All Of Me | A Jily Love Story

Chapter Fifty One: Drags And Deceits

- LILY -

I woke up this morning to find the other side of my bed cold.
After shuffling into my robe and slippers and opening all the curtains in the common room to let the morning sun shine in, I peeked into James bedroom door. His pristine bed was made and empty, wardrobe closed, curtains drawn. A small frown creased between my brows as I retracted from his room, lifting a hand to my hip.
"James?" I called out half heartedly, scanning the meticulously organised common room for any sign of disturbance.
"In here." James's voice was muffled through the walls of the bathroom to my left, followed by a faint grunt. I lifted a single eyebrow, stifling my laugh at his miserable reply.
"Are you okay?" I asked carefully, padding towards the closed bathroom door while stifling a yawn with my hand. I pat my chest, blinking my sleep encrusted eyes. It was silent for a moment before I heard a deep sigh and faint rustling sound.
"I think so."
"...You think so?" I repeated amusedly. Another sigh followed paired with his favourite curse word.
"James?" I asked in mild concern, staring at the closed créme door with a small frown. He was radio silent for many prolonged moments, before
"I may or may not be stuck."
I blinked once, tugging the folds of my robe around myself tighter in the crisp cold morning air.
"...Where? And how?"
A sharp intake of breath.
"On the toilet."
"...are you -"
"My tailbone started to throb." He swore again and what sounded like feet slapping against tiles echoed through the room. "I'm fine, I just -"
"Do you need help?" I pursed my lips to resist the urge to laugh, remembering Madam Pomfrey's comments about needing assistance with tasks in the bathroom; oh, how opposed this was to our previous, steamier ideas.
"Lily," He gave an amused snort. "I am not letting you come in here."
"What's the big deal?" I frowned to myself despite him being unable to see, raising an eyebrow. "I won't look, I promise."
"You haven't even seen me naked yet." He hissed, and from the sound of his voice I might have even guessed that he was embarrassed.
"I've seen your bare arse on several occasions." I replied shrewdly, lifting my other hand to my hip. "Does that count?"
"No. I'm not letting you see me taking a shit."
"I'll close my eyes and -"
"It smells really bad in here," He cut in miserably, and I almost choked. "you'll probably faint from the toxins." Another faint grunt sounded as I coughed on my unpreventable laugh and struggled to compose myself at the sound of him struggling against the tiles.
"We ought to go to Pomfrey for some pain relief." I managed to say, biting down on my lip and wincing slightly at his following muttered curse words. "How bad is it?"
"Well, it hurts to bend or move my hips at all." His voice was slightly strained. "I sat down and was sent fifty years into the future like an old man unable to get out of his rocking chair."
"Are you sure you don't want me to come in?" I asked hesitatingly, glancing down to the door handle. "I do want to be a Healer you know - I can be professional, pretend you're a patient -"
"That is quite possibly the last thing I want you to do." He snorted in reply. "I'm fine, I think I'm almost there I just need one more push up -"
A faint hiss echoed through the bathroom, and then suddenly the sound of the toilet flushing drowned out any other noise.
"You okay?" I called at the sound of the tap running. It was silent for a brief moment before the door opened and a half naked James was suddenly towering over me, snapping it closed behind him.
"Yeah," He blinked, seemingly surprised at how close I was. A faint pink blush creeped into his cheeks as he added, "I'm fine, just a little sore. Hurts to walk, but It'll fade."
"I'm taking you to Pomfrey." I said firmly as he slid an arm around my shoulders, bare torso fitting into my side like a puzzle piece as we walked towards his open bedroom. James glanced down to give me an incredulous look.
"I've been through much worse."
"You don't get a say in this," I replied instantly, jabbing him in the side with my finger. "I'll drag you by your damn ear. Madam Pomfrey said to come back immediately if there's any pain."
"It'll be fine." He waved me off, running a hand through his hair. "Honestly, you worry too much."
"You injure yourself too much." I retorted, frowning up at his relaxed expression. "Take care of your body, it has to last another seventy or so years."
"If I'm not killed during some reckless prank by then." He flashed me a cheeky grin that he knew infuriated me.
"Shut up. I'm taking you to Pomfrey."
"Yeah, yeah." He rolled his eyes, turning and sliding his another hand up along my side and over my shoulder to cup my cheek. I huffed, folding my arms into my chest while meeting his soft gaze rather reluctantly. "You look beautiful." His lips curved up into my favourite crooked grin.
"Nice try." I scowled, yelping when he pulled me into his chest and leaned in to smother my cheeks in kisses.
"Hey -" I laughed, dodging his face and trying to pull away; he only held on tighter, nuzzling into my neck affectionately. "James, stop it!" I squealed at the ticklish sensation as his hands snuck up my bare back, breath fanning against my neck. He pulled away with a dark laugh, brown eyes sparkling at me mischievously.
"Leave me to dress then, Evans - unless, that is, you'd rather join me?" He winked and pulled away within a split second, slamming his bedroom door in my face. My lips parted in surprise and I found myself gaping after him at the sound of his ringing laughter echoing through the walls.
"Tosser." I muttered to myself, and stormed back to my room.
I dressed in a flowing yellow skirt and white turtleneck paired with a blue knit cardigan, the usual gold jewellery adorning my fingers, neck and ears. The sound of my bedroom door creaking open caught my attention as I combed my hair up, twirling it against the back of my head and clipping it there with my favourite snap clip.
"Hello, darling."
I turned to look over my shoulder to see a smiling James leaning against my doorframe in a relaxed manner, arms folded into his chest. He wore his favourite denim and wool jacket, a Pink Floyd t-shirt and faded blue jeans.
"Morning." I replied with a smile, even though I'd seen him moments ago. "What's the time, should we go to breakfast?"
He stared at me for a moment before blinking, as if he hadn't heard what I'd said. I pursed my lips, resisting the urge to smile.
"In Lily land?" I teased him knowingly, taking great pride in the soft blush that crept into his cheeks.
