Once again, a HUGE thanks to my fantastic betas,Cheeringcharm and Vicarious Leigh. Cheeringcharm, in particular, added a LOT to this post, and is responsible for a good deal of the fluffy goodness that you all now have to enjoy. This post is the main reason that this fiction is rated PG-13, although it is reasonably tame, and should not offend anyone's sensibilities.
Before I say the thank yous, I have to thank my wonderful husband (my very own, personal Sirius) for the brilliant idea about how to bring Lily and James together. Without spoiling what I've written, my husband had two friends who were brought together in a similar (but...er...well, muggle, manner). So--when I say that I take from my life when I write the Marauders, I mean it. *huggles hubby* Thank you! (Even though he's not a member, so he won't actually see this).
Finally-I have posted up my long novel, The Ancient Book of Elves, which tells the story of Lily's and friends' first year at Hogwarts. It's much longer than this particular story, but the events of the first two years in this story are in that one, from Lily's point-of-view. I hope that you all will read it. You can find it at: http://fanfiction.portkey.org/index.php?act=read&storyid=1857
I hope to see your thoughts and comments as that story progresses!
Seventh Year
James paused outside the door to the head boy and girl carriage, and peeked in the window. Lily was already in there, a piece of parchment hovering just above her lap, with a quill floating slightly above it. She was leaning against the window, one ankle tucked under her knee, obviously deep in thought. She was curling a strand of her hair around the index finger of one hand. Every so often, she would open her mouth and say something, and the quill would be sent flying across the parchment. James almost regretted going in and interrupting her solitude. She looked so beautiful, sitting there, working away-completely in her element. The sunlight from the windows played delicately across her shoulders and hair, glinting softly off of the milky white of Lily's skin, and setting her hair on fire. He watched her for a moment longer before reluctantly tapping the doorknob with his wand and saying the password to open the door.
She lifted her head and smiled briefly, before the look on her face changed from one of welcome to one of puzzlement. "What are you doing in here, Potter? This carriage is for the Head Girl and Head Boy only."
James paused in the door and looked bemusedly at Lily. "Then I've found the right place," he said, pushing his trunk through the door, and settling it onto the seat, a little surprised that she was unaware of his status as Head Boy. The first thing he'd done after he'd gotten his badge was to owl Professor Dumbledore and ask him who his partner in crime-crime defense, that is. He was Head Boy now, after all-was going to be. He was pretty certain that he hadn't stopped grinning since he'd received the owl back from Dumbledore that the Head Girl was none other than the woman of his dreams.
Lily blinked at him, her confusion evident in her eyes. "You aren't…but you can't be! You weren't even a-"
"A prefect?" James asked, shrugging. "Yeah, I know it's odd, but apparently you don't have to be a prefect in order to be a head boy."
"But why-why you?"
James shrugged again and dropped into the seat across from Lily. "Apparently, old McGonagall thinks that I have exhibited tremendous personal growth, and impressive 'leadership qualities' over the past year. Or so Dumbledore told my mum when she owled him to make sure there hadn't been a mistake."
Lily giggled slightly. "Even your mum didn't believe it, huh?"
"Nope. And let me tell you, that's good for the confidence, isn't it?" James's cheeks burned slightly at the memory. So notorious were his antics at school that even his own mum had doubted that he actually deserved the honor. He couldn't decide if he was proud or ashamed of this fact. Probably a bit of both, actually.
"I hardly think that you'd need any help with your confidence, Potter."
You'd be surprised.
She wouldn't if you'd show her.
James reached into his trunk and pulled out the paperwork that had arrived with the head boy badge. "So, have you had a chance to go through all of this?" he asked, hoping to change the subject. He lifted his eyes to meet Lily's, and nearly laughed out loud. The look that she was giving him told him no uncertain terms that not only had she read it, but she had also prepared a speech to give to the prefects when they went to speak with them momentarily.
"So…that's a yes then?" he said, ruffling his hand through his hair.
"Yes," she answered, "and I've put together on note cards a few points that we need to go over with the newer prefects. I've organized them into-" James couldn't stifle the laughter that bubbled up at this relevation. "And just what is so funny, Potter?" Lily huffed indignantly.
