Author's Note:
Okay so I haven't been leaving disclaimers other than on the first chapter and just to make sure it's clear, Anything and Everything Harry Potter related are solely credited to the wonderful mind of J.K. Rowling.
To those of you who have been wanting a little more romance (you know who you are ;-) ...don't you?) I want to assure you that later on this story will live up to it's M rating, however i am not the type to just dive into that without having established a firm relationship between characters. The M rating for now is due to the occasional bad language, sometimes suggestive content etc. etc... I promise though that Lily and James will eventually get to the steamy stuff, so no worries there.
I also want to put everyone at ease by saying that fairly soon our dear Miss Evans will figure out what she wants from the incredibly sexy James Potter! ...Until then i've got some actual substance to include, like Sirius' luring Snape to the Whomping Willow, James being mad at Sirius for it, Lily kissing James, etc etc...
So hopefully I've addressed most of the questions and concerns you've all put forth :) Hopefully you are all still enjoying this story as well.
Remember I LOVE reviews and I really appreciate those of you who've left them, thank you! And I have been posting updates on my profile page as to the approximate date that the next chapter will come out as well as a general summary and current title for the next chapter so feel free to check that out as well :)
Oh and lastly this is the longest chapter so far!
Anyhow, Here goes...
Chapter 11
A Slip, A Couple of Knees and a Fashion Show
"So you're telling me that after you cried all over him and poured out your feelings about your horrible ex-best-guy-friend that James just started eating melted chocolate ice-cream with you and telling you about how he knew you really well, followed by you both partaking in a food fight that you initiated?" Alice said summing up the story Lily had told her in her.
"Yea that's pretty much how it went." Lily agreed, curling her legs up a bit to make more room for Marlene to stretch out at the foot of her bed.
When she had emerged from her shower she had found her three friends waiting on her bed and Alice's, prepared to demand details from her at any cost. She had told them everything willingly; even throwing in the parts she wasn't sure she should tell them.
"So he really said, 'I can't make it better unless you tell me what's wrong?'?" Marlene said her eyes alight with interest.
"Yes."
"And he really held you until you were done crying?" Dorcas put in from the foot of Alice's bed, her face belying how perfect she thought that was.
"Yes."
"And he really threw chocolate sauce all over you?" Alice put in, earning immediate frowns from Dorcas and Marlene. "What I couldn't come up with a better and-he-really question okay." She said defensively. "Besides throwing chocolate sauce all over her is kinda kinky don't you think?"
"It was incredible the way he just picked you up and left with you like that." Dorcas smiled ignoring Alice, her voice going dreamy.
"I agree." Marlene nodded. "It was very…" she paused searching for the right word. "…masculine."
"Yes, masculine." Dorcas nodded. "And so gallant."
"I can't believe I missed it." Alice grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest huffily.
"I'm glad you did. I was a complete idiot. I turned into a watering pot in front of his mother for Merlin's sake!" Lily groaned.
"Oh please they understood completely. In fact I'm almost certain I caught his parents exchanging a pleased look when he left with you." Dorcas reassured.
"It doesn't change the fact that it was embarrassing. I don't typically just go to pieces like that." Lily shook her head thinking back on it.
"Well I for one think this is a very good sign." Alice stated, accepting the newest copy of Witch Weekly from Dorcas and paging through it starting with the end.
"What do you mean?"
Alice looked at Lily seriously. "I mean, I think that James has more than proved he has changed, not to mention the fact that you and he are apparently now close enough for you to share your personal feelings with him. I think that this is a good sign that you might begin to see him in a new way. Afterall, we all know he's over the moon for you."
Lily suddenly felt worried.
"But…I'm not ready for that." She protested her stomach doing an odd sort of turnover at the idea of things progressing between her and James. "I can't think of him like that yet. I mean, we are friends. Good friends? Sure. But still just friends."
"Don't have a panic attack Lils. I'm just saying that you are making strides with him is all." Alice shrugged.
Lily stood suddenly pacing to the foot of Alice's bed and grabbing hold of the post.
