Disclaimer: Anything you recognise belongs to the amazing Ms. Rowling, the contents of this story are mine, and should be treated as such.

((XX))

Four – Like a Rash

"We always long for the forbidden things, and desire what is denied us"

Francois Rabelais

In anticipation of the first Quidditch match of the season the wind that had battered the castle abruptly turned north, heading out towards the sea. In its place however came rain; torrential, bone-numbing, drenching rain.

In spite of this, or perhaps because of it, the opening match of the season between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff had never been more hotly anticipated. Older students brushed up on their warming and water proofing spells, while the younger students watched with fascination, desperate to learn them themselves. Lily found herself beseeched with requests from first, second and third years to teach them any charm that might keep them dry and warm, to the point where she asked Professor Flitwick if he could make time for the charms in class.

Lily could understand their excitement however. She herself was unusually eager for the match, the Friday night before it was to be held. It was most likely due however, to the fact she was wandering around the castle with the Gryffindor team captain, hearing all the tactics and plans that were pouring out of him in his nervously energetic state.

"I can do this by myself if you want to get some sleep?" Lily offered as they wound their way down towards the potions classroom. "You've got to be at your best tomorrow."

"How much money have you got on the match?" James grinned at her.

Lily couldn't stop her flush.

"Five galleons, but that's not why I was offering."

"I know," James smiled at her with perhaps a little too much warmth. "But I never sleep much before a match anyway, so I may as well do something productive. And tell you what, if we lose, I'll pay your bet up for you."

"You're on," Lily grinned at him.

"Besides," James continued. "I wouldn't want to deprive you of the pleasure of my company."

Lily rolled her eyes at him and refused to comment as they reached the final corridor of the dungeons.

"Is it just me or has it got really hot down here?" Lily asked, feeling a breath of heat wash over her.

James's head snapped to her and his eyebrows rose suggestively.

"Seriously James, can't you feel that?"

"I can now you mention it." He frowned around the corridor, loosening his tie to allow some air at his neck. "It's sweltering."

Lily followed his lead, loosening her tie and, when she was sure James wasn't looking, popped open the top few buttons of her school shirt. She almost laughed when she realised that James had done the same thing when their backs where to each other. Fanning herself with her hand, Lily kept walking.

"Ahhhh, that's better," she heard from behind her.

She turned around; James was in the process of untucking his shirt from his pants. She blushed furiously, hiding her face so he didn't see.

"You've gotta do it Evans," he told her. "If we're going to find out what's going on down here, we need to be able to think clearly."

Still blushing, Lily had to admit he was right, she quickly grabbed the tails of her shirt from her skirt and had to admit, it did feel better.

"It's the middle of November for Merlin's sake," she cursed as they looked around. "Why is it so damn hot?"

"Think he might know?" James asked, nodding down the hallway.

Lily turned around to see Professor Slughorn hurrying towards them, mopping his brow with a handkerchief and looking thoroughly harassed.

"Mr Potter, Miss Evans, what a to-do!" He cried as he drew close to them.

"What's happened Professor?" James asked his voice respectful and polite. Lily resisted the urge to stare at him.

"My second year potions class convinced me to teach them a warming potion this afternoon," he told them, shaking his head at his own foolishness. "They were quite insistent, I believe they wanted them for your Quidditch match tomorrow," he nodded at James. "Perhaps you're familiar with Julia McGrath? No, she's a Ravenclaw second year, she decided to multiply her potion, and, as you can tell, it went rather badly."

Lily could tell James was struggling to hold in his laughter.

"Can we help you Professor?" Lily asked, ignoring James's incredulous stare.

"Oh no, thankyou very much, Miss Evans. I have Professor Flitwick and the Headmaster coming down to assist me shortly. Continue on with your patrol and good luck with the match tomorrow James m'boy!"

James thanked Slughorn and, as quickly as they could they left the dungeons, sweating profusely and wiping their hands across their foreheads.

"How about the Astronomy tower?" James asked as they tried to put as much distance as they could between themselves and the dungeons.