Lily's indignation only served to make him laugh harder, and for a moment, he couldn't speak. "You," he said finally. "That," he added. Lily watched him, a dangerous glint in her eye.
He took several deep breaths, trying to control the laughter. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry, it's just that…well, I knew you'd be prepared, but I never expected you to actually have…notecards!" He dissolved into laughter again, and Lily huffed loudly.
"Yes, Potter. Unlike you, I take this responsibility very seriously, and I want the prefects to respect our authority, so I thought-,"
James wiped at the tears in his eyes and held up a hand. "Yes, Evans. Yes. I get it. I understand. I just…I. You know what? Never mind. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to laugh at you, okay? Do you want to tell me what you have prepared, then?"
She looked at him suspiciously for a long moment. "All right," she said. "All right. But if you laugh at me again, I'm going in there without telling you another word, and you'll be left to look like an idiot."
"I don't need your help to look like an idiot, Evans," he said self-deprecatingly, "but it just so happens that I've also made notes on what I think is important." Lily stared at him in disbelief for a moment. "I know, hard to believe, but it's true. I'm taking this seriously. I want to compare what you've got to what I've got, okay? Let's see them."
Lily nodded, the look of disbelief not completely gone from her eyes. She leaned over to pull the notecards out of her bag, and as she did so, James couldn't help but notice the way that her robes fell forward slightly, revealing an enticing glimpse of the soft swell of her breasts.
Don't let her catch you staring.
But…
Don't be an idiot. Look at her eyes. Her EYES!
But I already know what her eyes look like!
"Potter!" Lily's accusing voice interrupted him. He lifted his eyes guiltily to meet her gaze, and she waved the note cards at him. "If you're done staring down my robes, you can have a look at these."
But I wasn't done!
I think she's telling you that you are.
"Right…er, sorry. I just thought you'd spilled something on your…er…just there." He motioned vaguely at her collar, then grabbed the cards from her and quickly shuffled through them, too flustered to read a word that was written on them.
"So, what do you think?" Lily asked after a moment. "If you've been able to keep your mind off of my breasts long enough to read them, that is," she added scathingly.
He chose to ignore her last statement and took a deep breath, trying to compose his thoughts. "They look good, Evans," he said, and then realizing how that sounded and, horrified, trying to recover, added, "The notecards, I mean, not your breasts." She raised an eyebrow at him, and he flushed.
Shut up now, while you still have a chance to hold on to at least some modicum of dignity.
"Not that they aren't lovely, because they are, but-"
That's it. Say hello to eternal bachelorhood.
James broke off, and looked around the compartment, trying desperately to think of something clever to say. Her soft laughter met his ears, and when he had finally recovered from his embarrassment enough to meet her gaze, he was amazed to find that far from being irritated with him, she seemed to be finding the situation incredibly amusing, and it was his turn to wonder what in the world was so funny.
"What?" he asked. "What are you laughing about?"
"You," she said, echoing his answer to her earlier. "That. Just…I've never seen you so flustered before, Potter. I didn't think it was possible. I'm sorry. I guess I was just surprised, that's all."
He stared at her for a moment, before grinning again. "There's a lot of things about me that would surprise
you, Lily," he said softly, "if you'd just give me a chance to show you."
Lily looked away from him quickly, and James could tell that it was now she who was trying frantically to come up with something clever. "Are you absolutely CERTAIN you didn't steal that badge from Remus?" she asked finally, clearly trying to put their conversation back into her comfort zone, but she was unable to hide from James the slight huskiness in her voice.
"As much as I hate to disappoint you, Evans, this badge belongs to me, and only me." James said, reaching out and patting her comfortingly on the hand. "You'd better get used to the idea. Like it or not, we'll be spending a lot of time together over the next year."
Every time I try to talk to you
I get tongue-tied
Turns out, everything I say to you
Comes out wrong, it never comes out right
"Oh, go on Evans…Let me help you in Transfiguration! What are you so afraid of?" James asked, plopping down across from Lily at the table that she had picked out.
"Afraid?" she asked, and when her eyes met his, they were startled. "I'm not afraid of anything," she said, reaching down and pulling her Transfiguration book roughly out of her backpack. "I'm a Gryffindor, aren't I?"
