Unofficial Portkey Archive

Music Box Lullaby

Chapter Two: In Bloom

Lily surprised herself that day and the next by not seeing James Potter at all for the remainder of it. Corrine was kind enough to point out that they had had many other days like this (we usually called them Saturday and Sunday). Grace also made a comment on the fact that Lily had never kept track of her interaction with James before either.
But of course, she had never hated him as much as she did now.

Their conversations were dominated all weekend by Lori, who was convinced that some day she would become Mrs. James Potter and this didn't help Lily's moods. On Monday, it was inevitable that she would see James. After all, they shared some classes. She resumed her natural actions and managed to ignore him and things went on like they always had for the past six years.

Lily didn't think it mattered much anymore anyway, as they had a two week Easter holiday coming up at the end of the week so she told herself that she had a lot of time to forget him.

By Wednesday, even through Lori was determined to prove to Grace that she didn't change her mind about who she liked constantly; Lily saw her eyes stray a few times over to the Ravenclaw table where Vincentio De'Busen was sitting with some other seventh years.

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Lily sat at the window seat on Saturday morning, watching as the others packed. Besides April and herself, the others had left packing to the last minute, and were now hurling insults at each other over who stole who's sock. Lily (who was usually in there with the best of them hunting for her possessions) had already packed due to vast amounts of sulking the weekend before.

They had forty five minutes before they had to be downstairs with their belongings so April had gone to the library as an escape, saying that there were some books she needed to get before she left.
Lily, who had lived with a sister who continuously threw screaming fits, was able to block out the noise, and curled up on the window seat, scribbling randomly on a scrap piece of parchment. She had decided that she wouldn't let some pig take away the most comfortable spot their dorm had to offer. After she had been there a while, Lily looked up and across at the dorm level to our own. She watched as the door swung open and a tall raven haired fifth year walked in, followed by James. Lily felt a burning in her stomach, the burn of contempt. It rose up to her throat before she was able to push it aside.

I knew it!

She turned away and avoided looking into James' dorm room for about thirty seconds. But instead of the ugly scene she had expected to see - the one in which James and the girl were tangled in each others arms, instead Lily saw James sprawled, eyes closed, out over what must be his bed - alone.

Lily returned to her scribbles, feeling in a much lighter mood and grinning in triumph. That girls got brains after all she thought, liking the girl a lot more than she did half a minute before, and made a mental note to talk to her next time she saw her.

Lily managed to keep from looking at him for a full minute now, before she turned back. But this time his eyes were open looking straight at her. She gave an involuntary shriek and fell sideways off the seat, landing in a rather unlady like fashion on the floor.

Grace, Lori and Corrine had all stopped bickering to laugh at her expense. Alice, who had walked in just in time to witness the fall, hurried to Lily's aid and bent over to help her up.

Lily took her offered help and stood up, making a show of dusting down her clothes and glaring at three certain friends who were trying without success to cover their giggles. In the back of her mind I knew that she was just trying to put off the inevitable and looking out that blasted window. She armed herself with a smile. "I'm fine, April. Thanks."

Grace caught my eye and smirked knowingly. "Golly Lily," she stated, the sarcasm obvious in her voice. "What was it that made you tumble? Is there something at the window?"

Lily froze, "There was a bug."

"Oh really?"

Lori stared, horrified of a bug in the dorms, her eyes clouded with worry. It was common knowledge to the rest of the girls that Grace was petrified of any creepy-crawls and the fact that her bed was closest to the window didn't help any.

Placing a hand on her shoulder, Lily said, "Don't worry Lori, I squashed it." She tried to smile kindly.

Lori nodded accepting Lily's pitiful answer and went back to packing, as did the others - but not before Grace shot her a skeptical look.

Gathering what little pride she had left and Lily picked up her parchment and sat back down into the cosy spot she had come to love. The window seemed to draw her and she couldn't help but look back over at the source of her embarrassment - James. A wry smile played on his lips. That boy was treading on dangerous ground. She flashed my green eyes at him and gave the best death glare she could muster. If looks could kill...

His smile grew until he was grinning that damn charming grin of his. He picked up a nearby drink and did a spoof toast it to her.

