Here is the next installment. I hope you all like it. Sorry it took so long to update, but things have been crazy. Anyway let me know what you think. I know Lily sounds a bit mean right now, but she has her reasons, which will unfold later. So don't be too annoyed with her. Hope everyone had an excellent Valentine's Day!
Lily woke up with a pounding headache. Her eyes were blurry and it took her a moment to adjust to her surroundings. It did not help that it was still dark out. Male clothes were scattered about the room and to Lily's shock, she realized she was in James' room. Suddenly the shower she had heard running was turned off and the bathroom door opened. James walked through it, clad only in a towel wrapped around his waist. Lily tried hard not to blush. James smiled slightly as he watched Lily hide her embarrassment.
"I see you decided to finally wake up," James commented as he rummaged through his dresser for some clothes.
"What am I doing here?" Lily asked bluntly. "Is this your idea of a joke?"
James stared at her slightly annoyed at what she was accusing him of.
"Yes, I drugged you, brought you to my room and ravished you all night long," James replied sarcastically.
Lily gasped slightly.
"We didn't…" Lily asked with a look of confusion on her face.
The events of last night were still slightly hazy to her. James just barked with laughter.
"No, you got belligerent at the pub, called Remus a werewolf and then I dragged you out of there and brought you home, but you fell asleep on the way and so being the gentleman I am, I leant you my bed and slept on the couch," James said as he ran his fingers through is wet hair. "And trust me, if anything had happened last night you would have remembered."
Lily wanted to wipe the smirk off his face. She felt embarrassed for getting out of hand last night and even more mortified that James had to take care of her. However, instead of being grateful, she decided to go in another direction.
"Oh stop looking so bloody pleased with yourself and put some sodding clothes on," Lily complained as the pounding in her head increased.
"It's nothing you haven't seen before. You used to be so much more pleasant in the morning Lils," James cheekily and then ducked as Lily flung a pillow at him.
Lily turned her head as James shrugged his towel off and put on a pair of jeans. He put on a sweatshirt and decided to leave Lily to her grouching. His stomach was starting to growl and he hadn't eaten in a while. He walked downstairs and found Gabby and Sirius sitting at the kitchen table.
"Is sleeping beauty finally awake?" Gabby asked.
James just nodded his head as he looked in the cupboards for any signs of food. All he could find was a cereal box that only had a few crumbs left.
"She must have had a fit when she realized she was in your room," Gabby continued.
"She wasn't very civil about it," James said.
"She's turned into a stropping cow," Gabby replied.
Sirius and James laughed.
"You should have seen her expression when I walked out of the bathroom in a towel," James said casually.
It was Gabby's turn to laugh.
"I would have paid a million galleons to see it," Gabby crowed.
Their exchange was interrupted when Lily padded, barefoot into the kitchen.
"I see her highness has decided to grace us with her presence," Gabby said sharply and then got up and left the table.
Sirius quickly followed, shooting Lily a look that could kill.
James just sat there drinking a cup of coffee staring at her. She had her hair down and curling wildly around her shoulders. He'd always liked the way she looked when she had just woken up.
"Nice sweatshirt," James commented as Lily took a seat at the table.
"I thought so when I bought it for you," Lily replied.
James's face fell slightly. He didn't want Lily thinking that his keeping the silly gifts she'd given him meant anything. It was impractical to toss out a perfectly good sweatshirt because it was from Lily, he reasoned.
"Haven't seen it in ages, I never wear it. You must have had to do some digging," James said, trying to remain aloof.
"Actually, it was on top of the pile of dirty clothes that takes up at least a quarter of the space in your room," Lily replied.
She poured herself a hot cup of coffee from the pot that was sitting on the table and put the warm liquid to her lips. She breathed in the warmth and let it flow throughout her body. The events of the evening started rushing back to her and immediately she felt a pang of regret settle in her stomach.
"James, about tonight, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to get so out of hand," Lily apologized.
