Mine One Day

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Disclaimer: Don't own a thing

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James shifted uncomfortably in bed. A hiss of pain escaped him as he tried to sit up. Madam Pomfrey had let him out of the infirmary that afternoon, informing him that the liquid Snape had slipped into his drink before the game had been mildly poisonous and had weakened his body considerably. She gave him full warnings that his body had yet to recover and would occasionally suffer from short spasms of pain due to the injuries he received when he fell off his broom.

On his night table was supposed to be a bottle of ointment to lessen the aches of this body. Shakily, his hand reached for it only to grope around and find nothing.

"Crap." Obviously irritated, he put his hand over his eyes and let out a huge sigh. His muscles stung him mercilessly, especially in his lower back. The way he had landed on the Quidditch field, in that awkward position, was bad news enough. Spending two weeks in the ward was even worse. Each day he was dosed with four or more potions. Some were to help heal individual bones, another to repair strained muscles, and an even more disgusting goop to help his body flush out the poison from his system.

"Where the hell is it?" he grumbled. "I took it straight with me to – oh...."  Now he remembered. He had slumped into the common room hoping to get a shower. Still clutching his bottle of ointment, some other soothing oil to add to his bath, and a bottle of medicine, he had trudged into the Prefect's bathroom. Who knew Lily was already in there…oh God, if he hadn't been in such a mess already he could've ran away from the flying objects that she hurled at him. Still, she had come out of the shower to help him rub the ointment over his back afterwards, no matter how reluctant she seemed. Just say it, he thought. You love me.

James smiled over the idea, the way her hands had worked out the knots and sores and the care she took on him. In his bliss, he turned over on a bad spot on his side. He nearly cried out, but bit down furiously on his lip least he woke the rest of the Marauders who were sleeping soundly in their beds. The grandfather clock downstairs chimed 2 o'clock. Grunting, he decided he'd better get the ointment from the bathroom if he was ever to get anymore sleep. Then he'd take a hot shower – it always helped when nothing else worked. 

Lifting the comforter became a hard chore and even standing wasn't very pleasant. By the time he had made it to the Prefect's bathroom, he was exhausted. The lights flickered on at his touch and he winced when his feet made contact with the cold tiled floor. Slogging over to the stool beside the sink, he swiped the little bottle and sat down. For a second, his eyes closed and his head leaned against the wall. He gave a huge yawn before attempting to open the bottle.

"How troublesome…" James muttered. After several twists and turns, the bottle refused to be open. Maybe he really was too frail. After all, he hadn't had any exercise whatsoever for the past two weeks and if it wasn't taking potions, it was sleeping. He coughed a little before lolling his head back and closing his eyes.

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"Hey," a voice was saying. James shook his head slowly and mumbled something. "Hey, James. Wake up." A hand was shaking his shoulder and he winced at the added pressure.

"Bugger off," he mumbled and swatted the hand away.

"James, get out. I have to shower." James blinked a couple of times. His vision was already blurry due to the absence of his glasses, but in his sleepiness, everything was just one big haze.

"Then go take the bloody shower, Lil. Leave me alone." He turned in his little stool in the direction that happened to face away from the showers. He curled up and tried to doze off. Lily gave him a sour look.

"Fine then, idiot." She kicked the stool's leg and knocked him off balance. Much to his displeasure, he landed on the cold tiles with a thud. A towel was thrown over his head soon after and he could hear the distinct noises of clothes falling to the ground. He almost smirked. To his arm's protests, he reached for his lower back, pressing at where the pain emanated. Damn girl...

The water ran and he sat there blankly, listening to the sound of water slapping the tiles. The room became warm and hot and he felt himself suffocating underneath the towel. Tugging it off, he took in a breath of cooler air. James stole a look at the showers. Lily had chosen the upright shower with six panels of glass around over the one with a tub. The glass was fogged up with steam, but it didn't prevent him from seeing the outline of her body as she cleaned herself in the roomy shower.

James was watching for quite a while with a faint blush on his face before a sting in his neck told him that he had stayed in one position for too long. He got up slowly, eyes still on her, and stretched. His bones cracked and he cringed when the aches reawakened once again. Too bad Lily was in the shower...he didn't like the tub. The water always took forever to warm up.  His sore body begged for any sort of relief, but he wasn't able to provide it. What he needed was a good rub with that freakish ointment.

He stood there wondering when she'd get out. His calf muscles were beginning to tighten and cramp. His eyes were droopy but the pain was keeping him up.  After much debate, he shrugged off his pajama top and pulled off his boxers. Tossing his clothes on top of the other pile, he stared at them for a minute. Her clothes and his clothes...geez, stop it, he thought. He proceeded to walk to the shower as quietly as possible.