Lily stared at him, shocked by his request. All year James had been on his best behaviour, not even asking her out anymore, when, previously, it had been an at least weekly occurrence. Occasionally he made the odd suggestive comment or joke, but they didn't bother her so much as they used to have. And now, here he was, asking her to go with him to Hogwarts most famous make out spot.

Why on Earth did that idea sound so damn appealing?

James caught her stare and had the decency to look a little abashed.

"Merlin Evans, I didn't mean…I meant to patrol! It should be cooler up there."

Now it was Lily's turn to look embarrassed.

"Oh, right, of course. Good idea."

"We might even be able to bust up some couples private time," James grinned at the idea and Lily laughed.

"You mean like Sirius and whoever he's conned in to spending tonight with him?" She asked.

"I don't think we'll manage to spring him tonight," James laughed. "I think he said something about staying in."

"You don't mean he takes girls up to the dormitory do you?" Lily asked appalled.

James shrugged.

"Isn't that terribly awkward?" Lily asked; horrified at the idea of Alice sneaking Frank into their dormitory and how out of place she'd feel.

"None of us mind so much, as long as they use a silencing charm," James commented. "I'll sneak you up and you can see how the boys react."

Lily blushed furiously at his innuendo, their conversations seemed to be filled with it tonight; she attributed it to his nervousness about the Quidditch match.

They reached the top of the Astronomy tower and Lily found that James had been right; the night air was unbelievably refreshing.

"Mmmm."

Lily heard the low, throaty moan and turned around in surprise. James looked at her, an expression of shock on his face.

"You like that?" A lower voice asked, smothered by another moan.

Lily's eyes widened.

"Ohhh…yeah!"

Lily couldn't help but blush as she realised what she had just heard. There was a couple up here somewhere and by the sounds of it, they were enjoying themselves very much.

Lily went to march towards the noise but was hurled back suddenly, yanked by her ponytail behind a pillar and pressed into the very warm, very large chest of James Potter. Her hair tumbled down around her shoulders in a messy array as her elastic was flung across the room by the strength of James's hold on her.

"What the hell are you doing?" She hissed at him.

"You were just going to walk in on them?" He asked, looking pained.

"You were the one that suggested coming up here to spring some couples!" Lily exclaimed, struggling to keep her voice low.

"Yeah, but didn't you recognise those voices? It's Duncan Bolstroyde back there, do you really want to see him naked?"

Lily gasped, struck by the awful thought of seeing the large sixth year Slytherin in the nude. James began to laugh at the horror on her face and she couldn't help it, she began to laugh too. They tried to quieten their laughter as the sounds of Bolstroyde and his girlfriend got louder and louder and suddenly cut off.

"That was quick," James whispered and Lily began to laugh again, her body shaking against James's in the enclosed space of their secret hiding spot behind the pillar and he was laughing too, his muscular chest heaving with stifled gasps of mirth as they heard the unmistakable sound of clothes being donned and the couple scurrying away.

Eventually their laughs quietened some and Lily became aware of exactly the situation she had found herself in with James Potter. The space behind the pillar was incredibly cramped, they were pressed up against each other and they were still both gasping for air, their bodies flattened against one another. Lily knew she should have been thinking about what a compromising situation they were in, but instead, all she could think of, was just how nice it was to be pressed against such a strong body in such an intimate way.

James was looking at her rather intently and she was resisting the urge to look back at him when they heard footsteps again. They both moved at once, stumbling over each other as they moved from behind the protection of the pillar, into the wand light of Severus Snape.

His jaw slackened at the sight of them and Lily was suddenly more than aware of exactly how compromising their position was, how bad it would look to the eyes of Snape. Late at night, they had just stumbled from a very confined and private spot, their clothing untucked and loose, Lily's hair dishevelled, both panting, with a gleam of sweat on their forehead. She almost groaned as she realised just how bad it must look.

