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James Potter is an arrogant toerag (prongsed) wrote in the_recruitment,
@ 2012-02-11 19:33:00

Entry tags:

! 02/1977, ! complete, ! quidditch, ! thread, char: james potter, char: lily evans, char: sirius black

Who: The Gryffindor Quidditch team
What: THEY BLOODY LOST, THAT'S WHAT.
Where: Quidditch Pitch
When: Saturday after the match
Status: Complete
Rating: G

And so it's true, pride comes before a fall
I'm telling you so that you won't lose all

James was exhausted, annoyed, and overall Not Pleased. After all of the practise that he'd put in, they still lost, and by a huge margin. He'd managed to score quite a number of goals himself, but it just wasn't enough when clearly Ravenclaw had been ready for them and had even seemed to practise harder and longer.

He paced the changing rooms, running hands through his hair, while continuously going back over the match in his mind, wondering what they could have done differently, who they could have confused with a better feint, how they might've gotten the quaffle passed to one another a little more smoothly. It was giving him a mind-numbing headache so he just sat on a bench and laid back, staring up at the grimy ceiling and trying to calm himself. This isn't the end of the world, he tried telling himself before letting out a scoff.

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	_withoutacause 2012-02-12 04:17 am UTC (link)
	Sirius was nothing more than a pitiful puddle of despondent goo currently huddled on the changeroom floor. He let out periodic whimpers, as if to assure the world at large that he was in fact still alive, but looked so utterly miserable that it was clear he didn't want to stay that way. "Nnaarghhhphhh..." (Reply to this) (Thread)

prongsed
2012-02-12 04:54 am UTC (link)

James rolled his head in the direction of the indelicate sound, spectacled gaze falling on Sirius a little ways down the room. "Tell me about it," he muttered, hands going to his face and removing his glasses irritably.

"Just for once, I wish we could all have a good practise, and actually earn our keep." As though they'd never won before. But it was so difficult to think of the good times when such a blow was still too fresh in his mind. He dwelled for too long on losses and spent very little time on more positive thoughts for days afterward. It wasn't healthy, but he reasoned that it kept him on his toes for future matches.

"I reckon," he started as he sat up, swivelling over the bench and facing the huddled Sirius, "we need to practise earlier than we have. Maybe if we get up balls early, the bloody cold will make us a little less likely to lose again. Or maybe even a pleasant swim in the lake at 4 am? I think that'll be brills!" It was meant sarcastically, but through the self-punishment, he thought that he might be onto something.

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	_withoutacause 2012-02-12 05:23 am UTC (link)
	"Narphgr." Sirius replied, in what might have been agreement, but might also have been gas. "Mrrrraaagh," he added, flopping onto his back and flinging an arm over his eyes. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

doed
2012-02-12 06:50 am UTC (link)

Lily had been sitting next to Sirius, her head resting on his shoulder. While they had always had strange conversations between the two of them and she thought he was a little strange, she felt a certain connection with him out on the Quidditch pitch. Probably because they had the same position and had to watch each other's back (as well as their teammates).

She reached a hand up and patted his head as he began to give that funny whimpering noise. She looked up at James as he paced the room. She knew how bad he must have felt loosing and actually found herself wanting to comfort him.

"It was just one of those games," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "I thought we flew pretty brilliantly, but Ravenclaw was one up on us. Maybe we should start observing the other teams. Is that allowed?"

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	_withoutacause 2012-02-12 07:02 am UTC (link)
	"Snurf." Sirius said, before burrowing his face in Lily's lap. He was always very needy when upset, and craved physical contact. Besides, Lily smelt nice and she was right there... (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

prongsed
2012-02-12 08:35 am UTC (link)

"Yeah, one of those games," James repeated, feeling like a failure and sighing. He got up from the bench and ran both hands through his hair, lifting his head and just letting it hang while he stared and stared at the ceiling. Another sigh and he started trudging over toward his fellow Gryffindors, plopping down in front of them and looking as pathetic as ever.

"Is it just me? Am I an awful Captain?"

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	_withoutacause 2012-02-12 08:37 am UTC (link)
	"Nrrr," Sirius said,obviously meaning no, patting vaguely at James' hair. "Yr grt cptn." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

doed
2012-02-12 08:42 am UTC (link)

They were all a sorry sort to look at for the moment. Lily pushed Sirius' head out of her lap, instead moving it to her leg. "No, you're not an awful captain," she said, looking at James. "How can you even say that? We just had a bad game guys. We shouldn't let it get to us! C'mon, let's go grab something to eat from the kitchens and bring it up to the common rooms. We can sulk in a nice warm room with good food and friends." She smiled, hoping to raise their spirits. She was upset as well, but these two were just too sad.