"But I…what if he…we just can't. It isn't supposed to be like that. I'm not supposed to just up and like him all of a sudden and then bang! we are together. It should take more time, right?…Merlin what am I saying? Of course it should. I mean just a little while a go I was nearly convinced I'd made a mistake with him and a little before that I didn't even like him. I'm not even sure I do like him. Not like that anyway. Things are good between us. He's nice to me and he…he's there when I need him. We're friends. Friends." Lily looked up feeling panicked. "Right?"
Dorcas reached out from where she sat at the foot of Alice's bed and patted Lily's arm.
"Of course that's what you are. James is happy with that too. He isn't expecting you to just up and start liking him because you two are becoming closer. He's just doing his best to be himself and to behave and to let you get to know him more is all. I don't think you should jump to conclusions here Lil."
Lily nodded but she couldn't calm the unease that was starting to creep up.
"I just don't think I can be what he wants right now." She stated firmly. "I'm his friend and for now that's got to be enough."
"Are you always this panicky when you realize that a guy truly likes you?" Marlene questioned eyeing Lily with interest.
Lily frowned, "I have no idea. Other than James…and I guess Sev, I've never really had anyone like me."
Her friends all began laughing.
"You can't be serious?" Dorcas chuckled. "What the hell did you think Lucas Anderson was all about in fourth year? He wasn't just popping up out of the woodwork for no reason."
"Lucas? That sixth year? But he never mentioned anything to me?"
"That's because the Marauders ran him off after you didn't immediately show an interest." Dorcas explained.
"Oh remember when James hexed Sebastian Hallworth for telling everyone he was going to ask Lily to Hogsmeade." Marlene giggled.
"What? He did that?" Lily cried outraged. "But how come I never knew."
Alice sighed. "Lils you've never been one to pay a whole lot of attention to the opposite sex. It's not a big surprise when you didn't notice that guys liked you. They were usually either put off by your friendship with that Slytherin or persuaded to change their mind by James before you could really catch on to their interest."
Lily shook her head in wonder.
"Well anyway, either way I've never really had to entertain the idea that a guy really likes me, other than the whole thing with Sev and like I said it was just never a mutual thing."
"But with James it might be?" Alice pressed her eyes darting up from her magazine.
"I don't know. Not yet." Lily insisted fervently, hugging Alice's bedpost harder as if by gripping it she could make the strange sensations brought on by thinking about James in a romantic way disappear.
She waited a second before saying softly.
"I sort of invited him to go to Hogsmeade with me next week."
She closed her eyes as her friends all made various noises of excitement.
"That's great." Marlene finally said. "I'm sure you guys will have a great time."
Lily bit her lip unsure of whether to go on. "It's not a date or anything…but it's sort of also his birthday the next day."
"Oh Merlin you're right." Alice gasped. "It's the twenty-seventh isn't it?"
"I'm not sure about whether it's a good idea now." Lily said eyeing Alice's bedpost.
When her friends didn't immediately respond Lily looked up to see they were all sporting similar smiles of mischief.
"Lily dearest, we think that this is a very good idea." Alice said gleefully, tossing her Witch Weekly onto the floor and moving to Lily's trunk where she started digging around.
"What are you doing?" Lily questioned as Dorcas and Marlene got up to look over Alice's shoulder as she searched.
"Picking out your outfit." They all said in unison.
Lily groaned and flopped back onto Alice's bed exhaustedly.
"I knew this was a bad idea." She grumbled.
****
"So where to today then?" Lily excitedly asked the group at large.
They were making their way to Hogsmeade and were coming up on the bridge over the river that fed the lake.
James grinned at her enthusiasm. With classes and such lately they had all needed a break and everyone had been glad for the distraction that going to Hogsmeade provided.
"I think Moony and I are off to Zonko's." Sirius grinned rubbing his hands together conspiratorially. "There's a big box of Fillibuster's just calling my name."
"Well I think I'm going to hit up Scrivenshaft's," Marlene put in. "I've needed some new quills for ages."
"Well I'm in serious need of a Butterbeer," Lily informed, her smile still stretching wide. "So as long as Mr. Potter here is willing, I'm thinking we're headed to the Three Broomsticks."
Sirius chuckled suddenly and pointed to the couple walking ahead of everyone.
"A Galleon says Prewett and Longbottom are headed for Madam Puddifoot's."
