Smiles

The train pulled into Hogsmeade station amongst pouring rain. Fog and rain, James didn't expect anything else from Hogwarts, it would be a disappointment.

Everyone began to get off the train, eager for the start of term feast, but James didn't move. He had to stay on the train to oversee the unloading of luggage with the prefects and Lily, not that he was complaining about spending time with Lily, but couldn't they do it somewhere warm? He glanced across the compartment to see Lily curled up on the seat with a book beside her, sound asleep.

James stood up and crossed the compartment to her side. He placed a hand on her cheek and spoke softly into her ear, "Lils, its time to go, we're at Hogwarts now." Lily gave a kind of sleepy moan and tried to rollover and go back to sleep. "Lily," said James, "Lily." James shook his head, smiling, she must have been tired. He put his hand on her knee and whispered into her ear, "Lily, I'm going to inch my hand up your thigh until you are awake enough to tell me to stop."

He got about three inches up her skirt before she shook herself awake enough to yell, "James! I'm awake, I'm awake." He took his hand off her thigh, laughing like crazy.

"Its not funny," she said, smiling. And it was true, she thought to herself, it wasn't funny. It may have been nice, and pleasant, and breathtaking, and amazing, and very near orgasmic, no, he would have had to go a little further for that—Damn, why didn't he go a little further—No, why did I think that?—Isn't it obvious?—But I don't want that—part of you does—Yes, but NO! Needless to say, Lily was a tad confused at that moment, but she was quick to cover it up with a cough.

"Are you okay?" asked James. "Do you need some water or something?" Lily shook her head and James shrugged. That was a particularly odd reaction, thought James, he had either expected her to swoon or to hit him, coughing wasn't exactly one of the choices.

The pair finished getting their things in order and went outside of the train to supervise the unloading of the trunks. Lily stepped outside of the door first and immediately began to get wet. James smiled to himself and conjured a bright purple umbrella; he plucked it out of the air and pulled Lily into his arms. "What?" gasped Lily. James just looked up towards the umbrella and gave her a wry grin. "Oh," replied Lily, "Well, thank you."

"No worries," whispered James.

The station was a riot of activity with prefects running all about, getting in the way more than anything, acting officious, and a large number of house elves who were levitating the student's things onto large carts to be towed up to the school. "Hey, prefects, over here!" yelled James, and the teenagers scurried over to him. "Give the house elves a rest, they know what they are doing. You are here to supervise, nothing else."

"How can they know what they're doing, they're servants," drawled a Slytherin from the back of the crowd.

"No," responded James, "they are not your servants. The house elves are employees of Hogwarts and I would hope that you would show them some respect. They have done this before and will be doing this long after you graduate, so do not speak to them as if they were inferior."

"But they are," said the Slytherin.

"Well, if you think that," said James with a grin, "than I'm sure that you think that you could do without them."

"Of course," responded the Slytherin promptly.

"Well then," said James, "I think that it would be fitting if you learned what you are talking about. Therefore, you will not have access to the services of the House Elves for the next two weeks. Does that sound good Lily?"

"Fine," said Lily coolly.

"No problem," said the Slytherin.

"So feel free to wash your clothes, cook your food, and clean your dormitory yourself," said James.

"Fine."

"Without Magic."

"WHAT!" yelled the Slytherin. "But house elves get to use Magic."

"Yes, but house elves are also polite and courteous. You are not, so I figured that I needed to balance out the playing field." The Slytherin glared at him but James just shrugged it off.

"Can I talk to you for a minute James?" asked Lily.

"Sure," said James.

"Privately."

"Oh," said James, and he followed Lily back into the train and into one of the compartments. "You do realize that people are going to talk, after all, it was kinda obvious that you just wanted me alone so…"

Lily smacked him. "Why did you do that?" Lily hissed.

"I sure as hell do not tolerate intolerance, from anyone, especially a prefect. I thought that the prefects were supposed to be a little more above that kind of thing, a little more enlightened, a little less like the general population. Why did you hit me?"

"Are you sure that it wasn't because he is a Slytherin!"

"Yes!"

"James!"

"Yes," he said softer. "Lily, trust me, please," he whispered.

"I do," she said, looking into his eyes. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, "I shouldn't have…"

"No worries," said James, pulling her into a hug. She smiled into his shoulder as he held her. "No worries," said James again in an almost silent whisper. He tucked her head underneath his chin and smiled.