Letters From A Stranger || James and Lily ||

What Does Love Smell Like?

Disclaimer : I'm honestly tired of this. I can't think of any more of this stuff. I don't own Harry Potter.

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Chapter 23

Lily woke up unusually early for a Sunday morning. The time on her alarm clock read 7:24.

Why is it that I always get up at such ungodly hours of the morning on the one day I could sleep all the time I want to?

She looked around the dorm. All the other girls were still asleep, their bed curtains drawn. Lily dragged herself out of bed and after brushing her teeth, she changed out of her pajamas.

The common room was also empty as she made her way down the stairs. The fire, for some reason, was still going. Stepping out of the portrait door, she ran smack into something. Or more precisely, someone.

Lily staggered back from the impact of the collision and a pair of strong arms reached forward and steadied her. She looked up. All messy hair and amazing eyes.

Yup. It had to be him.

He was wearing a gray v-neck t-shirt which was soaked through with sweat. He looked at her and the surprise on his face gave way to something else. Something she would only understand much later, something she associated only with him.

"You spoiled my Sunday morning with your sweat." she said, wiping the sweat on her hands onto her black skirt.

"Good morning to you too." he said, smiling amusedly at her.

She rolled her eyes. "What were you doing that you got this sweaty? And this early in the morning."

"I go for jogging, remember?" he asked, tapping the side of her head, "I told you before."

"Oh, right."

"Where are you going?" he asked when he remembered that she had been going somewhere before bumping into him.

"Breakfast." she said.

He nodded, before stepping past her into the common room, purposely brushing shoulders with her, getting even more sweat on her shirt sleeve.

"Ugh! I hate you, Potter." she shouted, stomping her feet in annoyance and wiping the sweat away from her shoulder.

"Love you too, Evans." he shouted back, laughing as he ran up the stairs.

Huffing and blushing, she continued walking. The Great Hall, again, was almost empty when Lily walked in. She looked at the breakfast options on the table. Strawberry waffles.

Okay. So seeing Potter's face in the morning isn't that bad.

She was just about to launch herself at the plate of waffles when mail arrived. Winter dropped a white envelope in Lily's lap and flew away. She immediately recognized the messy scrawl on it.

Dear Lizzy,

Harry here. But of course you know that. Nobody can write this beautifully. If you've stopped admiring the beauty of my handwriting, then focus.

How are things going with you and Mr. Darcy? Did you say anything? Is he tall like the real Darcy? I just realized I know nothing about your appearance. Much less your boyfriend's.

I think I'll just imagine you as Lizzy from the book. Dark "fine" eyes and all. You know what? Don't tell me what you really look like. I've already got a mental image of you in my head. I'll keep it like that forever.