"Shut it." He rolled his eyes, glancing down to his watch. "Yesh, sure. It's 9 now."
"Perfect." I turned to squeeze my feet into my favourite sneakers, grabbing onto the arm James offered for stability so that I wouldn't eat shit on the carpet.
"Have I mentioned you look beautiful today?" He grinned down at me as we left my room, arms linked comfortably.
"Hm, once I think." I glanced up to his insufferably beautiful face, grinning widely. "You're looking rather gorgeous yourself, love."
"No need to remind me." He winked, opening the portrait hole and stepping aside with a gentlemanly bow. I curtseyed in return rather playfully, flashing him a devious smile before sweeping through the mourning monk and shivering slightly at the sharp cold air of the seventh floor corridor.
"Shall we go to the common room instead?" James asked as I turned to face him, smiling slightly at the sight of him ducking his head to exit the portrait hole. All over again, I was thrown back to the moment of platform 9 & 3/4 where a certain raven haired charmer grinned down at me so crookedly. My heart swelled beneath my chest in admiration and pride as James lifted his head to face me, the very same smile lifting up his tanned cheeks; brown eyes sparkling at me lovingly.
"Lils?"
I blinked, realising that I'd been staring at him rather dazedly. He lifted an eyebrow, grin turning into a faint smirk.
"Admiring my handsomeness?" He winked at me, digging both hands into his pockets.
"I may have been." I replied wryly, scanning the planes of his tanned face. My lips tugged upwards as his expression softened.
"I love you." I said to him with a feeling of pure, unrelenting happiness so strong that I felt in that moment, wholly complete.
"Are you okay?" His brow creased slightly as he took a step forwards, looking down at me gently. I let out a quiet laugh, shaking my head and blinking away the sudden burning in my eyes.
"Of course I'm alright, you silly, silly idiot." I sighed, gazing up into his eyes as his frown depended slightly. "I'm just feeling very lucky, is all. Extremely." I added, stepping forwards to trace a hand along the side of his thigh. James's eyes shuttered, and I felt my breath hitch in my throat.
"I think you are the silly one, darling." He breathed out a laugh, although he wasn't smiling. James closed the gap between us, both hands snaking up my hips and along the dip of my waist.
"I beg to differ." I whispered, leaning my forehead against his and letting my eyes flutter close. My jaw ached from smiling so hard, limbs so light and chest full of warm fuzzy feelings that I never knew existed.
"You are everything I've ever dreamed you to be." He breathed against my face, lips brushing the very tip of my nose gently.
"And you are the cheesiest toe rag I'll ever meet." I kissed his jaw, clenching his waist tighter at the guttural moan that escaped his lips.
"Don't let it get to your head." I warned, pulling away to slide my hand into his own. I turned my head to take a step forwards when I felt James grab my wrist, halting me.
"Have you forgotten your manners, Potter?" I asked him amusedly, lifting my eyes to his crooked grin.
"How dare you leave me to fend my way without a kiss?" He arched a single eyebrow playfully.
"Pig." I rolled my eyes, but stretched onto my tippy toes and lifted a hand to cup his warm cheek.
"Cow." He grinned back at me foolishly as my hand slid down his back, lower, lower - coming to a halt with a sharp pinch. James let out a dark laugh before seizing both of his hands to the back of my thighs and tugging me into him, our lips colliding a little more enthusiastically than I'd anticipated. Resisting the urge to sink into him and rip the shirt off his back, I wrenched myself away with a sharp intake of breath. James's eyes burned into mine lustfully, his lips parted and hands trailing upwards to squeeze the round of my bum.
"Cute arse." He breathed, grazing his lips along my temple so softly that I shivered.
"Yours is cuter." I giggled as he leaned in to scrape his teeth against the sharp of my jaw teasingly before letting both of his hands drop, throwing an arm around my shoulder.
"We should visit the common room first, see if anyone's up." He glanced down to my face, lips curved into a smug smile.
"Do you bore of my presence?" I asked him drily as we turned the corner of the corridor, leaving the mourning monk, who had been watching us rather drearily, far behind us.
"I do find you rather exhausting." He admitted pompously, to which I replied with a playful jab to the pectoral. "Only joking, love."
"I know." I gave him an amused look, catching the sparkle in his eye. "If you weren't you'd be on your arse by now."
James let out a throaty chuckle, shaking his head and dragging his eyes away from my face.
"I don't doubt it."
The common room was slowly filling with awakening students upon our arrival, mostly the older yeargroups studying in the corner ferociously or sharing chatter over a morning jug of pumpkin juice.
"Perhaps they're still sleeping." I commented as we scanned the room, searching for a head of blonde curls or black corn rows.
"I wouldn't be surprised." James sighed in agreement, craning his neck over a small huddle of fifth year girls who were whispering frantically, instantly straightening up and falling silent upon our arrival. James flashed them an amused look, and I, to my extreme pleasure, felt his arm around my shoulder tighten.
"You can see so much more from up there." I grumbled as he lifted a sudden hand in greeting, lips turning up into a grin.
"It's Sirius," He informed me with a dazzling smile, reaching down to grasp my hand before tugging me in the direction of the fireplace.
"And Marlene." I replied defensively at the sight of her slung over Sirius's lap on the couch, chatting to George from the Quidditch team across from them.
"Mornin' Captain." He grinned up at James as we approached them, turning to incline his head towards me. "Lily."
"George." I smiled at him amusedly, finding myself not trusting his charmingly sleazy smile one bit.
"Careful there, Georgie." James grinned as his fourth eldest team member winked at me playfully.
"I wouldn't dare." He rolled his eyes in response, settling back into the armchair he was lounged in.
"Morning, Ginge." Sirius turned his head to grin up at me, Marlene flashing me her favourable, feline smile.
"Morning." I smiled, leaning into James comfortably as his arm curved around my shoulders. As I tucked myself into his wing breathing in his familiar smell, a feeling of refreshingly calm contentedness washed over me.
"Heading down to breakfast?" Marls asked the two of us, eyebrows raised as she combed her hair up into a knot atop her head.
