A Lily in the Water

Lily was down by the lake, leaning against her favorite tree. She wasn't sure what had made this one her favorite, but had had been for the last 6 years. Now, however there was one annoying thing about it. James knew it was her favorite, so he'd come down here one night last year and carved into the tree, "Lily Evans, will you go out with me?" for her to find the next day. She'd attempted to heal the tree, but the words still shone faintly.

They'd just had their last exam yesterday. It was too hot to be wearing school robes, but the day was too fine to be wasted inside a stuffy castle, so Lily had changed into some Muggle clothes of hers. She was wearing jean shorts and a white tank top with a scooping neck. She sat under the tree, reading. It was perfect. She just hoped Potter and his friends didn't come spoil everything like they always did. She didn't even want Potter to see her dressed like this. The thought of Potter possibly checking out her legs sent chills down her spine. Potter was a maniac. He might have the nerve to look at her, but any other guy ran for fear after he'd been shot down by her once. Not Potter. Apparently he loved rejection.

Lily looked around. Alice wouldn't be coming down here today. She was planning to "accidentally" bump into Frank Longbottom when he was on his way back from the Owlery. Lily knew Frank had promised to Owl his mum after his exams were finished to let her know how he thought he did. So she'd obligingly passed this information on to Alice.

Lily was enjoying her peace so much that she fell asleep, sitting in the shade reading while the sun gave the air a warm feeling.

"Yeah, so I say said to her, 'Well, babe, I--' "

"Ssh! Shut-up!" whispered James.

Sirius said, "Don't tell me to shut-up!"

Remus nudged Sirius in the ribs and pointed in the direction James was staring at.

Sirius followed the gazes of his friends. There was a girl sitting under that tree that James had carved last year. Sirius looked at her. Nice legs, obviously Muggle shorts (some brand called Levis). Pale, slim arms that led to a torso in a white tank top. He couldn't see the face because it was covered by a mass of red hair. Red hair...? "Cripes!" he whispered. "It's Lily!"

"Ssh!" James whispered, "I know that." He started walking toward her.

"James, what are you doing?" whispered Remus.

James replied softly. "She's a princess. She's under a spell from a wicked wizard. She won't wake until her true love kisses her."

Remus grabbed his shoulder, "James, you can't be serious. She'll hex you to the bottom of the lake."

"Yeah, but wouldn't it be worth it?" James asked, shrugging free of his well-intentioned friend.

Remus sighed. He'd warned him. Sirius wouldn't help restrain him, and Peter wasn't there to help because he was off nicking food from the kitchens again. Did that boy never stop eating?

"James, please, this is a bad idea. A very bad idea."

Sirius said, "You're right. I've got a better one."

Remus didn't like the glint in his eyes.

Lily's wand was lying in the grass beside her book. Sirius bent down and picked it up, "Mobilus corpus!" he whispered, pointing her own wand at her.

Lily was lifted off the ground. Sirius flicked her wand. Lily went sailing through the air and just when she was about 30 feet out over the water, Sirius gave the wand another flick and she started to plummet downward into the water.

"NO!" screamed James. But it was too late.

Lily woke up just before she hit the water, but it was too late do anything even if she had her wand. Which she didn't.

She screamed, "POTTER!"

Sirius chuckled. "You're in for it now, mate."

"B-b-but it wasn't me!" sputtered James.

Lily glared. That was just so like Potter! To pull a stunt like this and act all innocent. She started swimming to shore; she could almost touch the bottom. Then she realized something to her great and immeasurable horror. Her shirt was white. Her shirt was soaking wet. A wet white shirt was see through.

Sirius just laughed harder as Lily ducked back down up to her shoulders. She backed away until she was nearly back where she'd been dropped in the water. This was not good. Potter was going to pay. She looked up at the boys. Remus had stared for about a millisecond before looking away embarrassedly. James too had stared for a moment before looking embarrassed and yelling at Sirius. Sirius was just laughing and laughing.

