Chapter Text
✰
Three months. Three months since Alice had broken up with her and still, it stung. It stung to see that Alice had moved on. It stung to see that Alice had a new boyfriend. It stung to see that she was doing so well - even though Lily wished her well. It felt unfair.
While Alice was doing fine and moving on, Lily still felt empty. She still felt like she had lost a massive part of herself by losing Alice. It hadn't directly been her fault - Alice had simply fallen out of love - and still, it felt like it was. She kept asking herself what if I had done this? What if I had done that? What if? What if.
Stupid What ifs.
Lily smoothly slid her phone back into her pocket and let out a soft sigh before returning her focus on the lecture. She loved her study - law studies with a specialization in Human Rights - but there was one class she hated more than anything; law and economics. At least it was her final year and after the mid-term exam, she would be done with the class for good.
It was strange to end the year alone though. She and Alice had started dating right before the first year started. They had met in Sixth Form when Alice had transferred from Scotland to Gloucester. They had been best friends ever since and well, eventually a little more than that.
For three years they had been a couple. Three years of giggles and laughter. Three years of weekly picnics. Three years of cuddles and kisses and more. Three years washed down the drain. Three years of love and two of friendship, all gone. Lily felt a wrenching feeling in her gut and wiggled her pen between her fingers.
Fuck. Why couldn't she just have unfollowed Alice when Mary had told her to? Why did she have to see that picture and that stupid caption? Why couldn't she move on just as easily?
She copied some notes off the board and then put her pen down again. It hadn't been hard to pick a study. Lily wanted to make a change and though there were many ways to do that, by studying law she would have direct access and could work from the inside.
With her specific focus on Human Rights, Gender Studies, and Immigration law, Lily was determined to make the UK - and of course, the world - a better place for everyone. She wanted to contribute to a better society. And quite frankly, she thought it would be interesting to study law.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she pulled it out once more. Usually, Lily was a good - if not perfect - student. She was always the one raising her hand, doing her homework, finishing assignments on time and paying attention. She had a great attention span but when it came to Professor Binns even Lily could - and one time almost did - fall asleep in class.
(Lovely People)
maccie: hii... uhh lils? u okay?
dorky: jesus mary why'd you bring it up like that
maccie: i just wanted to check in!
dorky: ...
dorky: or you could've waited until she brought it up herself
dorky: or asked her any other way
maccie: i was trying to be a good friend
lils: i'm fine loves
lils: stings a little but I'm glad she's happy
maccie: i can imagine :(( i'm sorry my love!! you will find someone so much better
dorky: we're here for you babe <3 always
maccie: always!!! screw her!!!! lets light her room on fire!!!!!
lils: it's fine, it's fine. it's not as if we arent allowed to date anymore
lils : and please don't light her room on fire, she lives in the same building as you dummy
dorky: true
dorky: so let's go and get you laid tonight!
lils: thanks for the offer dorky but no thank you <3 ily platonically only
dorky: akdjalf lily no
maccie: okay but good idea dorky. it's october and you haven't come out with us yet this year
maccie: so how about we meet at your dorm at 10?
lils: no we dont have to really i'm fine
maccie: we want to and you have no choice. three months of celibacy is long enough my precious friend
dorky: i need a one night stand too.
maccie: awww poor dorky
lils: still hung up over that blonde in your policy class?
dorky: not 'hung up over' just madly in love
maccie: cute
lils: just ask her out! she's nice! I think her name is marlene
dorky: or i shag a stranger to get over her again?
lils: yeah cuz that worked before...
dorky: anywaaaays
maccie: i just wanna get pissed tonight
maccie : and for lily to get laid
lils: i still think you should just ask her out
dorky: and i still think you should just say yes to going out tonight
maccie: baby im not even here
maccie: im a hallucination
dorky: pLEASE
lils: ok fine. ill go.
maccie: YEAH!
☆
After class, Lily repacked her bag and swung it over her shoulder. It was a nice day outside, surprisingly. Autumn in the UK usually meant rain daily, but today it was quite sunny. Though the breeze made it cold, Lily was happy to catch some sun rays again.
