Disclaimer: I don't own anything that's copyrighted.

Author's note: It's cold outside and it's November…I'm strongly reminded of Christmas, and Christmas reminds me of Fan fiction, which I realized I hadn't written in a while. Sudden burst of inspiration to write, so here I am. Please accept my many apologies for the long wait. I think I may begin writing another fan fic (vote, yes or no in your review?)…It's the weather, I swear.

The Wind Through My Hair

The next day was an absolute uproar. The whole Gryffindor house was bombarding Lily, James, and Sirius with questions about what had really happened—how anyone even knew anything had happened still remains a mystery. The word spread like wildfire, and soon, the whole of Hogwarts was being friendly.

"So, Lily, how did you manage to fight off the Whomping Willow, single-handedly?" Gregory Flinch-Fletchy asked.

"Yeah, I was wondering that, too!" Francois said. Lily sighed and put her head in her hands, resisting the urge to roll her eyes and say something incredibly rude.

"Well, you know, I just took out my handy-dandy Whomping Willow-killer, and slashed it right up into bits," she said. There was silence, as everyone didn't quite get the joke and were puzzled at her sarcasm. She rolled her eyes and walked up faster down the halls, and said goodbye in an extremely sugary tone.

"Christ, what rat climbed up her ass and died?"

xxx

"No, I'm not avoiding her! Does THE Prongs ever avoid a girl? I, sir, am a hot piece of man-arse," James said. Sirius only looked at him with a pitying look and shook his head, looking to the heavens as if they would provide any guidance to the most sinful 17-year-old on earth. "What, you don't believe me? Seriously, why would I be avoiding Lily Evans? She's as harmless as a hamster."

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe you seeing her in the halls, making that weird screech, taking my hand and dragging us the opposite direction of our class was some indication. Or maybe you deliberately looking away and pretending to talk to me when we pass her. Or maybe you turning that horrible ruddy shade, like you are right now, whenever—"

"Alright, I get it, you dolt! God, okay, I'm avoiding her," James said, rolling his eyes and then frowning slightly. He took a small mirror out of his robes pocket and checked his face. "It is not a horrible ruddy shade!"

"Well, it was a second ago. But that's besides the point; the point is, why are you avoiding her?" Sirius sing-sang.

"I'm not!" James said defensively, but then realized he had already admitted otherwise. "Alright, it's because…I don't want things to be…er…awkward."

"Awkward? Why would things be awkward? She's the same as always. Unless you raped her or something, I can understand it being awkward then," Sirius said.

"It might as well have been rape! Sirius, oh god…I…I…"

"HOLY—DEAR…OMIGOD. Prongs, you raped her?! Oh, god, what did you do to her?"

"She…kissed me on the cheek!" James exclaimed ashamed, as his head fell. Sirius's mouth stayed in its open position as his rant stopped and he looked at James with a look of shock. His face slowly changed to puzzlement, and he closed his jaw to out-right scowl. "Kissed you on the cheek?"

"Yes. I know. Things will be so awkward now. It was so weird. She just…pecked me right on my check and then…well, said good-night!"

"Prongs, you arse-hole, that's hardly weird. On the cheek…I swear, your own mother kisses you on the cheek! You shouldn't be nervous because of a kiss on the cheek. Great dolt!"

"Well, yes, I know, but…it was just different with Lily—"

"But nothing. You will talk to her by the end of the day, and when things aren't awkward and are totally normal, since a kiss on the cheek is something you do when you're three years old, you will realize what an idiot you're being. You act like you haven't been past second base before," Sirius said.

"You're right, Sirius. Nothing's changed. It was just a little kiss on the check…I'm being stupid."

xxx

"You're being stupid, Lily," Diana said.

"I am not! You would be acting like me too, if you had done what I had done," Lily said. They continued to walk down the crowded corridors, trying to dodge the whispers that seemed to follow her everywhere.

"Done what you did? Lils, it really wasn't a big deal. You act like giving someone a peck on the cheek is more wild than almost dying while being chased by an insanely angry tree." Lily only glared at her friend and looked to Sarah for support.

"Hey, don't look at me like that…I'd expect you'd know me well enough by now to know that I'll only laugh at you," Sarah said, smirking. Lily rolled her eyes. As she walked and looked at Sarah, she bumped into someone, and both of their books fell to the floor in a huge mess. Her folder split open and papers flew every which way.

"Oh just great! You guys go on into class and tell Professor Flitwick I'll be right in! We're right outside anyways, I won't be too late…" Lily said, leaning down right away to gather her books and papers in a hurry.

"Oh, wonderful!…Sirius? SIRIUS. Some friend you are! Fine, just go on without me then!" James said, plus several obscene words as he got down on his knees without looking up to grab up the very few books her ever brought to class. Their heads bumped and several more obscene words were yelled.

"GOOD GOD."

"Ouch, that smarts." They said at once. Lily looked up and raised her eyebrows. "Oh. Hi James." She smiled tentatively.

"Er…Hi Lily…sorry about...um." He swept his hand across the messy scene between them.

"Oh, no! I wasn't looking at where I was heading, it was my fault as well." Lily said, blushing slightly for reasons she didn't know why. James shrugged and smiled, slash, grimaced at the fact that she was trying to take the blame (something she never did in the presence of James) and at the fact that it was awkward and an awkward silence had fallen on them.

"Ah…well. We should go off to class now, I guess," Lily said, picking up her books.

"Wait. Lily." James said, after closing his eyes and making a resolute decision. Lily stopped mid-step and looked at him questioningly. "Yes, James?"

"Would you…like to go to Hogsmeade with me next weekend? I mean, I understand if you don't, but I thought it might be nice, and well, you know, you've had a hard time lately, so maybe if you came—" James rambled on. Lily giggled slightly at how discombobulated he appeared, and shook her head.

"James, I would love to go, but there is no Hogsmeade visit next weekend. Are you mental? It's not for another month or so," Lily said.

It was James turn to smiled and shake his head. He simply sighed and looked at her in his trademark James-face. "Lily…Lils…Lil-ster. I promise you, there is a Hogsmeade visit next weekend. Don't worry about what the school schedule says! James Potter knows there's a Hogsmeade visit next weekend, no matter what. So, I'll meet you in the common room at 7 on Friday night," James said. He winked at her and walked leisurely into Charms class. And just like that, all his formal mannerisms had vanished and he became just as he had before—charming, witty, slightly mysterious, and a tad rude if you know what I mean.

Lily followed him a few minutes later late into Charms class and sat down next to Diana without getting chided by Professor Flitwick; she was his favorite student after all. Diana didn't seem to notice, as she was taking copious amount of notes, but Lily did not pay attention the whole class. Her mind was on other things, of course.

xxx

A/N: Hope you like! I couldn't have Lily and James go nowhere forever, now could I? Finally, the romance moves onward! Sorry for such long delays on my chapters…I'm having a bit of writer's block, and inspiration is nowhere! I do have a whole new elaborate plot for a whole new J/L story, but I refuse to start a new one until this one is finished. Since this one isn't very done yet, I'll have time to stew on that new story. wink wink Oh, yeah….REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! )