Sweat dripped down Lily's back and her heart raced. The footsteps were only a few feet in front of her now- she would catch them. Fiery red hair brushed her neck as it flew behind her, air whooshing in her ears. Slick with sweat, the wand in her hand was surprisingly secure, the flick of a spell steady. The Cushioning Charm had the desired affect when her heaving body collided with another. Shoving the unknown rule-breaker to the ground, Lily barely had enough breath left in her lungs to shout: "Students out of bounds!"
"For Christ's sake Evans! Honestly, don't you have anything better to do?" The lustrous voice of Sirius Black spoke from the mound of robes Lily was straddling.
Lily muttered 'Lumos' and the dark corridor was immediately bathed in light.
"Seeing as I'm a Prefect, I think not." Lily answered, brows raised in amusement. Sirius's dark hair clung to his handsome face, while a pair gray eyes peered at her, twinkling with excitement.
"Well as much as I find this," he twirled his fingers in between them, "very pleasantly distracting, I have more important things to do, so could you get your lovely little bum off me?" Lily rolled her eyes and hopped up. Brushing her damp hair out of the way, she folded her arms across her chest.
"That's the second time this month Black. What are you playing at?" He brushed off his already clean robes.
"Oh, I just like being chased by insane redheads in the middle of the night."
"That was my first suspicion."
"I also love the feeling of dirty carpet slammed into me, and being suffocated under your immense weight is always a turn-on Evans." He gave a charming smile, revealing perfectly straight teeth.
"Seriously, Black. What are you up to?"
"My name is Sirius, Lily." She glared, this only amusing him further. "You really need to loosen up, Evans."
"What are you up to, Sirius?"
"That," he said, "is for me to know and you to worry about over the next few minutes." Lily glanced at her small wrist watch.
"What's happening?" He just shook his shaggy head and backed away, the beam of light extending no further as his figure disappeared into shadow.
"Black!" She hissed, but he was gone. "Damn it."
Leaning up against the wall between two suits of armor, Lily caught her breath. A few minutes? What was going to happen in a 'few minutes'? But before she could begin to guess, a burst of red light flew past her. It collided with the suit armor, sending a ear splitting crash into the silent castle. "Sirius!" She screeched in shock, leaping away from the wall. A burst of light came from the blackness and Lily jumped out of the way just in time.
Another red beam shot out of the shadows. Putting up a shield, Lily deflected the spell, heart hammering against her chest. "Who-'s-it!" She called, her words mushed together quickly, a hex flying at her face fast. Blocking that as well, she took refuge behind a stone column, brushing her red hair away from her eyes.
"Oh come on Evans! You can do better than that!" Sirius barked from farther down the corridor. Lily gritted her teeth as he laughed. "Come and find me gorgeous!" He taunted. "Or is the ickle Prefect Lily afraid of a little challenge?" Wiping the sweat off her palms, Lily's mouth tilted into a cloying smile.
"Of course not Black," her voice cooed softly. "It's you who shall be howling in pain once I kick your filthy arse down to the ground," her smile grew. "Again."
"Ooh, Evans is feisty, I like that in women. But I'm not sure James could agree, I think he likes you as Miss Perfect Prefect Evans." Lily scoffed.
"Please. You could never handle me Sirius. Same goes for Potter."
"Are you sure about that Evans?" A new voice asked playfully. She could almost see the smile on his lips, egging her to scream at him. Rage boiled in her stomach and suddenly she forgot about Sirius. It was only Potter. Oh, how long had she waited to do this. . .?
"Quiet sure. In fact, I'm so confident my skills surpass yours, that it is you I shall run into the ground."
"I admire your bloodlust," he laughed. Lily's eyes narrowed in determination. He was going to hurt.
"Potter you are going to feel so much pain tomorrow."
"Lily dear, you have no idea how much I wish that were true." Lily's blood pumped ferociously in her veins and her mouth tasted of metal. Stepping out from the safety of the stone, Lily put up another shield, two hexes bouncing off and hitting the walls with a sizzle.
"Before we begin, I have one more thing to say."
"And what is that?" Lily spat.
"Go out with me?" At that, Lily took off down the corridor.
It was like chasing Sirius all over again, only she knew who lay ahead. All Lily could focus on was the thought of hexing Potter, pushing his handsome face into the floor and not get punished for it. This was going to be a enjoyable night.
Every time her feet slammed against the carpet she felt more alive and awake. Heat flooded into her cheeks and sweat prickled her forehead. Making a sharp turn down another corridor, Lily followed her ears, the footsteps of two Marauders just outside her grasp. She just barely heard the mutter of a spell being thrown over a shoulder before she ducked down a passageway, a crash sounding in the place where she had just been.
Legs throbbing delightfully Lily tensed and stopped at the end of the passageway. Breath coming in ragged gasps, she slumped forward, knees shaking. Sheltered by a tapestry, Lily was concealed from the mutterings of Filtch as he hobbled by. The crash alerting the shrewd old caretaker.
Waiting a few minutes until he was out of the way, Lily heard movement. Holding what little breath she had, Lily waited as another pair footsteps crept by. Pushing off of the ground, she hurtled herself out from behind the tapestry. Sirius spun around, but it was too late. Lily was already halfway done with the spell before he could put up a shield. "Petrificus Totalus!" Lily cried, as Sirius's eyes widened in shock. Legs and arms snapping together, Lily could almost feel the burn of his stare as he glared as her. Falling back onto the carpet, Lily bent down patting his head. "Still care for a fierce woman, Black?" She smiled slyly down at him, his eyes staring back at her. "One down," she murmured and took off.
