Chapter Twelve: A Rude Awakening
By Natali K. A.
"What's the deal with you two?" Sirius asked Lily one night as James went to fetch her a drink. One of their school mates had thrown a party at her parents' house, which explained the reason that Sirius was forced to be in uncomfortable dress robes.
"Pardon?" Lily asked, nibbling an hors d'oeuvre.
"You and my mate Potter over there." He lifted his chin in James' direction. "Getting pretty serious, aren't you?"
"I've no idea what you're talking about," Lily said coolly. "I've only gone on a handful of dates with him."
"But it's getting serious nonetheless. I know Prongsie. He's serious."
Lily felt a tad elated at that news, but didn't let it show through on her social façade. She didn't quite trust Sirius Black, no matter that he was her boyfriend's best friend.
"That's your opinion."
Sirius raised a dark eyebrow at her, sipping his firewhiskey. "Evans, stop it. Admit it. You know it just as much as I do."
"I don't see what business it is of yours, Black," Lily replied haughtily.
He took a step toward her and turned his back as to block her from James' view. "He is my business," he told her firmly. "Don't forget it."
She narrowed her bright emerald eyes at him. "He's a big boy, Sirius. I'm sure he can take care of himself."
"Well, that's just the thing, you see. He can't. Of course, he thinks that he can, but that's not the reality," Sirius explained, eyeing James as he was stopped by a Sixth Year to chat. "If you break his heart, it'll break him. He's very strong, but it's not exactly every day that James is captivated. I'd rather not have to pick up all the pieces, thanks."
She stared at him, her eyes hard. "You're a good friend, if a bit annoying. By a bit I mean a lot."
He snapped his head around to look down at her-she was about nine inches shorter than him. He scanned her face, trying to figure out whether she was teasing him or not. It was the small smile on Lily's lips that convinced him.
"Just… be careful, alright?" he sighed, closing his eyes out of fatigue. "There are dark times ahead and I'm afraid we wild children will fall head over heels for each other, find out it was a crush, and be crushed ourselves."
"If you keep worrying like that, you're going to be an old man way before your time," Lily remarked, that small smile still on her lips as she watched James finally lose the Sixth Year to make his way toward them. She felt Sirius' gaze on her and met it. "What?"
Sirius smiled at her, a warm smile so friendly that it even made her smile back at him. She could see why James was best friends with him.
"You'll do, Lily," he said quietly, placing a hand on her shoulder and turning to the new arrival.
James handed Lily the glass of champagne he'd gotten for her and smiled at two of the most important people in his life. Whatever had happened in the scant two minutes he was gone, it had changed the atmosphere between them considerably.
"You two look very cozy. Should I be worried?" he joked.
Sirius chuckled, downing the contents of his glass. "I tried, mate, but she's dead devoted to you. Sad to say that she's the first female to refuse the charm that is Sirius Black."
Lily moved over to James and hugged him with one arm, leaning her head against his chest. The steady beat of his heart was comforting, as was the heat that radiated from his body. She knew that if she took a deep breath she would smell his favorite cologne-Sexy Wizard by that Jacque bloke who said he was French though he was really from Cork, Ireland-and the smell of his soap.
James smiled down at her and kissed the top of her head, winking at Sirius.
"She's mine. Sorry," James shrugged, grinning at his friend. Remus sauntered up to the three of them, a glass of some vile looking liquor in his hand.
"Great party, no?" he asked dryly. "At least there's liquor."
"At least," James said. Suddenly a thought formed in his head. Clearing his throat, he said, "Lily dear, there's a painting in the next room that I think you'd adore. Would you like to see it?"
"A painting," Sirius snorted. "Yeah right."
"I'm trying to be tactful. You should try it."
"I'd love to see this painting. Sounds fascinating."
"Yes," James smiled, settling a hand on her waist and bringing her even closer against him. "If you'll excuse us, dearies…?"
Remus snickered. "Should we wait up?"
"Don't be crude. We're at a classy party." After a moment, James added, "Nope." He steered Lily to the next room over, where they did indeed look at a sixteenth century portrait of some duchess.
"It's wonderful artistry," Lily said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Look at the detail-you can see the pimple on the edge of her nose! Vibrant colors, too."
"When I suggested we look at works of art, I wasn't talking of any specimen hanging on a wall," he murmured in her ear.
She laughed. "We're at a party, James. Someone could walk in at any moment."
"Then how fortunate for you that I know of a place where we can have some privacy, no?" His hazel eyes glinted mischievously at her.
"We can't go around someone's house without their permission," she said, shaking her head. "And how embarrassing if we are caught."
"Don't worry. I don't think she'll have any problem with us using the guest house."