James watched her for a moment. He knew how to handle Lily when she was relaxed and laughing, for he often saw her that way around her friends, and had even been lucky enough to experience that side of her from time to time himself, and he knew how to handle Lily when she was angry and shouting, for he'd been handling her in that mood more often than not for the last six years and counting. The common denominator, no matter which temper she was in at the moment, was that she was always honest. He could count on that, and respond accordingly. It was one of the things that he loved about her-one of the many things that he loved about her.
At the moment, however, she was jumpy, and nervous, and very definitely hiding something. That much he knew. What she was hiding-and whether or not it was anything to worry about-remained a mystery. Lily had never been any good at lying, and although she'd gotten far better at it in the years since he'd known her-out of necessity more than out of desire-she could not lie to him. It was one of the things that he knew frustrated her about him-one of the many things that he knew frustrated her about him. Not that it was unusual for Lily to not tell him what was on her mind. It was just that usually when she didn't want to discuss a topic with him, she would say "Leave it, Potter. I don't want to talk about it." Honest and truthful. Not, "Nothing, Potter," when so clearly something was.
Does it ever scare you how well you know her?
The only thing that scares me is that she may never realize it.
Lily dropped her Transfiguration book on the table, and glared at him. "WHAT are you staring at? Do I have a piece of lettuce caught in my teeth or something?"
James nearly laughed out loud. "No," he said, wondering if he should tell her the truth about what he'd been thinking. "Nothing like that."
"Well, then?" she demanded. "What had you so lost in thought?"
"You did," he said, gazing into her eyes.
Nice.
Thank you.
Lily's hand jerked sporadically at his words, sending the Transfiguration book crashing to the ground. She tore her eyes away from his and reached down to pick up the book, as James watched her, his mind wandering in spite of his best efforts to keep it in check. Lily's hair fell softly over her shoulder, revealing the creamy white skin on the nape of her neck. Her robes clung softly to her back, and hips, accentuating every curve. As he had so many times before, James found himself thinking about kissing the nape of her neck while he slid his hands from her shoulders, down her back, to-
"James!" Lily's voice interrupted him, and he reluctantly pulled himself away from the fantasy Lily to address the real-but infinitely less entertaining at the moment-Lily standing in front of him. She had stood back up, and was now looking inquisitively at him, hands on her hips, flushing. "You're staring again."
Something in her eyes gave James pause, and he had a sudden sneaking suspicion that he knew what this was about, and he couldn't restrain the smile that crept across his features. "Are you going to tell me you mind?" he couldn't quite stop himself from asking.
Careful.
I know! Give me some credit, please?
Lily dropped the quill that she was holding. "What the…what are…" She took a deep breath, as though trying to compose herself. "Just what are you insinuating Potter?" she asked calmly, waving her wand to summon the quill. In her agitation, however, she over-emphasized the swish, sending the quill careening down the table and knocking it into the inkwell on the edge, which went flying, spilling ink all over Lily's robes, before it shattered on the ground.
"Bloody hell," Lily said, pointing her wand at the ink well on the floor.
"Here, let me get that for you. You're going to hurt someone in the state that you're in," he said, pulling out his wand and muttering Reparo. The inkwell flew back together. With another wave of his wand the ink stain disappeared from her robes. "There, that's better, isn't it," he said. He reached out and took Lily's hand, intending to guide her to sit down.
She pulled it sharply away from him. "Stop it," she said, her lips pursed tightly together.
"Stop what?" he asked, trying desperately not to laugh.
"Stop-doing that!" she said, sitting down in her chair. She flipped open the book and paged through it feverishly. "You know, trying to charm me, and…and that! It won't work, okay?"
"Lily," James said tenderly, reaching out his hand, and setting it firmly on top of hers, stopping the page flipping. She looked at his hand covering hers with an almost panicked expression, and her breathing quickened ever so slightly. James looked down at their hands and began to rub his thumb softly across the back of her hand, astounded to realize that her skin was even softer than he had imagined it to be. He tore his gaze from the startling sight of their intertwined hands and saw her quickly look away from him, pulling her hand from his as she did.
He forced his now empty hand to move and closed the book softly. "It's an old book. You've already dropped it once. Keep paging through it like that, and you're going to reduce it to dust. You need to be gentle with it. Now, do you want my help in Transfiguration or don't you?"