"Yeah, we just came over to see our favourite couple." I teased as she wriggled her eyebrows suggestively.
"I'm flattered." She winked, leaning in to peck Sirius on the cheek as him, James and George got caught up in what seemed to be a very enthralling conversation. "I'm going to use the Lav, I'll be right down."
"Say hi to the girls." I called after her as she hopped off the couch and hurried over to the staircase, waving an answering hand over her shoulder before disappearing.
"Merlin, her arse looks so good in those jeans." Sirius, who had torn his attention away from the conversation to watch her leave, sighed to himself.
"It sure does." I agreed with a wry smile. Sirius grinned at me, his wide smile sparkling as he pat the spot beside him on the couch.
"Come sit, Ginge."
"Thanks for offering me a seat." James said mildly as I slipped out of his grasp and onto the sofa comfortably.
"Oh Jamsie, don't cry - come sit on Daddy's lap." Sirius crooned, patting his knee as James instead perched on the arm of the couch without taking his amused eyes from my face.
"What?" I asked him quietly, my grin widening as he scanned my face.
"Nothing, nothing." He waved me off with a smile, eyes sparkling at me cheekily. I rolled my eyes at him and turned away, exchanging an amused glance with George.
"He's a lovestruck fool." George grinned at me. "I don't know how you put up with them for so long, Evans. I can barely last one training a week."
"Careful, I'll make you do burpees." James smirked at him, sliding a hand over my shoulder comfortingly.
George opened his mouth to reply, absently glancing up before doing a double take and suddenly pausing.
"Oh."
I followed his gaze, barely containing my disgruntlement as he continued,
"Morning, Jess."
James and Sirius both looked upwards as Jessica Vane came to a halt behind the couch with her shocking bright red lipstick and childish pigtails, eyes heavily coated in mascara and thick layers of blue eyeshadow. She beamed down at us like a vulture waiting for it's pray, a steaming mug of, most likely poison, clutched in one of her hands. I couldn't help notice that her white flared top was exactly the same as the one Marlene had worn to a common room party not long ago, and had of course, looked devastating in.
"Hello." I said reluctantly at the same time Sirius said in an amusedly bored tone "Oh, look who it is," with James muttering "Hi," so quietly I scarcely heard it.
"I feel like I haven't seen you three in so long!" She exclaimed shrilly, her wide smile so achingly false that I almost cringed. "I mean, Merlin's beard - what have you all been up to, keeping yourself so busy?"
"Avoiding you." James breathed. I elbowed him in the side sharply and noticed with growing amusement that George was barely containing his laughter.
"The same as usual, sweetheart." Sirius replied rather patronisingly, cocking his head and offering her a close lipped smile. "You?"
"Oh, you know -" she waved a dissmissive hand, and I was almost tempted to turn my back on her and start up a conversation with George. "- studying hard, going for my daily jog...talking to this boy, he's from Durmstrang, actually." She batted her eyelashes and popped out one hip in a way that made me think she was planning on sticking around for a long conversation. "He's rather involved, I might even be seeing him in the Easter holidays. Have you heard of the Kuzmich family?"
"No." The four of us replied in unison.
"Well," She ploughed on, completely unabashed. "They're this pureblood family in Northern Russia, very wealthy, and considerably famous over there. Their son is planning on competing in the Muggle olympics. Did you know you could do that?"
"Not a clue." Sirius's voice was in monotone as he twirled a strand of his hair, craning his neck to search the room; no doubt waiting for Marlene to return so we could make our escape.
"Never heard of him." I replied pleasantly when James seemed to have trouble clearing his throat.
"Well," Jessica seemed rather flustered now, her lips pursed firmly. "They're very well known - are you sure you haven't heard of them?" She pressed anxiously, leaning forwards into the couch.
"Never." I said sweetly, letting my shoulders slump as I sighed tiredly. "I'm afraid I don't go to Russia very often."
George choked on what sounded like an amused laugh, one that rapidly turned into a dysfunctional sneeze when Vane's nostrils flared considerably, her dark eyes flashing at me.
"I see." She replied throigh gritted teeth, forcing an unpleasant smile. Her eyes darted from James, who was yawning and ruffling a hand through his hair sleepily, to Sirius, who was tapping his wand on his knee and scanning the room with an extremely bored look on his face. I exchanged a brief glance with George and was forced to look down, fighting my smile.
"Well, anyways -" Jessica thrust her arm out to Sirius, who's eyes flickered to her without so much as a flash of surprise. "- here, I brought you this. A long black, no milk or sugar, just how you love it."
James, George and I watched with amused expressions as Sirius glanced to the mug and back to her terrifying, superficial smile, before slowly accepting it.
"Thanks." His eyes instantly flickered back to the girls stair case, and I noticed Jessica's gaze follow his. She cleared her throat, staring at him firmly.
"I remembered from that time in Hogsmeade." She said clearly, neither oblivious to his obvious disinterest nor unable to take a hint; Jessica Vane was a stubborn bitch if ever I met one. "You know, that time we..." she trailed off with a silly little giggle, waving a distracted hand. "oh, I'm sure you remember - I won't say."
"Nice of you." He replied distantly, nodding once and lifting the coffee in acknowledgement.
"What kind of coffee does your Durmstrang darling  enjoy?" I asked her sweetly, tilting my head to scan her face. She snapped her eyes to me, nostrils flaring impressively.
"I haven't asked." She replied tightly, gritting her teeth.
"Perhaps you should." I cooed softly, folding my hands in my laps with a sweet smile.
"He's rather busy," She snapped, flicking her mane of hair irritably. "Being so wealthy, and all."
"Yes, I hear it is rather tiring." I sighed, letting my shoulders slump as James choked on a laugh from behind me. Jessica shot me a dirty look before straightening up, plastering a superficially wide, red smile onto her cheeks.
"Well, anyways Sirius -" she let out a girlish giggle, batting her eyelashes infuriatingly. I clenched my hands into fists and fought to the urge to open my mouth, feeling James's hand slide to my thigh in comfort and warning.
