“Did I mention you look beautiful today?” James asked nervously, as they walked on the long chilly walk to Hogsmeade.
Lily smiled slightly, brushing her red hair out of her eyes, “Three times” she smiled.
He blushed slightly, “Well you do” he grinned, slipping his fingers into hers.
The walk down to Hogsmeade was shared in comfortable conversation. James chatted away about Quidditch practices and matches. Whilst she listened happily, her hand still intertwined with his. As they reached Hogsmeade the village looked the same as always, busy and full of people running around, laughing and chatting.
Lily had never felt so comfortable around someone as they talked and chatted, however her mind slightly wandered to Alex, who was going into Hogsmeade on her own. Remus had decided to go with Louise, Sirius and Peter were going together, Rosie was going with Lucas. Lily knew Alex desperately had wanted to go with someone, but she was going to meet them all at two o clock. Lily and James had said they would probably go, they were meeting in the three broomsticks for a butterbeer.
James turned to face her, pulling her out of her thoughts and back to happy reality, “Where do you want to go first Miss Evans?” he asked sweetly.
“Don’t mind” she shrugged, “Where do you want to go Mister Potter?” she smiled.
He shook his head, “No, this is your day you’re deciding, come on”
She paused, “Honeydukes?” she asked.
He raised his eyebrows, “Was that a question or an order?” he asked.
“An order” she grinned, he beamed at her and slipped his hand back into hers.
“Come on then” he smiled, walking towards the shop.
As they entered they were greeted with strong smells of sweets, ice-creams and chocolates. Students were running around happily, daring each other to try cockroach clusters, paying for red lollypops and liquorice wands. Chatting and laughing as if there was not a single thing wrong in their worlds.
James had pulled her down an aisle that was empty, everyone had left it as they all seemed to be too busy at the front of the shop. He pointed to a bunch of sweets that looked horribly like cockroach clusters. She pulled a face as he picked one up.
“Dare you to try it” he challenged, raising one eyebrow.
She snorted, “No thanks, I’ll pass” she said simply.
“Come on Evans, are you a Gryffindor or not?” he teased, she rolled her eyebrows at him.
“Fine, I will if you will” she said firmly.
He raised an eyebrow in consideration, “Fine” he said, accepting the challenge.
He handed her a sweet, she pulled a face at it whilst he sniggered light heartedly at her, “Together?” she asked, he nodded.
She took the cluster and put it in her mouth, the taste was disgusting but determined not to spit it out, she chewed it, it was if it was never ending. Eventually she took her final swallow and coughed slightly, she looked at James who had gone a slight shade of green, he spat it out into a tissue and vanished the tissue with his wand. Lily smirked at him.
“That is the vilest thing I’ve ever had in my mouth” he spluttered, wiping his tongue.
“Haven’t you snogged Jasmine?” Lily teased, James smirked at her.
“Lily Evans, meow” he grinned, she shrugged and grinned cheekily at him.
“Anyway, you lost” she smiled, “So, you can buy the butterbeers” she told him.
He gaped at her, “I didn’t know there was a deal” he smirked, she grinned at him, “You’re washing away my pride here Evans”
“You can wash the rest of it down when you buy me that butterbeer” she said sweetly, skipping to the next aisle.
It was also empty, Lily didn’t blame people from not coming round here, it’s where all the cheap out of date sweets were kept, it had a funny smell but in the very top of the wizarding war things were starting to get more expensive and money was low.
She didn’t hear him walk up behind her, she barely felt him brush past her until she looked up. His long greasy hair in his eyes as usual, his hooked nose pointed in the air, looking down on her as if she was dirt, well to him she was, his sallow skin looking as greasy as his hair, the way he looked at her as if she wasn’t bearable to look out.
“Evans” he said coolly, she felt her temper rise, it was a long time since they had been on first name basis, he had stopped trying to win her over now.
“What do you want Severus?” she said coldly.
He raised his eyebrows, a small smirk placed on his face, the same smirk that a year ago belonged to James Potter, “Having a nice day?” he asked, still smirking.
“Why would you care?” she asked, her temper still rising.
