A/N Ah, Thanks so much for all of the wonderful response! It's very much appreciated.
Chapter Four:: What's a Kiss?
Disclaimer- It's all JKR's
Dance. A five letter word for embarrassment. At least for James it was. He noticed as he watched her from across the common room, however, that Lily had seemed to get the hang of it. Not that she was actually dancing, per say. It was more of her just rocking out to her muggle song player. And not that he was actually watching her, either. He just happened to be spacing out in the general direction of the girl. Right.
Whether the action was conscious or unconsciously done was irrelevant, however, as Lily was quite ignorant to it altogether. Emma's non-magical sister had just sent Emma a package with the new album of both her and Lily's favorite band, and the two were determined to learn every word before the end of the evening.
"Oi," Lily turned to Emma, pulling out her earphone "Can we go back to track two? I'm kind of in love with it."
"I'm kind of in love with you." Were the words mumbled from across the common room, not from James but rather Sirius Black.
Turning to his friend, James raised an eyebrow. "What?" Sirius said, throwing up his hands in defense. "Freckles is incredibly good looking. It really is a pity she's off the market."
"Was she ever for sale?" Remus asked, looking up from his potions book.
Sirius shot Remus a look, obviously still disappointed that his friend didn't practice the same dating techniques he did. After all, Remus was quite a bit more romantic. "She's not on the market for me or Prongs, anyway." He clarified, "She's not into the whole getting into trouble, immature prat thing; which I might add is a total turn on."
Remus shook his head in disbelief, "The fact that she rejects you turns you on?"
"No, the fact that she won't admit that she's into me when she really is does. Watch this," Sirius caught Lily's eye and blew her a kiss. She wrinkled her nose and stuck her tongue out in response. James chuckled as Sirius grinned.
"See, she's saying she wants to use tongue."
"Now I see why she's not into you. She doesn't like thick heads."
"Or maybe she just doesn't like attractive blokes. Heightens your chance with her then, doesn't it Moony?"
Remus let the comment roll off of him, "Someone's a little spiteful because they can't get the girl."
"Not as spiteful as James." Remus looked confused for a moment but upon turning to James realized that he was staring at Lily once more. Sirius let out a bark of a laugh as he turned to James, "Go for it, champ."
James tore his eyes away long enough to look doubtful at his friend. "I can't imagine what you mean…" was his incredibly unconvincing reply. Not that he was really trying to convince them in the first place.
Remus chuckled. "She won't go for you, you do realize."
Sirius shook his head. "Yeah, but normally James wouldn't be interested in a girl like her either, and since he does like her, then she'll like him. My money's on it working."
"Whatever you say," Remus rolled his eyes at Sirius's confusing reasoning, and both turned to look at James.
"What?" he asked, not mistaking their anxious looks, "Oh, you want me to kiss her now and prove it?"
"Yeah mate," Sirius said, giving him a manly pat pushing him forward as James stood. "Go for it."
James grinned as he approached Lily, lazily dropping onto the couch next to her. As he did, however, Emma stood. "I have to go to the library. Talk to you later, Lily."
Although both parties knew that her exit was due to dislike of James, neither mentioned it. Lily was tired of apologizing for her friend, and James didn't even care in the first place.
Holding back a smirk, he spoke. "Hullo. Nice rock out session?"
"Yeah," Lily replied with a laugh, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "You saw?"
"I don't think there was anyone in here who didn't see."
"What can I say, I like music."
There was a moment's pause where James drummed his fingers lightly on the armrest, while Lily rolled her ear buds around her player and placed it on the coffee table.
"Oi," she said after taking a glance around the room. "Why is Sirius staring at us?"
James chuckled, not needing to look over to know that Sirius was being quite blunt about the situation while Remus was most likely looking discreetly over his book.
"Oh that's nothing. He just reckons that I came over here to kiss you." His words were nonchalant and as he spoke he lazily raised his feet onto the coffee table, letting out an almighty yawn as he finished the statement.
Lily, however, tensed at this confession. She ran a hand nervously through her hair and gave James a hard look, while he sat staring straight in front of him into the wall ahead. "Why would Sirius think that?"
He shrugged, "Might have mentioned I was coming over here to do just that."
Indignation began to bubble at the bottom of Lily's throat at the thought of James telling his friends that he was heading over to play her. It seemed like a strange, pathetic thing to do. She had thought his character different…
"But you were never planning to actually do it." The words formed as she finally pieced the puzzle together, anger dissolving.
"That is correct."
Lily rolled her eyes, "You need a hobby."
"Au contraire," he contradicted, his amateur French highly amusing to Lily, though she didn't show it. "In doing this I got to mess with Sirius and Remus who think that I'm about ready to take over the world. Plus as an added bonus, I got you all nervous and twitchy trying to remember when you last had a breath mint."
"Did not," She insisted, punching him lightly in the shoulder though grinning.
"Did too! And then," He continued on a more serious note. "You started to wonder if I was going to play you." he turned in his seat to see her reaction. As expected, her smile faded.
"I suppose a bit."
"But after a moment you realized that you were mad in love with me and you were willing to take that chance." His comment was light once more.
Yet another light punch. "Okay," he admitted, dramatically rubbing his shoulder where her fist had hit. "I'm being serious now. And I'm not going to mess around with you."
"Who says I'd ever even kiss you to begin with?"
He gave her a long look. "You would."
"Would not!"
"Would too."
"Would not!"
"Would-"
"We sound like prats." Lily cut in, shaking her head and grinning.
James laughed, "Yes we do. But I'm just trying to help you admit the truth."
"I already have. Why would I ever kiss you? You probably have some fungus on your lips."
"Hm," James said, scratching his chin. "Maybe you're right. I should probably just give up on you now, right?"
"Right," Lily said rather unpersuasively.
"So I should probably just leave?"
"Definitely."
"Alright then, I'll talk to you later, Evans." He stood and stretched a bit, before lazily making his way to the portrait hole. He hadn't even made it to the door when he heard her stand.
"Wait, I'm coming with you!" Lily called, and a wide grin spread across his face as he heard. He slowed down his pace and turned, not bothering to hide his grin.
He should really try this reverse psychology-thing more often.
A/N Review, even if you hate it :D