Outward Appearances

Chapter 20: Fountains and Groupies

Lily barely had time to blink before she was enveloped in a huge hug, courtesy of Sieranda Smiltine.

"I was so worried!" Sieranda gushed. "When I got that howler, I thought that..." She gave a sob.

"Gah!" Lily choked out. The older woman was cutting off her air supply.

"Um, I think you're suffocating her," Arabella said nervously, eyeing the woman suspiciously.

"What? Oh!" Sieranda let go of Lily's neck and stepped back. "Sorry about that."

Lily stared at her in horror. What was Sieranda doing here? How was she supposed to explain this?

"Well, you look like you're in one piece," Sieranda said sensibly, patting down the hair that she had mussed up on Lily's head. "Why didn't you owl me?"

Lily was suddenly very dizzy. The blood was rushing to her ears. Several students had stopped and were staring openly at them. Had Sieranda's voice always been so loud? Oh, Merlin. What was she doing there?

"Owl you about what?" Arabella asked curiously. She was looking between Lily and Sieranda with more than a little bit of confusion. Her question was obvious. Who the heck was this crazy woman who seemed to know Lily?

Sieranda looked at Arabella in surprise, as if she couldn't figure out why Arabella was speaking to her, and then she looked at the gathering crowd with equal bewilderment.

Her eyes suddenly widened, and a light bulb seemed to go on in her head. She gave Lily a startled look, taking in her ashen face and the white lip that was being bitten to the point of drawing blood.

"Oh, well," she began, obviously trying to think up a logical reason for physically harassing one of Hogwarts best and brightest.

Lily could feel her panic quickly escalating into a full-blown hysteria. She couldn't move. She was going to start hyperventilating any moment now. Sieranda was ruining everything. She was going to be exposed, and Arabella was never going to speak to her again. It was all over. Somehow, it would get back to her parents in the Muggle world, and they'd never trust her, again.

"Her dress order!" Sieranda cried suddenly and loudly enough to be to the benefit of everyone within hearing range.

Lily almost choked on her relief. Dress order. Yes, that was reasonable-- Wait, what?

"Dress?" Arabella asked perplexedly. She gave Lily a questioning look, to which Lily could only stare helplessly.

"Yes, yes," Sieranda said, nodding adamantly. "For the upcoming ball!"

The students listening in all turned to each other excitedly. A ball?

Lily and Arabella stared at Sieranda blankly, but for different reasons.

"There's a ball coming?" Arabella asked, clearly still baffled.

"That's right!" Sieranda continued, waving her arms comically like a showgirl.

Lily would have laughed, if she weren't so nauseous. Where was James when she needed him? He was the smooth-talker, not her.

Lily's anxiety increased when Arabella turned her skeptical gaze onto her.

"You knew about this?" she asked.

"Uh..."

"Of course, she did!" Sieranda assisted.

"How?"

Silence.

"Lily?"

Lily looked around frantically for an escape. "Uh..."

"I-- Err-- I told her!" Sieranda supplied. Lily felt the sudden urge to strangle Sieranda to death so that she couldn't speak anymore.

Arabella gave her a dubious look. "Lily?"

"She... Um, she told me," Lily repeated dumbly.

"Then, why didn't you tell me?"

Lily abruptly realized that she was going to have to kill Arabella and head for the hills. There was absolutely no other way. Her friend was too smart, and Lily's parents could never find out about her.

"I asked her not to!" Sieranda blurted out.

Lily mentally smacked herself in the head.

Arabella frowned. "I don't mean any offense, but how is it that you were given this information?"

"I'm decorating it!" Sieranda announced proudly.

Lily was about ready to whip out her wand and permanently seal up Sieranda's mouth. Arabella didn't know about her parties, and Lily would prefer that it stayed that way.

Instead, she settled on frantically shaking her head at her while Arabella wasn't looking. Sieranda gave her a confused look, but she was wise enough not to comment about that.

Arabella raised an eyebrow. "Forgive me, but why would the owner of a dress shop be decorating a Hogwarts ball?"