James looked ahead to where Frank and Alice were attempting to walk and snog at the same time. He chuckled then looked to Lily.
"The Three Broomsticks is fine with me." He told her grinning as they stepped onto the bridge. "There's enough wind today that I'm feeling a bit chilly anyhow, so a Butterbeer sounds great."
She smiled and opened her mouth to say something when she suddenly slipped on a wet spot and began to fall. James reached out and caught her pulling her to his chest, but he was unable to keep them both upright and he ended up landing on his back with her on top of him, his head hitting the bridge with a thwack.
"Oh Merlin, I'm sorry James. Are you alright?"
James looked up at her and grinned. She was just so beautiful. Despite the pain in his head he felt great. Lily Evans was lying atop him and her worried gaze was pinning him to the ground.
She reached out to feel the back of his skull gently.
"Oooh! Ouch, there's a nasty bump forming there." She informed him, her eyes going soft in sympathy. "I'll fix it if you like."
James nodded, his vocal chords temporarily abandoning him. His eyes closed of their own accord as her hand swept through his hair.
Oh sweet Merlin that feels good.
He choked on the groan that threatened to escape as she played with his hair absentmindedly.
"Thankyou for catching me James," She said softly.
His eyes flew open and his gaze locked with hers. He suddenly felt hot all over and he was even more aware of every inch of her body that was pressed up against his.
"Anytime." He replied as evenly as he could manage.
Her eyes remained locked on his and his arms remained wrapped around her. She had one hand still fixed in his hair while the other lay pressed against his chest.
James knew he only had a matter of seconds before she realized the position that they were in and he was secretly drinking in every moment of having her in his arms. Their gazes were still locked and so he was able to see the change in her emotions.
Her eyes that had been sympathetic before, had switched to grateful as she'd thanked him and were now shifting into something that looked almost like…desire? No. It couldn't be. She wouldn't…but she was. He gasped in surprise as he realized that Lily was looking at him as if she wanted him. As if she were just as pleased by their present arrangement as he was. The emerald green depths were dark and hot and her bottom lip had found its way between her teeth in a gesture that was so bloody seductive he could barely stand it.
James realized he was breathing deeply but he didn't care. He was nearly panting with the effort it was costing him to keep himself from both making noise or moving in fear of her looking away.
Suddenly he saw her eyes shift once more. From the hot desire of a moment before to…damn…confusion and something very akin to fear.
James sighed as Lily began to scramble up and off of him. He groaned when her knee grazed a rather sensitive, and somewhat swollen, spot as she stood.
"Oh! Merlin I'm sorry James." She breathed covering her mouth in shock. "I…"
James shook his head and turned, rolling over so that he could more easily push himself to a standing position.
"It's fine. I'm fine." He breathed looking down at his shoes.
"Do you want me to fix the swelling now?" Lily asked shyly.
James sighed. If only it were that easy.
*****
Lily was mortified. She'd not only stayed on top of him for who knows how long but she'd then proceeded to run her fingers through his hair and…
No. She refused to admit that she'd thought about that. She had just been overly grateful is all, she hadn't truly entertained thoughts about her and him and…
She stifled a groan; at least they were walking toward the village once more. After she had patched up his head and had apologized yet again for kneeing him somewhat in a rather uncomfortable place, they'd turned to find their group of friends waiting for them on the other side of the bridge, each one of them wearing an expression of extreme amusement and intrigue.
She had been more than a little thankful when they'd gotten moving and upon Sirius opening his mouth, most likely to make some teasing comment or another, James had growled out a commanding, "Don't."
Sirius had from then on worn a completely knowing expression but had graciously refrained from commenting.
Marlene on the other hand had laughed and said softly in Lily's ear, "You looked like you were enjoying yourself."
In response to which Lily had only managed to flush and stammer before Marlene began laughing again.
"So do you still want to go to the Three Broomsticks?" James asked her suddenly.
Lily started. "What?"
"The Three Broomsticks," He reapeated, "Do you still want to go?"
"Oh..um.." Lily looked around uncertainly. They had reached the village, Alice and Marlene were heading to Scrivenshaft's, Sirius, Remus and Peter were loping off in the direction of Zonko's and Alice and Frank were already no where to be seen.
