The attack on Hogsmeade had everyone on edge, it seemed. No deaths had happened, but the fact students had been harmed – that aurors, who had been placed there to protect them, were harmed, had a sobering effect on the castle's population.

But still, Lily couldn't help but notice Slytherins remained unfazed. Her gaze would find Snape occasionally, now having found a place among a new group of friends. He hardly seemed happy – impossible for him – but he obviously was not as alone as before.

Her heart couldn't determine if she felt relieved by the fact or worried. These new friends of his, a mixture of 6th and 7th Years, were the ones that now raised their noses at the other students.

Per usual, one of the only older students who happened to be muggleborn, Lily was a target of their taunts. Someone used a shearing charm to tear open a hole in her bag on her way to the Potion's classroom.

"Mudblood," one of the 7th Years hissed as they passed as she kneeled to collect her things, jaw clenched and knuckles white.

Could she take points? She should. But she won't. She instead repaired her bag, dropped her things back into it and stood, making sure the rest of the Slytherins were out of sight before rubbing at her temple.

"Bunch of sodding pr–"

"Hey."

She jumped. "Oh. Snape."

"Lily," he said in reply.

They fell into step, heading towards the Potions classroom.

"I'd heard what happened in Hogsmeade," Snape said under his breath as they walked.

"Oh?" she said sardonically. "Just hearing about that now, are you?"

He scowled. "I meant about you helping – students."

"Ah, right. Yes, stopping others from getting killed. I suppose I did help with that."

"No one was killed," he said hastily.

"No," she agreed. "But do you think that's what matters?"

"What's that mean?"

"Suppose you might ask your old friend Mulciber, yeah? Curious what he was hoping to accomplish."

Snape grabbed at her elbow sharply, halting her movements.

"Ouch," she snapped.

"You can't just say things like that," he hissed. "Or –"

"Or what, I'll get attacked by a pair of Slytherins who think they're better than me? God, that sounds awfully familiar."

Despite his scowl, Snape looked despondent. "That's not what –"

"What they are all about?" she said irritably. "Oh, please do tell."

They were nearing the door to the classroom. Snape seemed to naturally slow his steps, hoping to – what she assumed – cajole her into listening.

"Afternoon, fellow classmates," Sirius called as he and James appeared at the other end of the corridor, approaching the way they had just traveled. "You, also, late for class?"

"I suppose we are," Lily replied as she glanced over her shoulder at them. "Shall we head in before Slughorn decides to punish us?"

"Punish us, maybe," Sirius said in reply as James surveyed the distance between she and Snape. "His star students? Never."

"If only," Lily said, ignoring the deepening scowl on Snape's face. A small petty part of her knew how much he hated this banter she had with other housemates, especially the marauders. "He'd rather us just help with brewing extra potions for his personal stock."

"Sounds like punishment to me," James said wryly. "Star students first then," he gestured, waiting for Lily and Snape to enter.

Snape did not appear to like the idea of putting his back to them, but with little choice, he did.

Lily returned James's smile, caught sight of Sirius's smirk, and let hers quickly drop, sobered. Merlin, she needed to sort this out.

While classes resumed per professors' insistence at normalcy, because of the attack, the game had been postponed to the following Thursday (pending James's recovery status, of course).

It felt a bit sad, to realize the amount of games they had played this year could be easily counted between her two hands.

But she couldn't help but not feel regret, because thinking back to the conversation she and Sirius had at the beginning of the year, about how change was good, how it could be hard – well, she'd never admit it outright, but he had been right.

Each Game has brought new challenges and opportunities. Never before had she had this much fun, felt more terror, or experienced such elation as she had.

The year was far from over, of course, and she knew the next games, whenever they would be, would provide just as much gratification.

"Gratification?" Marlene repeated with a sly grin when Lily repeated her thoughts to her later that week, the eve of their Game, while they lounged on the sofa in front of the fire. "Sounds like you've got other ideas in mind."

"Shut it," Lily ordered. "Not another word, you foul-minded –"

"Oh, Foul-minded?" Sirius's voice observed from behind. "I suppose only a conversation between Mckinnon and Evs could be related to our own, very dear, Prongsie –"

Lily whirled in her seat, ready to screech at him to stop, when she found him standing alone. He was smiling coyly at her, unapologetic.

"I do plan on murdering you," she huffed, settling back into her seat as she willed the pulsing in her ears to stop.

He hopped into the seat beside her. "I do so look forward to the day. Mckinnon, please start working on my epitaph at once."

