Freed

Prompt: "How did you know?"

Setting: Canon, Hogwarts 6th year

754 Words

On a Tuesday evening, close to the curfew, James' gaze, distracted from the game of Exploding Snap Peter and Sirius were playing, swept across the Gryffindor Common Room.

Then he frowned.

He hadn't found what he'd been looking for; he hadn't glimpsed of the deep red hair or heard the familiar tinkling laugh.

Lily Evans wasn't in the room.

That wasn't like Evans at all – and anything unusual, especially when in relation to Lily Evans – was sure to get James' immediate attention.

Bubbling with curiosity, he excused himself and left his friends to their game.

He slipped out of the Gryffindor Common Room, ignoring the Fat Lady as she yelled about the upcoming curfew at his retreating back.

Once he was in a quiet spot, James pulled out the map.

He didn't use it to spy on Lily – not really. But he might have slid into a habit of checking where she was and wondering what she was doing, every now and then.

Especially after Marlene had mentioned about a hair-raising incident with some of the less unsavoury older Slytherins last month…

Worry building in his chest, James scanned the map.

"Come on, come on, come on," he muttered under his breath, until finally, heaving a sigh of relief, he found the dot labelled Lily Evans.

She was alone, not surrounded by some gang of Slytherins, which was good news.

The baffling news was that she seemed to be pacing in a supply closet on the fourth floor.

Curious and curiouser.

James wiped the map, stuffed it back into his pocket and rushed down to the staircase.

Knowing all the shortcuts and best routes to take, he made it quick work down the three floors and was soon approaching the supply closet in question.

Out in the empty corridor, near the door, was a lone abandoned school bag. James had a pretty good guess as to whom it belonged.

James stopped in front of the closed door and knocked.

"All right there, Evans?"

The words came out distant and muffled, but James could still hear both the incredulity and relief lacing Lily's voice.

"Potter? Is that you? Please open the door. Please."

"Give me a moment," he told her, rolling up the sleeves of his robes before crouching to peer at the door handle.

The first few spells he tried were of no help, but the third time was the charm and the door swung open.

Evans bolted out of the closet and then slumped on the stone floor in the middle of the corridor.

"Oh thank Merlin," she said, her voice shaking. "How did you find me? How did you know? Never mind, I don't really care. Thank you, Potter."

She was visibly flustered, hugging the bag she'd just snatched up to her chest and James couldn't help but smile at the picture she made.

"You're most welcome. Though I can't figure out what you were doing in a supply closet."

"Losing my damn mind," Evans replied. She grimaced. "It was Peeves. I told him off earlier today for giving grief to a couple of first years and I guess he didn't like that. I was on my way back to the Common Room when he appeared out of nowhere and locked me in."

James shook his head. "I should've guessed. Peeves likes nothing better than giving grief to all of us."

"I'd packed my wand in my bag so there was nothing I could do about it. And of course, the moment I'd need a hairpin to try and pick the lock the old fashioned way there was none to be found," Evans groused.

"There's an old fashioned way to pick a lock?" James asked, intrigued.

"Never mind that," Evans said, waving her hand at him. "What time is it? Is it past the curfew yet?"

"We might still make it back to the tower on time if we hurry," James replied, offering his hand to her.

Her fingers were warm when they wrapped around his hand in a firm grip. He helped her up and started when she stepped close.

Her green eyes were bright as she smiled at him. "Thank you for helping me."

And then, sweet and soft and featherlight, Lily's lips brushed James' cheek in a kiss that – innocent though it was – had James' head spinning.

All the way back to the Gryffindor tower, James grinned like a fool at Lily's back, his cheek still tingling from the kiss and his steps light.