She suddenly found that she didn't want to be alone with James. Not at all. Yet, it wasn't as if she could just suddenly up and suggest they spend the day trailing along in either his friends, or her friends wake. And she certainly didn't want to go find Alice and Frank as that would make it seem like some sort of double date and…She sighed knowing her only option was staring her in the face.
"Sure." She said. "Sounds good."
James grinned and they fell into step next to each other as they headed toward that end of High Street.
Lily found that her hand was incredibly close to his as they walked and she had the oddest urge to reach out and take it… She crossed her arms over her chest and James quirked an eyebrow at her.
"You cold?"
"Just a little…" She lied. "The wind you know."
"Well we're almost there...I could give you my jacket…"
"No!" She bit out instantly, aware that it would probably smell like him and she didn't know how her traitorous senses would react to that at all. "I mean that's okay. It's just up ahead."
James nodded and quickened their pace a little and Lily couldn't help but smile as she knew it was for her benefit. He opened the door for her and then helped her to remove her jacket. He'd done it tons of times before yet, she couldn't keep the shiver from running down her back as he did so this time.
He grabbed her hand and she gasped lightly.
"Come on there's a booth over there." He said beginning to tug her toward it.
She bit her lip as her mind registered that her hand felt rather good within his. She pondered briefly what else might feel good between them and…
Shit, it was going to be a long day.
*****
Lily was well aware that she had been acting strangely all day. After a lot of one sided conversation on James' part while they were in the Three Broomsticks they headed off to Honeydukes. While there Lily couldn't seem to keep images of her and James feeding each other chocolate out of her head, despite how ridiculously cliché that was. She knew he noticed her behavior from the start but he didn't comment on it, even when she only bought a box of Chocolate Frogs and a few Witches Delights. In contrast he bought double what he usually did and quirked an eyebrow at her as if daring her to comment on it.
From there they went to Zonko's where she was able to relax a bit since Sirius and Remus were still inside, who knew where Peter had run off to, and James was busy talking with them in the back of the shop for a time.
She made her way over to a large display of some sort of slime that slithered and hid behind it her back to the door of the establishment. Her stomach had been out of sorts all day. Every time James smiled at her or laughed at something it had done flips. Peeking out from behind the display at him she got near instant butterflies. He was just so bloody handsome. How had she ignored it for so long? She ducked back behind the display feeling annoyed.
Stupid Alice and her stupid comments, this was all her fault. If she hadn't mentioned the fact that the way was practically paved for Lily and James to start dating she would never have started feeling like this… or would she?
She couldn't deny that things had been moving along steadily between her and James for quite some time and that she had already re-shaped her entire opinion of him. Yet she held back from any thoughts of him and her being together because it just seemed too fast. She had only been on good terms with him for around nine months or so, and they had only been back at school for almost seven…ugh! Who was she kidding, that was long enough.
Time had nothing to do with her not wanting to think about him that way.
She nearly jumped a foot in the air when she felt a tap on her shoulder.
"Um… sorry I didn't mean to startle you, though I do tend to have that effect on females."
Lily had turned about to find herself staring at Gilderoy Lockhart. She knew little about him other than that he was in her year and rumored to be somewhat of a ladies man around Hogwarts, thanks mostly to his good looks. Alice had once told her that there was nothing behind his pretty face and that she didn't know how on earth the boy had become a Ravenclaw. Lily soon found herself agreeing with her friend.
The boy in front of her was dressed rather flamboyantly in expensive looking robes with a lot of embellishment. He was average in height and build but he did possess a rather handsome face. His eyes were blue and his teeth were attractively white and strait.
"I'm sorry I startled you Lily. It is okay if I call you Lily?"
She opened her mouth to answer but he didn't give her the time.
"I'm Gilderoy Lockhart, though you probably knew that already. What am I saying? Of course you did, most girls do. I'm the seeker for the Ravenclaw team you know?"
Lily stared at him for a moment in utter confusion.
"Um yes I've uh, seen you around."
"Naturally." He said winking and flashing her that brilliantly white smile. "So Lily, I was wondering if you'd like to head over to Madam Puddifoot's with me?"
"Actually I…" Lily began looking for James, suddenly cursing herself for hiding behind such a large display case.
