I own nothing.
**
Chapter 16: Reality
[Sometimes When We Touch, by Dan Hill]
February 13, 1978
"James."
James looked up at Lily and she smiled down at him.
"Hullo, Lily. Sit down."
"All right." Lily took a seat next to him and tucked her legs underneath herself, looking around the empty library. "James. Stop reading for a moment."
James looked up from his Transfiguration text and gave her an innocent smile that made her worry. "Yes, Lily?"
She frowned. The innocence was practically dripping off his tongue. She decided not to worry about it and turned to the task at hand.
"James-I need you to teach me how to conjure a Patronus."
James's eyes froze over his words but he still pretended to read the book. "Really? Why's that?"
"Because I've tried by myself and I can't do it. I need your help."
James frowned and Lily studied him, trying to read his thoughts. She saw a wisp of something orange alight in his eyes. Fear? Yes, fear…he was afraid. He finally put down the text and shut it, taking her hand and drawing her onto his lap, the chair groaning under their combined weight.
"James," she said warningly. "It's the library."
"So? It's not as if I'm going to snog you. I wouldn't kiss you for the first time in the library, of all places. Would I?"
"Of course not. And I'm very proud of you…but we're the Head Students. We need to start taking some responsibility. We've been shirking it before…"
"Later. Now tell me why you want to learn how to conjure a Patronus."
Lily shrugged, giving in, and stared determinedly at the worn tabletop. "I don't know. I just…ever since that dementor in Hogsmeade…" She let her words trail off and looked up soon enough to catch his wince.
James was very touchy about Hogsmeade and that dementor-he had sent a Killing Curse at it-had actually spoken the words and hated the creature enough for the beam of green light to actually appear…Did he care for Lily that much, then? Did he care for her so much that he couldn't let a dementor near her-or did he just hate dementors beyond all reason?
Lily was hoping for the former, but she knew it was really the latter.
"I'd just like to be able to defend myself, James. And I need your help."
James nodded. "I'll help you."
Lily smiled brightly and leaned forward, kissing him on the cheek-she wanted to kiss him very badly, but the only times they were alone someone either interrupted them, or they were in the most inappropriate places. Life had been so busy since the attack in Hogsmeade-students with nightmares, letters to proofread, N.E.W.Ts…
The N.E.W.Ts were the worst of all. The pressure was mounting, and many students had been taken to the hospital wing already-
James interrupted her thoughts buy squeezing her sides. Lily's locked her gaze on his and she recognized the unmistakable glint in his eyes.
"James…"
"The library's empty, love. Please?"
She did want to kiss him very much. And he had called her love.
She leaned forward slowly, her eyes on his, but she had barely moved at all when she heard an ominous creaking noise.
"What was-AAAH!"
With a crash of splintering wood, the chair they were sitting on shattered into a hundred tiny pieces, and Lily heard the sound of hysterical laughter and saw the back of a dark head running away-Sirius. James lay laughing on the floor, and Lily pulled him up, laughing also.
"You-should-have-seen-your-face! Even though you knew it was coming!"
"Yours wasn't any better," James said sourly. "'What was-aaaaaaah!'"
"I do not talk like that!" Lily cried.
James smiled and held out a hand to her. She glanced over his shoulder and cringed; Madame Pince was walking towards them, looking livid.
Lily and James ran from the library, chased by James's heavy transfiguration book.
**
Lily did not know when or where they were going to practice her patronus; all she knew was that James had told her to meet him at curfew right outside the Fat Lady's portrait.
Curious, and rather perturbed as to why they were meeting after curfew, she waited outside for him. At ten-past nine he still hadn't appeared, and she was becoming rather irritable.
A hand gripped her wrist and she shrieked, trying to draw her wand, but there was the sensation of cool fabric being dragged across her arm, and James appeared out of midair. She stared at him, shell-shocked, and waited mutely for an explanation.
"Invisibility Cloak. My old Aunt Jemima-my favorite, actually, a real darling-gave it to me for my tenth birthday-"
"A ten-year-old James Potter with an Invisibility cloak-it's a miracle the universe hasn't displaced itself from all the mayhem."
James grinned. "How do you know it hasn't?"
Lily glared at him but he continued to grin cheekily at her, and she couldn't help it; she gave in and sighed. "Where are we going?"
James swung the cloak over her and they had to bend slightly so it covered their feet, and he took her wrist. He led her through a myriad of corridors, secret passageways, and hidden staircases, avoided Filch successfully three times, and finally opened the door to an empty classroom after a countless number of stairs.