Reaching the shower, he felt his face heat up as well as the rest of his body. He took a deep breath and opened the glass door, slipping in. Lily had been indulging in the hot, steamy water as it licked and trickled across her soaped skin, washing and cleansing. Her arms were up and massaging her scalp. The fresh minty rose smell made her forget that James was standing so near, so close, right there.

"What the –" Lily froze. James had leaned over so that he would feel the spray of water on him. She turned a bright red and whipped her head around to face him. Her arm was raised, ready to attack. "James..." He inched back, only slightly. Their bodies separated by a thin line of moist air. He shrugged and grabbed something from a little rack behind her head. He squinted at the small writing on the bottle then handed it to her. "Do my back?"

Lily looked at it for a while before squeezing a bit into her hand. "Turn around," she instructed with a sigh and he did so. Her hands were shy at first, but after a while, the familiarity of the situation made her hands work skillfully and expertly along the large bruises spotting his back. The sweet aroma filled the steamy air and James closed his eyes. He was finally beginning to relax.   

"What's with you today?" James murmured. "Chucking things at me...it's not the first time I've walked in on you." Lily's hands squeezed hard, making him flinch.

"Sorry...Lucius landed me in detention. It was so stupid. I wanted time to myself and you sort of butted in."

"Hn." James didn't really mind at all, actually. "Fuck –" He gasped as she pushed at the small of his back. Lily immediately lifted her hands. The water splashed as she took a step back.

"Sorry, did it hurt?" James slowly let out a shaky breath. Of course it hurt! Lily instantly became gentler when her hands reconnected. They came to rest at his side. "Are you okay? You're not throwing up anymore or anything like that, are you?"

"Mmm, no, but I get incredibly dizzy." He yawned, "And I'm still incredibly tired."

"Mmhmm. It's still early - around six maybe, right now. You can snag a bit of sleep before class," Lily said. She ran her hand up this spine one last time and drew back her hand. "There, all done."

James faced her and smiled. "Thanks. You do wonders." Lily scoffed and turned to the drizzle of water, washing away the shampoo in her hair. She felt the light touch of his arms come around her. At his tentative tug, her body molded into his. They stayed like that, listening to their soft breathing and the splatter of heated water. The hot liquid was slipping and sliding down their bodies. He dipped his head and gave her tender kisses on the soft spot of her neck. "Love you," he whispered.

"Don't love you," she laughed.

"You will," he said and pinched her cheek. Lily placed a finger to her chin in a thoughtful stance. "Hmm...dunno about that one. You still have a million years to go."

"Don't be like that." His voice had become husky and deep as he pushed her body closer to his. Lily cocked her head to the side and a blush came across her face. She distinctly felt him where it counted. He came dangerously close and kissed her sweet and hard. He grinned when he felt her respond. His tongue flickered in and around her mouth earning him a muffled moan from her. The water fell on their backs and hit them with its heat. Then, with great effort and control, he stopped and looked straight into her eyes. Breathing on the wetness on her cheek, he whispered, "Too bad I'm so tired." Then he pulled back to laugh. Lily rolled her eyes and pushed him.

"Prat," she muttered before opening the glass door and stepping out. She wrapped herself in a warm fuzzy towel and combed her wet hair. The water turned off from inside the shower and she started to blow dry her hair. James came out and wrapped his lower half in a towel. He rolled his shoulders and massaged them. He picked up the bottle of medicine from the cabinet above the sink.

Filling a glass with tap water, he took out a few pills and downed it in one big gulp. He took the other dryer out of the drawer and started to dry his hair as well. His hair was done before Lily's and he looked for something to do. He spotted the clothes and picked them up to put in the laundry basket. When he walked back to her, she was combing her slightly damp hair.

"Ok, ok, you're beautiful, let's go," James said tiredly. He dragged her around the waist and away from the mirror.

"Wha – go where?" Lily asked, comb still in her hair. They passed the little stool and James bent down to pick up a bottle off the floor.

"I really, really need – " he explained.

"But I already – "

"This one's different." Before Lily could reply, he added, "Don't be so cruel." Lily shut her mouth and allowed him to lead her to the couch by the door. He plopped on it and gave her the bottle. "Pleeeease?" He asked with an adorably cute smile. Lily shook her head slightly with a smile on her face.

"I really can't stand you," she said and sat on the couch. She filled her hands with the ointment and held them up. James took them and placed them near his neck, a little above his chest. He grinned cheekily at her and Lily narrowed her eyes before pushing down hard on purpose. He coughed and jerked forwards even more into her steel hands. He winced noticeably and lay back down. "Okay, okay...I'm sorry, I'm sorry ..." he puffed.

