James bounded up to the Gryffindor common room the moment the words escaped Sirius' lips. He didn't have a plan, not really, but he was so happy he couldn't sit still until he found Lily. He sprinted past first years, shouted the password, and burst into the common room. He looked around for a wisp of flaming hair but saw nothing. Only, instead, he saw Remus reading in an armchair.
"Moony!" he gasped, "Have you seen Evans?"
"What did you do?" Remus asked narrowing his eyes.
James did not have time for this, "Lily, Remus, have you seen her? I need to talk to her right now."
Remus' eyes widened and suddenly James knew Remus knew too. He decided not to wonder how long everyone else but him has known.
"Sirius told you?" Remus groaned, "She's gonna kill him."
"Why does everyone else seem to know and not me?" he demanded.
"She's scared, James. You scare the hell out of her. She was gonna tell you but on her own terms. I guess not know that Padfoot ruined it." Remus rolled his eyes.
"Well what do I do with that?" James said in a pissy manner.
"First of all, stop acting like a prat. Just wait until she tells her yourself! I'll talk to her, convince her she's ready." Remus reasoned.
Although James didn't want to, his whole mind and soul were begging him not to, he threw himself into the armchair. He ruffled his hair and crossed his arms. He would wait until Evans got back and then talk to her.
He and Remus seemed to be waiting for ages. They did homework, played exploding snap, talked Quidditch, everything. James was growing impatient because Merlin where was this girl? He was about to screw his whole plan and go find her himself when the portrait opened and she walked through. They made eye contact immediately and James and he felt his gaze soften in a gooey manner he would later deny to many eye witnesses. She blushed and looked down after a moment and she twisted the silver ring on her finger like she did when she was nervous.
"James," she said and everyone turned to look at her because of how quiet the common room had been before, "Can I have a word?"
"Sure! Absolutely! Of course! You don't even need to ask!" James said.
"Prongs, stop acting like an idiot." Remus muttered so Lily wouldn't hear.
Lily turned and walked back out the portrait and James followed her. Everyone was practically besides themselves with curiosity at this point but Remus prevented them from following the two out. Lily stopped a little ways down the cooridor and James tried to be sauve and leaned against the wall. Her heart melted a bit at his hair and cool demeanor. The butterflies in her stomach threatened to destroy her.
"Erm, how are your classes going?" she finally asked him.
Trying not to sound as nervous as he felt, James raised an eyebrow, "You called me out of there to ask about my classes in private?"
"Well if you weren't doing well wouldn't you much rather I asked away from all of those 5th years who are in love with you?" she said back.
"Ah, you're helping me save face. Thanks, Evans." He laughed.
"What I really wanted to ask was," she started but faltered when she made eye contact with him, "is if you're ready for the game against Ravenclaw on Saturday?"
"Concerned about my captainship?" he laughed again and she blushed.
Why was she so nervous? This was James! Her friend. But no, he was much more than that to her.
"You're right sorry for being a twat." She mumbled, brushing past him.
She intended to hole herself up in her room the whole night for acting like such a baby around him. She would throw herself a whole pity party. When she turned and stepped past him he suddenly reached up and grabbed her wrist, pulling her toward him.
"Evans," he said looking her in the eye and her breath stopped when she realized just how close they were, "I fancy you a great bit. You're pretty much all I think about. You have every right to say no but I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me?"
She looked at him. He was so handsome and so sincere. He had changed so much. He was Headboy now. And she fancied him just as much as he did her. She bit her lip a little bit, reveling in the moment, watching his eyes go to her lips, and nodded.
"I would like that a lot, Potter." She finally said.
With that he leaned down and finally, finally kissed her. It was slow and sweet and not demanding. It was fireworks slowly going off, her skin tingling, and a sense of happiness. It was fire after being in the snow. It was water when you were parched. It was the sense of adrenaline you got after diving off a cliff. It was being scared and doing it anyway. It was James Potter and Lily Evans finally, finally kissing.