Chapter 6: Falling
…Something strange has come over me
A raging wind across my seas
And girl you know
That your eyes are to blame
How am I supposed to live,
If I can't get over this?
Or you decide that you don't feel the same?
Cuz I'm falling, falling
Girl I'm falling for you.
And I pray you're falling too.
I've been falling, falling
Ever since the moment
I laid eyes on you.
I loose my step,
I loose my ground,
I loose my self
When you're around.
I'm holding on,
For my life
To keep from drowning in your eyes.
Girl what have you done to me
To make me fall so desperately?…
How am I supposed to live,
If I can't get over this?
And come to find that you don't feel the same?
Cuz I'm falling, falling
Girl I'm falling for you.
And I pray you're falling too.
I've been falling, falling
Ever since the moment
I laid eyes on you.
Instantly as Lily said those words, millions of black likes began roaming across the page, starting where her wand tip had first touched. The lines swirled and curved like spider webs. Then at last came a heading at the top most part of the page as if being written there by an invisible quill:
"Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs Proudly Present: The Marauder's Map." Lily muttered as the words appeared one by one.
She opened the old bit of parchment and examined the map fully. Lily breathed an impressive sigh as she saw a fully completed map of Hogwarts that couldn't have been more accurate if Dumbledore himself had made it. But that wasn't all, Lily also noticed that the map also had little dots around roaming around its surface. She took a closer look ad realized that the moving dots were actually people and their locations around the school, and each was labeled with the individual's name. She was quickly able to locate herself on the map as well as a few other people she recognized. Dumbledore, according to the map, was pacing in his study. Augustus Rockwood's dot caught her eye only because it seemed bigger than the others, but upon taking yet another closer look, Lily realized that it was because Mary Blake's dot was so close to his that they were almost overlapping.
What a slut! Lily thought angered by what she was doing and what she had done to James.
Mrs. Norris, she noticed was prowling near the kitchens. Lily's eyes traveled a bit further up the map until she found the other dot she was looking for. Filch was walking…
Lily suddenly swore quietly.
Shit! James is walking right toward him!
She thought before she ran down to where James was wandering. Lily pulled him to the side and then managed to throw the invisibility cloak half hazardly on both of them just in time. She stood there side to side with James and prayed to God that he'd keep quiet. Lily held her breath as Filch walked by looking around suspiciously. Luckily, Mrs. Norris chose that exact moment to appear. Flich's face exploded into a look of pure glee at the thought of catching a student out of bed, and without another moments hesitation, he raced off down the hallway, Mrs. Norris in the lead.
Lily exhaled and dropped the invisibility cloak, which had been near close to falling.
"Come on," Lily said to James taking one of his hands in hers. "Lets get back up to the common room before anyone else sees us."
With James now in tow, Lily made her way up to the Gryffindor common room periodically checking the Marauder's Map for any signs of teachers, Filch, or Mrs. Norris.
********
Lily heaved a sigh of relief as she reached the Fat Lady's portrait. It was as if a huge burden had been lifted off of her shoulders and she had literally never been more happy to see her portrait in her life.
" Fairy Lights!" Lily said looking up at the Fat Lady.
"Yes indeed!" the Fat Lady replied in a ruffled way. "And where exactly have you been all this time?!…Do you realize what time it is young lady?"
"Well, no…" replied Lily sheepishly, "But I imagine it's still early." she said trying to get over the shock of being scolded by a portrait none the less. Lily however felt that it was in her best interest not to be rash, lest the Fat Lady decided to lock her out entirely.
"It is 12:42 in the morning for your information miss! Do you know what the curfew is at this school? I assure you that it most definitely is NOT 12:52 in the morning!" the Fat Lady clucked.
"Well, yes I know, but I was-I was-" Lily trailed off trying to think up an excuse. "I was doing rounds! I am a Prefect you know."
Wow! What a lame excuse, even I wouldn't buy it! Lily thought, then, having a little faith added well, maybe she might.
"Don't give me the 'I was doing rounds' excuse young lady! Rounds end at precisely eleven o'clock!"
Ok, maybe not. That does it, I am officially screwed!
"Oh come on Vi, can't you cut us a little bit of slack… just this once?" Lily heard James ask from behind her.
"James, I can handle this!" Lily replied through gritted teeth.