Lily was still hesitant and it showed on her pretty face. "I don't know…"
He straightened up from hugging her from behind and turned her around gently. "I'm not forcing you," he told her softly, rubbing a thumb across her palm. "It's alright if you don't want to." He smiled at her, and though it was dark she could see the honesty written in his face.
"It's not that," she giggled, nervous suddenly. Well, if that wasn't just mortifying. What's the big deal? It was just sex-she wasn't a virgin or anything. She just… hadn't had more than one partner. From all she heard, James was the Don Juan of Hogwarts and the surrounding area. She was probably the only girl he hadn't shagged silly already. And Victoria. She didn't much like the… uh, obnoxiously gorgeous ones.
There were things to consider. So much revolved around the first time you slept with a person. It would dictate the rest of the relationship. If it sucked, then the relationship would die because the sex is that bad. If it's outstanding, out of this world, WOW sex, then what if the next time it isn't as good and you're super disappointed? And mediocre isn't nearly good enough…
What pressure.
"You're thinking. My father always warned me about women who liked to think. Said I should run in the opposite direction," he chuckled. "But no, you're right. This isn't the ideal place, is it?" He kissed her, tongue caressing every crevice that it found. "But when we get back, you're mine. Got that?"
Lily blinked. "I think that I do."
And it was that night that Lily Evans and James Potter first made love to each other-and it wasn't terrible, it wasn't mediocre. It was exactly what James and Lily were-perfect.
*~*
Lily awoke to someone jumping up and down on the bed excitedly. She bounced around like a rag doll and nearly fell off the bed before she thought to sit up and push whoever it was bothering her off the bed. Of course, it proved to be James.
What a rude awakening indeed.
"You promised to take me to a theme park today!" he said happily, bouncing out of her reach when she tried to shove him off. "Get up, get up!"
"I said I'd take Harry!" she hissed, groaning. "James, it's not even bloody open at this hour! Why do you act like a child all the time?"
"You adore my childlike behavior. I'm carefree and easy to be around."
"And then you get in the mood and suddenly you're perfectly adultish. Am I right?" she asked dryly, not really expecting an answer. She had to smile. "Stop that infernal bouncing," she sighed as she lay back down, staring up at the ceiling. It wasn't a second later that James' face came into view. "Yes, your highness?"
He grinned, kissing her forehead. "I love you."
She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her. "I love you, too."
A thoughtful look crossed his face before he said slyly, "Do you think we have time to…?"
In answer to his question, a baby started howling from the next room. James groaned, pushing himself off of Lily and glared at the ceiling.
"That child is starting to annoy me," he growled.
Lily laughed, rolling out of bed and putting on her robe. "Yeah, alright. I can tell you're starting to regret having him whenever you start cooing and making baby noises at him."
James too got out of bed and opened the door to their master bedroom as he headed for the baby's room. The door was already open and he proceeded to walk in, making for the wooden crib.
"Spoilt child," he muttered, picking up the sobbing Harry, who was red in the face. He pressed a kiss to his son's temple. Baby Harry quieted down, but still whimpered every now and then. When he saw his mom enter his room, two mugs of hot coffee in her hand, he started squealing and laughing, holding out his hands to her.
"Ooh, you want to go with Mummy, don't you sweetheart?" she smiled, setting down the mugs on a table and taking him from her husband. "Come and Mummy'll feed you. We're going to have fun today, my love."
"Go ahead, cuddle him!" James called after her, picking up the coffees to follow her downstairs. "But you're cuddling me tonight, alright?"
Lily turned around at the bottom of the stairs to smile up at him. "Yes, Papa."
When he reached them, he wrapped his arms around the two most important people in his life and kissed his wife thoroughly, and then tickled his one year old son. The subsequent giggle caused both parents to break out in a grin.
"We've no time to dawdle," Lily said, heading for the kitchen. "I want to make it to Disney World early, if you please."
On that cool October morning, everything seemed perfect to James. Indeed, it would have been. Who would have known that just two weeks later, James and Lily Potter would no longer be alive and breathing? Or that Harry would be orphaned, left to the mercy of his aunt and uncle?
And that would be the rudest awakening of all.
*~*
The End
*~*
A/N: Um… I can think of quite a few people who want to kill me right now. Perfectly understandable, of course. But I did finish! Just… Um. Sorry?
Yeah, I had been planning to end this on a happy note, but it just happened like this. Any complaints can be filed with my fingers. It's all their fault.
As for a good movie recommendation, End of the Spear was especially good. I saw it today with a friend of mine. Really nice movie. So is Sky High. I'm so gay. Lol.
Love to you all, and OMG I can't believe I actually finally finished it!!! (Three or four chapters, huh? I don't know why I even bother!)
I am so thankful to all who reviewed. You were all super great and wonderful readers and I hope that you'll continue to remain loyal (please?). I truly am horribly sorry about the time it took me to finish this thing. Whoops?
Forever I am your
Cuban Princess, NKA
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