Chapter Text
November 11th 1974
'Finally,' Lily thought to herself, sighing contently as she sank into her favourite armchair. It was soft enough to feel comfortable, but hard enough to feel properly supported and was close enough to the fire to feel cosy without overheating. She closed her eyes and lay back her head, feeling herself relax after spending hours huddled over books in the library.
"Lily!" an excited voice said from somewhere across the room. Lily opened her eyes lazily to see Alice practically skipping over to her. "Guess what?"
Normally Lily would play the guessing game and try to come up with something ridiculous with which to reply to her friend, but right now she was exhausted and very comfortable.
"What is it, my dear Alice?" she says, lifting her head up slightly to meet the girl's sparkling brown eyes.
"Hogsmeade is next week and I think Frank might be going to ask me out," Alice squealed excitedly. Lily giggled slightly and moved her eyes across the room, spotting the boy in question sat at the table by the window playing chess with Peter.
"Isn't he adorable?" Alice sighs. Lily glanced at her to see her eyes slightly glazed over, watching as Frank cringed at the brutal attack on his queen.
"Ouch," Lily exclaimed as something pointy hit her temple. A paper airplane had been thrown at her head. Her name was illegibly written on one of the wings in a scruffy scrawl.
"Oooh, is that a note?" Alice asks, her eyes lighting up. Lily shrugs and carefully unfolds the paper to reveal a poem.
"Your hair is like a shower of rose petals,
Your eyes are like the leaves of a tree,
Everything about you is a beautiful garden,
Will you please go to Hogsmeade with me?" Lily read aloud. The further she got, the more she cringed.
"That's so sweet. Does it say who it's from?" Alice sighs dreamily. Lily scanned the bottom of the page.
"James Potter," she says. Alice gasps and giggles. Lily rolls her eyes.
"Are you going to say yes?" Alice whispers, as if he could hear them despite not being anywhere to be seen.
"I don't think so," Lily says nonchalantly. Alice frowns.
"Why not?"
"It's a bit cheesy and not really my thing. And really, why couldn't he ask me in person?" Lily answers shrugging.
"Maybe he's shy," Alice suggests.
"James Potter shy? Have you met him?" Lily laughs. "Anyway, I need this Hogsmeade weekend to do my Christmas shopping."
"Lily!" A voice says from behind the girls. Lily turns around and James is stood behind her smiling. "Did you get my airplane? I thought it was really cool, Remus showed me how to make them."
"I did get it, and I'm sorry but my answer is no," Lily says apologetically. James' face fell.
"Oh, well that's ok. No worries," he said, forcing a smile back onto his face. Lily gave him a sympathetic smile and turned back to Alice.