Magnet

ItsLily2U

Rating: PG13
Genres: Angst, Romance
Relationships: Lily & James
Book: Lily & James, Books 1 - 7
Published: 08/02/2008
Last Updated: 08/02/2008
Status: in_progress

She liked him...or thought she did. It was possible. Really, details of that sort were fuzzy and of no importance. The two things she knew for certain when it came to Caradoc Dearborn? One, he was a magnet, pulling her closer all the time. Two, love was simply too strong of a word to describe what they had. Maybe attraction was a better word. The fact remained that he was still her magnet, probably always would be. But, as it goes with life, there is always something bigger to pull that magnet apart. In the case of one Lily Evans, it could be love.

Chapters

1. The Drug that Keeps you Going

1. The Drug that Keeps you Going

Magnet

By Itslily2u

Disclaimer: The dictionary words, obviously, came from a dictionary. The Harry Potter idea, obviously, came from Rowling. The only thing I own here are the crazy ideas and the grammatical/spelling errors. ; ) Also, the hope that the readers enjoy it.

Chapter One: The Drug that Keeps You Going

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Mag·net (mag’nit), n. 1. A body that possesses the property of attracting certain substances. 2. A person or thing that attracts

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Drug (drug), n., v., 1. Any substances that, when taken, affects functions of the body or mind. 2. To stupefy or poison with a drug

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There is only so much you can feel when you are pressed into a stone wall of an empty corridor by a boy. Especially by a boy with quick eyes and smiles and moves… An irresistible boy.

You might feel the stones pressed into your back, cool from the drafty December night air. You might feel the warmth of said irresistible boy, along with his irresistibleness. You might even notice the moon shining steadily from the window nearby, making the evening almost romantic. You might hear the soft hooting of owls as they ease into the darkness of the night. You might feel the emptiness of the corridor, strengthening the fact that it’s just the two of you.

Lily Evans was noticing every one of these things, in full force. She was even feeling his heartbeat through his body as she pulled him closer. She was also noting the nice way his dark hair flipped into his eyes, so dark and wondrous, gently brushing her forehead and nose when he leaned back to look at her or kissed her neck or, even more glorious, her lips.

It seemed that her entire body was aware of every single thing going on around her.

And when suddenly, he tugged on her hair, making her want him even more, she knew he was feeling these things, too.

That’s why she put her hand on his fit chest--very bravely so--and made him take a tiny step back away, gaining a bit of distance from his incredibly enticing body.

His eyes flashed up to hers, and away from that little spot behind her ear he liked so much. He looked at her questioningly at this change in demeanor.

“What are you doing, Lils?” he breathed, pulled her close once more. She hardly resisted.

“What are we doing?” She sighed as he kissed her forehead.

He pulled back slowly, a grin creeping into place. “I do think it would be awkward if I had to explain that.”

The corner of Lily’s mouth bent into a tiny frown, as did the crease above her eyebrow. She blinked and looked at the floor. She glanced up at him slowly, unsure, to find her frown mirrored on his own quite red lips.

He slid an arm around her waist; without thinking on it, Lily found herself tucking her head affectionately into his neck, as if this was supposed to happen and did often. Which it didn’t.

“I really like you, you know that, right?” He smiled slowly and looked at her like he was perfectly happy right where he was.

Which made Lily wonder.

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Studying.

Lily was thinking many thinks of this “study” term at this moment. “Boring” for one, “lethargy” for another, and of course, “pointless.” And, though she knew she could name more, she knew that Professor Slughorn would not appreciate them altogether as they were, doodled on her homework paper--embellished and exaggerated--though he might laugh at them.

So she was there, in the musty old library that was only ever used in tiring cases like hers, one hand resting upon her open textbook, the other holding up her chin. Her bag was somewhere around her feet, her quill was holding her page somewhere else farther on in the book, and her mind was somewhere else, as well.

She’d never been the stay-up-late-studying-for-an-emergency-pop-quiz type of girl. She’d never liked reading through her schoolbooks, or taking notes in classes. She didn’t even like going to class, most of the time.

Unless it involved something dangerous, like trimming the fuzzy tentacles of the more scary plant-life in Herbology or chasing down those invisible beasts in Care of Magical Creatures, the ones you can only find by their footprints in the snow or leaves.

So, Lily supposed, you could say she lived for excitement… In everything she did.

Pausing in the middle of her red, heavily fanged dragon caricature, Lily looked up once again. The library, though it was far from exciting, did serve once purpose. Thinking.

It must have been something in the musty, dusty old books there, or the rare silence of a boarding school, or maybe the fact that anyone else who visited that wing of the building looked so serious and thoughtful as well.

But Lily didn’t use this wonderful escape for any ordinary kind of thinking… She didn’t waste her time on school work or worrying about classes. It was her refuge to be.

And there she was yet again, occupying her favorite seat in the library, “working” on her homework… And thinking.

Of a dark corridor, and the boy she’d been with in it. It was always so lovely there, with him, another place she never had to think much. But that wasn’t because she wanted to not think, that was because she couldn’t when she was with him. He was like a drug: intoxicating, addicting.

The kind you don’t give up so easily on purpose.

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Lily knew that if you spoke of the devil, the devil would come. Of course she’d heard the expression. She’d taken advantage of it many times (not always on purpose) and to the day, found that she could hardly speak a name or that person would appear. It might have been a curse… or a gift.