"We're in the East Tower-see-that's the lake."
Lily looked out the window, and sure enough, she could see the Hogwarts Lake glittering in the moonlight. It was a breathtaking sight. "So are we going to practice here?"
James nodded and pointed to a crate at the side of the room which was shuddering lightly. "Boggart. If you remember Hogsmeade enough it might take the form of a dementor. Or it could take the normal form your boggart takes."
Lily's mouth went dry and she found it hard to swallow. "All right. Can we try it without the boggart?"
James nodded again. "Do you know the theory behind the Patronus Charm?"
Lily shook her head. "Somewhat. I think I'm missing something though-because I just can't get it. I've tried."
"A Patronus Charm is the conjuring of a single happy though or feeling-and channeling it into a shape or form that protects you-you won't know the form or choose it-and being able to drive a dementor off. You know the incantation. Do you have a thought?"
Lily thought hard and came up with the memory of getting her Hogwarts letter-one of the happiest moments of her young life. "Expecto Patronum!"
A shimmering silver mist floated slowly from her wand. Lily stared at it in dismay and James smiled.
"Good, good. Progress, at least. You probably need to choose another memory."
Lily frowned…what else was there? She tried with her childhood memories-playing house with her sister, getting her first horse, winning all those competitions…she went through her Hogwarts memories-getting through the barrier, boarding the train, getting her owl, celebrating birthdays…
All these memories produced a shimmering mist. It was only when she thought of meeting Sunny that she was able to conjure anything more. Glittering and silver, a shape burst from her wand, but it had no discernible outline, and it was gone in just a moment.
James frowned. "Lily…you aren't being happy enough."
"I'm trying," she said exasperatedly, shifting on her feet; they were beginning to ache.
James sighed. "Let's take a break. It's past midnight."
Lily looked at her watch and noticed with a shock that it was indeed past twelve o'clock. She followed James to the window and stared blankly as he began to climb out of it.
"What are you doing?"
"We're taking a break."
"Why are you climbing out the window though?"
"Because this is where we're taking our break."
"But there's nothing out there to support you-JAMES!"
He had let go of the sill and he dropped ten feet before he seemed to hit something solid. He smiled up at her, the starlight reflecting off his glasses, and held out his arms.
"See? No harm done. Grab the cloak, will you?"
Lily picked up the cloak from the floor and swung one leg over the sill. She looked over the edge and for on infinitesimal second-she was eleven again and terrified to get on her broom. The fright passed in an instant, and she let go of the sill, falling with a muffled curse against James.
"Oh, how sweet of you. You caught me."
She expected him to laugh, but she didn't expect him to look very seriously at her and say, "I'll always catch you."
It was a rather cheesy comment, but it still made her feel very warm to hear him say it.
"It's cold out here," she said instead, drawing her robes tighter around her body.
James smiled and scooted backwards until he was leaning against the castle wall. Lily followed suit and realized that someone-and she had a very good idea who-had put a Cushioning Charm on the wall.
James muttered something over his cloak and spread it out over them. Warmth radiated from it and it had become heavier; their bodies did not turn invisible.
"It is a little creepy to not be able to see your legs," James said thoughtfully, before turning to Lily. "So what do you think?"
"Of this? It's beautiful. Absolutely breathtaking."
A slow grin spread across James's face. "Happy Valentine's day, Lily."
Lily stared at him for a moment, bewildered. She had completely forgotten-she had had no idea-how long had he been planning…?
"This…this is your Valentine's day gift?" she said faintly, motioning around her with her hand.
James stopped grinning and he looked rather worried. "Yes. Don't you like it?"
"I love it! But-I forgot, James. I didn't get you anything."
James shrugged. "I know. I just felt…as if I should do something."
Lily found herself smiling. "Who knew that under all the cocky arrogance there was such a sweet little boy?" she said, imitating her least favorite aunt's voice. James raised an eyebrow at her and she put her arms around him, pressing her face into his shoulder and inhaling the clean scent of his robes.
There's got to be something wrong with this-he can't be so bloody perfect. It isn't possible.
"Lily-I'm not done yet."
She made muffled sound against his shoulder to show that she was listening. James seemed to get the idea.
"You asked me how Sirius, Peter, and I stay with Remus."
Lily stopped breathing.
James took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "We're Animagi."
Lily let out a sharp exhale and looked up. "Really?"
"Really."
"What-what form do you take?"
