A/N: This chapter is a little different than the previous ones. Not near as much humor (sorry!!!), but crucial to the plot of the story. REALLY moves things along in this chapter and gives a little background. Lots of James and Lily interaction though… <3 Hope you enjoy!!
CHAPTER THREE
Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap…..
A dainty foot rapidly continued to strike the hardwood surface of the common room floor. Green eyes filled with aggravation darted for the sixty-seventh time to the luminous silver wristwatch dangling from a rather petite wrist. He was late.
Lily Evans took a deep sigh, arms akimbo, and felt her eyes graze the ceiling in annoyance. Disappointment flocked her lightly freckled face, her pink lips set in a small pout. She turned her gaze to the crackling fire, where her friends were engaged in a heated match of wizard's chess.
She tilted her head slightly to the left, contemplating on whether or not to simply leave her post and join them, and lifted her slender hand up to stifle a sudden yawn. Realizing she'd been 'stood up' somewhat, the poignant redhead slowly reached for the highly-polished banister to her right, feeling the glossy solid oak beneath her fingertips.
She climbed each stair at a snail's pace, her tiny feet vaguely hovering above each marble step before gradually ascending. Flicking a loose strand of strawberry mane behind her, she nearly reached the top when she unexpectedly lost her footing.
Scarlet tresses whipped in all direction as the Head Girl flew down the spiral staircase, emerald eyes wide with terror. Expecting to tumble repeatedly along the jagged flight, she braced her body for impact and clamped her eyes tightly shut, but soon came to realize she was merely sliding.
She finally hit an obstruction behind her, butting up against it with a soft 'thud,' and felt the embrace of two warm, muscled arms around her. James had his foot on the bottom stair.
"You're late," she snapped at the perpetrator, quickly flinging his arms away from around her tiny waist.
"Lily, I'm so sorry, time got away from me, I didn't mean…" James was floundering for an excuse, babbling like an idiot in the process.
"It's okay, really, thirty minutes isn't that bad. At least you remembered," Lily said gently with a smile.
"You're- you're not mad?" the Head Boy said in disbelief, slowly ruffling the back of his jet-black hair.
"You know you could've just called my name," she said with a sly smile. And with that she languidly strode off toward the portrait hole.
"Well, you know me, I've never exactly been conventional," James said with a grin as he trotted after the fiery redhead six paces in front.
They reached the dimly lit corridor in front of the Fat Lady and commenced their nightly patrol, leisurely talking and inspecting the shadowy classrooms and cupboards. A year ago this would not have been deemed possible: Lily Evans and James Potter speaking casually, cooperating in such an open and pleasant manner. No one knows how it happened, no one knows why it happened, but it did.
James saw Lily for the first time September 1, 1971, climbing up the metal steps of the scarlet steam engine of the Hogwarts Express. He was immediately drawn to her long ruby ringlets, bouncing against her willowy frame in the breeze. She turned for a moment to wave her parents goodbye, and her beautiful sparkling emeralds took James' breath away. He was instantly hooked.
From that day on he never thought about another girl. He dated them, of course, but no other flower could compare to his Lily. Unfortunately, James had a ghastly, terrible, horrible, appalling, repulsive, insufferable, incurable condition: arrogance. Lily never succumbed to his advances due to this illness, and informed him she would continue to do so until his disease was overcome.
Their constant battle came to a head after O.W.L's in fifth year, resulting in the loss of a friendship for Lily and the realization of change for James. Little interaction was had between the pair sixth year- James not wanting to lose his Lily and Lily not wanting to surrender to James.
He stopped asking her out. He stopped sticking his nose in her business. He stopped sending her notes in class. He stopped teasing. He stopped hexing. He stopped pranking (as much, this is a Marauder after all). He stopped stalking her in the library. All he could do was watch from afar.
Seventh year rolled around and interaction was forced. James was Head Boy and Lily Head Girl. This was James' chance. He had one year left to prove to Lily he had changed, to prove he was the one. Would Lily see this in time? Would she give him a chance? James pondered these words each and every day, staring up at the scarlet-painted ceiling above his four-poster.
"James?"
"Hmmm?" James snapped back to the present and shook the dark untidy strands out of his hazel eyes, blinking all the while. His palms began to sweat profusely and he took a slow, deep breath.
"I said you've been acting rather strange tonight, is everything alright?"
"Oh, yeah, sure," he mumbled as his hand, out of habit, reached up to ruffle his hair.
"Do you always mess up your hair when you get nervous?" Lily taunted with a cheeky grin.
"Nervous? I'm not nervous! What gives you that idea?" James said in a panic, his breathing shallow and his eyes wide.
Lily laughed and lightly swatted his arm, "I was just teasing. I figured you, of all people, could take a joke," she said with smiling eyes, twinkling in the gloomy corridor.
"Right," he countered, a small, forced smile planted on his face.
They continued in silence, opening empty classrooms and peering around tall, glinting suits of armor until finally making their way back to the dormitories. The Fat Lady in sight, James abruptly stopped in the center of the damp and chilly corridor, adjusting his wired spectacles and frantically rumpling the onyx locks atop his messy head.
Lily turned back in confusion, jade eyes laden with concern, and delicately tucked a thread of strawberry hair behind her ear. The light from the surrounding torches bounced softly off her face, giving the appearance of an angelic glow. James thought she never looked more beautiful.
"Er-Lily, will you go to the Masquerade with me?" James finally stammered, his hazel eyes locked on her bottle green ones.
He held her dainty hand in his, tenderly tracing circles in her palm. He looked at her with longing eyes, waiting for an answer. Lily flushed and briefly turned away, only to look back at him with green orbs filled with sorrow.
"Oh, James, Benjy's already asked me…"
James' face fell with a severity that cannot be described. It was as if his world was crashing down around him, the tiny pieces shattering on the floor below. He began to turn away, his heart bleeding through his robes, but Lily grabbed his arm.
"But I didn't say yes."
As quick as it came his sorrow subsided and James felt like all the helium in the world was pumped into his chest, inflating him at an overtly substantial rate. He didn't need a broomstick to fly.
"But I didn't say no."
What?
"Erm, well, what did you say?" James asked in an exasperated tone, his eyes searching the empty corridor in a state of bewilderment.
"I told him I'd go if he caught the Snitch on Saturday. So I guess it looks like he's got some competition."
"Wait…so you'll go with whoever catches the snitch?"
"Whomever, and looks like it, yes," Lily said matter-of-factly as she turned on her heel, crimson hair fanning out behind her.
"But I haven't been a seeker in years," James discerned, his palm anxiously rubbing his forehead, still trying to process the information.
"I guess you'll have to brush up on your skills then," she called over her shoulder, leaving a baffled James deserted in the cold and gloomy hallway as she clambered through the portrait hole.
A/N: I know this is a COMPLETELY different tone than the previous chapters, but I promise the humor will come back in chapter four : ) Lily interacting with her friends still to come, I'm not sure when, but they're nearly as fun as the marauders. This chapter was basically for background purposes, and a crucial element to the story takes place (obviously). Had to take place for the flow of the rest of the story, hope you still enjoyed! Please read and review!!!!!!!