Okay, she obviously wasn't buying this. Lily started inching herself away.

"Well! Dumbledore and I go way back," Sieranda supplied indignantly. "My talents far exceed my obvious taste for the fashions."

Lily glared at her, suddenly reminded of her conversation with Dumbledore. Sieranda probably didn't realize that Lily was aware of her contact with the headmaster. Traitor.

"All right, but why did you tell Lily? How do you even know her?"

Sieranda gave Arabella something resembling a glare, and then her mouth formed a false smile and she turned to Lily. "I really do need to take your measurements, Lily, dear. Shall we?"

Without waiting for a reply, she linked arms with Lily and propelled her away from Arabella.

Lily sent her best friend an apologetic look, and then they turned down a corridor and Arabella disappeared from sight. Lily closed her eyes briefly in relief, and then opened them and looked at Sieranda.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing here?" she snapped, pulling out of her grasp.

"I told you! I was worried!"

Lily groaned. "But did you have to barge in here dressed like that? Nobody's supposed to know that I go to your parties!"

"Sorry," Sieranda said guiltily. "I guess I wasn't thinking too clearly. I got another howler this morning, and I decided that it couldn't wait, anymore."

Lily shook her head and rubbed her temples to ward off the oncoming migraine. She should have sent that owl Dumbledore advised her to. She had just gotten so distracted with James, that... Well, needless to say, she forgot.

Lily realized that Sieranda was practically hopping in place with suppressed excitement. "I want to show you something."

"What?" Lily asked suspiciously, giving her a sidelong look.

"You'll see," Sieranda said mysteriously.

Lily sighed and decided that she didn't have anything to lose by this point. She silently followed Sieranda until they had come upon a door. She watched as Sieranda whispered a spell and it swung open with a clang. Sieranda pulled her through the doorframe, and Lily blinked in surprise.

"What is that?"

Sieranda grinned and shut the door behind her. "It's for the ball."

Lily gave her an incredulous look. "There really is going to be a ball?"

"Of course," she said simply.

Lily laughed half-hysterically. Of course.

Shaking her head in exasperation, she stepped closer to the huge fountain in the center of the room. It was inactive, but still obviously a fountain. The center of the large structure was a statue of all of the main Greek mythological gods. It was big enough to feature them all. The sides had carvings all over them that were actually moving. From what Lily could tell, they were the Muses, frolicking around and waving at them.

"Wow," was all she could say. It was the most gaudy thing she had ever seen.

"I designed it myself," Sieranda said proudly. Of course. "Christophe made it for me." She giggled. "I won't tell you what he wanted for payment."

Lily gave her a startled look. "Please don't."

Sieranda pouted. "Well, all right."

Lily circled the fountain, taking in all of the different designs in awe. "How did you get this in here?"

"Oh, I think that Dumbledore had Mr. Filch take care of it."

Lily suddenly remembered seeing Filch on the staircase, struggling with a large object. Her eyes widened. "Filch couldn't carry this thing by himself!"

"Of course not," Sieranda smirked. "I sent it over in separate pieces." She took a seat on the edge of the huge fountain and crossed her legs. "It feels odd to be back here. It feels like just yesterday that I was a student here," she said wistfully.

"Haven't you been back here to visit with Dumbledore?" Lily asked, giving her a pointed look.

"Oh, well, no. We keep up an active correspondence. You see, Professor McGonagall and I don't have the greatest relationship."

Lily was surprised. "Why not?"

Sieranda shrugged. "Never got on well. I think she took great pleasure in deducting points from Hufflepuff house every chance she got, at my expense."

"You were in Hufflepuff?" Lily asked, amused. It figured.

"Sure was," she said proudly.

"I didn't know that. Is that the only reason that you don't get along with McGonagall?"

Sieranda waved her hand dismissively. "She's sent me quite a few letters over the years. I don't bother her about her hobbies, so I don't know why she insists on bothering me."