Lily felt a smile tug at her mouth but kept it in check. After all, she didn't want him to think she thought his jokes were funny.

"Lily!"

She looked away from his humorous antics to look at Corrine, a blank expression on her features. Then came the look again. The look that Corrine had mastered - the look of annoyance at Lily's incapably to listen.

"We have to be down and ready in ten minutes. Come on and grab your stuff, where going!"

She shook her head and walked out with the other three. Whilst she shoved her parchment into her pocket, Lily stole one more glance back out the window. His dorm was empty. She tried to ignore the disappointment she felt, but she quickly found a way to justify it. He is pretty silly, and everyone needs a good laugh once and a while, Lily told herself. She shut the door as she left, left to the place that she called home.

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The train ride home was rather uneventful, games of exploding snap were played, gossip was spread, and in Grace's case, bags were misplaced. It wasn't long before they were saying their goodbyes, promising to owl each other, and leaving with their families. As Lily made her way through the crowds she vainly searched out James, but he was nowhere in sight. Lily inwardly cursed herself for looking, but soon forgot and was drawn into her fathers embrace.

After telling her father, Perry Evans, all bout her last term (complete with sound effects and hand actions) Lily let her thoughts wander for the rest of the ride home. The motion of the car soon rocked her to sleep and she woke up in the late afternoon, just as they drove into her hometown.

She watched through the window as she felt the car slow down as they turned into her circular road, with the perfectly trimmed hedges on each side. Lily flushed with happiness as she took it all in. She could see her house, the front lawn spread out before her and she could see the tip of a large sprawling red maple tree (great for climbing!) which peeked out from behind the roof. There was a pair of enormous weeping willow trees, the tip of the branches sweeping the ground, forming a cave of shadows on the front lawn. Lily remembered the games she had played as a child, hidden beneath the cover of those very same trees.

When she was younger, before she had left for Hogwarts, she had use to sit outside on the lawn with her muggle friend Cheryl Benson and admire the house, thinking it resembled a wedding cake with all its layers. Her home was a gingerbread Victorian house with many frills, its white paint spotless, always looking freshly painted. It had three stories with an attic and a basement and the lawn at the back of the house extended out down to where there was a small stream.

Lily jumped from the car as soon as her father had brought it to a complete stop. She bounded up the stairs, forgetting she was seventeen (and a half!), and hurled herself inside. As soon as she entered, the sent of flowers invaded her senses. Her mother, being a local florist, always claimed that flowers was her first love, and was always placing bunches all over the house. She was the best in town, and was forever advising brides to be on choices and such.

Lily's father was proud of her mother, and although he would never dare to admit it, his pride showed through in Lily and her sister's names; both being named after flowers, both representing her mothers achievements.

She hurried through the foyer, the stained glass from the double doors she had come through, placed colored patterns on the ground. She didn't stop to take this in as she moved past the living room and down the hall to where her mother would no doubt be reading one of her trashy novels in the lounge room.

Lily walked in silently as not to disturb her.

"Hello Mum," Lily called. Joy Evan's looked up sharply and smiled warmly at her daughter, and hurriedly got to her feet, sweeping Lily into her arms.

"Oh Lily, your back! This is wonderful, the whole family together again." Her mother held her at arms length looking her over before smiling that warm smile again. "You look wonderful, Lily, you really do."

"Thanks, Mum," Lily grinned. "Where Petunia?"

She sighed and her smile faulted a bit. "Petunia's locked herself away in her room talking to some young man on the phone."

Lily didn't try to hide her surprise. Who on earth would want to talk to her?

Some of her thoughts must have showed on her face because Joy changed the subject quickly. "Will you be on shop floor with me tomorrow, Lily?"

"She only just got home, Joy, and you're already getting her to work," Perry Evan said lightheartedly. He had followed Lily into the room, putting his keys down on a near by table and shrugging off his coat. "Give the girl a break!"

"No Dad, it's alright, I want to," Lily respond with a smile. Shop floor meant that she wanted Lily in her flower shop helping out. Lily had often spent her holidays doing this - It gave her time away from Petunia's taunts.

She stayed with her mother talking and catching up on news for well over an hour before her mother went to go get dinner started. Lily headed upstairs to where her room was.

