A/N: If you hadn't noticed by now, I'm kinda going on a song frenzy, so if I can think of one…expect there to be one at the beginning of every chapter.
Chapter 10:
Well it's early in the morning
And my heart is feeling lonely
Just thinking 'bout you baby
Got me twisted in my head
And I don't know how to take it
But it's driving me so crazy
I don't know if it's right
I'm tossin' turning in my bed
It's 5 o'clock in the morning
And I still can't sleep
Thinking 'bout your beauty it makes me weak
I'm feeling hopeless in my home
I don't know what to do I think I'm in love
Baby…
'Obsession'
~Frankie J.
James turned over for what had to be the thousandth time that night in his four poster bed. He sighed exasperatedly as he checked his wrist watch. 4:45 am. He grumbled in frustration knowing that he hadn't gotten any sleep that night and that he most likely wouldn't any time soon.
He ran a hand through his messy hair and reached over for his glasses. The blurs and shapes of the boys dormitory came into full clarity as he slipped them on and padded over to the bathroom where he tiredly stripped and turned on the shower, letting the warm water trickle down his weary body. All the while refusing to admit to himself that a certain fiery seventh year red head with emerald green eyes was the sole reason he hadn't gotten five minutes worth of sleep that night.
James closed his eyes as the steam in the shower lulled him into rest. He stayed like that until he felt himself tip slightly to the left where his shoulder collided softly into the tiles of the shower wall.
"Well, at least I got some rest in before class." James smirked idly to himself as the turned the water off and got dressed.
It was now six.
Not too early for breakfast I guess
James thought to himself. He walked quietly over to the bookshelf that Remus had by his bed, which he always kept filled with muggle books. Glancing at the titles, he finally decided on one called The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald. Then picking up his book bag he exited the seventh year boy's dorm and headed for the Great Hall.
-----------------------------------
"Take that back!" Lily screamed.
"No, way Evans!" James screamed back at her.
They were in the Gryffindor common room which was strangely enough rather empty for five o'clock in the evening.
" You take that back right now Potter or so help me god I'll-I'll-"
"Or you'll what, exactly Evans?" Replied James coyly though loosing none of the fire in his voice. "Hex me into oblivion?" he gave a fake yawn.
"I hate to break it to you, love but that threat lost it's terror after the thousandth time you used it…besides, do you honestly think you'd beat ME in a duel? I think not."
They were arguing with a passion and heat now that was scorching and reverberating from everywhere around them, with each threat and comeback, coming closer and closer together.
" Oh I think I would!" Lily screamed, stepping closer to James menacingly pointing her wand at him.
"Would not!" James replied avidly taking a step toward her, his wand in the same position.
"Would too!" another step.
"Would not!" and another, Lily was about a mere foot away now.
"Would too! You make me sick Potter! Just because I'm a girl doesn't give you the right to think that you're better than me! You are a twisted, evil, big headed, egotistical, little pr-"
James let out something between a sigh and a groan, cutting Lily off from finishing her sentence. Before she knew what was happening, she heard a clank as James' wand slipped from his hand and onto the floor, he took one more step forward, grabbing her by the waist closing the gap between them and placed his lips atop hers. His lips moved slowly, sweetly, tentatively as if he were scared hers would shatter and made Lily's body sear from the intensity of it. She felt alive and free as if she were floating on a cloud. She kissed him back, brushing her lips against his. Giving away to all protest, successfully loosing herself in James' kiss, Lily dropped her own wand on the floor as well, and brought her hands into James' messy hair, tugging on it lightly. She felt him moan into her mouth and she gasped as his tongue darted between her teeth and caressed hers. James pushed her roughly against the wall and kissed her back, more passionately now, running his hands up and down her sides. Their kisses were hot and filled with need. He tore his lips away from Lily's and trailed kisses down her jaw line and continuing down the side of her neck and then coming back up. He stopped at her pulse point and continued to ravish the skin there with his mouth. Lily moaned as an electric shock shot up through her body holding his head there with her hands not wanting him to stop whatever he was doing with his mouth. She felt James grin against the sensitive skin of her neck as he breathed out her name.
"Lily." it sounded so lovely as it escaped his lips.
"Lily." she was in heaven.
"Lily!" please don't stop. Don't ever stop…wait, why does he sound so girly?