Lily wondered if Sieranda was talking about the Melancholy Cures. She quickly decided not to tell Sieranda about her little experience with the candies.

"I've barely been here a moment, and she's already gone out of her way to confiscate Cuddles!" Sieranda continued angrily.

"Cuddles?" Lily asked in alarm. That terrifying anaconda was here?

"Yes. I brought him. He just loved the ride over!"

"Right..." Lily glanced along the floor nervously.

"But he barely even snaps at one girl's ankle, and bam! McGonagall has her locked in a cage. It's ridiculous!"

Lily gave her a weak smile. "Ridiculous."

Sieranda sighed. She rearranged each of her hideous rings as if to compose herself, and then she gave Lily a bright smile. "So, how have you been?"

Lily grinned, finally ready to relax. She took a seat on the floor across from her, crossing her legs similarly. "Fine. You?"

"I've been pressuring Christophe to pop the question," Sieranda said conspiratorially, winking at her.

Lily raised an eyebrow. "The guy who's five years younger than you?"

Sieranda shrugged. "Possibly."

Lily hid a smirk behind her hand. "Oh."

"So, did you ever find out who your stag was?"

Her throat tightened, and she looked down at her hands. "Yeah, I did."

When she didn't elaborate, Sieranda shook her head in frustration. "Well? Who was it?"

"James," Lily said softly. She really didn't feel like talking about this.

Sieranda stared at her blankly. "Who's that?"

"One of the most infuriating people that I've ever met," she grumbled.

Sieranda's stare just got blanker. "Um."

"He's a student here, too," she explained reluctantly. "He's in my year."

"Another Gryffindor?"

"Yeah."

Sieranda grinned. "Clever boy."

Lily glared at her. "Don't praise him. He lied to me."

Sieranda gave her a surprised look. "You're upset with him?"

Lily sighed and rested her cheek against her hand. "I don't know."

"How can you not know?"

"I just don't," she said irritably. "Every time that I get upset at him, he lays one of those incredible kisses on me, and I just--"

"You've kissed him?" Sieranda asked excitedly.

"Oh," Lily said shyly. "Well, yeah."

"Lily!" Sieranda gushed. "Do tell!"

Lily blushed. "Sieranda..."

"What? I'm not getting any action, so I have to live vicariously through younger, more vital people."

Lily flinched. "That's lovely, Sieranda."

"Yes, yes. Now, give me details!"

"There are no details," Lily lied, cheeks burning even worse.

Sieranda gave her a dubious look. "Lily, dear, I've seen the two of you at my parties. You aren't seriously telling me that you two have never..."

"Sieranda!" Lily cried. "Of course not!"

"You're serious?" she asked, sounding doubtful.

"Yes!" Lily pretended to cough so that she would have an excuse to cover her face in the hope that Sieranda wouldn't see how hot it was.

Sieranda shook her head, absently fixing her turban. "Well, I'll be."

"Why would you even ask that?"

Sieranda shrugged. "I've seen him, and let's face it. Even I'd shag him."

Lily's mouth dropped open. "I can't believe you just said that," she said slowly.

"Said what, dear?" Sieranda asked innocently.

Lily cringed at the inevitable mental picture that rose in her mind. Ew. Just ew. She shook her head to clear it of the horrors.

Sieranda suddenly gave Lily an appraising look. "You have done it before. Haven't you, Lily?"

Lily fiddled with her skirt nervously. "Um."

It was Sieranda's turn to drop her jaw. She pointed a finger at her. "You haven't!"

"It's not a crime!" Lily said defensively.

"Oh, no! Of course not!" Sieranda said quickly. "It's just... Well, how?"

"How?"

"Yes, how? How is it that you've attended several of my parties, and still managed to remain..." It was her turn to look embarrassed. "Well, innocent."

Lily shrugged uncomfortably, feeling mortified. "I just haven't."

"But haven't you ever wanted to?"

"Of course, I have!" Lily exclaimed, and then clapped her hand over her mouth. Did she really just say that?

