Thank you for all the marvelous replies!
Chapter 3 : First Kisses
Sirius leaned toward Lily. There faces were inches apart. He leaned even closer and closed his eyes. Their lips
touched, soft at first. When Lily didn't pull away, Sirius kissed her again. She has the softest lips, he
thought.
Suddenly, Lily pulled back. Surprised, Sirius opened his eyes and stared at her. "What?"
"That's what I was thinking. What? As in 'what the heck are you doing?!"' Lily stared back at
Sirius, waiting for his answer. To his relief, she didn't sound angry, just surprised, although she was doing her
best to intimidate him with her stare. What was I thinking?! She just made a date with my best friend! So just look
away and think up something clever -oh crap. I just went through this and look what happened. Aaarrrrggg.....
*WHAM* The portal door burst open and James, Remus, and Peter fell into the Gryffindor common room
laughing hysterically.
"Hey, guys, what's going on?" Sirius called to his friends. With a quick glance over his shoulder, he
saw Lily retake her place on the sofa and knew that their conversation was on hold...for now.
"Oh...my...God... you totally missed it," James cried. Sirius walked over and grabbed James'
arm to help him stand. James clung to Sirius and bent over, wiping tears of laughter from his face.
"Missed what," Sirius asked.
"Snivelly!" Peter cried. "It was great, they-"
"SHHHH!!" James said. He got control of himself and looked pointedly at the couch. The Marauders looked over
to where Lily was sitting. She'd been joined by her friend Sara and the two were talking in hushed tones.
"I kind of promised Lily I'd leave old Snivellus alone. She thinks it's me showing off when I pick on
him," James grinned. "But he started it! I was defending myself......really!" he insisted when the
others laughed at him.
"Yeah, right Prongs," Remus said slyly. "Complete self defense when a guy's back is
turned."
"He was facing sideways! That's not completely turned!" James said.
Sirius gave a snort of laughter at that. Grinning guiltily, James turned to his best friend. "Yeah, ok, I know, I
know... but he called Lily a mudblood," James turned serious and the smile left his face. "Snape's lucky
I didn't kill him where he stood."
Insides burning, the Marauders turned to look at Lily and Sara. Sirius couldn't take his eyes off Lily. He watched
the light from the fire glow in her hair. He saw her eyes light up with laughter and went weak at the knees when she
smiled. Sirius was startled out of his reverie when James spoke to him, quietly, so the others couldn't hear.
"I just don't want anything bad to touch Lily ever again. I'm going to make sure my Lily has the perfect
day tomorrow," James said softly.
"It's just one date, Prongs," Sirius replied. His insides were squirming with guilt at the thought of
what had happened right before James came in.
"Maybe. But....." James trailed off and a dull flush rose on his cheeks.
"What? Spit it out, Prongs!"
"Padfoot, I think I'm in love with her."
Stunned, Sirius turned to look at his best friend. James was staring at Lily, a happy dream-like expression on his
face. "Wild, isn't it?"
For once in his life, Sirius had nothing to say.
**********
Her mind reeling, Lily jumped back onto the sofa as James, Remus, and Peter made their grand entrance into the
Gryffindor common room. She searched for her book, but it had gotten lost during the pillow fight with Sirius. OK,
first he bites me on the neck, then he KISSES me! Did I miss something here?
Lily was suddenly brought back to earth by the arrival of her best friend. Sara Brown had been Lily's best friend
since they met in Charms their first year. Sara's long brown hair had been colored with funky red & blonde streaks,
she played Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and was almost as much of a mischief maker as the infamous
Marauders.
"OK, is he not just the cutest thing you've ever seen?" Sara sighed. Lily didn't even have to ask:
Sara had been head over heels for Sirius for years.
"If you go for that sort of thing. I've seen cuter," Lily replied vaguely.
"So I've noticed! Along with the rest of the school," Sara snickered. "About time you admitted you
have a thing for Potter. I thought you'd never come around!"
"Oh my god," Lily muttered," it's really more like a pity date. Let it go already, will
you?"
Sara knew better. "Really? Really, Lily?" her voice disbelieving.
Lily felt her cheeks burning. "OK, maybe he's grown up a bit. So, he's not playing with the
Snitch in the hallways anymore, and he's definitely not the show off he used to be......and his hair really does
look good all rumpled up like that.........."
Sara leaned in to hear more. "And? AND?!"
"And...." Lily smiled,"......he really is good looking....especially when he's flying....or
smiling...or walking...or sitting down......"