She quite liked autumn; the way the green leaves turned yellow, red, orange and brown, wearing jumpers and hats, not sweating with every step you take and cosy, rainy days spent inside.
She walked over campus, greeting the people she recognized, smiling at the people she didn't. She was glad to be back at university. Summer was fine but her bond with her family wasn't great. Especially not with her sister and her sister's boyfriend.
Vernon had been staying over at their house the entire summer and he and Petunia had annoyed Lily daily. Petunia's high pitched, dramatic laughter had snapped Lily out of her focus when reading every so often and the noises they made at night had kept her from closing an eye. It wasn't the best summer she could've wished for.
But she was glad to be back on campus and glad to be away from Petunia. She shared a dorm room with Dorcas Meadowes, her best friend and the best roomie ever. Last year they had been upgraded to a slightly bigger room with a private bathroom. They had been offered a private room too but neither of them felt like separating just yet. They had too much fun together and good rules for if someone had a 'friend' over.
And especially with Mary around, Lily could never feel sad. She had known Mary since she was five. Mary was the love of her life - platonically. Together with Dorcas, the three people were a little family. A little group filled with love, joy and inside jokes.
She stepped into the café on campus grounds and joined in at the queue. She was craving some coffee after the lecture and knew that if she was going to get through an afternoon of studying, she would need some caffeine.
The two boys before her were annoying though. They kept pulling at each other, laughing too loudly. Lily had to keep ducking and took an extra step back for precaution.
"Oh, shit. Pads, stop. Stop mate!" the slightly taller one said. He had dark brown hair and class. Ugh, she thought, James Potter. James Potter was the heartthrob on campus. Even if you were a new student in a different course, you knew him. Lily didn't know him well but she knew his ego was big enough to be shared among twenty people - perhaps even more.
But he was kind of cute too. With his hair sticking out at each angle, kind, sparkling eyes and a smile that she knew made first-years feel welcome, he could charm anyone he wanted. She always found herself to be rather surprised that he had never dated anyone - at least not publicly.
The one next to him had black hair and a leather jacket. She recognized him as James's second-hand man; Sirius Black. James looked at her, his eyes behind his glasses going wide. She frowned at him.
"Why- What? Prongs, come on, mate," Sirius aka 'Pads' said, slapping 'Prongs' on the chest. She had always thought their nicknames were silly. Lily sighed and pulled her phone from her pocket, not wanting to be bothered by some stupid university gits.
"I'm sorry," someone said to her. She looked up once more, this time looking at an even taller man with a few scars on his face. She recognized him though she didn't know his name. He was always with James and Sirius though, but less... annoying. "They're very annoying before they've had their coffee." Lily nodded, giving him a small smile.
"Is fine," she mumbled softly.
"Sorry, what did you say?" he asked her politly.
"It's okay. Sorry, I was mumbling. I said that it was fine. They're not your responsibility anyway," she told him, shrugging her shoulders. He nodded, smiling at her. James was still staring at her, his eyes wide and goofy smile on his lips. "Is your friend okay?" The man turned around.
"James, pull yourself together, mate," he said in a low voice, pushing his shoulder. His cheeks turned bright red and he quickly looked away. Lily let out a giggle and then focused on her phone again, patiently waiting until it was her turn to order a latte macchiato with two pumps of caramel. Her favourite and in her and Dorcas's opinion, the best hot drink to have ever existed.
✰
When she finally got to her dorm, she pulled her key from her pocket and unlocked the door. Dorcas was still in class, Lily knew, so the room was empty. She took off her shoes and placed her bag in the corner.
One wall in the room was covered in posters, post-its and fairly lights. There were several plants scattered around. On each side of the room were double beds, one with sage green sheets (Lily's) and one with dark green sheets (Dorcas's). They each had a desk and many, many decorations and things.
Lily's most precious object was a painting Mary had once made for her. It hung above her bed. The canvas was covered in a burst of colours and an impressionist full-body portrait of Lily. She had loved it from the second she had laid eyes on it. Never had she felt this beautiful but Mary had done. Mary had made her see how beautiful she really was.