Sieranda laughed. "Well, then why haven't you?"

"It just hasn't worked out," she muttered. Maybe Lily should just crawl into a hole and die. She actually looked around to see if there was a suitable corner for suicide.

"Why not?"

Lily sighed. "It just hasn't." Rosier had definitely wanted to, but Lily had always backed out at the last moment before the actual deed was done. Rosier just wasn't the guy who she wanted to lose it to. She had thought that Remus could be the one, but that obviously wasn't even an option. Since then, she had sort of resigned herself to eternal virginal status. Well, before James, anyway.

But was she ready for that?

Maybe.

Then again, maybe not.

"Have your friends ever done it?"

"Some of them," she said vaguely, thinking of Marcella. Lily knew that Arabella had definitely done more than Lily probably ever would, but as far as Mundungus went...

Lily stopped and shuddered. Was she seriously thinking about the state of Mundungus' experience? Ew. For her own mental health, she hoped that Gus was far less experienced than herself. It was pretty likely. Thank Merlin.

"Hmn. You're sure that you're not just pulling my leg?" Sieranda asked, looking closely at her.

"Yes, I'm sure," she said, giving her a look. "I ought to know."

They were silent for a moment as Sieranda digested this new information.

Finally, Lily couldn't take it, anymore. "So, when's this ball?" she asked, abruptly changing the subject.

Sieranda looked excited, again, at the mention of her upcoming project, and the topic of Lily's virginity was forgotten. "Probably in the spring."

Lily frowned. "Then, why are you already preparing for it?"

Sieranda gave her look that plainly stated that she thought Lily was nuts. "Why not?"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Lily's shoes made quiet squishing noises as she treaded her way toward the Quidditch pitch. The grass was damp, as if someone had just watered it.

Lily didn't know why she had the sudden need to see James, but she did know that the questions Sieranda had planted in her mind were making her feel more than a little bit queasy.

When she neared the pitch, she was surprised to see James and the rest of the Gryffindor team heading out of the locker room, still dressed in their uniforms. James spotted her immediately and hurried over, causing several of the players to catcall.

"Hi, Evans," Kingsley called in a singsong voice.

"Shut up, Kingsley," she called back in the same tone.

Grinning, James took her hand and dragged her behind the locker rooms so that they had some privacy. Lily smiled as James put his arms around her waist. "Hi, there," he said softly.

"Hi," she murmured. "You're not done with practice, yet?"

James sighed and buried his face in her hair. "Nope. Kingsley just finished briefing us. I swear, if we ever lose again, I think that it'll kill him."

Lily smirked and rested her hands against his chest, tracing the Gryffindor crest with her fingers. "I had a visit today," she said casually.

"What do you mean?" he asked, now nuzzling her ear pleasantly.

"Just what I said. Sieranda Smiltine just burst into the entrance hall."

James pulled back in alarm. "What?"

Lily sighed and pulled him back so that she could lay her cheek against his chest. "She wanted to check up on me."

"Crazy wench," James muttered, resting his cheek against her head. "I'll bet you had fun explaining to whoever you were with about what she was doing there."

"Mmn. Any chance that you feel like ditching Quidditch practice?"

She felt James smile against her hair. "Yes, I think so."

"Really?" she asked hopefully.

He sighed. "Yes, but that doesn't mean I can. Kingsley isn't the only one who blames me for that loss to Ravenclaw. I can't afford to cost us another game."

Lily frowned and struggled not to pout. She lost the battle. "Well, who else blames you? I'll have Mundungus dump his oatmeal over their head."

James chuckled and laid a kiss on her forehead. "Me."

Lily rolled her eyes to herself. Naturally. "You were tired," she said sweetly.

James snorted. "No excuse."

"Jock," she teased.

"Brat."

"Touché. So, I take it that you don't want me to have Mundungus spill hot food on you?"

"I'd appreciate that, thanks."

"Hmn."

Lily tilted her head up and was very pleased to find that James' lips were already waiting for her. He rubbed his lips against hers slowly, being uncharacteristically gentle.

