Title: In a Tree

Author: Dreamiflame

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me, and I'm making no money off of this. I'm merely borrowing.

Notes: This was originally written for the contrelamontre challenge of a kiss in an unusual place. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to type this up and post it due to computer difficulties, so I'm posting it now. My first foray into Harry Potter that isn't a crossover. Thanks to my marilita for the beta.

A long, lazy afternoon, and Lily shrugs, trying to hide her excitement when James suggests a walk. They end up near the lake, and James's hand makes Lily's feel sticky. The tree just seems to beg to be climbed, so she does, dropping James's fingers and hitching herself up. Higher and higher she climbs, James laughing below her, hands on his hips.

"Come down!" he calls, and Lily shakes her head, gripping the branch between softstrong thighs.

"Come up!" she challenges, and James laughs again, swinging himself into the tree easily and climbing to the branch below hers. He touches her knee, and his hand is warm on her skin.

There are leaves in his black hair now, and Lily runs her fingers through it to get them out. James is drawing little patterns on her knee and grinning. "Now what?" he asks, because they're both sitting in the tree, and her skirt is caught primly beneath her thighs. Lily shrugs, taking her fingers out of James's hair, and he catches her hand like something precious, tugging her toward him.

Lily leans along her branch, hooking her foot on the one behind her for balance, and looking in to James's eyes, opens her mouth to ask 'what?'

The kiss is sloppy, James lunging forward and missing her mouth, his lips catching only part of hers, along with her cheek and nose. They pull back, and Lily wants to laugh, until she sees the look in James's eyes. She sways forward again and the kiss matches up this time.

Breathless though she is when she pulls away, Lily can't help sing-songing, "James and Lily sitting in a tree," and James, laughing, joins in, "k-i-s-s-i-n-g." Their laughter bubbles into their next kiss, and Lily simply can't imagine a more perfect thing.