Disclaimer: Not my character's, only my scene. The song is Hanging By a Moment, by Lifehouse. Also, bloody brilliant.
James POV
"Hey, Evans!" I heard someone call from behind the portrait hole.
"Yeah, Lee?" Lily answered, sounding reluctant. Tip-toeing closer to the door, I pressed my ear up to it, so I could hear the conversation better.
"You want to go to the ball with me?" He asked, full of confidence. I'm going to punch him.
"Er – I can't." She said. What? Why not? She's already got a date? I wouldn't doubt it… Except, that's her lying voice…
"Why not?" He demanded. Don't talk to her like that.
"I've already got a date." She lied, again. Why?
"Who?" Talk to her like that again, I dare you.
"…Potter." She said, after a slight pause. …What?
"Potter? Why Potter?" He asked skeptically. I glared through the door at him.
"It's a Heads thing. We have to." She lied, again. I heard footsteps retreating, and ran as fast as I could back to the couch. As soon as I sat down, Lily walked in and burst into laughing fits. What the hell?
"What's wrong with you, Evans?" I asked, walking up to her with an amused expression.
"I – Lee – Ball – "No" – "Why?" – Going with you! – hahahahahahahaha!" She sputtered between laughter.
"…Sorry, didn't catch that." I said, laughing a bit.
She breathed in air, and tried again. "Lee asked me to the ball, and I told him no, because I was going with you!" She laughed, again.
Putting a confused look on my face, I asked, "Why?"
"Because I wasn't about to go with him!" She told me, as if it were obvious –which, to her, it was.
"Why me, though?" I pressed.
"Because I was trying to think of someone Lee wouldn't dare confront about it, and you popped into my head." She said, chuckling. So, she has this thing in her head that I'm going to protect her? …Oh. I do. But, it's still cute she thought of me.
"Wasn't he a little suspicious that you just decided to say 'yes' to me?" I said, pretending to find the humor she was.
She looked hurt for a second, but shook it off quickly. "Yeah, but I told him it was because we were the heads." She said, still smiling.
Was she really going to let me take her to the ball? And then, I remembered something. "You won't go with me, though."
"Well, I have to, won't I?" She said, frowning, now.
"You don't like dancing." I stated bluntly.
"Of course I do!" She laughed at me. "What makes you say that?"
"I've seen what you do!" I said defensively. "At every ball, you make up excuses as to why you can't dance with people, until it's a reasonable enough hour to be tired, and then you sneak out!" I paused. "Unless… Unless Miss Perfect Evans can't dance."
She scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous. Of course I can dance."
"I don't think you can!" I said, laughing merrily.
She glared at him. "I can – extremely well, as a matter of fact!" She said, sounding offended.
"Ten galleons says you can't." I said, holding out a hand to her.
She snorted cutely. "Potter, that bet would be too easy to win. Since we're talking about me, all I'd have to do is say 'Yes, I can' and take your money."
"Oh?" I said, taking her waist and pulling her toward me.
"What're you doing? Gerroff me!" She said, a terrified look in her eyes.
"Relax, Evans. I'm winning a bet." I grinned at her. She frowned deeply, but let me take her into my arms. I placed her left hand on my right shoulder, and took her other hand in mine. I then took her waist, again, and pulled her closer, exuberant because she was allowing me to.
"Potter," She started awkwardly. Dang. I was so close. "There's no music." Oh. YES.
"Oh, yeah," Using the hand that was on her waist, I pulled my wand out of my back pocket, and flicked it, making music start. She tensed. "There." I said, ignoring it, and putting my hand back on her waist, and pulling her into me, yet again.
Desperate for changing,
Starving for truth,
Closer than where I started,
I'm chasing after you.
She held her breath. So did I.
I'm falling even more in love with you-
Letting go of all I've held onto.
Why is she holding on to me so tight?
I'm standing here until you make me move.
I'm hanging by a moment, here with you.
She froze for a moment, and then relaxed into me, with her head right next to mine, our cheeks barely brushing as we turned.
Forgetting all I'm lacking,
Completely incomplete,
I'll take your invitation-
You take all of me.
This time, she didn't hold her breath, but instead she seemed like she was waiting for something.
Now, I'm falling even more in love with you-
Letting go of all I've held onto.
I'm standing here until you make me move.
I'm hanging by a moment, here with you.
I tried relaxing my movements, hoping she'd follow suit, and then wrapped my arm further around her waist, holding her closer.
I'm living for the only thing I know.
I'm running and not quite sure where to go.
And, I don't know what I'm diving into.
I'm staying by a moment, here with you.
Out of nowhere, and leaving me completely stunned, she leaned her head into my shoulder, and turned her head into my neck. What. The. Bloody. Hell.
There's nothing else to lose,
Well, that had perfect timing.
There's nothing else to find.
There's nothing in the world
That could change my mind.
True that…
There is nothing else.
There is nothing else.
There is nothing else.
She suddenly tensed up, again.
Desperate for changing,
Starving for truth,
What's wrong with her?
Closer than where I started,
I'm chasing after you.
What did you do, stupid?
Tick… Tick… Tick… Silence.
She sighed. "I'm falling even more in love with you - letting go of all I've held onto." What is she doing? "I'm standing here until you make me move. I'm hanging by the moment, here with you." What is she saying? "I'm living for the only thing I know. I'm running and not quite sure where to go. And, I don't know what I'm diving into. Just staying by a moment, here with you."
Uh oh. Lily-urge.
Just staying by a moment…
I don't know if I can hold this one off. She basically just told me she fancied me! But, she'll hate you!
Hanging by a moment…
QUIT, STUPID! STOP!
Hanging by a moment…
DON'T! SHE'LL HATE YOU! WHY?
Hanging by a moment, here with you.
WHY AM I-
She gasped in surprise as I lurched forward, and crushed her lips with mine. Ahhhh… Lily. She tried to drop my hand and push me away – but I couldn't let her go. Not yet. Make it last – make it last! I released her hand, but clung to her waist for dear life, leaving her arms dangling freely at our sides. She's going to hit you, anyway! I arched her body into mine, forming her to my every curve. Make it last!
After a little bit of this, I was light headed and needed air. Apparently, she did, too, because when I removed my lips from hers, dropped my hands, and stumbled away – like the weakling I am when she's around – she was gasping just as bad as me.
"You can hit me, now." I said coldly, trying to hide the pain of the fact that the hit was inevitable.
She looked up at me confused. "I… What?"
I frowned at her. "I know it's coming – just get it over with."
She took a step toward me, and I flinched like the coward I am – knowing the pain was coming. She sighed. "I'm not going to hit you, James." James. She called me James. Wait, what? She's not going to…? But, I kissed her! …What?
I looked at her blankly, without meeting her eyes. "Why not?"
She took another step closer. Why is she getting closer? She back within kissing distance. Why is she that close? WHY DOES SHE KEEP COMING CLOSER? Raising her hand, she tilted my face so that our eyes would have to meet. She smiled fondly at me, and received a slightly befuddled look. "Because you're adorable." She chuckled lightly at my expression – which had just ten folded the last one. She then proceeded to stretch up onto her toes, gently and slowly pressing her lips to mine.
"OI!" I yelled at her, making her jump. "THIS – I – YOU JUST… Did you just kiss me?" I sputtered at her. She raised her eyebrows and smiled in amusement. "YES!" I bellowed, before quickly bending back down to her lips and wrapping my arms back around her waist with so much enthusiasm that I lifted her off the floor.
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