"- I hope you enjoy the coffee. I'll see you later?"
"Yeah, thanks." He glanced to her briefly, wearing a vague grimace. She gave him a final, simpering smile before scowling at me rather nastily and flouncing away to god knows where.
"How sickening is she?" I hissed, leaning forwards to fake retch.
"I love watching you ruin her." James sighed, leaning back against the couch with a faint smile.
"Why does she know how you take your coffee?"
George asked Sirius with a quizzical glance. "And what was that 'time' she was referring to?"
"We went on a date once, around three years ago." Sirius snorted, rolling his eyes exasperatedly before glancing down to the mug, shrugging and taking a wary sip. "Of course there was never another, but she remembers every one of the maybe five things I told her that day. One being that I like dark chocolate." He snorted again. "What a fucking loser. This isn't even a long black, it's disgusting I think the milk is off or something." He wrinkled his nose in disgust and turned to the pot plant besides the couch, tilting the mug upside down to let the contents spill over the soil.
"And a stalker." I added, cringing at the thought. "She follows you everywhere, it's frightening."
"You could probably put a restraining order on her." James suggested mildly.
"I would." George agreed, watching the space Jessica had been standing moments ago with a faint expression of dislike.
"Hey, baby." Sirius's grin instantly returned at the sight of Marlene as she strut towards us in her shining doc martins, sliding a hand into the pocket of her black jeans.
"Hey sexy." She snaked her other to his shoulder comfortably, and I marvelled at his sudden change of mood ever since Jessica left to be replaced with his dazzling girlfriend.
I noticed with no small amount of pleasure as we exited the common room that Jessica was scowling in the corner besides one of her annoyed looking friends, eyes narrowing at Marlene as she laughed at something Sirius said, leaning in to kiss him affectionately.
"What an absolute cunt." I muttered to myself.
"Lily," James laughed, eyebrows raising in vague surprise. "Come on, she isn't that bad."
Sirius and I both turned to him incredulously.
"Who?" Marlene arched a single eyebrow, tugging her sleeves through a sweater.
"Vane," Sirius sighed gloomily, exchanging a look with her.
"Oh, that cunt." She wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Och, what's she done now?"
"Came to chat about her rich Russian boyfriend to make all of the boys jealous." I pulled a similar face, cringing slightly. "It was terribly humiliating on her part. She brought Sirius a coffee." I added, snorting.
"And it wasn't even what she said it was." He cut in irritably, folding his arms. "It's people like this that I can't wait to escape when graduation finally arrives. What a wonky wench."
"She's horrid." James agreed with a heavy sigh, tipping his head back to face the ceiling. "Why would anyone care about her Russian boyfriend? We aren't single." His face turned quizzically puzzled.
"Jessica Vane is the type to flirt with a ladie's man and steal him away with her sharp claws." Marlene hissed slightly, gritting her teeth. "She neither cares nor will act as if you have a girlfriend - she pretends we don't even exist, hoping that you will notice her."
"Well, she's stupid isn't she?" James laughed, shaking his head and dragging his gaze back to my face. "Imagine me, noticing any other girl?"
"You're sweet." I rolled my eyes, patting his shoulder affectionately.
"I can't believe I'm saying this," Sirius sighed. "But me too."
"Why can't you believe that?" Marlene arched a skeptical eyebrow.
"Only because I've been a bachelor for so long." He grinned at her, sliding a hand to her narrow waist and tugging her closer. "And because James pined after Lily like a sick dog for years and it was sickening, but look - he got there eventually."
I chuckled despite James's grumbling.
"I hope she finds your empty cup of coffee just sitting there." He snorted to himself. "The miserable bitch. Merlin, poor Georgie, imagine going to classes with her?"
The three of us made a collective sound of distaste, Marlene shuddering slightly.
"I don't even feel bad for saying that." I sighed with a close lipped smile.
"That's when you know someone's really a right wanker, when Lily's joined in the shit talking." Sirius grinned at me with a sweep of his silky black locks.
"True." Marlene agreed, watching me fondly. "You are such a kind person, Lily."
"I just called her a cunt and talked about how awful she is for a good five minutes." I said blankly, frowning at her. "How does that make me a kind person?"
"Nevermind love, you just are." James waved me off, smiling down at me crookedly and leaning in to brush a soft kiss to my cheek. I grumbled slightly as we entered the doors to the great hall, a spattering of people either arriving or already seated for breakfast.
"I'm feeling like a warm butterbeer at the three broomsticks today, anyone fancy?" Sirius asked as we slid into the bench near the end of the table, closest to the doors.
"Ooh, I could do with that." I replied eagerly, reaching forwards for the steaming coffee pot. "I've been craving honeydukes, also."
"Well, that can be arranged." James smiled at me, spooning a sugar into my large mug.
"Are you sure you want to sneak out, Headgirl?" Marlene challenged, raising her eyebrows at me.
"Sod off."
"I think she's serious." Sirius added in, resting against his forearms on the tabletop.
"Wha - but aren't you Sirius?" James replied confusedly.
"Deer me, it seems that you're right." He grinned at him mischievously.
"You old dog, you." James waved him off with a laugh as Marlene and I exchanged an exasperated eye roll.
"It never gets old." Sirius sighed fondly at the same time I muttered,
"It's getting old."
"Just because you two aren't as entertaining." James scowled at us, reaching for a buttered bread roll. "We're funny to eachother, and that's what matters."
Sirius barked out a laugh, shaking his shaggy hair as he took a long sip of coffee.
"Ah, unfortunately, that is the case."
"You are funny, but you're also annoying. There's a difference." I pointed out, helping myself to a cheese and onion omelette.
"Agreed." Marlene snorted. "Gods, I'm not even hungry now all this Vane talk has made me feel sick."
"Who's the drama queen now?" James asked amusedly, ripping pieces of bread and tossing them into his open mouth.
"Morning lads." The four of us looked up at the familiar voice to see Peter chugging back a glass of pumpkin juice, sliding into the bench opposite James and I with a smiling Remus on his right.
