Author's Note:
Hey to everyone! I'm very sorry the update was so long in between chapters, I did have a lovely 4 year anniversary with my boyfriend however and afterwards a not so lovely bout of being swamped with schoolwork, but hopefully this one makes up for the wait :) I like this chapter just for it's rather random necessity!
I want to thank all of you who reviewed chapter 20: Igneous Pride, ElvesWizardsCentaursOhmy, Moon-Lover1994, darkdaydarkernight, Meisterburger, Jasu, lilyandjames2790, scriptor90, I-lay-forever-wit-Fred-Weasley, BrokenFaerie16, and my ever faithful The DA is dressed to the nines! I know I don't always recognize everyone like I should but I want you to know I read all your reviews (and those of everyone who has ever reviewed a chapter before) and I love hearing from you! So thankyou so much!
And to twilightaddict323 thankyou for the whopping, i believe it was, 16 Reviews you left me as you got caught up with this story! They were fun to read!
Well this chapter deals a little closer with our lovely M content. The beginning is a scene I've had playing in my head ever since I watched the movie The Proposal (Disclaimer: No infringement intended) and the rest of it is the fallout along with Lily's conversation with Snape...the whole sisterly news stuff has been moved to the next chapter...
So here goes...
Chapter 21
A COUPLE OF SMACKS AND A MOMENT IN TIME
Lily sighed as she let the hot water run over her skin. She didn't know what it was about taking a shower that she loved so much but once she was under the hot spray she had to force herself to not just stand there and relax until she was a ball of mush.
She smiled as she thought about the events of the past two weeks. Since the Hogsmeade weekend Lily had been having James fill her in on what he knew of the world outside of Hogwarts. She had listened quietly while he told her all about what the Aurors were doing and what they knew of Voldemort and his followers.
It had amazed her to discover that whole other side of James. She now knew that behind the carefree teenager there was a determined young man who was prepared to do whatever it took to stand up for his beliefs. It wasn't that she hadn't known that James wanted to do all that he could to help end the war, she just hadn't realized the extent to which he had gone to keep her and the rest of their friends from realizing just how much he knew about the awful things that were going on.
A few days after they'd gone to Hogsmeade Lily had been startled, as she headed from the Head's common room to lunch, when she'd overheard a few Ravenclaw girls laughing over an incident they'd witnessed involving the Slytherins.
"I couldn't believe it when I saw their faces. I mean it looked like someone had beaten them up. Leave it to the Marauders to come up with something that ingenious." One girl had exclaimed.
"How do you know it was them though? I heard they didn't know who had done it for sure." Another had asked curiously.
"Who else would be smart enough to come up with a spell that basically punches you every time you say something derogatory about Muggleborns?" The first had laughed, shaking her head at the genius of it.
Lily had rushed toward the Great Hall to find James, who had been spending the morning with his mates. She was coming down the main staircase when she saw him in the entrance hall.
"James!" She'd called.
He'd turned to her a huge smiled lighting up his face. Then he'd been stunned when she'd thrown herself into his arms and said breathlessly, "You are incredibly sweet!" before she'd kissed him. Thanking him passionately for caring enough about her to punish the people who'd hurt her feelings.
She smiled at the memory, her body tingling like it always did when she thought of James, as she finished washing the soap from her body. She reluctantly turned off the shower and reached around the curtain for a towel. She frowned. Where had she left it?
James sighed as he made his way across the common room and dropped his broomstick onto the floor in his room along with the rest of his quidditch gear. It had been a grueling practice. After they'd barely scraped by in their win against Ravenclaw he'd decided that he hadn't been doing enough as captain to prepare his team. He wasn't going to have a repeat experience against Hufflepuff come January, so he'd already begun pushing them harder.
He groaned tiredly as he pulled his shirt up and over his head and then removed his boots, pants and boxers. He grabbed his towel from the top of his dresser and wrapped it loosely about his hips. He couldn't wait to scrub away all the dirt and then go see Lily. He figured she was probably hanging out with her friends waiting for him to get done so that they could spend a few hours together. He smiled at the thought of her, already looking forward to when he could hold her again.
He was almost to the bathroom door when it suddenly burst open and a figure came streaking out smacking into his chest and sending him sprawling to the floor.
