A/N: This story had been re-posted, because it hasn't received very much attention. It gained LOTS of praise and reviews on another site, but Portkey readers seem to have overlooked it. If you don't like it that's perfectly fine, but I would like for you to tell me so, or what improvements can be made!! :- )
This story had been modified- the first time I posted it wasn't quite ready, but now I am very proud to display it! I KNOW this is long for a one-shot but it doesn't flow as a chapter fic. This is one of my personal favorites, I've had this worked out in my head for a while and LOVED how it came out on paper. Hope you do too! Please read and review, thanx!!
(p.s.- the first italicized line is from the song, Love Potion No. 9, originally sang by The Clovers. Sadly nothing else in the fic is mine either [besides the plot], but characters, backdrop, etc. are all JKR's)
Love Potion No. 8
I held my nose, I closed my eyes, I took a drink…
There she was. Sitting in that armchair of hers like she always did. Curled up like a ginger cat under a blanket, three feet from the fire, sipping a steaming mug of cocoa. Oh, how I wished to be that glossy porcelain mug, continually lifted to graze her pouty lips, occasionally feeling the tip of her warm tongue upon my cusp. Merlin, help me.
I watched as she delicately turned the page of the book she held in front of her nose, her sparkling green eyes whipping back and forth in a frenzy, soaking in every line. She fervently turned another page, but paused and tilted her glance slightly upward, locking it with mine.
My hazel eyes widened and froze, permanently glued to the almond emeralds gazing back at me with a fiery intensity. A slender brow arched, barely visible above the jacket of her novel, and I could feel the heat rise to my pallid cheeks, scorching my features in the process.
"Prongs, your turn, mate."
"Hmmmm?"
My gaze was immediately released, to my utmost dissatisfaction, and I felt rather disoriented- as if I'd slugged a dozen firewhiskeys.
"I said it's your turn, not that you've been paying the least bit of attention."
"Oh, just cheat already, Padfoot. Prongs obviously doesn't want to play."
"Shove it, Moony, I can beat him without the aid of fraud."
"Suit yourself, but I doubt it would be worth it. His mind's a million miles away from here."
"More like twenty feet…" Sirius said with a roll of his eyes, flipping his head toward the crackling fireplace.
Remus nodded his head in agreement, raising his eyes to the ceiling in thought, "Prongs, just go after her. We're tired of putting up with your only activity, which is staring."
"Wormtail's almost more interesting than you. And that's saying something."
I tuned out my less-than-sympathetic friends, none of which were giving me any advice I could actually use.
"Well what do you suppose I do, then?"
"Nothing. Your turn."
Remus shot Sirius a disapproving look before shifting his gaze to the cause of my dilemma, who was currently twisting a considerably long strand of crimson hair around her finger, "Have you tried simply talking to her?"
Surprisingly, I hadn't thought of that.
"Well what am I supposed to do, just walk over there and sweep her off her feet, carrying her off to the dormitory while snogging her in my arms?"
"Not tonight, Prongs, we've got an early class tomorrow and I don't want to be disturbed. Try Wednesday," Sirius chimed in, his eyes glued to the chessboard.
Cute.
"No, but you could just talk, like I had originally suggested," Remus said with a smirk, watching Sirius count his pawns.
"Just- talk?"
"Just talk."
That doesn't sound so bad. I've talked to her loads of times, what's so different about this one? Granted, those other conversations never went so well, but I'd like to think I've matured some since then, right?
I stood up quickly, feeling a tad lightheaded, and adjusted the collar of my button-up, loosening my tie in the process. I toggled my golden frames, which like to lose their place along the bridge of my extended nose, and nervously ruffled the back of my hair.
"HEY! We were in the middle of a game here!"
"Oh," I said as I glanced down at the board, swiftly moving my queen, "check-mate."
I strode off with a grin, glancing back to see the incredulous look on Sirius' face, and continued toward my objective, bouncing on the balls of my feet as I went.
"Er- hello there, Evans." I said with a lop-sided grin as I rested my arms on the back of her squashy armchair, looking down at the part of her curly red head.
"Hmmmp," was all she replied, not bothering to spare me a glance. She continued reading her battered book, slowly turning the crisp yellow pages, but I noticed her squinted jade eyes were glued to the center of the tattered sheets. Only pretending to read…
"Too good to talk to me, Evans?" I taunted in what I hoped was a flirtatious matter, waggling my eyebrows and giving her my widest smile.
