Shooting Star

Chapter Eighteen

I completely bombed my Charms test. The DADA one wasn't too bad. Just an E. Nobody got higher than that, so he said we'd try again next week. He saw in my head, though, and that wasn't comfortable.
I was allowed to retake my Charms test--I didn't have to ask. The professor just told me I could do it Monday after school. I don't know why I'd done so badly; I'd done everything well when we were studying.
We sat in the common room after school.
"Shouldn't we get ready?" I asked Lily.
"For what?"
"The date."
"We thought you wouldn't want to go." James said.
"I told you, I'm fine." I said, perfectly calm.
"You don't have to do this, Eliza." Lily said.
"I'm fine." I repeated. "Come on, I'll do your hair." I pulled her up off the couch.
"Okay."

Lily was still getting dressed, but I went down to the common room, mostly to make sure there wasn't a plan I needed to be aware of.
"Any secret plan I need to know about?" I asked Sirius. He stared at me. "Sirius." I said.
"Huh? Nope. No secret plan. Sorry." He said, standing and kissing my cheek. "Where's the redhead?"
"Getting dressed. Where's Potter?"
"Here." James said, coming down from the boys' dormitories.
"Guess I've got to get dressed." Sirius said, not excitedly, probably because James was in a suit. "Didn't know it was such a fancy occasion."
I laughed as James ruffled his hair and Sirius slapped his hand away.
"You tried to fix your hair." I smiled, straightening James' tie.
"Yeah. Didn't work." He laughed.
I ruffled it a little bit, and it was back to normal. "There you go."
"I spent all that time on it for you to mess it up?" He smiled.
"Yep. It looks better this way. Lily agrees." I smirked.
"She said that?"
"Yeah." I grinned.
"Well, you look lovely."
"Why, thank you." I curtsied. "You're looking dashing yourself."
He bowed elaborately. "Thank you, thank you. You're too kind."
"Well, don't you two look lovely." Remus said as he and Peter walked over.
"Yes, we do." James said.
"Thank you." I said, laughing at James.
I needed to talk to Peter. I'm not good with confrontation, though. Perhaps Sirius has already spoken to him. I'll ask later.
"Well, damn." I said when Lily came down the stairs. She looks gorgeous.
"What?" James asked.
I reached out and turned him to face her.
"Well, damn." James agreed.
"Close your mouth, Potter. You'll catch flies." Lily said as she walked over.
He closed his mouth.
Sirius wrapped his arms around me from behind. "Well, damn. Looking good, Evans." He put his chin on my shoulder.
"Thanks, Sirius. You too." She smiled.
We followed them through the corridors and watched them tickle a pear. We looked at each other, but then the picture opened, and we went into what I guessed was the kitchens.
A house elf came up to us. "Mister Potter! Mister Black!" She said in a high pitched voice. "Darla has been waiting for you!" She smiled.
"Yes, Darla. Sorry it took so long." James smiled at her. "Thank you so much."
"Anything for you, Mister Potter."
"This is Lily Evans and Eliza Taylor." He told Darla.
Darla took our hands and kissed them. "Darla is pleased to meet you both." She bowed, her nose touching the ground. "Right this way."
She led us to a candlelit table. I gave Lily a look, and she glared at me. "Your food will be right out." She told us.
"I want to see your tattoo." I told Sirius over dinner.
"If you wanted me to take off my clothes, you could've just asked." He said.
"It's just a--" James began.
"Hush, Potter. Spoilers." Sirius smirked.
"You're gonna show her?" He looked surprised.
"Why not?"
"Well, okay." He and Lily shared a smirk.
It was actually quite enjoyable. The food was delicious, as always, and Lily wasn't a bitch to James.
When we finished eating, James offered his arm to Lily. "Shall we?"
"Shall we what?" She narrowed her eyes skeptically.
"Oh, don't you worry your pretty little head, it's nothing bad." He laughed.
She followed him out, casting a concerned look at me. I smiled and waved.
"Don't have too much fun!" Sirius called after them.
"Shut up, Padfoot!" James sing-songed back.