Her room was large and spacious with a walk in wardroom and a bathroom which also connected onto Petunia's room. Paneled windows lined the far wall, giving her a view of the maple tree and the stream. Lily's room was her favorite spot in the house. Whenever Petunia came in (which was only if she had something nasty to say) she would complain that Lily's room was far too childish. She had stuffed animals lining the shelves on the walls, and dolls that had been brought back from other countries. Lily wasn't home enough to grow tired of the layout of the room because of this, it had been the same way for as long as she could remember.

She lay down on her bed, spreading her arms like a starfish. It was still relatively early but Lily was feeling tired from the long train ride. Sleep closed in eagerly around her, and when she woke up next, it was morning.

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The next morning, Lily watched through the open shutters as the sun cast its rays over her room. She frowned remembering that open shutters was what James and his friends always had. She could hear Petunia moving around inside their bathroom, so she didn't bother getting up until she was sure that she had left. But even that couldn't stop Lily from avoiding her.

Lily had began to full up the sink with hot water, ready to wash her face, when the door to the bathroom room burst open and Petunia walked in.

Her mother had informed her last night that Petunia's left arm had just come out of a cast and Lily saw the way she moved it gingerly as she stepped into the bathroom. Despite her dislike for Petunia, Lily felt sorry that she had what her father referred to as 'egg shell' bones. It seemed that every time she fell, a bone would easily break.

"Is your arm O.K?" Lily asked, trying to act sisterly.

"Don't look at me with eyes filled with pity, Lily!" She ordered. "I just have a more delicate feminine body than that masculine one you were born with."

Lily shrugged and turned back to the sink, wetting a face cloth. But Petunia wasn't done just yet.

"And of course my arm hurts," she shrilled, her voice drilling into Lily's head. "It hurts like hell!" She was silent a moment looking her over. Lily was unsure of what to say. "I don't understand why you don't break your bones as much as I do. But then again, you have a manly build so it's no wonder." She giggled as she tossed her challenge, but Lily didn't want to fight. "It's a good thing I have friends to help me out. There's a boy at university that helps me. He carries my books, and talks to me, and asks me all kind of questions. He's very good looking to. His name is Vernon, Vernon Dursley. I think he might pop the question soon."

Lily had a good idea of what that question was.

Petunia went on to tell Lily all about her boyfriend, Vernon, who sent her flowers and chocolates and other nice things. Finally, Petunia seemed to remember just who she was speaking to. Her pale, pasty face grinned wickedly as she said in a harsh voice, "I don't suppose you've ever had a boyfriend have you Lily."

"Breakfast is ready!" Their mother yelled from the bottom of the stairs startling them both.

Petunia smiled knowingly and left Lily to wash up in peace as she went to go downstairs for breakfast. Lily rolled her eyes at her sisters' behavior. She was twenty-one now, four years Lily's senior, yet she still continued to pick fights like a first year.

I hope that Vernon marries her soon, she thought bitterly as she dried her face on a nearby towel. I don't think I can stand her much longer.

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Lily worked in her mother's flower shop, 'In Bloom,' three days over the first week of the holidays and on the other days she met up with Cheryl.
On the Tuesday of the second week, she was working with her mother at the shop when Lily's worst nightmare came true. And no, I'm not talking about eating dairy products two weeks after their use-by date.

She anxiously glanced at her wrist watch, eleven minutes to go. Eleven minutes until her lunch break. Lily stared lamely at the buckets of flowers that decorated the shop, waiting for time to pass wishing she had thought to bring some music along to listen to.

"Excuse me."

Lily jumped as a male voice suddenly grabbed her attention. She hadn't heard anyone enter the store, and mentally cursed herself for slipping into a daze. Lily turned to offer her assistance and felt her heart lurch.

Fate had been cruel.

The person she wanted to forget most was giving her on of his most idiotic grins. How could she have missed him coming in? James Potter was far too annoying to go unnoticed.

Clearing her throat and pretending she didn't know him, Lily asked, "Can I help you?"

He held her gaze a moment, his eyes twinkling, before replying. "I'm looking for something rather special."

