A lily for Lily
"Okay, maybe we should slow down. I'd rather arrive wherever it is we are going with all of my limbs intact and nothing broken."
"Oh, calm down, Lily." Sirius's voice echoed through the empty hallway that he was slowly guiding the redhead through.
"I'm serious, Sirius," Lily said firmly, tightening her grip on his arm. It was completely dark, with the thick fabric wrapped around her head forcing her eyes to remain shut; it was impossible for her to know just where the older boy was leading her. She had managed to keep track of the entrance to the common room and the stairs until he suddenly led her over what felt like the entire castle. "We've been walking for what seems like hours. You're not planning to kill me or something, are you?"
A warm laugh filled her ears, and she had no trouble envisioning the full-blown grin that most likely decorated his features.
"Oh, you are making that joke way too easy for me now. It's almost a bit disappointing.” Sirius laughed, “Trust me. Not even I would dare something that terrifying. Chances are I'd most likely join you if I even tried." He said as they rounded a corner. "Doubt Cassie and James would even let me live that long."
"Well, in that case, I suppose it's for the best that I stay alive then." Lily mused teasingly before stumbling over her own feet.
"Woah, careful there, Bambie." His hand gripped her shoulder, steadying her so she wouldn't go face first at the stone floor. "I wasn't kidding when I said they'd kill me if you died, so please try to stay on your feet."
"Thanks." Lily breathed as she managed to steady herself again. "Wait- did you just call me Bambie? Like the deer Bambie?" Though she couldn't see him, she still turned her head towards him as she asked. "How do you know about him?"
"Somehow, I almost feel like I should be offended by that." He chuckled while gently moving the arm she was gripping. "Are you ready to continue?"
Lily nodded, relaxing her grip that had tightened when she stumbled. "I am." she paused for a moment, letting comfortable silence linger between the two before she added. "You didn't answer my question, though. How do you know about Bambie?"
"I might not know all there is about muggles and such, but I'm not completely ignorant either."
When he didn't say more than that, Lily sighed softly, a small smile lingering on her lips as she spoke. “Remus showed you, didn't he?" She didn't even need to use her eyes to know the mention of the sandy-haired male caused the taller to tense up for a moment before a small laugh tickled the air.
"Yeah, Remus showed me." Whether it was the loss of her sight causing her to rely even more on her hearing, Lily wasn't sure, but she knew, she knew the moment he said Remus's name, his voice softened, and the name left his lips almost like a caress. "I figured it'd suit you perfectly since you're both equally clumsy."
"Okay, first of all." She raised a finger and pointed it towards where she thought his face was. "If it hadn't been for this bloody blindfold, I would have known to lift my foot. Second of all, Cassie's even more clumsy than I am. I haven't heard that she has a nickname like that."
"That's because that exact nickname would be somewhat inappropriate for her." He mused, guiding her around another corner.
"Thank you for considering me worth it then," Lily retorted, making use of the blindfold as she rolled her eyes, or at least tried to.
"Well, you're welcome." He said, and she knew for sure that he was grinning. Just the heavy sound of the amusement in his tone was enough proof. "Though it's probably for the best if you don't know. After all, ignorance is bliss."
"Well, you'd know, wouldn't you," Lily muttered under her breath, moving one foot in front of the other. Though she didn't mind the alone time with Sirius, being led around the corridors blindfolded was not how she envisioned spending her birthday.
Although the short evening walk or whatever it was that Sirius was planning wasn't enough to put a damper on her day. After reaching the common room, without any hindrance. Lily had gone straight to the dormitory, taking a shower before planting herself in front of the fireplace along with her charms essay. She had just gotten a few pages along in her book when the group of friends stumbled into the common room and dragged her up the stairs to their dormitory to get changed and then out.
For the next few hours, Lily, along with her roommates, spent their time playing in the snow. They built snowmen and several snow lanterns until they ended up in a full-blown snowball fight. When they entered the corridors again hours later, laughing and soaked to the bone, Lily cast a quick-drying spell before they all made their way to the kitchen, seeking comfort in a big mug of hot chocolate and some cake. After that, she had played a few rounds of wizards chess with Remus, only to lose tremendously.
So to say it so far, today had been a good day. Though she was starting to wonder how long that would last, especially since Sirius had been dragging her around the halls for the last half hour now, if not more.
"You know if you're just dragging me around aimlessly, now would be a good time to tell me so."