It took him a moment to realize that he was staring at his girlfriend and that she was…
"You're naked!" He screeched in shock.
"What the…James!" Lily screeched back.
"Why are you naked? And wet!" He yowled trying to figure out what to do, while at the same time trying not to look down too much.
"I…my towel…you were at quidditch…" Lily stuttered.
James knew his face was very likely the same color as Lily's hair and he couldn't figure out how to…oh Merlin he'd seen a nipple! He scrambled about trying to…There it was again!
"Holy fuck." He growled reaching up and pulling her flat against him. "Just…shit Lily just hold still."
It was too late. He knew his towel had been slipping and when she'd run into him it had only dislodged it more. With all their wriggling it had finally come apart enough that he was damned sure she was feeling…
"Oh!" She squeaked her eyes going wide and her face taking on a look that only someone as innocent as she was could ever manage.
"Sorry I uh…" James cleared his throat trying to figure out just how the hell they had ended up in this position and how the hell he was going to get them out of it.
In all the bloody stupid talks Sirius had given him never once had he told him what you were supposed to do when you ended up naked with a girl and wanted to get away without flaunting your rapidly growing hard-on.
As he pondered the ridiculousness of that thought he tried to look about him, without really looking about, trying to find something that could actually be of use…There!
"Um Lily," He began hoarsely, "do you see that blanket over there on the arm of the couch?"
Her face, which she had been trying to bury into his chest, was scarlet as she looked up, spotted it, and nodded.
"Well I think I can reach it if we sort of slide over that way a bit, or if we roll over." He said closing his eyes as she wiggled a little. No doubt she was rapidly becoming more acquainted with a certain aspect of the male anatomy, as it was now pressed rather firmly against her lower stomach.
"Um…alright." She said looking down at him, something dark and hot evident in her gaze despite the awkwardness of the situation.
Don't be a dumb fuck Potter! James scolded himself. Here they were in what had to be the most embarrassing situation of either of their lives and he was developing a growing urge to kiss her and-
"So do you want to slide…or roll?" Lily asked biting her lip awkwardly.
James shut his eyes again and debated as to what would turn out worse.
"I think we'll roll. Its…uh…quicker, you know?" He supplied lamely.
For the love of Merlin's left testicle could this get any worse?
Lily nodded at his words though and began to shift around trying to pin her arms firmly against his sides, hooking her hands underneath his shoulders.
"That's about as stable as I'm going to get." She said, squeezing her slippery body more tightly against his.
James was suddenly reconsidering what he considered torture to be, as he fought the urge to look down and see if her boobs looked as good pressed against him as he thought they did. He had never in his life felt anything as good as Lily's skin pressing against his own.
"Okay well…here goes." He tightened his hold on her with his left arm and then used his right arm and right leg to roll them both over closer to the couch.
One they came to a stop, her body now underneath his, he stretched out his right arm and tried to get a hold of the elusive fabric.
"Damnit!" He breathed missing it by no more than a few inches. He made a split second decision and launched himself up and off of her grabbing the blanket in his fist and then settling himself back down on top of her.
Her face was if possible, more scarlet and more stunned than before as he looked down at her again.
"Sorry Lily." He said softly.
She stared back at him her eyes blazing with something that he couldn't quite define. James knew his breathing was uneven and harsh and that by rolling over they had somehow managed to make things seem even more sexual than before. When he'd launched himself up he'd changed their positions a bit and his erection was now pressed up against her pelvis and her legs were positioned on either side of his, her hips forming an enticing cradle.
Merlin, he'd known she would feel good under him! He just couldn't believe how much better reality was turning out to be. Her skin was like satin and she smelled so good. Her body fit his perfectly and he wanted to…
"James." She said, her voice no more than a whisper, her eyes wide. "I'm going to run away now."
He nodded and handed her the blanket as he reached for the two sides of his towel. Lily rushed to cover herself as James gripped his towel together in front and rolled off of her. She moved quickly but not quickly enough and James caught sight of enough skin to haunt his dreams for the rest of his life.
Then Lily was jumping up and rushing toward her room and James was left sitting on the floor gaping after her, his body strung so tight he felt like he was going to snap, unsure of whether or not the whole thing had just been some bizarre dream or if it had actually happened.
