Until the Very End | A Jily Love Story

Chapter Three: An Exhausting First Day

- LILY -

Potter stands before me in a garden of flourishing blooms, sunlight cast upon his face. He doesn't wear his glasses; I can see his eyes better this way. Dark brown, with rings of gold, like pools of honey in the early morning rays of sun. His eyebrows are thick, and cheekbones high, with a defined, square jaw. His nose, slightly crooked, twitches as he smiles.
"What are you doing?" I ask, walking over to him.
My gaze slides from his face, beautiful and strong, to his tanned, bare chest.
"Like the view?" He winks. I let my eyes wander down to the taut, muscled skin of his abdomen, where a distinct vee points pokes out from beneath a white fluffy towel slung casually around his hips. He can't know what I'm thinking. I shake my head, and Potter laughs.
"Don't lie, Lily," A crooked grin curves up his rosy, full lips. "It's okay to find me attractive, you know."
I gulp, watching as a single droplet of water slides down his abdomen. "I don't."
"Oh?" Potter's eyebrows raise. I lift my eyes to his face - beautiful. "You've thought about it," Potter's head tilts, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Haven't you?"
I lick my lips, resisting the urge to let my eyes go to where they so desperately want to be.
"You've always been such a good girl," Potter's voice is soft and sultry as he takes a step towards me, a large tanned hand gripping the top of his towel. "What happened, Evans? What do you feel, when you look at me now?"
I watch it slip an inch, and feel my heart race. His hand shifts, and it falls to the ground at his feet, leaving Potter stark naked. I look down to find that my pajamas are gone. What?
"Let me show you what you've been missing," Potter leans forward, and his face is only an inch from mine. I can feel his breath, the brush of his skin on my stomach, -
"NO!"
I jolt upright, my breath ragged and chest heaving. Sweat drips down my back and into the golden, silk sheets strewn around me.
It's been barely twelve hours since my first civil conversation with Potter, and he's already haunting my dreams. I rip the covers from my body and sink my toes into the creme carpet of my room, pushing the image of him, dripping wet in that towel, out of my mind. Brushing the hair from my face, I take a moment to look around at my new dormitory. While I saw it last night, the morning light offers a brand new perspective.
"Oh," I breathe, gazing around the four walls of my new home. Exquisite chiffon drapes hang from my queensized four-poster bed, decorated with grand red and gold threaded quilets and velvet cushions. On either side sit matching wooden nightstands, and a thick, persian rug where my slippers sit awaiting me. I slide into them and shuffle over to draw the scarlet curtains of my window,  framed with stained glass. I gasp at a breathtaking view of the Quidditch pitch and skyline, kissing the outskirts of the forbidden forest. The sunrise envelopes my room in soft light, and I have to hold in my squeal of delight at the elegant velvet daybed snug just below the windowsill; an idyllic spot to catch up on any spare reading. To the right of the window is a full body ornate mirror, and next to it, a half-full gleaming bookshelf. Tearing my eyes away from the tempting vision, I glance opposite me where a large wooden chest of drawers and tall wardrobe stand against the brightly coloured floral wallpaper. This is likely the most luxury I'll ever experience in my entire life. It almost makes up for the shock of discovering that I'll be sharing a living space with Potter. I think back to the look on Dumbledore's face when he told us, and scowl, leaning forward to make my bed. Surely, we deserved to be told these circumstances prior to accepting our roles? Moving out of the Gryffindor Common room is devastating enough...and living in the same common space, sharing the very same air as Potter... I let out a quiet grumble and fluff my feathered silk pillows. I value my space, but not quite as much as I value my sleep; something Potter will soon discover.