Society wasn't always kind to Lily. As a plus-size, red-haired, bisexual woman, she had heard several remarks and nasty comments about her appearance and being over the years. Especially when her ex-friend Severus Snape had joined the bullies after she had rejected him many, many times, her self-image was destroyed.
But since Mary had painted her (many times now) and shown her how beautiful she was instead of just telling her when they were fifteen, Lily had been more confident than she could've ever dreamt of being. Mainly thanks to her dearest friend Mary, she was flaunting her curves and being her happiest self.
Well, happiness had been a little out of reach ever since Alice broke her heart. She had never experienced romantic heartbreak before that. It wasn't like in the movies at all where you cry all night and eat an entire tub of ice cream before waking up to perfectly brushed hair and getting on with your life again. She had tried. Several times. Didn't work.
It took more time - it seemed - and included far less late peppy 90s and early 2000s songs and way more heartbreaking songs. 'Nobody Like You' by Little Mix, 'Drivers License' by Olivia Rodrigo, 'Moral of the Story' by Ashe and 'All Too Well' by her favourite artist Taylor Swift, were all on her heartbreak playlist.
Of course, together with Mary, she had also made a playlist to feel powerful again, but her finger tapped the heartbreak one a little more often still.
She sat down at her desk and opened up her laptop. She took one more sip of her coffee and then opened up a document before she started typing, working on her assignments while trying to get Alice and her new boyfriend out of her mind.
☆
✰
Boys World's 'Girlfriends' was blasting through the speaker in Lily and Dorcas's dorm room while they got ready to party alongside Mary. Mary was telling them what they could and couldn't wear and giving directions - she had called it 'advice' - on how to do their makeup and hair. Both Lily and Dorcas appreciated it.
"Lily, that outfit is made for you. You don't wear it often enough," Mary said, playing with the threads on the side of Lily's top before trying them again. Lily giggled and hugged Mary sideways. She was already a little tipsy on this weird pink wine Dorcas had bought. It was supposed to taste like grapefruit but Lily thought it tasted more like strawberries and the two tastes were fairly different.
"And that shirt on Dorky! With those pants... fuck. I might actually take you up on your offer," Lily joked. Dorcas rolled their eyes.
"I never offered but... yeah I should, seeing you in that fit," they joked back, shooting her a wink. Lily giggled more, her cheeks pink. "Let's not forget our gorgeous Mary in that dress."
"I shake my hips one time in this thing and everyone comes running for a taste of me," Mary teased, batting her eyelashes flirtily. Lily licked her cheek and then made a disgusted face as Mary's eyes went wide.
"They'll be disappointed because you don't taste that good," Lily joked. Mary burst out in laughter and let herself fall back on the bed. "A bit too salty and well, like foundation."
"You're disgusting, Lily Evans," Dorcas laughed, shaking their head. They all laughed for a moment before Lily stood up, walking over to her mirror.
"Mary, could you do my eye make-up? I was thinking some neutral tones with a bit of bronze or gold?" she asked, tying her red hair back in a low ponytail to keep it from falling in her face. Mary nodded and stood up, walking over to her and picking up her makeup brush.
"So, Dorky, what are you looking for tonight?" Lily asked. Dorcas sighed.
"Don't say a fiery blonde with an amazing sense of style and killer eyebrows," Mary added quickly. Lily giggled, closing her eyes so Mary could work her magic.
"I don't know. I'll see. Maybe a nice girl with red locks along with a nice girl with brown braids," Dorcas teased, throwing a dirty sock their way. Mary screamed and Lily giggled.
"Don't do that when I'm holding a makeup brush dangerously close to Lily's eye!" Mary said, pointing her finger dangerously at Dorcas who raised their hands in mercy. "What about that one girl? Emmeline is her name, I believe. Long brown hair, brown eyes. I think she does social studies," Mary suggested.
"I'm not sleeping with Emmeline. I know you fancy her from a distance," Dorcas said, fixing their hair. Mary huffed, turning back to Lily to continue doing her eyeshadow.
"I don't fancy her. I just think she's cute. And hot. Shaggable," Mary said, shrugging her shoulders. Lily laughed, as did Dorcas.
"You can't go and call people 'shaggable'!" Lily exclaimed.