An hour later Lily was flopped sideways on Alice's bed trying to get the story out through her embarrassment. When she'd shown up fifteen minutes before her friends had taken one look at her stunned face and demanded to know what had happened.
"-and then I ran away." She finished sighing and sitting up to look at her friends.
They each wore expressions of absolute shock and interest.
Marlene was of course the first to recover.
"So let me get this straight," she began giving her head a little shake as if to clear it, "You finished your shower and realized you'd left your towel in your room. After a bit of searching and coming up with nothing more than a small drying cloth you decided to make a run for it as no one was supposed to be around. But as you were making your escape you managed to slam completely naked into a nearly naked James. You went tumbling to the floor and…" Marlene paused and raised her eyebrows as if still unable to fathom how things had turned out as they did. "..and you and James ended up naked together on the floor."
Lily nodded her face scarlet, "Yeah. After his towel slipped it was basically just skin to skin."
Then it was Alice's turn to recover.
"Merlin Lily is his body as fantastic as it looks?" She exclaimed excitedly.
"I…" Lily buried her face in her hands unable to answer.
"It is isn't it? Oh I knew it. That boy is just too damn scrumptious." Alice cackled happily.
"Darling do try to remember you have a boyfriend." Dorcas said giving Alice an amused look.
"Oh I remember him. His name is Frank something-or-other. He's tall and rather cutely shy and very clever and loyal. And he too has a fantastic body. Which is why I'm better able to appreciate that attribute in other guys." Alice chirped back smiling impishly.
Marlene snapped her fingers at them to get their attention and turned back to Lily. "So what now then? I mean have the two of you even talked about having se…"
"NO!" Lily shouted interrupting her. "Of course not! James and I…that is..."
"So you haven't talked about it." Marlene stated flatly. "Maybe now you should. I mean you guys were all over each other before but the whole nakedness thing has probably put both of your brains onto a different track."
"We were all over each other snogging!" Lily moaned. "I was perfectly fine with that. I mean yes I'd thought we might hit the whole…well a different level at some point, but it wasn't going to be any time soon."
"Well are you sure James was on the same page?" Dorcas asked. "I mean sometimes girls think everything is fine and guys are actually irritated at how slow things are moving."
Lily shook her head. "James isn't like that. He was happy. I…at least I thought so."
Her friends all looked at her sympathetically as she began to frown doubtfully.
"Do you even know if James has slept with anyone before?" Alice asked.
Lily's frown deepened.
"It seems to me that you two need to talk." Marlene said seriously. "Figure out where both of you stand on the whole thing. Maybe James isn't ready to take that step with you either whether or not he's been with someone before. All relationships are different. Maybe neither of you are ready right now."
"What makes you think I'm not ready?" Lily said trying to adopt a mature tone.
"Well for starters you've avoided saying the word 'sex'…" Here Lily let out a small squeak and Marlene chuckled. "…and you obviously don't like it when other people say it either."
"I'm not usually that way." Lily said groaning and flopping back onto Alice's bed again. "Normally we can talk about whatever. It's just that now, after today, every time you say it I can't help but think of James and…"
"Oh sweet Merlin you saw it didn't you?" Alice threw in when Lily trailed off.
Lily flushed tellingly but said, "Saw what?"
"It." Alice went on smiling cheekily. "James' little friend."
"Ugh don't say it like that." Lily said sitting up her face still crimson. She grabbed one of Alice's pillows to bury her face in after she added shyly, "Besides it's not little."
Her friends all laughed and shrieked and began to attack her for details, smacking her and shoving her and pulling on her as she rolled over laughing at their behavior.
"Are you fucking serious?"
James looked at his best friend and grinned crookedly, "No and I don't want to mate. As sexy as you are I've never found myself battling the urge to…"
"Shut up you know what I meant." Sirius said staring at James with wide eyes. "You were for real naked with Evans?"
James nodded shyly and leaned back against Sirius' headboard. They were in the Marauder's dorm and he had just finished explaining what had happened with Lily. Sirius was sitting with one leg dangling off the bed his back against the post at the foot of the bed. Remus and Peter both sat on Remus' bed staring at him as well.