"Hey Worm, Moons." James tossed Remus a piece of bread, and I watched in vague amazement as the werewolf's head snapped towards him just in time to catch it in his miraculously wide open mouth. It was amusing how prepared he was for anything after years of living the James and Sirius show.
"And, he scores!" James grinned, punching a fist in the air triumphantly."
"Lads and Lassies." Marlene corrected Peter with a feline grin.
"My bad." He smiled at the two of us warmly, reaching in to pour himself a second glass of juice.
"What fine gossip are we discussing in the ungodly hours of this morning?" Remus asked mildly, stirring a steaming mug of coffee.
"Jessica Vane and how vile she is." Marlene commented offhandedly.
"Ah." Remus grimaced, reaching for the stack of toast.
"Hate is a strong word, but I really don't like that wench." I wrinkled my nose, squirting a side of red sauce next to my omelette.
Marlene hummed, resting her cheek against her hand. "I'm intrigued - I eves dropped on some fourth years asking eachother conversation starters. What's the hardest thing for you to say?" She asked curiously, turning to me. There was a brief silence as we contemplated our answers.
"I need help." Remus admitted with a modest smile, popping open on a jar of strawberry jam.
"Hmm..." James pondered, chewing on his bread. "Maybe 'I regret doing that', or 'I made a mistake'."
"No." Peter confessed next, snorting slightly despite himself. "I've been forced to live recklessly without consent."
"Oh, shut up." Sirius whacked him over the head with a napkin, causing James to laugh loudly.
"I was wrong." I answered sheepishly, lifting my mug to take a sip. "There's several, but that's definitely one of them."
The five of us turned to Sirius as he stewed over his answer, slinging a casual arm around Marlene's shoulders.
"Worcesterhsire sauce." He grinned with a flick of his eyebrow, winking at her cheekily. I tipped my head back and laughed as Marlene rolled her eyes besides me.
"The one time I actually go along with it." James muttered, ripping his teeth into a buttered piece of toast.
"I'm offended." Peter lifted his nose in the air.
"Well then, it's probably 'I've had enough to drink'," Sirius mused, flashing him a dazzling grin. I tutted, draining the last of my coffee.
We left the hall ten minutes later, Remus, Peter and Sirius heading back to the Gryffindor common room, with Marlene accompanying James and I after complaining to me that she'd used up the last of her pack of durries.
"They're in the nightstand." I called to her as she disappeared into my room.
"What about the whooping cough?" James grinned at me teasingly.
"Life is short." I waved him off, turning to yell something over my shoulder.
"Yes, my point exactly." James snorted.
"Will you grab the bottle of wine under my bed while you're at it?" I called out as a faint rustle and slam of wood sounded from my room. Moments later Marlene appeared in the door way with a small cardboard box, a yellow cigarette lighter and large shining green bottle.
"Headgirl, you rebel you." She grinned at me teasingly, flopping down on the cushions to my right.
"It's been a long week. Year." I added as she ripped open the new packet of cigarettes, sliding one out and offering it to me. I closed my lips around the end, grinning at her as she lifted the lighter.
"You deserve all the durries in the world, darling." James grinned at me cheesily as I inhaled a lungful of smoke, leaning my head back against the couch and letting my eyelids flutter close before exhaling slowly.
"Merlin's beard, you really did need it." Marlene muttered from besides me, followed by the sound of a cork popping and rebounding on a hard surface.
"Bullseye."
I peeked an eye open, glancing up to the top bookshelf besides the fireplace where we aimed for most of the corks we popped to land. Indeed, at least a dozen were scattered along the sacred pages; it had become a little challenge among the eight of us. If you couldn't land the bookshelf, you got the last sip. If you land it, you get the first.
"Bravo." I drawled, lifting the cigarette end to my lips and almost sighing at the familiar burning sensation in my throat.
"Are you going to share, or what?" James asked in an affronted tone. Marlene grinned at him apologetically, leaning forwards to offer him the olive green bottle of red wine whilst simultaneously inhaling a lungful of smoke.
"Maybe I should start going to therapy." I mused aloud, eyes fluttering closed as I fiddled with the cigarette in my mouth. There was a brief pause before Marlene spoke.
"I mean, it won't hurt." She gaiged carefully. "Although, Alice is a pretty damn good therapist. You should hear the conversations we have on the daily, Mar just about wants to throttle me."
"Oh?" I snorted, imagining the scene perfectly.
"All your sexual problems, is it?" I could practically hear James's grin.
"Shove off." Marlene laughed in reply. "That aspect is going swell, actually."
"So you're happy?" I pushed, opening a single eye to meet her gaze.
"I'm happy." She replied without a moments hesitation, holding my gaze firmly. "I'm...very, very happy." She laughed, shaking her head and exhaling a cloud of smoke. "I'm so happy," she coughed slightly, patting her chest. "That it's almost sickening."
"He's good to you." James cocked his head slightly, scanning her face. "Oh, young love."
"It's a beautiful thing." She admitted, reaching out to accept the bottle from James, who was now watching me with a tiny smile. "I've said it before I'll say it again, I didn't know it could be this good."
"Neither did I." I agreed, eyes flickering upwards to meet his sparkling gaze.
"Oh, get a room." Marlene groaned, waving a hand at us and taking a long sip of wine as James's smile curved up into a grin; like that was exactly what he would like to be doing.
"We had to put up with you and Sirius eye fucking for a consecutive three months," I pointed out with a supportive snort of amusement from James. "I think you can handle this."
"Excuse me," Marlene pulled the bottle away from her lips, cigarette hovering in midair and eyes staring at the two of us incredulously. "We had to put up with the two of you, so head over heels in love with eachother, staring at eachother all day and not even knowing the other felt something for you because you were both so mind numbingly daft." She tilted her head back to sip another mouthful of wine, smacking her lips. "I win, I think."
"Shall we call it evens?" I smiled weakly, exhaling a cloud of smoke from the left corner of my mouth as she passed the bottle to James. He kicked both of his feet into my lap, grinning at me crookedly.