Marlene was stuck with a surprised expression. "Does this prat know? About your –"

"...Repressed and needy feelings towards a certain messy-haired Gryffindor bloke?" Sirius inserted.

He grimaced when Lily used her heel to kick his shin.

"He knows?" Marlene scoffed. "You told him? And you made me wrangle it out of you?"

"You did not," Lily argued with an eye-roll. "I was a bit pissed and confessed it to you in a panic."

Sirius raised an eyebrow at Marlene. "That's how she told you?"

"How'd she tell you?" the blonde demanded.

"I'm right here," Lily complained.

"It's not so much that she told me, rather that I guessed and she stupidly confirmed it like a love-sick bird."

"Oi."

Marlene nodded in consideration. "I could see it, with how flighty she's been lately."

"Oi," Lily complained a second time, cheeks flushed. "I choose to allow you into my circle of confidence –"

"– not that we're the only ones you want there –"

She glared. "– and I'd appreciate it if you would stop taking the mick."

"Making fun of Evans, are we?"

Her heart jumped as she whirled again in her seat, practically kneeling as she glimpsed James, Peter, and Remus coming closer. She laughed weakly. "Yeah, joke at my expense, that seems to be the theme."

She noticed how James winced as he sat down in the lone chair, pressing a hand to his side. "Anything in particular we're making fun of?"

Sirius grinned evilly. "Well, actually –"

"I got a P on my last Transfiguration essay," she interjected hastily.

"A Poor?" Remus clarified. "I looked over that for you. I would've thought that would have earned at least an E."

She could feel the amused gazes of Sirius and Marlene on her as she struggled to respond. "Oh, I ended up making some last minute edits. That's probably what did it, you know?"

"Should've had James look over it for you," Sirius said in a chagrined tone. "Moony's great and all, but James is our resident Transfiguration scholar, isn't he?"

James scoffed. "Moony's just as good, honestly. Don't listen to him, the git," he said to Remus.

Remus smiled. "He's not wrong. Do you have the essay with you now? I'm sure James could see what went wrong."

"Oh, no, that's alright" she said, managing to keep her voice level. "McGonagall already gave notes."

James shrugged. "Alright."

"Your loss," Sirius said under his breath to her.

She glared, her tolerance threshold met. "I've got to go grab something from the dorm. I'll see you lot later for dinner."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Thursday morning arrived with little fanfare. The four girls (including their newest roommate) woke up in cheery spirits. The countdown had begun.

Marlene paused in her morning routine, hair slicked back in a high ponytail. "Do you think tonight will really happen?"

Lily frowned. "What do you mean?"

Dorcas snorted. "I think she means – is something going to happen to once again postpone our Game? A Death Eater attack, someone getting maimed?"

Alice laughed. "She does have a point."

Marlene raised her arms in a 'see?' gesture.

"Well," Lily sighed, sliding on her shoes. "If there wasn't something that was going to happen, there certainly is now. Knock on wood."

Dorcas threw a sock at Marlene. "She's right, you cow!"

"Me?" Marlene cried out indignantly. "You agreed with me!"

"You're the one who said it out loud."

"Only because it was the erumpent in the room! I couldn't not speak about it!"

"Alright, alright," Lily laughed. "Everyone keep calm. Let's just go about our day as normal."

Marlene threw up her arms. "Oh, great, now you're jinxing it even further."

"Am not!"

Alice threw her head back to laugh. "I'm leaving before this dorm suddenly becomes infested with nargles. They love paranoid superstitions."

"Oh, brill," Dorcas said wryly. "I've got to deal with Marlene's nasty Quidditch gear and an infestation? I might as well move back to my own dorm."

"No one's keeping you here," Marlene complained.

"Except me," Lily inserted.

"And me," Alice added.

Marlene blew a raspberry at them all.

-:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:-

Disaster struck, just as Marlene had spoken.

Well, not truly, Lily reasoned, sitting in the infirmary. Could it have been avoided? Absolutely. Did she need to be in the hospital wing? Honestly, she could probably sneak out at this point without catching Pomfrey's attention.

But she stayed, wanting to ensure her knee was properly healed before returning to the Gryffindor tower. They were going to hold the Game tonight, damnnit, even if it killed her to do it.

Kill her was a bit excessive. Permanently damage her knee, maybe, sure.

Staring up at the ceiling, she crossed her arms and exhaled slowly. Yes, it could have been avoided.

It started when Carrow, smarmy, purist Carrow, caught sight of her walking alone on the stairs on the way to Runes.