It didn't work.
She left her chair in a huff, not daring to look in my direction, and snapped up her blanket and reading material without a word. I watched her ruby ringlets bounce in her wake as she stomped up the spiral staircase leading to the girls' dormitories.
What did I do wrong?
Remus and Sirius were wearing identical grins, both trying to conceal their looks of pure delight at my rejection. I trudged back to our lowly corner, arms slumped and spirit crushed, weighing on my shoulders like a hipogriff. 'Just talk to her' he said. Fat lot of help you were, Moony.
"Don't suppose you saw that?"
"As a matter of fact we did. Quite the charmer you are, Prongs. You're just beating them off with a stick, aren't you?" Sirius taunted, his lips twisting into a smirk.
"Oh, sod off," I said with a sneer, plopping down in the vacant seat next to Remus, who was already immersed in a book. I glanced back at the scene of the crime, looking there out of habit, when something familiar caught my eye.
"What's a matter, Prongs- going back for a second try? You might have better luck now that she's gone," Sirius mocked, his charcoal eyes alight with faded laughter.
I crossed the room rather quickly, reaching for the coveted object in my line of sight, and bent down leisurely to pick it up- delicately holding the priceless treasure between my quivering thumb and forefinger.
Lily left her mug.
"A dirty cup?" That's what you went to go get? Merlin, Prongs, you're pathetic."
"I'm not pathetic-"
"Just look at the way you're holding it- like it's a priceless artifact! You're barmy, Prongs, simply bloody barmy!" Sirius continued, his eyes about to bulge out of his head.
"It touched her mouth-"
"So has Benjy Fenwick, but you're not going 'round preserving the bloke's lips in formaldehyde."
"Alright, alright," Remus interjected, staring quizzically at my prized possession. "Maybe we could do something with that. How desperate are you, James?"
"Did you really have to ask that? The git's running around cradling her ruddy coffee cup! Of course he's desperate."
I shot Sirius a look that could've killed him, which I was very tempted to do at the moment. He's a very sound sleeper; he's really about to sleep like the dead…
"Anyway, Prongs, I've been reading in our potions book-"
"Yes, Moony, the answer to everything is in a book. Off to the library we go! Cough DUFFER cough…" Sirius hacked from the floor.
"Oh, and what do you suggest? You couldn't even win a half-arsed game of chess-"
"At least I don't drag everyone to the bloody library all the time! I'd rather fling myself off the astronomy tower-"
"Would both of you SHUT UP!" I spat through gritted teeth, very close to losing it. "Now, Moony, what were you going on about?"
"Well, Prongs," he dramatized with a sharp look at Sirius, "I was looking through our potions text, brushing up before tomorrow's lesson, when something interesting was brought to my attention. They're highly illegal and not guaranteed to work but-"
"I'm in," Sirius piped up immediately, eyes greedy with the thought of doing something remotely criminal.
"Well, what is it???" I demanded, my eyes wide with anticipation.
"A love potion."
Sirius and I exchanged glances of utter bewilderment, cocking our brows in unison. Apparently Remus caught on to our evident confusion, because he hastily rolled his eyes with a sigh.
"Look, it's all right here. Lists all the ingredients and how to brew it and everything. You can slip it in Lily's mug when you give it back to her. Surely you'll get some brownie points for returning her cup with a gift?"
Sirius rolled his eyes and dropped his head down dramatically, "Yeah, little does she know it's been poisoned-"
"It's not poison! Is it, Moony?"
"Erm, I don't think so…"
"You don't think?" I sputtered, reaching my hands up to tangle them in my hair.
"Sorry- here, it says the effects are NOT fatal and will wear off within hours- exactly how many depends upon the amount of frog spawn we put in it."
"Well I've got loads of that," Sirius added with a smirk.
"Yes, but we need quite a few other ingredients as well. Oh, dear, I don't know where we're going to get that…"
"Get what?" I asked in an exasperated tone, "How much rubbish do we have to add to this thing?"
"Well it's not all frog spawn, Prongs, otherwise Wormtail would be rolling in women."
"Of all the things you've said tonight that has by far been the most disturbing," Sirius said as his face tinged with green.