"Lily! Wake up! You're going to be late!" Allie said from the side of Lily's bed as she watched the red head sleep, a strange look of content-ness on her features.
"Don't stop…don't. ever…" Lily muttered in her sleep.
Allie bit back a giggle, realizing that her friend must be having quite a dream.
"Fine, have it the hard way Lily…" Allie muttered quietly.
"Oh, alright James! I'll let you have a pair of Lily's knickers, just as long as you promise not to do anything kinky with them!" Allie said loudly from next to Lily's head.
Suddenly, Lily shot up, her eyes wide open.
"James Potter if you go anywhere near my-" Lily screamed.
"Relax Lil, he's not here!" Allie replied between giggles.
"Allie Brooks! You evil little bugger! May I ask why you felt the need to frighten me awake this morning?" Lily asked.
"Well seeing as how you only have fifteen minutes to get ready so you'll have time for breakfast before class-"
"Fifteen bloody minutes?!" Lily shrieked horrified. "And you couldn't have woken me up sooner?!"
"Hey, hun, I tried waking you up…but whatever or whoever was keeping you occupied in dreamland was obviously doing a pretty good job." Allie smirked knowingly.
"I have no idea of whatever it is your talking about." Lily replied, her nose upturned in the air.
"Really," replied Allie innocently. "Does the phrase 'no don't stop, don't ever stop!' ring any bells?"
Lily's face suddenly turned as red as her hair.
Damn! I must've talked in my sleep!
"Now…if you'd just tell me who he is…We might be able to turn this dream into a reality." Allie said waggling her eyebrows suggestively.
"No time for that now! Gotta go get dressed! Love ya, bye!" Lily replied quickly as she streaked past Allie and into the girls bathroom, uniform in hand.
Lily showered and readied quickly, muttering to herself from the moment she was out of Allie's earshot all the way down to breakfast.
"It was dream…just a stupid dream. Lots of people dream things like that, it's natural…I was just- relieving the tension between the two of us…yeah, that's it, just relieving the tension." Lily convinced herself as she paused right outside the great hall.
She let out a long heap of air and strode into the bustling room.
Lily was the last of her friends to enter and sat down next to Meg and across from Jen, letting out a grumble that clearly stated she did not want to be awake this early in the morning.
"Wake up a little grumpy there Lil?" Meg asked sweetly.
"Hrmph!" Lily grumbled, making an incoherent noise.
"Yeah, I'd say someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed…" Allie trailed off. "Though I can't for the life of me imagine why, seeing as how you were having quite the dream when I woke you." Allie dished out knowingly, "Possibly starring a certain someone who has managed to steal the heart of our little Lily-kins?"
Lily tweaked under the gaze of her best friends and stole a quick glance at James who was, surprisingly two seats away and completely emersed in some sort of book that Lily couldn't make out the title of.
"Who?!" Jen and Meg asked, both dripping with the need to know more about Allie's said comment.
"Allie is off her rocker…there was no dream and there definitely was-is no guy." Lily replied.
Jen opened her mouth to interrogate but was suddenly distracted by a loud BANG! Coming from the entrance hall.
A set of red and gold sparks emitted from the entrance of the great hall and a cloud of smoke appeared.
Everyone watched as the smoke cleared, curious as to what had caused it.
"Never fear! The Marauders," Sirius' voice boomed as his, as well as Remus' and Peter's forms became visible as the smoke cleared. "(minus one.)" Sirius added in as a quieter footnote before going back to his regular voice.
"Have indeed arrived! And might I add that it's a thing of beauty when we're on duty!" Sirius said, finishing his introduction with a proud look on his face. While Peter was looking at Sirius as if he were some kind of god on earth, Remus was looking particularly embarrassed, and you could tell by the look on his face that he thought their entrance would not have been this extreme when Sirius had informed him of the plan earlier.
Many girls cheered and cried out (most of them belonging to the Sirius Black Fan Club) as Sirius finished his speech and gave a bow. Even Dumbledore joined in.
"Gosh! Can he be anymore of an attention-whore?" Allie replied acidly as McGonnagal walked briskly past them and over to where Sirius was standing. "I mean it's like he's addicted or something- I wouldn't want to see what he'd look like going through withdrawl." Allie finished shuddering at the thought.
"Mister Black!" Professor McGonnagal scolded as she neared the threesome.