"At least it wasn't Slytherin, right? We have time to really train to beat those guys!"

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	prongsed 2012-02-12 08:49 am UTC (link)
	Eyebrows knitted together at Lily's positive, upbeat, and downright puppies and sunshine speech. "Evans, you're insane. Life is clearly over. You just can't lose a match and survive. It's all over." James dramatically leaned his head back and rested the back of his hand on his head, sighing long and drawn out. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	_withoutacause 2012-02-12 08:50 am UTC (link)
	"Hate Slytherin," Sirius chimed in. "Must kill, avenge self. All is lost. Nerfff." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	doed 2012-02-12 09:19 am UTC (link)
	"I'm not insane, you're insane!" she said shaking her head. She moved Sirius head off her leg and stood up, reaching a hand to each boy. "C'mon guys, let's go. Food then comfort. It'll be good for all of us, you'll see. I bet Remus and Peter are back waiting for us." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	prongsed 2012-02-12 09:41 am UTC (link)
	"Ungh," he grunted, sitting firmly right where he was. Drawing off of Sirius, he felt immensely depressed and had no desire to sit up. Let him be, damnit. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	doed 2012-02-12 09:45 am UTC (link)
	Lily looked at him and sighed. She put her hands on her hips, thinking of a way to get them to come out of their funk. She bit her lip before tackling James with a hug, both of them falling on the ground. "Better?" she asked, her face buried in the front of his shirt. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

prongsed
2012-02-12 09:51 am UTC (link)

"Wha —" he sputtered as he was tackled, hitting his head on the leg of the bench on the way down. Having already taken off his specs, everything was a blur, but he could make out the violent red of Lily's hair as it draped over his face. Merlin she smells amazing...

His arms wrapped instinctively round her shoulders and he let himself enjoy the moment, closing his eyes and leaning his banged up head back, ignoring the bump he would likely develop later. And then the light sparked in his head and he knew that now was the perfect moment.

"Lily," he tried, but then just sat up, taking her with and then dragging her to stand with him. All the while he was still holding onto her as though she might leave his arms at any minute. "Lily," he repeated in a low voice as he leaned down toward her ear, "I need to talk with you... er, privately, if that's okay."

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doed
2012-02-12 09:59 am UTC (link)

She couldn't have said what came over her to do such a thing. She knew that James fancied her, although not quite in the way Sirius made it seem. Still, she had tried to stay open to him and found that underneath it all, he was a kind of cool guy.

She felt her heart beat a little faster as his arms wrapped around her and she couldn't help but like the sensation. She lifted her head when he said her name and found herself being pulled up to stand. Her heartbeat continued to speed up, but she nodded her head.

"Um, ok. Now?" She looked at Sirius, but he was in the same exact position he had been when she had stood up. "Well, I guess we kind of are now."

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prongsed
2012-02-12 10:23 am UTC (link)

He was glad that she wasn't pulling away, but even happier when she agreed to speak with him. Smiling hugely at her, the Quidditch loss was completely forgotten as James reached for Lily's hand and he lead her to the other side of the changing rooms. His heartbeat sped up at the contact that he'd never been allowed before. Something in Lily was changing, but so was something in him. He felt more serious about her lately, letting his heart dangle freely on his sleeve for her to crush or accept and love right back. And finally, finally, it looked like maybe she would let him in.

Turning to face her once he'd gotten her to a more private location, he looked down, eyes squinting as he composed himself. This was going to be tougher than he thought, but he always did like a challenge.

"Lily," he said again, loving the sound of it on his tongue, now that he was able to say it more, "I was wondering if you… y'know, had a date to the ball." Not his usual suave self during his nerve-racking speech, he fiddled with her fingers and licked his lips, anxiety written on his face when he finally looked up at her, hazel eyes questioning and entirely open.

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doed
2012-02-12 10:30 am UTC (link)

It was strange to be like this with him and Lily almost wanted to pull away; it was just her natural instinct. But it felt nice. To hold his hand, to have him pull her towards him. At first she couldn't raise her face to meet his eyes and chided herself. This is James Potter, you've known him since you were 11 and it's never been hard to look at him! She finally raised her eyes to look at him and felt like her heart was going to explode out of her chest. He was looking at her with such longing and...love? No, it couldn't be that, don't be ridiculous.

She smiled, knowing what this was about. "No, I don't. I was thinking I would just go with Alice or Molly. Why?" It was a stupid thing to say and she realized he had turned her into a silly giggling school girl. She cleared her throat and tilted her head.

"Sirius told me there would be poetry involved when you asked," she said, the hint of a smirk on her face.

