Homonculous |Marauders Era

Chapter Forty-Eight

The idea of the love of his life going on a date with someone else, it was enough to gut him, and at the same time, Elspeth found herself hoping that he didn't find out, simply because she knew that was going to be painful. She could only imagine how she would feel if she spotted Sirius going on a date with someone else, even if they were no longer considered a couple at the moment. It would probably fill her with the same sense of jealousy that she had been struck with before when she used to see him talking to other girls in the corridor, only it would probably be felt tenfold.

"He says that he wants to have breakfast with me tomorrow morning," Lily told the two of them, only Elspeth was only half listening at the time. "But then he said when we can start going to Hogsmeade that we could go there on a date."

"You're making it sound like a bad thing," Marlene said with a confused expression, " I mean, it's Tucker, a blessing to look at. Is it a bad thing that he wants to take you out on a date?"

Lily peered down at her hands and shook her head. "No, I wouldn't say it's a bad thing at all. After all, not only is he handsome, he's also a gentleman."

Jab number one at James, Elspeth thought to herself.

"And he's so mature."

Jab number two.

"And he's so nice to everyone in the castle."

The only thing she wasn't saying was that he wasn't James Potter at that point, leaving Elspeth to grimace for a second, thinking of how James' ears were probably ringing in whatever compartment he was currently in.

"So, what's the problem?" Marlene asked. "He's all these great things like you said, so why are you fretting over it?"

"Well, because...um..." Lily peered over at Elspeth, her face holding a strong blush as she looked embarrassed about what she was going to say next. "I've never been on a date before."

Marlene seemed to understand as she nodded her head with a sympathetic look while placing her hand on Lily's shoulder, but Elspeth had yet to register what the problem was or what dilemma Lily was facing.

"So?" she asked in a confused tone. "I don't get the problem?"

Remaining red in the face, Lily cleared her throat and straightened her skirt as she sat a little taller in her seat.

"It's just that, I would feel really inexperienced compared to him, you know? Tucker's had other girlfriends and I'm sure he's at least had his first kiss. I haven't even kissed anyone and I feel like I would be terrible at it. I would probably be the first to butt heads with him if he ever went in. I would panic and just ram my face into his...Oh goodness, I can see it now."

Lily let out a groan as she covered her face with her hands and shook her head. And here, Elspeth thought it was a competition between Sirius and Hades when it came to the Dramatic Arts. Was she seriously fussing over the matter of a kiss? But then again, Elspeth had to remind herself that she was considered experience compared to others and she had shared her first kiss rather earlier than probably other students.

Even so, her first kiss had been a dare back in her second year when she was stuck with the idea of touching the Whomping Willow or kissing a boy. Penelope thought that Elspeth was just going to call her mental and decline both of the challenges, but she should have thought otherwise. Since then, Elspeth had kissed a share amount of others, although as she thought about it, her mind immediately travelled back to Sirius.

Because no one could kiss her the way he could.

"I can help you," Elspeth shrugged, shaking the thoughts of Sirius from her head and focusing her attention on something else. Lily and Marlene both peered over at her immediately as if she had sprouted a second head.

"Wh-what?" Lily stammered, looking beyond bewildered by the offer that was being given to her at the moment. A mischievous grin planted itself on Marlene's face as she was waiting for the answer to be delivered.

"I said I can help you," Elspeth repeated, " I mean, it's really nothing to it. It really is all about practice and if you don't want to look inexperienced in front of Tucker then I'll show you want to do."

"Bu-but but you're a girl!" Lily stated the obvious, leaving Elspeth to just stare at her as if she was going to add something to it.

"So, you are too," she countered, " besides, I'm not looking to seduce you, Lily. I have no interest in you whatsoever when it comes to that. I'm just trying to be a good friend here. It's not a big deal, I taught Penelope how to kiss back in our fourth year and it didn't make things weird between us. At least, I didn't think it did."

"So...So I'm supposed to just kiss you, right here?!" Lily whispered the last part, in case anyone with magnificent hearing happened to pass the compartment door at the time.

Shaking her head, Elspeth could tell that Lily was nervous about the idea of it all, probably more because she was a girl and she had probably grown up in an environment where it was "against the natural order of things" to do anything with the same sex besides friendship protocol. But Elspeth had been raised differently in that sense, her parents had been in her corner since day one when Elspeth asked if she was normal.

Throughout her life, she was surrounded by couples that involved a man and a woman, nothing else. But after she started Hogwarts, Elspeth found herself fancying boys but at the same time, fancying girls too. She liked aspects pertaining to both sexes and wasn't sure if that was right or if something was wrong with her. When she approached her parents about it, they seemed surprised, but at the same time, they were understanding. They didn't make it into a big deal, not going to the lengths of making Elspeth feel ashamed of her feelings.

Instead, they warned her that the world she lived in was not all that open to the idea, but she was free to be herself with their support. Elspeth wanted to pass that on to others as well, telling them that it wasn't a bad thing, it was just life.

"No, we don't have to kiss here," Elspeth told her with a chuckle, " I don't think you would be too comfortable with that. But we can try it out in the dorms. It's more private there and if you really don't feel comfortable with it, we don't have to do it, Lily. It was just a suggestion. I mean, I have experience kissing, figured I could help you out a little bit."

"If she doesn't want to, can you help me?" Marlene asked, leaving Lily to turn to her with a baffled look. "What? If she's offering pointers, I'm taking her up on the offer."

Lily still looked unsure but at the same time, she appeared curious, seeing as Marlene was willing to give a try, she didn't see why she couldn't either. Besides, it would all be done in private so it wasn't like anyone outside the three of them would know about it. The other roommates would probably be with their own group of friends after the Welcoming Feast, so that gave them a window of opportunity.

She was planning it all in her head, hoping that everyone would remain on schedule with no mishaps. It would help her not present herself as a fool if she was given the opportunity to kiss Tucker.

Peering up, it seemed she had made up her mind, she pressed her lips together as she nodded her head.

"S-s-sure," she said, " we can do that in the dorms. But you won't tell anyone will you?"

"Only your future husband, " Elspeth replied jokingly, bringing Lily to crack a grin finally, " and that'll be long after you're married to him."

So it was set, the girls had their night all planned out after the Welcoming Feast and it was going to be a very interesting one.