December 2nd: 'Tis The Season - Lake (Open)

[James Potter]

"Your baby? We don't even get shared custody? Were you ever going to tell me?" James shot her a wink so she'd know he was only kidding, and didn't hide his enthusiasm for the fact that she was agreeing to put their spending time together high enough on her priority list to move things around on the master schedule. He felt unstoppable with that momentum - just as unstoppable as he'd be if given a push out onto the flat ice, really should've invested in lessons when he was a child - and the feeling followed him into the carriage. With how he'd started asking her out and she'd finished the thought by turning it around and asking him, James figured the day could not get any better. Oh the lads were going to hear everything about this, how Lily Evans was giggling - a phenomenon he'd never experienced firsthand - and had fumbled for words the same as he would've had their roles been reversed, how it just felt good to know he'd made her smile like this, how her eyes were so incredibly warm and soft when she looked at him in this new way...

The Quidditch Captain laid back onto the hay, arms behind his head, grinning ear-to-ear. His heart did a funny little tumbling session in his chest as she called him by his first name with undeniable affection, and it was just a little thing, really - but then again, it wasn't. It was the same little jolt of feeling he had at seeing her in a deer sweater that could've been the twin to his, the way she'd used "Prongs" like it was an old joke between them, how she'd brought him his gloves and hadn't judged his multitudinous skating faux pas. The closeness had snuck up on him, and now that they were here...I'm not wrong about this. I know I'm not. You've just got to trust me. I challenge you to let yourself fall for me, Lily Evans.

James had to let out a knowing laugh at her commentary, but quieted as she did, curious eyes stopping their game of finding her freckles as they focused on her eyes instead. And as Lily spoke, his smile gentled, and he nodded in agreement. "You know, Lily," he said, smile quirking, "I really like the sound of that. Just you and me making the most of a day." 

All too soon the carriage returned to its starting point and James exited with more steadiness and confidence than he'd entered it with, holding his hand out to help his partner back to the ice. "I suppose we should make sure all of the stations are on track," he said reluctantly after moving a bit away from the line. "I'll take the ones on land?" After a minute vacillation, James grinned and leaned forward to kiss her cheek and headed on his wobbly way.

[Lily Potter]

This day was turning her into the happiest she had been in some time. Well, she was always happy, her life was worth putting in the effort to be joyful, but today was transcendent. Everything appeared perfectly lined up to induce a feeling of intense pleasure. The skating, making her feel free as a child, the friends and laughter and snowball fights, the carriage ride with her partner. The warm cozy space they existed in together. She felt warm inside and though she was surprised by the turn of events recently, she was no less welcoming of them. People were allowed to change, and her feeling for James had changed so much. He made her laugh now, instead of scream. “You’ll never win a legal battle against me.” she teased back. He wouldn’t dare take away all her hard work!

The mood changed after their banter, she felt in the air between them. He grew more serious at her declaration and she found herself smiling softly at his response. Something seemed to pass between them and Lily had to shake off a different kind of chill that the surrounding snow had nothing to do with. A date. They were going on a date. The knowledge made her smile brighter and when he leaned in a kissed her cheek, she thought she might be the brightest red she had ever blushed. She wasn’t too taken to not call after him. “You'll take the land huh? You’re a chicken Potter!” She gave a spin on her skates and then a true laugh, feeling warm and giddy inside again, before gliding away to fulfill her duties. James Potter on her mind.

[Deleted]

He was used to the look of frustration in his roommate's eyes after six years of living together, but it didn't mean it hurt any less. Couldn't Benjy see there was a job to do here? Dirk wasn't one to take points off for anything that wasn't outside of the very rules he had agreed to follow, and frankly, everyone else had agreed to follow them just by attending Hogwarts. If it was the first occurrence, he always made a point to issue a warning instead of any kind of permanent discipline, and Benji knew that - he had seen him do it before. Dirk supposed he would just have to chalk it all up to his dormitory mate trying to impress Prefect Robbins. The thought of that alone made him want to roll his eyes. Some people were just so blinded by love.

Benjy decided to make himself useful instead of prolonging the torture that was watching him attempt to flirt with his co-Prefect, and he left them alone to do their jobs. A swift nod and Dirk was on the side of the shack he had designated to be for rentals. "Swell, Prefect Robbins. I managed to finish all of the tasks I had set for myself before coming out, so my weekend is now remarkably clear. Has it been a good night for you?" They went back to work in silence, which was just fine for him. Since his was such a shorter line up than the one his partner had for returns, he made an effort to assist her whenever his line dried up, and a little while later Benjy returned to give his goodbyes.

I have no intention of giving you detention for being out after hours with your girlfriend, but you still find some reason to be angry with me?

At a certain point, it was not on Dirk to fix his housemate's insecurities. If they had been close, then the older Ravenclaw would have tried harder, but Benjy had never made much of an effort in befriending him. He supposed that not everyone was meant to find nuance in life's pleasantries. Off he went - probably to brood or something just as melodramatic - and he returned to work, quite impressed at how quickly Robbins did as well. Dirk could hardly see what someone as adept as her could see in his dormitory mate. There were no more students coming in for rentals so he fully became his partner's assistant, stocking the shelves and maintaining it's order until it suddenly paused as she spoke with...Sirius Black? He moved back to the front to beckon the others in line to his side as she talked to the Gryffindor, doing his best not to listen in. Whatever their issue was was of none of his concern. All he wanted to do was get through the rest of this line and return to his bed for a good night's rest.