bath to scoop up her towel. She threw it into the laundry basket in the corner.
"So," Lily said.
"Hey, I have something to show you," James grabbed the invisibility cloak from under his arm and shook it out.
"Bloody Hell!" Lily looked amazed, "is that what I think it is?"
"Language Lily!" James teased her, "yeah it is. An invisibility cloak."
"Wow," she reached out to touch it and he handed it to her. She looked at it for a moment then lifted her head.
"How does it work?" she asked curiously, "I've never seen one of these…."
"Here," he took it from her and threw it over himself. She gasped.
"Did that actually surprise you?" he asked, grinning, though still invisible, "I thought you would know what was going to happen.
She blushed deeply, "No, of course I knew! It was just incredible."
She still looked at the spot where he had disappeared, but he had crept around behind her silently; he had had lots of practice. He pinched her waist with both hands.
She shrieked and jumped around, her wet hair flying wildly. He laughed.
"James Potter!" she cried, swinging her hands around in mid-air, hoping to grab the cloak, or hit him. He wasn't sure which.
"Ok, ok!" he pulled the cloak off, still laughing. Lily was pouting, her cheeks flushed.
"That wasn't funny," she pointed a finger at him.
"Yes it was,"
"No-it-was-not!" she swatted his arm playfully between each word.
"Admit it Lily, it was really—" he stopped suddenly, listening.
"What—?" Lily began but his hand flashed out to silence her. Her eyes widened.
James quickly threw the cloak over them and pulled Lily with him to the corner.
One hand covered her mouth; the other held her around the shoulders.
"A-HA!" the maniacal old caretaker burst into the room holding out an accusing finger. "STUDENTS OUT OF—" he stopped and looked around.
"I know you're here somewhere…" he growled
Lily began to shake with suppressed laughter. James tightened his grip.
They stayed that way for nearly ten minutes while Filch glared about the room; Lily struggling to control her giggles, James clamping his hand over her mouth.
When he finally left, grumbling to himself, James turned Lily around to look at her; her face was turning red and she was biting down hard on her bottom lip to keep from laughing.
"Oh my god," she whispered, her voice wavering with her mirth, "that was so funny,"
He grinned at her apprehensively, "I have no idea why though. Why was that so funny to you?"
She lapsed into giggles.
He shook his head in mock-sadness, "You need to get out more Lils,"
He grabbed her by the shoulders when her head lolled back as she laughed exposing her neck. Oh, how badly he wanted to lean down and kiss her…….
He shook his head. No. she had a boyfriend. And she's not exactly on the alert either. It would be unfair.
He shook her gently. "Lily?" she looked at him for a moment, biting her lip again, then fell back into giggles.
James filled his mouth up with air then blew it out.
"Lily," he said sternly, hoping it would get her attention, "You are kind of incapacitated so I'm going to have to put a silencing charm on you and carry you back to the tower. Is that ok?"
She just laughed.
"Okay then," he sighed, putting the charm on her. As much as he loved the sound of her laugh, they couldn't get caught.
Then he bent down and caught her around the knees and lifted her up, holding her like a bride. His heart thumped viciously against his ribcage. Part of him hoped she couldn't feel it. Part of him hoped she did.
By the time they reached the common room, Lily had calmed down and was actually starting to get sleepy. She almost nodded off against James' chest.
She wasn't exactly sure how she had ended up in his arms, but she was certainly glad he hadn't left her in the Prefects bathroom.
When she had finally stopped her hysterical laughter she hadn't bothered to tell him she could walk. She was too comfortable and she couldn't talk anyway.
Another thing she wasn't sure about was why she had gotten to giggly. Maybe the perfumes of the bath-bubbles made her go nuts.
When he set her back down in the common room and undid the charm she giggled nervously.
"Oh no," he said putting a hand on his head, "no more laughing!"
She put a hand over her mouth, "I'm sorry. It wasn't really that funny. I think the bubbles I used in the bath made me a little loopy," she twirled a finger around her ear, "Maybe I'm still loopy. I can't tell."
He grinned at her and shook his head, "Any idea why you laughed in the first place?"
"Well," she twisted her hands, "I suppose it's because we wouldn't have gotten in trouble if we got caught,"
He looked confused, "What are you talking about?"
"Well," she bit her lip, smiling, "We're head Boy and Girl. I had my badge…."
"That's where your wrong missy," James pointed a finger at her, "Filch doesn't care. When we were in 3rd year I saw him drag the Head Boy by the ear past the closet I was hiding in."
Lily paled.
"Oh my gosh," she put her hands on her face, "I've been going out at night, I thought it was ok! We would have gotten in so much trouble….." she moaned.
"Lils, its ok. Just don't do it again without the cloak,"
"What? The cloak? You'd let me use it?" she looked out from between her fingers.
"Course," he ran a hand though his hair, "if you tell me where you're going."
She grimaced.
"Well, I'm not really at liberty to say,"
"Why not?" he looked confused again.
"It's not my secret to tell," she said explained, "Goodnight James."
She turned and started up the stairs and then stopped.
"Promise me you will never breathe a word of this to Amos."
He laughed and smiled at her, "Goodnight Lily,"
As soon as she disappeared at the top of the stairs, James threw himself on the sofa and put his head in his hands. What could she possibly be hiding?
I hope you all like it! Chapter nine will be sent off to the beta after I finish writing chapter ten. That might be awhile because I just started high school, and I have lots of homework. Which is really lame.