"Of course I don't mind what you're wearing at all. If you have the misfortune of only owning muggle clothes I'm not one to look down on you for that. Though we could stop by Gladrags on the way if you'd like to shop a bit."
Lily looked at him in open mouthed shock, "Excuse me? I don't…"
"It's perfectly alright to feel somewhat nervous you know. I usually am a tad bit on first dates as well." He said reaching out and grabbing her hand so that he could pat it softly. "But it's quite alright, afterall we've been admiring each other for awhile now. I mean we are practically an item as it is."
She frowned at him suddenly very aware of what it was like to try and converse with a lunatic.
"Your off your rocker if you think that we…"
Suddenly he placed a finger over her lips and made a dramatic shushing sound.
"Don't speak. It's not necessary. I already know what you want…"
"I don't think s…"
Suddenly he had grabbed the back of her head and was leaning down rather slowly and dramatically as if to kiss her. His eyes were closed and Lily was stunned. Her second real kiss and it was going to come from a stuck up, irrational, narcissistic lunatic... Not fucking likely.
She struggled slightly trying to get him to loosen his grip on the back of her head to no avail. That's when suddenly her morning accident with James came to mind.
Without giving it much thought she placed her hands on his ribs and jerked her knee up quickly, hitting home. He dropped instantly. His anguished groan filled the shop and Lily found herself blushing madly as all eyes were suddenly on them.
James, Sirius and Remus rounded the corner to find her standing next to a red faced and moaning Gilderoy.
"What happened here?" James asked worriedly.
Lily flushed even deeper and began to shift her weight from foot to foot.
"He believed we were very nearly an item and I relieved him of his false assumption." She replied as evenly as she could.
Gilderoy began coughing violently, his face turning a violent shade of scarlett, and Lily shot him a mildly apologetic but mostly annoyed look. He groaned and rolled onto his back still cupping himself.
"Shit Evans!" Sirius exclaimed suddenly. "Did you…"
"Well obviously." She replied irritably. The whole day was beginning to wear on her and she was suddenly rather defensive. She turned about and began marching toward the door and the three boys followed quickly in her wake.
"I wouldn't have pegged you as the sort to knee a fellow where it hurts Lily-flower. Much less to do so twice in one day." Sirius teased as they began walking up the street.
"The first time was an accident and it barely grazed him and you know it!" Lily informed him her eyes on her destination of the Three Broomsticks. "And as for that…" She stopped suddenly to turn and point at Zonko's and the three boys were forced to halt next to her. "I wasn't about to let some snobby, narcissist who apparently lives in a fantasy world kiss me without my consent, just because in his mixed-up reality we've liked each other for ages, especially not when I've only allowed one normal fellow to kiss me in my entire life!"
She was breathing hard when she was through and it took her a long moment to realize what she'd said.
"Oh Merlin," She gasped in a weak voice burying her face in her hands. She would not, could not, look at James.
She was surprised when she was enveloped in a strong embrace and she peeked between her fingers to see Sirius.
"Come on miss I've only ever kissed one bloke in my life. Let's get a Butterbeer. You look like you need one." He chuckled keeping his arm around her as he steered her away.
"Don't tease me." She said whacking him softly on the stomach.
"I'm not going to." He replied grinning. "Though, I will say that I'm rather impressed with your track record. I would have assumed you'd kissed at least five guys. Afterall we've been chasing them away by the cauldron-load for years."
Lily smiled softly. "Yeah well your efforts worked out better than expected. I never even knew any of those guys liked me until my friends told me a few days ago."
"For real?" Sirius grinned pushing the door to the Three Broomsticks open and leading her in. As he helped her remove her coat he said, "If James had known that maybe he wouldn't have lost so much sleep over the years."
Lily smiled but inside she was reeling. How come it seemed like everything always came back to her and James?
****
James stood outside still motionless and in shock watching as Lily disappeared into the pub with Sirius. Once they were out of sight he grabbed Remus and said breathlessly.
"Do you have any idea what this means?"
Remus grinned.
"I have no idea Prongs." He replied as James' grip on his shoulder became tighter.
"She's only ever kissed one guy Moony. Just one!" James said enthusiastically. "I can't believe it! Just one bloody guy…"
"Is there a reason that Lily only kissing one guy is significant to you, other than the obvious reason being that you're pleased you only have to murder one bloke?" Remus quipped lightly.