"But it's true?" Mary justified. Lily rolled her eyes, standing up from the chair and grabbing her mascara to apply herself. "Anyway, you can have her. I'll probably end up in Gideon's bed again anyway."
"I thought you said you had to stop sleeping with him or otherwise it would truly turn into dating," Dorcas commented.
"Considering it," Mary said casually. Lily gasped, as did Dorcas. "Maybe! I'm not sure yet! I like hanging out with him. He makes me laugh. And he has good weed. And he's smart. Sometimes."
"Ohh, Mary! Is that a little crush I detect?" Dorcas teased. "Go for it. Go on a proper date with him or something. Maybe decide after that if you want to continue exploring whatever it is you feel or not."
"We'll see," Mary said, turning to Lily again. "What about you Lils?"
"Oh, I just want to dance," Lily said casually. Dorcas and Mary both raised their eyebrows at her. "We'll see! Maybe. Whatever happens, happens."
"Okay but who?" Dorcas asked, taking a sip of the grapefruit wine.
"Ugh, I don't know! I'll see whoever catches my eye and whose eye I catch," she shrugged.
"Fine."
"Fine. Are you done? Can we take pictures now?" Mary asked. Lily nodded and put her mascara back in her makeup bag.
"Let's go."
✰
The pub near the university was crowded with students looking for a night to have a fun night without stressing about deadlines and exams. Mary pulled Lily and Dorcas through the crowd towards the bar. She ordered them each a shot of vodka. Lily decided this was her last drink of the night.
Music filled their ears and the group made their way to the dancefloor to finally do one of their favourite things again; dance. Lily loved dancing. She loved shaking her hips around, waving her hands in the air and feeling completely and utterly free.
"When I'm underneath the bright lights
When I'm tryna have a good time
'Cause I'm good now you ain't mine
Na, na, na, na, don't call me up."
Lily threw her hands up in the air and closed her eyes, swinging her hips from side to side.
"When you're looking at my photos
Getting hot, losing control
You want me more now I let go
Na, na, na, na."
Dorcas was dancing next to her and Mary was across her. They were in their own little world, surrounded by people having as good of a time as they were having. Lily's lips curved into a wide smile.
"I'm over you and I don't need your lies no more
'Cause the truth is without you, boy, I'm stronger
And I know, you said that I changed with my cold heart
But it was your game that left scars
Ooh, I'm over you."
She was free, having a good time with her friends. There was nothing on her mind apart from where her feet were going. She wasn't thinking about Alice, or her upcoming exams, or her upcoming deadlines, or any university work, or her family issues. She wasn't thinking and that was currently the best state to be in. Currently.
✰
The first pub wasn't their last stop. After about an hour, they got sick of the modern pop songs and decided to go to Dorcas's favourite pub called Leaky Cauldron nearby which played mainly 70s, 80s and 90s music. It was a little less crowded and the three of them took a small table in the back to down a few more drinks.
Lily - who had said the shot was her last drink of the night - sipped her vodka cranberry slowly. She was still a little tipsy but feeling fine overall. Mary was very drunk already and Dorcas was not far from being in the same state as Mary.
"Gideon isn't out tonight!" Mary pouted. "He texted me saying he had to study. Nerd!" Dorcas giggled. Mary chugged her beer.
"But Emmeline is here!" they said, pointing towards the dancefloor. Surely, there was Emmeline dancing with her friends. Lily recognized Pandora next to her and... fuck.
"Shit! Is that Alice?" Mary said at the same time as Lily's mind started to spin. Alice was dancing with Frank, hands roaming each other's bodies. Lily let out a deep breath. She remembered when it was Alice's hands on her body, when she was the one dancing with her. When she was the one kissing her.
"We can go. We can go to that other pub nearby and-"
"No. No, it's okay," Lily interrupted Mary. "Dorky wanted to go here and they have good music. We'll stay." She started drinking a little faster, trying to keep her eyes from finding the woman.
"Are you sure? I don't mind and-"
"Ah! Marlene is here too! You two need to bag these two beautiful ladies and not worry about me," Lily said, pointing at a spot where a blonde girl was talking to two people, one with black and one with- oh God. James and Sirius. Why did she suddenly know everyone in this pub?
