Ficlet: Happy the Woman
Instead of sending out resumés like I meant to, I spent the day writing, cleaning and playing games.
Title: Happy the Woman
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Lily/James/Sirius
Word Count: 318
Written for: Schermionie's Poetry Prompt at the Fanfic Challenge Forum over at ff.n. Inspired by John Dryden's version of Horace's Odes 3.29
Sometimes, Lily thought herself mad to fall in love as she had.
James and Sirius sparred before her, flashy wandwork hiding their true proficiencies at duelling. It was wondrous to watch them endlessly improvising, as those practiced moves so flogged as being practical defences against the Death Eaters turned into increasingly imaginative incantations: a thin layer of ice for James to slip on; a burst of shimmering bubbles that filled the air, deflecting Sirius' spells and popping in his ears.
"Orchideous." Sirius brandished a bouquet, no longer satisfied to let Lily stand to the side and spectate, pulling her into their dance.
"Arresto sternutamentum." James prevented the sneezing fit that would have been triggered by her sniffing the charm Sirius had hidden in the flowers. Then, because he couldn't show favouritism, he aimed a "Tarantallegra" at her.
Lily wasn't as experienced as they, but neither James nor Sirius took it easy on her, as well they shouldn't. James blocked the Conjunctivitus Curse she aimed at him by modifying the Impervius Curse on his glasses. When she tried the Leek Curse on Sirius, he pointed his wand at his own head and countered with the Anti-Growing Charm, killing the growths while they were still seedlings.
At last it felt like the game was up when Sirius fell to the floor. Lily thought him defeated, nothing left to do but surrender. He captured her ankle instead, pulling her down atop him, tangling his arms around her waist so she could not escape. James collapsed on them both, pressing his lips to hers.
"We could die tomorrow," Lily murmured, teeth clacking against James', because it had to be said. James held her closer, his chest pressing into her breasts as he breathed in and out, and Sirius laughed into her hair, tickling the back of her neck.
"It would be worth it," she continued, because that had to be said, too.
Title: Happy the Woman
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Lily/James/Sirius
Word Count: 318
Written for: Schermionie's Poetry Prompt at the Fanfic Challenge Forum over at ff.n. Inspired by John Dryden's version of Horace's Odes 3.29
Sometimes, Lily thought herself mad to fall in love as she had.
James and Sirius sparred before her, flashy wandwork hiding their true proficiencies at duelling. It was wondrous to watch them endlessly improvising, as those practiced moves so flogged as being practical defences against the Death Eaters turned into increasingly imaginative incantations: a thin layer of ice for James to slip on; a burst of shimmering bubbles that filled the air, deflecting Sirius' spells and popping in his ears.
"Orchideous." Sirius brandished a bouquet, no longer satisfied to let Lily stand to the side and spectate, pulling her into their dance.
"Arresto sternutamentum." James prevented the sneezing fit that would have been triggered by her sniffing the charm Sirius had hidden in the flowers. Then, because he couldn't show favouritism, he aimed a "Tarantallegra" at her.
Lily wasn't as experienced as they, but neither James nor Sirius took it easy on her, as well they shouldn't. James blocked the Conjunctivitus Curse she aimed at him by modifying the Impervius Curse on his glasses. When she tried the Leek Curse on Sirius, he pointed his wand at his own head and countered with the Anti-Growing Charm, killing the growths while they were still seedlings.
At last it felt like the game was up when Sirius fell to the floor. Lily thought him defeated, nothing left to do but surrender. He captured her ankle instead, pulling her down atop him, tangling his arms around her waist so she could not escape. James collapsed on them both, pressing his lips to hers.
"We could die tomorrow," Lily murmured, teeth clacking against James', because it had to be said. James held her closer, his chest pressing into her breasts as he breathed in and out, and Sirius laughed into her hair, tickling the back of her neck.
"It would be worth it," she continued, because that had to be said, too.