“…and so I told him to just give me all my stuff back… But I don’t think he understands why…”

This was a common conversation among the two best friends: boys. Today, the topic was Elizabeth’s recent ex-boyfriend. She’d been with him for one year--and found that while he was ready to move on with the relationship, she’d already discovered another. It might have been considered cruel, they both knew, but you simply have to follow your heart. There’s no denying it.

And so, when her boyfriend had broken up with her (because she always seemed distracted when she was with him, apparently), Beth was gentle about it, and didn’t disagree. She accepted the fact and hope he would too: it was, him, after all, that had ended the relationship in anger. Not to mention the boy Beth had met at her job a few weeks ago when he’d started there. She worked in Hogsmeade four days a week as a waitress--and was slowly falling for her boss.

Lily had witnessed the entire thing unfold--over a series of weeks, cries, and laughs. It was a big thing to them both--what affected Beth, would of course affect Lily, as well.

Especially since she worked there, too.

But it made sense that Beth liked the boy so much, he was only two years older, having already graduated Hogwarts, he had a well-paying job, he was funny and sweet, and Lily thought she deserved someone who would take care of her and love her. She’d always had bad luck with boys.

In that way, the two girls were the same.

“You can’t really expect him to, Beth.” Lily said softly. She knew how it felt to have her heart broken--it had happened a time or two. “He doesn’t understand because his breaking up with you wasn’t for real, it was a test.” She sighed, shifting her chin to her hand. “He didn’t think you’d pass. Or.. I should say that this was the one test he wished you would fail… Because that would mean you‘d still be together.”

Beth only smiled like she knew this answer and continued rolling napkins. “I expect him to come by tonight, as he always does. He doesn’t realize that I don’t particularly want to see him… That him constantly coming around is what made me change my mind about us just having a break.” She frowned and shook her head. “So. You still fancy Caradoc, do you?” Beth cast a knowing look over the table between the two. “Haven’t heard you mention him much the last few days.”

Lily smiled at the irony of this. Here Beth was, in the middle of a breakup, whereas she herself was in the middle of trying to be in a relationship--“officially”--and had been for some time.

“Ah. I know that look, dear. Still won’t call you his girlfriend, then?” Beth set the last of the silverware in the tub between them.

“Not even close.” Lily rolled her eyes, not looking at Beth as she folded the dish towel in her hands.

“But he’s quite happy with midnight-corridor-snogs? Typical boy, Lily.”

“I know… But we’ve been “talking” for so long… It’s been months now. Is it fair for me to just be his…” She blinked slowly, looking around the room. “his…”

There was a moment of silence, then both girls laughed.

“I don’t even know the word for it, Beth. How pathetic.”

“It’s only pathetic because it’s not your fault.” Beth smiled. She crossed her arms and opened her mouth to say something else but was interrupted by the door ringing as it swung open. “Oh, look, love. Our first customer of the day. Yours or mine?”

“Oh, go on.” Lily winked and got to her feet, taking the box of freshly wrapped silverware with her to the counter.

The good thing about a having a job was that you were always busy once things got started: there would always be some order to take, a cup of tea to pour, menus to deliver, tables to clean, money to collect. Some nights got quite busy at times, but Lily and Beth worked wonderfully together--helping each with orders and drinks. And it was never the same when other waitresses worked, even if the store had no empty seats (which happened often), it worked out better for the two girls to be the only servers. Everyone knew this.

Lily walked around to the register side of the counter, taking her towel with her. Beth always teased her about cleaning non-stop, being a perfectionist, but Lily liked having something to do, and, as she always said, “someone has to do it.” Which always succeeded in making Beth laugh at her friend--at how mad she thought her to be.

But they both knew they’d never change a thing about the other.

The red-head smiled and watched as Beth changed her weight from one leg to the other: a sure sign of annoyance. She hated when customers asked “those stupid questions.”

“…no, sir, we don’t have any of--well, no, it isn’t on the menu… no, sir, we didn‘t last time you were in, either…”

It was always fun to observe the people that came in. Lily and Beth had made a game of it, actually, sighting out the people as they walked through the door. Each had it down to an exact science: you could just tell which ones were in bad moods, who dropped forks for the girls to pick up, who left bad tips, who wanted butterbeer or hot tea, who talked so much you couldn’t check your other tables.

It was fun to bet on what drinks the table would order, and whether they wanted dessert or not.

Lily glanced up in time to see a shadowy figure pass by the window and cross towards the door. She sighed, wondering if this was one of the non-tippers. She didn’t need any of those today.

But when she turned back from straightening a row of cups on the shelf, her eyes met those of a familiar face instead.

*

Beth knew Lily was nervous, she could tell by the way she kept biting her lip. She even had her wand out of her pocket, where she usually stored it, and was continually twirling it between her slender fingers.

But it made sense to be nervous. It may not have been her first job, but still, it was a new place entirely. Beth had worked there for almost a year, and could remember quite well how nervous she’d been as well. But she came to love the job and the people there, which is why she finally convinced Lily to give it a go.

Beth watched as Lily pulled her curly hair up into a messy bun, finally stowing her wand back into her pocket. She looked around at her best friend with big green eyes, and smiled weakly.

The look returned was much braver and confident. “You’ll be magnificent, Lily, darling.” Beth said softly. “There’s not much to it, and anyway, I’m here to share the trouble of the first day with you. I promise! You’ll love everyone. They’re all great.”

Lily laughed. “Yes, Beth, I’ve heard all about them so much I’ll probably recognize each one when I see them.”

The two stepped up to the door without saying anything else, each with a smile on her face. Beth pulled the door open and ushered Lily inside.

*