After finishing my rounds for the night, I returned to the portrait of The Fat Lady and stepped through to see most of my housemates still awake. Remus was fiddling with a record player, Frank and Alice were in the same high-back chair in front of the fire, James and Sirius were playing chess, and many others were scribbling on parchment trying to finish the last-minute work before holidays.
I sighed as I plopped myself ungracefully on the opposite end of the couch that sat James Potter, pulling a large tome from the bag and after casting a few simple spells the book hovered open in front of me as I dug in my bag for my writing board and parchment.
"Hell has officially frozen over." Sirius laughed to James. "Lily Evans willing took a seat next to you Prongs."
"Anything is better than sitting next to you." James smiled and mumbled his move to the chessboard.
I tried hard not to smile or even look in their direction as I scratched out my notes.
"No smart remark Evans?" Sirius asked as he made his own move.
"No need. James already said it all." I said, not looking up from my Charms notes.
"You hear that Prongsie, she knows how to say your name." Sirius smirked.
"I would imagine so Padfoot, we've been going to the same school for what…six years now." James said before mumbling his move.
"So, Evans, you finally gonna give a bloke a chance and go out with Prongs?" Sirius asked. "You've managed to call him James, that's gotta mean something."
"Boys are idiots." I mumbled as I looked up to him. "I only call him Potter when he's being a git. I happened to agree with him on this so he's James right now."
"Agree with him on what?" Sirius asked.
"That you should shut your cake hole and make your move. Let the girl do her work." James sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose under his glasses.
"Let her do her work? That's next year's textbook you know." Sirius said as he made his move.
"So, what? She's studious, it's not a crime, otherwise we'd have to kill Moony. Just let it go mate, yeah?" James said, never looking at me. "Checkmate."
Sirius shook his head and went to sit by Remus and Peter and began making conversation with his other friends.
"Thank you." I said as I turned to another piece of parchment.
"Don't mention it. I thought he was kidding, that is next year's textbook." He smiled as he moved to sit facing me.
"I can't help that I excel at charms, I need to stay challenged." I replied also turning my sitting position to face him.
"There's nothing wrong with that. I bet you'll have begun an apprenticeship with Flitwick by next term." James said as he pulled out his own book from behind the couch.
"I hadn't thought about it actually. You really think I should?" I asked him shyly.
"Of course, you're brilliant at Charms Lily." He said looking up at me. "Can I ask you a favor?"
"I am not going to cover for any of your insane pranks." I said swiftly.
"No, no. I was wondering if you could look over my Charms essay. Its finished, I hope, and you're at the top of the class and I just wanted your opinion, maybe a few tips, I'll do all the work myself." He was rambling, tripping over his words a few times.
"Give it here, git." I smile as I nudge him playfully with my foot.
This was James, a sweet guy that stood up for his friends and got flustered easily when I puffed up at him. The guy who wasn't too proud to ask for a revision on an essay. The guy who offered me a biscuit from a box of Honeydukes.
I read over his essay and made a few marks on the parchment, which was quite long. After a second read through, two more biscuits, and a niblet of chocolate I handed his essay back to him.
"It's quite good actually. Just a bit of grammar errors, but nothing majorly wrong." I said as he started to do a rewrite of his paper.
"Did you just compliment me Evans?" He asked, smirking down at the parchment in front of himself.
"Don't go being a git. Let me see your Muggle Studies homework so I can knock you back down to Earth." I smiled at him.
"I wouldn't wish that on anyone." He said as he finished scribbling out his rewrite.
He held the box of sweets out to me again. I plucked another chocolate and smiled at him.
"You know, you're quite pleasant when you're not being obnoxious." I said as I nudged him with my foot again.
"Are you flirting with me Lily Evans?" He asked with a smirk.
"You can't just take a compliment can you, James Potter? I swear- that's the last nice thing I say about y- "I began before he flicked an every-flavor bean in my mouth.
I coughed a bit and after tasting the flavor of crème pastry in my mouth I started to laugh.
"It works!" Sirius yelled as the record player came alive. The beginning tune of The Temptations hummed through the common room.
"You know the artist?" James asked as I started to sway in my spot to the music.
"Yes. I used to sit on the stairs and watch my parents dance to some of these." I answer softly, my eyes closed as I listen to the music.
Another song played, my eyes opening to see James staring at me from behind his book. His eyes sparkled behind his glasses. I nudged him with my foot again, he smiled trying to hide his slightly pink cheeks behind his book. His foot nudged mine slightly as I tried to resume reading, so I nudged him back. He closed his book and held his hand out to me.
"Would you dance with me Lily?" He asked nervously.
I looked around the mostly empty common room quickly noticing Remus, Sirius, Peter, Alice, Frank, and a couple of fourth years before putting my hand in his.
He wrapped his arms around me as the first notes to the song played. I knew the song 'My Girl' anywhere. I smiled at the irony of all of this. James Potter was holding me, swaying to one of my favorite songs.
"I think I like muggle music." He said softly, just loud enough for my ears.
"Why's that?" I asked.
"Because it makes you smile." He answered, keeping his eyes from locking with mine.
"I've never danced with anyone other than my dad." I admitted.
"You're doing very well, although this isn't ballroom dancing." He smiled.
I pulled my head away from his chest and opened my eyes as the song ended. Everyone that was still in the common room was looking at us; directly or hiding it very badly.
"I'm sorry, we've attracted some attention." He said as he stepped away from me.
"Thank you for the dance." I said softly and returned to my spot on the couch, pulling the blanket onto my legs. I put the textbook back into my bag as I heard Sirius laugh loudly. I picked up the Muggle book my mum sent me a while back. I picked up James' half eaten box of every-flavored beans and began to snack as I read.
"You should really ask first Evans." James smirked as he returned to his spot on the couch, wiggling his feet under the blanket that covered me.
"Do you mind if I eat your rubbish Potter?" I asked, raising my eyebrow.
"Not at all." He said as he leant forward and took a few from the container in my hand. "I'm sorry, I wouldn't have asked you to dance if I knew everyone was going to stare at us like we've been hexed."
"There are worse things I suppose." I smiled as I threw a bean at him.