Well, she thought, maybe it was Sirius's fault and not James's. But James and Remus should have stopped him! Now what am I supposed to do? I can stay here and shiver all night until they get tired and leave. Or I can get out now and ignore them. She looked at them again. Nope, definitely going to stay here and freeze to death.

More people were coming out. There was Severus, greasy as ever. And Alice and Frank. And that grubby little Peter Pettigrew walking over to Potter and his friends.

Well they could all just rot because there was no way she was coming out while they were all standing there. She frowned. She didn't even have her wand on her! Well, that was just great, what was she going to do?

James felt very embarrassed. What had Sirius gone and done that for? It's not like it was necessarily a bad sight, but Lily didn't want him looking at her like this. Even at this distance he could tell how upset she was. What could he do to help? He could send everyone away. Fat chance of that. There were too many people out here now.

He sat and thought. Well, she wasn't getting out of the water because people could see through her shirt. He glanced up. Yep, she was still out there treading water with her arms crossed in front of her. James knew she'd probably get tired soon. He had to do something to help.

"Hey, Evans!" he called.

"What do you want?" she shouted back. Now what did he want? Wasn't it enough that he just sat there while she was humiliated?

James looked down at what he was wearing. He'd put on some Muggle jeans and a t-shirt of some band earlier, trying to impress Lily. The t-shirt had the name of some band on it. He thought, frowning. She couldn't get up because her white shirt was see-through. His shirt was black. Come on, James, there's a solution here somewhere. I got it! he thought excitedly. He waded out into the water.

Now what's the nutter doing? thought Lily. Coming out here for a better look? "What are you doing, Potter?" she asked wildly, wondering if there was some way to cover up herself better. Her legs were sure getting tired.

James continued to come closer. When he was about waist deep, he took off his shirt.

Sirius called from the shore, "Lookee here! James and Lily are going to go skinny dipping!"

James blushed, but held the shirt over his head as he continued to get closer Lily.

"What are you doing?" she asked angrily. "Don't come any closer!"

He was only a few feet away. He carefully kept his eyes on her face. "I'm bringing you something to wear," he said calmly. "Or would you rather sit out here and freeze and catch pneumonia?"

"Thank you," she said stiffly.

"How am I supposed to give this to you?" he asked.

"What?"

"For somebody who gets top marks, you can be a real idiot. If I throw this to you, you'll have to move your arms to catch it and put it on."

"Oh." She hadn't considered this. "Well, you could come over here, I guess."

"But you don't want me to."

"I do if the choice is that or staying here and freezing to death. Look, you come over here, I'll turn and face the other way, you slip your shirt over my head, and then we'll both swim back. At least if it gets wet all the boys in our year won't be able to see through it."

"Okay." James hesitatingly dog paddled over, still holding the shirt above his head with one hand.

Lily turned around so that her back was to. She still had her arms crossed in front of her. "Put it over my head so all of it is around my neck."

James did as she asked, then she finally moved her arms (once the shirt was covering her) so that her arms went through the armholes.

The shirt was too big for her. But it was certainly better than the alternative. She turned back around.

"You look pale. Are you alright?"

"Just a little tired."

"You've been out here for a while. I can help you get back if you want."

"Help me how?" she asked cautiously. She looked at Potter. You'd never know it with his shirt on (he looked so skinny!) but he actually had fairly muscular arms and abs. It must have come from all the Quiditch. Not like those gross body builders or anything, but fairly attractive.

"I could carry you out of here, or at least as far as where you can walk." He bit his lip. He knew he could do it. He was stronger than he looked; but Lily was likely to think he was just trying to hit on her again. That wasn't the case, not this time. If that were the case he would have just waited on the shore for her to come out in her soaking wet top. But he wasn't that perverted. Sirius might be, but he wasn't. Then again, Sirius might not be perverted; he thought he was being funny.

Lily shivered, it was getting cold (the sun was going down) and her legs were exhausted by now. She said, "Okay. But don't you try anything funny!"

"I won't," he promised. "Ready?"

She nodded.

