Cruel Summer - Lily and James Potter

Chapter 14 - Fairytales of White Horses

The sky was a brilliant blue as she sat there; her delicate fingers intertwining with the fresh grass, and the bright green contrasting beautifully with her pale flawless skin.

The scent of wildflowers...freshwater...and her...was indescribable yet intoxicating, and it floated over the air as though Mother Nature was relaxing alongside her and was slowing down everything.

Here...the world turned leisurely and life was more tranquil.

Natural.

She shifted her gaze onto the sky, bathing in its brilliance. Against everything that surrounded her, she was clearly the most beautiful and natural thing. There was an aura around her, flowing from her very skin and shrouding anything she touched in a translucent light.

The pretty embroidered gown she wore fluttered around her feet as she stood up; her toes sinking into the spongy grass. She lifted the gown slightly and took a step back up the small hill that leads back to the village.

The sun was high in the sky and it shone down onto her, making her plaid auburn hair shimmer under the light.

The world was still.

All that could be heard was the crumples of her feet pressing into the crisp grass, the occasional bird in the sky, or the silent whisper of the wind travelling through the trees behind her.

Then as if out of a Muggle Fairytale, a horse appeared in the distance...galloping towards her, and advancing on the tranquil spot. She stopped and watched the white animal approach swiftly, knowing exactly what was to come.

He was astride. She looked up at him once he stopped gracefully in front of her, and she kept quiet; letting the gown slip through her fingers to let the trim rest on the floor defiantly. She squinted her green eyes slightly as she gazed up at him; his face staying resolute, except for his eyes wandering over the pretty gown she was adorning. She thought it was amusing how serious he was with the mass of untidy hair he continuously had.

Finally, he extended a large hand for her to take, 'Come now Miss Lily...thou knows that one such as thyself should not venture outside the castle walls alone.'

She fixed her steely gaze on him, 'It would not be prudent, Mr Potter, to let a girl choose her preferences for herself.'

'Exactly Miss, but one, by any means could only imagine where thine preferences lead thee.'

She looked at him in front of her and smiled; her soft rouged lips curving slightly and her eyes dancing with charm. She reached out her small hand to his and he grasped it firmly, pulling her up and over the horse.

She held his waist tightly and he turned around to face her, absently brushing a lock of fallen scarlet hair behind her ear.

Her emerald eyes met his and he kissed her gently, producing a soft sigh in the back of her throat. He pulled away from her and rested his forehead against hers, her eyes avoiding his and looking down at their entwined hands.

'Mr Potter...I believe that...I love thee...'

She continued to avoid his gaze and he reached his hand to her face and brought it up to meet his.

Brushing a tear away from her cheek, he smiled slightly, 'I love thee also Miss Lily...I always have.'

He kissed her again, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, tears rolling freely down her face and merging into their kisses. She pulled away slowly and held tighter to his waist, and he turned back around, urging the horse on with a nudge of his boot and a sharp order. It set off in a canter with her clinging onto him...never wanting to let go.