For the 24 Hours of Romance Challenge. Pairing Sirius/Lily
Sirius had stayed behind after the majority of the students had gone to bed. His ears rang from all the commotion the Gryffindors had caused over their Quidditch win. Just one more game against Slytherin and the House Cup was potentially theirs. James had already gone up to get into bed and Sirius looked over to see Lily Evans poring over her Arithmancy book.
"Don't tell me you were studying through all that?"
She started and looked up from her book. Upon realizing it was him she just rolled her eyes and went back to reading. "Maybe."
He couldn't have that. He strolled over to her table and closed the book and pulled out a bottle of firewhiskey he'd managed to smuggle in from Hogsmeade from inside his robes. If anyone needed a drink it was Lily Evans. She looked exhausted and pale and he took pity on her. Of course in his compassion he'd forgotten that she was a prefect.
"What the hell are you doing with that?" She began to get red in the face. He held up a hand.
"I give it over without argument on the condition that you have some. You look like you need it."
She looked horrified at the thought and he couldn't help but laugh. Then she became rather sober and put her head in her hands. "Do I look that bad?"
Sirius set the bottle before her. "Yes."
She hesitated but after a long loathing look at her Arithmancy book muttered, "What the hell?" and proceeded to open the firewhiskey. She transfigured a couple of nearby candle sticks into glasses for them. "Don't. Tell. Anyone." She threateningly pointed her wand at his face.
Sirius lifted his hands palms up in a gesture of fear and submission. "Promise."
He sat down opposite her and poured them both a glass. "So, Miss Evans, what is the trouble?"
Lily groaned and took a swallow of firewhiskey. "I have so much homework and exams are coming up and I'm in way over my head. Not to mention I can't get any work done when your prat of a best friend keeps bothering me."
"Why does he bother you that much? Just be flattered and ignore him."
"He won't allow me to ignore him…" And so began the rant about James Potter. The more she drank the more she talked and Sirius was beginning to regret giving her the alcohol. It seemed his plan to calm her nerves had backfired. The drunker she got the cuter she became and he was beginning to think James had been right to follow Lily around the last six years.
She was breathtaking and hilarious and close enough. So he acted on impulse and did the only logical thing to do when there is a disinhibited, beautiful woman before you. He kissed her. And to his surprise she kissed back. But that moment was fleeting. Her eyes snapped open and she slapped him. "YOU! You are so evil and ignoble and crass and…" she let her arms fall to her sides. "… and incredibly good-looking." He stood there completely stunned at the stinging mark she had left on his face as well as the extent of her vocabulary even in her drunken state. She looked as though she regretted slapping him and he came forward and put his arm around her waist to help her stumble toward the staircase. She took hold of the railing but didn't let go of his shoulder. She leaned in and kissed him and he was beginning to think firewhisky was the best thing to ever be invented.
When they broke apart she poked her index finger into his chest. "I hate you." She marched up the stairs and left him to clear the evidence and also go up to bed.
Sirius tried to shake the elation that had swelled up inside him when Lily had kissed him. She's not for you. But as he lay awake that night he knew that there was nothing for it. He was beginning to fall for Lily Evans. He looked over at his best friend's sleeping form. James could never know about this.