"Just relax, Bambie,"
"Again with the nickname?" She cut him off, unable to hide the small trace of annoyance that crept into her voice.
Sirius chuckled lightly as he suddenly halted and came to a stop. "Oh, you know you love it. Besides, we are already here." With that, he dropped his arm and moved behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Now, don't open your eyes until I say so. I just need to get you in the right place." He said while guiding her forward.
Feeling her body move once again without knowing where she was going sent a shot of annoyance bursting through her. "I swear to merlin Sirius, if this is your idea of some stupid prank, then you can just tell me now. I won't even get mad."
"Yeah, like I'd believe that." He snorted, "Besides, it's not a prank." His steps halted once more, and suddenly the pressure caused by the blindfold lessened as he untied the fabric and lowered it from her eyes. "Now open your eyes, and happy birthday."
When Lily opened her eyes, she almost thought her heart was about to stop. Now it made sense why they had been walking around for merlin knows how long. How many times had they wandered the same hallway until the door had appeared and the room of requirement had shown itself? In the center of the room stood a long table with several bowls filled with different kinds of snacks along with an incredible amount of unopened bottles of not just alcohol but firewhiskey. Above the table hung a huge banner bearing the letters of Happy Birthday Lily.
But what caused her mouth to turn up in a blinding smile, as both happiness and tears lingered in her eyes, was the sight of her five roommates along with Frank and the Marauders that stood in front of the table, all wearing the same stupid hats they had worn during Cassie and Sirius's birthday.
"Happy birthday!" They all shouted together the moment she laid eyes on them.
"Wha-how?" She was speechless. After being with the girls for almost the entire day, not one of them had dropped any hits about any of this. At least not any of them but Marlene, now that Lily thought about it, suppose that was the reason why they stared at her earlier, not because she mentioned drinking before ten a.m, but because they were afraid to spoil this.
"How did this, who?"
"Having trouble gathering your words Lils?" Cassie laughed as she neared, a yellow paper hat in her hands that she immediately placed on the redhead. "Just repaying the favor. It was Sirius and Peter's idea. We just helped a little."
Lily's gaze immediately landed on the boy between Frank and James, seeing the sheepy smile decorating his face. "Really? The two of you?" She asked, moving her eyes to the tall boy next to her.
"We didn't know what to get you, and the idea of a party didn't sound all that terrible." Sirius grinned proudly as he spoke. "You're welcome."
She looked at him for a moment before settling her gaze back to Peter and the others as she smiled. "Thank you." Lily said, "Both of you, all of you. Today has truly been a good day."
"Well, let's make sure that it ends well too," Cassie commented as she wrapped her arm around Lily's shoulders.
"In that case, perhaps we should get rid of the alcohol then. Considering how much it is, at least one of us is bound to end up doing something stupid tonight." Sirius joked as he bumped his arm into Cassie's.
"Whatever you say, perhaps if you're lucky, you might get some new wings tonight." She retorted, her eyes beaming with amusement as she grinned at her brother, who only narrowed his eyes.
"You wouldn't dare."
"Maybe not, but Remus would." Her grin turned devious as she stared up at her brother with a challenging look in her eyes.
The older twin gazed at his sister, studying her for a moment before speaking, his voice filled with disbelief as he said. "He wouldn't."
"Oh, I would." A voice said, causing Lily to bite her lip to fight back the laugh as Sirius whipped his head in Remus's direction, pure betrayal painted across his face.
"You're joking, right?" he asked.
Raising a brow, Remus looked at Sirius for a moment. "No, I'm completely serious," he said before a wide grin spread across his face.
"Oh, very funny." Sirius rolled his eyes, not bothering to dampen the full-blown smile that his lips curled up in.
Lily smiled as she noticed the mischievous glint in Remus's eyes, letting her know that he was certainly up to no good this evening, whether it be drawing on Sirius's back again or something else.
"Come on in, join us," Marlene called out, earning the red head's attention. It seemed while Lily had been busy watching the two boys interact, the others had gathered near a seating area that she had failed to notice when entering. There was a couch, two rather comfortable-looking chairs along with several thick pillows on the floor. It was similar to what the common room had looked like during Cassie and Sirius's birthday.
Remus and Peter occupied the two chairs, while Marlene and Dorcas found themselves together on the floor while Alice and Frank sat down on the couch, leaving enough room for two more. Lily wasn't all that surprised when Cassie went straight for one of the pillows, dragging her brother with her.
