9. Fanficness

Trish woke me by dumping a bowl of freezing water over me. I gasped like a fish out of water and spewed out a stream of expletives that would make a sailor blush. I'm sorry but I was sleeping really well.
'Oh shut up Lily. Today's the second task remember? And it starts in an hour.'
I sat up straight, instantly alert and reached for my wand to dry myself off.
Melissa and Jody had already gone for breakfast so Trish went to join them while I got ready.
As I brushed my hair and pulled a Gryffindor knitted sweater over my head I got a feeling in my stomach. A feeling like rocks were being dropped into the bottom of it. What if Potter hadn't worked the task out yet? It certainly didn't seem like he'd been trying. I gulped and hurried down to the common room to wait for my friends. I felt like I'd throw up if I ate.
God if I told anyone this it would be madly obvious how I felt. And impossibly embarrassing.
I sat on the floor by the fire bumbled up in a blanket for twenty minutes before my friends came back and by that time it felt like someone had poured a weird potion into my tummy to cause immense discomfort.
'Lily, why didn't you come down?'
'Oh, I couldn't find my sweater. I only just came down. It's alright I can manage without breakfast.'
'Well you're gonna have to. The task is about to start.' squealed Jody.
We trudged down to the stadium all huddled up to try to ward against the bitter weather.
'Did Potter actually work out the task?' I asked, trying to sound casual.
'He says he did but you never know.' answered Trish as if it would be juicy gossip if he died. I wanted so badly to snap at her for that but that would make it obvious.
The buzzing of the stadium quickly escalated to a thunderous roar as we entered it.
After nearly being trampled we managed to get seats near the front. I couldn't tell from the view I had what the task was and Melissa frowned at my confused face.
'What're you so bothered about? He'll be fine, just chill.'
From what I could see it looked like an obsolete course or something. But in between the obstacles there were cauldrons dotted around. And, now I think about it, ingredients. A potions obstacle course?
Well Crap. It was pretty much common knowledge that potions was Potter's worst subject.
I watched the Beaubatons and Durmstrang champions complete the task with difficulty. It seems the Beaubatons guy had trouble with remembering the correct number and direction of stirs and the Durmstrang guy just didn't know the right potions to use to get through.
My tummy fluttered as Potter walked on. He looked at the obstacle course they'd set out for him and absentmindedly did his signature hair ruffle. Somewhere in the back of my mind I noted that it didn't irritate me anymore.
A canon sounded and he immediately started on his first potion. The whole task was excruciating for me. I had to watch him look desperately at the ingredients strewn around him while I knew exactly the right potion and ingredients. I felt my fingers twitch as if I could pick up the ingredients and make the potions for him. I felt like screaming.
He only got three sevens and a six but the others didn't get very good scores either.
'I can't believe none of them did better. I mean our Lils could have done it flawlessly in a way quicker time than any of them.' Melissa was commenting on the task,
'Yeah, shame I wasn't thick enough to enter, right?' I laughed.
Our conversation after that turned to the muscly Durmstrang champion so I zoned out. To be honest I didn't think he was all that great looking. He could really use a smile and lighten up a little. Like, um, a certain Hogwarts boy I knew. Speaking of certain Hogwarts boys... well there was something I wanted to do. The thought of it made me feel like I'd throw up if anything entered my stomach but if it worked...
Well it would certainly be well worth the dread.
I waited up in the common room that night under the pretence of finishing homework. I'd actually already done all my homework but nobody tried to keep up with all the stuff I got so no one noticed.
It was gone midnight when The Marauders finally spilled through the portrait hole, laughing raucously.
'Hey Evans, still up?' I ignored them, it was all I could do not to abandon ship and go to bed.
Pettigrew and Black headed straight for the boys dorms but Remus and Potter say down to chat. They ran through the task, Remus telling Potter exactly what he did wrong and what he should have done. Potter repeatedly complained that he didn't think potions was the dirt of thing he was signing up for when he put his name in the goblet. I smiled to myself. Potter, up for death and glory but not some simple potion making.
After a while Remus too went upstairs and left Potter and me alone. It was now or never.
'Potter?' he looked up in shock. He'd forgotten I was there.
'James?' I thought he might appreciate the first name thing.
'It's hogsmead this weekend right?'
Merlin, I felt like I was standing on a very fragile trap door, like I could fall through at any moment.
'So, erm, I was thinking, um, do you want to go? With me?'
He laughed. I really wasn't expecting that reaction from him.
'You're not normally this awkward in my dreams. Why can't this be real?'
Okay, that make me laugh. Once I was done dying from hysterics I wiped tears from my cheeks.
'You dream about this? Seriously? You want proof that it's real?'
He looked confused but comprehension was slowly dawning on his face. I plopped myself down next to him and kissed him on the cheek (I just kissed James Freakin' Potter).
'There's your proof.' I grinned at him.
'Oh my god. Lily Evans just kissed me on the cheek. I'll never wash again.'
I laughed and shoved him playfully,
'You'd better wash or I'll never kiss you again. So is that a yes?' my stomach tightened again, what if-
'Of course it's a yes. Do you have any idea how long I've waited for this?'
I literally felt like I could fly. I squealed quietly and hugged him hard before running up to my dorm.
I had a date with James Potter.
James Freakin' Potter.
I had a date with him.
Oh my God.