"Evens." He agreed, winking at me before taking a sip.
"I'm gonna make a bet right here and now," I announced, accepting the wine from James. "Alice and Frank are going to be the first to get married out of any of us in seventh."
"No hesitation in backing you up there." Marls agreed, throwing her legs over the side of James's usual armchair and tilting her head back to face the ceiling. "They're so smitten and adorable, I can just imagine her knitting him sweaters when they're old."
"And he can paint her nails." I sighed, rolling my head upwards as I tipped the bottle to my lips.
"I think they'll have a whole tribe of babies." James added in, folding his arms comfortably. "At least three, maximum six."
"Six?" Marly exclaimed, lifting her head up to stare at him incredulously.
"I see it." I admitted, reaching forwards to pass her the bottle. She blinked once before shrugging, clasping a heavily jewelled hand around the base of the glass.
"I wonder if they're secretly mad in bed." She pondered aloud, leaning her elbow against the arm of her chair so that the ash from her cigarette fluttered to the carpet. I tutted disapprovingly, extending an arm to James to offer him mine. He shook his head once, watching Marlene with a quizzical frown.
"You think?" I replied in disbelief, arching a single eyebrow at her.
"Imagine if we found handcuffs under her pillow or something." Marlene bit down on her lip to stop herself from snorting, shaking her head as she leant back against he chair. "Oh, I'd laugh myself hoarse."
"I can't see it happening." James confessed. "Rough sex and Frank don't pair well in my mind."
"What on earth is that supposed to mean?" I exclaimed as Marlene laughed loudly, sipping from the glistening green bottle.
"Only that he doesn't seem like that type of lad." He defended, grinning at me mischievously. "Such a dirty mind you've got there, Evans."
"Well. I personally can't imagine it either." I agreed, cocking my head slightly. "Not dear Alice."
"Can't relate." Marlene sighed. "Rough sex is the only thing that keeps me going throughout the day." She smirked to herself as James and I both fake retched into our laps.
"Oh my god," She suddenly exclaimed, wrenching upwards in her chair to stare at me with both hands gripped around the wine. "Lily, did I tell you what happened the other day?"
"No," I replied in mild alarm, accepting the bottle from her as she bent over double to massage her stomach, wheezing with sudden laughter. I turned to James, lifting an eyebrow. "Did you hear about what happened the other day?"
"Several things happen everyday." He sighed wearily, offering a helpless shrug. "I couldn't tell you."
"You sound like Remus." I remarked as he grinned down at me.
"You're going to absolutely shit yourself." Marls was shaking her head, sliding a hand down the side of her face as she re-emerged. "It's a horror story."
James and I exchanged a glance.
"What on earth happened the other day, Marls?"
"Well, Sirius and I were you know...consummating -" James and I snorted loudly.
"- In a broom cupboard on fourth floor," she continued with a smug grin. "And anyways - wait, no, I was giving him a blowie in the broom cupboard on fourth floor -"
"Heavenly father, please forgive me." James muttered to the ceiling as I choked on the end of my cigarette.
"And I was topless," Marlene went on, waving an airy hand with her cigarette clutched between two fingers. "So, I'm going at it, really giving it my all, he's pressed up against the mop bucket and it's all very sexy -"
At this point my head was tilted back to face the ceiling with my eyes closed as I pictured the scene and laughed, a sniggering James lifting his legs from my lap to lean in and concentrate on the story.
"I'm a few minutes in," she explained, pausing to sip from the bottle of wine. "And then the door slams open."
I stopped laughing, lifting my head to study her grim expression.
"Oh no."
"Imagine if it had been us." James was grinning, elbowing me in the side. I winked at him, sliding a leg over his thigh as we both turned back to Marlene.
"So naturally, I paused my workout, right?" She continued animatedly. "And this couple falls in, door slamming behind them because they're snogging and already have half of her shirt unbuttoned and bra hitting the shelf."
"Blimey." I cringed.
"The two of them don't even notice that we're there," Marlene goes in exasperated. "and then suddenly I have a half naked Amy Donovan snogging a shirtless Amos Diggory, and he, I kid you not, starts to suck on her titties with Sirius and I directly in front of them, just staring at them in absolute shock with our mouths wide open I mean a broom cupboard is a pretty fucking small space -"
"First of all, I think I'm going to be sick." James interrupted as I howled with laughter, gripping a hand to my chest whilst dragging myself upwards. He shook his head, slowly accepting the bottle of wine Marlene was extending to him with a trembling smile. "Secondly...what the fuck. What the fuck?" He turned to me, waving a wild hand through the air. "What the fuck?"
I clutched the arm of the couch with my free hand, bending over double to laugh in my lap.
"Go on!" James urged Marlene as I wiped the tears from my eyes. "What happened next?"
"Oh, it's so bad." She said hoarsely, shaking her head and clutching a hand to her heart. "Here I am, tits out and I can't cover myself because I'm kneeling in front of Sirius and trying to find my bra while he pulls his damn trousers up." She took a deep breath, staring at a blank space behind us. "So literally, picture Sirius zipping up his fly and me with my tits all over the place -"
"What, have you got several?" James grinned.
I tipped my head back and laughed harder, patting him on the shoulder with my other hand still clutching the side of the couch.
"And so finally, with Amy down to her knickers and Amos in his socks and shirt, Siri and I are, you know, staring at them and trying to figure out how the fuck we're supposed to move around them without the two noticing, so basically we just wait for them to see us."
"Oh my god." James said hoarsely as I wheezed with laughter.
"- Ames has now shoved Amos into the door, and he opened his eyes for a second to ask her something, which is when of course he sees us -"
"Naked." James grinned.
"In a broom cupboard." I choked out, shaking my head. "Lord help you Marlene Mckinnon -"
"I swear to Merlin, I've never had an experience like that." She finished off, taking a long sip of wine. "Honest to Godric, we sprinted out of there faster than I've ever moved in my life, Amy was screaming all sorts of profanities, it was terrifying. They must have been really desperate."