"Anyway, there's simply no way we can obtain all of these things- we can get three quarters at best."
"Well what does the recipe call for? What's even the name of this thing?" I asked quickly, my eyes rapidly darting around the carpet.
"Love Potion No. 9, and I can tell you right now it calls for things we simply can't get. Four of the ingredients, retrieved from a variety of extravagant creatures, are, in fact, extinct."
My face fell to the floor and my eyelids drooped as I felt all the air release from my lungs. I don't know why I thought this was going to work. It was a stupid idea in the first place. I'll just hand Lily her mug back tomorrow without so much as a thanks and continue with my dismal life-
"What if we made, like, an off-brand?" Sirius said, snapping his head up from his chest.
"What are you talking about?"
"You know, like a generic version? Love Potion No. 8- not quite as good as No. 9, but it'll do in a pinch. Does an off-brand really matter?"
I lifted my chin and stared at the ceiling, running Sirius' words through my mind, "I dunno…"
"Are you mad, Padfoot? And you're actually considering this??" Remus asked me in astonishment, his blue eyes about to bulge out of their sockets.
"Well, I mean, with your help, of course, Moony. If you wouldn't mind doing a little reading…" Sirius goaded, trying to suppress a grin.
"Oh, now you suggest we refer to a book. You know, Padfoot, you're really starting to-"
"Please, Moony, let's just do it. It's my only shot and I'm willing to take it. We've done things for you," I added quietly, not looking him in the eye.
At this he let out an audible sigh, realizing I'd trumped whatever excuse he could come up with. He was trapped.
"Oh, alright. But if we're going to do this we're doing it my way, understand? Somebody go get me their blooming cauldron."
We worked feverishly through the night, brewing an 'off-love potion' as Sirius liked to call it. Sifting and stirring, clockwise and counterclockwise, add a dash of this, a pinch of that, and finally- after six and a half grueling hours- it was ready. We hoped.
I tediously poured the simmering rose-colored liquid into the now spotless mug, careful not to waste a single drop. Love Potion No. 9 was supposed to be a 'milky lavender,' but we figured a shade of pink was close enough. I mean, at least it wasn't green or orange or something. It's not like it was gooey and sticking to the sides of the cauldron. I mean we came really close, and you've got to understand, color just doesn't really matter to blokes.
I went down to the kitchens extra early to extract a steaming cup of coffee, which the elves were more than happy to oblige. I mixed it in with No. 8 and watched in silent horror as it frothed and bubbled, giving off an odor of sanctifying death.
I can't give this to her, she'll DIE! I thought in panic, flitting my fear-ridden eyes around the empty corridor. But to my surprise when I looked back down, the mug seemed completely normal- toffee black and odor free. I ruffled by jet-black hair in confusion, meandering my way back to the dorms in bewilderment. I still don't know how I got there. I don't even remember passing the third staircase.
At any rate, I found the dorms eventually (some way, I still haven't the faintest idea of how) and clambered through the portrait hole, careful not to leak an ounce of our illustrious tonic. I spotted Lily in her usual seat, knees tucked beneath her with her nose in a book, lounging in that infamous squashy armchair.
"Morning, Evans," I said with a wink, trying to conceal my excessive nervousness.
With a roll of her eyes she exhaled deeply at my profound appearance, lowering her head to gaze up at me with a look of amusement.
"I brought you something," I taunted as my face broke into a grin, hopefully covering up my lucrative ulterior motive.
I pulled my hands from behind my back and presented her with a lightly steaming mug of coffee, smelling of Hawaiian hazelnut and coconut crème.
Her face sprang from a look of utter contempt in to one of pleasant surprise. Her cute pink lips were rounded in a slight 'o' and her eyes were like two twinkling emeralds, sparkling with glee. But the moment didn't last. As quick as it came she lowered her brows and held her mouth tight, eyeing me with a look of suspicion.
"Why should I take anything from you…what did you do to it?"
"I didn't do anything!" I sputtered, floundering for an excuse. I looked off to the corner and spied Sirius and Remus at a table, exchanging worried glances, their eyes wide with fear.
But before I knew it she snatched the cup out of my hand and took a prolonged sip- I couldn't help but watch in terror as she nursed the entirety of the mug's contents, standing right in front of me.