"Minnie! What brings you to our side of the hall?" Sirius replied flashing McGonagall a charming smile that he knew wouldn't work.
"How many times have I told you NOT to call me that atrocious name?!" McGonnagal fumed.
" 2,384 times…I counted!" replied Sirius proudly, "But it will always have to be at least once more my darling Minnie!"
"Urgh!" McGonnagal replied obviously frustrated. "Detention! Mr. Black! See Filch at 8 o'clock sharp tonight! I trust after all the detentions I've given you, you'll know where to go!"
"You got it babe!" Sirius replied winking as he made a cliking sound through one side of his mouth, pointing a finger at McGonnagal.
McGonnagal shook her head disapprovingly as she turned around and headed back toward the professor's table at the head of the hall, muttering
"what am I ever going to do with him?" as she went.
"Eh! One more detention won't do anything." Sirius replied shrugging the whole ordeal off as he headed over to where James was sitting.
"Prongs ole buddy!" Sirius yelled as he walked closer.
James jerked up and looked over at the three Marauders advancing toward him.
He quickly dropped The Great Gatsby at his feet before any of them got too close to see what he had been reading.
None of the other boys, or anyone for that matter knew that he liked to read muggle novels in his spare time, not even Moony, even though it was him who James borrowed the books from. James wasn't sure why he hadn't told them, but he liked having a secret of some sorts that he could keep to himself.
Lily heard the book land with a thunk under the table.
I wonder what it is he's reading? Definitely not a school book…
She thought to herself. Finally curiosity got the better of Lily and she 'accidentally' dropped her fork, diving under the table to pick it up.
She carefully leaned over Allie's, as well as someone else's feet until she had a clear view of the book that James had dropped.
She could hear James greeting Sirius as she read the title.
"The Great Gatsby…but that's not a wizard book." Lily muttered, recognizing it as one of her favorites.
Not wanting her friends to get suspicious, she emerged from under the table once more holding the fork in her hand.
"Found it!" Lily stated.
"Nice going there Sherlock. We were beginning to think you had gotten lost down there." Jen replied rolling her eyes.
"Well, you know." Lily muttered trying to draw the attention away from herself.
Meg shot Lily a knowing smirk.
"What?" Lily replied.
"Lily, Lily, Lily, did you really think we would forget that easily?"
"What are you talking about?"
"About your dream, silly girl!"
"I told you all, there was no dream. Nothing, nada, rien, non niente, nichts, niets!…" Lily paused, placing her index finger on her chin as if deep in thought. "Let me see, I've got English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, and Dutch." she replied listing off the different languages. "Now, how different languages would you all like me to say 'nothing' in before you stop asking me?"
" 9,684,396 give or take a few." Allie replied smiling.
"Smart-arse." Lily muttered taking a sip of orange juice.
"Lily, you're a horrible liar." Jen began.
"What are you talking about?"
"I mean I can tell when you're lying because you start fidgeting with your hair."
Lily suddenly aware that she had been toying with a loose strand suddenly dropped it as if it were on fire.
"You start rambling," Jen said adding to her previous list. "Oh yeah and the tips of your ears get red."
Lily reached up and touched her right ear which was warm, indicating that both of her ears must have indeed been red.
Lily stared back at her three friends under the scrutiny of their gazes looking at each in turn until finally,
"Oh alright! Yes there was a dream, but it didn't mean anything-and, I absolutely hate all of you right now! Do you know how degrading it feels to be read like a book?!" Lily replied flustered.
"Yes, yes, we know you hate us and all that jazz…" Jen replied waving the comment off.
"But more importantly, if it didn't mean anything, then it doesn't matter if you tell us or not," Jen paused and let out a hearty laugh before continuing. "I mean it's not as if you were dreaming about snogging Snape!"
"Eew! Gross! So very gross!" Lily squealed.
But so, so close… Lily said internally, the sane part of her thought as she remembered the dream. Alright, I know I said that I wouldn't go out with James Potter even if he was the last bloke on the planet…but between him and that greasy slime ball Slytherin?…it's not like there's much of a choice.
"See? So now that we've given you the worst case scenario, the real thing won't seem so bad." Meg chimed in.
"So, who exactly were you snogging in dreamland?" Allie replied.
"I was, I was, um-"
Oh, who to say, who to say.
