James and Lily: How he got swept off his feet

It was a beautiful spring day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and it was the biggest Quidditch match of the year between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Everyone was excited, but perhaps none quite as much as James Potter. He was the most famous Chaser on the team, probably because he and three of his fellow students were well-known for their pranks as the Marauders. He practically skipped down the corridor to the dining hall, and scarfed down his breakfast faster than you can say "Transfiguration". He had been waiting for this match all year, and hoped that maybe he could impress a certain beautiful red-head with emerald eyes named Lily Evans. Lily and James had gotten closer as their sixth year progressed, he had changed from a git with a big ego to a respectful and decent human being, and Lily had been growing quite fond of him, though she didn't dare tell him that.

After he finished breakfast, he high-fived his best mates Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew and ran to the Gryffindor Locker Room to change into his crimson and gold uniform to prepare for the match. Once he was done, he grabbed his broom and headed out to the field with everyone else on the team. He realized that he did feel a bit nervous, but he quickly shoved that thought out of his mind, and instead focused on the thought of Lily watching him play today. Would she even come? Would she cheer for him even though at this time last year she hated the sight of him? As more similar questions buzzed around in his mind, he quickly snapped back to reality when the Quidditch Captain Amos Diggory (who was a bit of a selfish prat, but he had his moments) called for everyone's attention. Amos was hoping to give a speech that would inspire the team, but in reality they all had to stifle laughs because of how over-dramatic and sappy it really was, and they cheered when he finally finished (although he thought they cheered because they were so moved by it). They all marched onto the field with wide smiles on their faces, and butterflies in their stomachs.

As all the students piled into the stands, Remus, Sirius and Peter made their way to the front so they could get a good view of their mate. Lily, who didn't know why she had decided to come in the first place since normally she was quite bored with Quidditch, joined them, standing next to Remus. "Hello Remus!" she said as she smiled at him, and he jumped for a second as he turned to grin at her and say "Lily! You surprised me! I thought that you didn't like Quidditch!" She looked down at the field as she said "Yeah, I figured I might as well enjoy the rest of my time here at Hogwarts while I still can. Can you believe we only have one more year left?" He also looked down at the field, and noticed that she was watching James as he was laughing with a couple of his teammates, and said "Yeah, that's kind of a scary thought." She nodded, and turned to look at him "Do you know what you want to do when you graduate?" she asked, and he replied "I haven't really thought about it, but I'm not sure how many people would want to hire me anyways. I don't know if-" he started, but Lily cut him off "Remus! Don't think like that! I'm sure there are loads of people who want to hire someone as dedicated and responsible as you are! If they fail to see that, and focus on the least important part of who you are, then it's their loss." She smiled gently, and he smiled back before saying "Thanks, Lily. What about you? Do you know what you want to do?" Lily sighed and said "Well, at first I thought I wanted to be a Healer, but lately I've been thinking about becoming an Auror. It would be nice to know that I can defend Muggles, including my family, especially with this war going on." Remus nodded, and said "Well I think you'd be an amazing Auror, as you're a very hard worker, you always get really good marks, and you seem to always be there when people need help." "Aw, thanks Remus!" she said hugging him from the side, and when she stepped back they grinned at each other and looked down at the field, where the game was just about to start.

James and the team started to mount their brooms, as did the Slytherin team, and then they all floated in the air as they waited for Madam Hooch to start the game. "Now I want a nice, clean game from all of you!" she shouted at the two teams, before throwing the Quaffle in the air and the bludgers and the snitch followed in suit. The players were off, the beaters, chasers and seeker zoomed around in all different directions, each player hoping to score points for their team. Soon, Gryffindor and Slytherin were tied at seventy points, and everyone was anxiously awaiting another score, or the capture of the Golden Snitch. Suddenly, something happened that made Lily and the rest of the Marauders sick: James had gotten knocked off his broom by a hard hit from behind with a bludger, and fell about twenty feet and hit the ground with a sickening crack. The whole stadium gasped, except the Slytherins, who were laughing.

Lily, Sirius, Remus and Peter all paled and immediately rushed to the field, where James, who was unconscious, was being lifted onto a stretcher and taken to the Hospital Wing by Madam Pomfrey. They followed her until she told them to wait outside in the corridor while she fixed him up. Lily sat down against the opposite wall, with her legs brought up to her chest, Remus sat down beside Lily, and soon Peter joined them, while Sirius paced back and forth in the hallway. Lily sniffled a little, and Remus put his arm around her shoulders while Peter stared at the Hospital Wing doors

A couple of hours had passed by very slowly for them, but then Madame Pomfrey opened the door, and said that they could come in. They all rushed in, and she told them "Well, he took a nasty fall, and he has a few broken ribs, a broken arm and some bruises, but he's going to be alright. He was lucky it wasn't anything more. He should wake up in a little while." They all let go of the breaths they didn't know they had been holding, and murmured their "thanks" before they sat down in the chairs around his bed. Lily held his hand, and all of them watched James, thankful that he was breathing, and hoping that he would wake up soon. They sat by his bedside the rest of that day; they didn't eat or go back to their dormitories for even a minute, and they fell asleep there by his bedside.

