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Raspberry Fizz


James worried that Lily might break off their meeting time at Fortescue’s on account of having heard about Jasper, and kept his eyes on the sky for an owl to arrive all morning. He dressed at noon reluctantly, not wanting to get his hopes up any further than they already were if he wasn’t going to get to see her. He still remembered the feeling of waiting at the Three Broomsticks in his past timeline and he didn’t want that to be one of the artefacts that made it’s way into this one…

James, Remus, and Sirius stepped through the floo into the Leaky Cauldron at twelve-thirty and dusted themselves off, ducking through the crowded pub to Diagon Alley, which was bustling with other back-to-school shoppers. Loads of eleven year olds trembled, looking about at the shops with wide eyes. Sirius stepped around a group of them standing outside Quality Quidditch Supplies, his arms up as though he were wading through murky waters, and he looked at James and Remus, “Were we seriously that size once? Bloody hell, look at them.”

“I don’t believe we were ever that tiny. I think the eleven year olds are just getting shorter,” Remus said with a laugh.

They reached Fortescue’s and hovered in the alley outside by the green tables and James started nervously messing with the hem of his shirt, making sure it was all tucked in properly. “I look alright, yeah?”

“I mean, you’ll pass inspection,” Sirius replied.

James ran his hand through his hair, messing it up anxiously.

“Just be yourself,” Remus instructed.

“Your non-obnoxious self,” Sirius clarified.

“Smile,” Remus added.

“But not like a creepy clown,” Sirius warned.

“Mind your manners.”

“But remember the ladies love a rebel.”

James made a strangled sort of sound, “There she is. I see her. Alright you lot go away.”

Sirius grinned, “Look at us, Moonpie, cast aside like we’re nothing!” He paused as Lily approached through the crowd and James looked rather desperate for them to leave, and Sirius playfully punched James’s shoulder. “Just remember, Prongs - it’s bros before does, alright?” He winked.

“Shut up!” James commanded.

Sirius grinned, “What, don’t you like my joke? I’ve only just made it up.”

James’s eyes narrowed.

“Come along, Padfoot,” Remus said, rolling his eyes and taking hold of Sirius’s shoulder, “Let’s go before we ruin Prongs’s odds with your sexiness.” He pushed him off, away from Fortescue’s.

“That is a concern,” Sirius said, smirking as he allowed Remus to shove him off. He looked back at James. “Good luck, mate.”

“Thanks, now go.”

They’d only just left when Lily finally made it through the knots of people crowding about Diagon Alley to come to a stop before James. She wore shorts and a light yellow top that sort of flowed around her body, but lifted ever so slightly in the front and he wasn’t sure, but he thought he might almost have caught a glimpse of her belly button under it and the thought excited him. Though he didn’t know why. It was just a belly button. But it was Lily Evans’s belly button and that made it superior to other belly buttons. Her hair hung over her shoulders and James couldn’t help but notice how long her legs seemed in those shorts and he awkwardly stood before her a moment, staring into her eyes a moment as it processed that she’d actually come. Then, his brains catching up with him, he leaned forward and pecked her on the cheek as a greeting. “Hullo.”

“Hullo,” she answered.

James felt like his heart was all tied up in it’s own strings and his palms were clammy. “How’s your - your summer been? Since… you know, everything… since I last saw you?”

“A bit more boring than it started out,” she joked.

“Haven’t been flying any cars without us, then?”

“Certainly not,” Lily answered, laughing too hard for such a casual joke. She felt slightly dizzy because he’d put on that cologne and his hair was messy and his lip hung up on his tooth and she could still feel the spot where his nose had just bumped her cheek when he pecked her hello and this was bad, how dizzy she felt right now over all the senses James Potter was clogging up at once…

“I - um - d’ya wanna - y’know - maybe - go in?” James asked.

“Okay,” Lily answered.

They turned toward the shop and James awkwardly took her hand, then, scared he was crossing a boundary, let it go. Then took it up again. Then let it go again, but this time to run ahead and grab the door instead and he pulled it open, tripping over his own feet as he held it for her and she went through and his glasses slid down his nose as he followed after her. They stood back from the counter on the checker-tiled floor and Lily looked up at the menu while James looked at Lily and tried to decide if she’d felt tense when he grabbed her hand before or if she’d been okay with it, but he couldn’t quite decide because he hadn’t really held it long enough to tell and he didn’t want to do anything weird or anything so he stood there next to her, his hand kind of half extended toward her so she could take his if she wanted… and he flexed his fingers, wanting them to be good and ready to weave with hers if they got the chance…

“Raspberry fizz,” Lily said thoughtfully, “Is it truly fizzy?”

