A hand floated outside the window into the dorm room Lily shared with three other girls (with whom the only conversation she had had in over five years was "Whose turn is it for the bathroom?"). As if stepping out from behind a curtain, an arm came out as well, followed slowly by a body on a broom. The hand opened the window.
"Lily!" James whispered. When he didn't get a response, he tried again. "Lily!"
"What?" she cried groggily.
"Do you know what time it is?"
"Too bloody early!" She pulled the sheets back over her head, either to block out the light or the noise; probably both.
"Come with me!" he begged.
"Why should I?"
"I want to apologize."
Silence.
"Keep talking..."
James cleared his throat. "I realize now that what I said yesterday was not the nicest or smartest..." –Lily coughed loudly- "Ok! It was immature, insensitive, and inconsiderate, just like you said. I didn't mean to upset you with the drawing, and I didn't mean for it to insinuate that you're easy. Trust me, I know you're not easy," he added under his breath. With no sign from inside, he continued.
"I only meant it to show how much I... want you; that some day I hope you're at the point where you want to kiss me that way. I'm sor-"
At that moment, Lily stepped out from behind the drape and onto the balcony.
"Hi," she said shyly.
"Hi."
"Well?"
There was a pause. "Do you actually wear that to bed?" James inquired, motioning at Lily's long night dress. The skirt fell to her ankles, had a high neck and full sleeves. He chuckled.
"And just like that, the moment is ruined." Lily sighed. "You were doing so well until that mouth."
"Well, I was just saying..."
"No, you were implying that I should dress like a hooker when I go to bed! I'll have you know this is very comfortable."
"Is it? The neck isn't restricting? The sleeves aren't too hot? The skirt doesn't get all tangled?" James knew he was right by the shocked expression playing on Lily's features, but decided not to argue any further; the morning was already getting off course and he was barely ten minutes in to it.
"Never mind. I didn't mean that to be insulting. Just... hop on. I want to show you something."
"Hop on?" she said hesitantly, eyeing the broom with a strong dislike.
"Yeah, get on the back, I'll take you there. It won't be that bad if you hold on tight. I can protect you." He chirped sweetly.
"I think I'll pass."
"Oh no you don't." James brought the broom closer to the ledge and put his hand out. "It'll be ok, I promise."
There was something about the way he said it, or his eyes, or his smile that just made Lily want to believe him, so she did, simple as that. She took his hand and climbed on to the back of the broom, breaking about ten school rules in the process. The strangest thing about the whole ordeal, Lily didn't care about the rules.
"Hold on tight!" he yelled back to her mere seconds before they were zooming off into the distance.
"Where are we going?" Lily managed to ask without throwing up.
"There," James pointed to the largest tree by the lake, but Lily didn't see; she was concentrating on not looking down. She had a death grip around James's waist and her eyes were now clamped shut. Had it been less tight and uncomfortable, James might have enjoyed having Lily so close to him. As it was, he was liking the idea of getting back to the ground.
They landed perfectly just feet from their destination. The first thing Lily set about to do once she felt solid ground beneath her was to run to the nearby bushes and dry heave. James held her hair and tried not to look too turned off by the retching noise.
"Lily wiped her clammy brow and looked at James- well, around James, she couldn't exactly look at him after he had just witness perhaps her most embarrassing moment. "So, what did we come here to see?"
"Come here," he directed. He took her hand and led her to a blanket ringed with cushions and pillows. "We're here to see this." He turned her whole body to face east. The sun was gracefully peeking out from behind a hill in the horizon, sending brilliant pinks and golds shooting through the heavens. Lily let out an audible gasp.
James pointed somewhere in front of them and Lily looked; clouds hung in the sky spelling 'Lily'. It was beautiful.
"Did you do that? And this?" Lily indicated toward the clouds, then the set up of blankets and pillows.
"Maybe," he said elusively.
"Come on!" Lily poked him in the ribs playfully.
"Hey, come off it, I was trying to be romantic."
"Were you?"
"I was."
"Did you?"
"I did."
"You sure?"
"I... uh... think so. I'm confused." James confessed. Lily giggled and poked him again.
"It's wonderful. I don't know if it's the time of day or just you, but this is... perfect." Lily watched the sun rise slowly and streaks of glorious light danced around.
"I'll have to make sure to always catch you in the morning. You're more agreeable." James poked her back.
"Oh am I?" she asked ominously.
"Except when you do that." James concluded, not backing down.
"Very true. I suppose I can be quite moody then, can't I? But I'm a girl, what can I say... what I can say is, beyond this moment in time, I'll deny with every bone in my body that this ever happened, or that I was this nice to you." She admitted.
"I'm fine with it having just happened. No one had to know."
Lily's head turned abruptly. 'Did he just say that?' she thought, 'There's no way he cares more for me than his reputation... or his libido...?'
"To end our moment, let's seal it with a kiss." James suggested, pathetically, some may have said; others would have preferred the word 'desperately'. Lily would have used either.