What surprised her more was the wink her dark-haired friend had given her while sitting down, earning herself a pair of furred brows. At first, Lily couldn't understand what Cassie was doing, but then she looked around for a moment and found that all available seats had been taken, except for two. The two seats were next to Alice and Frank on the couch. Her eyes glid over her friends again, and that's when she noticed that the only person who was still standing, the person she would be sitting next to, was no other than the very person she kissed the last time she got drunk.
James
Lily couldn't help but let her eyes wander his way for a moment, and the sight of the almost shy smile he sent her, surprised her much more than she would have liked to admit.
"Can I talk to you for a moment before we sit down?" He asked, running his fingers through his hair, looking as calm as ever. Or so she would have thought, had she not noticed how his fingers trembled lightly when raising them to his hair.
She cast a glance to the others, meeting Remus's eye, who only nodded in return. "Yeah, sure." she turned back and smiled at him.
He led her from the group and to the entrance door, not stopping until they were both standing in the corridor. Lily gazed around the hallway before settling her eyes on James, who almost seemed to squirm under her curious gaze.
"Are you okay?" She asked after a moment when he didn't say anything.
James looked at her, burying his hand into his pocket before he managed to say. "Happy birthday."
"I know, you told me earlier. But still, thank you." Lily smiled at him. As a soft chuckle escaped his lips, she couldn't help but feel confused as he shook his head while a small smile graced his lips.
"No, I mean," he paused, looking down for a moment, taking a deep breath as if preparing himself for something, then he pulled out a little box from his pocket. His eyes met hers again, the smile on his face nervous but somewhat more confident. "Happy birthday."
Green eyes stared at the small black box decorated with a single emerald green ribbon. She looked at him for a short moment before reaching out, letting their fingers touch as she took the gift from him.
Her fingers easily unwrapped the ribbon, and as she opened the box, she held her breath. She was stunned yet unable to look away from the beauty in front of her. "Oh, James. It is beautiful." Lily said as she stared in awe at the lily hanging from a delicate silver chain.
"A lily for Lily," he said, causing her to raise her eyes, meeting the warm smile on his face that was decorated with a gentle redness. "I hope you like it."
She nibbled her lower lip as she studied the necklace once more. The urge to smile was starting to become almost overbearing. Though she had to admit that the biggest reason for that was not the beautiful present in front of her, but the clear nervousness that lingered about his words as he spoke.
"A lily for Lily, huh?" she chuckled. It had to be the most ridiculous thing she had heard, but still, there was no denying the warmth that blossomed in her chest at those words. Lifting her gaze again, she had to admit defeat as her lips stretched out in a blinding smile. His eyes widened, and the smile on his face faded as James's mouth dropped slightly, and suddenly, he seemed awestruck. Like he had seen the most beautiful thing in the world.
"It's perfect. Thank you." Lily smiled, causing him to blink once then twice before running his hand through his hair, letting his eyes fall to the ground as he tried to hide the redness growing on his cheeks. However, it seemed to be in vain, as Lily's smile seemed to beam even more when she noticed it.
"Do you-" He looked up, his cheeks bearing a soft tint while something gleamed in his eyes. "Would you like me to help you put it on? That is if you want to wear it."
Lily held his gaze for a few seconds, and though she tried, there was no way she could managed to hide the surprise from her features. "Oh, sure. I would love to wear it." Gently she lifted the necklace from the box, her eyes drinking in the details of the delicate flower hanging from the silver chain.
She gave the necklace to James before turning around, settling her eyes on the corridor wall as she waited. And then she felt it. It was soft and careful, almost like a gentle breeze blowing in her hair. The faint smell of broom polish and male shampoo tickled her nose as Lily became aware of just how much closer the boy had gotten.
The hair on her arms rose, and goosebumps appeared as the cool necklace was placed around her neck. His fingers toyed almost clumsy with the lock, and just as she was about to offer to do it herself, she felt his warm fingers brush against her neck. They moved carefully like they were tracing figures on expensive glass, as they gathered her red locks in his hand, lifting them from under the chain and eventually letting them fall over her right shoulder.
Warm breaths tickled her neck, and the warmth radiating from his chest felt like a fire on her back. Lily knew what it was, though she didn't want to admit it, she knew. The places his fingers had brushed burned, just like that time when they had taken that picture together. The feeling of his breath caused her heart nearly to stop, and each breath became deeper and more difficult to let out.
