(no subject)
Title: Hot, fat and ugly
Author: apostrophe_ess
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to JKR, I merely gain from playing these games in her playground.
Pairing/Character: pregnant!Lily/James and Sirius Black
Word Count: 726
Rating: G
Prompt: For potterverse100, number 28 - weather. Prompt table here
Summary: Living in London had seemed ideal until now, and right now to Lily it seemed impossible.
Hot, fat and ugly
London wasn’t just hot, it was unpleasant. For the first time since they’d seen their little flat, and fallen in love with it as a first home, Lily questioned why they’d chosen to live here.
Cooling charms were all well and good, but they weren’t as refreshing as a cool breeze. It was impossible to get comfortable, however hard she tried.
With the windows open in the front room, and the window open in the bedroom, and all the doors opened, it was just possible to get the faintest breeze flowing through their basement rooms. But with the windows mainly below pavement level they got fuel fumes from the Muggle cars that drove up and down, more than fresh air.
Sitting on the settee in the front room got the best of the breeze, but wasn’t doing much for her back this morning, laying on the bed was more comfortable in one way, but just too hot in another.
“If only we had a garden,” she muttered to herself uselessly. They didn’t have a garden, basement flats never did, and even if they had she couldn’t safely use it. Not these days.
That was the trouble with the London squares too. They weren’t safe, especially on her own. If she was being watched, and she had no idea of knowing whether she was or not, then she didn’t dare step outside the front door.
No, Lily was trapped. Hugely pregnant and trapped in an airless flat, on her own with no-one to talk to except a baby who not only couldn’t hear her, but preferred squashing her bladder, and kicking her in the ribs and generally taking up more room than he was entitled to take up in someone else’s body.
“Lil!” James breezed in through the front door. “Where are you?”
“In here,” Lily called out, finally settled on the settee. “I’m not getting up, I don’t think I can.”
“Guess who’s come to see us?”
“Snivellus? Musidora Barkwith? The Minister for Magic himself?”
“What’s wrong?” James asked. Lily’s uncharacteristic tone was bordering on the sarcastic. He’d hardly heard her use that for years now. “She’s not …” he pointed to her stomach with a concerned look. What if Lily was having the baby? Now!
“No, he’s quite happy where he is for now.” She thought of saying worst luck, but changed her mind. If he wanted to be in there, then that’s where he was best, she knew that really.
“What’s wrong then Lil?” James asked, as Sirius slipped into the room behind him.
“I’m hot, fat, ugly, and I can’t get comfortable. I can’t even get cool, yet alone comfortable.”
“Well Lil,” James grinned. “I’d agree that you’re hot, but I’d dispute fat and ugly. Strongly. In fact,” he dropped his voice, “If Sirius here wasn’t around I’d be more than willing to show you how strongly I dispute it.”
“Too much information, mate,” Sirius offered from the door. “Though I could go if you like?”
Lily looked from one to the other. Did either of them really think that in the state she was in right now she was looking for an opportunity for that in this heat? “It’s okay. One of you can get me a drink, if you like though. Or even better still, find a way of cooling me down.”
“The rush of air blowing back your hair?” Sirius asked.
“Yes.” The idea sounded bliss.
“The chill that only comes from flying so high you think you can’t go any higher.”
“If I thought I was safe on a broom,” Lily answered wistfully.
“Pumpkin juice, fresh from the fridge,” James told her, offering her the glass.
“Drink up Lil. I’ve got something to show you.”
Lily looked at her drink, then out through the window at the blue, blue sky. “Outside?” Sirius nodded. Could she even be bothered to move? Now that she’d finally got comfortable. “I don’t know-“ she began as the other person, the one inside who decided exactly how Lily was spending her days recently, changed position again, and she had no choice but to sit up in order to breath. “What is it?”
Sirius grinned at the thought of the beauty he’d left outside against the pavement, gleaming silver and black, with the best flying charms a wand could cast. “Come on, I’ll show you.”