“Yes,” James said. “Tickles your nose.”

“Like a soda pop?”

“Yes.”

Lily laughed, “I think the only flavor I’ve ever had here is the buttered popcorn because it’s so strange! You know, muggles don’t make buttered popcorn flavored ice cream usually.”

“Missing out, they are,” James said. “Ever had the buttered popcorn with a caramel drizzle?”

“I haven’t,” Lily admitted.

“It’s mad,” James said, “So good.”

“It sounds good.”

“I’ll get that and you get the fizz and we can share,” he suggested. James flushed the moment he got the suggestion out. Sharing ice cream seemed far too intimate a thing to do on a - was this a date? He couldn’t remember if he’d worded it as a date or if he’d left it open to interpretation. What if she didn’t think they were on a date? Did he think they were on a date? Was it appropriate to share ice cream cups on a date?

Whatever it was, Lily didn’t seem off put by the suggestion. Rather, she smiled and agreed quickly and James felt his face flush and he said, “Brilliant.” And they stepped up to the counter and James held up his fingers for Florean Fortescue, who looked over the shiny glass counter at them - his face a mass of freckles. “Two cups,” James said, “One raspberry fizz and one buttered popcorn with extra caramel drizzle.”

“Coming right up!” Florean said with a smile and he waved his wand to set the scoops coming from the bins of brightly coloured ice cream in the case.

Lily’s fingers laced through James’s as they waited.

James’s heart raced.

He dropped the money for the cups on the counter, plus a bit extra as tip, and he took up two pink spoons from a tray of them at the end and Lily took napkins as James took up the two cups with one hand, not wanting to let go of her hand because of how nice it felt holding it and he balanced their way over to one of the little green tables.

Lily sat down and released James’s hand, which he regretted, and he struggled to juggle the two cups and the spoons and the cup of raspberry fizz - bright red as it was - spilled and one of the scoops inside fell and landed right on Lily’s chest, right on her yellow blouse, and he food colouring in the ice cream immediately seeped into the fabric.

“Oh no, bloody hell, I’m sorry,” James dropped the cups on to the table, grabbed the napkins Lily had just put on the table, and hurriedly reached to wipe the ice cream off her shirt - then realized it was on her breastal area and James’s face turned scarlet - even redder than the stain that was now on her - as she told him to stop, she’d soak it in club soda (“you have to dab, not wipe it”) - and he dropped the napkins into her lap and sat abruptly, knocking the table so it sort of shook. “Shizer,” he cursed.

Lily was looking down at her blouse and dabbing with the abandoned napkins, “Two left feet, Potter?”

James blushed. “Sorry. I’m sorry. Bloody hell. I’m never this clumsy.”

Lily looked up at him.

“I’m nervous,” he confessed.

“Are you sure you didn’t do that just to get a feel of my chest then?” she said bluntly because it sounded like something Sirius Black would say and she wanted to make James laugh but instead of laughing he looked horrified.

“I’d never - no - I - I wouldn’t - I --”

“James!” she said, laughing at the panic that crossed his face, “James, I’m kidding. Relax.”

He stared at her for a long moment then, realizing she was truly just kidding, he laughed because of course she was and his face burned and he felt like his stomach had turned inside out with panic and he gasped, “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. Gods alive, I’ve ruined your blouse. Let me pay you for a new one.”

“It’s alright,” she said, “It’s just an old thing I threw on.” She was lying, she’d brought it just for the occasion.

“No - here - look, um. How much do blouses cost? That’s a nice one two. Two? Three galleons maybe?”

“James stop trying to buy my shirt. Put your purse away.”

He stared at her and shoved it back in his pocket. “Did I mention I’m nervous?”

“You don’t say?”

“I’m sweating from my head to my toes. I swear. Under this shirt, I’m about ninety-nine percent liquid, Evans.”

She laughed, then leaned forward. “May I tell you a secret, Potter?”

“What’s that?” he asked.

“I’m nervous, too.”

“Yeah?”

Lily nodded.

“What in bloody hell have you got to be nervous about? You’re you.”

Lily said, “Yes, and you are you.” She stared at him and let that sink in a moment, and he relaxed a little - visibly - leaning back in the seat. She shook her head, smirking, “Now, don’t go letting that go to your head or anything, Potter…”

James laughed. “I make no promises, Evans.”