"This beats the time you got caught in the greenhouse." I grinned at her, patting my chest as I recovered from the hysterics. "Blimey...I can't get that picture out of my mind."
"We pissed ourselves all the way back to the room of requirement and had some of the best sex yet." Marlene smirked, lifting her cigarette up to her lips.
"And Amy and Amos?" I repeated, shaking my head. "It's the hottest couple I've ever seen asides from you and Black."
"Why, thank you." She smirked, wriggling her eyebrows at me
"Any and Amos. What a tongue twister." James agreed, grinning at me teasingly.
"Shall we tell Remus that the love of his life has moved on?" I bit down on my lip to stop myself from laughing.
"Oh, bless." Marlene laughed, tilting her head back against the couch.
"That's a story for the yearbook." James snickered.
"How inappropriate would that be?" I spluttered, turning to look at him. "You know McGonagall proofreads that?"
"I'm sure she's in need of some erotica," He replied, a wide grin curving up his cheeks. "add some students into the mix, it'll keep her up at night. In the good way." He added.
"I don't want to think about that." Marlene sighed, shaking her head and exhaling a cloud of smoke.
"Can you believe it's January? Godric, where did the end of '77 go?"
"Flew by." I admitted, rolling my head up to face her.
"I miss Sirius." She said eventually, staring at me.
I arched an eyebrow. "Really?"
"I always miss Padfoot." James sighed, drawing small soothing circles on the back of my shoulder. I leaned into his touch, savouring every moment.
"Well," I grimaced, exhaling one last cloud of smoke before removing the cigarette from between my lips and distinguishing it in the inappropriate ash tray Sirius had gifted James for his seventeenth birthday. The bright gold ceramic sat in the middle of the coffee table in the shape of a naked women with her legs wide open, leaving an ideal space for cigarette butts.
"Why don't we go see what he's up to?" I suggested as Marlene took another gulp of wine, sighing heavily.
"You'd think she was extremely miserable." James muttered to me out of the corner of my mouth.
"Yeah," Marls replied thoughtfully. She paused before sliding the bottle of wine onto the coffee table, dropping her cigarette into the golden naked lady ash tray. "I'm going to find him."
"Shall we accompany her?" I asked James, turning to scan his relaxed face. A smile curved up his lips and he nodded, leaning in to brush a kiss to my cheek.
"Let's go."
I accepted the hand he offered me, letting him tug me to my feet as Marlene swayed over to the portrait hole, singing an off tune Elton John song.
"Maybe I should wake Mary up."
"I want to see Honey." I smiled to myself, ducking below the entrance through the portrait hole. It clicked shut behind me as James stepped into the corridor, sliding his hand into mine. A deep breath slipped from my lips, instant calmness washing over me.
"I want to raid the sweets stash, too." Marlene admitted over her shoulder.
"Do you think Filch is gay?" I wondered aloud.
"What?" James exclaimed in surprise, turning down to look at me. "Have you not seen his office? He's got a framed picture of Dolly Parton in there."
"Truly?" Marlene gasped, turning to shoot James a scandalous glance. "Merlin, that must be new. How risk-ay of him. I though he was getting naughty with Pince."
"He is."
"He is?" I blurted out, staring at James indignantly. He glanced between Marlene and I with a bemused expression.
"This is common knowledge, Lily. Where have you been living?"
"Sirius tells me about it all the time." Marlene waved an absentminded hand. "Apparently one student got photographic footage."
"Merlin's left bollock." James cursed, screwing up his face in disgust. "Why, why would they do that?"
"Maybe they looked sexy." Marlene winked at us.
"I think I'm going to vomit." I admitted, tilting my head to the side.
"She's like..." James cringed. "A vulture."
"What about him?" I retorted indignantly, raising a single eyebrow. "He's like that old homeless man in the films who tries to steal the teenage girl away with a ten year old cigar in his mouth!"
"Filch is horrid." Marlene agreed, wrinkling her nose. "Merlin, he stinks. Ever been in his office, Lil?"
"No." I replied uncertainly as she exchanged a dark glance with James. "And I really don't think I want to."
"Sirius and I have a conspiracy that the chains he keeps oiled in his desk are actually there for Madam Pince, not the students." James snickered.
"I've never thought about that." Marlene commented interestedly while I snorted in amusement. She wandered backwards to James's side, folding her arms comfortably.
"Would you two ever be interested in a threesome?" She asked after a brief pause.
"What?" I yelped, stalling to a sudden halt as James abruptly choked. This turned into an extreme coughing fit, causing him to bend over double and massage his throat as I turned to stare at Marlene incredulously.
"A what?" James half rasped as he re-emerged, looking from Marlene, who was rolling her eyes, to me, with my mouth hanging open in shock.
"Not with me!" Marlene cut in hastily when I opened my mouth to retort, James's panicked eyes flickering between the two of us.
"Then who?" I demanded as my eyes grew even wider.
"Yeah, with who?" James asked Marlene with a cheeky wink, sliding an arm around my shoulders casually. "I - ouch, I'm kidding!" He exclaimed as I jabbed him in the ribs firmly, glaring up at him. "Blimey." He muttered, shooting me a look.
"Not with anyone in particular." Marlene rolled her eyes at us. "Honestly, you two need to relax."
"We haven't even had sex yet and you just sprung a threesome on us," I defended as we continued walking, James smirking at me a little too cheekily for my liking. "Forgive me if my reaction was a little shocked."
"I'm only asking because I'm curious if you would be interested at all," Marlene explained, running a hand through her hair. "Not with me, blimey. I asked Sirius and he wasn't very keen on the idea. He wasn't against it, in fact, I think he got a little excited -"
"Oh yeah." James snorted, folding his arms. "You're asking if he wants to be worshipped by two naked women, what do you expect?"
"But he did also find it a little weird." She continued, giving James a distasteful glance. "Said be probably wouldn't go through with it."