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prongsed
2012-02-12 10:48 am UTC (link)

For a moment, James felt himself slip into a mild depression when he heard about her going with a friend but then — then she put a complete spin on the situation, and he was baffled. Eyes widened and he tried to speak, failing each time. Frustrated with himself, he turned his head to compose himself and he felt his hand start to turn sweaty. He wouldn't back down though as he tried recollecting the prose that he'd 'borrowed' from a muggle artist. With a steadying breath and a turn of his head back up to face her, he lowered his voice to a calm and steady stream of romantic words:

"She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies —"

It didn't seem right, it just wasn't Lily. Furrowing his brows, he took a different angle, feeling his confidence rising:

"Sod it. Lily Evans, I'm madly in love with you. You have no idea how much I've wanted to be this close, to gaze at you without retribution, to be able to count every gorgeous lash and to see if those really were freckles. You're so — so blindingly beautiful, d'you know that? I was hooked from day one. You do something to me that..." At this part, he paused to look down and settle his nerves, readying himself to divulge too much, but damnit, he was on a roll; no sense in stopping now, "You do something that no one's ever done. I can't think, I can't even breathe without you on my mind. It's like you're an enchantress whose spell put me in the worst sort of state, just waiting for you to release me. Please Lily, please set me free."

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doed
2012-02-12 10:58 am UTC (link)

Lily's eyebrows rose as he went to recite (kind of) Bryon's She Walks in Beauty. How had he come to know that poem? And did he know that was one of her favorites? Sirius may have been right...

And then it all came tumbling out. Her eyes only grew wider as he went on with his confession. How could she have been so blind to this the whole time? It made sense now...the teasing, the joking. But how had he come to care about her so much when she had treated him so terribly? She felt strangely reassured and light even though it was a little much to take in.

For a moment she didn't say anything and looked down. It was so much to take right now. After the incident with Severus earlier that week she knew this would this would probably hinder it. But he had put everything out on the table, was basically holding his heart out to her. How could she not see the guy he really was and feel like she may have fallen just a little?

She looked back up at him, searching his face. He looked scared, anxious, hopeful...She reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in and giving him a kiss on the lips. It felt nice...right almost.

"Did you think I drew my freckles on?" she asked, pulling back slightly and smiling.

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prongsed
2012-02-12 12:02 pm UTC (link)

James anxiously watched for a reaction of any kind, whether it be happiness at his confession or a slap [though he feared that the latter may be more likely], with bated breath. But when no such slap came, nor did obvious joy, he felt himself deflate just a bit, unsure how to proceed from here.

And then all of a sudden he was being kissed and his eyes were so wide that he was sure they'd pop out. He felt like a fool, certain that he looked the part when he couldn't move. Her kiss felt like electricity shocking him and holding him in place. He couldn't move a single thing until she pulled away and he just stared, obvious shock written all over his face. When she questioned his earlier statement, he let himself snap out of it as a slow smile grew upon the lips which had started to feel numb from the electricity that was Lily's kiss.

"Actually... they looked like little faery footprints, y'know, after they'd been walking around in some freshly planted field. It's stupid, but that's what I thought when I saw you on the Hogwarts Express for the first time." Admitting his silly childhood notion relaxed him and he let his hand tentatively reach up toward the aforementioned freckles of one cheek, awe in his touch as his fingers barely ran across the mottled colours.

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doed
2012-02-12 12:08 pm UTC (link)

Lily laughed and shook her head. He was completely and utterly ridiculous. But she felt so comfortable around him, at ease. Nothing felt forced or awkward, but right. "You're weird, did you know that?" she asked, giving him a small push. She shook her head, looking over at Sirius and sighing.

"I guess this means we'll be going to the dance together," she said with a grin. "I don't think any of your friends will believe it, Sirius the most." She wasn't even sure if he had been conscious during their whole interaction. She turned back to look at James, a small smile on her face.

"I'm happy you asked me though. I think it'll be fun."

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prongsed
2012-02-12 02:01 pm UTC (link)

Grinning at her, he stepped backward and pulled her against him, walking her back toward their friend, also looking over at him in sympathy. "The poor sod needs a pick-me-up. Hopefully his date will help him along with that." James turned a mischievous expression upon Lily before he left her side to pick up his glasses. The world became sharper as he looked up at Lily's face. Just as beautiful in clear picture as through bleary squinting.

"I'm really glad I asked, too... you have no idea how long I've wanted to let you know all of that." James couldn't believe his luck; he'd be going to the ball with Lily Evans! He felt elated and surreal and all shades of joyous. This ball would be one for the history books.

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