Fireworks

Fireworks danced and sparkled across the night sky. A rainbow of colors they weaving an intricate pattern within themselves, hanging still in midair and then plummeting to ground like thousands of fallen stars, Lily thought they were just so beautiful.

Cross-legged Lily sat watching the magic from her bedroom window sill, a glow of instilled happiness spreading through her body. The great carnival was miles away from the castle and yet the sky still lit up in brilliant bloom.

Leaning her head against the glass pane Lily closed her eyes and let the memories flood back. The fireworks back then, the candy floss, the lights, the sounds, the smells and most of all her family. These were the places she could never reclaim, the faces she would never again see. A lone tear rolled down her ashen cheeks.

~*~

James sat in the common room, trying to grasp his runaway thoughts, his mind racing. Jamming his eyes shut he cradled this hands within his palms, now his hopes dashed and his plans ruined. His future lay burning, broken in flames within a barren distant world.

A quiet creak sounded above James's head as he heard footsteps sounding on the stone stairs, someone was coming. Wiping his eyes quickly he pulled his robes tighter around himself and turned to face the window, no one was to see him, not like this.

"Potter, what are you doing here?" Eyes of steel turned and faced those green. Shining in a firelight of emotion, she stood tall, brave, kind, gorgeous, utterly perfect. Lily stood looking at him waiting for an answer; an answer he knew would not hold the truth.

"If you must know Evans, I couldn't sleep through Sirius's bloody snoring. Why are you down here?"

~*~

Lily stood at the foot of the stairs frozen on the spot, blood running cold, why did it have to be Potter? Why now?

"If it's any of your business, I came down to get a better view of the moon. Astronomy homework you know." Lily let out a short sharp sigh, who knew that lying could have been so easy. Moving slowly over she sat down in a large maroon armchair, her eyes set upon those hazel spheres. James only looked out upon the grounds again, talking as if not to her, but the world below his eyes.

"Evans, Evans, Evans always thinking of homework aren't you? It's so close to the end of our last year here and you still dwell upon your grades." Sighing Lily lay her head down onto the large arm of the chair, letting the leather brush against her cheek.

"You of all people, Potter, should know that old habits die hard?" Hearing a chuckle emit from James, Lily closed her eyes and tried to think of happy thoughts. She drifted slowly in a slumber of deep blackness.

~*~

James looked over at her crimson hair; it had swept over and covered her eyes. Those eyes of emeralds, they had so many times mesmerized him. He had never been able to see her so peaceful, serene maybe even dare he say it, ethereal.

Soft murmurs as she drew her hands to her face, snuggling into the woolen throw, clenching her fists at the air.

Standing up James pulled of his glasses and twiddled them around his fingers, nervously stepping in front of the fire. Staring at the whispering flames he let himself fall down by the grate and close his eyes. Blinking slowly lessened and his dreams took shape.

~*~

Strong hands shook Lily's shoulders, dazing and dizzying her. "What?" she mumbled. Opening her eyes she looked up, Sitting straight up she pulled back from him. James seemed a little to close for comfort kneeling in front of her, eyes alive with worry.

"Lily are you alright, what's wrong? Please tell me?" Wiping the back of her hand across her forehead she felt beads of cold sweat running across her cheeks.

"I don't know, I.... what happened?" James pulled himself back sitting at the opposite chair still staring at her longingly, something missing from his chocolate eyes. Running his hands through a great mass of black hair he sighed and looked at his feet.

"You were mumbling and speaking in your sleep, but then you seemed to become louder. I was asleep and your screams woke me up." Letting out a nervous laugh Lily tried to stop a shivering in the suddenly tense room.

"I'm sorry."

~*~

James sighed and looked up from the floor, pulse racing and head thumping.

"There is no need for you Lily to ever be sorry. Not to me." Feeling a flash of red creep up his cheeks, James bowed his head again, what a stupid thing to say."

"Hey James, you called me Lily?"

Nodding, James continued, "Yeah I did, didn't I? Wait..... You called me James?" Seeing a similar crimson patches match Lily's hair he saw her smile, really smile for the first time.

"Looks like we have a mutual agreement then?

"Lily, really... what is wrong?

~*~

Feeling her heart skip a beat Lily hoped he wouldn't ask again.

"Lily what is wrong? You know even though in the past we haven't gotten on but, you can trust me with this, No matter what, you can count on me?" Lily let out a stifled laugh and instantly saw his face fall.

"No wait! I thank you but It's just I think those are the lyrics to a muggle Song!" Having a sudden strange idea Lily stood up and moved over to the other side of James's sofa, pulling her feet up beside her she sat cross legged facing him.

"Old dreams continue to haunt me. My past creeps up on me, reminding me; somehow choking me I can't forget them. I can't forget the deaths of my parent's." Closing her eyes she leaned her head upon the soft woolen sofa cover. Cramming her eyes shut she felt floods of tears fall sweep her face.

James felt his heart give a lurch, leaning over he tucked a stray hair from her face and held her hand within his.

"It seems so confused, your past lies in ruin and I have no future. I was told today by Professor Dumbledore how there was a prophecy about me. I would birth with my love a great power and yet my death stood upon the edge of so little time. I have no idea what he said but it seems to mess things up for me, forever."

~*~

Looking up Lily saw his eyes melt, and a strange side of James she had never seen before, a vulnerable one. Leaning over Lily kissed him softly and whispered in his ear.

"You may have no future and I may have no past, but right now we have the present........together"