Fireside Confessions
Disclaimer: I am not a very wealthy woman with two kids and a home in Scotland, no matter how hard I wish it.
Lily Evans was curled up on the couch of the Heads' Dormitories she shared with James Potter. Her red hair was pulled back into a long and loose ponytail as her emerald eyes shone like jewels in the light of the fire crackling merrily in the fireplace.
She sighed heavily, snuggling deeper into the ratty old fleece quilt that was her security blanket. She sniffled and wiped away a lone tear as it gracefully made its way down her porcelain cheek.
She heard the door to the Heads' rooms open, but didn't move. She knew it was him. He was the only other person who knew the password.
"Lily?" his voice was tentative from the doorway. She closed her eyes for a moment, hating the way he said her name. It was as if his very voice was a gentle caress.
"Go away, James. I'm not in the mood," Lily opened her eyes and met James Potter's warm brown ones. His forehead was creased in worry as his fingers ran through his already impossibly untidy hair.
"Come on, Lily," James sat at the edge of the couch, "Talk to me."
"No," Lily stubbornly pulled the quilt over her head.
"Fine," James got up. She heard him rustle through his bag, and then felt the pressure on the couch again. She peeked out from under the blanket. James was holding two cans of butterbeer, "They don't bite, you know."
She reached out and grabbed one, "Thank you."
James smiled as he opened his own and took a sip, "You're welcome."
Lily sat up a little straighter and took a swig from her can. She looked into the can, and swirled it a little, "James?"
James looked up, "Yes, Lily?"
"What would you do if you had 5 wishes?" This wasn't what Lily had wanted to ask, but her courage deserted her.
"I don't know," James seemed a little taken aback, "Why?"
"Just because," she took another sip of butterbeer.
"How about I tell you one, and then you give me hints about what happened today?" James asked her.
"Sure," Lily sighed.
"My first wish? Muggle electronics were allowed in Hogwarts," James declared, "It's too difficult to live without my record player for the school terms."
"You listen to Muggle music?" Lily was surprised.
"Yes," James laughed, "However, you need to give me a hint now."
"It had to do with something I saw," Lily sniffled.
"Like what?" James asked.
"Ah!" Lily laughed, "It's your turn!"
James chuckled, "I suppose it would have to be that the Marauders could come live in this dormitory with us."
"Oh, good Lord," Lily groaned, "Over my dead, cold, and bloody body would I be stuck in this dormitory with Remus, Sirius, and Peter, too."
"Hey, we're not that bad!" James held up his hands in mock indignation, "Now, for that hint?"
"It had to do with a boy," Lily shrugged, avoiding James's gaze.
"Oh," James's voice sounded emotionless.
A minute passed in silence before Lily spoke up, "James? Your wish?"
"I wish I could go home anytime I wanted to," he stared into the fire, lost in thought.
Lily felt bad, because she knew she had made some of James's life miserable. She sat up straight, and touched his arm, "James."
He looked at her with an unfathomable depth behind his eyes, "Lily."
Lily wanted to tell him everything right then, but she still wasn't sure of what she had seen, "A boy was snogging a girl."
James looked back into the fire, "I'm sorry."
Lily took a deep breath, "James, tell me your next wish."
"I wish the war was over," he whispered.
She couldn't take it anymore. She hugged him and buried her head in his neck. James patted her on the back, and, as she pulled away, she took in his heavenly scent.
Lily let tears fall and make their tracks down her beautiful face as she sat back in her original position. Refusing to look at him, she stared into the fire, "James. The boy? He was you."
A silence fell upon the pair. Lily waited for James to say something. Instead of speaking, however, she was soon being picked up and pinned to the closest wall.
"JAMES!" she shrieked.
His eyes had a tormented look in them as he hungrily searched her face, inches from his own, "Don't screw with me, Evans. Why does it matter to you if I kiss one girl, or a thousand?"
She glared back at him, still crying freely, "Let me go, you arrogant prick."
"Not," he growled, "Until you stop jerking my heart around."
"I LOVE you, you dolt!" she screamed at him, struggling.
"No, you DON'T," he yelled as he dropped her to the floor.
"You bastard," Lily prodded him in the chest, rising on her toes to get to eye level, "Don't tell me what I do and do not feel. I love you. I love your stupid, annoying habits. I love your complete and total disregard for rules! And, I LOVED how you were trying to just be friends with me, even THOUGH I thought I could tell you still liked me. UNTIL I saw you SNOGGING Marlene McKinnon!"
James looked at her intently. Her chest was heaving, and she could feel more tears pricking her eyes. She started to turn away.
James, however, had other plans. He grabbed her and pushed her up against the wall again. This time, however, he brought his lips crashing onto hers. He ravaged her mouth, pouring all the years' frustration of not having her until now. She responded with equal passion, and granted him everything his tongue demanded from her.
Both of them being human, they broke away for air after a few minutes. Lily slid slowly to the ground and rested her head on James's chest as she caught her breath.
James, after a minute of recuperation, started chuckling. Lily's head snapped up, "You git! Now you've cheated on Marlene!"
"We're not going out, Lily, I swear! She kissed me because someone had told her I fancied her. I calmly explained to her that I just wasn't interested," James explained, "And she apologized and backed off!"
"Oh," Lily leaned against the wall. She thought for a moment, "So, where does that leave us?"
James looked at her seriously, "Where do you want us to be?"
Lily looked around the room, "Right here seems good," she smirked.
"Right then," James grinned as he captured her mouth again.
The next morning at breakfast, the entire school was shocked to see Lily Evans and James Potter walk into the Great Hall together, smiling and laughing. While holding hands, no less.
The student population waited with baited breath as they watched James pull Lily towards the Marauders, who were gaping open-mouthed at the pair's smiling faces.
There was a collective gasp as Lily allowed James to feed her breakfast, and another when Lily leaned over and kissed James on the nose.
Sirius was the first to snap out of it, "What the bloody hell did you do Prongs?"
"Nothing," James grinned.
"Lily," Remus asked worriedly, "Are you feeling okay?"
"Fine, Remus," Lily looked at him innocently, "Why?"
"You're being spoon-fed by James," Peter explained.
"I know," she giggled, "Isn't he sweet?"
"No potions?" Sirius asked.
"Nope," James shook his head.
Sirius stood up and yelled down the Gryffindor table, "EVERY 6TH AND 7TH YEAR OWES ME 20 SICKLES!"
The tension broke with mixed laughs and groans as people lined up and forked the money over to a very happy Sirius.
"Lily?" James asked while Sirius counted his money.
"Yes, James?" Lily turned to him.
"I love you," his face broke into a wide grin.
"I love you, too," she smiled as she kissed him softly.
Remus and Sirius later swore they could see Dumbledore's hands clap together at that moment.