"Tasted fine to me. Thank you, Potter," she said with a planted smile, "see you in charms." And with that she bounced off toward the dormitories, empty cup in hand.
"Do you think it worked?" were the first words out of my mouth, my body tingling with the pricks of a thousand needles.
"Well, it obviously didn't right away- otherwise you'd be snogging by now," Sirius mused.
"Well how long does it take??" I hissed with impatience.
"I don't know, I didn't read that part," Remus confessed, shrugging his shoulders.
"You didn't WHAT??"
"Well, we were up 'til three in the morning!" he said in defense, "I got the gist of it, she's not going to die-"
"Well that's a relief!" I said with a roll of my eyes, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
"I don't know, Prongs, just watch her I guess-"
"Like that's going to be a problem," Sirius said with a smirk, two minutes away from a concussion.
"Well, what if she-"
"Shhh! Here she comes!!"
The redhead in question came gliding down the regal staircase, scarlet locks gently flowing behind her- a vision of pure beauty. This thing had better work…
She gracefully descended the stairs, clutching her books tightly to her chest, and passed by without a word. She did, however, blush a deep crimson at the sight of me, softly coloring the palate of her delicate cheeks. She snuck a sultry glance out of the corner of her eye, the tip of her mouth turned in a seductive smile. The Head Girl continued her slinky jaunt in silence, finally making her exit through the portrait hole.
"That was it?" Sirius cried, throwing his hands up in the air. "We stayed up 'til three in the morning for that??"
"Well, Prongs seems satisfied."
My eyes were glazed over, stuck to the ceiling as I replayed in my mind over and over the scene that had just transpired before me. I felt my chest swell with pure happiness and a goofy grin appeared on my face, causing me to look, as Sirius so delicately put it, rather pathetic.
"Well, I'm not. I could've gotten her to do that- and I wouldn't have needed to stay up all hours of the night slaving over a bloody cauldron," Sirius fumed, crossing his arms in the process.
"At least we know it worked-" Remus countered.
"No it didn't?!! NOTHING happened! She looked at him. Looked. That was it!"
"As long as Prongs is happy that's all that matters."
"NO IT ISN'T! We designed that thing for at least a good snogging if not a shag, now I want some bloody action!"
"Merlin, Sirius, it's not that big of a deal- it's not like we were planning on marketing the stuff," Remus chided, shoving his hands deep into the pockets of his trousers.
"Let's just go to breakfast, I'm starving," Sirius droned as he and Remus grabbed both sides of my arms, forcefully dragging me out of the common room down to the Great Hall.
I suppose I finally 'came to' about halfway through breakfast, peering at my fork in mystified wonder as to how I got there. Lately this has been happening quite often, this is not a good sign…
I poked at my eggs a while, pushing them around on my plate when I noticed a pair of eyes on me. A vibrant green pair of eyes. I inclined my head to peer down the other end of the table when a flash of red hair instantly whipped the other direction. Dumbfounded, I leaned forward even further to catch a glimpse of my mysterious predator, when I found those same green eyes staring straight back at me. It was none other than Lily Evans.
I grinned at her my Potter grin, the cheeky one that 'girls adore,' and you'll never believe what happened next. She grinned right back.
"And you said it didn't work…" Remus gloated, the corner of his lips lifting into a smirk.
"Well you know I don't have patience. And that doesn't really prove anything-" Sirius taunted, snatching the plate of bacon out of Remus' hands.
"Look at them, Padfoot! When have they ever behaved like this??"
Sirius rolled his eyes and jammed his elbow on the table, roughly resting his chin on his fist, "Happy, Prongs? Prongs? OI, PRONGS!"
"What?" I snapped my head back to the conversation, seeing Lily's crestfallen face out of the corner of my eye. "See, now you've made her upset."
I threw a look of apology down her way, furrowing my brows and pouting my lips, fervently blinking my hazel eyes. She went into a fit of silent giggles and did something I never thought I'd be on the other end of. She blew me a kiss.
"Did you see that!!" I squealed like a school girl, my eyes twinkling with excitement.
"Yes, James, we all saw it-"
"No, but did you see it was to me??"
Remus raised his eyes toward the enchanted ceiling, trying to keep his patience, "Yes, Prongs, w-"
"This is the best idea you've ever had!! I can't believe it's happening! This is bloody brilliant!"