`Aren't we all?' Lily mussed to herself. She resisted the temptation to consult her watch again. Would she even make it out of there on time? As Lily looked into his warm, hazel eyes, it no longer seemed to matter.

Lily gestured towards the half empty buckets of flowers surrounding them. "We've had a steady stream of customers today. I'm sorry that we don't have much left." She briefly wondered what one earth he wanted flowers for. "Sorry to disappoint you. Do you have something special planned?" Lily asked, thinking again of the steam of girls that were always around in his dorm room.

His lips split into a lady killer smile. "You could say that. I wonder if you'd help me. What would you suggest for an important date?

Lily strolled out from behind the counter and tried to ignore his alluring sent of aftershave.

"Roses are always popular."

"Which are your favorite?"

She looked at James' handsome face, and then turned away quickly. She felt flustered in his presence. Damn! All this anxiety is enough to give me an ulcer.

Lily's mother, who had been out the back, came out in time to hear this last line. "Oh," she said pleasantly to James. "Lily's favorite flowers are lilies!" And laughed at her joke.

"I'll take some then."

"What for?" Lily asked quickly, ignoring her mothers pointed stare.

"Lily!"

James looked over to Joy Evans, giving her the same charming look that he used on everyone to get what he wanted. "Don't worry; she's always hasty towards me."

Lily glared, her eyes narrowing dangerously. How dare he? She wanted to point out that they had only really had a couple of very short proper conversation aside from the ones where he would ask her out and she would reply with a `no.'

Lily watched as her mother moved over to where a canister of lilies sat near the door and began choosing the best ones. "Lily," she called. "Come and wrap these please." She moved away from where she was sending James death glares and went to gather the lilies Joy had picked as she headed out into the back room again.

"Here you go," Lily said, with one of her very fake smiles that she saved only for him. She handed the bouquet of lilies that she'd wrapped in crinkly green paper to James. He handed over some muggle money to pay and Lily finalized the purchase.

When he made no move to leave, she sighed with annoyance and slumped onto the stool behind her, rubbing her temple. "Don't you have somewhere else to be?"

He just stood there, lilies in hand looking around. Joy's voice fluttered out into the store. "Pick out the dead heads from the plants in the window, will you Lily?"

Headache throbbing, Lily made her way to the front of the shop, James moved with her, although he kept his distance. She was just leaning over the canister of daffodils when she heard a knock on the display window. Lily looked up and saw Cheryl smiling and waving from the other side.

Good timing, Lily thought and silently welcomed the distraction. She waved Cheryl inside and greeted her old friend with a smile.

"Hey Lily," Cheryl greeted, steeping into the store, making the bell ring. She walked over to where Lily stood, and noticed James and gave him a smile as well.

"My break isn't for another four minutes; you don't mind waiting do you?" Lily asked making sure to ignore James.

Cheryl swayed from foot to foot with a sorry expression on her face and Lily couldn't stop the sinking feeling that settled in the pit of her stomach. "That's why I'm here. I can't make it to lunch today. Mum got a phone call this morning that Grandpa was ill; we're heading out there now." she smiled apologetically, her fingers knotting themselves together.

Then it happened. What made Lily's day go from bad to worse.

"Don't worry about it," she heard James say from behind her. "I was just here to take her to lunch anyway."

Lily turned sharply looking firstly and James then back to Cheryl. "He was not!"

"How do you know I wasn't?" He fired back at her, "What did you think I was waiting for?"

"Hell to freeze over...I don't know! Something! But most defiantly not that!"

Cheryl looked surprised to say the least. Her wide aqua eyes went from one to the other as they argued. "Uh, Lily," she interrupted, looking amused. "I have to go. Mum, Dad and Sillas are in the car waiting. Have fun with your friend."

"He's not my friend." Lily said through clenched teeth.

She laughed and moved towards the door. "I'll call you when I get back." Cheryl opened the door, making the bell tingle. "Bye..."

"James," James said promptly.

"Bye James, Lily." She watched as Cheryl crossed the street, dodging cars, and waved as she left.

Lily glanced at her watch. It rested exactly on one meaning it was lunch break. She glanced at James who was staring expectantly at her.

Should I be glad?

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Thanks for reading!

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