"Brad Pitt?" Lily replied thinking of the first muggle person's name that popped into her head.
Oh, way to go Evans! No way they're gonna buy that!
"Brad Pitt?! That American actor we learned about in muggle studies?" Allie replied questioningly.
"The one and only." Lily replied trying to smile with a grimace.
Wait! Are they buying it?
"And that's why you're flustered?!" Meg asked perplexed.
"Yup." said Lily taking another sip of juice. "That's why?"
"Ok…Now it's my turn to say 'you're off your rocker'!" Allie exclaimed looking at Lily as if she had suddenly sprouted another head.
"Huh?" Lily replied.
"You, my darling Lily, are seriously crazy! I would kill to dream about snogging Brad Pitt!" Allie exclaimed.
Lily shot her a look that clearly stated 'why?'
"Oh, come on now! Do I need to spell it out for you? Cute, talented, nice blue eyes-"
"And not to mention the fact that he's a uber sexy!" Jen cut in.
"Exactly!" Allie replied giving Jen a high five from across the table. "A total, and complete yummy muffin!" she finished with a giggle.
"Sexy? Muffin? Blue eyes? I thought I heard myself being described! Did you ladies call?" Sirius drawled in a voice that was completely swoon worthy while flashing a hundred watt smile.
He sauntered over to the girls from his place at the table and sat next to Allie.
"Don't worry…there's plenty of me to go around…I'm sure I can fit you all in before the first class." He replied suggestively with a wink.
Allie snorted into her pumpkin juice bringing Sirius' attention to her.
" A little anxious there Brooks?" Sirius replied waggling his eyebrows.
"How exactly are things on planet you wish?" Allie replied acidly.
" Well, I can see when I'm not wanted!" Sirius replied snootily at Allie before getting up from his spot and turning to walk back to the marauders.
Sirius stopped in mid action before turning around once more, this time however his eyes fell on Meg.
He leant over the table and tucked the strands of her long bangs behind one ear.
"Your eyes are so pretty you know? I really wish you wouldn't hide them behind your hair…it makes it harder for me to look at them."
Sirius straightened out before smiling slightly at the quiet girl.
"See you around Meg."
And with that he took his place by the other marauders leaving Jen, Allie, and Lily to gape at the spot where he stood.
"It's not nice to stare you three." Meg replied after some time, though not meeting any of their gazes, her cheeks turning a bit pink.
"Ok…what the hell just happened there?!" Jen exclaimed completely dumbfounded.
"I have absolutely no idea." Lily asked, just as dumbfounded as Jen.
"Was he actually being…" Allie began.
"Sincere?" Allie, Jen, and Lily replied in unison.
"Pinch me." Lily replied looking over at Allie and Jen.
"Why?" Allie replied.
"Because…" Lily replied "I think that the world just came to an end…and I wanna make sure that I wasn't seeing things because there is no way that Sirius Black can compliment anyone without wanting something."
"Don't you think you're being a little harsh Lil? I mean Sirius isn't that bad." Meg replied quietly.
"No, I'm not! And please, please, please tell me you're not falling for him Meg."
Meg blushed before replying. "Of course not, I just don't think he's as bad as you say he is."
"See! See! That's how it all starts! One minute you think he's not that bad and then the next thing you know, you're just another member of the Sirius Black fan club!" Lily exclaimed.
"Ok, Lils hold your bloody hippogriffs, don't you think you're taking this a bit out of proportion?" Jen replied rationally.
"No," Allie scoffed, "she's just peeved because she knows that if Meg starts going out with Sirius, then she'll be forced to be around James."
"What? Who said anything about Meg going out with Sirius. Meg is not going to go out with Sirius!" Meg replied speaking in the third person.
"Oh, come on Meg, even I'll admit that the boy is hot." Jen replied. "And I think that you Miss Evans shouldn't stand in the way of your friend's happiness." Jen teased.
"Oh alright, fine Meg you can like whom ever you please I guess…just promise me you won't actually fall for him and become another groupie." Lily replied finally.
"And if I were even remotely interested, Lils then I would promise you…I just don't think he's really my type personally and besides, he was pro'lly just being nice." Meg replied.
With Meg's ending note, the conversation was closed between the four girls.
And Meg, for one couldn't help but feel thankful that the Marauders had been so caught up with whatever they were laughing about to have heard a word of what they had just discussed.
