Of First Kisses and Challenges
Lily was alone. Alone in the library.
In retrospect, she should've seen this coming. She should've realised that her mates would ditch her as soon as they could without feeling bad. She understood. Really, she did. They all had boyfriends, and she didn't, and that was by choice, and she couldn't expect them to hang around her all day.
"Oi, Evans," a familiar voice said, sliding in next to her, "Why so glum?" Lily laughed. There was something about being around James that made her happy all the time, "Not glum then, I see?" he asked.
"Of course not," Lily smiled, "I'm never sad."
"That," James said, "is the truth. I've never seen you sad in my life." It was true. Lily didn't get sad very often. And when (and if) she did, she would never let anyone see. Lily was a very keeping to herself sort of person. No one knew how sad she really was sometimes.
"Sorry," Lily said shrugging.
"It's inhumane," James declared, "No one should be that happy all the time."
"I can't help what I am," she laughed.
"What are you doing here anyway?" James asked, "Studying? Lily, it's Saturday. No one worries about their homework until Sunday, at the least." "Sorry," she apologized again, "Some of us like to actually get our work done on time."
"What's the fun in that?" James asked, disgusted. Lily rolled her eyes.
"It's school, James," she replied, "It's not fun."
"You need to get out more," James declared.
"That's nice, James," she said, adding another sentence to her Charms Essay.
"C'mon then," James said getting up.
"Where are you going?" Lily asked, bewildered.
"We're going," James declared. Lily shook her head.
"I am not going anywhere with you alone," she said firmly.
"What do you think I'm going to do?" he asked.
"Well, the time you said, 'Oi Evans! Broom closet! Clothing optional, yeah?' made it pretty clear exactly what you wanted to do," she smirked.
"That was fifth year," James said, "Fifth year, Evans! You can't hold me accountable for something like that!"
"Who says I can't?" Lily questioned. James held up his hand.
"You make me sick, Evans," he said, "But you're still coming with me." Lily continued to protest, but for nothing. James ended up picking her up and taking her out of the library.
"James!" she shrieked, "Put me down!" he finally consented, putting her down in the middle of a corridor, "James, what do you think you're doing?"
"I have a challenge for you," he said, ignoring her.
"A challenge?" she questioned.
"Yes," he said, "I challenge you to not question my motives for a single hour, and see what happens." Lily glared at James.
"And what in the name of Merlin makes you think I would agree to something like that?" she asked.
"I could tell everyone about how you went absolutely nuts about that Charms book. What was that one called? A-" he started, before Lily clamped a hand over his mouth.
"Fine," she scowled, "I'll do it. But no funny business, you hear?"
"None at all," James said solemnly, "C'mon then." He said and dragged her away.
"Where are we going?" she asked curiously.
"What did I say about questioning me?" he asked.
"Fine," she huffed, and he continued to lead her. Finally, they reached a statue of Gunhilda of Gorsemoor.
"Oh, her," Lily said, "I've heard of her."
"You have?" James asked, shocked.
"You haven't?" Lily replied, "She was this witch that found the cure for Dragon Pox, James. She's saved so many peoples' lives!"
"Alright then," James said, pulling up the witch, "You coming or what?" Lily grumbled to herself and followed him under.
"Dissendium," James said quietly, and a secret passageway opened up.
"James, what are we doing? Where does this go-" James led her through the passageway and out into Honeydukes.
"Here," he said.
"Here?" Lily said, "James, what are we doing, we can't just go into Hogsmeade, it isn't even a Hogsmeade weekend, and where are you going?"
"Don't worry so much Evans," he said, "I come here all the time. It'll be alright."
"Alright?" Lily asked, "It'll be alright? What if we get caught? What if we get detention? What if I have my Head Girl status revoked? What if it's not alright?"
"Calm down," James said, putting a casual arm over her shoulder, "Everything will be just fine. Now how about we get you some chocolate? Don't girls love chocolate?" he added under his breath. Lily glared at him.
"They do, yes," Lily sniffed, stomping off to the Chocolate Frogs.
"Thank Merlin," James muttered under his breath.
"What did you say?" Lily asked.
"Nothing," James shrugged, picking up a frog. Lily's eyebrows went up.
"Whatever," she muttered, "I'm going to go pay for this." James swiped the frog from her hands.
"Oh no," James said, "I'm paying for it."
"James-"
"No."
"I can-"
"No."
"Would you just let me pay for my own frog?" Lily exclaimed.
"No," he smirked. He reached the front of the line, "Here you go." He said a minute later, handing her the Chocolate Frog.
"James-"
"Eat it," James said, and Lily opened it.
"Wichcaridouet?" James asked with a full mouth.
"What?" Lily asked. James swallowed.
"Which card did you get?" he asked. Lily glanced down at it.
"You won't believe it, but I got Gunhilda of Gorsemoor," Lily laughed.
"The one that's the statue we came through?" James asked, "Let me see."
"Hey!" Lily yelled, as James snatched the card out of her hand.
"'Gunhilda of Gorsemoor'," James read, "'Was a witch that lived from 1556-1639. She was a one-eyed, hump-back healer that discovered the cure for Dragon Pox. When she died in 1639, everyone who knew her felt great sorrow. Her cure has saved many a witch and wizard.'"
"See?" Lily asked, grinning, "I told you so. Now, who was right?"
"I never said I doubted you," James said, "I just ignored you completely."
"Hey!" Lily yelled indignantly. She grabbed some snow off the ground and threw it at James.
"Snowball fight, Evans?" he said, grinning like a maniac, "You are so going to lose."
"Really Potter?" she scoffed.
"Back to a last name basis, I see," James nodded, throwing a snowball at Lily. She ducked easily.
"Nice try, Potter," she said, "But you're going to have to try harder than that."
"I was just warming up," James said, cracking his knuckles. And somehow, throughout the course of their snowball fight, they ended up behind a snow bank, kissing. It was her first kiss with James, something that a year ago she would've sworn would've never happened.
And as James dumped snow on her hair, Lily reckoned she really didn't mind.
A/N-Dedicated to the amazing The Last Poison Apple and Suki Alanna. Merry Christmas to the both of you! Also for the Jily Fic Exchange, ALL the pairings Challenge with James/Lily, the Of Blank and Blank Competition, and the Weekly Pairing Challenge (Week 2-James/Lily)