Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter...nor will I ever
Chapter Nine: The Finest Red Wine
By the following Monday, news had spread about Lily Evans and James Potter's hook up. Lily grinded her teeth in annoyance at the whispers and "I told you so's" she was receiving. Merlin, what's the big deal? It's just James and me! It's not like it's the Queen of England and Dumbledore! Lily angrily thought as she took her seat in Transfiguration.
James however, was enjoying it. In the morning he had walked right up to Lily as she sat at the Gryffindor table and had given her a big kiss. She had turn beat red, and practically the whole school had been watching. He loved the way she had pushed him away – not that he liked being pushed away by Lily, but he found it to be amusing because she had lustfully kissed him back before doing it.
"Oh Merlin Lily, it's about time!" exclaimed Shannon Jackson, one of Lily's not so close friends. She had never really clicked with Shannon as she had with Marlene, Alice, and Ellie, but they still talked.
"What's about time?" James asked, taking the empty seat beside Lily and draping his arm around her. She smiled weakly at him as his hazel eyes swept over her, a playful grin on his face. All anger and annoyance she felt towards him evaporated at the very sight of him.
"You too, together, I totally saw it coming," Shannon smiled, shaking her platinum blonde head, "It just took a long while."
"Everyone's been saying that, you know?" Lily whispered when Shannon had walked back up to her seat.
"I know, guess they all believed me over you," James smirked, kissing her lightly on the cheek.
"I guess your kicking Ellie out of her seat?" Lily questioned, her eyebrow raised questionably. He grinned and nodded.
"Yeah, but I don't think she'll mind sitting beside Sirius." He shrugged, the casual smirk still playing on his lips. Her eyes lingered on his lips, the way they took that delicious form whenever he smiled at her. She wanted to kiss him again, to taste him and feel his lips come crashing down on hers.
Class had started and Professor McGonagall had instructed them all to continue transforming teapots into cats. James had already transformed their teapot into a cat, and they got the credit. Lily was still struggling with it. She had James turn it back into the teapot so she could practise.
"You say it like this, Transferino," James instructed, his hand over Lily's as he showed her how to direct the wand.
"Thanks," she mumbled, staring at a fluffy cat that had suddenly taken the place of the teapot.
"Are you planning on doing anything tonight?" James asked her, reminding her of her lustful thoughts. She blushed a little, thinking about how wonderful it would be if she just let go and allowed James to take her.
"No, not really," she replied.
"Do you feel like taking a jaunt around Hogwarts?" he asked, grinning mysteriously, "Think of it as a date,"
"Ok," Lily replied, smiling up at him.
"Don't eat supper and wear Muggle clothes," he added, confusing and alluring Lily all the more.
XXXX
Lily spent the rest of the day thinking about what plans James had for them. He had warned them that they might go off school property, and that he was taking them somewhere special.
After supper, she showered and got ready. She wanted to look great, so she dressed up. She curled her hair, put on makeup, and wore Muggle clothes. She picked out tight hip hugging jeans with sexy tears in the knees and a white halter-top with a matching white handbag. She was also wearing the black heals that Marlene had practically forced her to buy during a shopping trip in the summer.
Since she had gotten her Apparation licence when she turned seventeen, Lily had been able to see her friends more over the summer, and they had gone on many shopping expeditions.
"Lil, are you ready yet?" James called from behind her closed door.
"Yeah, coming!" Lily called, quickly putting her silver hoop earrings into her lobes. She grabbed her purse and got up from her vanity table.
"Merlin Lily, you look gorgeous, as always," James winked as Lily threw open her door.
"Where are we going James?" she asked him, walking into his arms and kissing him.
He grinned, "My secret, we better get going, come on," he said, taking her hand.
James smiled again when they touched, leading her out of the Head's Quarters. It was late and they had to sneak to avoid being caught. Of course, they weren't caught.
They left the castle and walked for about twenty minutes. Lily's feet were starting to hurt from her heals, and she kept tripping over stones. James caught her every time and prevented her from falling. However, her ankles were taking quite a beating from being twisted. James seemed to sense this and picked her up, carrying her over the uneven ground.
"Thanks," Lily said for what seemed like the one hundredth time that night. They were walking away from the wizard-inhabited town of Hogsmeade, and heading east somewhere.
"No problem, I don't know why you girls wear those things. They're deadly," James replied, "Anyway, we're almost there."
"Where is there?"
"A Muggle village called Nortonville, they don't know about Hogwarts. I figured it would be alright for us to go here…that way nobody could recognize us and tell Dumbledore." James grinned. He set her down on the cobblestone street and took her hand, leading her to a nice Italian restaurant.
"Italian?" Lily inquired, raising her eyebrows elegantly. James grinned at her.
"Nothing but the best for my Lily flower," he winked, opening the door for her, her hand still in his.
They approached a young waitress.
"Do you have reservations?" she inquired, looking at a large book, undoubtedly full of peoples reservations.