James faked a smile as Sirius suggested yet another suggestion as to what they could pull as their first prank on the Slytherin students.
Truth be told, he wasn't really in the mood to wreak havoc on the school at the moment, he would have much rather have been alone. But not wanting to be a killjoy or make any of his other friends suspect something was bothering him, he sat there pretending to listen to Sirius intently while occasionally throwing in a chuckle here and there.
There were about fifteen minutes before the first bell would ring for class and James thought that it wouldn't be too suspicious if he escaped now.
"Hey you guys, I'm gonna head to class…I left a book up in the room anyway so…" James trailed off.
"Alright, Prongs," Sirius replied warily studying his friend, "you want me to go with you?"
"No thanks Padfoot," James chuckled, "only girls travel in packs, and I'm a big boy." he joked.
Sirius smiled, seeming satisfied with James' comment. "Alright mate, see you in Transfigurations then."
James nodded before standing up, completely forgetting The Great Gatsby which he had hid under the table. James grabbed his book bag, dragging it toward himself, succeeding in subconsciously sliding the forgotten book further down the table, before quietly slipping out of the great hall unnoticed.
Lily watched as James readied himself to leave and as he walked past, seemingly unnoticed by their fellow students, Lily felt something hit the tip of her sneakers. She looked down to surprisingly find the same book James had been reading earlier at her feet.
Smoothly, she picked up the book unbeknownst to her friends, before saying.
"Hey, you lot, I'm gonna head off to class."
"Lily, we still have like twenty five minutes before class starts." Jen replied.
"I know, but I've got to stop at the library first." Lily lied, making sure that she didn't pull on a loose ringlet of her hair like she wanted to.
"But, Lily, it's the beginning of the school year…you cant possibly need to be at the library." Allie said.
"Allie, this is Lily we're talking about, there's always a reason to go to the library." Meg replied.
"yeah, I guess you're right, see you later Lils." Allie waved as Lily started walking toward the doors, hiding the book in her hands away from view.
As soon as she was out of sight, Lily quickened her pace, turning in the opposite direction of the Library and heading directly toward the Transfigurations corridor.
It didn't take long for her to catch up with James, who was lollygagging along at such a slow pace, he would have made a sloth proud.
"Hey, Potter!" Lily called.
James turned around at the sound of his surname and came face to face with Lily.
"Here, I think you dropped this." said Lily holding out The Great Gatsby to him.
James looked at the book and then back at her.
"No, I don't think so Evans, I don't particularly read muggle novels." James lied.
He didn't really know why he didn't just say thank you and take the book, but his mouth spoke the words before his common sense caught up with him.
"Oh, well, I could have sworn I saw you reading it during breakfast." Lily replied.
"As flattered as I am that you'd look at me Evans, I'm afraid that you're mistaken." James replied, a hint of his old arrogant tone in his voice.
Lily's first thought was to argue with him that it indeed was his, but she stopped that thought as soon as she had it. Maybe it was because she was scared that fighting with Potter would lead to them reenacting her dream.
"Oh, well, sorry then…" Lily trailed off looking at the ground before gazing up at his face once more. "It's quite an amazing book, really. You know…this man who has everything anyone could ever hope for- always surrounded by people- but no one really knows him you know? And even thought he has all of these things, he doesn't have the one thing- person, I guess- he really wants and he knows he'll never get, but he still waits around for her, staring at that green light across the water hoping that she'll come back." Lily finished.
James shrugged, looking into her emerald orbs.
"I don't think I've ever wanted something as badly as Gatsby wanted Daisy…how bout you? Have you ever wanted something that you couldn't have?" Lily asked knowing the question would be taken rhetorically.
Lily sighed as she placed the book down on a short pillar adjacent to where James was standing, and giving him a half hearted smile, she brushed past him and walked down the corridor.
"Yeah, I have…" James muttered to the empty corridor, answering her question. "You, Lily Evans."
James picked up the book and placed it into his book bag before continuing down the same corridor as Lily.
A/N: Ok, before you all scold me for Lily's dream I'd like to add in my defense that if they got together that easily and quickly there'd be no story and there'd be no 'the charming and cute things James does to make Lily realize the real him' scenes that I know you all love as much as I do *sigh!*
Take care all!
Love,
Luminous Star