Lemon Drops
Summery: Can Dumbledore's crazy advice help James get Lily? Can it all be done with ignorance, and Lemondrops? This is of course, the origin of Dumbledore's favorite Muggle candy.. Lemon drops. J/L 1shot
A/N: YES. It's a quick one shot I've had in my documents forever, forgot to put it up oops.. heh.. enjoy? It's not my greatest work, I know. Deffiantly, I must add, I HATE this one shot, I prefer much much MUCH more the other one I'm soon about to post.. Favorite Git. than this one.. it's your choice really.. MY FRIENDS MADE ME PUT TI UP, BLAME THEM! Heh.. they're gonna kill me.. yup...
Blue Forget-me-not eyes twinkled, their ocean depths seeming so magical. They hid behind a pair of half moon glasses and graying eyebrows. He was dressed in curtain of velvet green, and a slouching wizard's hatrested upon his snowy head. He chuckled, as he amusingly watching from above, down upon a couple that had been the 'hottest topic' in the Teacher's lounge.
"Will you go out with me?"
"Bloody hell, Potter! How many times must I tell you? NO!"
Lily Evans, once again, stormed off with a thundercloud above her head.
James Potter sighed heavily, his hand in his hair, already messing up the jet-black locks. He was no master of understanding women, but he understood them a little. The problem was; why did not this one understand him? Did not she understand the difficulty of getting up every morning and so taken back by her beauty, all he could stutter was: "Wi-Will you go out with me?"
No matter how many times he tried to steady his breathing and even write a good conversation starter on his arm, he had always been so paralyzed, a complete fool with an enlarged ego. This friends did not even help in the matter, Sirius's advice made ti worse, and Remus just shrugged and kept reading his novel.
"Ahem."
James jumped, startled at the voice. Spinning around, he came face to face with his Headmaster at Hogwarts.
"Oh, hello Professor Dumbledore."
The aged wizard smiled merrily at him and gazed at Lily's figure walking away in the distance.
"Miss Evans seems to be taken back by you, mad, may I say?"
Lily was flinging her arms around angrily and by the look of the object; she had just chucked her book bag into the lake.
"Downright pissed.."
The young wizard slapped his hand on his face and groaned.
"I know, I know.. But I can't get her off my mind, she's everywhere!"
Dumbledore smiled and held his hands together behind his back, "She is a Gryffindor, in the same tower. I suppose you see her every day.. every morning.. every night.. every meal."
James grunted.
"Mr. Potter, I would like to give some advice."
James looked up at the man he thought was his 'hero'; his words weren't very flattering at the moment.
The man smiled and looked down at him, something in his eyes seemed unreal..
The older wizard pulled off his glasses and wiped them on his robe, trying to clean them from the non-existent smudge.
"Try ignoring Miss Evans."
James nearly fell over.
My this man was surely not his hero.. He was off his rocker for starts-
"Yes I know I may seem to you like a crazy fool, but this crazy fool has had his own experiences and observation."
The Gryffindor gapped, "You mean you were watching-!"
Dumbledore coughed and nodded his head above at the balcony and open window in the tower above.
For the first time ever publicly, James Potter blushed. "Ohh.."
"Then again it's hard to miss the raged yelling and screaming of Miss. Evans voice every meal, they've become quite a normal thing for the pastfive and a half years here."
Sliding his glasses back on, Dumbledore nodded his head at James and winked before standing upright again. He turned around and with his hands still behind his back; he slowly walked into the entrance of the castle. Large black gates were magically held up so students could come and go from the castle as they pleased. Within the outside entrance was a large fountain, of the four House animals: each animal sprouting water into the air.
Dumbledore stopped there and turned his head slightly back towards James.
"I may be crazy, but maybe you should take my advice for once James. You're map and cloak cannot help you this time, not this situation."
And before James could turn around and ask what he meant, Dumbledore had disappeared.
James's fingers ran through his hair, and he gave a sound of frustration before returning into the castle.
Four crazy, insane, horrible, torturing, mental-
…
Four months had passed, and James Potter listened to his.. 'hero'.
He ignored Lily Evans, not completely. But enough to make the whole Hogwarts population gap when he just walked by her in the halls, without making a 'will you date me?' scene. Never the less, Dumbledore was smiling every meal and wasn't wearing his earplugs like he used to.. It was quiet for once.
The halls were no longer filled with book pages from Lily Evans schoolbooks, books that had endlessly been thrown at James Potter. There was no longer pink paper hearts between Lily's magazine pages. No more fresh lily bouquets by her bedside table. No more 'friends' coming up to her and asking her out for James. No more eye contact and ego-filled ear-to-ear grins from him during Quidditch matches. No more taken up seats beside her during classes, classes she had him in.
And most of all, no ten time daily asking of "Will you go out with me?"
Lily Evans was in paradise.
For the first two months.
His laughter and charming smile walked by her in the halls everyday, never noticing her or directed at her as they use to be. Did he not find her worth chasing after anymore? Did he finally give up?
She tried to smile at the thought of it.
No more Potter.
But she couldn't..