Before she could say a word she noticed the change in Snape's expression, from shock to anger in the space of no time at all. She felt James tense at her side and reach into his robes for his wand, though her instinct screamed at her to do the same she did her best to ignore it, it would only make Severus angrier.

"Lily….how could you….with him?" He choked out, anger clouding his face and some other undefined emotion clogging his voice.

"What Evans does with her time in none of your affair," James said coolly, his wand hand twitching.

"He can't even call you by your name and you still let him fuck you in a corner of the Astronomy tower like one of his whores!" Snape exploded furiously, his wand in his hand, flourished at James. "Sectumsempra!"

"Protego!" Lily cried, her shield charm erupting between James and Severus and absorbing the impact of Snape's curse. Snape flicked it aside with his wand and raised it again, this time at Lily.

She stared at him in shock, no matter how bad their previous fights had been, he'd never raised his wand at her. His face was livid, and, she had to face it, terrifying.

"Do you like being one of Potter's sluts?" He sneered at her. "Does it make you feel good, knowing that you managed to sell your soul enough to get him? A mudblood managing to snag…"

"You do not speak to Evans like that!" James roared; his wand shaking in his hand as it slashed through the air. Snape deflected the spell again as the sound of footsteps thundered up the stairs. Mulciber and Avery, two seventh year Slytherin's, Snape's cronies, appeared. Mulciber grabbed Snape's wand arm, forcing it down.

"Not yet," he hissed. "You know our orders."

Snape turned, and, with one final look of loathing in James and Lily's direction, he ran.

James and Lily were silent for several minutes, James, struggling to calm himself, Lily, processing everything that had just happened. Beyond everything else, she was mortified by what had just happened. Getting caught in such a compromising position with James, having him have to defend her; it was all excruciatingly embarrassing.

"We should head back to the Common Room," Lily said eventually. "It's after midnight. The teachers will be out now."

James nodded his agreement and together they made the short walk towards the Gryffindor dormitories. It was an awkward walk; Lily kept her head down, unwilling to meet James's eyes. She could feel his anger, barely veiled, bubbling away under the surface as he tried to remain calm.

The Common Room was empty as they entered it and Lily was desperate to flee.

"I guess I should head up to bed," she said to him and he nodded without a word.

She hesitated.

"James….thanks for….defending me," she stuttered out to him.

"Any time," he managed a smile at her. "Though I wish I hadn't had to."

They looked at each other in silence for a few seconds.

"Are you coming to the match tomorrow?" He asked.

"Of course," she replied. "If I don't see you before the start, good luck."

"I'll make sure I see you," he told her with a more sincere smile. "Maybe you can be my good luck charm."

"Maybe," she said, having no idea what his words meant. "Oh well….goodnight."

"Night," he replied distractedly.

Lily sprinted up the staircase to her dormitory. Alice's hangings weren't drawn as Lily hurled herself onto her friend's bed.

"Kill me. Please kill me," she muttered into her friends shoulder.

"Lils? What happened?" Alice asked, rubbing soothing circles into her back.

"It was the most embarrassing moment of my entire life," she moaned. "James and I were on top of the Astronomy tower…"

"What?" Alice exclaimed.

"We were on patrol! Well anyway…"

Lily poured the entire story out to Alice, who gasped, squealed and got angry at the appropriate times. Finally she finished, totally drained and Alice squeezed her shoulders, before moving towards her bedside table and fishing around in a draw for something.

"Frank sent me this when he found out that James was Head Boy. Said he thought you might need it," she handed Lily a large block of chocolate with a flourish.

"Your boyfriend is a godsend Alice," Lily sighed happily as she broke off a large piece of chocolate.

"I know," Alice giggled, nibbling on her own piece of chocolate. "But you know what I'm beginning to think Lily?"

"What?"

"I think James Potter is growing on you."

"Growing on me like a rash I can't get rid of maybe," Lily snorted and Alice began to laugh.

Lying in her own bed over an hour later, quite unable to sleep, Lily contemplated Alice's words. Was James Potter growing on her?

