Avoiding The Marauders

The Future

I felt like an immense hypocrite. My dorm was packed with clothes all thrown on the floors, like a the layer of my panic. Having watched Mel get ready for dates before had been so much more pleasant. However, now the tables had turned, and Mel was the bystander, I was envying the last more than I would have liked.

Since the death of her family, Mel had been putting on a brave face and I was almost proud of her, but every now and then, when she thought she was alone, her facade dropped and I caught glimpses of the terrible sadness beneath.

Now, as ever, she seemed to be trying her best to be at least mildly happy. She had her feet tucked under her and her hair in a messy bun, watching me with slight amusement as I trudged around my room, searching for something to wear.

"How about this?" I asked, holding up a blue shirt.

Mel rolled her eyes. "Your going on a date, not sleeping in all day."

I groaned and threw it in the heap. "But all we're doing is going to Hogsmeade, it's not any different to what I normally do!"

Mel gave me a weak smile. "Yeah, but this time you're going with a hot guy on a date," she walked over to my trunk and began ruffling around. "I'm pretty sure there's a difference."

She pulled out a pair of black jeans and a green tank top, that had a gold chain sown in a the top, faking a necklace. "Voila!"

I sighed in relief. "Thank Merlin!"

That's right. I, Lily Evans, am going on a date with James Potter.

***

"So, erm, where are we going?" I asked to attempt to fill the awkward silence that seemed to be surrounding us.

James glanced at me through his glasses, walking by my side and giving me, what couldn't possibly be, a nervous smile?

James Potter was nervous? Huh.

"Well, I was thinking that we could go to this little cafe that just opened," he looked at me, as though for approval. "You know, if you want."

I nodded and continued to stare in front of me. If James, the guy who had stood on a table in the Grand Hall and asked McGonagall to marry him third year, was nervous, then where did that leave me?

It's not like I had ques of guys lining up to date me, James and Severus made sure of that, how was I meant to know what to do on a date.

I mean, Merlin, it's not like we haven't been acting like boyfriend and girlfriend all week anyway. Why do we need a date to make it official? We've known each other for the past six years, what more could you want?

Anyway, focus.

We walked towards this cafe, James leading the way, with students rushing past us, laughing and talking. I kind of felt envious of them.

"Here we are," he said, opening the door up for me and me smirking.

"James Potter, a gentlemen? Who'd have known."

He chuckled and followed in pursuit.

"Merlins cheesy feet."

This place was the cheesiest, muggle movie like, chick flick cafe I could have even imagined in my cringeast dreams. The whole place was filled with little tables and pink chairs, occupied by couples gazing into each other's eyes or just making out in plain site. It was full of tacky frills and puffed up cushions and I knew that if I didn't get out of here soon, bad things would happen.

At my words of dismay, James looked around the place with similar disgust, but once he noticed me watching him, he pulled himself together and smiled. "Shall we sit?"