Cheater

Lily was feeling particularly harried as she hadn't had a good week. In fact it had been downright infuriating. Missed classes, extra long assignments, a detention for repeatedly disrupting Defence Against the Dark Arts (or rather, correcting the stupid teacher), she'd been pushed down the steps by a seventh year Slytherin and Severus had gone with his other friends to Hogsmeade even when he said he'd go with her, leaving James Potter to incessantly stalk her for the entire day.

Lily huffed as she stormed down the corridor. The younger students scuttled out of her way, the older pausing to raise their eyebrows at her. She ignored them, ranting under her breath she rounded a corner without looking.

WHAM!

The person Lily had practically body slammed, doubled up and fell onto the flagon floor with a groan.

Lily's bag ripped as it hooked around her unknowing victim's arm and its contents spilled all over the floor as did the stack of paper he had been carrying.

'Oh my goodness!' Lily knelt before the boy, firstly horrified. 'I'm so so... Oh it's you, that's okay then.'

Still clutching his stomach, James spluttered indignantly. 'You've winded me! What did I do to deserve that?'

Lily paused as she had found her lip balm among the papers and, out of habit more than anything else, quickly applied a coat before to seemingly consider James' question. 'You existed.' She said, bluntly.

'Well excuse me, Miss...' James made a Seeker-like grab and suddenly Lily's balm is in his hand.

'Hey!'

'Sugar-Lips?' James scoffed at the brand name.

'Give it!' Lily grabs and suddenly the balm is out of reach – curse his lightning reflexes.

'Nuh-uh, let me look.'

'Give it, jerk!' Lily tossed everything she had picked up and lunged at him, hitting every part of him she could reach. The days' frustrations and the hurt was the force behind every slap, every twist, angry tears fell freely and her assault weakened.

James, who had been sent sprawling for a moment had grappled with her as she swung out. It wasn't until he grasped her shoulders did he have any sort of control and still Lily fought.

Wasn't it obvious he was stronger? To prove this point James flipped her, pinning her to the ground.

Lily didn't take to this very well and snarled.

'Easy Tiger... shhh.'

But Lily didn't want to be shushed, and she didn't like this out of control feeling nor did she like the sudden blush that crawled across her skin at his closeness.

Her mind still clouded with anger, she did what she could to gain control back. She kissed him.

James stiffened in surprise as the hands that so easily abused him before were suddenly trying to wrap around his neck to pull him closer. The taste of hot, wet sugared strawberry lips moving firmly against his own assaulted his senses.

Suddenly there was space between them and, James noted that in the moment he had let his guard down, she had pinned him and charmed his hands to the floor and promptly slapped him, hard. 'Thank you' Lily hissed, as she wrenched her balm out of his hand.

'That's cheating, Evans.' James said breathlessly as she non-chalantly collected everything that was hers. 'You little cheat.'

Lily ignored him; he was trying to get a rise out of her and she wouldn't let him. She wasn't going to give him the control back.

'Of course I don't mind so much, Evans, if our fights end like this, you can beat me up anytime.'

Lily turned away, aware of the flush that crept up her neck. She hadn't meant to kiss him at least not like that. She stuffed the last thing in her bag and after a moment of contemplation, unstuck James from the floor.

'Tell anyone and I'll...'

'Break my legs. Gotcha.'

Lily couldn't help but notice a slight disappointment to his tone, but surely she was imagining it. It didn't mean anything. She gave a brief nod before turning away and walking down the passage. She almost reached the end before he called out.

'Hey Sugar-lips, go out with me?'

Lily laughed.

'Was that a yes?'

Lily sighed, it felt good to laugh. 'No!' she called back brightly. 'And if you call me Sugar-Lips one more time I will stick you to the roof of the great hall in naught but your boxers.'

Needless to say, on the very next James Potter was found on the roof in what became his lucky boxes.

AN: Sorry that took so long to get out. So much other stuff is happening at the moment!