Hey, thanks for all the great reviews. Anyway, here's the chapter you've all been waiting for, the actual kiss!
Lily sat on her bed on Saturday evening, a half-hour before she was scheduled to meet James, feeling dismal.
"Come on Lily, you should probably be getting ready," said her friend Emma.
"Hey, maybe if she goes looking like a homeless person, James will be so disgusted he won't want to kiss her anymore," Marlene suggested.
"I doubt it. Besides, I feel sorry for the poor guy. He loves Lily and after tonight he'll never be able to talk to her again."
"Oh, come on, he's talked to her enough in the past six years to last him a life time."
"But still…"
While the two girls continued bickering, Hestia looked at Lily. When she noticed how miserable she looked, she decided to try and tactfully usher Marlene and Emma out. She had a feeling they were just making it worse.
Stepping in between the feuding friends, she said, "Hey, why don't you two come with me to the kitchens to get some snacks." She raised her eyebrows pointedly. The girls agreed, and so they left, Hestia shutting the door behind them.
Lily would be forever grateful to Hestia, although she loved her friends like sisters; they really weren't helping her feel any better at the moment.
Dragging herself out of bed, weary but resigned, she decided she was going to dress up after all. James was sacrificing a great deal for her, and she knew it. Therefore the honorable Gryffindor in her made her want to give James as much as possible, looking nice was the least she could do.
James sat in the designated dungeon, which he had specially prepared for the occasion. He fidgeted nervously and looked at his watch. Lily was due to arrive in ten minutes, so he quickly cast a special spell so that this event would be preserved perfectly, like a movie, only with smell and taste and touch. Hearing footsteps in the hall, he hurried to hide in the shadows by the door.
Lily walked in and almost gasped. The room was transformed. Gone were the usual desks and chairs, replaced by furniture much like the common room, in warm reds and purples, Lily's favorite colors. The room was dimly lit and comfortably warm. A light smell of vanilla hung in the air, another of Lily's favorites.
Lily was busy marveling in her surroundings, wondering how James could have known how to make everything fit her so perfectly, when James walked up behind her, pressing his chest against her back and putting his hands lightly on her upper arms. Lily sucked in sharply and gave an almost unnoticeable shiver.
She was puzzled momentarily by the reaction she gave, but put it out of her mind, convincing herself that he had merely startled her. She turned around to face him, and was once again startled. James had shed his usual uniform for a polo shirt and neat jeans. His hair, instead of being messy, was neatly combed, and instead of his usual smirk he was wearing a shy grin. Altogether, he looked almost handsome…
Lily mentally slapped herself. What was she thinking? James Potter was not handsome. In fact, he was not even remotely cute. The incense in the air must have been getting to her senses.
James stared at Lily. He knew that no matter what she did she would be beautiful, but he hadn't expected her to try and look nice. In fact, he had almost expected the opposite. But she looked so good. Her hair looked softer, silkier, and more irresistible than ever, falling in waves of fire around her round face. She wore a dark green shirt that perfectly set off her red hair and emerald eyes. It had a low neckline that showed off her…
James stopped and mentally slapped himself. This was his one shot at Lily and he wasn't going to ruin it by seeming like a perverted little boy.
Lily still hadn't seen him, she was to busy staring at her surroundings with her back to him. Seeing an opportunity, he walked up behind her and touched her arms. He could smell her hair, it was intoxicating. He could just barely stop himself from burying his face in her hair and kissing her neck.
Lily took a couple steps back and looked at James, waiting for him to say something. He just stared at her. Attempting to break the awkward silence, Lily cleared her throat.
"This kiss isn't going to last forever, okay?"
"But it can't just be a little peck."
"And no tongues."
"Aw," James pouted. Lily rolled her eyes. The two were both silent for a few seconds.
"So… shall we… get on with it?" asked Lily.
James nodded. As he approached Lily realized with dismay that she hadn't decided on anyone to imagine kissing instead of James. She sighed.
'Oh, well. I'll just try not to think about it.'
James reached out and put one arm around her waist, pulling her very close to himself. Lily could feel his heart racing with anticipation. She also noticed that in this position the only way to be comfortable would be to put her hands on his shoulders. She sighed.
"Is it really necessary to be in this position?"
"Of course," said James as he wrapped his free hand around he neck. Lily felt that this whole scenario could be compared to a vampire getting ready to bite his victim. That was certainly how Lily felt. As he leaned down, Lily closed her eyes and braced for the worst.
At first it was so light Lily barely noticed it. Then James applied more pressure, causing all thoughts to fly from Lily's mind. Looking back later, she reckoned that even if she had thought about a different guy, she wouldn't have been able to keep the thought of him in her mind for more than a few seconds. All she could feel was the warm sweetness coming from his lips and spreading throughout her entire body. It was amazing. And she wanted more.
Her reflexes took over as she clutched his back, pulling herself closer to him, and she did something she had sworn to herself she wouldn't do.
She kissed him back. James was shocked, but responded with fervor, amazed at her sudden change of heart. He was in heaven. The girl of his dreams was kissing him, and by all appearances enjoying it. Then he made a mistake. A mistake that would haunt him for years, that he would spend countless hours at night torturing himself over. In all his excitement, James mistakenly thought that Lily would now be a completely different person; that somehow she had taken back all the rules she set down just by returning the kiss.
He never stopped kissing her, but meanwhile he slowly slid down the hand on her waist to touch her butt.
Lily was in heaven. The kiss felt so good, it almost covered up that little voice reminding her that this was James Potter, whom she hated, whom had tortured her for the past six years of her life. She could almost forgive him for all that. He was such a good kisser.Lily told herself that maybe she had been wrong about him. Maybe he was more grown up than she had thought. And then she felt it. His hand on her butt.
She ripped away from him. James immediately looked upset and remorseful. "I'm sorry, Lily! I just got so caught up in the moment…"
Lily paused, but she was surprised to find that she wasn't upset or angry. It was like someone slapping you across the face during a panic attack, it had brought her back to her senses. The only real anger she felt was toward herself, just for needing it. Realizing that James was still apologizing, she gave him a look that told him it was alright. Then she walked up to him, putting a hand on his cheek and giving him a quick kiss on the lips.
"Goodbye, James," was all she said. Then she turned and prepared to leave.
"So that's it, then?" cried James. "You're just going to walk off and never talk to me again?"
"That was the general plan…"
"Lily! How can you be so cold! You can't pretend like you didn't feel anything just then! You were kissing me harder than I was kissing you!"
Lily looked him over coolly, no emotion in her eyes. "I'm sorry if I made you think that, James. I was just caught up in the moment." She turned and flounced away, leaving James in his dismay and misery.
Poor James! how could Lily be so terrible! anyway, it's not over yet! the more you review, the quicker I'll get chapter 4 up!