"Take me back to the castle, you big oaf." She joked.
"Right away, milady." He tried to act gallant. He mounted his broom.
"On second thought, I think I'll walk back." Lily said hurriedly.
"It's a long way away, and you could get caught by staff." James warned in a sing-song voice. Lily sighed because she knew she was beat.
"Fine, but go slow," she ordered, but changed her mind. "No, go fast. I want to get this over with."
James sped her back to her window and dropped her off with a whispered "good night... er, morning," And flew away to his own window. What he found waiting for him was two awake, and mad, Marauders.
"James Potter, you had us scared to death!" Sirius mimicked a worried mother, right down to the finger shaking.
"Do you have any idea what you put us through?" Pete put his hands on his hips. "You're in big trouble, son!"
"You guys, push off," James groaned as he simultaneously took off his shirt and headed for his bed. "'Morning, Moony," he called, but his only response was a loud snore. James threw a pillow at Remus. The snoring subdued.
Sirius and Pete berated James with more parental lectures than his real parents did. That is, until he threw his remaining pillows at them and curled up under his blankets. He was just starting to get comfy again when Sirius pounced on him.
"What now?" James complained. He pulled the covers down past his face so he could see a very happy Sirius. "What?"
"So... did you kiss her?"
A/N: Ok, last chapter had so many typos, I tried to do better this time. Did I? Oh and, I did ask for ten reviews before I updated, but really, I'm not that demanding (and I don't want to leave it for after I'm going on vacation, that would be mean.)
Oh yeah, I'm going on vacation in a few days, so if next weekend's update is a little late, don't be mad!
Revi: Thanks! I like the jokes, too, but I need to learn how many times I can get away with having him use them before it gets old...
Summer15: I LIVE for comments like that! That was so nice, thank you!
Windrunner: Thanks!!
IloveMoony04: Yay, thank you!
Trumpet-Geek: Adorable is good! If everything else was adorable, what was THIS chapter? Whoo!
Lily Lupin89: Actually, I don't have to write for a few more weeks, as now I have up to chapter 11 written (that one's going to be REALLY long) And I can honestly say I finally got to the danger part. Yay!
MorphManiac: I absolutely love getting to your reviews. They amuse me to no end. But I must say I've missed trying to fit your ideas into chapters. So, here's what you have to do: get yourself in a... weird state and come back to review. Then, say the first things that come to your mind and I'll try to find a way to put them in chapter... Ah! The closest I can get is in chapter 12, because the two before it are already done. Well, whatever. You don't have to give me any ideas after this chapter. Whenever the oddities come to you... you know.
"Lily!" James whispered. When he didn't get a response, he tried again. "Lily!"
"What?" she cried groggily.
"Do you know what time it is?"
"Too bloody early!" She pulled the sheets back over her head, either to block out the light or the noise; probably both.
"Come with me!" he begged.
"Why should I?"
"I want to apologize."
Silence.
"Keep talking..."
James cleared his throat. "I realize now that what I said yesterday was not the nicest or smartest..." –Lily coughed loudly- "Ok! It was immature, insensitive, and inconsiderate, just like you said. I didn't mean to upset you with the drawing, and I didn't mean for it to insinuate that you're easy. Trust me, I know you're not easy," he added under his breath. With no sign from inside, he continued.
"I only meant it to show how much I... want you; that some day I hope you're at the point where you want to kiss me that way. I'm sor-"
At that moment, Lily stepped out from behind the drape and onto the balcony.
"Hi," she said shyly.
"Hi."
"Well?"
There was a pause. "Do you actually wear that to bed?" James inquired, motioning at Lily's long night dress. The skirt fell to her ankles, had a high neck and full sleeves. He chuckled.
"And just like that, the moment is ruined." Lily sighed. "You were doing so well until that mouth."
"Well, I was just saying..."
"No, you were implying that I should dress like a hooker when I go to bed! I'll have you know this is very comfortable."
"Is it? The neck isn't restricting? The sleeves aren't too hot? The skirt doesn't get all tangled?" James knew he was right by the shocked expression playing on Lily's features, but decided not to argue any further; the morning was already getting off course and he was barely ten minutes in to it.
"Never mind. I didn't mean that to be insulting. Just... hop on. I want to show you something."
"Hop on?" she said hesitantly, eyeing the broom with a strong dislike.
"Yeah, get on the back, I'll take you there. It won't be that bad if you hold on tight. I can protect you." He chirped sweetly.
"I think I'll pass."
"Oh no you don't." James brought the broom closer to the ledge and put his hand out. "It'll be ok, I promise."
There was something about the way he said it, or his eyes, or his smile that just made Lily want to believe him, so she did, simple as that. She took his hand and climbed on to the back of the broom, breaking about ten school rules in the process. The strangest thing about the whole ordeal, Lily didn't care about the rules.
"Hold on tight!" he yelled back to her mere seconds before they were zooming off into the distance.
