Author's note: A few more chapters to go. I'll be sad to see it go, but I need to move on.

Now that Lily and James have broken up with their respectful other halves, they can move on with one and other. Hopefully.

--

A month had passed since Lily had broken it off with Jordan, and she felt like her old self. Granted, it was still hard to pass by certain places without having memories flood her mind, but at least she wouldn't feel like bursting into tears every time she saw a certain place that was dear to her.

Soon though, she told herself, she would forget those memories, or at least have them on a backburner in her mind. And when she got a new bloke to call her own, there would be some new ones.

For now though, Lily knew that she would get over it. Time, after all, heals all wounds.

--

One night, as Lily was studying on the floor of the common room, she heard a noise outside, then the sound of the portrait opening, letting in someone.

Lily rolled onto her stomach to see who it was, although she knew right away who it was.

"Hullo," she said.

James sat down on the sofa. "What are you doing on the floor?"

Lily smiled and got up. "I was just reading over the notes from Potions." She stretched her arms upwards, groaning slightly. "I guess I stayed on the floor longer than I should have."

James chuckled and patted the seat next to his. "Come sit here."

Lily took the few steps that were needed and sat down, her back cracking slightly as she did. "That felt good," she said.

James kissed her cheek. "Any where else that's sore?"

Lily raised her eyebrow. "Why?"

"Just asking."

"Well, my neck is a bit stiff..."

James moved so that he was sitting on the top of the sofa, his feet on the seat. Lily was between his legs, looking up at him and giving him a look that obviously said, "What are you doing?"

James just smiled at her and moved her head gently back into its original position. He moved her hair from her neck and began massaging her shoulders.

Lily let out a moan of appreciation as she felt some of the tension leave her neck. The red-head closed her eyes to continue enjoying the sensation.

Sometimes, James' fingers would lightly caress the skin on her neck that was exposed, which sent shivers down Lily's spine. Her mind would turn to other thoughts about those fingers, and she would wonder what it would feel like to have more of his skin in contact with hers.

Suddenly, James stopped the massage. Lily cried out in protest and opened her eyes. The raven-haired boy was now sitting in front of her (how he had done that so fast was beyond her knowledge), and looking at her hungrily.

"Why did you stop?" she asked, oblivious to the way he was looking at her.

"So that I could do this..." He grabbed her face gently, and brought her face to his. He went slowly in case she felt she had to pull away, but she never did. Their lips met and a spark seemed to be ignited.

They kissed passionately, years and months of tension that was bubbling out of them. He pulled her from the sofa onto his lap, where she wrapped her trouser-clad legs around his waist automatically.

His hands slipped under her shirt and caressed her back. Another shiver ran down Lily's spine at the contact and she wove her hands into James' dark hair.

The broke apart for a moment to catch their breaths, and James kissed her neck, before biting the soft flesh.

Lily gasped at this and James pulled away.

"Did that hurt?" Lily shook her head, her cheeks flushing even more than they were already. "Then why did you gasp?"

Lily shook her head again, not wanting to say anything.

"Come on, you can tell me."

Again Lily shook her head.

"Well, if it wasn't in pain..."

"You're going to make me say it, aren't you?"

James grinned. "Of course, luv."

Lily obviously looked uncomfortable. "I gasped because..."

"Come on, you can do it."

Lily bit her bottom lip. "I liked it, okay?"

James' grin turned into a giant smile. "I was hoping you would say that." He swooped down to her neck and bit it again, softly.

Lily gasped.

James bit her a few more times before Lily decided that she had had enough. She pushed his head away from her neck and moved her own lips to his neck. At first, it was a soft kiss, but then she sucked on the soft flesh.

The raven-haired boy suddenly realized what the red-head was doing and pushed her head away. "You better not have given me a hickey."

Lily giggled, glancing at the red spot that was for sure going to leave a mark. She hastily got up from her interesting entanglement and, before James could stop her, went into her room. Just before she shut the door though, she turned around. Giving him her sexiest look she could muster, she said, "Good night."

James let himself fall backwards onto the floor, groaning.