Her Professor for Charms unlocked the classroom door, and ushered students into her class. Lily sighed silently, and looked behind her, watching the boy who used to annoy her, walk away.
He'd fallen and gotten right back up.
The problem was-
She fell and was still on the ground.
Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and soon it was June 17th: Last day of school for the summer, and the end of 6th year for Lily.
Her best friend Chatelaine Yenom, a half French and half Russian girl, had shoved Lily and herself into the best compartment on the train. The compartment they always sat at every year, the compartment they first met in, and the compartment where they held a lot of their memories.
Chatelaine had shoulder-length Barbie doll blonde hair, so blonde it was almost mistaken for white. Not just her amazing hair color, but also her iris's were a breath taking Amethyst. Lily was extremely envious of her, but was never selfish or rude about it. Chatelaine was her best friend since Sorting into their House.
After a ten hour train ride back to England, filled with magical photographs being taken, chocolate frog eating contests, taking 'Magical Witch' odd magazine love and friendship tests, and napping along the way, they finally came to a halt.
The scurrying of feet, compartment doors being slammed open, and loud chattering filled the old train.
Lily and Chatelaine hugged each other tightly outside the train, their trunks standing sloppy beside them, looking as if thrown to the ground.
Lily's tears started to drown her eyes as her best friend embraced her tighter.
Releasing from the warm hug, Chatelaine held her by the shoulders and looked at her with an encouraging smile.
"Two months, Lee, and then we'll be back at school. Remember, I'll send you letters every week and update you on everything- oh I want to take the last picture on my camera, so I can develop it!"
Chatelaine pulled out her medium sized old-fashioned camera, with a glass bulb and everything. Placing one knee on her trunk, she shrunk behind her camera, her smile the only thing not hidden behind the machine.
Lily clasped her hands behind her back, leaned a little forward and gave a charming smile.
The camera flashed.
July 28th
The window in the second floor bedroom, the first room on the right, was open, the silk curtains playing with the warm summer breeze. An opened letter, yellowish paper with purple ink writing and a wax stamp with 'CY' on it. A dresser, a small radio playing on it, posters of Muggle bands and moving pictures on the walls, collection of things on shelves, and a twin bed with a green bedspread with black hearts on was in this room. On the twin bed was a girl in her teens; she lay on her back, a piece of paper held above her.
It was a magical photograph.
It was the kind that was black and white, and had people moving for five seconds.
Her eyes were wide, and her breathing was heavy.
She, the main person in the photo, was smiling and winking. The thing was.. Behind her in a crowd, was a boy, who kept looking over his shoulder. He would smile for a second then start moving deeper into the crowd.
James Potter smiled at Lily, but she never saw it.
Chatelaine though..
She did, that's why she took the picture.
September 1st
There he was, his amazing body, chin-length long hair, charming eyes and smile, and his pair of familiar frames glistening in the light.
Oh, she had fallen.
Every time she saw him, she saw him in slow motion. She saw how inch by inch, his lips would curl into a smile, his eyes would shut and his intoxicating laughter would come. She was a mess. Lily Evans, the woman who vowed to never give in to James Potter, had fallen, fallen madly and did not want to get up..
She didn't need to get up.
Her hand gripped the train compartment sliding door, and she took a peek of the man.
The new grown up James Potter.
The man with the sun kissed skin, deep hazel eyes, strong beautiful hands, toned body, completely enchanting voice..
Chatelaine called her out of her dreams, and Lily shut their door.
The moments teased and pulled the others heartstrings.
Every heated glance, secretly done, made the situation grow deeper. They became the hottest topic around the school, the Head Boy and Girl of Gryffindor romance. Fan girls were discovered, some became obsessed with the couple sharing the others 'no knowledge' of their hidden love glances. One girl even wrote a small novel on the two.
Nonetheless, every student kept this a secret from the couple, not wanting to ruin anything.
Dumbledore noticed something very interesting.
Lily was obvious of her love for Mr. Potter; she didn't even deny it; maybe a little but not a lot.
But James hid his love well, and only a few noticed why.
If the boy couldn't get the girl: the girl would go get the boy.
He had just returned from the Hospital wing, and was taking his time walking down the corridors with a new package of fresh Lemon Drops in his pocket. Every since Lily left a few in the Hospital wing, when Ms. Yenom was ill, he has been delighted with the taste of them. So he got Lily to bring some for her dear Headmaster every year.
The old wizard smiled happily as he bit into another candy drop.
"Professor Dumbledore?"
His eyes went wide and he swallowed the candy before turning around.
His eyes twinkled and his lips mischievously smiled at the person who called him.
"What may I do for you Mr Potter?"
James Potter raised an eyebrow at his Professor, he'd been eating Lemon drops again..
He wouldn't have sugar around his mouth for nothing.. my, he was a messy eater.
"I was wondering, it's been 10 months, 23 days, 12 hour-"
Dumbldedore sighed, "Yes?"
".. I was wondering how to get Lily, how to show her how to prove her love-"
"Who said she'd love a pra-"
"You did!"
"My.. you are thick headed."
James fist curled and he sighed before releasing his grip.
Dumbledore smiled knowingly, "Sorry, just had to tease."
