Lily Evans sat in the Gryffindor Head's common room on a snowy December night. The television set she requested was about to be put to good use. She was just starting to watch her favorite Christmas movie, "It's a Wonderful Life", when James Potter walked in.
"Evening, Evans," he said with a nod. He knew that he and Lily weren't always on the best of terms and he didn't feel like pushing it tonight. However, James did a double take when he saw the television. "What the bloody hell is that thing?"
"You've never seen a telly?" Lily asked, not quite masking the astonishment in her voice. Seeing the confused shake of James's head, she said, "Come here, Potter. You can experience your first Muggle movie."
James apprehensively sat down near Lily on the couch. When the movie started, he was in awe.
"So you're telling me those are Muggles paid to pretend to be other Muggles?" James questioned.
"For the millionth time, Potter, yes! They're called actors. Now shut it, you're missing an important part!" She punched him playfully on the arm, and laughed, turning her attention back to the screen. James just looked down at her, smiling.
He had liked Lily Evans for a long time, but only recently had their conversations not ended in fits of rage. James admired Lily's wit, snark, and good-naturedness. Not to mention her looks; Lily Evans had bright red, wavy, long hair that contrasted brilliantly with her emerald eyes. She was wearing her pyjamas, a classic navy button-down pair. James in comparison was wearing his day clothes - the Hogwarts school uniform of trousers and a white dress shirt.
It was then that James decided his attraction to Lily couldn't be one-sided.
-
When the movie ended, Lily and James were nearly touching. James had his arm behind Lily on the couch, and she realized she didn't mind. They looked at each other for a moment, then the inquisition started again.
"Clemence -"
"Clarence," Lily corrected.
"Okay, Clarence was a bit of a nosy bloke, don't you think?"
"Those Americans... Did they start movies?"
"Wait, the Baileys aren't inside the tellymavision?"
-
Lily and James were nearly on the floor from laughing so hard at James's absurd questions. Lily had rolled over onto James, and James leaned over her, collapsing in hysterics. James had to remove his glasses to keep his tears off them. When they both sobered up, Lily was leaning into James's chest, and James had one arm wrapped around Lily, holding her to him. They stayed in this position quite a while, content just to be with each other.
Lily thought, as she was wrapped in James, that she really liked him. She didn't know exactly when she changed her mind, but she certainly had. She was overwhelmed by James's understated scent, a sweet mix of cinnamon and clove. Lily snuggled closer to the raven haired boy, sighing as she did so.
-
James felt Lily readjust and sigh. He figured she was content, but James was anxious and exhausted. Having Lily so close, all James wanted to do was crane his neck forward and kiss the side of her neck. It was right out in front of him, and it was tempting. It was all James could do to not kiss this lovely girl.
"Lily?" he whispered.
She replied "James?" with a soft giggle. He smiled. So he was no longer Potter, but James to Lily.
After several beats of silence, Lily disentangled herself from James and turned around to face him. "What is it?" she asked.
James merely looked at her. He saw a stray piece of hair and tucked it behind her ear. Glancing down embarrassedly, James shook his head for the second time that night. He looked back up at Lily and saw something new in those emerald eyes. Lily outstretched her arm and placed her delicate hand on James's stubbly face. She stroked his cheek, felt the planes of his features. James reached up and encompassed her hand with his own, bringing it down from his face. Lily barely had the chance to blush before James had a hand at the back of her neck, helping close the distance between the two Gryffindors as their lips met, softly and gently, for the first time.