--

The next morning, Lily got up extra early to slip into James' room and cast a charm on him. She felt so much like a Marauder playing a prank on someone.

As she snuck back into her room, she hoped that it would teach him a lesson that she wasn't going to give in that easily. It was also payback for all the pranks him and his friends had done to her all those years.

Lily was giddy with excitement for the day to come.

--

As Lily sat on the sofa later that morning, she heard curses coming from inside James' room. He stormed out and glared at Lily.

"This hickey won't go away. What did you do to it?"

Lily smiled innocently. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"You know exactly what I am talking about. This stupid hickey on my neck will not be covered by any charm I try to hide it with and obviously the collar on my shirt doesn't go high enough."

Lily just kept on smiling. "I'm sorry, I still don't understand what you are talking about."

James growled at her. He placed his arms on either side of her head, and Lily could smell his delicious spiced soap. She felt her body heat up at his proximity, remembering last night's excitement.

If she wasn't a woman who believed that making love was for long-time daters, she would have definitely given it up to James right there and then.

"Look at this mark on my neck. See it?"

Lily looked up at the curve of his neck, licking her lips subconsciously. "Yes, I see it."

"Well, it won't go away."

"That's too bad."

"No, it's bloody hell. I'll have to go through my whole day with a bloody hickey on my neck!"

"James, you are in a presence of a lady. You shouldn't swear."

"You, a lady? Do ladies sit upon the laps of gentlemen with their legs wrapped around their waist gasping and moaning at every touch?"

"I did not moan!"

"Oh yes you did. You moaned and gasped because you liked everything I was doing for you, and we would have continued if you hadn't decided to jump away at that particular moment."

"That was the reason I jumped away at that particular moment." Lily felt her face heat up.

"You are infuriating. I hope you know that."

Lily smiled and moved out of the prison he had made with his arms. "That's why you love me," she said, before exiting into the hallway.

Just as she left, she heard him reply, "I know."

--

As Lily was walking down the hallway with Alice, she noticed that James and Sirius were in front of them, totally unaware of the two girls behind them, and they were talking.

"Mate, who gave you that hickey on your neck? It looks almost painful?"

James sighed. "I can't say her name."

"Why not? Too long for you to pronounce? Are you fooling around with some sort of strange-named lady?"

"No, it's not that. Every time I try to say her name, no sound comes out."

Sirius laughed. "Come on, tell me who it was. I won't judge. You don't have to lie to me."

"Fine then," James said, "if you don't believe me. It was-" James' mouth moved, but no sounds came out.

"Mate, come on. Stop messing around. Tell me."

"I'm trying!" James cried out, frustrated.

Lily, behind them, giggled.

James turned around at this sound and his eyes went wide. "Lily, please tell Sirius what you've done to me."

People passing them turned to stare.

"I have done nothing to you, well, that I know of. What you do in the privacy of your our room is your problem, not mine."

"Ha ha, that is hilarious."

"I try."

Alice glanced at Lily, then at James, trying to understand. Sirius seemed to be doing the same thing.

"Seriously though, tell them so that I don't look like a fool anymore."

"I still don't know what you are saying. Now, if you excuse me, I have to attend a class."

Lily looped her arm through Alice's and walked off, leaving a frustrated James behind.

--

After Lily had told Alice what had happened, her friend couldn't help but laugh.

"Seriously? You charmed his neck so that the hickey wouldn't be able to be covered AND you made it that he couldn't say who did it to him?"

Lily smiled. "Yup."

"Lily Evans, you are bad!" Alice squealed. "I like this side of you!"

The red-head shrugged. "I've decided to take advantage of the fact that he is so into me."

"So you're using him."

"In a way. Just don't repeat it to anyone."

Alice shook her head vigorously. "I won't I promise. At least let me be a part of it, okay?"

"Deal."

The girls shook hands.

--

Author's note: You are probably wondering why I am setting up something when there are only a few chapters left. Ah, you will have to wait and see!

I don't know where I find the time to write, but for a while, expect weekly updates, if I can make it.