"If you're sure," Mary said. Lily nodded heavily and pressed a kiss on each of their cheeks.
"I'm fine!" she assured them - though she wasn't convinced herself. "Okay, it's time to dance again!" She stood up, placing her empty glass on the table with a thud. Dorcas and Mary followed her onto the dancefloor.
An ABBA song was playing and they shouted along to the lyrics, jumping up and down and making weird moves. Lily's mouth once more formed into a bright smile. Though her mind wasn't as empty as before now, the anxiety of running into Alice felt in her chest, she was still having a good time.
ABBA switched to Fleetwood Mac, who switched to Blondie, who switched to Deniece Williams, who switched to Whitney Houston, who switched to Spice Girls and so on and so on.
As the evening went on, Lily lost sight of her two friends. Dorcas had gone to the loo an hour ago but still hadn't returned - though they had sent a text saying they were fine but going home with someone. Mary had apparently gone off to dance with Emmeline, who Lily had finally spotted her with, in the corner. But Lily didn't mind. She was still dancing.
She would dance and dance until her feet gave out. That was her plan at least. Someone tapped her shoulder and she spun around, looking right at James Potter. He had a wide smile on his lips and was looking at her the same he was in the café.
"Hi!" he shouted over the music. She frowned a little, raising one eyebrow and still swaying her hips. "I'm James! We met in the café earlier!" he shouted in her ear. Lily shrugged her shoulders.
"Hi. I don't think we 'met'," she said, making bunny ears with her fingers. James laughed - a little too loudly.
"We can meet now!" he suggested. She saw his two friends, the one with the scars and Sirius, dancing behind him. James was stepping from side to side, moving his arms. He was beaming with pride and joy as he always was. Lily sighed.
"Hm," Lily replied. "I need to use the loo." She turned around without waiting for a response and pushed herself through the crowd, joining in the queue for the loo. She grabbed her phone, texting Dorcas and asking them to let her know they were doing okay.
"Lils?"
Lily looked up, right into Alice's eyes. She lowered her phone, not sure what to say. "Oh. Hi. Hi. Alice. Hi." Alice stepped up next to her, behind her in the queue, a calm smile on her lips. Alice was always so good at keeping cool.
"How are you?" Alice asked her. The smell of her perfume filled Lily's nose and she could melt right then and there. Dammit, Alice Fortescue. Lily nodded.
"Great," she said. "Yeah. Fucking fantastic as the youth says." She laughed, Alice smiled at her. "You... You look good. With... With Frank." Alice nodded, pressing her lips together for a moment.
"He's great," Alice said. "But I erm... I miss-"
"Lils! Here you are!" Mary's cheery voice sounded. She was dragging along Emmeline behind her. "Oh. Alice." Mary shot her a nasty look and then turned to Lily again. "We want to leave. Do you want to come?"
"Erm, no. Thanks." She knew Mary and Emmeline were not asking her to come home with them but she would still feel awkward walking behind them while - knowing Mary - already feeling each other up. "I will go home soon. I'll text when I'm home," Lily said. The queue moved up again.
"Are you sure? I don't want you walking home alone," Mary said worriedly. Lily shook her head, smiling.
"It's fine. I'll call if something happens. It's nearby," Lily assured her. Mary nodded and stayed with her until she was able to get into the loo without having to talk to Alice anymore. She was eternally grateful for Mary.
Dorcas was off somewhere having sex. Mary was off somewhere having sex. Alice was probably going to go off somewhere to have sex too. And Lily was hovering above a dirty loo, reading the scribbled words on the stall door.
She really didn't fancy going home alone tonight.
Perhaps she could give James a shot. He was clearly interested. Probably. Maybe he wasn't so bad as she had made him up to be in her mind.
That was her negative trait; she drew conclusions about people way too fast. She tried to give everyone a shot, but sometimes she concluded things about people too quickly. Perhaps she had done that to James - painting him as this jock-type of person that annoyed people and thought too highly of himself. And anyway; he was rather hot and it would be one night only.