"Oi!" he had called and she turned, used to the younger students of her house calling for assistance or stopping her to say hello.

When she turned to catch sight of his silver and green tie, she rolled her eyes and turned back to resume the path up the stairs.

"I said Oi," his voice echoed. The other students who had been with him – Lestrange, of course – and a 7th Year she'd seen Snape skulk around with – teetered with laughter. "Are you deaf, mudblood, or just dense?"

Lily refrained from pinching the bridge of her nose, stopping on a step about halfway up to the next landing. "Can I help you, Carrow?"

"Yeah," he challenged. "I heard you lost that apprenticeship with the ministry. So sad to hear, you know?"

"Is it?" she asked blandly, temper in check. "I figured you wouldn't like to meddle with the affairs of Muggleborns, Carrow. But I suppose that's what makes you feel important, hm?"

Maybe only a little out of check.

He scowled. "As if I'd waste time on you."

"Of course not," she retorted, adjusting the strap of her bag. "Only to tattle to your parents about how you were told off by a mudblood, right?"

"He didn't tattle," Lestrange snapped, crossing her arms. "We were just making sure you were put into your place, you filthy witch."

"Ah, thanks for that, Lestrange. I suppose I recall the position you prefer was on your back with a bloke on top of you."

The 7th Year stepped up a stair, snarling. "Listen here, you bint. If you don't shut your –"

"I got it, I got it," Lily said. "I shut my mouth or else I'll get what's coming to me."

"That's right," he said. "Or else."

Lily nodded, placing a hand on the bannister to resume her trek up the stairs. "Right, thanks, then. I'll just be on my way."

"Oi!" Carrow exclaimed. "Don't turn your back on us, you stuck-up bitch."

"God," she sighed, pausing. "What else is there?"

"You – Iterdere," his voice cast, some sort of attempt at a tripping jinx, Lily suspected.

The spell caught around her ankle and pulled – hard. Both her feet were yanked out from underneath her and she fell, her right knee landing first – with a bright, sharp burst of pain – followed by her chin meeting the stair below her.

"Fuck," she hissed, able to quickly stop herself from tumbling down the rest of the way. She tasted blood in her mouth; she must've bitten her lip. She turned to watch the Slytherins' reactions and they did not disappoint – they laughed, pointing at her and murmuring amongst themselves.

"Might want to be more careful, mudblood," Lestrange announced patronizingly. "Looks like that hurt."

"Thanks," she snapped, wiping around the blood at the corner of her mouth.

The dark-haired girl cackled, sharing a satisfied look with her housemates before they turned on their heels and descended the stairs back towards the dungeons.

When she was sure they were gone, she moved to stand, hissing as she put her weight onto her right leg. Her knee protested – a violent, sharp pain shooting from her knee down to her ankle. "Shite."

Retrieving her bag from the floor, she hooked it over her shoulder, calling Runes a lost cause, and instead began the careful trek down the steps towards the Hospital Wing.

"A tumble down the stairs," Poppy had repeated incredulously. "Hop up onto the bed, Miss Evans. I suppose I'll have you fixed up in no time."

And so here she was, eyes tracing the lines of the infirmary's ceilings, the patterns so familiar she could have traced them with her eyelids closed.

"Lily?"

Her eyes opened and she smiled. "Hey Remus!" Then frowned. "Everything alright?"

He nodded quickly. "Oh, yes. All alright. Just stopped by for a Pepper Up potion. Helps to have a few in the days after… you know."

"Right!" she said.

He had been out of classes from Monday to Wednesday. Sick. She'd built up the courage on Sunday, after all that had happened at Hogsmeade, when she noticed at rough he had looked. She'd spoken to him about her potion; in which she was unsurprised Sirius had already told him all about her potion ("Honestly, I think he still feels guilty about the Snape Situation, but it's fine. I'd be happy to test out the potion, Lily.")

"And… everything else?" she asked, trying to subtlety glance over him.

He grinned. "No new scars," he confirmed, unbuttoning the cuff to his sleeve to roll it up. He held it out. "Second night, I remember a formidable gash here. Used some of your potion and it cleared up."

"That's amazing," she said in a hushed tone, grabbing onto his arm to pull her towards him. She surveyed the skin there, smoothing over some old scars that already existed. "I'm so glad it worked, Remus. Really."

"Me, too," he admitted. "It'll come in handy when I scratch my face."

Lily smiled, pleased.

"What's got you in here, now?" he asked curiously. "You've got blood on your collar."