"I don't," she said stiffly, refusing to meet his gaze.
Because you're afraid of being alone with me? he thought. Or at least, he thought he'd thought it. The horrified gaze that Lily was now giving him told him otherwise. Her eyes were clouding up more quickly than a crystal ball did when he looked at it, and that was saying something
"You don't have to be afraid to be alone with me. We would just be studying Transfiguration. I swear I won't hurt you," he added, trying to force a light tone into his voice in order to make it seem as though they were still just talking about the possibility of his becoming her tutor, but they both knew he meant more than that.
Lily stared at him for a long moment, as though trying to decide whether or not to tell him the truth. Apparently she decided against it, because the words that she spoke next were not the ones that James was hoping to hear.
"I don't have any idea what you're talking about James Potter!" she said, summoning all of her supplies and directing them into her bag. "Why would I be afraid of you hurting me?" She stormed through the portrait hole and out of the common room before James could stop her.
There are so many other endings to this conversation that I would have preferred.
At least she's aware of her feelings now. She'll come around eventually, won't she?
Honestly? I'm beginning to wonder.
So l say why don't you and I get together
We'll take on the world, be together forever
Heads we will and tails we'll try again
"It's not as simple as all that, Padfoot!" James said angrily, flopping onto his bed, and rubbing his hands roughly through his hair before sitting up to look at his best friend. "I promised her that I wouldn't ask her out again. If she wants to go out with me, she'll have to ask. I do have some pride, you know!"
"You're acting like an idiot, Prongs," Sirius countered, shaking his head. "You chased her around like a puppy dog for six years. What's one more time?"
"No," James responded stubbornly. "I'm done asking her. If she wants to go out with me, she'll have to set her pride aside and ask me."
"Do you know what, Prongs?" Sirius asked, standing up and pacing in a way that reminded James forcefully of Sirius's gait in his animagus form. "I can't stand this any longer. BOTH of you-BOTH of you are miserable, and not only do I get to hear about it from you, I get Alice complaining to me to get you to do something, because all the Princesses ever hear from Lily is how she's missed her chance with you, and that she was an idiot not to say yes when you asked before."
"At least she realizes she was an idiot," James said, his heart leaping at his friend's words.
You'd better not say that to her.
I know that! What do you think I am, an idiot?
Do you really want me to answer that?
Sirius stopped pacing long enough to shoot him a look of consternation. "You'd better not say that to
her," Sirius said, echoing James's thoughts.
"I know that!" James said petulantly.
"If you start talking to her like that again, you'll set us back at least a couple of months," Sirius continued, ignoring James.
"I said I-" James stopped and stared at his best friend for a moment. "Hang on, what do you mean, set 'us' back a couple of months? It's not like you've been working to bring the two of us together. Have you?"
James looked closely at Sirius, but Sirius turned away without answering.
Well, that's certainly news.
"Padfoot-you haven't been, have you?"
When Sirius turned to face James again, he was grinning, and his eyes were sparkling with the mischief that James knew all too well. "I might have been conspiring with the princesses from time to time, mate. You know, to make sure you and Lily ended up alone together at the library. Or to make sure everyone emptied out of the common room to give you two plenty of time to discuss your feelings. But NEITHER of you are doing anything and neither of you are even willing to consider doing anything and I'm not going to sit here, and watch you throw away your chance with Evans just because you're too stubborn. Give me your wand."
"What?" James asked, his hand reaching automatically for the wand that was sitting beside his bed. "What do you want with my wand?"
"Trust me, Prongs."
James raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Trust you?"
Sirius sighed. "Yes, trust me. Have I ever done anything to betray you before?"
"Not to my knowledge," James answered.
"Then let me have it."
"Tell me what you've got planned."
"Don't make me stun you, Prongs," Sirius said, reaching for his wand. "Come on. I promise you'll thank me when it's over. Do you want to be with Evans or don't you?"
James sighed heavily. That was logic he could not argue with. He handed his wand over. "Keep in mind that if you break it, I will have to kill you."
"Got it…break Prongs' wand, die," Sirius said. "Now, follow me," and he set off toward the door. "Oops!" he said, pretending to catch the wand on the nearest desk and break it.
