Insane House Competition: Alice Longbottom
365 Prompts: (title) Abandon Logic
Sticker Challenge, Hogwarts Express: Write about a long trip across the country
Character Appreciation: starting a new life
Showtime, "If I Could Tell Her": indigo
Kiss a Ginger Day: Lily Evans in a romantic relationship
Restriction of the Month: no characters under 20, quote below
Bath Bomb Appreciation: All You Need Is Love: Write about someone who believes the answer to everything is true love
Word Count: 529
"The secret to happiness is freedom. And the secret to freedom is courage."- Thucydides
It takes Lily about a month of being married to realize that she cannot stand to pretend to be what she is not. She cares deeply for James, but she's come to realize that she doesn't love him like that. He is sweet, but she just can't bring herself to love him the he loves her.
She considers staying. After all, why should she run away when she can at least be somewhat happy, even if she isn't in love? She can be a woman fortunate enough to live with her best friend.
In the end, though, she knows it isn't fair for either of them. True love is more important than anything else, and both she and James deserve to have that.
Heart heavy, she pulls out two scraps of parchment and her favorite indigo ink. On the first, she writes a letter to her husband, asking that the could one day learn to forgive her and understand that all she wants is for both of them to find happiness. The second letter is message shorter; she on leaves a time, place, and all her love.
Once the second letter has been sent and the first has been placed somewhere obvious for James to find, Lily packs a bag.
…
"Are you sure about this?" Alice asks when they meet at the train station.
Lily holds up the tickets she's already purchased, a small smile on her lips. "About running away? Honestly, I'm terrified. But about running away with you?" She transfers the tickets to one hand and pulls Alice close, pressing a kiss to the other woman's lips. "I've never been more certain."
…
Lily likes watching the countryside pass them by in brilliant blurs of greys and browns. It's almost like going to Hogwarts, but this times something even more spectacular awaits them.
She's free. Maybe she's still trembling, so worried about the unknown, but there is no fear. Alice is by her side, and they can finally escape and be themselves.
It isn't logical. Lily is well aware of that. For once, though, she doesn't care about logic and expectations. There is only her and Alice, and that's more than enough.
"I love you," she says.
Alice leans over and rests her head on Lily shoulder, pressing a kiss to a bit of exposed skin. "I love you too."
And that's all it takes for Lily to know that they're doing the right thing.
…
After hours on the train, they arrive at the sea. Once upon a time, they would lay together by the Black Lake and talk about running away together, always to the sea.
The salty air whips at Lily's hair. She holds Alice's hand a little tighter, a radiant smile playing at her lips. "We did it," she whispers.
Alice pulls her close, and they stand there in silence for several moments, looking at this place that will be their new home. They've spent so long dreaming, but now their dreams have finally come true.
They are free. They are happy. Most importantly, they are in love.