"Oh, Jesus," she cursed, pulling at the fabric to study it. "Just a run-in with Carrow and Lestrange. And that creepy 7th Year."

"McNair?"

"That must be it. Scourgify." She nodded once, satisfied. "Their usual bit. Blood supremacy. Dirty me. Etcetera, etcetera."

"And that landed you in the Hospital Wing?"

"After Carrow tried a shoddy attempt at a tripping jinx. Well, I suppose it worked out – for him."

Remus was frowning, looking deeply concerned. "I'm sorry that happened."

"Oh no, don't worry about it, Remus, really. Look, I think Pomfrey will be back to check on me any moment."

"What happened?"

She gestured to her leg. "Just a dislocated knee. I've had worse."

"I'm really beginning to dislike that phrase."

"Dislocated knee?"

"There's been worse," Remus corrected. "Or, I've had worse. Could be worse. Has been worse."

Lily smiled weakly. He returned it.

"Mr. Lupin! A Pepper-Up, I assume?" The healer emerged from the office in the back of the wing. "Coming right up!"

"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey."

She popped her head back through the door.

"I don't suppose you've got something to ply her with to help me out of here," Lily said in a low tone.

Remus smiled wryly, shook his head.

"Here we are, Mr. Lupin! Freshly brewed. Latest batch assisted by this one here, actually."

Lily smiled sheepishly.

"Actually, Madam. I was hoping to escort Lily back to the tower. Is she well enough to be discharged?"

The older witch looked at the two students, both whom had plastered on pleasant, hopeful looks. "Oh, I suppose. Do not over do it, young lady."

"I won't," Lily quickly promised, swinging her legs off the bed. "Not even an ache. See?" She stood.

"Alright, alright. Out of here before I change my mind."

She and Remus shared an amused grin, the latter offering his arm to help Lily make the trek back up to the Gryffindor Common Room.

-:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:-

In all honesty, Lily forgot about the incident until later, working on her Transfiguration homework when James sunk into the cushion beside her.

She glanced up, smiled briefly, before letting her eyes drop back onto the quill in her hand, hoping he didn't notice that she was unable to finish the sentence that had been so clear in her mind.

"Transfiguration homework?" he asked wryly.

"Isn't it always?" she retorted with a small grin, not looking up from the parchment. "There must be a beacon. Lily's struggling. Help."

"Something like that."

"Yeah?"

"No," he chuckled. "Everyone's nearly headed up to bed and you're still working. You only do that when you've got something you're interested in - or struggling with."

At this – chest a bit tight – she looked up at him curiously, trying not to think too much into the information he's given her. She glanced, then, around them, noticing for the first time that there were only a few other students littered about and most had gone to bed. Had it already gotten that late? Surely Marlene would've reminded her, with the Game and all…

She met his gaze with a grin. "And how'd you know I was struggling?"

"You get this look – like you're real cross with the paper."

"I do not."

"You do," he insisted with a smirk. "When you get cross, there's this line between your eyebrows like – like that, actually."

"Shut it, you tosser," she chided, pressing her fingertip to the spot in question, as if to massage the line away. "It's only there now because you're here."

He chuckled. "Fair, I suppose. You are often cross when I'm around."

"Because you give me reasons to be cross."

"How's your knee?" he asked.

Lily blinked. "My knee?"

"Remus mentioned your visit to the infirmary earlier. Dislocated knee?"

"Right," she said, suddenly wary. "All fixed up, of course." She held out her ankle to show the full flex of her knee, then felt silly, letting her foot drop back onto the floor.

"Suppose you took the 'no fight' route, this time."

"I suppose I did," she agreed, recalling his telling her off for putting her back towards the enemy. He had been right.

"You know, Dumbledore said -"

"You've seen Dumbledore?"

He grinned. "He came to visit when I was in the infirmary after Hogsmeade. He was impressed by your potion, you know."

"He was?"

James nodded. "He was. But he said something about not fighting a battle, when there isn't anything to gain. Rising above and all that."

Lily was surprised, but pleased. "Yes, exactly. I've only ever found that when they –"

She felt odd talking about this. It wasn't that she hid the fact that her muggleborn status had made her a target; she just never brought it up if unnecessary (omitting the attack from Avery and Mulciber that felt like ages ago). Sure, she'd give out points for misconduct towards other students. But if it were against her, she did her best to ignore it.

"When they..?" James prompted.

"Well, when they say things."

"What do you mean?"

She shifted uncomfortably. "You know, James. What they say against muggle-borns."

