Chapter 3

Take it Slowly

Lily and James made their way back to the castle. Lily told him about her dream, and how it had scared her to see him sitting with the girl who he had gone to in her dream. He explained to her that he would never do that, especially not with an ugly Slytherin girl. They laughed and talked, making plans for the next Hogsmede trip.

When they arrived at Griffindor tower the common room was empty. They sat down on the couch. James flopped down and spread out on the couch, totally at his ease. Lily sat primly on the edge of one of the straight backed chairs, feeling slightly akward and uncomfortable. James patted the couch next to him and motioned her over towards him. She stood up slowly and walked over, standing next to the couch at James's head. Sitting up and laughing he said,

"do I make you uncomfortable? Sit by me, I promise, I wont bite." He scooted over enough for her to sit down beside him. He lay back down, pulling her with him. She rolled over, so that her head was on his chest. He slipped his arm behind her head, around her neck. As Lily shifted slightly she could hear his heart pounding in his chest, at an unusually fast rate. She started to pull away, but he held her where she was. "It's okay." He told her, stroking her hair. He rubbed the side of her arm with his knuckles. She siged with happiness, it just felt so right, lying next to him on the couch, lying in his arms. She drifted off into a peacful sleep, but before she closed her eyes she looked at James, he was staring at her and still rubbing her arm, absent mindedly. She closed her eyes, feeling totally safe in his firm grip.

"Isn't this a pretty picture?" Lily sat up, stunned. Aparently James had drifted off as well. Standing in front of them, laughing, were Holly and Sirius, they were holding a camera in their hands, taking pictures. "I hope it comes out well, I wonder if you two will have those sappy expressions on your faces in the picture as well." Lily, feeling akward shook James awake. She grabbed the pillow from behind him and chucked it at Sirius.

"I want copies of that photo, Sirius." Holly grabbed the camera and snapped a shot of Sirius with a shocked look on his face, covered in feathers from the pillow James had thrown at him.

"Where were you two?" Lily asked, a sly look spreading over her face.

"Hah, well I decided to tell Sirius off before he could magically remove Snape's underpants, I know I didn't want to see whatever is under there. Or whatever isn't. Then we went for a walk around behind the greenhouses." Everyone laughed, even Lily, who was not feeling particularly sympathetic towards Snape at that moment.

"And I'm so sure you two were just walking." Lily saw Holly flush a pale pink. She was even beatiful when she was embarassed, some people got all the luck. Sirius and Holly looked at eachother.

At the same time thay said "He/she wishes he/she could get some of this!" Everyone laughed again. James ruffled his hair and his neck. Sirius pushed his hair out of his face, it was falling elegantly into his eyes. As Lily looked at him and Holly she could tell that, whatever they said, they were doing more than walking behind the greenhouse.

James looked at his watch, upon seeing the time he said "Much as I hate to break up the party, Lily needs rest. She missed all of her classes today and spent last night in the hospital."

"Don't baby me James." Lily said irritably.

"If I don't who will? Someone needs to look after you." He stood up and marched her over to the stairs, she did not protest. "Don't stay up all night talking you two, not that there's much of the night left." He looked at Lily, giving her a shy smile. "See you tomorrow Lily." She looked down at him from the third step, then she came back down one step, so that they were at the same height and kissed him, in front of Sirius and Holly.

"All right you two, break it up, get a room will you?" Lily turned and went up the stairs. James tried to follow, but Sirius grabbed his robe, "Woah, easy there, you'll see her in like two hours. You've got it bad."

"I do, don't I?" James said, not sounding at all glum over the prospect.

"Yup," slinging his arm around James's shoulder they walked up the stairs to the boy's rooms. James arrived first to breakfast the next morning. He kept looking over his shoulder for Lily, but after ten minutes Sirius grabbed him and said, "STOP!!! Don't be so desperate man! It's sickening. She and Holly aren't there, are they?"

"No, would I be watching the door if they were?"

"Actually, I'm here." James blushed as he turned around, looking into the big green eyes of Lily. His pulled her onto the seat next to him and moved to kiss her. She laughed, but pushed him away.

"Calm down, I just woke up. I'm stupid and have bad breath, let me eat something." Lily said, pushing him away.