James shook his head. "Guess."
Lily stared at him, at a loss for words. "I have absolutely no clue."
James shrugged. "Then I guess you'll have to figure it out yourself."
"How did you-how long-and Peter…I mean…"
"A lot of studying-it took us the better part of five years-and we waited very patiently for Peter."
"God…you're amazing. You won't stop at anything to help Remus-you all love him so much…I wish I had that-I want friends like that-James, I have no friends!
This thought had occurred to her very suddenly, and she realized that it was, in fact, very true. Now that Sunny and Ana were gone, she had no friends to confide in, to giggle with, to talk about boys with. I miss that, she thought with a pang. I want that back.
James looked very confused, as though wondering how this perfect gift had turned into an emotional roller coaster.
"Well-er-we're your friends. Sirius and Peter and Remus and me."
"It isn't the same, though."
"I know it isn't, Lily," James said quietly. "And I know it isn't fair either-but it's life, and you have to accept it. You'll…you'll make new friends. Sometime…you will."
Lily shut her eyes against the scarce tears that were gathering and laid her head down on James's lap. He stroked her hair gently, lulling her into a peaceful state she only found with him.
"What do you hear when a dementor comes near you, Lily?"
Lily choked on her own breath and coughed violently. James patted her hard on the back until she had calmed down, and she averted her eyes from his. "I hear…I hear terrible things."
She felt his hesitation. "Like what?"
"I used to-I used to ride horses. I loved horses when I was younger-I was good, too! I was better than Petunia, even…"
James said nothing, but he continued to rub his hands against her scalp.
"I was ten-it was only a few months before I got my letter-We were at horse camp and Petunia had just gotten a horse for her birthday. A beautiful mare-black coat, white socks…the fastest horse I've ever seen in my life."
James was twirling her curls around his fingers.
"Petunia was watching the six-year-olds to the ten-year-olds with her friend, and there were about eight of us…I snuck off during the night and saddled up the mare, and I just s-started riding out…."
The sound of James's breathing was comforting. To her dismay, Lily found she was crying.
"A-and it was so bloody dark and the mare balked! But I was so young and stupid and I urged her forward and she was so trusting! We stood there for so long but she finally began to walk forward…and then run…and the cliff loomed up and I couldn't stop it. She kicked out and went to jump but I s-s-slid off and sh-she didn't make it. The mare-that beautiful mare…she hurt her leg and fell into the ravine-"
Lily broke off into harsh breath. The sickening crunch of breaking bones and the loud thud of heavy muscle and sinew hitting the ground…tearing flesh…terrified breathing…the poor mare! "But there was nothing I could do and I went to try and see the mare but I slipped and fell down the cliff face and hurt my ankle…s-s-so I couldn't move and I was stuck on this ledge and it was so high! And when dawn broke I could see down at the rocks and the mare's b-body and I-I was so terrified and then I heard voices and I was so startled I fell!"
Lily gulped. "And the ground was rushing up to meet me and I was so terrified I was going to hit the mare's body but then I just stopped and it felt like someone had caught me and I sat on the ground and I fell asleep-but I had this dream-and I knew something had caught me-it was my magic really, but I didn't know that-and I saw this animal but I could never pinpoint what it was-something strong and beautiful but then I woke and they had f-f-found me…and Petty never forgave me for killing the mare and she was fired and the c-c-camp was closed…because one of the six-year olds had followed me and w-w-when the mare jumped she had kicked the girl into a tree and the kid died! And it w-was all my fault because I knew to always clear behind me b-before I jumped! And I hear all the sounds-they horse breathing and I can hear the girl crying out and I can feel the ground-James-it's all my fault…it's all my fault."
She bunched the fabric of his pants leg in her fist and breathed deeply. Her eyelids felt heavy-she was so tired…she needed to sleep…but she heard him murmuring something to her-something she couldn't make out-something infinitely soothing…
Lily woke at the sensation of someone whispering in her ear.
"Lily-come on-wake up."
She struggled into a sitting position-seeing that sometime during the night she had been moved until she was lying down on her back, using James's thigh as a pillow. James pulled at her hair and she winced, knowing it looked like a cross between a rat's nest and a bundle or twigs. While James was turned away, she quickly grabbed her wand and did a Freshening Charm on her mouth. She flung her wand to the side a nanosecond before he turned back to her.
He pointed. "Go on-here's the rest of it. Look over there."