His brow furrowed. "Like mudblood."

"Like mudblood," she agreed. "Or like 'dirty muggle'. Or the milder 'wanna-be witch'. 'Dirt creature'. Filthy blood."

"They say these things to you?"

Lily shrugged. "To me. To other muggle-borns."

"Still? Even with Mulciber and Avery gone…?"

"Still. Since day one, James. It's not uncommon. Especially now."

"That's just mad –"

Honestly, she wasn't surprised James wasn't aware of this. Well, not entirely surprised. In reality, only the two 7th Year Slytherins had been openly vocal. The others only seemed to follow when they couldn't be caught. Chipping away at the muggle-born's psyche like salt on a wound. Or at least, that's how it had felt to Lily.

For some reason, re-examining these feelings and experiments struck a resentful chord within her. She could feel it hum with a sudden vengeance. Without meaning to, she scoffed. "It's not like you helped."

He recoiled, expression hurt and defensive. "I've never said anything like that to a muggle-born."

"No," she agreed. "But the bullying you've done certainly fed into the general cultivation of harassment in the corridors."

"What's that mean?" he demanded.

She sighed tiredly. "Just – nevermind. Forget it. You haven't done it for ages, it's fine."

"No," he said. "Tell me. Talk to me. Quit avoiding me."

She was the one to recoil this time, at having been called out so directly once again. "I haven't been avoiding you," she said hastily. "But God, James. Surely you've noticed how much sway you have over the younger students? Hell, even the older."

His brow furrowed.

"They see you, James. The Gryffindor Captain, popular Pureblood jinxing and hexing other students and they think it's okay."

"You just said I haven't –"

"I know, I know," she agreed. "But that's the perception."

"I didn't think they'd – whatever – copy what I did."

She chuckled. "You've got more influence than you think, James."

"I really hadn't… thought of it that way."

Lily refrained from snorting. "I guess that's part of growing up. You either realize your hold over other's – or someone tells you off for it."

He chuckled. "Multiple times, it seems."

She laughed this time. "It's not my fault you acted like a right berk since you got here. It didn't set up quite the right expectations when you –" she stopped short, unsure how to continue.

"No, what is it? What else?"

Her laugh sounded weak to her own ears. "No, it's really nothing. You're over it –"

"Really, tell me," he insisted, catching her gaze before she looked away.

"You, going about, making a show of asking me out. Like it was its own sort of game. You weren't – it wasn't–"

"What?"

"It's not as if – as if you'd ever meant any of it."

"As if I –" he broke off with a sharp laugh.

Her ears were ringing.

"I'm sorry, forget it. I just – nevermind."

"No, no. Wait," James said, brow furrowed, but she was already shuffling her belongings together, nearly knocking over the inkwell. "You can't think –"

"Oh, shit, sorry," she hissed, actually spilling the ink. "No, no, it's fine, I've got it." It didn't matter that it soaked the edges of her sleeves as she collected everything into her arms. "I should probably take care of this before it stains."

"No, Evans, hang on –"

She was already up, out of the seat and at the staircase before he could get the rest of his sentence out.

Fuck. So much for a nice game.

Lily's cheeks were flushed by the time she entered the dormitory, nearly stumbling and dropping her armful of parchment, books, and quills. She could almost imagine James calling for her name still.

Oh, God, she was so daft. Why'd she have to bring that up again? Throw it in his face.

She was lucky that the other occupants of her dorm appeared distracted by their own lives; Alice was nose-deep in a book, Marlene similarly in a magazine. Dorcas was snoozing on her bed, arm thrown over her eyes to block out the light of the room.

"Get ahead on that essay?" Alice asked absentmindedly, flipping a page.

"Nearly," Lily answered in the most even tone she could, dropping her belongings onto her bed. She did her best to cast a charm to remove the excess ink, the fabric of her shirtsleeves somewhat tinged grey. The elves would have better luck, she supposed. "Ready for the Game?"

"Always," Marlene murmured, biting at her thumbnail, a habit she did when reading something she found truly engrossing.

"I'm going to take a shower," Lily said to the room. Something to kill the time and give her mind something to concern itself with while the clock's minutes ticked past.

By the time she was done, hair tied into a haphazard french braid, the other witches of the dorm were also starting to switchover into their athletic clothes.

"Merlin, is this the first Game of the year?" Dorcas suddenly asked.

"No – no, it can't be," Marlene denied. "We just – well, we –"

"Agrippa, it must be!" Alice said, shocked. "Can't say I imagined this is how this year's Games would be going…"

The girls shared mutual looks of agreement.

