Boyfriend

Chapter 9

Dusty Road

"That's a good story. I think you just can't bear to let a gorgeous guy like me out of your sight." - Han Solo

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Star Wars Episode V: Empire Strikes Back. In addition, in true fan fiction spirit, I have disregarded the fact that the film was not released until 1980, when, in fact, James and Lily entered their seventh year of Hogwarts in 1976. Please forgive me and accept the time discrepancy as diplomatically as you can.

Shockingly, I woke up relatively early on Tuesday – well, for me. Granted, I felt that any day I woke up in the A.M. hours was a major feat in itself, but I was still slightly proud of myself for waking up at 10:02 in the morning. For some reason, my body had not been able to stay sleeping. I was too restless, too anxious, and too preoccupied.

I got out of bed and crossed my room to stroke Calypso's feathers through her cage. She was still snoozing softly, but my touch caused her to reluctantly open one golden eye and then hoot at me to go away and leave her alone. It was nice to know that all those owl treats I ordered last week had really worked to win over my own pet's affections.

"Morning, Callie," I replied back to her.

She blinked at me in response, but I doubted I held much of her interest because she closed her eyes again just as quickly and promptly went back to sleep. I chuckled quietly to myself.

"Goodnight, Callie."

I tapped the top of her cage lightly. I felt bad that I hadn't been giving her more reasons to stretch her wings lately. We were both cooped up in the house together, trapped; only her cage was a bit more literal.

Post had been nonexistent lately. Ever since Hestia's last illegal letter after her parental Spaniard Inquisition, I had not heard from her at all. I could only imagine the tizzy she would get herself in if she heard of my most recent predicament.

Lily, you complete prat! Here I am, wasting away my Spanish tan inside my house, busting my ass as I cater to my evil little brother's every desire (and just in case your mind was going there. Don't, perv!), and you are being "just friends" with a bloke as fit as Potter is! Merlin, Lily! Wake up and smell the yummy testosterone! That boy has been in love with you since he first saw you on the train in First Year, and now he's finally matured to a point where he isn't a total prat, like you are. You know you've always felt something for him. Why do you think you always tried to instigate a fight with him? You two will never just be friends. You know there's something more there, that there's always been something more there. There's undeniable, indescribable, unbridled chemistry between you two. Why can't you just admit it? What the bloody hell is your problem?

I laughed loudly as I pictured her thrusting her long black hair back out of her eyes as she raised her arms dramatically to both emphasize her point and simultaneously smack me in the back of the head. However, as fun as the idea seemed, I doubted Hestia would actually advise me to do this now if I had told her anything about this arrangement. She would die of shock, somehow manage to bring herself back to life, and then get into loads of trouble with her parents by apparating to my house and then kicking my ass till I saw reason.

Yes, that was what Hestia would do. We were morally opposed to marauding. Though, I think deep, deep down she might have fancied Sirius, after all.

As I descended down the stairs and into the kitchen, I fluffed my hair with my fingers so that it didn't look like I had allowed a bunch of Cornish pixies to live in it overnight as much. I grabbed the closest open seat at the kitchen table next to Petunia.

She scowled at me and then scooted her chair in the other direction towards Mum. Ahh, I loved you too, Tuney.

"What are you doing up already?" she asked, her voice sounding more accusatory than curious.