She had never had a one night stand before. Alice had been her first and only so far. But she wanted to have sex. Tonight. She didn't really care with who - well, she cared a little. James. She would find him and 'meet' him as he had suggested.
It didn't take long before she had spotted him again. He was in the middle of the dancefloor, swinging his arms around in a fairly dangerous manner and shuffling his feet. It looked quite funny. She marched up to him.
The second he spotted her, he froze, a smile breaking out on his lips. He had a nice smile, she thought. One night only. One night only. "Hi," she shouted over the tones of another Queen song.
"Hi," he shouted back. "You're back!" She nodded.
"Yeah, so, let's meet," she shouted, holding out her hand. He took it and immediately spun her around. She chuckled a little and then was back to dancing. James was a weird but fairly good dancer. Lily was a good but fairly weird dancer. They were a better pair than she had expected - on the dance floor, at least.
"I'm Lily," she told him.
"I know! I love your outfit! It looks great with your eyes!" She laughed a little and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Sorry! That was odd! I'm James!"
"I think you might be odd!" she shouted.
"A little!" he smirked, spinning her around again. "You're a good dancer!" She giggled again. "I'm sorry that I didn't say anything in the café!"
"Why didn't you?" she asked, shaking her hips.
"I was a little struck!"
"Why?"
"I think you're beautiful!"
"You're a big flirt!"
"I'm being honest!" She rolled her eyes at him, but couldn't help but smile a little. "Remus told me I looked like a fool!" Remus must be the incredibly tall, kind one.
"You did!"
"I'm sorry!" The song switched to 'Free Your Mind' by En Vogue.
"Stop apologizing!" They danced in silence for a while. James spun her around and shuffled his feet, making weird faces as he danced. Lily couldn't help but laugh with him. She spun and danced and threw her arms in the air.
"I wanted to make a good impression! In the café! But I think I messed up!" James shouted again.
"Why!?" He thought for a moment and then leaned closer.
"Because - and I hope you won't remember this in the morning - I think you're quite beautiful and smart and cool and used to have a little crush on you!" She laughed.
"I'm not drunk so I will remember!" His smile faltered a little, she shrugged her shoulders. "If you're being true-"
"I am!" She could see in his eyes that he was being honest indeed.
"-then I think you're already sweeter than I thought you would be!"
"Why wouldn't I be sweet?" He spun her around again and it made her feel as if she was floating - because of the spinning, not because he was doing it. It was still James Potter.
"I thought you were a bit of an... annoying git. Like a high school jock but in university!" He laughed and shook his head. "But I think that maybe I judged you too quickly."
"What do you think now?"
"That you're a bit odd, I thought I told you that!" He smirked at her, his hair flopping around as he danced.
"Is it my charm?" She rolled her eyes at him again. "That's a yes!"
Perhaps it wasn't a no.
✰
James pressed her body up against the door the second she stepped into his flat, the door slamming shut with a loud sound. Their lips crashed together once more and Lily's fingers were entangled in James's messy hair.
A soft moan sounded in the back of her throat when his lips attached to the side of her neck and she closed her eyes, dissolving into his touch. She could feel the desire in the pit of her stomach. Her eyes opened up again when he stopped, taking a small step back.
"Wait, you're sure you're not drunk?" he asked carefully. "I don't want to take advantage of you."
"I was tipsy before but I'm very sober now," she assured him. He nodded. "And you?"
"I'm sober. And consenting," he said, scratching the back of his neck. She smiled a little.
"I'm consenting too. So... kiss me again?" she asked, taking a step closer to him. He smiled, bending down a little, pressing his lips firmly onto hers once more. They stumbled into his bedroom and Lily sank into the mattress.
James's touch was gentle and soft, yet filled with the same lust that she was feeling. The clothes soon hit the floor and gasps and moans filled the room. They spend the night roaming each other's bodies. Kissing, licking and devouring each other. Lily thought that his neighbours might get a little angry with him but when he touched her again and her mind became a big blur of nothing but pleasure.
One night stands were quite fun.
✰
✰
Lily awoke the next morning as a faint October sun peaked through the curtains. She rubbed her eyes and slowly woke up, realising where she was, who she was with and why she was butt-naked.
