Author's Note: I'll be posting a series of unrelated Lily/James drabbles slowly. Most of these are written in response to challenges and prompts at the Livejournal communities HogwartsIsHome and SailorMoonLand (trust me, I can bring L/J into any scenario, even Sailor Moon-based ones XD ). Ratings will vary between K, K+, and T, but I rated it the highest it'll go just in case (this first drabble is like... K+, I think). Some of them are kind of cracky, but I hope you enjoy anyway! )

1. because he makes her heart flutter.
[Candy, music, "I dare you."]
Words: 1166

"So go on. I dare you," James challenged, that ever-present confident, slightly smug, exceedingly frustrating and kind of endearing smile stretching across his face. Dark black strands fell carelessly in front of his eyes, and she swore the flecks of green in his hazel eyes were mischievously... gleaming at her, but she couldn't bring herself to back away. Lily Evans was anything but a coward, and if James Potter thought he could best her in this immature, ridiculous little game, here in the middle of the common room with all of Gryffindor House watching them, then she was going to prove him wrong.

She sent him a saccharine, sweet smile, eyelids fluttering at him as dramatically as she could manage, and though the music was reverberating loudly into her ears and she could feel the beginnings of a headache, she quickly took the bait. "Alright, fine. I can easily do this." Ignoring the gasps of her friends, who were now reaching toward her to drag her away from this boisterous, most likely embarrassing scene, Lily hoisted herself on the nearest table. Clearing her throat to catch everyone's attention (though they were probably already paying attention—it wasn't every day that quiet, bookish Lily Evans stood on a table with an amused James Potter by her side), she slowly opened her mouth and began to sing.

"You're tall and fun and skinny, and... really, really pretty... Siriu—er, Siri. You're the Mickey to my Minnie, I'm the Tigger to your Winnie, Siri. I want to take you to the city, going to take you out to din-er, dinnie, Siri. You're... cuter than a... guinea pig. I want to take you out to Winnipeg (that's in Canada)."

Before she could even finish, the entire common room was bursting with sound—some in appraisal, and many in... irritation? Apparently, she had insulted Sirius Black's fanclub by openly declaring her love (she wanted to laugh at the thought) for him, and oddly enough, some of James Potter's own group of admirers seemed offended that she had chosen the Quidditch captain's best friend over him. She really didn't understand the insanity surrounding these two boys and their little club of marauding mischief makers. Sure, they were both cute, and one of them was downright adorable, but that didn't mean that girls had to completely lose their minds around them. There was more to life than hand-feeding James Potter chocolates or spinning around on the dance floor with Sirius Black, and she was going to (somehow) prove it by playing (and winning) this game. A girl could have principles! She didn't need two handsome children at her side.

"Lovely song, Evans," Sirius laughed, clearly amused. "And cuter than a guinea pig? Don't you mean 'sexier than the Giant Squid'?" At this, Lily arched an eyebrow. "I'm flattered, really, though I swear, if you call me 'Siri' again, I might have to hex you."

James, who had been watching the exchange with a pleased smirk on his face (something that unnerved Lily immensely), finally interjected. "Siri! Haha, brilliant, Evans."

She grinned before she could stop herself. "I thought so too, Potter."

His smirk grew. "But—"

Eyes growing wide, Lily backed away slightly, the smallest of steps, suddenly realizing that she had just given it all away.

"—I don't really think you actually fancy Sirius. There is no way you'd call the guy you were in love with 'Siri,' and to be honest, he's just not your type."

If she didn't like him so much (Well, he's great as Head boy, she reasoned), she'd slap that smug smile right off his face. "Oh, really? How would you know?" She wasn't exactly sure what she was starting here, but her ability to think straight seemed to disappear with Potter inching closer.

"I don't know," he said, his voice growing huskier and huskier. "Dare me."

She wasn't sure if it was his close proximity or his brisk, light breath teasing her ear, but suddenly her heart was fluttering wildly in her chest. Lily knew what he wanted her to say—it was what had started this game after all—but saying the same words back at him were an entirely different matter altogether. 'I dare you to serenade the guy you fancy, or just flat out tell him how you feel. Declare it, and if you sincerely mean it, I won't ask again.' She knew James was just playing around (practical joking was what he and his mates did best) and so she had joked with him right back by throwing Sirius into the middle of all this, but did she want him to leave her alone? He was frustrating and arrogant and a tad immature, but he was also kind, funny, intelligent and so bloody charming, and sometimes she wasn't sure if she wanted to slap him silly or snog him senseless, and just thinking about him made her head hurt.

Even more than that, she was afraid. What if there really was someone else he fancied? Would he be honest? And if he did choose her, if he actually stood in front of their entire House and openly declared his affections for Lily Evans (as he had done so many times in the past), would it be just a mockery, like her declaration for Sirius?

"I..."

He was smiling at her again, that frustratingly endearing, sincere smile he had that he seemed to throw at no one else, and she felt her resilience start to crumble.

"I... You... I dare you to..."

"Come on, Evans, just spit it out," Sirius hollered, just as James started to brush a hand through his hair, obviously preparing himself for what he thought was going to come.

With her head pounding and her heart frolicking and the music so incredibly loud and irritating, Lily finally lost it. Instead of doing what Potter asked, instead of going along with this stupid, stupid game after all, she just chucked the whole charade out the window. "Oh, bugger off, Black." In an instant, her arms wrapped around James Potter's neck, and before she could change her mind or even think about what she was doing, before James could properly question her ("Hey, Lily, what are you—"), she stood on her toes, pushed his head down just slightly, and pressed her lips quickly against his. One kiss turned into five, hesitance turned into urgency, and soon, so much time had passed that no one in the common room was even interested in the snogging couple.

Short on breath and blushing madly, Lily began to disentangle herself from his arms.

Sensing that she might apologize or may just throw the whole thing on Sirius, James stopped her. "I dare you," he whispered, "to do that again." And this time, before she or anyone else could even respond, he took her into his arms and brought his lips down upon hers, and Lily discovered that there was nowhere else she'd rather be.

Notes: The song "Ginny" belongs to Team StarKid (StarKidPotter) and was used in their musical, "A Very Potter Musical." Wholeheartedly recommended (SO HILARIOUS). The title of these drabbles, "Under the Circus Lights" is taken from the song "Circus Lights" by Black Lab. Thank you for reading! :)