Well, while I'm back, I figured I'd write this one. It's super fast, and I might at some point decide to add a racier epilogue-type thing. But for now this is it! Let me know what you think.

Cheers.

Things Change

Until age 16, James Potter was a jerk. Well, actually, he was a jerk even after that, but two things did change: he became more aware of himself as a jerk, and he began to take more interest in Lily Evans.

Lily knew James was an asshole, but he was smart, and annoyingly attractive, and they had class together. They got paired on projects, complained about professors, and soon realized that they were on a certain intellectual level that was mostly peerless, even at Hogwarts.

Thanks to all of these factors, they almost couldn't help but learn to like each other. And so they became real friends. They ragged on each other endlessly, usually out of love but sometimes there were harder and more real suggestions for self-improvement, James was perpetually seeing someone, while Lily was perpetually single. Lily held her own in the Marauders, more or less ingraining herself into James' life — and he was happy to have her there.

The summer before their last year at Hogwarts, Lily was headed home for some rest and relaxation, while James set out for his job at Quidditch camp. With only one night remaining before the Express would take them back to London, Lily and James took an evening stroll around the grounds.

The mood of their conversation was light, Lily thanking Merlin she wouldn't have to be in the library for a few months and James feigning shock that she actually didn't wish she lived in the library. They joked about their professors, and about the other Marauders, and particularly about Lily's dreaded sister, whom James had heard all about.

Lily is in the middle of a fit of giggles brought on by James' impression of her walrus-like brother-in-law when all of a sudden her feet are lifted off the ground. James picks her up and spins her around in a giant hug, making both of them laugh even more.

"Put me down, you oaf!" Lily shouts good-naturedly, and James does so, but he doesn't let go of the redhead's waist.

She tries to pull away after a moment but James clings stubbornly on.

"Nope, sorry, not yet Lils. I've gotta get in some extra hugging time since I won't see you 'til September."

She simply laughs, and wraps her arms around his neck to hug him back.

When he loosens his hold a few moments later, Lily makes a split-second decision and kisses him on the cheek. Blushing, she looks down, not wanting to make eye contact with James. Obviously, he calls her on it anyway.

"What was that for, Evans?"

"Nothing, Potter. I'm gonna miss you, is all," she tells him, and finally meets his eye. He's grinning, and she rolls her eyes. "But I didn't mean anything by it, you dolt. Stop looking at me like that.

But he doesn't stop looking at her like that, and instead leans down very quickly and plants a kiss on her lips. It only lasts a couple of seconds before she pushes him away.

"James! What the hell?"

"What, you didn't like that? I don't believe you. You're blushing again."

"Well of course I'm blushing, for Merlin's sake! It's not like I go around kissing random blokes, in case you haven't noticed!"

"I have noticed, in fact. I think that might be because I'm the only bloke you want to kiss. So I'm not exactly random, then, am I?"

"What on earth are you talking about? Is your ego really that massive?"

"It's only partly my ego — which is, yes, rather gargantuan. But a big part of this theory comes from the fact that you're the only bird I've wanted to kiss lately."

Lily had opened her mouth for a sharp retort of some kind, but this last statement promptly shuts her up. She narrows her eyes at James, still not quite sure how to respond.

After studying her for a moment and apparently deciding she doesn't have anything else to say for the moment, James once again takes action.

"Here," he says, taking her face in his hands. "Let me show you what I mean."

He leans down again and seals her lips under his. This kiss is not a peck like the first one, though — this is a kiss with feeling. He cradles the back of her head with one hand while the other one strokes her cheek. His lips are moving firmly against hers, but he's not being pushy. It's quite a lovely kiss, she forces herself to admit.

He pulls back after a minute or so, looking at her closely. She's not gaping, but she is still on the verge of speechlessness. She meets his gaze, scrutinizing him as much as he is scrutinizing her. Finally, she speaks.

"So, let me get this straight. You're about to leave for the whole summer and you decide to do this now?" she says, sounding more thoughtful than angry. (James takes this as a good sign.) "Aren't you going to be participating in the sex, drugs and rock and roll at this camp of yours?"

"Ah, I'll be sure to steer clear of those last two at the very least," James jokes, earning a snort from Lily. "But really, Lils, you know how I like a challenge. I'm sure I can resist."

"James, I don't want to be the 'challenge' back home keeping you away from Quidditch babes!"

"Oh, it will be worth the wait, m'dear. Trust me," he winks, smiling his most charming smile.

She fixes him with a steely glare, and folds her arms. "Fine," she says, and James' smile turns into a grin. "But there's one condition." James sighs.

"And what might that be, Lils?"

Now it's Lily's turn to smile. She drops her arms, and takes a step closer to James, so that she has to look up to meet his eyes directly.

"Before you go… will you kiss me a little bit more?"

James laughs once before scooping her up and giving her a proper snog. His tongue darts across her bottom lip, catching her by surprise. He uses the moment to his advantage, gaining access to the inside of her mouth, where his tongue explores further. When Lily drags her fingers through his hair, James groans a little bit, and the vibrations cause her to smile and break away slightly.

"What are you smiling at, Evans? I was kind of having a moment there!" James says, feigning offense (but not letting go of her waist).

"Well, Potter, I was just beginning to think you'd never get up the nerve to make this happen."

He rolls his eyes at her and gives her a sloppy kiss on the cheek, making her giggle. He grabs her hand and they start back towards the castle, both really looking forward to their final year.