Cherry Lips // s. black

-OCTOBER. 3.-

That fact that Carmilla now owed five favours at any time [somehow Ace got a favour from the deal as well] was completely irrelevant and worth it once she was at Hogsmeade.

Filch, the new cleaner, had taken her forged permission slip without hesitation, only a glare and a gruff 'keep moving, yer holdin up the line'.

Hogsmeade was the best place Carmilla had ever been to. Granted, Hogwarts was the first time she had ever stayed somewhere else, but Hogsmeade was still the best. June said it was prettier in winter, with the snow and lanterns, but autumn was Carmilla's favourite already.

The small wooden shops and houses were adorable, and the golden leaves covering the paths glowed in sunlight.

A stream of students came into the small town in groups, filtering into the shops and the large pub with a slanted roof Ace was excited about. It was like something out of the fairy tale books Mistress Theeny read aloud.

The three girls were walking behind Lily Evans and a few of her friends, including waffle girl from divination.

Ace was dragging them to the cosmetics shops so she could find Carmilla a 'fucking fantastic funky' shampoo and conditioner. Carmilla was more concerned about finding her lipstick colour and maybe some anti-allergy medicine. She sneezed a lot in her dorm. Especially when Sass decided to sleep in her bed [a common occurrence]

The girls ahead of them went into the same shop, a cute little white one with blue shutters and a million different smells wafting out of the open doors.

June left to find purple mascara, and Ace dragged Carmilla over the hair products. "Mkay, so... this one is pineapple and this one is passionfruit. And then there's grape and- why would someone want to smell like leaves? It literally says leaves!"

Ace picked up five different bottles, dropping a few on the ground at the same time. Carmilla wrinkled her nose at some of the odd options.

She found one she liked, and after figuring out that it was only about ten sickles and a handful of knuts, she took the cherry scented shampoo off the shelf. She couldn't afford conditioner too, she had to save her money.

She looked around for the shelf of makeup.

Ace picked up a few bottles and peered over her shoulder. "Wait, lemme see the flavour."

"Ace, you don't eat your shampoo, do you?" Carmilla asked her.

"Oi! Evans!"

The two girls turned around to see Lily and her friends, who were at the perfumes section, being harassed by the one and only James Potter.

Remus and Peter were looking into their Honeydukes bags with no interest in the scene in front of them. They were probably used to it. Sirius was eyeing the sticks of dark eyeliner a meter away.

"Want to go to the three broomsticks together?" James grinned at Lily.

She wrinkled her nose at him and quickly grabbed the nearest perfume on the counter, one in a clear tulip shaped bottle, about to leave.

"Come on, you know you want to!"

"No, I don't. Please just leave me alone. I'm out with my friends, Potter. Not you." Lily said sternly, and her friends tried to lead her away from the arrogant boy. James reached out to grab her arm, still grinning like everything was going according to his plan.

Lily scowled. "Let go of me! I'm leaving!"

"But-"

Ace moved forward quickly, shoving her bottles into Carmilla's arms, and grabbed James' hand, setting Lily free. Everyone stared for a momentn. Carmilla scrunched her nose up. She had no idea what was happening now. Neither did anyone else, by the looks of it.