Smiling against his mouth, she lightly pulled his lower lip between her teeth. That was enough encouragement for him. James parted her lips eagerly with his tongue. She wrapped her arms around his neck and allowed him to gently press her back against the locker room wall.

Maybe. Just maybe, James could be the one that--

"Hey, would you guys mind taking a breather just long enough for me to have my practice?"

Startled, Lily and James separated and stared at Kingsley, who had appeared from around the locker room. They both glared at him.

Smirking, Kingsley held up his hands. "Don't look at me like that. You'll be thanking me, Evans, when your boyfriend, here, wins us another Quidditch Cup."

"I can hardly wait," she said dully.

He grinned and disappeared back to the pitch.

James sighed and gave Lily a regretful look. "Sorry."

"Good," she muttered.

James sniggered. "Brat."

"Jock."

"Yeah, yeah." James placed a final kiss on her mouth and rested their foreheads together. "Do you want to watch practice?"

"I can think of nothing that I'd rather do," she said sarcastically.

James gave her a look. "Seriously. Are you going to watch?"

Lily frowned. She had spent many merry moments making fun of the girls who came to watch the Quidditch practices... Those pathetic girls who wore their boyfriend's Quidditch robes around the common room and had perfected gum chewing to an art. Did James actually expect her to be that?

Judging by his hopeful expression, he did.

Ah, damn it, she groaned silently. For the love of all things good and pure in this world, why?

Forcing her face into a smile, she said reluctantly, "Yeah, I'll watch."

James' smile almost made it worth it. Almost.

"I promise not to let him run it too late," he said, kissing her cheek.

"Good boy." She mirrored his action and kissed his cheek.

"Mmn." James gingerly kissed her lips.

"Indeed." She continued to follow his example and pressed her mouth to his.

This pattern really wasn't getting them anywhere, and Kingsley felt obligated to remind them of that. "Potter! Get your arse out here!"

James growled and forced himself to stomp back out to the Quidditch field. Lily watched him go with a mixture of amusement and fury at Kingsley. Why couldn't James play chess? Who ever heard of chess practices preventing decent people from snogging?

Sighing resignedly, Lily made her way over and climbed the wooden stairs up to the bleacher seats that were positioned high above the green field. She was more than a little depressed to discover that she wasn't alone.

Oh, no.

The groupies.

The same girls that Lily had so enjoyed mocking all stopped talking and turned to stare at her.

If Lily had felt the urge to dig herself a nice hole before, then she felt doubly so now. Cursed James.

"Who are you?" asked a tall brunette, whom she recognized as being Kingsley's girlfriend, but was previously known as her favorite target. Wonderful.

"Uh, Lily," she said dumbly.

Silence.

Lily could feel her cheeks begin to burn as they all looked her up and down, and then looked at each other. She was considering turning tail and running, when the girl sitting next to Kingsley's girlfriend spoke.

"Are you here to watch someone in particular?" she asked suspiciously.

"Um, yeah. Potter," she muttered, never feeling more pathetic. The groupies were judging her.

Another girl giggled loudly, and Lily was reminded of that time when Professor Tilandi had scratched his abnormally long nails down the chalkboard as a way to get everyone's attention.

A girl with short blonde hair rolled her eyes and indicated toward the giggling girl. "She's here for Potter, too."

Her insides contracted. As if McCoy hadn't been enough for one day, she was already going to have to confront more competition? This was quickly becoming unhealthy for her. "Oh," was all Lily could manage.

The giggler stopped making noise, and looked Lily up and down. "You're what, a fifth year?"

The remainder of her pride shriveled up and died under their amused gazes. They probably thought that she was some pathetic girl with a crush on the great James Potter. Oh, she was so going to kill James. She'd come up with some convincing excuse for why he had suddenly disappeared, later.

"No. Um, a sixth year," she stuttered. "Uh, Gryffindor, that is."

Another girl scoffed disdainfully. "Yeah, we got that from the scarf and robe crest."

