"Oh shut up, Potter, I am NOT your girlfriend! It was one kiss!"

"Ah, and a brilliant kiss at that, lovely Lilykins. I knew one day you'd admit to yourself that you fancied me." He was right, she did. But no way was she going to tell him that.

"I'm going to knock you off that bloody broom."

He was hovering about 2 feet off the ground, all the other players already in flight.

"Can't I have a kiss for luck before I play? Isn't that what always happens? Ah, I might throw the game otherwise, not catching the Snitch because I'm mesmerized b-"

"Potter!" Amos Diggory, the Gryffindor Quidditch captain, had flown down and was hovering a foot or so away from the pair. "Get your arse in the air, the match is about to start!" James shot a wink at Lily and flew off behind Amos, Madam Hooch blowing the whistle to begin the match. Her strawberry blonde hair was in an elegant braided knot atop her head, and her bright, freckled young face was accompanied by the large Quidditch goggles concealing 60 percent of her forehead. She sat back on her broom and hovered in the air, watching the match for any fouls or misconduct.

Lily went up the wooden steps and took her place between Alice and Marlene, her nose wrinkled in distaste.

"He said I was his bloody girlfriend! What a prat! The stupid snog was a fortnight ago anyway!" The raven-haired Gryffindor and the Ravenclaw exchanged a look and shook their heads. "What. What? Marlene. Alice. What?!" They simply turned to watch the game, and Lily groaned, making a face at each of them before grudgingly turning her eyes onto the pitch. She sighed, watching the seeker fly around above the other players. Then the Quaffle was in possesion of Pandora, who was a Chaser on the Hufflepuff team. Lily shot up, as did Marlene and Alice. Molly was off snogging Jensen Thomas somewhere, who was her very recent boyfriend. Pandora ducked under one of the Gryffindor players and hugged the Quaffle tight to her chest; she was one of the very first women on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, and she always felt like she had to prove herself. She tossed the Quaffle to one of her teammates and did a 180 degree turn on her broom, ducked under a Bludger, and raised her arms for the ball. The other Chaser threw it to her and knocked a Gryffindor player out of the way, and Pandora flung the Quaffle through the goalpost, the ball brushing the fingers of the Gryffindor keeper. Pandora lifted a closed fist above her head in a cheer, her silvery-blonde waves escaping from the bun she'd tried to contain them in. She dodged a Bludger and flew back, the game already continuing. The score was fairly even after a hour of gameplay, and it was becoming mundane. Suddenly, James Potter was diving towards the ground as fast as the broom could carry him. Lily once again shot out of her seat, leaning half out of the stand, her knuckles white against the gold and scarlet banner.

"Come on, Potter!" She didn't even realize her mouth had been open, but it was certainly her voice. He didn't seem to hear her, though, and weaved in and out of the stands. His arm was outstreched and the Hufflepuff Seeker was close behind him, and BAM. Potter was falling, falling, and crashed into the ground. Someone screamed, and Lily would later realize it had been her. Her feet were carrying her out of the stadium and down on the pitch before she even knew what was going on, ignoring shouts of her professors. Lily slipped on the damp grass and cut her leg, gasping in pain. It was something hard and sharp- a piece of the front of James' broom. She scrambled to her feet and joined Madam Hooch, Professor McGonagall, and Madam Pomfrey, with the Gryffindor Seeker splayed on the ground. His eyes were closed. The rest of the Marauders were standing by, Sirius muttering quietly to Peter. He giggled.

Amos Diggory came over and looked down at his fallen player. One of the Hufflepuff Beaters, as well as Pandora, stood with him.

"I-It was an accident- all I did was hit the Bludger out of her way- I didn't even know h-he'd seen the Snitch-" Amos waved his hand, and the other player fell silent.

"Is he going to be alright, Professor?"

"He's fine. Most likely just a fractured wrist and a couple broken fingers from when he had his hand out to break his fall. He's also got a cut on his head that I want to monitor. A couple of nights with me and a bottle of Skele-grow, he'll be able to be at your practice in a fortnight. Skip next week, Potter." It was Madam Pomfrey who spoke up. She stood, dusting off her maroon robes. James groaned, blinking his eyes open.

"We won." He lifted his other hand and in it was clasped the tiny winged ball. Amos groaned and tossed his goggles in the air, laughing loudly. McGonagall had a difficult time containing her glee.

"James Potter has caught the Snitch. Gryffindor wins, 360 to 340." Pandora looked irritated, but she met Lily's gaze and nodded; she was glad James wasn't hurt badly. The other Hufflepuff looked relieved as she led him away, his bat still grasped limply by his side.

"Evans?" Lily looked down, her dark brows knitted with worry.

"James- how-"

"You do fancy me. I told you."

Lily blinked and scoffed, her face glazing over with anger.

"YOU STUPID PRAT. Are you bloody joking! You could have been seriously hurt! I thought you were-"

"Dead? Ah. Did you worry?"

"Shut up, Potter." She blushed furiously, turning to walk back to her friends, who were now in the middle of the pitch waiting for her as the crowds went back up to the castle. Madam Hooch was on her way back with a bandage.

"Hey, what happened to your leg?" There was no trace of joking now, his voice concerned. "Lily?" The way he said her name sent shivers down her spine, and she turned back to look at him. Now that the worry for him was gone, the long cut on her calf was starting to throb. It ached.

"I tripped on your stupid broom."

"Oh." James sounded genuinely upset. "Can I see?" He was sitting upright now, Madam Pomfrey fussing with the cut on his head. Lily sat down next to him, not really caring if her jeans got dirty. They were already ripped. She stuck out her leg for him to see, and sucked in her breath slightly- she wasn't expecting his fingers to be so cold. They danced around the cut, and then there was a sharp pain.

"Ouch. Potter-!" Lily turned around to snap at him, and he held up a long sliver of wood, covered in her blood.

"Does it hurt less now?" His hazel eyes met hers, and she blushed faintly. In fact, it did hurt less. She nodded, and he smiled at her. It made her heart skip a beat or two. Lily looked away, smiling to herself. Maybe James Potter was alright.