"Haha, very funny Padfoot," James responded, rolling his eyes as Sirius bounded out the door.
"Hey, wait up!" James called out, hurrying quickly after Sirius. When he reached the common room, he found Sirius apologizing profusely to Lily, who was on the floor, looking murderous. Alice and Amelia were alternately attempting to help Lily to her feet, and telling Sirius off.
"Sirius Black! Just what do you think you're doing, hitting Lily with expelliarmus when she's not even looking?" Alice howled at Sirius. To the untrained eye, Sirius looked thoroughly sheepish, but James knew the look he was giving Alice all too well. Alice was also in on this, whatever it was.
"I'm sorry, Alice, but I had to get her wand from her, and she'd never have let me have it willingly."
"You might have at least asked before you disarmed her, Sirius!" Amelia berated him. James watched Sirius once again. He gave the same look to Amelia that he'd given Alice, telling James in no uncertain terms that Amelia was involved as well. James lifted his eyes and scanned the common room, and saw both Remus and Peter sitting nearby, Remus watching Sirius with an "I can't believe you're actually doing this" expression, and Peter laughing so hard that James was concerned for a moment that he really would hurt himself. So everyone was in on this but him and Lily. Interesting. James hadn't had the slightest idea that Sirius had been keeping anything at all from him, and he wondered suddenly how long his old friend had been planning this little…whatever it was.
By the time James's gaze landed back on Lily, she was now on her feet. Lily brushed off her robes, and then her
flashing eyes met James's. He shrugged slightly, and tried to smile, but she narrowed her eyes and came striding
angrily over to where he was standing.
Uh-oh. This is not good.
"You! What is this all about? And don't try to pretend you don't know, James Potter, because if Sirius is up to something, you most certainly know what it is!"
Why does she always think I'm involved in these things?
Because you usually are.
Oh. Right.
"Stop right there, Evans," James said, and she stopped short a few feet in front of him. "Thank you. If you'll calm down long enough to actually look at Siri, you'd realize that he's got my wand, as well. He disarmed me upstairs, and I only just got down here myself."
Lily turned angrily back to Sirius. "I will give you detention for this, Black," she seethed. "Now, give me back my wand!"
Sirius's bark-like laugh echoed through the room. "You're kidding, right Evans? I'd have to be a total idiot to re-arm you with your wand when your eyes are flashing like that. No. Even if I wasn't planning something, there's no way I'd give you your wand back without being able to apparate to the coast as soon as you got it. Now…both of you just calm down. I promise that there is a very good reason for my behavior today, and if either of you still want to hex me into next week after I'm through, by all means… I'll even teach you a few hexes my mum used to use, okay?"
Lily and James exchanged skeptic glances, and James could tell that Lily was startled that she was, for once, on the same side as James in a skirmish with Sirius. He had to admit that it was new territory for him, as well. Usually Lily's accusations about his knowledge of Sirius's pranks were spot-on. The current situation was in fact quite unfamiliar to him. "All right," he said, hearing Lily's assent echo in unison with his.
"Well…let's hear it, then," Lily said.
Padfoot…you'd better know what you're doing, buddy. I'll never forgive you if you mess this up for me.
If HE messes this up for you? Haven't you spent the last six years messing it up for yourself?
Shut up!
All of Gryffindor had now stopped what they were doing and turned to watch Sirius, who was, if James wasn't mistaken, enjoying the attention tremendously. Alice and Amelia were now giggling slightly. Lily looked extremely uncomfortable, and James was sure if he'd been looking into a mirror, he would have seen confusion registering upon his own face. He had no idea what Sirius had planned, and he wasn't at all certain that he was going to like it.
But if it brings you and Lily together?
I'll name him godfather to our first child.
So I say why don't you and I hold each other?
Fly to the moon and straight onto heaven.
Cause without you they're never gonna let me in
Sirius hopped up onto a chair and held up Lily's wand. "Ladies and gentleman, I present to you the wand of Lily Elizabeth Evans." There was a chorus of oohs and aahs in the crowd, and a smattering of light applause. Sirius bowed slightly. "Thank you. Thank you very much." He then used the wand to painstakingly draw the smoke outline of a stick-figure girl in the air.