"To be fair," Lily interjected. "I feel that we've had some extenuating circumstances that negated our promise to play as much as possible."

Marlene snorted. "I'd say. Ready for a gratifying experience this time though, right, Lily?"

She glared.

"That sounded like it had a double-meaning," Dorcas said wryly. "Can't wait to hear it – on our way to the Entrance Hall. We've got ten til midnight."

"Oh, Merlin's sake!"

-:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:-

"You could've waited for us," Marlene griped, skipping over the last step onto the main floor.

Sirius shrugged. "We knew you'd show. We just had to remind you all who's better about being on time."

Lily was doing her best at avoiding James's eye; she could feel his gaze as soon as she'd arrived at the top of the staircase that led to the Entrance Hall. She was grateful for the darkened corridors though – her cheeked still felt flushed.

"Does this mean we have enough for single player?" Sirius asked. "Eight. No more teams of three."

His question posed a conundrum. Wincing a bit, Lily met the gazes of her three other friends, the jarring awareness that Emmeline wasn't present a sharp twist in the gut.

"I got a bit used to the teams," Peter said, a bit sheepish.

"I guess it'll be partners," Remus said quietly when no one posed an opposition. "Lily?"

"Right," she said. The spell. Now she was sure her own palms were spelling. "How should we split?"

Remus pointed. "You and Sirius. Marlene and Dorcas. Alice and Peter. James and I."

She barely refrained from exhaling a relieved sigh. "Brilliant. Mar?"

The blonde held out her hand dutifully, allowing Lily to cast the charm, this time in four teams, rather than three.

"Next year, I suppose we'll have to play as singles," Alice said aloud as she held out her arm, next in rotation. "With just seven of us."

"I'm not gone yet," Dorcas pointed out with a wry smile. "Good luck trying to replace me." She moved up in line.

Sirius smirked. "I'm sure we'll find a way to cope without you, Meadowes."

"Sod off," she retorted.

Peter and Sirius were next in line. She cast the charm with little trouble.

She could see James's trainers approach as she kept her gaze on the ground. Habitually, she held her hand out for his arm, which he placed into her palm easily.

"Reor et praesto tessera," she murmured, twisting her wand in the familiar way, all the while feeling his eyes burning into her face.

When he didn't retrieve his arm, she looked up involuntarily, finding him intently watching her.

"James?" Remus prompted, next in line.

"Sorry, mate," he said, finally taking his eyes off her to let Remus step closer.

She smiled at Remus, casting the spell one final time before performing the charm on herself. "Who'd like to do the honors?" she asked the group.

"The countdown?" Sirius asked with an excited grin. "Happily."

"At your word, then."

He grinned at the group. "Wands at the ready?"

They nodded.

"10… 9…. 8..."

Lily inhaled slowly, savoring the anticipatory moment before her eyes unwillingly strayed towards James.

"7… 6… 5…"

He was still staring at her, as if he were trying to discern what her thoughts were – or trying to silently communicate something to her. She couldn't be sure which.

"4… 3… 2..."

She looked away, unable to bear the weight of his gaze.

"1. Go!"

Sirius's voice echoed in her ears as she took off, the five-minute hold time a warm warning against the flesh of her arm. She'd already planned her strategy; she didn't care about winning this Game, in all honesty. Lily's main goal was defense; avoid any and all players at all costs.

She was the only one to advance through to the Great Hall's doors, sprinting towards the back towards the doorway that led to the trophy room; from there, she'd take the hidden staircase to the third floor, where she'd backtrack (just in case anyone followed) and move to the second floor towards the girls' loos.

Sirius would be seriously pissed if she knew of Lily's tactic, but she's rather spend the night moving about Moaning Myrtle's toilets than worrying about a confrontation with –

Well, she didn't want to think about that at all.

"Lily!" Myrtle greeted with fluttering eyelids. "Here to say hello?"

"Of course," Lily said with an out-of-breath exhale. She wasn't daft. "How're you, Myrtle?"

"I've been quite lonely, you know," the ghost murmured, pulling at her pigtail. "Girls only come to visit when they have to."

Lily nodded consolingly. "I'm sorry about that."

"Oh, Lily, I appreciate hearing that, very much."

"Of course, Myrtle."

The ghost hovered over the sinks as Lily moved about the room, hoping to avoid the camping rule trigger. "Isn't it a bit late for patrols?"

"It is," she confirmed, "I think I just needed a walk."