In a quick motion, she sat up straight, clutching the blanket to her chest. Fuck. She had actually had a one night stand. With James Potter. As she looked next to her, she saw that the bed was empty. She let herself fall back into the pillow and covered her face with her hands.
"Oh fuck," she whispered. Oh fuck, she thought, I slept with James Potter. I slept with James Potter and it was really, really good. She heard something clash and sat up a little again. She could hear someone humming outside the room.
Lily quickly slipped on her clothes and undergarments before stepping into her shoes and walking out of the bedroom. James was standing in the kitchen of his small flat, wearing nothing but pyjama pants - he had a nice butt.
His back was covered in scratches that she had made and she could see purple bruises on his neck. She didn't even want to know what her own neck and inner thighs looked like.
He whistled along to a tune on the radio, not seeming to notice that she was there. She cleared her throat and grabbed her purse off the ground where she had tossed it the night prior along with her coat.
"Morning!" James said in a cheery voice.
"Hi. Morning," Lily said, putting on her coat.
"Oh, I was making breakfast if you'd like," he said, pointing at the stove on which he was making pancakes. She did love pancakes but weren't you supposed to... leave after a one night stand?
"Oh, that's sweet but I've got to get going," she said, waving at the door. "Homework, you know?" He nods, though his smile fades slightly and the spark in his eyes loses some light.
"Of course. I could drive you home," he offered but she shook her head.
"It's not far. You live near campus. It's erm... a nice place you've got. Yeah, okay. Bye," she gave him a short wave before spinning around on her heels and walking to the door.
"I had fun!" he called after her. She looked over her shoulder, giving him a small smile, a nod and then without saying something, she left.
Why was leaving after a one night stand so damn awkward? No one she came across on the street knew where she had come from - they could guess what she had been doing but still - but still she felt severely exposed.
Perhaps it was worse because of the slut-shaming regulations she had been taught by society for years. She didn't believe in them nor follow them, but they were still rooted in her mind and it made situations like these more awkward than they should be.
The second she stepped into her dorm, she texted Mary and Dorcas.
(Lovely People)
lils: mary dorcas omfg
lils: i had a one night stand.
maccie: coming over now.
Lily hopped into the shower, waiting for her best friend to come to talk about her one night stand with James fucking Potter. James Potter, who definitely knew where the clit was. When she got out of the shower, Mary was already sitting on her bed scrolling through her phone. Dorcas still wasn't back.
"Holy fuck, you got here fast," Lily gasped. She walked over to her closet, grabbing a pair of leggings and a hoodie to spend the rest of her Saturday in.
"Uh, yeah? You texted me you had your first one night stand, duh," Mary said, putting her phone down. "Sit down and tell me everything!" Lily giggled, slipping on her clothes quickly before sitting down next to Mary and ready to tell her - nearly - everything.
"I... I slept with James Potter," Lily confessed. Mary's jaw physically dropped and her eyes went wide.
"James fucking Potter!?" she screeched. Lily giggled and shushed her.
"No I was fucking James Potter," she joked. Mary flicked her on her arm. "Ouch!"
"Lame joke. Deserved."
"Ugh." Lily rolled her eyes. "Yeah so... he greeted me before I went to the loo but I didn't fancy his company because..."
"You consider him to be an annoying idiot that is still in his secondary school jock phase?" Mary filled in for her.
"Yes, exactly," Lily sighed. "So I excused myself and went to the loo where Alice joined me in the line and you rescued me - thank you by the way -"
"- you're welcome -"
"- and then I was on the toilet and I realised; You were off shagging Emmeline, Dorcas was off shagging someone, Alice was going off to shag Frank any time and... I didn't fancy going home alone either. And James seemed interested and yes he is very annoying but he is quite hot too and I just felt like having sex."
"And then what?" Mary asked. She was laying on her stomach, legs bent up in the air and hands under her chin. Lily leaned into her pillow and started braiding her wet hair into two braids.
"Well, I found him dancing violently in the middle of the dancefloor. I went up to him and said hi. We talked while dancing and oddly enough, he's a fairly good dancer," Lily chuckled, Mary snorted. "But it was quite nice, honestly. I had fun. And then he asked if I wanted to come back to his and I said yes."