Lily glanced at Sirius skeptically, and he grinned. "Sorry. Remmy's the artist. Stick-figures are as complicated as I get. And now, I present to you the wand of James Ryan Potter." Sirius now held up James's wand, and slowly drew the outline of a stick-figure boy in the air. As before, the crowd ooh'd and aah'd appreciatively, and Sirius stood back to eye his stick-figure creation speculatively. "It's missing something," he said, contemplating the stick figure.
James shifted his weight. "Can we get on with it, Siri?" he asked.
Sirius shot James a disapproving look. "One cannot rush art, old friend," Sirius said sagely. "Ah, yes…I know what it is." He used James's wand to add a few lines to the head of the stick figure, giving it the appearance of hair that was stuck on end.
The crowd standing around all clapped, and Lily looked at James, nodding her head in agreement. James shot Lily a look of disbelief.
"What?" she asked innocently. "That hair has annoyed me for the last six years, James. It's just not you without it."
James grinned. How could he argue with that?
Sirius looked at stick-figure Lily and stick-figure James for a moment longer, and then nodded. "There. Now…," Sirius waved James's wand, and the boy stick figure rubbed his hand through his "hair". "Lily, my love?" Sirius said in a decent imitation of James's voice.
He then brandished Lily's wand, and the girl stick figure cocked her "head" to the side inquisitively. "Yes James, what is it? I'm really very busy, and…" Sirius began in a high-pitched tone that James guessed was supposed to mimic Lily's. The crowd standing around them laughed appreciatively.
He flicked James's wand again, and the boy stick figure held up a finger to the girl stick figure's "lips". "Just give me a minute, okay? I wanted to tell you that I know I've been an arrogant, bullying prat, and I'm sorry."
Kill me now.
James's gaze fell on Lily, and he felt his breath catch in his throat. She was blushing furiously, but that wasn't what caught his attention. She was watching him with a tenderness in her eyes that he had only ever glimpsed in her most unguarded moments.
"You're sorry?" stick figure Lily said. James felt like he should be watching the rest of the puppet show, but he was completely incapable of tearing his eyes away from Lily.
He nodded at the puppet's question as stick figure James replied, "Yes. I didn't do it to hurt you. I just didn't know how else to get your attention."
James thought he saw tears shimmering in Lily's eyes. "I know," she mouthed.
"I forgive you, James," James heard stick figure Lily saying somewhere in the distance. "Will you go to Hogsmeade with me?"
James nodded as though it had really been Lily asking the question, and his stomach did a flip-flop as her eyes lit up in delight and she finally, after six long years of disapproving looks and disgust, directed toward him the smile for which James had been waiting so long.
"And that, ladies and gentleman," Sirius said, returning to his normal voice, and James finally took his gaze away from Lily to watch his best friend, "is how you bring together two of the most stubborn Gryffindors ever to attend Hogwarts. And if the two of you are still not convinced that you're meant to be together," Sirius again held up Lily's wand in his left hand and James's in his right. He then brought the two tips together in a "kiss" and sparks lit up the common room like he had just set off fireworks. "That should convince you."
Applause echoed through the room-led by the Marauders and the Princesses-as Sirius hopped down from the chair and took Lily's hand and placed it in James's. "Now. What is everyone looking at? Go on! Get upstairs! Go to the library! Go! Get out of here! Our head boy and girl need a moment."
Sirius, Remus, Peter, Alice and Amelia all began walking around the common room, shooing the Gryffindors out. The younger Gryffindors all scampered to comply, but some of the older students grumbled about leaving, to which James's and Lily's friends used threats ranging from detention to permanent transfiguration to get them to leave. At last, only the Marauders and the Princesses remained.
James felt completely giddy. Lily had not pulled his hand from hers during the entire time that their friends were clearing the room, and she had not taken her eyes from his face since Sirius had placed her hand in his. James had a vague notion that he should stop smiling like an idiot and say something-the idea of leaving the common room to be alone even occurred to him-but every time that he tried, he found he couldn't speak, and he wasn't sure he wanted to, in any case. If this was a dream, he didn't want to wake up, and if Lily's presence beside him right now was some sort of miracle charm that Sirius had uncovered, he didn't want the sound of his voice to break the spell and end the moment, so he simply contented himself with looking at her, reveling in her nearness, drinking in her scent.
