All of Gryffindor was gathered in the Common Room celebrating the birthday of Sirius Black. After all, it was the day Merlin himself blessed the world with the most devilishly handsome wizard to ever life… or so Sirius informed Gryffindor when announcing his birthday party. Honestly, Lily didn't know why she was even at the party. Her dress was too short, her makeup made her face feel heavy, and she was sure her feet would regret the heels Marlene had convinced her to wear in the morning.
Lily was also sentimental and too nice for her own good. She was going to miss seeing all her house mates enjoy their time at Hogwarts. Everyone knew she could never say no to a direct favor, so she reluctantly agreed to attend the party when Sirius asked.
Lily wondered why Sirius Black had even invited her to being with. Lily was known throughout the school, she was Head Girl this year and kind to everyone she encountered, but she was by no means popular. Not the type of girl anyone would deem necessary in order to host the social event of the year. However, she let Marlene dress her in this short and vibrant blue number and stumbled down the girls' staircase in heels to keep her promise to Sirius.
Speaking of, a very drunk Sirius had just stood on top of the coffee table and declared the party was now a rager. He flicked his wand a few times and Lily noticed the lights dimmed, the drinks changed consistency and the furniture cleared to create a makeshift dance floor.
Thinking no one would notice her disappearance, Lily turned to head towards her dormitory when she literally stumbled into James Potter. James grabbed her waist to make sure she didn't fall and he heard Lily quietly curse her shoes. Lily grabbed onto Potter's forearms to stop herself from falling and couldn't help but notice the muscles she currently had her hands wrapped around in a tight leather jacket.
"Sorry Po-James. Didn't mean to knock you. These shoes are lethal so you can blame Marlene for that," Lily apologized to the tall, bespectacled man in front of her.
"No problem, Lily. Glad I could be of service." James grinned at her and she couldn't help the small smile that crept onto her face.
Lily and James had called a truce at the beginning of the school year, working together as Head students, and Lily couldn't help but notice the small changes. Instead of being the arrogant and obnoxious Potter who constantly asked her out in public to humiliate her, Lily had befriended the kind and helpful James. Sure, James Potter was still one of the most popular people in all of Hogwarts but Lily felt comfortable enough to wave at him in the hallways or partner with him in Potions class. Lily couldn't remember when this had happened but suddenly she looked forward to seeing James during class or prefect meetings. The other night, she woke up from a dream involved a shirtless Potter and a picnic on the beach, and Lily knew her thoughts were no longer platonic.
"How are you enjoying the party?" James pulled Lily out of her rampant thoughts and she blushed at the direction of her thoughts on James.
"Oh Lily, how I would love to know what you are blushing about right now."
"Oh nothing. I'm just a redhead. My face is constantly red."
James chuckled lightly. "Rest assured, your face does not look like a constant tomato. But you never answered my question."
"What question, Po-James?"
"You should really be able to call me James by now… and the party. Are you having fun?"
Lily looked around at her classmates. Some were playing a card game and drinking by the fire but the majority were dancing in the middle of the room. Sirius and Remus were showing a few of the sixth-year girls how to play beer pong, a new Muggle game they had discovered over the summer. "Sure, James. The party is a blast. How about yourself?"
"Well, Sirius is enjoying himself. It's his birthday, so that's all that really matters."
"James Potter, are you telling me that you are not enjoying yourself at a social gathering? Merlin, next you are going to tell me that the sky is not blue or Marlene and Sirius won't be hooking up at the end of this party."
James outright laughed at that last joke. "Oh please, they get together every party and swear it's the last time. I'm sure you will have an empty dormitory tonight."
Lily looked around for her friends but couldn't find them in the crowd. "I'm sure Alice will go with Frank, and we know where Marlene will be. Are you saying that I couldn't find a bloke if I wanted to?"
James looked at her like she had grown two heads. "Lily, you could have any guy in this room tonight if you wanted to. I'm just sure that isn't your goal for the night."
Lily nodded. "Well thanks but I don't think I could get any guy in his room. But thanks, for saying that. It was very kind of you. But what about you James?"
"What about me?"
Lily grabbed a drink off the nearby table and quickly downed it, her face scrunching at the bitter taste of the Firewhiskey. "Do you have your eye on any girl in particular?"
James followed her lead and grabbed a drink off the table but only took a small sip. He looked at his drink thoughtfully and replied, "Not tonight."
Lily rolled her eyes at James. "Please, you could get 'any girl in this room tonight if you wanted to.' Are you losing your touch, Potter?"
James looked past Lily and surveyed the party, which had started a beer pong tournament.
Lily reached out and grabbed James' arm. "I apologize. I didn't mean to offend or overstep."
A small smile crossed James' face as he looked at Lily's hand on his arm. "No worries. I'm sure my overinflated ego will protect me from your words."
"Oh James, I said that years ago. We were just children then; you know I don't feel that way about you now, right?"
"Glad to hear it, Lils."
"Lils?"
James chuckled. "Lils, it is a nickname. It suits you too."