I turn to where my trunk sits at the foot of my plush bed, tapping my foot on the carpet. With one last fleeting glance of my brand new room, I kneel and empty it's contents. Books, potions, clothes, and one too many badly knit cardigans from Marlene. After I finally manage to pack away all my belongings, I slide a small stack of framed photographs from the bottom of my trunk. The first, a large delicate wooden frame of Marlene, Mary, Alice and I in the common room on Christmas Eve in 5th year. Marlene and I are slung over the armchairs, Alice laying on the floor and Mary sitting crossed legged at my feet, in front of the glistening tree. We wear matching Christmas pajamas, our faces shining with laughter. Even then, we look so much younger - this was taken when Alice still had long hair. The other photos are  of us laying in the sun on Hogwarts grounds, and a portrait of my mother, father and I smiling this past summer. With a sharp wave of my wand I attach the frames to my wall - two above my nightstands, and the one of my parents above my drawers. I unpack a few posters and place my scrapbook on the shelf, before slowly getting ready for the day. It takes me longer than usual to wriggle into my skirt and school shirt, struggling slightly when it comes to adjusting the tie around the collar. I've never been very good with ties - Alice usually helps me with mine, to my embarrassment. I slip into black leather mary janes, brushing a hand through my silky waves of hair and tucking it behind my ears. I've adorned boths hands and ears with rings and jewellery by the time my watch reads 7:30 am, giving me an hour and a half until class. With one last glance in the mirror I shoulder my packed satchel, and depart my new dorm ready for a fresh day.
When I enter my new common room, the first thing I see is James lounged across our big red couch with his eyes closed and glasses set wonky upon his face. I pause, noticing his ruffled hair, before clearing my throat loudly.
"Good Morning," I say in a rather unnaturally high pitched voice. James opens a single eye, a grin already plastered to his face. I fail to stifle my yawn.
"Morning, Lily." My heart skips a beat at the way my name rolls off his tongue.
"Have a good sleep?" He asks, pushing himself up from the couch.
"Yeah," I say a bit too quickly, pushing the image of him sparkling in the sun from my mind. "It was great."
"Nice." He nods, shoving both hands into his pockets.
There's a long pause before I ask, "You?"
"Yeah, yeah," He stretches his arms above his head, shouldering his leather satchel, almost identical to mine. I never noticed.  "Lovely bed."
"It is." I agree, nodding.
We stand in silence for a moment.
"Right." I say, glancing at the portrait hole. "Shall we?"
We walk down to breakfast together, speaking every few moments until we reach the great hall. When we arrive, each of our friends are already seated - the six of them, side by side. I shake my  head at the strange image, noticing a few passers who glance at them in surprise, wondering why on earth the Gryffindor girls had allowed the Marauders to share their breathing space.
"This is weird," I mutter for something to say as we walk towards them.
"Very," Potter agrees, glancing at me. "I'm honestly surprised they're sitting together without us. They must be worried."
I blink. "Oh my god, I never sent word where I was."
"Whoopsie daisy." Potter grins at me, and I don't want to consider what he's thinking.
"Where in the name of Merlin's saggy bloomers have you been?" Black demands as we approach the table. Marlene looks up in surprise, her jaw dropping. She looks at me, then to Potter, and back and forth.
Remus is wide eyed next to her.
"Well -"
"We've been In our new common room." Potter flaunts casually, taking a seat next to Black and loading his plate with eggs. I grimace at the look on Marlene's face, before diving into an explanation about the Heads dormitory and our conversation with Dumbledore.
"You get your own common room?" Remus confirms mildly. "That'll be perfect for studying!"
"Exactly what Lily said." Potter chuckles, shaking his head.
"What about your old one?" Marlene frowns.
"Sad." Alice pouts at me.
"We're never going to see James again." Peter said solemnly, bowing his head.
"I'll do the Eulogy at your funeral Prongs, I promise." Black claps Potter on the back, pouring himself a glass of pumpkin juice.
I roll my eyes, grabbing a knife and slabbing a mound of butter onto my slice of toast. "I s'pose we don't have to stay there, he never said it was compulsory. But it is rather nice..."
"You would abandon us?" Mary gasps.