James, who was deep in thought, looked at her quizzically.
"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," James replied.
Lily felt slightly annoyed at the sanctimonious attitude James was taking with her.
"I figured as much after the death glares Gabby and Sirius just shot at me, and I'll eat humble pie and apologize to everyone else soon enough. But I just wanted to say thanks for taking care of me," Lily said somewhat irritably.
James knew Lily hated apologizing. She was as stubborn as he was in that department. She hated being wrong, which was why she was so keen on doing the right thing all of the time.
"You did get quite pissed last night. Haven't seen you like that since the first day of seventh year when you found out I was head boy," James said.
Lily laughed, remembering the first and last time she had succumbed to fire whiskey, well before last night at least. Lily had come back from a meeting with James and Dumbledore and was fuming man. In an attempt to calm her down, Gabby and Katie decided a trip to a local bar was necessary. They snuck out of the castle and went to the Hogs Head because they decided they were less likely to run into any Hogwarts staff members. It was the first time Lily had tasted fire whiskey and she immediately disliked it. However, after the first few drinks, the rest had gone down a lot easier. When the girls returned, they were completely tossed and could barely stand. Lily didn't remember a lot about what happened, but according to James, she came up to his dorm room, ranted about how irresponsible and arrogant he was, then proceeded to rummage through his belongings to take his badge away. She claimed she was confiscating it.
"I've never been very good at holding my liquor," Lily conceded.
James nodded in agreement. They sat there in silence, each drinking their coffee. It wasn't awkward, but rather comfortable. Both were deeply entrenched in thought.
"Should I make us something to eat?" Lily asked after a while.
"Actually, I'm famished, but the cupboards are a little sparse," James said as he heard his stomach growl.
"You never were very good in the kitchen," Lily said and immediately got up and started to rummage through the cabinets.
"Honestly James, there isn't a spec of food in here," Lily chided as she reached behind a package of very old bread to find some pancake mix.
"Can't say Sirius and I put much stock in cooking," James replied.
Lily quickly whipped up a batch of pancakes and James watched as she flipped them in the air.
"You always did like doing things the muggle way," James remarked.
"Old habits die hard I guess," Lily replied as she piled a stack onto a plate and handed them to James.
She made a plate for herself and took a seat again. They ate in silence, each to hungry to think about anything else except the food in front of them. James felt nervous as he watched Lily eat. He needed to ask her about what she said last night, about how she'd waited for him. He needed to know if it was too late.
"Lily I need to ask you something," James said quietly.
She looked at him with her reassuring green eyes and his heart started to race.
"Did you mean what you said last night, about waiting for me?" he asked nervously.
Lily's face fell. On the list of things to refrain from telling James, admitting that she'd secretly hoped he'd come and try to win her back, was definitely high up there. Suddenly the conversation they'd had the night before came rushing back to her. She didn't know what to say so she decided to be honest for once.
"There was always a part of me that didn't want to give up on us," Lily admitted.
For the first time in seven years, James felt a glimmer of hope. He knew she still cared about him.
"And now?" James asked.
Lily looked at him. His hazel eyes were so familiar to her. This was the first man she had ever loved. They'd been through everything together. But this wasn't her life anymore, he wasn't part of her life. She'd moved on.
"James don't do this," Lily said pleadingly.
"Because if I'd thought you'd wanted me to come, I would have taken the first portkey to New York," James continued.
Lily's eyes began to fill with tears. For seven years she had opened her apartment door, hoping to find James there, but he never was. And now there was another person waiting for her, it was too late.
"It's in the past," was all that Lily could say, her voice trembling.
James got up from the table and walked over to her.
"No it's not, I'm right here," he said as he stood in front of her.
There was a point in her life, where she would have given anything to have James offer what he was offering, but everything was different now.
"I can't James, I'm sorry," Lily said and then ran from the kitchen before James could see the tears streaming from her eyes.