"You're older than me, yet you tell us to behave?"
"My childish nature comes back when I have my candy."
"No wonder.."
Dumbledore patted his pocket, the place where his Lemon Drops were.
"Mr. Potter, I suggest going to the Hospital wing, you seem very ill."
James stared, 'what the hell?'
The wizard politely guided him in the direction of the Hospital wing.
"You mean to tell me, Lily gives you free Lemon Drops just because she cares and your special?"
Dumbledore only smiled, poping another sweet into his mouth.
James crossed his arms.
"She does it because I have a certain liking to them, and I also give her advise when she needs it."
"You must get a lot of candy for giving advise.."
"No, justMiss Evans, and I have you know,I stopped giving advise in her second year. She just does it because she said I was like a second Grandfather to her."
"Begger.."
"I am no be- James Potter, there is Miss Evans coming here to give me mymonthly small pouch of Lemon Drops. I advise you to go over there and tell her I asked of you to hand them to me. For you are going to see me in a few minutes for a Head Boy meeting."
Her black school shoes clicked as they walked upon the marbled floors. With her Gryffindor girl outfit on, the black, reds, and gold's bringing out her glorious glowing eyes and soft hair that almost looked like wine as it swished back and forth in a pony tail.
The long outer cloak was wrapped around her shoulders comfortingly, as warmth in the cold corridors of November.
Lily smiled; November was her favorite time of the year.
Every tree was covered in a rouge velvet coat, some even brown, gold, and orange with pale yellow. The slightly cool breeze rustled and tickled the fallen leaves on the ground and those in the trees. Crunches of the leaves were heard under your every step, always trying to raise a smile on your face.
She remembered her father piling up the leaves in their yard, grabbing Lily and jumping into the leave pile with her.
Suddenly her daydreaming came to a sudden halt, as well did her body.
Lily had walked right into some one: A certain male with a warm, strong chest. A warm blush spreaded itself beautifully across her face.
James Potter.
She gazed up at him, his frame taller than hers. The bright spring green eyes glazed over, the image he'd see every night in his dreams.. Her lips were open and she seemed breathless. Rosy cheeks outlined her face, making her even more glamorous. A warm blush tinted her cheeks, making it very aware she was quite embarrassed.
This was the image of a woman who had fallen in love.
"I.. I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going, Ja-Potter."
He just smiled, giving that look that plainly said: 'That's not what you really want to tell me.'
Lily's heart thudded in her chest, scared yet so curious and desperate to hold him close.. She didn't want rejection, she didn't want to be hurt.. She didn't want to fall for him in the first place. But in love.. you have no choice.
"I'm going to tell you.. What's been on my mind; I just ask for respect of you to listen and not to laugh at this girl." She whispered, her hands griping her skirt tightly.
She exhaled and opened her mouth, spilling her guts.
"I realized, James. How wrong I was. I needed time to realize it.. I have now. I thought nothing of love, that it was just a bonus in live if you got it. I thought love had nothing to do about controlling yourself.."
His heart was soaring, and 'thudding' so loudly, he was a bit nervous she'd hear it. This was after all, the time, the place, the moment, he had always dreamed about. The thing was, it was better than in his dreams.. Everything was stunning. And yet she said to not laugh.. He'd never laugh at her emotions.
Then suddenly, the world stopped spinning.
"When it comes to love, there is nothing you can do. You don't control your heart, it controls you."
Her delicate hand cupped his cheek, and she slowly, ever so elegantly, kissed him till her lungs were blue.
Quickly she pulled back, and stared at him, his shocked eyes and still body. Lily looked for any sign of love or acceptance.. Those bright green eyes of her shifted, looking down, tears starting to form. He didn't take her heart, like she wanted him to. He rejected her. Her thoughts and confirmation of Fifth year had come true.. When she loved him, he'd just throw her away, he wasn't serious..
Turning on her heel sharply, her beautiful red hair shinning, her robes whipping-
James grabbed her waist, spun her around and pinned him mouth to hers.
She was wrong.
He was serious.
Lily Evans was blushing badly and she tried to smooth down her hair, before she left a madly grinning boy behind. It was the end of the year, and all the Marauders with Lily's best friend, shared their special compartment. James and Lily had a few kisses, which turned into a full-blown snog; Chateline left so she didn't need to 'gouge her eyes out', and the boys soon followed (mockingly gagging as they went). Lily had left for a minute to go find their friends and tell them it was sane to come back into their compartment.
James couldn't believe his world. He got the girl; He got the recommendation to be in the Ministry, along with his sweet Flower. They had been talking about moving into a small cottage outside of England. And he'd been eyeing a diamond ring in Diagon alley for some time now..
The old man wasn't crazy after all..
But that didn't concern his extreme obsessive delight for Lemon Drops.
He still was off his rocker..
James's fingers were endlessly sliding through his now, even messier (oh, it was possible) than normal jet-black hair, they slid out and he let his arm rest on the back of the bench. They traced a certain design engraved on the wood frame of the seat, and curiosity got the better of him.
Looking to where his fingers were, his eyes read the inscription.
He smiled softly.
L.E.
J.P.
----
JaimiisaHolly ©