Author: apostrophe_ess
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to JKR, I merely gain from playing these games in her playground.
Pairing/Character: pregnant!Lily/James and Sirius Black
Word Count: 726
Rating: G
Prompt: For potterverse100, number 28 - weather. Prompt table here
Summary: Living in London had seemed ideal until now, and right now to Lily it seemed impossible.
Hot, fat and ugly
London wasn’t just hot, it was unpleasant. For the first time since they’d seen their little flat, and fallen in love with it as a first home, Lily questioned why they’d chosen to live here.
Cooling charms were all well and good, but they weren’t as refreshing as a cool breeze. It was impossible to get comfortable, however hard she tried.
With the windows open in the front room, and the window open in the bedroom, and all the doors opened, it was just possible to get the faintest breeze flowing through their basement rooms. But with the windows mainly below pavement level they got fuel fumes from the Muggle cars that drove up and down, more than fresh air.
Sitting on the settee in the front room got the best of the breeze, but wasn’t doing much for her back this morning, laying on the bed was more comfortable in one way, but just too hot in another.
“If only we had a garden,” she muttered to herself uselessly. They didn’t have a garden, basement flats never did, and even if they had she couldn’t safely use it. Not these days.
That was the trouble with the London squares too. They weren’t safe, especially on her own. If she was being watched, and she had no idea of knowing whether she was or not, then she didn’t dare step outside the front door.
No, Lily was trapped. Hugely pregnant and trapped in an airless flat, on her own with no-one to talk to except a baby who not only couldn’t hear her, but preferred squashing her bladder, and kicking her in the ribs and generally taking up more room than he was entitled to take up in someone else’s body.
“Lil!” James breezed in through the front door. “Where are you?”
“In here,” Lily called out, finally settled on the settee. “I’m not getting up, I don’t think I can.”
“Guess who’s come to see us?”
“Snivellus? Musidora Barkwith? The Minister for Magic himself?”
“What’s wrong?” James asked. Lily’s uncharacteristic tone was bordering on the sarcastic. He’d hardly heard her use that for years now. “She’s not …” he pointed to her stomach with a concerned look. What if Lily was having the baby? Now!
“No, he’s quite happy where he is for now.” She thought of saying worst luck, but changed her mind. If he wanted to be in there, then that’s where he was best, she knew that really.
“What’s wrong then Lil?” James asked, as Sirius slipped into the room behind him.
“I’m hot, fat, ugly, and I can’t get comfortable. I can’t even get cool, yet alone comfortable.”
“Well Lil,” James grinned. “I’d agree that you’re hot, but I’d dispute fat and ugly. Strongly. In fact,” he dropped his voice, “If Sirius here wasn’t around I’d be more than willing to show you how strongly I dispute it.”
“Too much information, mate,” Sirius offered from the door. “Though I could go if you like?”
Lily looked from one to the other. Did either of them really think that in the state she was in right now she was looking for an opportunity for that in this heat? “It’s okay. One of you can get me a drink, if you like though. Or even better still, find a way of cooling me down.”
“The rush of air blowing back your hair?” Sirius asked.
“Yes.” The idea sounded bliss.
“The chill that only comes from flying so high you think you can’t go any higher.”
“If I thought I was safe on a broom,” Lily answered wistfully.
“Pumpkin juice, fresh from the fridge,” James told her, offering her the glass.
“Drink up Lil. I’ve got something to show you.”
Lily looked at her drink, then out through the window at the blue, blue sky. “Outside?” Sirius nodded. Could she even be bothered to move? Now that she’d finally got comfortable. “I don’t know-“ she began as the other person, the one inside who decided exactly how Lily was spending her days recently, changed position again, and she had no choice but to sit up in order to breath. “What is it?”
Sirius grinned at the thought of the beauty he’d left outside against the pavement, gleaming silver and black, with the best flying charms a wand could cast. “Come on, I’ll show you.”