(A/N Chapter Eighteen! I hope it doesn't seem like I've suddenly dropped Lily and James into this romance thing, it'll all make sense by the end. Hopefully.)
The Marauders came down the stairs to find the sofa cushions scattered all over the common room, and Lily and Kaleb sitting silently, staring at each other.
"Oh!" Sirius said, excitedly. "I've got winner!"
Lily turned and looked at him, cocking a brow. "Eh?"
"I'll play winner…of your staring contest, silly!"
Kaleb smiled lazily. "We weren't having a staring contest. We were sitting here, looking at each other, and not…blinking. Ok, so it may have looked like a staring contest. But it wasn't."
"And with that cleared up, I suggest we get our collective arse to the Great Hall. You lot took forever, and I am famished." Lily said, springing to her feet. She helped Kaleb to hers, and the group set off for breakfast.
About halfway to the Great Hall, Lily caught James' arm. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" Lily asked, and James nodded. The pair slowed their pace so that the others were far enough away not to overhear.
"Since everyone is going to Hogsmeade today, I was wondering if you…if you'd like…" Lily trailed off, and color rose in her cheeks.
"Wait, are you…are you blushing?" James asked, incredulously. "Has anyone got a camera? Lily Helena Evans is blushing!"
Lily punched him in the arm, not enough to hurt, but enough to make him shut up. "Jesus, James! Shut up! You don't make things easy, that's for sure. Here I am, trying to ask you out on a date, and all you can talk about is that I'm blushing!" Lily said, a little too loudly.
The rest of the Marauders and Kaleb stopped suddenly, and turned around.
It was James' turn to blush.
"So James? Are you going to go out with the lass?" Sirius asked, cocking an eyebrow. He loved watching his friend squirm.
"Oh we all know he is. He's fancied the girl from day one." Remus said, as he waved his hand dismissively.
"Hang on a second, don't I get any say in this?" James said, agitated.
"If you don't want to, that's fine…" Lily said, as she blushed again. She soon found the floor to be exceedingly interesting, as it was no where near James' eyes.
"No, no, no. I didn't say that!" James interjected, and caught Lily's arm. Lily shot him a look, and her green eyes were guarded. James smiled roguishly at the girl. "Miss Evans, I would be delighted to accompany you on a date."
Lily allowed a shy smile to grace her features.
"Jamie, where are we going? When I asked you out I thought we'd grab a butterbeer or something like that!" Lily said, as she balanced precariously on stones jutting out from the lake.
James merely smiled that enigmatic smile of his and continued onwards. The pair continued over the stepping stones, and into a clearing near the edge of the forbidden forest. It was as if someone had stashed a private meadow in the midst of the sprawling trees. Small lights lit the falling evening. 'Faerie lights.' Lily thought absently.
"What is this?" Lily asked, finding the place somewhat familiar.
"We ran through here last moon, I don't know if you remember or not. You were a bit…distracted." James said delicately.
Lily made a sound that, had it been any louder, could have been considered a snort. "Understatement, Potter."
James turned and cocked his head to the side a bit. "Are we back to Potter, then?"
Lily smiled sheepishly, and shook her head. "If we were would I be here?"
James smiled and lifted the woven basket that he held in his right hand. "Shall we?"
The pair took a seat on a blanket that James conjured. "And just what do you have in that magic basket of yours?" Lily asked, peering at it.
James lifted the lid and took a quick glance. "I think I have everything I need to sweep you off your feet." He said, mock-seriously.
"One would think," Lily mused. "That since I asked you out, that I should be doing the sweeping. But I'll let it go, this time." She smiled wickedly and stole a glance out of the corner of her eye.
Producing a pair of champagne flutes, and a bottle of sparkling cider, he replied. "How very sporting of you."
James attacked the cider with a corkscrew, causing Lily to chuckle. "Do you know what you're doing with that?" She asked.
He merely glared, and continued to assault the cork. Lily laughed and quickly ducked as the aforementioned cork shot off into the evening air. James flushed slightly and shrugged. "Hey, it's open, isn't it?"
He poured the cider and Lily had to agree. "That it is."
"I feel like such an idiot. I mean, after all the time we've spent together lately, I'm still nervous right now." Lily's smile was hesitant, and James could see from her posture that she wasn't making an offhand remark.
"I wouldn't think you would be. From what I've heard, first dates should be a breeze for you." James said, sipping at his cider.
Lily rolled her eyes and replied sarcastically. "Oh yes, because I've been on so many of them."
"Well yeah, haven't you?"
"No. I do not date nearly as much as people seem to think that I do. I've been on maybe…three dates? Yes, that sounds about right." Lily mused, staring up at the sky.
"I find that hard to believe." James said, as he scooted a little closer to Lily.