"Who said that?" the Fat Lady asked still annoyed. "Who else is with you girl?"
"Its me," James replied coming into view. "James Potter."
"Oh! James darling! How wonderful to see you!" the Fat Lady replied in a completely opposite tone as to the one she had been using with Lily.
Figures! Lily scoffed, I can't believe he's got literally every girl at Hogwarts eating out of the palm of his hand! …Well, almost every girl. Lily added as an afterthought thinking of herself.
"I-I mean, of course I see you everyday…" the Fat Lady trailed off, "It's just that you and Sirius never have time to stop and talk to me anymore."
"I know, Violet, it's just that I've been so busy." replied James "You know, Quiddich practice and all."
Lily noticed that he was still slurring his words a bit, but the Fat Lady didn't seem to be taking much notice of the fact that James was drunk. He finished off his explanation by flashing the Fat Lady one of his famous Potter smiles.
"Well, James dear, if there's anything I can ever help you with…" the Fat Lady trailed off.
James grinned once more before laughing a bit. "Thanks, Vi, I'll let you know…but for now, do you think you could let us into the common room?"
"Just say the magic word dearie and of course I'll let you in!"
"Fairy Lights." James replied.
Immediately, the Fat Lady's portrait swung open, revealing the crawl hole which led to the Gryffindor tower. A scowl settled on Lily's face.
That's so unfair! How is it possible that she won't open the door for me, but she'll open it for that no good, two timing, idiotic, big headed, arrogant-
"Lily, I may be pissed as hell, but that doesn't mean I can't tell when your positively furious with me…" James trailed off, speaking through the side of his mouth so as not to let the Fat Lady hear and interrupting Lily's thoughts. Am I really that easy to read?
"but, can't you at least wait and be mad until we get inside? If we wait any longer, she'll close her portrait and then she really won't let us in." James finished.
He had her there.
Damn! He's right! I hate it when that happens! Lily thought to herself before curtly nodding and leading the way inside.
James did his best to climb gracefully through the portrait hole, but unfortunately he still had not regained his full sense of balance.
James ended up stumbling on the edge of his robes and toppled out of the portrait hole, hitting something hard before finally landing on the floor, which seemed to be softer than he was expecting.
James realized seconds later that he had not in fact fallen on the floor but on top of Lily instead.
Instantly, his hazel eyes met her green ones in an intensified gaze, but weather it was from the shock of him having fallen on her or from something else he couldn't place his finger on, James did not know. James knew that Lily's eyes were green, but how could he never have noticed how captivating they were? How they could just pull someone into their depths, like they were dong to him right now. How in the world could I have not noticed how beautiful she is, he thought. James was quick to note her small body felt nice under his and he could feel every breath she took. His eyes traveled across her face, James was so close that he could have counted every freckle sprawled across her nose if he had wanted to. Lastly, they flicked down to Lily's lips. She licked them quickly and James suddenly found himself wondering what they would feel like pressed up against his own.
Probably soft, just like the clouds in the sky, James thought.
-------------- Lily-------------
Lily lay there under James' weight, their eyes connected in a gaze so full of something she did not understand that scared her. She hated to admit it but his body felt…there was no other word to describe it, nice. Quiddich had definitely improved his body quite a bit in the past five or so years he had played.
She saw his eyes dart down to her lips quickly, and Lily licked them out of nervous habit. She felt her uneasy heart begin to beat faster and hoped he wouldn't notice.
Why is he looking at my mouth? Lily found herself wondering.
------------- James------------
James let out a slow, shallow breath. Just the sweet smell of her skin was beginning to intoxicate his senses. He was so close- a few more centimeters and his mouth would be on hers.
Get a grip on yourself lad! This is Evans! Lily Evans! She's never had this effect on you before! James thought in his head trying to rid his mind of the thought of her soft lips. It was a lost cause trying to talk himself out of it because James had already started plummeting. He was falling off of the highest peak ever imaginable- he was falling in love with Lily Evans and there was nothing that could stop it.
A/N: Ok, I'll be the first to say it… Aww! isn't James just the cutest? If you couldn't tell already, he's definitely my favorite to write…
Thanks to all of my reviewers so far! Oh, and by the way, if your curious, the song at the top was "Falling" by *Nsync.
Toodles!
~Luminous Star