"Oh there won't be any murdering mate because if she's only kissed one bloke…just one in her whole life…if that's true, then Lily Evans has only ever kissed me!"
****
That evening at dinner James knew Lily was still feeling strangely, whether about that morning or about what she'd said he didn't know…perhaps is was both. She was uncharacteristically quiet and had refused to meet his eyes for the rest of the day after her slip-up. He kicked her foot with his from where she sat across from him.
She turned to him startled, before she blushed and looked away once more. James sighed and knocked her foot again. He watched as she fought some sort of internal battle before turning to look at him.
He smiled softly at her before mouthing silently, "I'm sorry."
She frowned at him looking to her right where the rest of their friends were talking animatedly before mouthing back, "For what?"
James bit his lip and shook his head. He pointed toward the doors to the Great Hall and Lily nodded but pointed to her food. James smiled, she wanted to finish her food first.
Once they were both done eating they got up and left together. Once outside the doors to the Great Hall James said sincerely,
"I'm sorry if I've made you feel weird today."
Lily sighed and replied seriously, "You haven't I promise."
"Then I'm sorry I took your first kiss…even if it was unknowingly."
He didn't look at her after he said it, he knew she was flushed with embarrassment.
"It's alright James." She said finally her voice soft. "In a way I'm…sort of glad it was you."
He nodded and did his best to keep the smile off of his face, while inside he was rejoicing.
"I'm glad it was me too." He said arrogantly, puffing out his chest, knowing it would cause her to react.
"Of course you are." She replied laughing softly.
She paused for a moment as if debating with herself as to whether or not to continue.
"I probably shouldn't say this, but as far as first kisses go…it was pretty amazing."
James smiled outright and put his arm about her shoulders.
"You know Lily, us being friends is wonderful for my ego."
She smiled softly and just shook her head at him.
"So are you looking forward to your birthday tomorrow?" She asked genuinely.
James grinned, "Yup. Then we'll be the same age again. It's weird you being older than me."
"I've never really thought about it before." She replied then added impishly. "I think you're going to like your present from me."
"What is it?" James questioned knowing it was a futile to try and get her to tell him.
"I'm not telling. You're just gonna have to wait until tomorrow."
"I'm sure I'll love it." He said seriously.
They didn't say anything more and when they got back to the common room James told her goodnight and she did the same to him but he was thankful at least that she already seemed more relaxed with him in general.
****
James was awakened the next morning as he was pretty much every year on his birthday, with Sirius shouting at him at the crack of dawn.
"Wake up Prongsie! You've got presents!" He bellowed jumping up and down on James' bed.
Remus groaned, "What happened to us jinxing him to stick to his bed in the middle of the night so he couldn't do this this year?"
James chuckled, still being bounced up and down by Sirius, "I guess we forgot."
"How does he get up and get dressed without any of us waking up all the time?" Peter put in as he slipped from his four-poster and came to stand next to James'.
"I have no idea." James chuckled and reaching up suddenly grabbed Sirius by his legs causing him to lay flat on the bed. "Are you going to let me open my presents or not?"
"I sure am." Sirius grinned cheekily. "One of them smells amazing! I'm guessing it's from Evans."
Two spots of color appeared high on James' cheeks but he just shook his head and reached for the pile of gifts at the foot of his bed.
He was stunned to find Remus, Peter and Sirius had gone in together to get him the expensive shin guards that he hadn't gotten for Christmas. Surprisingly Dorcas, Marlene and Alice had all gone in as well and given him a jumble of things ranging from a book called The Trickster's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem, a broomstick maintenance kit, and a box of Chocolate Frogs. His parents had sent him the traditional coming of age wizard's gift of a watch, that judging from the looks of they had spent a long time adding things to and designing.
The last box was of medium size and was wrapped up in shiny red paper and tied with Gold ribbon. James knew before opening it that it was from Lily, and for some reason it did smell amazing, because it smelled like her. Inside he found something he hadn't expected.
Picking up the folded note that had been placed inside he read,
James,
Happy Seventeenth!