Lily looked past his finger and caught her breath. The sun was exploding across from them-it was so huge it looked as if they were seeing it from close up. The sky was full of pinks and purples and yellows and the most beautiful golden color-red as dark as the Gryffindor shade…
It was the perfect moment for the perfect kiss.
Or, at least, it would have been if they hadn't bumped noses in their haste to reach each other. Both laughed nervously and stared at the other.
James caught her hand and pulled her closer; Lily closed the remaining distance between them and pressed her lips to his.
They wasted no time seeing if they would be interrupted once again. The kiss was shallow-almost chaste, but the shock it sent through Lily left her gasping. She pulled away, gaping at him, and therefore wasn't prepared for him to tackle her to the invisible platform and kiss her senseless.
"Lily-"
"Oh, shut up," she muttered crossly, annoyed that he had stopped kissing her to speak. Speaking was bad. Snogging was good.
"Lily."
"Shut up!"
He made a strange sound in the back of his throat, but he made no protest as she dragged him closer, attaching her mouth to his again.
Twenty minutes later, they climbed through the window again, tired, disheveled, and red-lipped from kissing, but ten times happier than they had been the night before.
"Think you're ready for that patronus?" James muttered against her mouth. Lily nodded absently and drew her wand, kissing him again and detaching herself, before leaning up to peck him on the lips and then wrench herself away, breathing heavily and grinning uncontrollably.
"Expecto Patronum!"
A silver mass erupted from her wand-she saw the strong, powerful legs before James grabbed her and kissed her again, laughing against her mouth.
"You've done it-you got it, Lily!"
He nibbled her lower lip and she sighed against his mouth, kissing him back slowly, before remembering that she hadn't seen what form her patronus had taken.
"Wait-James-hold up a moment-"
She pulled away and looked at her patronus, eyeing it critically in the half-morning light. It stood with its head cocked to the side, staring at her-reminding her of someone-someone she could quite place. It was an animal-a moose, perhaps? No, an antelope-
"It's a stag," James whispered.
"Oh…oh, yes it is!" Lily said. Yes, a stag…a magnificent set of antlers, strong flanks, tall stance…its manner even radiated something-something utterly familiar but implacable…she had seen this stag before somewhere…
"Why a stag?" she whispered to the quiet room.
James swallowed. "I have no idea."
As he spoke, her patronus inclined its head and she smiled a little half-smile at it, before it faded away into nothingness, and the patch of sunlight that had shown on it before lay forlorn on the flagstones of the tower room.
It registered.
This was the stag from her dream-the presence that had protected her during the night when she had lain cold and lonely
in that ravine with only the dead mare for company-Ebony, had been the horse's name; Ebony.
She didn't mention it to James, but she did follow him out of the tower, and she didn't miss his perturbed look, and the glances he kept throwing back at her.
**
February 16, 1978
James was trying to sneak out of the common room in his cloak.
Lily sat at one of the tables, finishing her homework for Charms, studiously ignoring the almost inaudible sounds that issued from behind her. She had seen the flash of his glasses through a partition in the cloak, but she wanted to know where he was going, so she pretended she didn't know he was there
Then again, she knew he was going to see Remus-it was the full moon tonight-but she wanted to know what form he took when he transformed. She faked a coughing fit and heard the portrait hole swing open, then shut. When she was sure he was gone, she jumped up, and leaving her things on the table, ran through the castle to the East Tower.
She swung herself out of the window and onto the platform. She felt a dizzy for only a second before she dropped to the solid platform space beneath her. She looked down and gaped at the spiky black turrets that seemed to loom up to meet her-if she were to fall, she would be speared on them.
It's just like flying-it's beautiful-just like flying!
Her breathing calmed and she looked out at the lake, suddenly remembering just why she was here. A brisk wind picked up and blew her hair into her face. She impatiently tossed it over her shoulder and squinted out-her view of the Whomping Willow was obstructed by the side of the East Tower. She wouldn't be able to see what was going on.
"Accio broom!" she said instead, drawing out her wand. She waited for a few moments and heard the whizzing sound of a broom flying at breakneck speed through the air. It stopped right in front of her, at the perfect height to mount and kick off. She did so and felt the wind ruffle her hair. Ever since she had conquered her fear of heights she had loved flying.
She flew to the front of the East Tower and hovered there, watching the Whomping Willow. It had just frozen, and in a few moments it had started moving again. Lily frowned and looked around the grounds and below at the castle walls. Quickly, she zoomed down to the ground and took off for the Willow on foot at top speed. She ducked underneath the branches but one hit her on the shoulder and she recoiled.