Myrtle sighed longingly, a bit exaggerated. "If only I could walk again," she complained.

"It's really more trouble than anything, Myrtle. You aren't missing out much on that."

The ghost scoffed. "Says the witch who gets to walk all the time."

Lily opened her mouth to retort, to deny the claim, considering she'd been in the hospital wing just earlier that day because she couldn't, when the door to the loo creaked open.

Shite. Lily ducked into one of the nearest stalls, scrambling (as quietly as she could) onto the top of the toilet to hide her feet.

"Well, hello there," Myrtle's voice echoed in the room. "Can I help you with something?"

Lily's heart jumped into her throat when she heard James's distinct voice reply, "Hello Myrtle. Just thought I heard some chatting in here. Had any visitors?"

And bless Myrtle, as she responded, "Only the Bloody Baron this evening. And now you, I suppose."

"A bit odd for the Baron," he said wryly. "But thanks. Have a good evening, Myrtle."

Lily waited until she heard the door close before she released the breath she'd been holding.

"You can come out now," Myrtle called with a tinge of delighted mirth. "He's gone."

"Thanks," she said, stepping down from the porcelain toilet and through the swinging door of the stall.

Myrtle had settled into a seated spot atop of the taps. "Is that why you're really here? Hiding from boy problems?"

Lily's cheeks flushed. "No."

Myrtle didn't look convinced, plucking at an imaginary hangnail. "It's fine. You can tell me. I hear a lot about boy problems. Maybe I can help."

"Oh, no, that's quite alright, Myrtle. Like I said, I was just going for a late night stroll. I think all of the 6th Year homework has been getting to me."

The ghost huffed, crossing her arms. "Fine, Lily. Don't tell me. Ignore me like all the other girls do!"

"No, no!" Lily said placatingly, but it was too late. The specter flew into the air, executing a practice loop and sunk into the nearest toilet's stall. The sound of plumbing pipes rattled, signaling the girl's exit.

She fiddled with her wand, glancing back towards the door to the second floor corridor.

Inhaling deeply to steel herself, she advanced forward, taking in the view of the safe space one last time before wrenching the door open – quietly, of course – before peering out into the dark corridor for any signs of movement.

None.

She hoped James had moved back towards the main staircases, rather than the direction of the library and the staircase that would take her back to the first floor. From there, she figured she could kill time in the Trophy Room (where she'd at least have multiple options of escape).

After a brief pause by the library doors – she wondered if anyone had gone in, but after listening for a long moment, her search proved fruitless – she purposely slowed her gait, the hairs on the back of her neck raised.

She quickly slid into a nearby alcove that housed a knight's armor. And waited.

Perhaps all of her instincts and stealth skills she'd honed were slowly diminishing.

With narrowed eyes, she crept out from behind the armor, leaning around to check both ends of the corridor. Nothing.

Her knee gave a twinge and she sighed, reaching down to massage at the sore joint.

"Cesso!"

Lily gasped, rocking backwards and knocking into the armor as a brilliant set of blue sparks exploded above her. She sent a thanks to whoever placed the sticking charm on it; it merely swayed under her weight, the metal clinked loudly in the corridor as she worked to regain her composure.

He had been James's voice – she was sure of it.

Heart stuck in her throat, she waited a second, then two, before launching herself out from her hiding spot and sprinting in the opposite way his voice had sounded.

"Oi, wait," he called. "I wanted to talk about what you said earlier –"

"Cesso!" she cast wildly, throwing the spell over her shoulder.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, having successfully evaded her poorly aimed attack. "Hang on, Evans. Wait!"

"What do you want from me?" she asked in a cry.

"Why are you so insufferably stubborn?"

"I'm stubborn?" she said shrilly, whirling on him. "That's the cauldron calling the mortar black."

He dodged another spell, laughing wildly.

"You're supposed to be playing the Game!" she scolded, walking backwards to put distance between them. "Come on!"

He matched her step for step (a bit unfair when his gait was a bit longer than her own), wand at the ready but not raised. "No," he said simply. "You're going to repeat what you said, earlier."

"What?" Her footsteps faltered as she kept her eyes on him. "What do you mean?"

She was running out of corridor space; she'd need to turn and run to open the door to the staircases, or confront him.

"What you said earlier. About me asking you out."

Lily winced. "I'm sorry – I know we're friends now. You don't do it anymore for a laugh."

James shook his head, still approaching. "No," he agreed. "But what else did you say?"

Her throat was suddenly dry, making it hard to swallow. "That you – that you hadn't meant it."

