Frozen Lily

Chapter 5 - Amortentia

It was only a few weeks before Halloween and we were sitting in the common room just after the last lesson of the day (Herbology). I was playing Exploding Snap with Mia on one of the tables next to my favourite armchair. If I'm honest, I don't really like Exploding Snap, but I had no work to do and Mia flat out refused to do her Potions practice before dinner, so I just agreed anyway.
"Lily! It's your turn!" Mia waved her hand in front of my face. I snapped out of my daydream and placed a card down. I sipped my glass of pumpkin juice and gazed at a poster on the Gryffindor notice board, when it came into focus and I could just read out the title. 'HOGSMEADE WEEKEND'.

Leaving my drink and Mia at the table, I got up and went to get a proper look at the dates and weather forecasts on the notice and turned back to the table. Mia had left the cards on the table, where they were smoking ominously, and followed me up to see the notice.

"Want to go with a certain blonde Slytherin?" Mia wiggled her eyebrows at me and I scoffed.

"It's next weekend Mia, I hardly think I can - besides, who's to say that he even likes me?" I whispered back. Suddenly there was a loud explosion from behind us and we both jumped.

"Aaron!" Mia giggled. The Exploding Snap cards had blown up in a flurry of smoke and made Aaron look like he had been on the receiving end of an electric shock. He shook his head angrily at Mia and stomped up the stairs to the boys dormitories as we clutched our stomachs.

"Anyway, what were we talking about before that idiot got blown up..." Mia pondered aloud. "Oh yeah, youuu and Alecccc!" Mia squealed and pulled me back to the armchairs.

"Mia, we haven't even said a word to each other since last summer, there's nothing..." I trailed off as I watched Aaron saunter back off through the portrait hole with an angry look on his face.

"Yessss?" Mia prompted.

"Well... I don't know. There's nothing to know." I finished lamely. Mia looked at me like I was the dumbest person on the planet.

"There's nothing to know yet - which means we're going to do something to make him notice you!" Mia finished and looked at me with a huge grin. A tall fifth year boy knocked into me, spilling some of his drink on the table. I hurriedly apologised, even thought it was his fault, and siphoned the spilt drink from the table. He had already left. Rude.

I turned back to Mia.
"Mia, I'm not going to fall at his feet wherever he goes..." I rolled my eyes and took a sip of my pumpkin juice, catching a whiff of something that smelt... Fresh. I couldn't put my finger on it.

"What's the time?"
Mia checked the clock hanging on the wall. "4:48, why?" She asked.
I rolled my eyes.
"Because I want to duel a dragon." I stated sarcastically. "So I can find him, silly!" I added with a tinkling laugh. Mia looked surprised.
"What, now?"
I nodded.
"He only just left, if we leave now he may only be around the corner!" I explained. I felt kind of giddy, which was also odd. Oh well.

"Wait, who are you talking about?" Mia looked confused. Wasn't it obvious?
"Aaron of course!" I giggled. "He's so tall for his age, almost 5'6" and he's only 12!" And he takes so much pride in his appearance... Always spiking up his hair with some muggle gel..." Mia looked horrified at me. What was wrong with her? Couldn't she just be happy for me?

"Lily... Are you feeling alright?" Mia asked timidly as I stood up and looked around. "Of course I'm alright... In fact, I feel almost better than alright!" I sang as i checked my reflection in a window and fixed my hair. My normally honey-coloured eyes looked slightly pink, but who cares? They look cuter... Maybe he prefers pink eyes...
I skipped out of the portrait hole and down the stairs. I paused and peered over the banister. I could almost see him, going into the 4th floor corridor. I hurried down the stairs, Mia following in close pursuit.