He bent down and picked her up by scooping her up at the knees with one arm, and holding her up against her back with the other. They both ignored Sirius's catcalls. Lily had to put her arms around his neck to keep steady. James tried not to smile, here he was, walking with Lily in his arms and she had her arms around his neck. He wouldn't have let go of her for the world. James kept his legs treading strongly as he brought them both to the edge of the lake.

"I'm sorry," he said as they went. "I had no clue Sirius was going to do that. If I knew, I would have stopped him."

"Really?"

"Of course I would."

"Oh."

They kept talking a little and as it got shallower James was able to walk the rest of the way (but he still carried her). When they were standing on dry land again, she gave a slight cough, indicating that she wanted to get down.

"Oh, right," he said nervously, setting her down gently.

"Thanks," she whispered.

"You're welcome," he smiled.

Lily saw that this wasn't James's I'm-the-most-charming-man-on-the-face-of-the-planet-and-you'd-better-fall-madly-in-love-with-me smile. It wasn't his "flirting" smile. It was a genuine smile. She almost considered giving him a kiss for being so great about all of this. He'd always tried to get her under the mistletoe around Christmas, or when the clock struck midnight on New Year's, and she'd always evaded him. She was just about to lean in (after all, the guy was gorgeous) when Sirius gave a wolf-whistle. She turned around to face him angrily.

"James, aren't you going to ask for your shirt back?" Sirius called.

James went red in the face. "Stow it, twit, or I'll tell everyone here your middle name."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Yes, I would," James said grimly.

"You spoil all my fun," moped Sirius.

Lily said, "Erm, do you mind if I wait 'til later to give this shirt back to you? Maybe after dinner? I'm starved."

"Oh, that's fine. I've got to go up and get another shirt on anyway. Keep that one as long as you need it."

Professor McGonagall showed up just then. She looked at the assortment of people gathered around. "I thought there were a large number of males missing at dinner. Black, you're looking decidedly guilty, I'm sure you've done something to earn a detention. Evans? Potter? Evans, you're soaking wet. Potter, put your shirt back on."

"Professor, I'm soaked for the same reason that Black deserves detention."

"And I can't put my shirt on because she needs it."

McGonagall surveyed them both. Evans was soaked and wearing a t-shirt clearly too large for her. Potter was standing there half-naked and at least as wet as Evans. "Black, come with me, you will be getting that detention. Potter, Evans, up to your rooms to change into some dry clothes. Everyone else, dinner now."

The crowds dispersed, McGonagall pulling Sirius back into the castle by his ear. James and Lily started the long walk back to Gryffindor Tower.

They came to the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Shouldn't the two of you be at dinner? You're wet."

"Thank you for stating the obvious. Dragon blood."

The Fat Lady opened the portrait.

Gryffindor Tower was deserted. James went up the stairs of the boys' dormitory, Lily went up the stairs of the girls' dormitory. James put on dry boxers and pants (he didn't feel like wearing Hogwarts robes). And he threw the wet stuff in a corner. The house-elves would get it later. He bent down over into his trunk to find another shirt.

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in. I don't care how much detention McGonagall gave you, Sirius, you deserve every minute."

Lily came in when he said, "come in". Oops, he thinks I'm Sirius. She saw him bending over his trunk, looking for something. He was still bent over and she couldn't help but think, Wow, he's got a nice butt. Stop staring, it's just Potter, you idiot!

"Honestly, I can't believe you sometimes! Doing that to Lily of all people! How could you, Siir?" He turned around, his shirt still not quite buttoned. "Oh, Evans, I didn't know it was you."

"It's okay," she shrugged. "Here's your shirt back. Thanks for everything today...James."

"You're welcome, Lily. I'll always be your knight in shining armor, there to catch you if you fall."

"Come here."

He took a couple of hesitating steps toward her.

"I'm not going to hit you," she said, exasperated.

He took another step.

"Oh, please!" She rolled her eyes and gave him a hug. Then she kissed him on the cheek. "This doesn't change a thing between us, Potter. You're still an arrogant, insufferable git." She left the room.

James put his hand on his cheek. "I'm never washing my face again!" He sighed happily, buttoned his shirt, and went down to dinner.