When James woke up that morning, he saw something that touched him: he saw his friends all asleep in the chairs next to his bed. He shook his head and he quietly chuckled, and then he noticed there was something on his other hand: Lily's hand. He had to double-take: Lily Evans was worried about him? They clearly had stayed there all night, and he smiled at all of them. Lily was the first to wake up, and after she stretched, she saw James awake. She gasped, and stood up looking furiously at him "James Potter!" she hissed, and then continued "Do you know how worried we all were? We were terrified! You could've died you, you prat!" She slapped him across the face, which was somewhat loud, and it woke the guys up, and then she grabbed him by the shoulders, and kissed him: A somewhat passionate kiss that lasted a few seconds. When she let go, she stood up, her face slightly pink, and walked out of the Hospital Wing.

The guys gawked at him, as a slightly blushing James said as he held his cheek,"I guess I need to get knocked off my broom more often!" Remus chuckled, and Sirius jumped out of his seat and hugged James "PRONGS! YOU'RE ALIVE! DON'T YOU EVER SCARE ME LIKE THAT AGAIN!" James groaned in pain a little, and Sirius quickly let go, muttering "sorry", and Peter said "Glad to have you back!" "James, I don't know if I'll ever forgive you for scaring us like that!" said Remus, and James said grimly "I'm really sorry guys." They all smiled at him, and Sirius said "Ah, it's okay Prongs, that happens in Quidditch." James grinned, but his grin faltered a bit as he asked "What happened exactly?" Remus said "Well, we were all at the front of the stands, including Lily, and you did pretty well, Prongs! But a Slytherin knocked a bludger at you from behind, and you fell off your broom, about twenty feet..." They all winced, and James exclaimed "Oh Merlin! I'm lucky to be alive!" as he smacked his palm to his forehead. They all chuckled, and Remus spoke up "Yeah, Lily was really concerned as well. She stayed with us the entire time." James looked shocked, "Really?" he said as he grinned, and Madam Pomfrey came over and said "Alright you three, you should probably go get some sleep and get something to eat, and tell Ms. Evans to do the same if you see her. I can't believe I let you stay here for so long!" They all gave James a smile and they walked out of the Hospital Wing, and went to breakfast.

After her bold move to kiss James, Lily decided to shower and change before heading down to breakfast. When she finished her meal, she was on her way to the Common Room, when she saw the guys heading down to breakfast, and Sirius shouted at her "I think you made James's day!" She blushed furiously and quickly walked to her dormitory, where she decided to finish up her Charms homework before she went to class. Later that day, after all her classes were done and dinner had been eaten, she walked to the Hospital Wing to visit James. When she arrived at the door, she peered inside to make sure no one else was there, and then proceeded to go to James's bedside. He was asleep, and she gently held his hand while he slept. Soon, Lily had lain back in her chair and was now sleeping peacefully, and James woke up an hour later, finding that once again his hand held Lily's. He smiled softly, and whispered "Lily?" she woke up and looked tiredly at him, smiling "Hi, how are you feeling?" she asked quietly. He smiled and said "I'm fine, not as sore as I was earlier, but I'm better now that you're here." She smiled, but then frowned a little, and as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat, she said "Look, James, about earlier, I'm really sorry for slapping you like that, and well, I'm sorry for just grabbing you like that and snogging you, I just-" James chuckled and interrupted her "Lily, it's alright, I'm sorry that I scared you so badly!" They smiled softly at each other, and James finally asked "So, what happens now? Do you want to go out with me? Do you-?" She smiled, and said "Yes!" He grinned, and she grinned back "Well, I should probably go to bed-" she started to get up, but James tightened his grasp on her hand, and said quietly, "Please stay?" She looked surprised, and he let go and put his hand through his hair nervously, saying "Well, erm, I mean you don't have to stay if you really don't want to, you-" "I'll stay," she said, smiling, as she leaned down to kiss him on the cheek. She giggled, "You're so cute when you're nervous!" she said as she got comfortable in her seat again. He blushed, and she leaned back in her chair.

They stayed up for a little while talking about everything, from their families to their favorite things. When the rest of the Marauders checked up on him early that morning, they saw James and Lily, holding hands, both fast asleep. Madam Pomfrey told them quietly as they walked in "They were like that all night, I never thought I'd see the day those two decided to become a couple!" As she walked away, they all grinned: James had finally gotten his heart's desire.