hey everyone!
here's the next bit!
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peace&love, Kas
The secret smiles they exchanged at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall and the sideways glances that met during their classes were far more telling to the pair than any words could have been in the days following their night by the lake.
But because Remus was Remus and Lily was Lily, the words didn't come immediately either.
All week Lily tried to find the opportunity to speak to Remus alone but each time another Marauder or one of her own friends would unintentionally, or perhaps intentionally on James's part, intervene.
It was three long days of stares caught and soft blushes later when Remus and Lily were assigned to patrol the corridors together.
"Gotta go patrol," Remus said jumping up eagerly and tossing his book onto his bag where it sat on the floor beside him.
"Moony, it's barely a quarter of ten. You don't have to be there for fifteen minutes," James stated.
Remus blushed, but he grabbed his bag, and turned towards the stairs to hide it. "Yeah, well, you know Lily, she hates when people are late," he called over his shoulder as he sprinted up to the dorm. Dropping his bag onto his bed he was back down the stairs in a matter of seconds.
Sirius was lounging with his feet propped up on the table where James and Peter were working.
"Whoa, mate," he said with a slow grin as Remus flew off the stairs towards them. "Don't see why you're rushing for Evans," he said. "I could see maybe if it was Prongsie here, trying to impress her…" He trailed off as Remus continued past their table without a word.
"It's just Evans," he yelled after Remus exasperatedly.
Remus heard the crash following that remark just as he was shutting the portrait hole door and he knew without glancing back that James had just kicked the chair out from under Sirius causing his best mate to topple to the ground gracelessly.
Grinning at the thought he skidded to a halt at the end of the corridor. Served him right for talking like that about… "Lily!"
"Hey Remus," she said breathlessly, swiping hair off her suspiciously pink cheeks as she did so.
"Ready to go?" he asked feeling suddenly strangely nervous.
"Um, yeah, sure… well, um, technically we're not on duty for another ten minutes so if you want to just go for a walk…" she suggested, ignoring the fact that all they did to patrol was walk anyway.
"Sounds great!" Remus replied enthusiastically and Lily glanced sideways at him with her lips curving into a smile.
"You look happy," she said softly as they walked.
"Well, I haven't got a reason not to be, have I?"
Still smiling she replied, "No, I suppose not."
"Are you happy, Lily?" he asked earnestly.
The redhead laughed. "I haven't got a reason not to be."
She winked at him and he smiled, his cheeks glowing a faint pink.
Over the next couple of hours they patrolled the corridors, talking and laughing the whole time. Remus kept randomly losing the thread of the conversation but Lily played it off easily, laughing when it happened and gently reminding him of what they'd been talking about.
This happened again just as they were returning to Gryffindor Tower and Lily let out her tinkling laugh once more.
"Remus, where has your head been tonight?" she asked him, her tone amused.
He shrugged and sent her a half smile before looking to the ground.
"Remus," her soft voice sounded like an angel to his ears and her small hand closed on his wrist sending shivers down his spine.
"Yes?" he asked quietly as he turned to face her.
"Are you mad at me?" she asked curiously causing his jaw to drop as he stared at her incredulously.
"Are-are you serious?"
Lily shifted, suddenly looking uncomfortable. "Well, you've just not been acting like you wanted to talk to me much and you won't look at me when you talk…"
"Lily, that's so not it," he said feeling suddenly like floating up into the sky.
He breathed out as he cupped her chin in his hand bringing her emerald eyes up to his.
"I'm not mad at you," he said with a gentle smile.
"Then what's the matter?" she asked.
"I, um," his hand dropped from her face as he looked away.
She waited a beat before opening her mouth to speak. "If it's about the other night…"
"It is about the other night, but if you were about to apologize save your breath."
Lily frowned up at him, but said nothing at the confused look on his face.
"Remus," she spoke his name quietly, bringing him back to the present.
"Lily, I like you a lot," he realized how childish it sounded even as he said it but he could think of nothing else to say.
"I like you, too, Remus," she replied uncertainly.
"No, I mean, I really like you."
Lily looked up at him, hardly daring to believe what she was hearing.
Then suddenly a mischievous light brightened her green eyes as a smirk came to her lips.
"Prove it."
"Wha?" he looked bewildered for a moment as he looked down into the challenge of her eyes.
"Fine," he muttered and he pulled her close, kissing her tenderly.
When he stepped back he noticed she was smiling and he looked at her suspiciously.
"Was that some sort of test?" he muttered feeling strangely like he'd just been tricked.
Lily laughed. "No, I just wanted to see what you would do," she said and she closed the gap between them once more.
Looking up into his eyes she smiled. "Remus?"
"Yeah?"
"I really like you, too."