"Oh, right, okay. Eat."

"Aren't you eating anything?" Lily asked after ten minutes of silence in which James watched her eat.

"I'm finished, we got here half an hour ago, but I don't mind watching you eat." James told her, still watching her with an expression of utter infatuation on his face.

"You waited for me for half an hour? That's so sweet!" She put her fork down and leaned over, taking him by surprise and kissing him squarley on the mouth, regardless of her bad breath and stupidity. She then picked up her fork and continued eating, as if nothing had happened.

"Hey, I waited to, do I get a kiss?"

"Maybe if you're a really good boy, I'll throw you a bone later." Holly whispered, seductively in his ear. Sirius made barking sounds and licked her cheek. "Ew, get off me!" Giggled Holly, throwing off the seductrice voice and puching Sirius away. He looked at her patheticly and pushed out his lower lip. He made his eyes big and round. Holly gave in, "fine," she said, pointing to her cheek. Sirius ignored her and kissed her on the lips. Holly, instead of slapping him as she would have normally, giggled. Lily was shocked. Holly had never behaved like this. When she hooked up with guys she rarely spoke to them again, let alone the next morning. And she never kissed them again as far as Lily knew. Holly was really into Sirius. Lily looked at her, but couldn't catch her eye. She shrugged and went back to her breakfast.

"What are you doing today James?" Lily asked over her toast.

"I'm going flying around the Quiddich pitch. I need to get the feel of it before practices start on Monday."

"Oh yeah, I had forgotten about Quiddich," Lily said, so quietly that no one could hear her. James looked at her and, seeing the disappointed look on her face he quickly asked her to come with him.

"I wanted to know if you would come, maybe help me practice?" He asked hopefully. "I don't want to tag along, and I don't have a broom." She hesitated, "I suppose I could borrrow Carolines, but I don't want to ruin your good time, I'm not that good of a flyer."

"I'll help you. Please?" James asked beseechingly.

"All right, but if you get sick of me, tell me to leave. Promise you wont let me fall?" Lily asked hesitantly. She really was very afraid of heights.

"I would never let you fall." James assured her.

"Then I'll go ask Caroline if I can use her broom." Lily said.

"Can I tag along?" Holly asked eagerly. "I'd love to fly, wouldn't you Sirius?"

"What? I'll do whatever you are doing." Sirius told her, looking startled, as if he had just been jerked out of a day dream.

"Talk about whipped," James muttered just loud enough for Sirius to hear.

Lily came out of the front door holding Caroline's Clean Sweep 7, the latest maodel in broomsticks. She was met by a smiling James and a gust of cold autumn air. She shivered, comenting on how fast it had gone from Summer to fall. James gave her his jacket, arguing that he could not feel the cold when she protested. James looked at her enviously.

"You have a Clean Sweep 7? I'm still riding a Shooting Star 500, man do I wish I had a broom like that!" James said, an expression of longing on his face.

"You can use it if you want, I'm sure Caroline won't mind, I'll use yours." Lily volunteered.

"That's all right, I'm kind of attached to my broom anyway, besides, I wouldn't want to rob you of such a sweet ride." Lily smiled at him. He's so sweet and thoughtful, nothing like Severus, I can't believe I thought he was arrogant and mean. How gullible was I? And he said he liked me since first year? What a cutie!!!! And it doesn't hurt that he's the hottest, most popular guy in school. Him and Sirius. And Remus of course, although he's rather quiet and bookish. Lily mused, gazing at James.

They walked across the lawn, holding hands and talking about the Quiddich Cup that had taken place over the summer. Lily did not play Quiddich, and because she was from a muggle family the only exposer she had ever gotten to the wizarding sport was at Hogwarts. The only professional game she had ever been to was two summers ago when Caroline's parents had gotten them box seats to the semi-finals for the World Cup. It had been really exciting, and they even had binoculars so that they could see the players closley. Lily enjoyed talking about the sport, and James filled her in on every detail of the game, which they had broadcasted over the radio. He was a huge fan of the Ireland team, but Lily decided that she would route for England, since that was where she lived. They had fun arguing over the teams, and although James won every argument because he actually knew about the game, he was very sweet about it and did not rub it in.