Lily looked down at her bright red-and-yellow scarf. Oh, boy. How stupid could she be?

"Do you know James personally?" the brunette asked kindly. The sympathy on her face was undeniable.

"Yes," she answered, shuffling her feet uncomfortably. Had James known what he was sending her into? The least he could have done was send her in armed.

"Hey, I know you!" a short, blue-eyed girl cried, startling them all. "You're the one who snogged James in front of the entire Great Hall this morning!"

Lily's eyes widened as everyone turned to stare with open curiosity.

"Hey, that's right!" chirped another girl.

Lily definitely would have ran at that point, if Kingsley's girlfriend hadn't jumped up and pulled her over to the group. She tugged her down next to her on her spare side.

"What did you say your name was?"

"Lily," she repeated, desperately hoping that James could hear telepathic threats being made against his life.

The girl who had also come for James leaned closer. "Honestly, what were you thinking?"

"Uh..."

The girl who had scoffed at Lily now sneered at her fellow groupie. "You say that as if Potter didn't enjoy it. You'd have to be blind to think that."

The blonde sat back and pouted. Lily continued to stare at her lap. How long was Quidditch practice going to be, anyway?

"Are you and James together now?" asked blue-eyes. She didn't look too pleased at the prospect.

Lily nodded and a few of the girls squealed, causing her to flinch.

"I can't believe that he's already off the market! He was hardly free for two minutes!" pouted the blonde.

"He's been free for weeks," corrected another girl.

Kingsley's girlfriend rolled her eyes, again. "I'm Daphne," she said, holding out a hand.

Lily took the hand and then let it go as soon as possible. Arabella was going to get a real kick out of this when Lily told her about it, later. "Hi."

The rude one didn't offer her hand, but introduced herself nonetheless. "Cara."

"Bonnie," said the blonde.

There were more names, and Lily gave them each a small smile and a quiet, "Hello."

Cara snorted. "I think Potter is trying to get your attention, Lily."

Lily glanced up at the sky just in time to see James perform an impressive upside-down spin in the air that made Kingsley give him a thumbs-up. Of course, James didn't see it, since he was too busy grinning at Lily.

Against her will, she felt herself smile. Well, that was cute. James had pushed her into society-hell because he wanted to impress her. Aw. But maybe the next time that he was going to be cute, he'd do it in a way less painful for her.

"You're so lucky," Bonnie sighed. "I'd give anything to be with James."

"Hmn," was her only response. Having never spoken with these girls before, she had no idea how she was expected to behave and that made her more than a little insecure.

Deciding to ignore the other girls for the time being, Lily stared up at James. She watched as he flew smoothly around the goal posts, and her unease diminished slightly. He looked so comfortable on his broom that Lily couldn't help but think that he was born to fly. Sure, all of the Quidditch players were good-- they wouldn't be on the team otherwise-- but James was truly gifted. She had yet to see anyone match his brilliant maneuverings in the air, and although she had never concerned herself with it before, his talent was probably a source for envy. She, herself, hadn't been on a broom since first year.

But for the first time, she felt remorseful that she had never bothered to try out for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. To able to soar up there with James had never felt so desirable. He looked so carefree, and... Well, beautiful.

Lily immediately felt stupid. Boys were not beautiful. Handsome, maybe.

But as Lily continued to watch him, the term refused to leave her mind. Despite the word's questionable use, it was the perfect description of James at that moment. The wind was blowing through his ebony hair, and there was an expression on his face that Lily had never seen anywhere else. Even from so far away, she could tell that his blue eyes were shining.

Looking at him, Lily felt undeniably peaceful.

A feeling that was quickly shattered by Cara.

"I guess that you'll be hanging out with us a lot, now, huh?"

"Um--"

"Of course she will!" Daphne declared. "Hey, did you guys hear about Cindy and Bernard?"

Lily sank down in her seat and glared at James. If that boy wanted to have even the slightest chance of being her first, then he would never, ever make her do this again.

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