His grin was rueful. "It's completely laughable that you think I hadn't ever meant it."

She frowned, taking an extra step when she realized he was now within arm's length distance. "Well, how was I to know? You made such a spectacle of it each time you asked! You were being a complete git."

He chuckled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "Absolutely fair, Evans. I was a git. A tosser. A jerk."

She narrowed her eyes in confusion.

"Especially if you thought I was just making a show of it. That's my fault for not being - what was it you said? I wasn't being honest."

Lily reluctantly grinned, recalling their previous chat about the topic. She opened her mouth to respond but –

"I've fancied you since 2nd Year, when you told me off for hexing that 4th Year Slytherin for tripping you."

"You –" she nearly stumbled back, brow still furrowed. "You made fun of me right after."

He chuckled, moving closer. "Because I'm a git," he repeated. "I've liked you ever since you helped that younger kid back in 3rd Year with Divination, even though you hated it."

For some reason, liked sounds so much more serious than fancied.

His face was so close she could feel his breath fan over her cheeks. He brought his hands up, slowly, to cup her face, the heat of her blush already settled there beneath his finger tips. "James –"

"I asked you out every time because I meant it. Because I wanted you to like me."

He bridged the gap between them, pressing his lips against her in a quick motion, a sharp kiss that sent her heartbeat skittering.

In a bit of a shock, she didn't react.

He pulled back slightly, scanning her features to determine her response.

"I –" she started, breath hitched. "I really like you, too, James."

The beatific grin that spread across his lips sent her heart soaring.

He crashed into her this time, kissing her in a way that knocked the breath straight from her lungs. She reacted as she would any offensive strike; with as much vigor and enthusiasm as he did.

He groaned into the kiss, moving one hand from her face to her back, pressing her closer.

She responded in kind, using one hand to fist into his jumper and keep him pressed against her, tilting her head to help deepen the kiss. A sound of her escaping from her throat.

"Well," Sirius's voice cut through the air like glass. "I didn't realize we were allowed to tag each other this way."

They broke apart to look at where Sirius was lounging against the corridor's wall further down.

"Unconventional, sure," James acknowledged seriously, his unkempt hair somehow wilder than she'd last remembered it. He didn't move away from her in embarrassment, instead looking down at her with a dazed expression, glasses slightly askew. "But it seems to have done the job in freezing her."

Her cheeks flamed as she gaped. "You –"

Sirius barked a laugh, pushing himself away from the wall. "I'll grant you two a time-out grace period, but Lily – I'd better see points for our team when I check in ten minutes."

James grinned. "I think she has better things to pay closer attention to."

"James," she chided, voice a bit more husky than she would have liked.

"I'm outta here," Sirius complained, turning on his heel and leaving the two alone in the corridor.

"You're insufferable."

"As I've heard innumerable times before," he murmured, already moving back into her space. "As I expect to hear a thousand times more."

"At least a million," she corrected, leaning closer, emboldened by his sincere, intent glare. She was the one to reach up and wind her fingers into his hair – incredibly soft, just as she'd expected – to pull his face back towards her own.

He moaned again, the sound doing things to her stomach. "You're incredible."

"Tell me again."

His lips had moved from her mouth to place hot kisses along her jawline, tracing the line there to behind her ear. "You're incredible."

"No, that – ah – that you fancy me."

He pulled back immediately, his hands finding her face once more to hold her steady, eyes boring into her own. "I fancy you, Lily. I like you. I like the way you protect your friends. I love the way you're unbearably stubborn. I love how focused you become when working on essays that you pay no attention to anyone else. I love the effort you put into the things you care about."

Her mouth had gone dry as he continued, searching his face for any falsity. His eyes shined brilliantly, color high on his cheeks as he continued to stare down at her earnestly.

"Even how much effort I put into this Game?" she asked, breathless.

He chuckled. "Especially how much effort you put into the Game."

"Good," she rasped, raising her to tiptoes to press another kiss to his lips. "Then you'll understand this."

His brow furrowed, but he accepted another kiss as she granted it. "Understand –?"

"Cesso," she whispered softly, pressing her wand to his shoulder.

He froze, but she could feel the heat of his gaze as she stepped away, smiling impishly as she raised a shoulder. "I'm truly sorry," she said, solemnly apologetic. "But I can't let my teammate down."

She backed away as if he would move at any moment, despite full well knowing he couldn't. "Come find me!" she called over her shoulder with a smile so wide it hurt.

She knew he'd follow.