I hope you like this. I couldn't really think of what to get you that you didn't already have and when I did come up with ideas Alice, Marlene and Dorcas stole them (hence their gift being a collection of things). So the only thing I could think of was this.
They are all my favorites, plus some that I thought you would like. I know you might not have a way of listening to them here but don't worry, I've got that all figured out as well, because when you are done going through this part of your present the other half is sitting in the common room.
Yours,
Lily
"Oooh Prongs. Look, she gave you muggle things." Sirius chortled excitedly pulling the different items from the box.
All in all she had given him around fifteen records from varying muggle artists. He was grinning by the time he'd gotten to the end.
"I've got a player for my wizarding albums back home but…I've never really thought to look into muggle music." He was somewhat surprised at himself for not having thought to broaden his horizons sooner.
"So let's see we've got more than one album from the Beatles. We have the Rolling Stones, Credence Clearwater Revival, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin …" Sirius said going through them enthusiastically.
"How much are you willing to bet that downstairs she's got a muggle record player charmed to work within Hogwarts." Remus put in grinning impishly.
James smiled widened as he jumped off his bed, Sirius right on his heels and dashed out the door and down the stairs. Sure enough sitting on one of the tables near the fire was a record player with a red bow stuck to it and a card that read Property of James Potter, Hands Off!
Sirius was rubbing his hands together in excitement as James picked it up and carted it up the stairs.
"So what are we going to listen to first?" Remus asked rifling through James' new albums.
"Well lets go with….this one!" Sirius snatched one off the bed and rushed to where James was setting up the record player on the floor.
"She left a card for instructions in case I'd never used one before but these are pretty similar to the wizarding ones, except that they don't change the record themselves or automatically start over when the record is through," James explained taking the record from Sirius, who had removed it from it's case, and putting it in place.
James grinned as the first lines to Credence Clearwater Revivals 'Fortunate Son' began to fill their dorm. He was really going to have to thank Lily for her gift.
****
Lily woke to the sounds of Aerosmith's 'Walk This Way' and she looked around confused. It took her a moment to realize she was in fact still at Hogwarts and not at home having left her record player running.
She grinned when she realized it must be James. She looked at her bedside clock and saw that it was only seven fifteen. She jumped up and rushed to the door of the girls' dormitory and flinging it open found the noise wasn't coming from the common room as she had thought, but was in fact being blasted from the sixth year boys' dorm so loudly that it filled the whole of Gryffindor Tower.
She shook her head, grinning madly, and made her way down the girls' staircase and headed toward James' dormitory. As she approached she realized there was a crowd of boys gathered in the doorway to James' room. She pushed through them and finally emerged in the midst of James, Sirius, Remus and Peter showing off their new item to Gideon, Frank and the other seventh year boys.
The music was so loud she wasn't sure how they could even hear each other talking over it and putting her hands over her ears she waited for someone to notice her standing there.
After a moment or two Sirius turned, seemingly to address the boys gathered at the door, and his mouth fell open upon seeing Lily. She grinned at him, her hands still covering her ears, thinking he was shocked to see her in the boys' dorm.
His mouth still open he backed up silently until he was next to James. Reaching out blindly his eyes still on Lily he grabbed ahold of James robes and pulled on him. James turned looking at him curiously before he turned and caught sight of what Sirius was looking at.
His jaw dropped and so did the record he was holding, it landed awkwardly on its side and rolled across the floor before landing flat a few feet from where Lily stood. Suddenly the music was turned down to a tolerable level.
Lily looked to Remus who was grinning impishly and smiled at him thankfully.
"Good morning." She said turning her smile to James and Sirius.
"Fuck yea it is." Sirius said throatily. James merely continued to stare at her as if he couldn't quite register that she was real.
"Um…" she began feeling nervous under their scrutiny, "You know I could hear that all the way in the sixth year girls' dorm?"
She moved forward when they didn't react and bent over to retrieve the record. A few odd groaning noises reached her ears and Lily frowned, standing up again and tossing her hair over her shoulder to look at the crowd in the doorway.
It took James a moment to react before suddenly he was striding to the door and saying irritatedly.
"Shows over, get the hell out!" He forcibly shoved a few younger students out of his dorm before slamming the door in their faces. He leaned his forehead against the wood for a moment before turning around and looking at Lily oddly.
