Chapter 1: Kidnapping the James Potter Way

"Oh, bugger, bugger, bugger," I mutter, trying to concentrate as my feet slide on the rain-slick castle wall. "Why the bleedin' hell didn't he check the time!" I skid again, catching the ivy before I can fall completely. "Bloody hell!" I drop the last six or seven feet, landing in a crouch, picking the mud and wet grass off my knees as I stand. A bolt of lightning flashes, outlining a figure in a dark cloak. I scream, hand flying to my mouth. "I'm sorry! I didn't realize it was so late. Don't expel me!"

"Relax, I'm not a professor," a voice snarls, chucking a broom at me. "Get on. We're going for a ride."

"I don't accept rides from strangers."

"I'm not a stranger," the voice says, hands pulling back the cowl to reveal a face I certainly knew well and tried to forget.

"Potter."

"Get on the broom," he repeats, pointing at it. "I'm taking you away from here."

"No, thank you," I bite out sharply.

He groans, impatient. "Get on! You can't stay out here! You'll catch pneumonia!"

"I'd rather catch pneumonia and die than be on the back of your broom, James Potter."

Potter takes matters into his own hands, picking me up and slinging me over his shoulder.

"Put me down!" I screech, kicking and pounding his back with my fists. "Put me down! I'll report you!"

"I'll report you first," he says, mounting his broom. "And stop squirming. You'll make me drop you."

"Put me down!" I scream one last time as he takes off.

"I would, but you'd die from the fall."

"Where...Where are you taking me?"

"Some place safe where you can get dry and stay out of the rain till morning."

Potter's idea of 'some place safe' was a rickety hovel on the edge of school property. He opens the door and drags me in by the arm once we land.

"Sit down," he orders, shoving me toward a bed with a dusty comforter. "I'll start a fire."

"Planning this for years, have you?" I snarl, unknotting my Gryffindor tie to wring water out. "'Things To Do Before Graduation: Kidnap Lily and Hold Her For Ransom.'"

"It's not like that," Potter says, fire now blazing with the aid of magic. "I was passing and saw you climbing down so thought I'd stop to help. You'da never snuck back into the Hall unnoticed on a night like this. I bet they've already done bed checks." He looks up. "Hope your mates will lie for you like mine."

"You'd never do something so unselfish," I say, untucking my shirt to wring the water and wishing I could do the same for my skirt. "Just passing by? You're as rain soaked as I am. You were waiting for me."

"Maybe so, but I just saved both our hides."

"Oh, do tell," I drawl. "How could you have ever saved our lives when by morning we'll be expelled? Banger plan, Potter. See ya at the fish-n-chips."

"The what?" he asks, confused by the Muggle term.

I shake my head. "Never mind."

"I saved us from catching our death in that storm," Potter says, turning to face me, unbuttoning and peeling off his shirt like we undress in front of each other nightly. He hangs it on a makeshift clothesline before continuing. "Us and our clothes will dry out by the fire and, in the morning, we'll go back. If your mates are as good as mine, we won't even be missed. If not, I suppose I could help you out even more." He looks up. "For a price, of course."

"A what?"

"A price," Potter repeats, standing to shimmy out of his pants, thankfully leaving his boxer shorts on. "You don't think I'm doing this completely out of the goodness of my heart, do you, Evans? I'd hate to disrupt your already low opinion of me."

"No, of course not," I say. "How could I even dream you'd do anything without expecting payment?"

"Exactly," he says, motioning at me. "Take your shirt off. And skirt. We can hang them up to dry with my clothes."

"We can WHAT?" I shake my head vigorously. "No, no. I'm not undressing in front of you."

"Oh, come on!" Potter clucks his tongue at me, rolling his eyes. "It's the fastest way to get them dry. I won't try anything. I swear." He points down at himself. "I'm in my underclothes."

"Not a very inspiring sight either, I might add." The fire does look awfully nice and my clothes do feel awfully clammy. "Fine," I sigh, reaching for my shirt buttons. "But the second you even look at me sideways, I'm putting them back on whether they're dry or not."

"Fine," Potter says, unconcerned. "I'll still have the memory, though." I want to hit him but restrain myself.

"What is your 'price'?" I ask after sitting a safe distance from him on the little blanket he'd laid on the wood floor. "Don't even say sleeping you with, cause I'd rather be expelled."

Potter laughs. "No. But we can work up to that if you want..."

I lean over to smack him on the shoulder. "Pig."

He continues to laugh, amused. "I can see straight down your brassiere when you do that."

"Pig," I repeat, turning away, and pushing my bra strap onto my shoulder. "You never seriously answered my question. What do you want? What's your price?"

"It's really very simple," he says, watching the fire. "I want you to date me."