Hope - Freedom 04
Rating: G
Word count: 379
Genre: romance/drama
Ships: L/J
Status: Complete
Summary: Lily smiles. Sequel to The Price of Freedom, Consequences, and Scarlet in a World of Grey.
It’s a Hogsmeade weekend. Although it’s something she usually looks forward to-the chance to get out of the castle-Lily is debating staying in. It’s cold and snowy outside, and there’s something to be said for the quiet solitude to be found in the library when most of the school is gone for the day.
Never mind that the “Marauders” will definitely be going, or that Lily hasn’t been able to face Potter since her late night visit when he was in hospital.
She literally hasn’t seen his face since she was kissing it. Just the thought makes her flush bright red.
But Alice is urging her to go. Frank, the boy Alice is interested in at the moment, is going be in Hogsmeade this weekend and Alice wants company while she trails after him and ogles. Lily normally thinks watching Alice and Frank dance around one another is entertaining, but lately it’s been making her a little depressed.
Still, when Alice resorts to begging, Lily gives in and climbs into the carriage after her friend.
She trails aimlessly behind Alice for most of the morning. She buys sweets in Honeydukes, does a little Christmas shopping (she even buys a soft new scarf for Petunia that Lily knows her sister will love but may never wear simply because Lily bought it for her), and finally follows Alice (who’s following Frank) towards The Three Broomsticks. On the way there, she realizes she’s dropped a package, the one with Tuney’s scarf, back down the street a ways. She waves Alice on ahead, then turns back to get it.
And nearly runs right into James Potter.
Potter is alone. That’s a rare and unusual thing, but since he’s headed in the direction of The Three Broomsticks, she figures that’s where his posse is.
They stare at one another. Silently, he offers her the paper-wrapped package she’d just dropped. She accepts it, hesitates, offers a tiny smile in return.
She’s never smiled at Potter before.
He blinks, looking stunned. His eyes are huge behind his glasses, and she feels a little self-conscious. Then he gifts her with a smile of his own.
The smile. Her smile.
For the first time in months, Lily feels her heart lift.
It feels a little like hope.