He and Lily both jumped slightly as Sirius placed one hand on each of their shoulders. He was grinning at them both, eyes sparkling, and James thought that if it didn't mean letting go of Lily's hand, he would have hugged his best friend. Sirius had just given him the best gift that he had ever received.
"All right, then," Sirius said, looking at each of them closely before reaching up and grabbing their wands from where they were sitting, tucked behind either ear. "I think you can be trusted with these again." He handed them each their wands back.
"Padfoot," James said, tucking his wand into his robes.
"No need to thank me, Prongs," Sirius said. "I did it for the sake of the school. I told you once before that the women of Hogwarts would not be able to handle me being carted off to Saint Mungo's, and it was only a matter of time before the two of you drove me insane. I had to do something."
Lily's laughter tickled James's ears, and although he would not have thought it possible, James's grin widened. "Well?" he asked.
Sirius looked confused for a moment. "Well, what?" he asked.
James nodded toward the staircase, and a look of comprehension dawned across Sirius's features. "Right," he agreed, surveying the two of them skeptically. After a moment, he nodded. "I trust that you two can handle things from here on out, so we'll just leave you to it, then. I'll be upstairs in our room if either of you decides you still want to curse me." The remaining Marauders and Princesses all hurried out of the common room, and up the staircase to the boys dorm.
"So," Lily said, glancing shyly at James.
"So," James said.
You've been dreaming of this moment for over six years, and all you've got is "so"?
No! I've got more than "so"! Just give me a moment, will you?
I've already given you six years!
"Lily, I…," he began, but Lily put her finger up to his lips, shushing him in exactly the same way that the James stick-figure had shushed the Lily stick-figure earlier.
"I know," she said, her voice husky, her eyes nervous, looking for…reassurance?
From me?
Yes…that you feel the same way.
Doesn't she know that by now?
"Okay," he said around the lump that was forming in his own throat. "Okay."
"Stop talking and get on with the snogging already!" Sirius's voice called out, and Lily and James both swung their gazes toward the boys' staircase. Alice, Sirius, Amelia, Remus and Peter were lined up along the steps, watching.
"Shut up, Padfoot!" James yelled out. "Get out of here, all of you! I can handle it from here, thank you!"
The five friends all started laughing, and ran up the steps. James and Lily watched them disappear, and then turned their attention once again to each other.
"So, do you want to come to Hogsmeade with me on Saturday?" Lily asked finally.
"I already told you yes," he said softly. "And I won't even ask for the apology you owe me."
Lily smiled. "Good," she said. "Because I had no intention of giving you one."
James grinned and stepped closer to her. "Then perhaps I ought to reconsider my acceptance of your proposition Miss Evans," he said. "I mean if-,"
"James?" Lily interrupted.
"Yes?" he asked innocently.
"Shut up and kiss me," she said.
Shut up and kiss you?
Oh, listen to her for once already!
Right!
"Your wish is my command, m'lady," he said, bending his head closer to her and pausing just before his lips touched hers. He heard her breath catch in her throat, and smiled slightly. "As it has always been."
James wrapped his hand in her hair, and touched his lips to hers softly, a jolt of electricity surging from his lips throughout the rest of his body as she pressed her lips against his, returning the kiss eagerly. He tightened his hand against the back of her head, and she pressed her body up against him softly. James paused for a moment, relishing the feel of her soft curves against him, before a loud cheer coming from the direction of the stairway seeped into his consciousness, and they pulled reluctantly apart. Lily's lips were slightly swollen from the kiss, her hair was ruffled, and the only thing stopping him from catching her into his arms and kissing her again was the agitated look in her eye.
"Will you get out of here?" she shouted to their friends, who were now clapping and whistling their approval.
"I'll take care of it," James said, trying to catch his breath. He pulled out his wand, and flicked it quickly. "Accio invisibility cloak," he said. A sound of something whizzing through the air followed, and their audience on the stairs ducked as the invisibility cloak grazed the tops of their heads before James caught it deftly in his hand. With a dramatic flourish, and a glare at the staircase, he draped it carefully over himself and Lily, to much groaning and grumbling from their friends.