The honest answer would have to be yes. She was growing used to James's presence near her and even beginning to appreciate it, enjoy it. She struggled to believe she could be thinking that about the boy she had almost hated for the past six years of her life. But he was different now, he really was. So different in fact that, if she had to be honest with herself, she had enjoyed being pressed up in a small space with him, enjoyed his sexual jokes and innuendo and was beginning to wonder why he hadn't asked her out at all this year.

Not that she would have said yes, but she….well, maybe she would have said yes.

Groaning in frustration at her own stupidity Lily waited for sleep to come, but after half an hour of it still evading her, she gave up. Illuminating her wand she looked for her novel on her bedside table, only to remember that she'd left it in the Common Room before going on patrol that evening. Determined to distract herself from the thoughts that wracked her brain Lily swung her legs out of bed and made for the Common Room. She paused at the top of the stairs, realising that she was only wearing an oversized Gryffindor t-shirt that barely covered her to the top of her thighs. For a moment, she considered going on a hunt for a pair of sweat pants to cover her legs but then realised that it was after two in the morning and the chances of anyone being in the Common Room were next to none. It wasn't as if she could embarrass herself anymore tonight.

James was sprawled in an armchair by the fire as the clock in the Common Room chimed two in the morning. He'd tried to sleep, but was quite unable. For once it wasn't nerves about tomorrow, or rather, today's match that wracked him. It was anger; anger and lust.

James doubted he'd ever hated anyone in his life as much as he'd hated Severus Snape at the moment when he had interrupted he and Lily when he was sure that she was about to touch him, kiss him, anything. But then, Snape had proved him wrong, James had managed to find more hate in his heart for the despicable boy that had compared Lily to the women he had been with in his younger, less mature years.

To compare the sweet, innocent, fiery tempered Lily to the whores that had previously thrown themselves at him was blasphemous.

And suddenly, James was struck by insight.

Severus Snape was jealous. He wanted Lily; perhaps even loved Lily.

He would not have her.

James heard a floorboard creak and looked up towards the girls' dormitories. The woman herself was on her way down, her hair tangled from bed, dressed only in a t-shirt that barely covered her. Her long, slim legs, leading higher than even he'd imagined at his most fanciful, to the most delicious looking derrière he'd ever seen…

He almost exploded with need.

She hadn't seen him yet, giving James a chance to adjust himself and slouch casually in the chair. He must act casually, he couldn't jump on her, pull her down into his lap, kiss her, touch her, make her moan the way they had heard a young girl moan that night on the top of the Astronomy tower.

"James," a voice squeaked.

He looked up, to meet the eyes of an observably mortified Lily Evans, her hands tugging the bottom of her t-shirt down as far as it could go, still not nearly covering her, her face bright red, her hands shaking the book she held as she fought with the desire to flee. Despite every instinct he had screaming at him to soak in her glorious half-naked form, he averted his eyes. She was obviously embarrassed; he didn't want to make that worse.

"Couldn't sleep Evans?" He asked; his voice unusually husky.

"No. Needed my book," she stuttered, showing it to him, another one of those Muggle novels she was so fond of. He briefly caught the title, Emma. "I'll just… go back to bed. Night."

"Night," he called after her, but she was already gone, her beautiful behind sprinting up the staircase to the girls dormitory.

Slowly, James stood, climbing the stairs to the boys' dormitories, before collapsing on his own bed and drawing the hangings. For an hour he lay on his bed, uncomfortably hard at the memory of Lily Evans body pressed up against his, shaking with laughter in a corner of the Astronomy tower and imagining those shapely legs he had just seen, wrapped around his waist as they gave themselves to each other.

((XX))

Welcome to Friday and once again thanks for reading.

Reviews are very much appreciated, and I can still promise a preview of the next chapter to all those who make James and I happy by letting us know what you think of the story.

A huge thank you to the most over-work beta-ing team around, Kait and Casey, both of whom lead very busy lives but still manage to get this back to me in time to post, without fail. You're both amazing.

Have a safe and happy week!

SC.