Lily, of course, did not pick up on the implied compliment. "Well, believe it Potter, it's true. Even if people did find me attractive, they wouldn't dare approach me. I'm scary." At this point Lily snapped her teeth playfully, before continuing. "Besides, Harris would make sure that I was the last person they ever dated, and not in the happy white picket fence way. But now that you have gone on a date with me, it may become fashionable. Then, of course, I'll have to shack up with Kaleb and denounce the whole thing--"
James suddenly put his hand over her mouth. She squeaked in indignation, and motioned for an explanation. "You were babbling, Lils."
"Was I?" She asked, absently. She was currently staring into the forest.
"What's wrong?" James was instantly alert, scanning the treeline.
"I have the strangest feeling that someone is watching us…" Lily clambered to her feet, and drew her wand. 'What if it's those girls who attacked me?' Lily thought, frantically.
James joined her with his wand at the ready, as the leaves in a large oak tree began to shake.
A loud thud was heard as something struck the ground, and an invisibility cloak fell away from the prone form of Sirius Black. Kaleb slid from the tree and landed gracefully on her feet next to him.
"Black! Kaleb! What the hell is going on here?!" Lily asked, rather relieved that the three cloaked figures hadn't been responsible for the noise
"Umm…'Lo mates!" Sirius ventured cheerily, as he rose to his feet.
Kaleb shook her head at him. "Trying to climb a tree in dog-form, because you thought it would be quieter, was not among your most brilliant ideas."
Lily glared at Kaleb, silently demanding an explanation.
Kaleb gulped as she was caught in Lily's gaze. "Well you see, the thing is…I was rather bored, because you weren't there. I was also a bit curious about how things were coming along and…and Sirius here suggested that we come check up on you."
"Spy on us you mean." Lily drawled.
"Tomato, tomahto, really." Sirius said, brushing off his robes. "The bottom line is, we came, you saw, now we'll run along home."
James and Lily watched as Kaleb and Sirius hurried back to the castle. Once they were out of sight, the remaining pair burst into laughter.
"You'd think that the world would end if this didn't work out." Lily laughed, gesturing between the two of them.
James stepped a little closer to her. "Who knows? It just might."
Lily's laughter was cut short, and she leaned forward a little bit. "I'd hate to tempt fate…" She murmured.
Their lips met in the first kiss of many. The clearing, the night, the castle, the lake, everything melted away as they held each other. Fireworks were exploding behind Lily's closed eyes, and she began to wonder how she had ever lived without this…this sense of home.
Time went steadily onwards, and James and Lily saw each other frequently, in a romantic sense. The subsequent dates had gone much better than the first, though Lily admitted that she couldn't find fault with it.
(So that was chapter 18…the First Date chapter. How did I do with the romantic bit? I'll be the first to admit that it isn't my forte. The upcoming chapters should be pretty interesting ^_^)
The Marauders came down the stairs to find the sofa cushions scattered all over the common room, and Lily and Kaleb sitting silently, staring at each other.
"Oh!" Sirius said, excitedly. "I've got winner!"
Lily turned and looked at him, cocking a brow. "Eh?"
"I'll play winner…of your staring contest, silly!"
Kaleb smiled lazily. "We weren't having a staring contest. We were sitting here, looking at each other, and not…blinking. Ok, so it may have looked like a staring contest. But it wasn't."
"And with that cleared up, I suggest we get our collective arse to the Great Hall. You lot took forever, and I am famished." Lily said, springing to her feet. She helped Kaleb to hers, and the group set off for breakfast.
About halfway to the Great Hall, Lily caught James' arm. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" Lily asked, and James nodded. The pair slowed their pace so that the others were far enough away not to overhear.
"Since everyone is going to Hogsmeade today, I was wondering if you…if you'd like…" Lily trailed off, and color rose in her cheeks.
"Wait, are you…are you blushing?" James asked, incredulously. "Has anyone got a camera? Lily Helena Evans is blushing!"
Lily punched him in the arm, not enough to hurt, but enough to make him shut up. "Jesus, James! Shut up! You don't make things easy, that's for sure. Here I am, trying to ask you out on a date, and all you can talk about is that I'm blushing!" Lily said, a little too loudly.
The rest of the Marauders and Kaleb stopped suddenly, and turned around.
It was James' turn to blush.
"So James? Are you going to go out with the lass?" Sirius asked, cocking an eyebrow. He loved watching his friend squirm.
"Oh we all know he is. He's fancied the girl from day one." Remus said, as he waved his hand dismissively.
"Hang on a second, don't I get any say in this?" James said, agitated.
"If you don't want to, that's fine…" Lily said, as she blushed again. She soon found the floor to be exceedingly interesting, as it was no where near James' eyes.
"No, no, no. I didn't say that!" James interjected, and caught Lily's arm. Lily shot him a look, and her green eyes were guarded. James smiled roguishly at the girl. "Miss Evans, I would be delighted to accompany you on a date."
Lily allowed a shy smile to grace her features.
"Jamie, where are we going? When I asked you out I thought we'd grab a butterbeer or something like that!" Lily said, as she balanced precariously on stones jutting out from the lake.