"HA! I knew it! You are smitten!" Sara crowed in triumph.
"Shhh! They'll hear you! And I am not smitten! I'm just saying--"
"Oh please Lily. I know better. Here I'm gonna ask you a question and the first thing that comes into your
mind, say it. OK? Now - what color are James' eyes?"
"Hazel." Lily had them memorized, but she'd never admit it.
"Any dimples to go with that smile?"
"Yeah, on his left cheek."
"Who'll be best man at your wedding?"
"Knowing my luck, Sirius, Remus, AND Peter!"
"And the names of your future children?" Sara was laughing now.
"Rowan for a girl, Harry if it's a boy."
"HA! HA! You're already naming the children and you haven't even gone on your first date! See, you
are smitten."
Lily's face blended perfectly with her bright red hair. "Am not!"
"Are too!"
"I am not, Sara!"
"Lily, you are soooooo the smitten kitten!"
"Am no-.... I'm a lost cause aren't I?" Lily surrendered sheepishly. She and Sara looked over to
where the four boys stood in the middle of the room. Lily prayed no one had heard her and Sara talking. She'd
already been waltzed around the Great Hall and kissed by her date's best friend----no, don't think about
that she told herself firmly.
"He was facing sideways! That's not completely turned!" James suddenly burst out. The other three boys
laughed hysterically, but Lily and Sara just exchanged confused looks.
"OK," Sara said, "James may not be a show off anymore, but he's still really weird."
"This to the girl who was literally dancing with him in the middle of dinner! Hey, we all have our flaws,"
Lily laughed.
"Shut up! You love it." Sara had her eyes on Sirius again. Lily followed her friends gaze. He really is
cute, especially when he laughs, she thought. Wait ---- this is Sirius Black we're thinking about here. My
personal tormentor for 7 years! OK, James was my tormentor too, but while Sirius was kind of mean, James was...well ok
Lil, admit it, James was kind of cute. So then why in the name of MERLIN did Sirius kiss me?!?!?!
"Oh, Lil? Lily? Dear little Lilypoo?" Sara was waving her hands in front of Lily's face. Lily hoped she
hadn't been staring too long. Lucky for her, Sara could be a bit oblivious sometimes. "James already has you
mesmerized. That didn't take too long, now, did it? Well, I shouldn't be surprised...." Sara let her voice
trail off. She had a huge grin on her face.
"What?" Lily was suddenly suspicious. Sara's grin was usually an omen; she was quite the prankster and
Lily sometimes ended up as the trial dummy.
"Oh, I just never thought you'd be the kind of girl to snog a guy before the first date! That's
usually me." Sara's wicked grin widened at Lily's look.
"I'm not!" Lily protested. "What on earth makes you think that?!"
"The hickey on your neck."
"WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!" Lily jumped up in indignation. "Sara, are you sniffing doxy droppings or
something? Because you've obviously lost your mind!"
"Right here, Lil'." Sara reached out and touched Lily's neck where the small purple mark had
appeared. Lily put her hand over Sara's fingers..... Right where Sirius had bitten her on the neck. Oh......
my..... God.... I'll KILL him!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thinking frantically, Lily stuttered," Uh--uh---ok! I'm tired now. See? YAWN! All right then,
g'night!" And without another word, Lily ran up the stairs to her dormitory, leaving a very amused Sara in the
common room.
Ohmigod, THINK Evans! Think! You can' tell Sara because Sara will kill you. You can't tell James because
it'll break his heart. What to do now? Oh, I can't believe he bit me hard enough to leave a mark. He's a
dead man when I see him again. Lily tossed and turned in her bed all night.
************
They were standing very close together in front of the fire in the Gryffindor common room. He couldn't take his
eyes off her face. Sirius reached out and brushed Lily's gorgeous red hair out of her eyes, then leaned in and
kissed her. She kissed him back, softly at first, then with more and more passion. He folded Lily into his arms and she
put her arms around his neck, running her fingers through his hair.
Still kissing, he led Lily away from the fire, and they sank onto the sofa together. Sirius gently pulled on her lower
lip, then trailed kisses down her neck. He reveled in the taste of her soft skin. He slid his hands down her back and
gently lifted her shirt enough to feel her bare skin. His entire body tingled as she moaned and softly whispered his
name in his ear. Sirius leaned back as Lily nibbled gently on his ear. Her tender fingers were slowly unbuttoning his
shirt as she left a trail of kisses down the center of his body-
Sirius awoke with a start, his entire body drenched in sweat. "What the hell?" he muttered.