It had been three days and 16 hours since Lily had chickened out on confronting James. She had broken up with Michael, who was semi-manly and semi-wimpy about the whole ordeal. Honestly, that boy confused her. It was a good thing she wasn't dating him anymore. James was right, she deserved someone a little more stable.
The only problem was that the boy she had broken up with Michael for, James bloody Potter, was acting like an unstable prick himself, beginning with the morning after that closed-mouth, four-second kiss.
Lily was brushing her teeth in the Heads' bathroom, obsessing over the night before, when she saw James stumble in behind her. She froze, took a deep breath and turned around to declare her— whatever it was that she felt—for him.
James, however, grabbed his brush from behind the sink, mumbled a barely audible "morning," and fled from her presence.
Needless to say that went far from how Lily anticipated it would go. What she had in mind was her reciting her carefully thought out sentence, "James, I might love you, too, and I think if you'd just kiss me properly I could be sure." After which she would screw her eyes shut and hope for a kiss that lasted six seconds, at least.
However, when Lily thought back on her 'plan,' she knew she would have just mucked it up anyway and ended up where she was now, about to enter his room on the pretense of reminding him about patrolling.
Lily straightened her back and marched right into the room, only to crash into James and tumble onto the floor.
And, instead of her declaration of—whatever it was, out of her mouth came, "Merlin Potter, watch where you're going."
James took half a second to get over his shock and another half second to change his expression from morose to irritated. "Me? This is my room. A bloke shouldn't have to be on guard for wild redheads that might come barreling through the door when in his room."
"I didn't barrel in, Potter. God, get over yourself. I wasn't that eager to see you."
Lily closed her mouth in horror as she saw James struggle not to look hurt. What, no! No, no, no! I was eager to see you. And your lips. And your bum. And—argh!
"Whatever Evans, what do want?"
It was all Lily could do not to whine, 'Just one little kiss.' Instead she turned red, looked down, whispered, "rounds," and turned around.
James must have been shocked at her sudden change in mood, because before she turned the corner, she heard him yelp, "Wait!"
And as Lily contemplated what more he could possibly do to prove that he had forgotten all about that night, James took hold of her shoulder and spun her around.
"I, uh. . . well, about what I . . . er . . . said. When you came in and I yelled and I—when I, yeah. . . I really am sorry, you know."
Horror gripped Lily. What if he was not only sorry about yelling, but also about kissing her and saying what he said. What if he didn't mean it and was sorry that he misled her. It fit, considering his strange behavior during the last three days.
She hastily wiped away the tears that were beginning to gather and choked out "sorry?" in a small and confused voice.
James looked bewildered. "Yes!" Lily let out a sob. "No!" Another sob. "Bloody hell, Lily! What do you want from me?"
Lily was too distraught to filter her mutinous thoughts, "Just another," sob, "kiss…"
"That's fine, whatever you wan—WHAT?"
Lily squeaked and buried her face in her hands as she slid down the wall. She waited for the sound of James footsteps as he walked away, but they never came. She peeked out through her fingers and saw James looking as if had just been slapped. Then a slow, crooked grin spread across his face. She closed her eyes again, embarrassed out of her mind.
"Okay."
Lily's head shot up, "huh?"
"I said okay," and he crouched down in front of Lily and cupped her cheek with one hand which he braced himself against the wall with another.
Lily closed her eyes and waited. She could feel his breath on her mouth, and then on her ear, as he whispered, "why?"
She opened her eyes and turned to face him. After mustering all of her courage, which seemed to be hiding in multiple obscure places, she shut her eyes and let out a very rushed whisper of "I-might-love-you-and-if-you'd-just—" but Lily never got a chance to ask for the kiss, because James Potter's lips were suddenly silencing her own.
This time, James waited about two seconds before he removed his other hand from the wall, held Lily's head, and tilted it back for easier access. His mouth opened a little, and he teased her with the tip of his tongue on her bottom lip. Lily kept a running count of 9 seconds before she forgot about time in general and let him coax her mouth open.