"Where are we going?" Lily managed to ask without throwing up.
"There," James pointed to the largest tree by the lake, but Lily didn't see; she was concentrating on not looking down. She had a death grip around James's waist and her eyes were now clamped shut. Had it been less tight and uncomfortable, James might have enjoyed having Lily so close to him. As it was, he was liking the idea of getting back to the ground.
They landed perfectly just feet from their destination. The first thing Lily set about to do once she felt solid ground beneath her was to run to the nearby bushes and dry heave. James held her hair and tried not to look too turned off by the retching noise.
"Lily wiped her clammy brow and looked at James- well, around James, she couldn't exactly look at him after he had just witness perhaps her most embarrassing moment. "So, what did we come here to see?"
"Come here," he directed. He took her hand and led her to a blanket ringed with cushions and pillows. "We're here to see this." He turned her whole body to face east. The sun was gracefully peeking out from behind a hill in the horizon, sending brilliant pinks and golds shooting through the heavens. Lily let out an audible gasp.
James pointed somewhere in front of them and Lily looked; clouds hung in the sky spelling 'Lily'. It was beautiful.
"Did you do that? And this?" Lily indicated toward the clouds, then the set up of blankets and pillows.
"Maybe," he said elusively.
"Come on!" Lily poked him in the ribs playfully.
"Hey, come off it, I was trying to be romantic."
"Were you?"
"I was."
"Did you?"
"I did."
"You sure?"
"I... uh... think so. I'm confused." James confessed. Lily giggled and poked him again.
"It's wonderful. I don't know if it's the time of day or just you, but this is... perfect." Lily watched the sun rise slowly and streaks of glorious light danced around.
"I'll have to make sure to always catch you in the morning. You're more agreeable." James poked her back.
"Oh am I?" she asked ominously.
"Except when you do that." James concluded, not backing down.
"Very true. I suppose I can be quite moody then, can't I? But I'm a girl, what can I say... what I can say is, beyond this moment in time, I'll deny with every bone in my body that this ever happened, or that I was this nice to you." She admitted.
"I'm fine with it having just happened. No one had to know."
Lily's head turned abruptly. 'Did he just say that?' she thought, 'There's no way he cares more for me than his reputation... or his libido...?'
"To end our moment, let's seal it with a kiss." James suggested, pathetically, some may have said; others would have preferred the word 'desperately'. Lily would have used either.
"Take me back to the castle, you big oaf." She joked.
"Right away, milady." He tried to act gallant. He mounted his broom.
"On second thought, I think I'll walk back." Lily said hurriedly.
"It's a long way away, and you could get caught by staff." James warned in a sing-song voice. Lily sighed because she knew she was beat.
"Fine, but go slow," she ordered, but changed her mind. "No, go fast. I want to get this over with."
James sped her back to her window and dropped her off with a whispered "good night... er, morning," And flew away to his own window. What he found waiting for him was two awake, and mad, Marauders.
"James Potter, you had us scared to death!" Sirius mimicked a worried mother, right down to the finger shaking.
"Do you have any idea what you put us through?" Pete put his hands on his hips. "You're in big trouble, son!"
"You guys, push off," James groaned as he simultaneously took off his shirt and headed for his bed. "'Morning, Moony," he called, but his only response was a loud snore. James threw a pillow at Remus. The snoring subdued.
Sirius and Pete berated James with more parental lectures than his real parents did. That is, until he threw his remaining pillows at them and curled up under his blankets. He was just starting to get comfy again when Sirius pounced on him.
"What now?" James complained. He pulled the covers down past his face so he could see a very happy Sirius. "What?"
"So... did you kiss her?"
A/N: Ok, last chapter had so many typos, I tried to do better this time. Did I? Oh and, I did ask for ten reviews before I updated, but really, I'm not that demanding (and I don't want to leave it for after I'm going on vacation, that would be mean.)
Oh yeah, I'm going on vacation in a few days, so if next weekend's update is a little late, don't be mad!
Revi: Thanks! I like the jokes, too, but I need to learn how many times I can get away with having him use them before it gets old...
Summer15: I LIVE for comments like that! That was so nice, thank you!
Windrunner: Thanks!!
IloveMoony04: Yay, thank you!
Trumpet-Geek: Adorable is good! If everything else was adorable, what was THIS chapter? Whoo!
Lily Lupin89: Actually, I don't have to write for a few more weeks, as now I have up to chapter 11 written (that one's going to be REALLY long) And I can honestly say I finally got to the danger part. Yay!
MorphManiac: I absolutely love getting to your reviews. They amuse me to no end. But I must say I've missed trying to fit your ideas into chapters. So, here's what you have to do: get yourself in a... weird state and come back to review. Then, say the first things that come to your mind and I'll try to find a way to put them in chapter... Ah! The closest I can get is in chapter 12, because the two before it are already done. Well, whatever. You don't have to give me any ideas after this chapter. Whenever the oddities come to you... you know.