Holly and Sirius were waiting for them at the pitch. Lily couldn't help but notice that Sirius's shirt was hanging off his shoulder at an akward angle and Holly had very rumpled hair. I wonder if I look like that after I've been making out? Is it really that obvious? I never realized Lily thought, horrified.

Holly was all smiles that afternoon, and Sirius kept looking at her as if he wanted to fly through the air and begin making out with her again.

"I changed my mind. I don't want to fly after all." Lily said, looking up into the air. It was so high up. She did not want to be up there with nothing but a little strip of wood to keep her from falling hundreds of feet to the ground.

"What? No! You have to play, Lily!" James argued.

"I can't" Lily told him regretfully.

"Why not? We can't have even teams if you don't play." James said.

"I really can't though, James." Lily told him.

"Why not?" He asked.

"I'm afraid of heights." Lily confessed, looking down and blushing.

"Is that all?" James asked her. "No problem. Take it really slowly." He suggested.

"I can't." Lily told him persistently.

"Stop saying that, of course you can." James told her encouragingly.

"You stop saying that. I really can't." Lily insisted.

"Just try it out. Just go a few feet in the air. I'll fly right next to you. You're not going to fall." James eventually managed to coax her onto the broomstick and into the air. She was flying slowly, both hands firmly clasped to the broom handle. She was breathing deeply and not looking down. "You're doing great Lily. You're doing it. You're flying. Now just let go of the handle for a minute and grab the quaffle." James told her, passing her the ball. It took a great effort, but Lily managed to remove one hand and then the other.

They played two versus two, James and Lily against Sirius and Holly. Holly had wanted to play boys versus girls, but Lily vetoed that, arguing that she would bring down the team, and she needed to be with someone who could actually play if it was going to be at all competitive. Lily played chaser and keeper and James played seeker. Holly did the same as Lily and Sirius, after pouting that he couldn't be beater, agreed to be seeker. They had decided against using bludgers because there were so few of them that it was a recipe for disaster. And although James did not say it, it was obvious that he didn't want Lily to be spending another night in the hospital wing.

The game was fun, and Lily even managed to enjoy herself save for the one time when she looked down and the other time when her broom swayed slightly, causing her to think she would lose her balance and fall. Other than that she did fine.

They stayed outside until it started to get cold and dark, they then went back to the dining hall and scrounged some hot chocolate. They went to the Gryffindor common room and sat in front of the blazing fire. Holly sat on Sirius's lap, totally at her ease, and Lily snuggled into James's chest. When he spoke she could feel his chest vibrating underneathe her ear.

"Are you two a couple now? When did that happen?" He said. Lily giggled. "What?" James asked, looking down at her confused.

"Nothing, it tickles my ear when you talk." He stroked her hair absent mindedly and then turned back to Sirius and Holly with a questioning look.

"We actually started hooking up the night we got back. We were trying to get you two together, and we started talking and hanging out all week, you two were just to busy to notice. It's okay Lily, I forgive you."

"Sorry, I should have realised. I'm so stupid. I swear, I will focus more on you guys from now on, and less on me and James."

In unison, the other four shouted "no!"

"All right, James, I will only pay attention to you, you will not be able to do anything without my knowing about it, I wil be everywhere you go, you will never be out of my sight, is that better?" Lily asked, smiling.

"What about when he goes to the bathroom, with you go thre as well?" Sirius asked. Lily gave him an exasperated look then replied with a look to Holly, who slapped Sirius across the back of the head, jokingly, yet hard enough to get the message across. "James, mate, why are you laughing? You're supposed to be on my side."

"Sorry, they got you on this one, I'm with Lily and Holly, they're more powerful allies." James replied, chuckling at Sirius, who was rubbing the back of his head and eyeing Holly as one might eye a sleeping lion.

"That's right," Lily smiled up at him, winking. "Hear that Sirius, I'm better at magic than you."

"Yeah, not to mention you wont kiss him if he doesn't agree with you," Sirius mumbled, still rubbing the back of his head.

"That too." Lily agreed. "I'm sorry, but I must leave you guys now. I'm going to take advantage of being a prefect and use that glorious big bathtub. Being good really does pay off boys. I'll see you later James." She stood up and walked to the door. As she was crawling out she turned around and blew James a kiss, he mimed catching it