Lily looked contemplative as she sipped her new drink. "No one has ever given me a nickname before."
"Is it okay to call you that?"
Lily smiled, really smiled, for the first time that night. "Yeah, I like it."
"I like it too. Hey, you want to dance?"
Lily took an involuntary step back from James. At what point did James and I start standing so close together, Lily wondered to herself. "Oh Merlin no, I don't dance."
Feeling bold, James grabber her hand. "I think you secretly want to dance with me." James pulled a reluctant Lily to the dance floor, where he looked at her questioningly before he put his other hand on her hip. Lily just stood there, unsure of what to do.
Lily leaned closer to James, on her tiptoes whispering in his ear. "James, when I said I don't dance, I really meant it. I don't know how to."
James whispered back in her eye. "Don't worry. It's all in the lead. Just follow me. Put your hand on my shoulder."
Lily leaned back to look James in the eye and nodded. They were quiet when they first started dancing. Lily was trying to find the rhythm, while James just wanted to memorize every fleck of gold in Lily's bright green eyes. He was content to just stare at her forever. James had loved her from afar for so many years, and his merciless teasing had not won him any favors. However, he thought he had turned it around and could let her get to know the real him this year. So far, so good James thought. But he still wanted more than just her friendship. This seemed like his moment. They had been hanging out for the whole party, which had been an absolute bore until he saw her standing alone looking amazing in an uncharacteristically short blue dress. And she had been flirting with him. Lily Evans, FLIRTING. That alone seemed like a miracle, but flirting with him and he thanked his lucky stars Sirius had ditched him early in the night.
James looked down at her dress again. "By the way, I meant to tell you that you look great tonight."
Lily blushed and looked down at her dress and shoes. "I feel a little ridiculous actually. Mar thought it would be fun for me to wear something, but I don't own party clothes, which she loves to remind me often. So she found this number in Alice's closet and put her shoes on me and did something to tame my hair and then there was this thing she put on my face that made it and oh my god, why are you letting me tell you all this?" Lily hid her face on James' shoulder, mortified by her tirade about clothes.
James just chuckled and squeezed her hand. They were still circulating on the dance floor but the others students had given them their space. The two of them were on the outskirts of the dance floor, just enjoying each other's' company and not dancing as crazy as the other students. "Lils, you don't need all that. You looked pretty in your uniform yesterday, and you look pretty in this dress too," as he tugged at the fabric.
Lily was sure that her face was as red as the Common Room walls. "Well thanks. It probably doesn't need to be said but you don't look so bad yourself."
James quirked an eyebrow. "Is Lily Evans complimenting me?"
Lily rolled her eyes. "Don't be daft James. You know you are good-looking. You have that whole 'I'm James Potter and I have toned Quidditch arms in my leather jacket and my dark wind-swept hair and I look like I belong in a movie' thing going for you."
James laughed out loud at this. "What exactly are toned Quidditch arms? If I didn't know any better Lily, I would say you have been checking me out."
"And if you did know better?"
"I would say you have had two drinks, which is two more than your usual, and you are tipsy. Lily Evans would never check out James Potter and his toned Quidditch arms." Lily slapped him lightly across the chest for that comment.
"I'm never going to live that down, am I?"
James grinned and shook his head. "No but it can stay between you and me. I won't tell anyone you said something nice about me."
Lily looked up and James and decided right then how she wanted her night to end. "You won't have to."
James tilted his head to the side. "And why would that be, Miss Evans?"
"They can see for themselves." Lily stood on tiptoes, grabbed James' head, and pulled it down so she could kiss him. Normally, Lily would be mortified that she was kissing anyone in the Common Room, let alone James Potter but right now she couldn't care less. She felt James' arm circle around her back and he lowered his head to deepen the kiss even more. The couple continued to kiss on the outskirt of the dance floor until James heard his best mate yell "BEST. BIRTHDAY. EVER. CHECK OUT PRONGSIE BOY MACKING ON THE LADY LOVE." All of Gryffindor house cheered at Lily and James. Lily stood there, with her face turning bright red, while James took a bow like he was the star of a play.
James pulled Lily to his side and kissed her temple. "You alright, love?"
Lily smiled up at her new boyfriend. "Actually, I think I am headed to my room. These shoes are killing me, this dress is unbearably short, and I think Gryffindor house has been given quite enough to entertain tonight." Lily winked at James and started to head towards the tower.
James ran after her, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu, chasing after Lily once again. "But… but wait. We just and now… stay?"
Lily looked thoughtfully at James and started to shake her head. "Can't stay down here love, it's too crowded." She took a step towards James and put her arms around his neck. She stood on her tiptoes and whispered in his ear. "But I don't know if you have heard but I have a dormitory all to myself. Care to join me?" She took a backwards step and grinned devilishly at James before bouncing up the stairs.
"Bloody hell, you are going to be the death of me woman." James shook his head and smiled to himself before summoning his broom and following his girlfriend up to her dormitory.