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It was becoming a bit silly, really. Pandora was not subtle about her interest in Lily. She'd all but climbed in her lap and kissed the pretty redhead senseless, but still...nothing. Perhaps that's what it would take?
Lily wasn't oblivious. There were spots of colour on her cheeks when Pandora complimented her outfit or touched her arm when they were talking. Dorcas even called her "Pandora's girlfriend" right in front of Lily, for goodness sakes! Yet, when Pandora asked Lily to go to Hogsmeade together, she'd said, "Like a girls' day out? Fun! I'll see if Marlene and Mary can come too!"
Which is how she ended up at a table in Madame Puddifoot's Tea Shop with Dorcas side-eyeing her for insisting she come along, while Mary and Marlene distracted Lily every time Pandora tried to speak to her. The absurdity of the situation would be hilarious, if it weren't happening to her. Again.
For the nth time this year, Lily inadvertently thwarted Pandora's attempts to get her alone. She was either surrounded by her friends, or in a busy hallway between classes. Even in the library, Lily was busy with her study group. As a top student and Head Girl, she was never alone. Pandora was fighting the urge to grab Lily by the shoulders, shake her, and shout What do you want from me?
Instead, Pandora sipped her tea and tried to come up with an excuse to pull Lily aside. So far, the best she could manage was to follow her to the loo and corner her at a sink, but Lily hadn't needed the loo yet.
"Right, so this is awkward as fuck," Dorcas said, her tea cup clinking noisily into its saucer. "McKinnon, McDonald, let's go."
Marlene's eyebrows soared into her fringe. "Go? Go where?"
"I don't care. We can go to the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer or make out behind Honeydukes. Either way, it's time to go."
Mary laughed. "What are you on about?"
Dorcas stood up and held out her hands to each girl, flicking her fingers impatiently. "We'll decide on the way. Come on."
Her brow furrowed in confusion, Lily started to stand as well, but Dorcas glared at her. "Not you, sit." Lily sat, blinking rapidly.
Mary winked at Pandora as she accepted Dorcas's hand. "Ah, I see. Marly, on your feet. Have fun, ladies!"
"What was that about?" Lily asked, watching the other girls leave.
Pandora clasped her hands together and leaned heavily on the table to put her own face in Lily's line of sight. "Dorcas is an excellent wing-woman."
When Lily's bright green eyes met hers, Pandora's heart squeezed painfully in her chest. She could see the realisation dawning on Lily's face in real time. It was beautiful.
"You were asking me on a date," Lily said, closing her eyes and pressing her thumb and middle finger against them. "I'm an idiot."
"No, you're brilliant, and beautiful, kind, generous, thoughtful, and-"
Lily lifted her hand slightly to peer at Pandora underneath it. "—and may have thought it was too good to be true?"
Pandora laughed, delighted by her honesty. "That's you all over."