Fountain

by : epiphanies

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Lily leaned on a fountain in the middle of a London park. She was waiting for James.

She sighed, Already a half hour late.

She glanced at her watch, shining a silver in the bright sun. She shielded her eyes from it and squinted around, flipping her red mop of hair over her shoulders. It was really starting to get long, and she was hot. She slipped a bottle of water out of her purse and took a sip.

"That looks refreshing."

She turned so quickly that she cricked her neck. Beside her, she noticed as she rubbed her sore shoulder, was a silver-blonde with slitted, narrow eyes. She refrained from widening her own in shock.

"Lucius Malfoy," she said coolly, "What brings you out into the open with all of the commoners?"

He leaned against the fountain beside her and flipped a lock of hair off his forehead. He glanced at her with an eyebrow raised, "What's it to you?"

Her own eyebrows rose, and she shrugged, "Surprising is all."

"Why's that?"

She studied him. Was he pulling her leg? Didn't he know how much of a snob he was?

If he doesn't, he's a might bit more stupid than I would have thought, she told herself.

"So Evans," he continued, apparently unfazed, "Shouldn't you be in the shade?"

"What do you-" she began wearily, and backed away a bit when she noticed his fingers reaching to touch her arm.

"You've such fair skin," he said softly, "Wouldn't it burn?"

"Yes," she frowned, "I suppose it would."

"Thought so," he turned away suddenly, looking at a busy street filled with muggles, "Mine does too."

"So what are you doing out here?"

"Living dangerously."

Lily laughed despite herself, "Yes, that's so manly. Going out in the sun, defying nature and getting sun spots."

When he said nothing, she frowned again. She was utterly dumbfounded still as to why he was standing here with her.

A thought then came to her.

"Are you waiting for Narcissa?" she asked casually, and he met her eyes.

"Perhaps," he muttered.

She slouched a little bit onto the fountain, and the tiny bare part of her back was misted with a cool breeze, "What's that supposed to mean?"

He looked at her square on, "It means, Evans, that I'm waiting to see if she shows up."

"Why wouldn't she?"

"Probably the same reason that your little boyfriend isn't here yet."

Lily felt a pang in her stomach. Did Lucius know something?

He must have noticed the look on her face, for he chuckled, "Oh, it's so easy to make people doubt themselves. Even easier to make them doubt the people they love."

"Who said I love him?" Lily retorted.

"Who said you did?" Lucius said smoothly, and her mouth gaped open for a moment.

"You know," she put a hand on her hip, "I don't see why we should stand here waiting for people who aren't even going to show up."

"So what do you suggest?" he glared at her, and she shrugged.

"Go home, maybe?"

"That's right," Lucius wrinkled his nose, "Go on home, then. To your muggle parents."

Her lips formed an 'o' and she stood up straighter.

"What is it you find so offensive about the mere sight of me, Malfoy? Really?"

"You don't deserve anything you get," he raised his white-blonde eyebrows at her, "Your blood is as thick as ink and you don't have a speck of worth inside your entire freckled little form. You're insipid. You're nothing."

"You know," she cocked her head as she spotted somebody walking toward her in the distance, "You're right. I'm nothing."

The boy nodded lazily as she continued,

"I'm trash. I'm good for nothing. I don't deserve a magical lifestyle. Actually, I don't even deserve a life. I don't deserve to exist."

Malfoy smirked at her.

"Well, if you don't mind," she smiled broadly at him, "I think I'm going to go home and end all of this madness. What ever gave me the idea that I would want a life, anyway? What a ridiculous notion, having to live without as little as a title calling me 'Pure Blood?' I think I'll just go home, Malfoy. Thank you," she placed a hand on his chest, and his smirked widened as her fingertips massaged his arm muscle, "Thank you for the enlightenment, and it's much too hot out here, isn't it?"

Her lips were close to his and he nodded with eyes at half-mast. She grinned - and he never saw it coming!

He sputtered and lifted himself out of the fountain furiously.

"EVANS!" he howled as she sauntered toward her boyfriend to greet him with a lingering kiss. James picked her up in his arms and twirled her around three times before stopping and surveying her damage.

"Sorry I'm late, love," he kissed her forehead lightly and gave a hearty peal of laughter, "Had to convince Mum that you may be alone in the park with some creeps if I didn't forget to dust and go rescue you instead."

"Well aren't you just the next Cassandra Trelawney," she smiled wryly, and then they noticed the dripping blonde approaching them at top speed.

They looked each other in the eye and yelled, "Run!"

They linked fingers and ran - and ran - and ran, until they were out of breath and away from the wand wielding wizard. They laughed and heaved and panted until they caught their breaths, and then went to watch the birds in a different park across town.

James put an arm around her as they walked into the sunset that evening.

"You know, Evans?"

"What?"

"Even if you hadn't have dunked good old Malfoy, I would say this-"

"What, James?" she laughed flightily, and he stopped her and searched her eyes.

"I love you, Lily."

She laughed and slapped his arm, "Well, of course you do!"

They fell onto the soft grass, giggling together, and the sun set upon possibly the happiest couple that London has ever seen.

--

The End.