"They drag us into this for six years, and now when it's finally time for the payoff, they ask us to leave?" Sirius growled, though he was grinning.
"Our payoff is not having to listen to them argue anymore," Remus explained.
"Now if we could only get another very stubborn couple together," Alice said, a glimmer in her eye.
"What couple?" Peter queried, furrowing his forehead in confusion.
"Don't start," Amelia said warningly. "Can't we just be happy that James and Lily are together?"
James waited until their voices had faded up the stairway, and then smiled at Lily. "So," he said, looking tenderly into her eyes. The fear that he had seen in them in the split second before he'd kissed her the first time had been replaced with joy; there was no other word for it. Her eyes were filled with joy, and James thought that he might explode from happiness.
"So," she whispered, her breathing ragged and uneven as she lifted her mouth to meet his again. Tenatively, James allowed his tongue to explore the contours of her lips, before she parted them softly, and his tongue dove deeply inside, dancing with hers, before withdrawing again.
I could do this all night.
So…what's stopping you?
James smiled down at her, running his hand through her soft hair.
I love her hair.
Now would be the perfect time to tell her that!
Oh, yeah, right.
"I love your hair, Lily."
"Do you?" she said curiously.
"It's beautiful. Just like you."
She looked up at him with a smile. "You should have tried that line years ago, James. It just might have worked."
"You have no idea how many times I tried, Lily," he said, looking into her eyes sincerely. "The words just never seemed to come out right."
"Is that so?"
"Yes," he answered. "There are so many things I've wanted to tell you for so long."
Lily leaned closer to him, her lips just grazing the edge of his ear. "So tell me now." She kissed his ear softly, lingering for a moment to allow her tongue to trace it slightly, before pulling back to look at him.
James was finding it very hard to stand up. The sensation of her lips on his skin was threatening to cause his knees to buckle. "All right," he said, cupping her face in his hand and gently massaging her cheek with his thumb. She closed her eyes with a soft sigh. "I love the way that anything I need to know about you, I can see in your eyes. It's all there…all the fire, all the passion, all the gentleness, all the spirit. Everything that is you, I can see in your eyes."
"James I-"
"Wait, I'm not done. I love the way you play with a strand of your hair when you're thinking. I love the way you chew on your locket when you're confused. I even love the way you stiffen your shoulders and back when you're angry. I love the way that the robes that you wear accentuate every curve of your body…You have no idea how many times they've caused me to fantasize about kissing you when I'm supposed to be studying."
"James, I'm blushing," Lily interrupted.
"Then it's working?" he said, cocking one eyebrow in question.
"Like a charm."
He pulled her closer and covered her smiling lips with his own. His head began spinning slightly when he felt her respond by arching into him and running her hands through his hair…across his shoulders, and down his back, sending tiny shivers of pleasure across his entire body. But that was nothing compared to the sensation he felt when Lily ran the tip of her tongue across his lips and into his mouth. He pressed his mouth passionately to hers, and felt her respond in kind, their tongues no longer exploring, but invading.
When breathing became difficult, James pulled back and began kissing Lily's jaw, working his way to whisper her name gently into her ear. He felt her shiver in response and lean her head back, exposing the creamy slope of her neck, which he promptly began to pepper with tender kisses as he worked his way down toward her shoulder. He heard her moan softly in response to his touch and his heart leapt with joy at the sound.
"Lily," he said, pulling apart from her, unable to suppress the grin that was spreading across his face from ear to ear.
"Yes?" she asked breathlessly.
"I told you that you wouldn't be able to resist the Potter charm forever."
"I could have," she insisted, running her hands softly through his hair.
"Then why didn't you?" he queried.
"Why would I?" she countered. "When kissing you is ever so much more fun than fighting with you."
James laughed. "Indeed," he said. "I think we finally agree on something." He looked at her for a moment longer, taking in her scent, the feel of her body against his, the way her eyes sparkled at him. He had dreamt of this moment for so long that now that it was finally here, he didn't want it to end. Apparently, Lily had the same thought, because she smiled.
"Okay, then. Let's stop talking now before we mess it up." She pulled his head toward her and hungrily pressed her lips against his.
I'm the luckiest man alive.
So l say why don't you and I get together
We'll take on the world, be together forever
Heads we will and tails we'll try again