"Yes, Potter, James," James replied, smiling at her.
"Of course, right this way Mr. Potter," the woman said, leading them to a secluded table for two with candles and menus. "I'll be your waitress tonight and my name is Leah, would you like anything to drink?"
"Yes, we'd like a bottle of your finest red wine," James told her, smiling at her.
"Sure, no problem," she smiled, heading towards the kitchen and leaving them to decide what to order.
"How come she didn't ask you for ID?" Lily asked, opening her menu.
"Simple spell, we appear to be older then we look," James winked. Lily smiled and shook her head, rolling her eyes slightly.
"We're supposed to be Head boy and Girl," she scolded him half heartily.
"Ah yes my gorgeous Lily flower, but we aredrinking responsible, we aren't driving." James replied. Lily smirked and shook her head.
"I think I'll order the Chicken Alfredo," she told him, looking up.
"Sounds good to me, I'll get the same thing." James replied, setting down his menu and looking deeply into Lily's eyes.
This is right, he thought, looking into her pools of green eyes, this is meant to be.
"Have you two decided on your order?" the waitress, Leah, questioned when she returned with the red wine.
"Yes, we'd like an order of garlic bread to start with, and my love girl here would love a plate of the Chicken Alfredo. I myself will have the Italian Special." James said, smiling while he gave the order. The waitress wrote it down, than she nodded and collected the menus before heading off to the kitchen.
James poured them both wine into crystal wine glasses, and handed one to Lily. They sipped at it as they talked, content with just being with each other.
Lily sighed contently, bringing James's gaze back to her face. She had curled her hair, and he longed to run his fingers through the curly locks. He could smell the sent of her, and it was intoxicating. She was wearing lip-gloss, and he imaged himself kissing her then and there. Nervously, he fiddled with the collar of his shirt. Down James, we're in a public place, he reminded himself. He was still amazed that with every move she made, she had him hypnotized.
"So, how do you know about this town?" Lily asked him.
"Sirius, Remus, Peter and I stumbled across it on one of our journeys," James replied, smiling at her.
"Oh really? And what journey was that?" she questioned, smirking slightly. He shrugged.
"Can't remember, we found it way back in second-year."
"Have you taken any other girls here?" Lily asked him, searching his eyes.
"Nope, you're the first and only," he replied, holding her gaze. She smiled again, her emerald green eyes sparkling. James knew, that if he had been standing, then his legs would have gone weak.
They were lost in their own world, and it took the waitress three tries to get their attention. She placed their plates in front of them, smiling.
"Enjoy your meal," she said before walking off to serve someone else.
"You handle these situations with an adult aura." Lily commented, sampling her food. It was really good, she hadn't had good Italian in a long time. It was funny how James knew she liked Italian so much, she wondered if he knew any other little details about her.
"The joys of being a Potter," James said shrugging. He tried his, and finding it to be excellent as always. He reached over the table and stool a taste of Lily's.
"Still your table manors need some improvement." She giggled, shaking her head. James smiled sheepishly.
"I like Chicken Alfredo," he replied.
"Well why didn't you get your own?" Lily questioned, still looking amused.
"Now where's the fun in that?" James retorted, grinning, "I wouldn't get to steal off of your plate,"
They chatted throughout their meal, laughing and enjoying the wine. All too soon it seemed, they were finished and paying the bill. Lily reached into her purse to give the waitress a tip, but James prevented her.
"I have it covered," he grinned. "Besides, I don't think you have any Muggle money on you," In truth, Lily did not, she still rolled her eyes at him through as he took her hand and lead her out of the store.
"What time is it?" Lily questioned as James swept her off her feet – remembering all the trouble she had had walking over uneven ground and stones.
"Nearly one," James replied. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her purse hanging loosely over his back, and smiled at him.
"It's a school night," she said, pretending to scold him.
"Well, at least I didn't promise your Daddy I'd have you back by eleven," James said, laughing.
"I doubt my dad would have let me leave the house with you," she commented after a moment of thought.
"Why not?"
"Because you have that delinquent look about you, the unruly hair," (as she said this she ran her hand through his hair) "those mischievous lips," (as she said this she kissed him softly) "and this very toned body," (as she said this she ran her hand down his chest)
"I see why there's such good reason to…er, fear me," James said, smiling. He was breathing deeply, and not from the effort of carrying Lily, as she was as light as feathers to him, but from the effect she was having on him.
He carried her up to the steps of the castle, than he gently set her down. He took her hand, smiling warmly at her as they snuck back to their Quarters.
"Oh James, I had such a good time!" Lily said once the portrait had swung shut behind them. She threw herself into his arms and started kissing him, giving him no time to reply.
"Tonight?" James asked, raising his eyebrows when they had finally broken apart. Lily had been saving herself for the one that she loved, and she knew it was James. There might not be a tomorrow, a voice whispered wisely in her head.
"Yes," Lily mumbled. He grinned at her, picking her up again and carrying her to his bed.
