They were enemies. The fights they engaged in were so extreme that people steered clear of them in fear they'd be hit by a stray flying book. They were notorious for being themselves; James desperately trying to win Lily's affections and she for turning him down more than several times. They were rivals, enemies, any name in the book. They were kissing.
It was a Monday night, or Tuesday morning rather. At about 3 a.m., the Common Room was entirely empty save the couple. The faint glow of the dying embers in the fireplace provided the only light in the dark room. Everything was quiet and everyone was sleeping. There was no chance anyone would walk in on them.
Lily was atop James' lap: one of his hands on her lower back holding her in place and the other woven into her auburn hair. Her hands were placed delicately around his neck. She kissed him hungrily, passionately while he kissed back, matching her emotion. He wouldn't act on the randy thoughts going through his head because he'd be hexed for sure. But if she didn't stop soon, James would end up doing things he'd regret. Well, he wouldn't regret the things, more so the consequences. All she was doing was simply kissing him and it was driving him nuts. Lily, however, seemed to have no intentions of stopping at all. On the contrary, she deepened the kiss. Suddenly James did something he would've never in a million years thought he'd do.
James stopped kissing Lily.
She gasped softly as he pulled away. She opened her eyes, still situated on his lap and looked him in the eyes. Then he spoke.
"I can't do this."
"Yes, you can. And you're bloody brilliant at it," she countered and attempted going in for another kiss. He jerked his head away causing her to miss.
"No, I mean I can, but I don't want to," he corrected, eyes bugging out when he saw Lily's hurt reaction. "No, no. I want it, believe me, I do! But right now…us…this, isn't right." She said nothing. "You've got a boyfriend, Lily. Admittedly, I spend half my half time wishing it was me and the other half trying to think of way to get it to be me. But that's not the point."
"Then what is the point, James? Because my boyfriend doesn't have to know, we don't have to tell Jeffrey," Lily reasoned, saying whatever it took to get James to kiss her again. Lord knows she wanted it and he had always wanted it as well. So why wasn't he kissing her?
"No, Lily," God it was hard to say no to her. "I can't do that. Jeff's a good guy, he doesn't deserve that. I won't be that guy, Lily. I won't be the guy you cheated on your boyfriend with. That's not who I want to be." He looked in her eyes, searching for some response, for some recognition- maybe a That's so noble of you. Yet she was silent again. He searched her desperately for response. No such luck. Still quiet and he felt like he had to fill the empty air between them.
"When you came into the Common Room tonight, hand in hand with your boyfriend, I'll admit, it was like a punch to the gut. Sure you've been going out a while but it still hurts, you know? And I know I don't have any claim over you, you've made that clear enough," he said, remember one particular Saturday afternoon when she had jinxed him to sing Christmas carols to the whole Common Room for hours because he threatened some guy who asked her out. He never made that mistake again. He dropped his head and continued. "And each time I see you, I feel like my heart stops and it kills me. Cause each time I see you laugh, I know I didn't make you laugh. And each time I see you whisper in someone's ear, I know you'll never whisper in mine. And each time I tell myself I have to get over you cause if I don't I'll be miserable forever. But see, then I realize that that isn't possible because I love you. And if you'll never love me back, then I'll learn to live with the misery. But I can't be that guy, Lily. As much as I want you, I do have standards and morals and I can't let myself sink that low. Lily, you have no idea how hard it is to tell you-"
"James," she murmured, so inaudible he had to strain to hear her. But his ears had grown to know how to seek out her quietest voice in the loudest of crowds. Immediately he shut up, wanting her to say something, anything. His head snapped up looking at her. He was actually surprised she was still on his lap. "James," she repeated. She looked up too, and he was surprise by her expression. It was almost…sad. Why would she be sad he loved her? Did she really deem him that repulsive? He had always assumed that she had never truly believed that… "James," she repeated one last time, her brilliant eyes scanning his. Swiftly, she got up form her position on his lap and ran up to her dormitory. He stared after her with the heart of a man broken. Nothing, she had said nothing.
A/N: You know the deal.