James watched her as she moved from his shoulders, down his firm chest and to his abdomen where muscles rippled beneath the skin. He was thoroughly enjoying what she was doing to him. She'd never be like this ever again, he knew. Or, it wasn't likely that she would. He couldn't understand her sometimes. It was like, at times she would seem to really like him. She wouldn't mind when he acted a bit (okay, more than a bit) perverted. It never led to anything because she would, much to his disappointment, end it before anything could happen.

James shifted. She was working her magic under his ribs. Lily wasn't thinking much; she was concentrating solely on doing her job and doing it fast. He sighed, and then there were times when he thought she'd like nothing better than to have him dead. She'd punch, she'd hit...man, she left some memorable bruises. She acted alright around him in class. He made moves, but she wouldn't necessarily respond. It was mostly in the Prefect's bathroom or Gryffindor's common room that she usually gave him a little of what he wanted. It wasn't fair –

"Oh, God." A tiny gasp escaped him and he was taken out of his reverie. Lily's hands were slightly above his hipbone. Her thumbs had moved under the line of the towel. She gave a little force into her circles and glided her hands across his stomach, under his belly button. James gritted his teeth and nearly glared at her. She looked back with a look of mock innocence. "Lily, don't – Christ." He turned his head and cursed inwardly. Her hands left him and he quickly looked back at her, a whine at the back of his throat. "You're such a..."

"Yea, I know," Lily said perkily with a grin. She leaned over him, the ends of her hair, tickling his collarbone. His eyes wandered, but somehow, they always returned to the pools of emerald that stared down at him. He smiled a little before unexpectedly pulling her down on top of him and rolling over so that he was on top, leaning in close.

James paused to look at her. Her hips bucked unintentionally and their hips grinded. James groaned silently before he bent over and brushed his lips on hers. Each touch was soft and every kiss was sweet. He felt the skin of her bare arms, the smooth touch of her legs next to his, and the heat of her body against him.  He sucked and bit her lower lip, demanding entry in which she yielded. Panting, Lily was the first the break away. Licking her blushing lips, she smiled coyly at him and quietly said, "We have class, you know."

"Mmhmm." He took her palm and kissed it.

"Stop it, okay?" Lily laughed lightly and pushed him away. "Before you totally lose it and some prefect walks in on us."

"Fine, then. Tonight?"

"No."

"Tomorrow?"

"Nope."

"Ever?" Lily's lips twitched at this one and she whispered against his lips, "Maybe."

"I want to be your first and maybe even your last," James said softly.

"Too bad I can't say the same for you." James looked immediately regretful. He looked quite helpless when she retreated completely, leaving him lying there without her warmth.

"You always have to bring that up, don't you?" James asked with a slightly disconcerted expression.

"It's not like you ever feel sorry for it," Lily replied airily. In all her five years at Hogwarts, she's always been hearing some story or another about James and his nightly escapades. Then suddenly, like a miracle, he had matured somewhat and stopped showing off to her. He became sincere, he became loving. Though, she was still unsure of what do to when rumours about him still flew and some actually turned out to be true.

"I do, but you never believe me!" he protested, sitting up. She whirled around and faced him with her hand at her hip.

"Yea? Then what was that thing you did with Sherry last week?" James stared at her, jaw slightly unhinged. She knew about that one too?

"I didn't do anything to her. She dragged me up there; I got away as soon as I could! Lil..." James looked anxiously at her. "I did it once. That was fourth year. And I never did it again. I just want you to talk to me."

"Then why do you keep fooling around?" she asked, exasperated. James didn't answer. He watched her intently as she gazed back at him. The slow drip drip drip of water could be heard from the shower tap. He got off the couch and held her close. She didn't move and looked at something else on the wall behind him.

"I only fool around so much because the only one I want to be with is you," he said against her ear. Lily took a long look at him and sighed. If anything, he wouldn't lie to her.

"Okay." Disentangling herself, she looked around, spotted her cloak and put it around her. When she reached the door, James was already holding it open for her.

"I'm gonna make you mine one day," he said confidently to her as they made their way down the hall, careful of not getting caught.  Lily looked back at him and snorted slightly.

"Wait until I love you first."

"Oh, but you do."

"No, I don't." James shook his head and slipped his hand over hers. She didn't pull away and he grinned.

"I know you do."

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Whoa! I'm done! It's a pretty pointless little one-shot on Lily and James. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did! I loved writing this – I had so much fun! Please review for me and tell me what you think. You like? Don't like? Anything's welcomed. Thanks for reading! =)