Cursing, she picked up a rock and threw it at the side of the tree, hard, and immediately, all the branches moved towards that side and Lily hurried forward. The Willow realized what had happened and snapped back into defensive mode, whacking her on the back just as she dropped into the tunnel.
It was gloomy, but she could hear voices ahead, echoing off the walls. It sounded like James, Sirius, and Peter, and she shrank into the shadows instinctively. Her hands gripped her broom tightly and she began to walk down the tunnel for what seemed an age. Finally, she got to a door with peeling paint that looked as if it had been gouged many times with claws.
Werewolf claws.
Lily suppressed a shudder and opened the door, wincing as it creaked loudly. There were voices upstairs and she stayed in the doorway, peeking into the ground floor.
I'm in the Shrieking Shack!
There was no mistaking the little of the view she could see through the grimy window. It was Hogsmeade from the hilltop the Shack sat on. Broken furniture pieces lay about in the room, along with a few couches that had the stuffing bursting out of them after they had been ripped.
…by claws.
"AAAAAAAARRRRGGGHHH!"
Lily jumped as the yell came from the upper floor.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"
Lily pressed a hand to her forehead and willed the noise away. She knew werewolf transformations were painful, but she didn't know exactly how painful. Snarling sounds were coming for upstairs. She heard a loud scuffle on the stairwell, and shadowy forms tumbled down.
A dark wolf and a black dog that look remarkably like a Grim were wrestling on the ground. A small squeaking noise issued from somewhere in the room and she spotted a small rat.
Peter? And the dog is…James or Sirius?
She frowned. A dog was not something she thought James would be as an Animagus; perhaps Sirius, but not James…but Lily's thoughts broke off as the wolf stiffened and turned towards her door, sniffing the air and giving a menacing growl from deep in its throat. Terrified, Lily stood motionless.
The door suddenly opened, and the werewolf and the dog started, staring at the opening door, ready to pounce and both growling slightly. The two animals looked torn between going for Lily or the person in the door.
Lily forgot herself and gasped and stepped forward as the werewolf bounded for James, most probably eager for human flesh. In a split second, James's eyes met hers and she saw his widen, before he disappeared…and a stag took his place.
Lily put a hand over her mouth as the wolf jumped at the stag, which butted its antlers forward and pushed the wolf to the ground. The wolf rolled over on its side and leaped for the stag, drawing its claws across the stag's chest and opening a large, bloody wound.
The stag's magnificent, dark brown coat was not stained by red blood-it rather looked black against his pelt. Lily's fingers were itching to look in a book to find the proper incantation to heal such a wound.
Let him be okay. Please let him be okay!
If he wasn't…Lily shook the thought away and refused to cry. She swiped at her eyes until they were dry.
The dog butted into the wolf and they rolled out the door, followed by a small creature: the rat. The stag shook its magnificent, shaggy head and antlers-and transformed back into James.
James wrenched the door she was hiding behind open and it slammed against the adjacent wall with a resounding crash. He grabbed her arm and pulled her forward roughly until they stood in the center of the room. Whatever had happened to him in his stag form had disappeared where he transformed back into human form.
"What the fuck are you doing here, Lily?" James snarled, his eyes blazing. "He could have smelled you. He could have bit you. He could have killed you!"
Lily tried to pull her arm from his hand but he was holding her too hard. "I just-I wanted to…"
"THIS ISN'T CHILD'S PLAY!" James roared, grabbing her other arm and shaking her slightly. His hands were bruising her arms, but she bit her tongue against her cry of pain. "THIS IS SERIOUS! THAT ISN'T REMUS LUPIN, LILY! IT'S A WEREWOLF!"
"I noticed," she snapped, trying to pull away from him.
"DON'T YOU GET SMART WITH ME, LILY! I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WERE THINKING-IF YOU WERE EVEN THINKING-MERLIN-IF HE ATTACKED YOU AND YOU FUCKING DIED I SWEAR TO MERLIN I WOULD HAVE BROUGHT YOU BACK TO LIFE AND KILLED YOU AGAIN FOR BEING SO STUPID!"
It was stupid…Not that she would admit it to James.
"Do you even-can't you think of what it would do to me-to all of us if you'd-Lily-come on-why didn't you think?"
"James-nothing happened-I can take care of myself-"
She immediately knew she had said the wrong thing. James, who had slumped his shoulders before, immediately went rigid and glared at her. He opened his mouth wide, but instead of shouting a whisper came out of his mouth.