"Probably because it would be weird." I frowned at her. "I've never really thought about threesomes with someone that you're in a relationship with, more like two random birds you start snogging at a festival or nightclub."
"Can't say the same for myself." James sighed, grinning at me cheekily.
"Don't get any ideas."
"Only teasing." He leaned in to brush a kiss to my temple, sliding an arm around my shoulders affectionately.
"Interesting." Marlene commented, pausing briefly. "I will report back."
"Why?" I arched a single eyebrow at her disguised smile. "You want to have a threesome?"
"They sound fun, don't you think?"
"Oh yeah." James replied enthusiastically, leaning in so that his lips were brushing against my ear before letting out a guttural, sexual moan that made my toes curl in the very end of my sneakers.
"James!" I hissed, hiding my growing smile as Marlene threw her head back and laughed loudly. A wave of heat engulfed my cheeks, spreading across the length of my body as I replayed the last ten seconds in my mind on a constant loop.
"What, that turn you on?" He wriggled his eyebrows at me.
"I am removing myself from this conversation." Marlene snickered as we approached the Fat Lady.
"No." I retorted pointedly, trying and failing to ignore the slight trembling in my thighs and sudden goosebumps along my arms.
"You're looking a little queasy there, Evans." He grinned down at me with sparkling eyes.
"Well, thinking about you and I having sex does tend to make me feel rather ill." I replied sweetly while Marlene bent down to tie the laces on her doc martins.
"Ill as in...I can't feel my legs, ill?" James winked at me suggestively.
"No, Ill as in I feel like I'm about to vomit."
James's face fell and I grinned, stepping forwards to greet the fat lady.
"Toffee pops."
"You hellish, hellish woman." James sighed from behind me, causing me to roll my eyes and fight to conceal the grin creeping up my cheeks.
"Would you stay open for me a few moments whilst I tie my shoes, darling?" Marlene asked the fat lady as she swung open, inviting me in to the warmth of the Gryffindor common room. I ducked my head to enter, tugging James behind me by the hand.
"Do you -"
"Oh," I muttered underneath my breath, slamming to an abrupt halt. "my god."
James's sentence instantly cut off as a sudden lump rose in my throat. I vaguely felt him grip my hand tighter as I swayed on the spot, my mouth suddenly parched dry. I stared ahead of me in front of the smouldering fireplace, my gaze travelling to the bottom of the boys staircase where Remus stood with his mouth hanging open, Peter on his other side with eyes so wide they looked as though they were about to pop out of their sockets.
"She can't see this." I whispered.
"Fuck." James said hoarsely.
"We can't let her see this." I repeated in a strangely calm voice, feeling as if someone had slammed me into a cold hard wall of solid ice and thrown me into the plummeting depths of the frozen black lake.
"...Fuck."
"James -"
The portrait hole suddenly swung shut with a loud click, deafeningly loud in the tense silence that had fallen over the full room of staring Gryffindor students.
I clenched my eyes shut as James swore underneath his breath, squeezing my hand so tight he almost cut off my blood circulation. Slowly I turned on my heels to face Marlene, who was sweeping blonde curls out of her eyes and adjusting the strap of her red top.
"Why do you look like someone just died?" She asked with an amused snort, glancing to James, who was staring at me with wide, panicked eyes.
"Lily?" She frowned as I turned back to face her, opening and closing my mouth while I struggled and failed to find the words.
"Marls." I whispered stupidly, scanning her confused expression. "Marlene, love -" I cut off, feeling my face crumple as her concerned hazel eyes swivelled over my shoulder and, snagging, did a sudden double take. Marlene froze.
She she stared at the centre of the room where Remus and Peter now stood gaping speechlessly, her smooth face blank of any emotion and arms hanging by her sides uselessly. The lump in my throat contracted as Marlene's eyes flickered and she stumbled back one step, the only sign of emotion her body would betray. Marlene's rosy lips parted, and I vaguely heard James murmur something in my ear but found myself distracted as she suddenly lurched forwards, shoving me aside.
"Marly -"
I raced to where she'd marched over to besides the red suede couch, scanning her face helplessly.
She continued to stare directly ahead of her without a flicker of emotion. Remus slowly turned to face us, his face ghostly pale as he met my eyes. Peter continued to stare ahead of him in shock, eyes wide as galleons and jaw hanging wide open directly where Marlene's cold gaze was frozen.
Entangled in front of the fireplace, a smirking Jessica Vane had her slender hands running up Sirius's back and up into his thick raven locks of hair as the two shared a deeply passionate kiss pressed against the back of the couch. I watched with cold dread as Sirius's hands snaked down the sides of Jessica's thin waist, settling at the round of her shapely hips snug tight in the same black flared jeans Marlene was wearing. Jessica's leg slid up the side of his thigh teasingly, gripping him to her tightly in a locked embrace. My eyes dragged themselves upwards to where her blue shadowed eyes suddenly snapped open to reveal a devious glint of triumphant glee.
Marlene trembled besides me.
The simmering rage boiling to the rising point in my stomach suddenly morphed into a forceful wave of gut wrenching devastation.
My frozen gaze flickered to Marlene's blank face.
"Marlene -"
"Don't." She held up a single hand, staring directly at Sirius as her bottom lip started to tremble. I scanned her face helplessly as she took a single step back. James and I exchanged a glance, his face drained of blood and hands gripping either side of his head, turning back to stare at Sirius and Jessica who continued to passionately kiss with her hands now roving along his back, one of his arms hooked underneath the knee of her slow rising leg.
I desperately turned back to Marlene to find an empty space where she had been previously standing.
"Marlene, wait -"
James hastily spun to face the fat lady, a sudden flash of blonde curls disappearing around the side of the portrait hole before it swung shut with a deafening click, leaving a cold, empty silence in her wake.
James turned to stare at me in horror as I slowly dragged my eyes to his ghostly pale face.
"Oh my god." I whispered.

...

A/N:

Who recognised Jessica Vane in the     background photo at the beginning of the chapter from when I introduced the characters in chapter one?
hehe drama

- E xxx