"Well, enjoy it while it lasts, mate," Sirius said casually, raising his flask towards me as if to toast.
"What?"
"Now, I distinctly remember mentioning that- didn't I, Padfoot?" Remus asked between bites.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," he said through a mouthful of eggs.
"And what's got your knickers in a twist?" Remus inquired, crinkling his brow.
"I dunno, I guess I didn't think it'd actually work…"
"Then why did you throw a fit in the common room when it supposedly didn't???" Remus shot, nearly knocking over his pumpkin juice.
"Had to put on a show for Prongsie. Anyway, I guess I was expecting a grand fallback or something. It's no fun when something doesn't go awry. Rather boring, really."
"You did this so you could watch James fail???"
"Well, Moony, it's not like I sabotaged it or anything-"
"It doesn't matter! You're the one that was all about the off-brand love potion! Was that some sort of scheme to knock Lily off? Or did you just-"
"WHAT ABOUT IT NOT LASTING?????" I forcefully intervened, not caring what anyone's motives were at the moment. All that mattered was that it worked. And it had.
Remus threw pale blue daggers at Sirius, who was sitting on the opposite side of the table with arms crossed in a huff, avoiding his gaze.
"Well?" I prodded, eager for answers.
"We don't know how long it'll last, Prongs. Just enjoy it while you can," Remus intoned, not looking up from his plate.
"And why not??"
"We just don't. Padfoot over there insisted on using a rogue method of production and therefore we cannot calculate the lasting effects."
"Can't we just keep brewing more of the stuff??"
"Are you mad?" Sirius scoffed, bolting upright to the table. "We wouldn't ever get any sleep! We'd be brewing bloody love goo every hour of the night!"
"And think of it this way, Prongs, would you really want Lily acting this way because you continually 'drugged her' so to speak, or would you want her to love you because she truly does?"
"I don't care, whatever it takes. I don't want this feeling to ever go away. You wouldn't understand," I said in the gravest of tones, vehemently rising from the large wooden table and stiffly making my way toward its other end.
"Hi," Lily gushed as I approached the beaming Head Girl, jade eyes crinkled with glee. I couldn't help but smile back as I offered her my arm, which she gladly took. You don't know how long I've wanted this.
"Ready for charms, m'lady?"
She giggled at this and brought a petite hand up to cover her lightly freckled face, "Ready if you are, m'liege," she added with a wink, intertwining our fingers as she slipped her other hand in mine.
We walked out of the Great Hall to many shocked faces and bewildered stares, but I didn't care. I felt like I was in some placid dream, holding on to the love of my life, waiting to wake up. Which I guess is sort of true, considering the circumstances. Lily could 'wake up' at any moment and it would all be over. Just a dream.
As we made our way up the grand staircase, swinging our clasped hands to and fro, I couldn't help but think about the extent of what Remus had said. Was it really worth it, 'drugging' Lily so she'd fall hopelessly in love with me? It's not really fair to her, going through life forced to pay me all her affections. She'd never have a real chance at love, with whomever it may be.
As wonderful as all this is, as happy as I am right now, deep down I'm truly not. This whole thing really is just a dream. None of this is real, as much as I would like for it to be. A life with her would be a life of lies, built on a foundation of greed and deception. When she did 'wake up' she would hate me forever, and I genuinely wouldn't have a chance. And rightly so.
We continued our stroll to the Charms corridor, pure bliss radiating from my chest as I clung to her delicate hand. Having reached our destination, we paused in the doorframe, facing each other and linking our free hands. I gazed in to her sparkling emeralds, shining like diamonds against the gloomy corridor. I studied her fragile face, the soft curve of her cheek feeling so warm and tender against the brush of my fingertips.
Her long crimson locks fell gently around her graceful visage, like strands of pure silk falling against her dainty features. Her frame was so petite and feminine, simply perfect in every way. She was absolutely stunning, the most radiant creature I had ever laid eyes on, and yet I did not deserve her. I turned away.
Plagued with guilt, my heart panged at the monstrosity of my charade- I had to come clean. Her expression changed to a look of concern as she cocked her head to the side, looking up at me with big blinking eyes. I finally willed myself to meet her gaze, and my heart melted instantaneously.