James merely smiled that enigmatic smile of his and continued onwards. The pair continued over the stepping stones, and into a clearing near the edge of the forbidden forest. It was as if someone had stashed a private meadow in the midst of the sprawling trees. Small lights lit the falling evening. 'Faerie lights.' Lily thought absently.
"What is this?" Lily asked, finding the place somewhat familiar.
"We ran through here last moon, I don't know if you remember or not. You were a bit…distracted." James said delicately.
Lily made a sound that, had it been any louder, could have been considered a snort. "Understatement, Potter."
James turned and cocked his head to the side a bit. "Are we back to Potter, then?"
Lily smiled sheepishly, and shook her head. "If we were would I be here?"
James smiled and lifted the woven basket that he held in his right hand. "Shall we?"
The pair took a seat on a blanket that James conjured. "And just what do you have in that magic basket of yours?" Lily asked, peering at it.
James lifted the lid and took a quick glance. "I think I have everything I need to sweep you off your feet." He said, mock-seriously.
"One would think," Lily mused. "That since I asked you out, that I should be doing the sweeping. But I'll let it go, this time." She smiled wickedly and stole a glance out of the corner of her eye.
Producing a pair of champagne flutes, and a bottle of sparkling cider, he replied. "How very sporting of you."
James attacked the cider with a corkscrew, causing Lily to chuckle. "Do you know what you're doing with that?" She asked.
He merely glared, and continued to assault the cork. Lily laughed and quickly ducked as the aforementioned cork shot off into the evening air. James flushed slightly and shrugged. "Hey, it's open, isn't it?"
He poured the cider and Lily had to agree. "That it is."
"I feel like such an idiot. I mean, after all the time we've spent together lately, I'm still nervous right now." Lily's smile was hesitant, and James could see from her posture that she wasn't making an offhand remark.
"I wouldn't think you would be. From what I've heard, first dates should be a breeze for you." James said, sipping at his cider.
Lily rolled her eyes and replied sarcastically. "Oh yes, because I've been on so many of them."
"Well yeah, haven't you?"
"No. I do not date nearly as much as people seem to think that I do. I've been on maybe…three dates? Yes, that sounds about right." Lily mused, staring up at the sky.
"I find that hard to believe." James said, as he scooted a little closer to Lily.
Lily, of course, did not pick up on the implied compliment. "Well, believe it Potter, it's true. Even if people did find me attractive, they wouldn't dare approach me. I'm scary." At this point Lily snapped her teeth playfully, before continuing. "Besides, Harris would make sure that I was the last person they ever dated, and not in the happy white picket fence way. But now that you have gone on a date with me, it may become fashionable. Then, of course, I'll have to shack up with Kaleb and denounce the whole thing--"
James suddenly put his hand over her mouth. She squeaked in indignation, and motioned for an explanation. "You were babbling, Lils."
"Was I?" She asked, absently. She was currently staring into the forest.
"What's wrong?" James was instantly alert, scanning the treeline.
"I have the strangest feeling that someone is watching us…" Lily clambered to her feet, and drew her wand. 'What if it's those girls who attacked me?' Lily thought, frantically.
James joined her with his wand at the ready, as the leaves in a large oak tree began to shake.
A loud thud was heard as something struck the ground, and an invisibility cloak fell away from the prone form of Sirius Black. Kaleb slid from the tree and landed gracefully on her feet next to him.
"Black! Kaleb! What the hell is going on here?!" Lily asked, rather relieved that the three cloaked figures hadn't been responsible for the noise
"Umm…'Lo mates!" Sirius ventured cheerily, as he rose to his feet.
Kaleb shook her head at him. "Trying to climb a tree in dog-form, because you thought it would be quieter, was not among your most brilliant ideas."
Lily glared at Kaleb, silently demanding an explanation.
Kaleb gulped as she was caught in Lily's gaze. "Well you see, the thing is…I was rather bored, because you weren't there. I was also a bit curious about how things were coming along and…and Sirius here suggested that we come check up on you."
"Spy on us you mean." Lily drawled.
"Tomato, tomahto, really." Sirius said, brushing off his robes. "The bottom line is, we came, you saw, now we'll run along home."
James and Lily watched as Kaleb and Sirius hurried back to the castle. Once they were out of sight, the remaining pair burst into laughter.
"You'd think that the world would end if this didn't work out." Lily laughed, gesturing between the two of them.
James stepped a little closer to her. "Who knows? It just might."
Lily's laughter was cut short, and she leaned forward a little bit. "I'd hate to tempt fate…" She murmured.
Their lips met in the first kiss of many. The clearing, the night, the castle, the lake, everything melted away as they held each other. Fireworks were exploding behind Lily's closed eyes, and she began to wonder how she had ever lived without this…this sense of home.
Time went steadily onwards, and James and Lily saw each other frequently, in a romantic sense. The subsequent dates had gone much better than the first, though Lily admitted that she couldn't find fault with it.
(So that was chapter 18…the First Date chapter. How did I do with the romantic bit? I'll be the first to admit that it isn't my forte. The upcoming chapters should be pretty interesting ^_^)