"So I take it you liked your present?" She said feeling incredibly nervous now that James was staring at her with an intensity the likes of she'd never seen.
He opened his mouth to answer when Sirius said suddenly,
"For the love of Helga Hufflepuff Evans is that what you always sleep in?"
Lily turned and looked at him oddly not understanding before looking down at her attire and blushing madly. She hadn't thought about her clothes when she had woken up because she was too excited about talking with James about his present. Looking down she realized she was clad in only her tiny black satin shorts, that could nearly be considered underwear, and a skimpy white tank-top that was somewhat sheer. She instantly crossed her arms over her chest.
Sirius' eyes widened slightly with her movements and he cleared his throat. He looked to Remus who was digging around in James' trunk as if he were a safe haven of some sort. Lily refused to look at Peter who it appeared was fervently ogling her chest.
Lily wanted to hug Remus when he emerged with one of James' quidditch shirts. He tossed it to her and Lily pulled it over her head with a quickness she didn't know she possessed. The shirt reached her thighs below her shorts and she couldn't help but grin a little despite her embarrassment.
"So anyway I think I'll just come back later." She said biting her lip. "You know…when I'm properly dressed and all that." She nodded firmly as if answering her own question and turned to make her way out of the dorm and her eyes met James.
He looked like he was being put through torture and rapture simultaneously as he stared at her, his back still planted against the door. His eyes were dark and smoldering hotly and Lily had to swallow the very feminine gasp that threatened to escape her at the sight of him.
"I…" She began tentatively unsure of what to say or how to say it.
James merely nodded. His Adam's apple bobbing enticingly as he swallowed.
Get a freaking hold on yourself Lily, she internally scolded, Adam's apple's aren't enticing!
She moved forward and James stiffly pulled the door open for her, thankfully the crowd outside it had cleared off. As she passed by him she paused and their eyes met.
It was only a second of shared intensity but it was there just the same. In that one swift look Lily found her stomach turning and her instincts railing at her to go into his arms and let things happen as they would. It was as if all of her senses were reaching out to him, begging her to let him touch her. The emotions of the day before had returned full force sending her stomach into a frenzy of knots and loops and whooshes. Her mind reeled at the thought that she was reacting to James in a sexual way…because there was no doubt about it, the look he was giving her was sexual to its core.
She jerked her eyes away and rushed out the door. Moving swiftly she made it to her dormitory and flew into the bathroom. She quickly turned on the shower and stripping down she moved under the warm spray.
I do not want James Potter. I do not want James Potter. I do not WANT James Potter.
Over and over again as her heart thudded and her breathing remained rapid she tried to convince herself that what she was telling herself was fact and not wishful thinking.
Lily found herself sliding to the floor as she realized with shocking clarity, that for the first time in her life she was lying to herself.
****
James closed the door with a soft snap before turning and sinking down to the floor to lean back against it.
"Prongs mate," Sirius began sounding floored, "If I ever questioned your taste in women, I firmly and wholeheartedly withdraw my doubts."
James closed his eyes and put his head in his hands. He didn't need his best friend to tell him that she was flawlessly perfect, he had known that already. The problem was he had just had her stunning perfection flaunted in front of him and he was staggering with how it had made him feel.
Merlin he'd wanted her. When he'd turned around to see her standing there in less clothes than he'd ever seen her wear in his life, with her hair sexily disheveled and her grin in place, he'd felt like the floor had been pulled out from underneath him. He had wanted to rush to her and pull her into his arms and do things to her that were frowned upon in polite society...and some were probably illegal. She had just looked so bloody sexy, how could anyone blame him for feeling shocked out of his mind.
He'd sighed. He hadn't said a word to her. Remus had been the only one in the room who had kept his cool and James owed him big time. If it had been up to him to do something he probably would have found himself in deep shit for trying something inappropriate.
He stood shakily, still half aroused at the thought of her.
"I'm going to take another shower." He supplied moving toward the bathroom and not looking at any of his friends.
"I don't blame you mate." Sirius said sympathetically as he disappeared from view.
Gideon chuckled at the exchange and then said smiling cheekily.
"You know if he ever does manage to get with Evans I'll count him as one of the luckiest blokes in history."
****