James Potter hadn't seen Lily Evans in months. Not since the end of their sixth year, since she held his hand and gave him an extra hug on the train ride home. Despite writing to each other all summer, he took the mickey from Sirius about that, and since they'd become something of a team. He missed her, like an ache he couldn't get rid of. It was a quiet, constant sensation he recently acquired. Of course, it always hurt to look at her, she was so beautiful, but now it hurt to be away from her. He was used to their steady friendship, despite still wanting more, and being away from her was odd. He avoided Remus' knowing gaze whenever he got a new letter from her, or Peter's understanding smile when he left the room to read it. But tonight, the night before seventh year, he would finally get to see her. The ache would subside.
Marlene McKinnon was hosting an end of summer, beginning of school, party with all of their year from Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor. No one bothered to care to tell the Slytherins, especially since no one wanted them there anyway. James knew Lily would be there, not only because Marlene was her best friend, but also because everyone would be there. And because, he didn't want to brag, she sent an owl and asked if he was going.
When he and the boys got there it was already crowded. There were golden lights hung in the garden and on the deck, and drinks were being passed around. Music was playing, challenged only by his classmate's laughter. The sun was hazy in the sky, and the stars would be out soon. It felt like summer and it felt like the night of all nights. Sirius took off immediately to find Marlene, those two were always looking for a snog. They heard his triumphant shout across the way and Marlene's flirty taunts weren't quiet either. But through the crowd of girls in sundresses and boys who needed haircuts, their friends seemed to be lost. James was looking around for Lily, but couldn't see any signs of red hair anywhere.
"Maybe this time they won't snog in front of everyone and cause us all to vomit." Remus murmured, grabbing a beer from the table in front of them.
"Don't get your hopes up, Rem." A voice with tinkled laughter floated around them.
"Lily!" Peter exclaimed, reaching to hug her first.
Once he let go, Remus gave her a hug as well. James heart was beating faster than he cared to admit, but he couldn't help it when he saw her. The boys rarely saw her in muggle clothes, and James found himself not disappointed tonight. She was wearing ripped up jeans which showed off her summer freckles and slight tan and a t-shirt advertising the muggle band "Led Zeppelin" and her hair was long and curled. He noticed she was barefoot and he admired her for how laid back she seemed. She was a poster girl for carefree, summer happiness. Her green eyes shone up at him before finally wrapping her arms around his waist. He pulled her closer towards himself, and rested his chin on her shoulders. The ache was gone.
"I missed you." James said in her ear when she let go.
"Missed you too, Headboy." She teased him.
James snorted at this. She had written him back immediately and enthusiastically when he told her the news. He was willing to bet she downplayed her surprise in her letter, no one could have seen it coming. Even if "was going to be brilliant" like Lily said to him. Her letter had soothed his doubt, although his wonder at his Headmaster's decision was still very much there.
"I suppose we have you to thank for the muggle beer, Lily?" Peter asked, causing the two to tear their gazes away from each other.
"Oh, er, yeah!" Lily said in a distracted voice, Merlin was James Potter fit, and one of her closest friends, and her very, very strong crush, "Marlene told me Sirius asked me to get some."
"Excellent." Peter grinned at her, for they rarely had muggle beer, and liked the way it tasted.
"Evans!" Sirius roared, pulling Marlene behind him by the hand emerging from the crowd, "Spiffing good to see you!"
"Are you drunk already?" Lily asked incredulously, and then turned to Marlene, "How did he manage to get drunk so fast?"
"He downed like five beers and then drank some Firewhiskey," Marlene smirked, "Said he wanted to get wasted properly before seventh year. He made me swear you lot would be smashed too, by the end of the night."
Marlene was wearing jean shorts and a very tight tank top. James saw Sirius stare at her and then pull her closer towards himself, as if some other bloke would be snogging her tonight. Remus rolled his eyes.
