things i'll never say ~ l.l.p.

eighteen - amused

"Hey, Lily? I'm going to beg some food off of the kitchen elves. Do you want anything?"

The kitchens. Right down the hall from the Hufflepuff dormitory. Where Mason was. I sighed, shoved the blankets back, and slid out of bed, wincing as the cool air raised goosebumps on my flesh. "Give me five minutes," I said in response to Autumn's questioning eyebrows. "I'll come with you."

"Three," she replied. "I'm hungry."

"Oh, bloody hell... fine," I groaned, already rummaging through my trunk in search of something slightly more becoming than the clothes I'd fallen asleep in, which reeked faintly of alcohol. After a moment's hesitation, I settled on a pair of light skinny jeans and a fuzzy navy blue sweater that was two sizes too big. After dressing, I gathered my hair into a messy bun and cast a quick teeth-cleaning spell.

After a cursory glance in the mirror to make sure the dark circles under my eyes weren't dreadful, I turned to my friend with a grin. "Ready."

"That was 3 minutes and 5 seconds," Autumn said, smirking. "Also, you've forgotten something rather important... shoes."

I swore and snatched a pair of ballet flats from underneath my bed, tugging them onto my bare feet as I followed her out the door. In the common room, Maysie and Livia were on the sofa, deep in conversation about who knew what, and didn't look up as we arrived. Charis was across the room messing with Darius, who was laughing at her. Those two always seemed embroiled in some sort of friendly altercation, and it was my personal opinion that they ought to have begun dating long ago. Unfortunately, nobody ever heeded my matchmaking advice.

Around a table at the far end of the room sat Harper Kraft and Allison Corner, who were pretending not to notice Dominique sitting and laughing with some of the sixth years from the quidditch team. My cousin had drifted away from her friends of younger days in exchange for a spot with the popular crowd, and I knew it hurt them, but they never showed it. Harper and I hung out sometimes, and I saw the way she flinched when I slipped up and said something about whatever Dom was up to. I waved at her and Allison, but didn't bother doing so for Dom, who was clearly wrapped up in whatever her and the others were gossipping about.

"I wonder where Charlie is?" I said to Autumn, almost without thinking.

My friend snorted. "You're pathetic, Lily."

"I know."

She patted me on the arm. "Don't worry, it's a tolerable trait." I rolled my eyes, and she added, "Maybe we'll see him downstairs. You can wish him a happy Christmas and ask him to wait under the mistletoe for you."

I jabbed my elbow into Autumn's ribs, and she grunted in pain but then stuck her tongue out at me, holding back a laugh. In return, I glared. "You can't just go around saying shit like that!" I hissed. "Somebody might hear you."

"Oh, calm down," she said, as she waved me out of the common room into the hallway. "Anybody who cared could see it without me saying a word. You are horribly obvious."

"Shut up," I muttered, even though I was holding back a smile. Yes, Autumn was annoying as hell, but she was my friend and I didn't mind her teasing that much. "How about you and Mason?" I said, to fill the silence as we reached the stairs and began to descend.

She laughed. "Oh, that was over long ago. You know I'm not capable of fancying a guy for more than a few weeks at a time."

I shook my head in reply. "I've never understood that about you."

"What? My lack of commitment to silly crushes that will never be returned? I'd say it's rather preferable to your permanent state of being."