“Just wondering” he said casually, “enjoy it whilst you can” he added, he paused slightly as thoughts rushed around her brain, “enjoy time with Potter whilst you can” he smirked, slipping into the next aisle.
Her heart raced, as panic fled through her, James, where was James? He hadn’t come after her, what had happened? She ran to the next aisle, the aisle where just five minutes ago they had been laughing and joking and all sorts, he was gone, he had disappeared. She felt her face drain from colour as more thoughts flooded her mind.
“James” she called nervously, no reply, “James” she added louder tears in her eyes, “James” she yelled.
Somebody grabbed her shoulder, she jumped, her heart flew out of her chest. She turned around as the tears fell from her eyelids, “James” she sobbed, putting her head on his shoulder and her arms around his neck, as he stroked her back.
“What’s the matter?” he asked, pulling her off him, she wiped her eyes and breathed in relief and gave him a small smile.
She slowly started to explain the last five minutes, her short moment of panic. How he hadn’t been there, Snape’s conversation and the slight threat in his voice.
“Where were you?” she asked.
He grinned, and pulled something out of his pocket, “I bought you these” he grinned, she looked at the bag, it was full of hundreds of different sweets, loads.
“Aw” she smiled, and hugged him again, “James, that’s so sweet” she blushed.
He shrugged, “You just have to give me half of that liquorice wand, im dying for it” he grinned.
She nodded, “Of course” she said, rolling her eyes good naturedly.
He tucked a small strand of her hair behind her ear and she blushed instantly, damn her pale skin, he grinned at her obviously noticing her cheeks flush and leant down and kissed her lightly on the lips. For a few seconds she craved more but as he pulled away she felt herself sigh softly at the cruel reality. They weren’t together yet, not just yet, almost but not quite. He smiled slightly at her before slipping his hand into hers and walking out onto the open street.
“Where now?” he asked her softly.
“I don’t mind” she said, he gave her a look, “Oops sorry im choosing, right forgot, um” she looked at him, he was itching to go to Zonko’s she could tell, “James, let’s go to Zonko’s then” she suggested.
His eyes lit up, “Are you sure?” he asked eagerly.
She rolled her eyes at him, “I am one hundred percent sure” she grinned.
They spent ages in Zonko’s, James picking up things and laughing at them whilst Lily rolled her eyes and smiled at him, after a while she was getting slightly bored and it was almost time to go and meet the others. James seemed to notice she was itching to get away, so he led her out of the door and onto the street.
“We have one more place we can go to before we meet everyone else” James said simply, “Where do you want to go?” he asked.
“Would you hate me if I said I needed to go to Scrivenshaft's?” she asked, he rolled his eyes.
“Yes, yes I would” he grinned, she shot him a nervous look, “of course not Lily, come on let’s go get your quill”
She started to walk forward but he put a hand in front of her to stop her, “Hey Lil, fancy a ride?” he grinned.
She gaped at him, “James Potter, that is disgusting, we’re not even officially together, why would you suggest that?” she gasped.
He looked at her for a minute and then burst into fits of laughter, he was red in the face and practically crying by the time he looked at her again, “Jesus Lily get your mind out of the gutter” he teased, she blushed instantly, “I meant a piggyback you silly witch” he grinned.
She went even more red and looked at the floor, “Oh” she mumbled, “Ok” she said sheepishly, he pulled her up on to his back.
“Anyway don’t sound too disgusted” he said, she could tell he was grinning, “I’ve seen it all before” he teased, she hit him lightly on the head.
“James” she whined, he snorted slightly and then broke into a run.
She laughed as he raced down the street looking like a complete idiot, they were attracting a lot of attention but she was laughing too much to care, as they reached the end of the road where Scrivenshaft's was, she jumped off his back and back onto the road.
He smiled at her and took her hand again, and directed her into the shop. She could tell the minute they got in there James was instantly bored, however she still spent a while looking for a quill, trying to be as quick as possible, eventually she picked out a long white one with a silver tint to it, after paying one galleon, two sickles for it they exited the shop.
She looked around, she had never seen Hogsmeade so quiet, there was barely anyone around, however Scrivenshaft's was round a corner and Lily was sure the minute they got back onto the main road people would appear again. But as they walked up the road she could hear shouting she looked at James nervously.