"Good of him, looking out for us like that." Remus laughed, but finished his drink and reached for another. He shrugged when Lily shot him a questioning look, "Much as I hate to admit it, I kind of agree with Padfoot."
Everyone had to laugh at that. Marlene got James to carry a cooler full of beer past the garden and into the field. She, Lily, and the boys sprawled out together. As much as they liked everyone else, it just felt right being with them one last time before school began. Once Lily and James became so close, the boys sort of adopted her and Marlene, looking out for them, teasing them, and sitting with them at dinner. It made sense, Lily and Remus were already friends, Sirius and Marlene snogged often, and they all fit together to form a rag tag motley crew.
Remus and Marlene were discussing this year's Gryffindor Quidditch team, Sirius and Lily were arguing over muggle music, and Peter and James were making their empty cans clash in midair. They all felt buzzed, warm, and extremely content. They talked for a while, told old stories, and got progressively drunker when Lily lay on the ground, her head resting on James chest.
It was curious how the rest happened. Peter got up to pee. Remus left to seek out a Ravenclaw girl who he got along well with and hadn't seen all summer. Marlene declared she needed something stronger than beer to forget she was already a seventh year and dragged Sirius back towards the house with her. James knew they all tactfully left him and Lily alone.
They were quiet for a while. James fingers tracing the inside of Lily's wrist as she snuggled closer towards him. They had been waiting for a moment like this, just the two of them, for a while. They both knew what was bound to happen. James had an excited buzz in the pit of his stomach while Lily's hands were shaking from nerves and joy. James sat up and Lily pulled herself up after him.
"S'matter?" she asked curiously, as she had quite liked the position they were in.
"Remember the party after we beat Ravenclaw for the cup last year?" James asked her.
How could she have forgotten? She and Sirius managed to play muggle rock and roll and everyone was so happy. She danced all night long. She and James sang The Beatles to each other and she and Remus embraced after Lily drunkenly confessed how much his friendship meant to her. Peter was delighted when he, Lily, and Marlene snuck into the kitchens for more snacks together and the girls helped him with his plan to ask out a fifth year he fancied. Sirius spun Lily around the common room and swore he had never felt more alive. They all got the fourth years drunk after making them swear to keep it a secret. Marlene was so drunk she gave a fifth year a very affectionate kiss. They felt like they were on top of the world. How could she forget?
"Course." Lily smiled to herself.
James grinned at the look on her face, sure that night had meant just as much to her as it had to him, and picked up her hand. He linked his fingers with her and Lily liked how easy it seemed to be with them. She was so happy around him.
"God, I remember how beautiful you looked, spinning around and laughing. I thought I would never live to see anyone look like you did that night. I wanted to watch you forever. And then, you come here tonight, and it was even better, because tonight you looked like you were happy to see me." He confessed.
Lily leaned in, closely, and he couldn't concentrate much on anything else. She never got this close. He couldn't help but quickly glance at her lips, before focusing on her eyes instead. She blushed a little but didn't move away.
"I thought you were over me, James Potter." She accused him with a low, intimate voice he thought was teasing him, but he wasn't sure.
"Never." James said thickly, and then more confidently, "Lily, I don't think it's likely I ever get over you."
"I was hoping you were going to say that," Lily blushed, "Because it's not likely I get over you either."
Whatever James had expected to hear, that wasn't it. Because while he thought, hoped, she fancied him he never dreamed she said that. Because that implied she liked him for a while. More confidently than he felt, James leaned in that final inch and kissed her. It was like they were both on fire, finally doing what they had wanted to do for so long. They were kissing, softly, but firmly and they had never felt so alive. She was finally able to run her hands through her hair like she had wanted for so long. He knew now what it felt like to really hold someone you love. It was like Firewhiskey, like swimming on a hot summers day, like you just did what you were yearning to do for so long. It was right.
And that, that was how Lily Evans and James Potter, finally, finally, got together. They never spent a month apart again. The ache was gone.