"When you walk through that door and witness his pain nothing is ever the same again. You can't think or speak. You…" He trailed off and stared at her helplessly, his grip on her arms finally slackening. He pulled her closer and buried his face in her shoulder. Lily put her hands in his hair from the sheer shock of it-his vulnerability-which she didn't see very often.
"Don't you ever try this again, do you-d'you hear me? I love you too much to let you get killed-especially when I could have protected you."
Lily found herself shaking…I love you too much…did he really love her? They had only been dating for a little less than two weeks, and he already loved her? Was she supposed to say it back? She looked down at his messy hair helplessly.
I love you too much to let you get killed.
James-loves-you…
Lily felt dizzy…sick. She didn't deserve this-she didn't deserve for him to love her. Her heart raced and she was sure he could hear it-the silence between them was charged with something-something powerful and electrical-James drew a shuddering breath and stepped away, holding her at an arm's length.
"You go into the passage and don't stop walking until you get to the school. Don't stay to see what happens. This is my fight with Remus and he's not really going to hurt me."
Lily started. How does he know that's what I'm worried about?
"Okay," she whispered.
"Good," James said firmly, pulling her face to his and kissing her thoroughly. Lily's melted into him-her knees going weak and her stomach fluttering.
Stop being such a lovesick girl, she told herself fiercely, as he pulled away from her slowly, resting his forehead against hers and sighing against her mouth. He winced when her hands pressed against his chest.
"It's sore. From the cut. It heals over when I transform back but it always feels sore."
Lily met his eyes and tried to communicate that she was sorry-so sorry, sorrier than she had ever been in her life…
"Go on."
Lily nodded and drew away from him, breathing harshly but unwilling to let go of his hands. She kept a tight grip of them and squeezed them. James gave her a shaky smile. "Go on," he repeated.
"Okay," she whispered again, stepping out of the room-standing under the lintel, and with a last look at him standing there in the center of the room, she went into the passageway, and she didn't stop walking until she got to her bedroom.
James-loves-you…and he's your stag.
Lily buried her face in her pillow to hide her earsplitting grin.
**
February 17, 1978
Lily didn't see James again until the next afternoon, and when she did, he was sitting with Remus in the common room, obviously having skived off his classes.
Not wanting to interrupt them-they looked to be in a very serious conversation-Lily set her books down on a table across the room from them and set to work on her homework. By the time James came up to her two hours later, she had finished her essay for Charms and was halfway through her Transfiguration questions.
"I've made up with Remus."
Lily looked up at him and smiled, slightly uneasy. "Is that so? That's wonderful."
James sighed and sat down in the chair next to her. "I know. And he knows about us. Officially."
Lily raised an eyebrow. "He didn't know?"
"He knew…I just…cemented the idea. Sirius obviously knows-the prank in the library, but Remus asked if it was for real. I told Peter after Sirius though."
Lily smiled. "It feels more complete now-doesn't it?"
James snorted and gestured around them. "Not until this entire school knows, it won't be complete. And they'll find out somehow."
Lily almost saw the light bulb appear over her own head and her grin widened. "Wait…how about we start a little rumor?"
James raised an eyebrow, mirroring her earlier expression. "What kind of rumor?" he asked slowly.
Lily smiled in what she knew was an innocent manner. "Well…"
And she climbed onto his lap in front of all (most of) Gryffindor Tower. Lily saw the jaws drop around her.
"This type of rumor," Lily whispered, settling herself down until she was comfortable-on knee on either side of him, as she had been in the shower-and wrapping her arms around his neck.
James put his hands on her waist and pulled her closer until she was fitted snugly against him, her cheek pressed to his. "Good idea." Lily saw his eyes shift to the side, where two sixth year Gryffindor boys were staring with their mouths open.
"Oh…okay then, James. That's enough now. We shouldn't be doing this-" Lily began as his lips found her neck. She hadn't meant to take it quite this far.
"Too bad-now that I'm started…" he said against her skin, biting it softly.
"…You aren't ever going to stop. James Potter, you are incorrigible."
James exhaled against the nape of her neck, sending warm shivers down her spine, and rested his forehead against the back of shoulder. "I know," he said, his voice muffled.
Lily sighed and got up. She pulled her essay closer, picking up her quill and beginning to describe the wand movement used for self-transfiguration.
"James!"
The sound of his laughter was the loudest in the common room, and he continued to move his hands, much to Lily's shock-though not her dismay.