Creeping down corridor after corridor Lily's spirits dimmed, who knew she would ever want to see James Potter's face?
"Your determination to 'make me hurt' is a little scary Evans," James's voice spoke from behind her. She spun around, breath extinguishing from her lungs. No one was there. The rustle of a cloak brushed her arm and chills shot up her spine. Palms sweaty and hot, Lily twisted her neck, peering over her shoulder. No James.
"Potter?" She hissed, her throat burning.
"I have to admit, you look very good in such a state," a hand brushed against her damp hair, some of which was clinging to her skin. Turning, all she could see was her own shadow tricking her eyes. It flashed against the floor and wall, like some confusing dream. She thought her eyes saw a glint of a lens but decided she imagined it.
"Potter?" She tried again, her voice quieter now. Breath rushed through her lips rapidly. She could feel her ribs rattling, the insane animal inside her chest pounding to get out. Taking a sharp intake of air Lily felt hot breath against her neck. Shutting her eyes, she turned her wand over in her trembling fingers. What was he playing at? "James. . .?" She whispered his name like a breeze caressing the leaves of a tree in spring. The name seemed to make her heart race faster, a thundering in her chest that rushed to her ears. Swallowing, Lily felt a bead off sweat drip down the side of her face.
Her eyes flickered open, only to make her blink and inhale a choking breath of fire.
James stood a mere inch away from her face, coy smile dancing on his lips. Cocking his head to the side he stared at her. In any other circumstance, she would have backed away in a instant, but something was rooting her to that spot on the carpet. She attempted to control her hurried breathing, but it was no use. His eyes sparkled with something, and the smile grew. "Good evening my lovely Lily." She kept his gaze as goose bumps raised themselves all over her body. His brown eyes were playful, still daring her to back away. A challenge. Squaring her shoulders she lifted her chin upward. No way was she going to back down to James Potter.
Lily decided to play with him a little- have a prank of her own for a change. Leaning in a bit closer to James, their bodies almost touching, she pressed the tip of her wand at his neck. Giving her a crooked smile, his eyes flashed. "Easy now, lovey. I don't want to cause trouble." She snorted.
"Isn't that what they always say James?"
He opened his mouth, for what must have been a witty response, when a scratchy meow sounding from behind Lily. She didn't need to look, Filch was probably close by. Without warning, James grabbed both her shoulders and pushed her into the wall. "What are-"
He hissed at her and she went silent. Wrapped a cloak around them, James leaned even closer into Lily so she was sandwiched between the cold wall, and his warm body. Turning her head against the stone she saw Filch rounding the corner.
"What is it Mrs. Norris?" He grumbled. "Are there those dirty little first years out and about?" She just meowed in response and took a few steps in their direction. Lily stood frozen against the wall, James's body pressed tightly into hers. Filch stepped forward too, lantern shining light across the hall. Lily breathed in a gasp. But Filch didn't even glance in their direction more then once. After a fleeting sweep of the corridor, he turned and hobbled away, light swaying across the walls.
They stood like that for a few moments too be safe. Lily was sure he was gone, but James didn't make any signs of moving from that position. She waited a few seconds before opening her mouth. She felt his hand press into her face and she scowled. Peeling it off, she looked up at him.
The ghost of smile was fading from his face, instead he looked down on her with intensity. It was odd, she only ever saw him wearing his signature cocky grin, face at ease without a care in the world. Now she could tell a million things were running through his mind. Chest heaving with adrenaline Lily shut her eyes and tried to calm down. But before she had even started seeing any sense, James pressed himself even closer, pinning her back against the wall. She could feel his heart beating in his chest. It was raging a storm, the pounding accelerating under her fingers. Face turned upward, his hand slide behind her head, fingers entangling themselves in her red hair as his breath tickled her face.
Nose brushing against her cheek she inhaled his scent. Sweat, something spicy, and the faint sweetness of a licorice wand underlining. . . The collar of his shirt brushed her neck and she moaned as he hovered his lips so closed to hers. They cascaded gently over each other, barely touching. Wrapping her arms around his neck she pulled him into her. Lily had never really given in to the thought of kissing James Potter, but it was surely nothing what she expected.
His hand wove its way through her hair, his lips gentle and warm on her skin, burning like firewhiskey when they collided with each other. Running her hands through his black hair she found it damp and soft, the pieces slipping in between her fingers like water.
The wall dug into her back, the bone crushing against stone. Pain erupted but Lily paid it no mind. The bliss of James arms around her was enough of a distraction. Her mind burned with hunger, never wanting to let him go, as well as confusion. She felt a lining of hate for the boy who caused her so much trouble, made her go mad and foolish whenever he opened his fat mouth, but something else out-shined the hate and confusion. Maybe she never really hated this boy after all? Self inflicted pain she need to hurl somewhere, James always in distance.
As her thoughts raced, all Lily Evans could think about was the feeling overtaking her body, soul, and mind. It was a certain boy, with a specific smell, who had his own way of making her go mad for him. He knew how to push all the right buttons, pull all the right strings, making Lily go insane with rage. But at the end of the day, he was really just a boy, and she was really just a girl. He had feelings for her, and only till now did she find out she had feelings for him. All is fair in love and war. . .