She didn't know what to do. It was like she froze completely, like a brink of ice that could only be melted by his touch. And that terrified her. He terrified her. All that had been said and done, everything that had happened the six years they had been classmates, it all disappeared the moment his breath hit her neck.
Suddenly, as if struck by lightning, she turned around with such speed that James stumbled a few steps back, his eyes wide and full of surprise.
"The others are probably wondering what happened to us," Lily said, her voice stern and her face void of any emotions. It was like a switch had flipped inside of her. Though she seemed reserved and unbothered, her heart was pounding as fast as a golden snitch flying from its seeker, and at that moment, its seeker stood in front of her, hazel eyes filled with confusion.
"We should head back in," She continued. "Again, thank you. I truly love it." Lily could almost punch herself at how forced the smile she sent him must have looked, but even more at her behavior. Giving him a final look, she hurried past him and back into the room of requirement. How could I be so stupid? she thought. The moment he gets close to me, I freeze and panic. If there were any moment she would throw herself into the black lake, it was now.
Her face burned as she made her way across the room and over to where the group sat. Cassie must have heard her because the moment she neared, the dark-haired girl looked up from her seat on the floor and sent her the strangest look. At first, she seemed excited, if not a bit impatient, then her dark brows furred slightly, and a strange look shone in her eyes.
Merlin, am I blushing that much? Lily thought to herself while discreetly raising a hand to her cheeks, relieved to find that the warmth had calmed down slightly. As she sat down on the couch next to Alice, Cassie's gaze still burned heavily, though for what reason Lily wasn't sure of.
James appeared not too long after, hands buried in his pockets while his eyes lingered on the floor. It wasn't until he neared Cassie's seat that he looked up and looked at her. Guilt raged in her stomach as he looked away before settling down on the couch next to her.
It wasn't an overly large couch. As a matter of fact, Lily was certain it had to be a love seat, considering how much the four people had to squeeze together to fit in it. Alice pretty much sat on Frank's lap, and while it was alright the few moments before James joined them, as soon as he sat down, the guilt in her stomach grew even more, as well as something else. The heat from his body as they sat pressed together, the way his thigh felt against hers, the sturdy feeling of his biceps, made it all so much worse.
She was such an idiot, a damn bloody idiot.
"I'm just saying." A voice said, breaking Lily out of her deep thoughts. "The prank didn't backfire. It evolved."
"Evolved?" Remus snorted as he glanced down at the dark-haired boy on the floor. "How does a prank evolve from innocently changing the color of everyone's pumpkin juice to causing the juice to shoot up from the cup-like a bloody fountain. You know, it would have been funny had it not been for the fact that we also got hit with a rain of juice."
A grimace appeared on Cassie's face as she added. "That's for sure. I'm pretty sure my robes will be smelling like pumpkin for the next week."
"Well, you always did like Halloween," Sirius replied. "Now you can go around smelling like it."
"Oh shut it," she said, rolling her eyes, "Just because you like Christmas doesn't mean you want to go around dressed like a Christmas tree. Or do you want me to find a bunch of tree needles to fill your clothes with, not to mention the ornaments?"
"The needles I could do without, but the ornaments? Now, I reckon I'd be the prettiest Christmas tree you'd ever see." His lips tilted upwards in a smug smile, probably already imagining the giant star topper on his head.
Lily could already see it, Sirius prancing around saying that now he wasn't only named after a star, but he was one too. Though if you asked several girls and boys at Hogwarts, they'd say that he's already a star.
"You know, since I'm the tree, Moony could be the present."
"Why? So he could lay under you?" Dorcas asked smugly, causing Marlene to snort before clasping her hand over her mouth to stop her laugh. That caused Sirius's confident facade to break, as he seemed almost speechless like the thought hadn't even crossed his mind.
While Remus looked absolutely shocked, Cassie burst out in uncontrollable laughter, soon followed by Peter. Frank grinned while Alice giggled, and James... he was silent. Lily turned her head ever so slowly and studied him from the corner of her eyes. Though he was silent, an amused smile was dancing on his lips, and his eyes glinted as he watched his two friends.
After a moment, Lily noticed Remus, who was leaning his elbow on the armrest as he rubbed his temple before muttering. "Merlin, I think I need a drink."
Then we're two, Lily thought, perhaps not the best idea, but what the hell.