"Lily, I have something to tell you-"
"Can't it wait?" she asked, drawing herself towards me.
"No, it can't. It's really important,"
"Are you sure?" she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper. Her face was inches from my own, her lips hovering mere centimeters from mine.
My brain wanted to shut off immediately and let instinct kick in. 'Let her kiss you, you dolt!' it screamed through my head, but I couldn't listen. I owed it to Lily and I owed it to myself. I had to put an end to the one thing I wanted more than any other. I had to let her know.
I shut my eyes tight and briskly pulled away, going against every nerve and fiber of my body. My breathing became heavy and my heart tried with all its might to free itself from my chest. It felt as if every ounce of my body was engulfed in a spread of flames, lapping at my insides and churning within my stomach. I had to stop this. It has to be done. This can't go on.
"Lily, stop, you can't. I know you don't feel this way about me. I put a love potion in your coffee this morning, you don't really want to kiss me-"
"Oh, but I do," she said with a smirk, lacing her fingers in the back of my messy hair.
"No, you don't. How do you know?"
"Because I didn't drink it."
And with that she pushed her mouth on to mine and enveloped my lips in hers, sending me into a state of euphoric shock. I finally registered what was happening and ran my hands down her sides, sweeping her delicate curves. I entangled my fingers in her silky smooth hair, feeling the rich softness between my fingertips. I closed my eyes in ecstasy, taking in every beautiful moment. Seven long years I had waited for this, and it was even more breathtaking than I could have ever possibly imagined it.
We pulled apart after minutes of passion, holding each other in a loving embrace. I lightly pressed her away from me, just far enough to where I could see her smiling face. I cupped her chin in my hand, and raised the question I had been dying to ask her-
"So you knew the whole time???"
She scrunched her button nose and shot me a cheeky grin, green orbs twinkling with mischief.
"How did you know not to drink it? I saw you-"
"A clever witch never divulges her secrets…" she said with a saucy wink.
"But I thought you hated me?"
"I've never hated you, James, quite the contrary, but I've been tremendously unappreciative of your childishly arrogant advances."
"Do you know how long I've been waiting to do what we just did??"
"Do you know how long I've been waiting for you to deserve it??"
"According to you I still don't!"
"Well, why do you think I acted like a love-drunk idiot?"
"You were playing me???"
"Just now catch on?"
"But… why?"
"When I realized how far of an extent you had gone to gain my attention, I couldn't pass it up without a show. I mean you practically drugged me, James, that's pretty desperate. I've been waiting around for something more than a cocky grin and 'seductive' eyebrows-"
"So it took me going so far as to slip you a love potion?"
"Ugh! NO," she scoffed with a shake of her head, rolling her eyes in the process. She lowered her gaze and stared at the floor, suddenly growing very quiet, "I simply got tired of waiting…"
I swept her up in my arms so fast you would've thought she was the golden snitch. I kissed her back even more passionately the second time, and it somehow felt even better than the first, knowing that she did it of her own accord, and not because she had to.
"So, you're not under the effects of the potion?" tumbled sluggishly out of my mouth, breathless from the former products of attraction.
"James, I'd be surprised if your lot could brew an effective potpourri, let alone a love potion-"
"Then, you like me for me?" I eagerly inquired, gazing into her gleaming pools of bottle green. I longed for an answer as silence deafened the air around us, the tension growing thicker with each passing moment. I had to know if this was real- that it wasn't just a prank. I continued with my fixed gaze, not daring to turn away.
She gazed back at me with emerald eyes sparkling, a slight flush creeping up her cheeks.
"Yes, James, I do- and it didn't take a poorly construed love concoction to make me fall for you."
My heart bursted with joy and my feet left the ground, surely floating meters above where I had previously been standing. I kissed her again- hey, third time's the charm- and all conceivable doubt quickly vanished. Dreams can come true.
We walked arm in arm through the entrance to charms, her head resting softly on my shoulder. I glanced swiftly behind me, my head still in the clouds, and watched as our fellow seventh years filed in after us. Which reminded me, Remus and Sirius still don't know that Lily played me like a harp, or that our treasured No. 8 was a complete disaster-
Oh, I'm going to have fun with this…
A/N: Please let me know what you think, I would LOVE LOVE LOVE tons of reviews on this shot!!!! Much love, lilymione1203