"Go on. I want to hear everything," Mary encouraged her.
"We snogged a few times on the way there and he's a very good kisser. So then we went to his flat, he lives on his own -"
"- Fancy -"
"- and then we were kissing more against the door and then he pulled away," Lily said, remembering the feeling of his lips on her skin.
"What!? I thought you said you had sex!?" Mary exclaimed, raising an eyebrow.
"We did! I'm getting to it. You wanted to know everything right?" Mary nodded heavily. "Well then he asked if I was sure I wasn't drunk - I wasn't - and then I asked if he was sure that he wasn't - he wasn't - and then he consented and I did and-"
"Wait, wait. He stopped to ensure that you were able to consent and actually did consent? I know the bar is fucking low but... damn that's really nice," Mary said.
"It was. I'm glad he did it, to be honest. I was in any way but to have been asked that confirmation was nice and I was glad to know he was one hundred per cent in too," Lily agreed. "So then I asked him to kiss me again and he did and... yeah. The rest is history."
"No, no, babes! Give me the details! Tell me when to stop," Mary said, starting to move her hands apart. Lily laughed and batted her hands away. "Come one!!"
"He was... Mary! I don't know how big he was. I've never had sex with someone with a penis before. It was quite nice. I think I did a good job blowing him because he was moaning my name really loudly near the end before he pulled me off," she giggled, her cheeks going pink.
"Tell me when to stop. I need to know or I will die," Mary said, starting to measure with her hands again. Lily told her when to stop, giving in to her ridiculous manners. Mary raised her eyebrows slightly and she nodded. "Impressive Potter. Impressive." Lily laughed. "So, then what? You blew him? Did he go down?"
"Erm, actually," Lily tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "When we got into his bed and... naked, he went down on me first. He was really good at it too. Holy fuck. He definitely knew where my clit was. I actually already came while he was going down." Mary gasped.
"Potter!? Damn! That was... unexpected from my side," Mary chuckled.
"I had little expectations but damn did he reach them," Lily nodded. "Then I blew him and then well, then I blurted out that I had never had sex with a man before." Mary raised her eyebrows. "He chuckled."
"He laughed at you?? I'll kill him," Mary said threateningly.
"No! He just... chuckled and then tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. And then he said 'that was unexpected seeing as you just give me a jolly good time already. If you don't want to, we can stop here.' And so I told him that I wanted to and then I rambled about dildo's for a good minute until I told him to shut me up with a snog and he did and then we had sex," Lily said, her cheeks red as she thought back to it.
"His mum raised him right. He sounds super respectful," Mary noted.
"He was. He... He made me breakfast but I sort of rushed out," Lily confessed.
"Oh! Aw! What a sweetheart, he is!" Mary gushed. Lily chuckled a little. "Was it nice? Did you also come from the penetration?"
"I bloody hate that word," Lily mumbled but nodded. "Yeah... I came twice last night, Mary. We went on for quite a bit, took a short break too so he could catch his breath. It was a good one-time thing."
"One time?"
"Definitely. I've got my groove back but I am not sleeping with James Potter again," she laughed. Just as Mary was about to object to that, the door flew open and Dorcas stumbled in, a bright smile on their lips.
"Good. Good. You're here!" they cheered. "I did it, guys! I shagged Marlene McKinnon!"
Lily and Mary gasped audibly and jumped up. "You did!?" they said simultaneously. Dorcas nodded.
"And that's not even the best thing! We just grabbed coffee together and then she asked if we could go on another date soon!" Dorcas continued, plopping down on Lily's bed and sighing happily.
"Tell us everything!" Lily said but Mary batted her words away.
"Lily slept with James Potter!" Mary chimed in before Dorcas could continue. Dorcas looked at Lily with big eyes. Lily blushed.
"Holy fuck!? Was it good? Was that your first time with a penis?" Dorcas asked. Lily burst into laughter and the other two joined in. They spent the rest of the afternoon sharing stories about their paramours of the night. Lily felt happy. Happier than the morning before.