Jai (jairissa) wrote in hp_traditions, @ 2008-05-17 10:18:00 |
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Entry tags: | lily/remus, nc17 |
Happy Traditions, lilydahlia!
Title: Under the Mistletoe
Author: ???
Gift For: lilydahlia
Pairing(s): Lily/Remus
Summary: Christmas is approaching...so too, is the Yule Ball. In order to celebrate this festive tradition, Lily must break with one.
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: underage participants, oral sex, fluff
Author's notes: By nature of the pairing involved, I would suggest this is, to some extent, AU.
Read it here or at Livejournal, and don't forget to leave feedback for all our lovely participants!
Lily gazed nervously into the mirror. She searched her face for the signs of any visible imperfection or, at least, any imperfection that he would notice. She leaned in, determined to present the best possible face she could.
"Phew," Lily sighed: she was sure that today, of all days, would be the day for an outbreak of pimples on her chin or forehead, but her fear had not, at this stage, been realised. Normally, of course, Lily would not worry about such things: pimples and boys and desperately trying to smooth her hair, but today...today was different.
Today she would ask Remus to the Yule Ball.
Traditionally, of course, it was boys who asked girls to things such as dances. Lily though, could not bear to wait: what if he never asked? No, the thought itself was too distressing. She would, for her own peace of mind, take the matter into her own hands: she would ask Remus.
She just hoped that he would say, "Yes."
Lily ran her fingers through her cherry-red hair once more. She fussed with her robes. Finally satisfied, she exited the girls' dormitory.
***
As Lily descended the stairs from the dormitory, she caught sight of Remus: he was sitting by the fire. The glow of the flames reflected magnificently off the coppery strands of his hair as they fell haphazardly across his eyes. Remus raised a hand to brush the hair away. Looking up as he did so, he was confronted with a smiling Lily.
"Hello, Remus." Lily tried to smile naturally. Effortlessly. Carelessly. But it was impossible. She was, quite simply, too nervous – and the sight of Remus' pale blue eyes peeking up at her from underneath his messy crop of hair did nothing to alleviate her anxiety.
"Hey Lily," Remus replied, closing the book that he had been reading. He rested it on his lap as he turned his attention to his friend.
Lily nodded. She looked down at her feet. "Wh-what are you reading there?" she asked, gesturing to the book in Remus' lap.
"Oh. It's just...some silly Muggle book, that's all," he replied with a dismissive wave of his hand.
"Don't be silly, Remus," Lily said. Still not quite able to meet Remus' eye, she stared intently at the embossed lettering on the book's cover.
"Wuthering Heights" Lily read aloud, "Wuthering Heights, Remus? I never would have thought!"
"You've read it?" Remus asked, a little embarrassed to have been discovered with the book.
"Oh yes, but not for years. It was wonderfully romantic though, as I recall."
"Well, in its own way, I guess. It certainly is powerful. You know, the crazy things people will do for..."
"Love," Lily interrupted, concluding Remus' sentence. The two teenagers smiled at one another. Suddenly aware of the colour rising in her cheeks, Lily turned her face away from Remus, breaking their shared gaze.
"So. Remus," Lily began, plunging her hands into the pockets of her robes in an attempt to dry them – an anxious sweat had begun to seep from her pores – "I was wondering..."
"Yes?" Remus interjected.
"Would you, um, maybe, you don't have to if you don't want to, it's OK, I was just thinking that, maybe, you know, if you want to...we could go to the Yule Ball together."
"Oh."
Lily blushed furiously. "Oh. You don't want to. That's OK. Never mind..." she stammered weakly. As she made to leave Remus and his book by the fire and to return to the girls' dormitory nursing her hurt and humiliation, Lily felt a gentle tugging at her hand. It was Remus.
"Lily, it's fine. I'd...I'd love to go with you. I just didn't know you felt and..."
"You would?" Lily beamed, her hand still ensconced in Remus.'
"Yeah. Of course I would. There's no one else I'd rather go with."
"Oh, Remus!" Lily exclaimed as she threw her arms around Remus' neck, "We'll have the best time, you'll see."
"I'm sure we will," Remus said quietly: it was now his turn to be nervous as Lily embraced him, pressing her slender body to his.
"I can't wait," he managed to croak as Lily broke her hold and bounded up to her room, leaving Remus cheeks flushed with colour, and his pulse pounding in his neck.