"This was fun." I told Sirius. "Thank you."
"It was all James, really."
"Fine. Don't accept my gratitude."
"You're welcome." He smiled.
"Now, what about that tattoo?" I continued.
"I'll show you." He smirked, standing and holding out his hand. "Shall we?"
"We shall." I smiled.
"So, Peter." I said quietly as we were walking.
"I'm not Peter."
"I meant to talk about Peter." I smiled a bit.
"Oh, duh. Well."
"I know. Have you talked to him?"
"No. I was hoping you had."
"Nope. I was praying you had."
"Who else knows?"
"Lily."
"I'll talk to him if you want me to. Or you can both come."
"I don't want to. I should though, shouldn't I?"
"Yeah, probably."
"Why?" It sounded like a whine.
"In case I decide to kill him."
"Sirius..."
"I know. You asking Lily or me?"
"I will."
He nodded.
"Why didn't you tell me you had a tattoo?"
"I thought you'd be angry. Then I thought you saw it. You never asked, so."
"Why would I be angry?"
"Because you're you. I thought you wouldn't like it."
"Far from it." I freaking love tattoos.
He narrowed his eyes. "Do you have tattoos? I'm more than willing to find them." He winked.
"No." I smiled. "My dad won't let me."
We both stopped for a second at my misuse of tenses.
"Parents." He scoffed jokingly.
"I'm gonna get one once we get out of school, I think."
Their funeral is tomorrow.
But I won't dwell on that now.
We got in the common room, and it was deserted.
"All right. Show." I said.
"It's just--"
"Shh." I interrupted.
"What?" He whispered, looking around.
"Spoilers."
He laughed. "Touché."
He took off his shirt and turned around. On his shoulder was the Gryffindor crest.
"Did your parents do all of that?" I asked, not even looking at the tattoo.
He pulled his shirt back on. "Yeah. Some of it was because of the tattoo. They kicked my ass for that thing." He grinned.
"Do you take pleasure in getting your ass kicked?" I asked.
"No, but I do take pleasure in pissing them off. They were quite angry."
"Why did you keep provoking them even though you knew the consequences?"
He shrugged.
"You think you deserve it." I said.
"Says who?"
"Says you."
"And why do you say that?"
"I read a psychology text book one summer." I shrugged. "Come sit with me."
"Nope. I'm going to bed."
"You don't wanna talk to me?" I guilt tripped.
"Not about this."
"Fine. We won't talk about it. Sit."
"Thank you." He sat on the couch, pulling me with him. He wrapped both of his arms around me. "I love you." He whispered in my ear.
"I love you too." I said quietly.
Tomorrow was my parents' funeral.
"You look stunning." He continued.
"Thank you." I said.
"What are your plans for after school?" It was weird: him holding me and his heartbeat at a normal rate.
"I have absolutely no idea." I sighed. "You?"
"Not a clue."
"We can be unprosperous together." I laughed.
"Sounds good." He smiled, kissing the top of my head. "I'm sure you'll be prosperous, though. You're smart."
"Hey, where'd you get perfidious from?" I asked, laughing.
"I'm not sure. Did I use it right?"
"You did." I smiled.
After a while, the portrait hole swung open. We leapt off the couch and hid in the shadows. We watched Lily kiss James.
That's right. Lily Evans kissed James Potter. Sirius looked at me. I shook my head vehemently. If he ruined this, I'd kill him.
We watched James and Lily snog for a bit before I nodded.
"Well, well, well. What have we here?" Sirius jumped out, pulling me with him.
Lily shrieked and jumped away from James. "Sirius Black!" She shouted.
"Go away." James pulled Lily back to him.
"Holy shit." I said when she kissed him back.
Now it was happening. This is beautiful.
"I think it's time we turned in." Sirius told me.
"Yeah." I agreed.
He kissed my cheek. "Goodnight, Taylor. I love you."
"I love you too." I said.
He walked away, still holding my hand. Just as he was about to let it go, I pulled him back. "I have a question."
"Yes?"
"Why are you with me?"
"Excuse me?"
"If you think you deserve such pain, why are you with me?"
"Because I'm weak and need somebody to love me."
"Wanting love makes you human, not weak."