“Don’t let go of my hand” he muttered, “promise”
She nodded and squeezed it, as they turned around the corner past the post office, a red jet of light flew straight at them, she threw herself to the floor pulling James with her.
Looking up she saw wizards and witches aiming spells at people in long cloaks, people wearing masks. Lily had never been more certain about death eaters. She looked at James who nodded at her, breaking her promise she let go of his hand and whipped out her wand.
They both ran into the battle, as spells flew everywhere, her first defence was aiming a stunning spell at a death eater who was using the cruciatus curse on Jasmine Hanson, Lily had never liked her but experiencing that pain can’t have been pleasant.
She looked to her left where Alex was duelling a tall death eater, she was spending jinx after hex at him but they didn’t seem to be working. Lily flung another stunning spell at the death eater knocking him out instantly. Alex grinned at her gratefully and turned to advance on another battle.
Lily looked around to see James running toward her, “Lily watch out” he yelled, she ducked without even thinking as a jet of green light flew over her head and hit another death eater in the back. James ran at her, grabbing her arms and kissing her deeply on the lips.
She pulled away almost instantly, “Not really the time or place James” she said, catching her breath.
He shrugged, “Just remember whatever happens, im crazy about you” he told her.
*
Alex dodged her third cruciatus curse, somebody wanted to see her in pain. She hadn’t had a killing curse flung at her yet, but it was only a matter of time knowing her luck.
This was a crap end to a crap day. She had spent the day alone, wandering aimlessly around the shops, feeling bored and useless. Alisha had decided not to come into Hogsmeade, Alex almost decided not to but she was seventh year, how many more of these trips were left? However she had spent the day miserable, just like she had predicted.
A red jet of light flew over her head and she spun on the spot sending a jinx at the death eater who had aimed it at her.
She looked to her left where she saw Peter out cold, she aimed her wand at him and muttered, "Ennervate" his eyes blinked open and he looked up at her sleepily, he nodded in gratefulness and walked slowly back into the battle.
She rollled her eyes slightly, she didn't hear the death eater yell the deathly curse at her, she didn't see Sirius run at her with a look of pure fear on his face, she just felt him tackle her to the ground. She looked up in shock to see the killing curse fly over her head.
Gasping for breath, she looked to her side where Sirius was led next to her grabbing his leg, "fuck" he cursed, his leg was bleeding, it had a massive gash in it.
Alex looked around, standing up, careful to dodge any spells, she pulled him up, with great struggle, and dragged him into an alleyway, which was out of sight and empty. She could hear the shouts and the spells, but they were out of the way.
He sunk to the floor, grabbing his leg in pain. She felt a stab of sympathy shoot through her, she bent down and pulled off her white t-shirt, slipping her Gryffindor hoodie over herself, she ripped the seam of the white top and wrapped it around his leg, she tied it up like a bandadge.
He looked up at her gratefully, "Thanks" he said quietly.
"You saved my life" she said softly, not looking him in the eye, "it was the least i could do" she added.
"I had to" he said, "i wouldn't cope if you died" he continued.
She suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable and awkward, she just wanted things to go right away, like how they had been in sixth year, without all the lying and cheating.
He looked as if he was about to say something, but she cut across him, "the fight has stopped" she said, "i'll help you out to the street" she added before he could say anything, he nodded as she helped him up and into the street.
Hogsmeade was empty, except the odd person running about, Lily, James, Remus, Louise and Peter were stood talking.
"Where's Rosie?" Alex asked, as she helped Sirius over to the them.
"Daniel got injured, she's with him at te castle" Lily said, clutching James' hand.
"Alright mate?" James nodded at Sirius who rolled his eyes.
"Bloody fantastic thanks" he said dryly, as the seven of them made their way up to the castle, James and Remus taking Sirius.
"Good day?" Alex asked Lily softly, as the boys chatted away, herself, Lily and Louise dropped to the back.
Lily blushed, "Until the end of course" she told them, Alex grinned, "What's going on with Sirius?" Lily asked.
Alex sighed, "I think i know what i want now, finally" she said.
some feedback? to find out what Alex finally wants in the next chapter:)
please excuse if some of the spelling at the end is awful, i updated the ending on my ipod
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