"Damn mate, that's…wow." Sirius said stunned. "I mean accident or no accident that's a pretty intense situation."
James nodded. "I think she's going to freak out though. I mean she always does when something like this happens. She'll probably sit there and over analyze it until she figures out some strange conclusion that can only be reached through girl logic and has a melt down."
"That's probably rather likely." Remus put in smiling.
"Who cares if she freaks out mate, what's important is what will happen now." Sirius threw in grinning.
"What do you mean?"
Sirius looked at him knowingly. "I mean now that you've basically seen Evans starkers you can't say you don't want to see more of it."
"I…" James began feeling confused. "I've always wanted to see her naked." His friends chuckled and he shook his head at them and went on. "I mean just because I'm now very aware of what it is I'm waiting for it doesn't mean I want to push her into anything. Of course I want to shag Lily. I would have to be a eunuch not to want to do that. But I still respect her enough to know that that's not something she is probably ready for."
"How far have you two gone exactly?" Sirius asked impishly. "Like have you hit second base yet? Or are you rounding out toward third?"
"I never should have taught you those muggle terms." Remus mumbled rolling his eyes, but grinning slightly.
James shook his head. "We've only been snogging. Heavily and occasionally with roaming hands but…I haven't done anything involving removing her clothing or that might even come close to approaching that."
"What about that day we walked in on you?" Peter chimed in squeakily. "You had your hand up her skirt."
James eyed his friend with a frown. "You noticed that?"
"Kinda hard to miss there James." Sirius added with a wink.
"That day was probably the farthest we've gone. I mean when you guys walked in we were both a bit caught up in the other. We were getting over our fight and things were…heated. We haven't moved forward since then."
Sirius shrugged, "Maybe you should talk then. I mean if you're game for shagging her whenever she wants to take that step, then I'd say you need to figure out where her head is at."
James nodded and then grinned. "Can you believe we are actually having a serious conversation about me sleeping with Lily? Like it could actually happen now."
His friends all smiled.
"Well you better hope it's soon mate. Other wise you'll be keeping yourself warm at night with thoughts of what you saw today." Sirius added chortling. "I mean there's only so much wanking you can do to imaginary things. But now you've got the real deal stored up in your brain. You could be occupied for ages."
James reached over and smacked him upside the head grinning despite himself at his friend's outrageousness.
After talking to her friends Lily decided to take some time to go on a run as she hadn't done so in quite awhile. It helped her to clear her head, which right now was something she desperately needed. As evening began to fall she was just coming back in from her jaunt near the lake when she saw a dark figure up ahead.
She nearly groaned aloud at the sight of him and her stomach dropped as she began to feel uncomfortable.
"Sev." She said staidly once she was close enough for him to hear.
"You know I grow tired of telling you how absolutely foolish you're being." He said his tone quiet but thick with derision.
"And I'm tired of having to tell you that what I do is no longer any of your concern." She bit back, moving to make her way past him.
He reached out and grabbed her arm in a grip that was neither gentle nor harsh and pulled her to a stop.
"Look we are both tired and we are both near our breaking point with one another but I have to say this…"
His tone was serious enough that Lily conceded to stand still while he delivered whatever verbal tirade he had planned.
"You are endangering yourselves by being together. It's not what is good for either of you. He's a pureblood and you are a muggleborn. With the way things are going the two just don't mix right now. I'm aware you've heard this before and I'm aware you feel that you are above it all. However, I feel it is necessary to inform you that fairly soon things are going to get worse. You've been reading the papers. Muggleborns are going to start feeling the brunt of what fear can do to a normally tolerant people." Severus paused and took a deep breath before continuing. "No one will be safe from it all soon Lily. Least of all someone like you."
He paused again and through his teeth he added.
"And you're obnoxious boyfriend is going to be in nearly as much trouble as you by association."
Lily frowned and looked out at the lake. She couldn't meet his gaze. There was just something too... achingly familiar about talking to him like this. Like they were merely discussing the weather instead of the horrible prejudice she was forced to face, like it was a moment from the time before. A time when they both didn't have so much weight to carry.
"So what are you saying Sev? I should break things off?" She asked quietly, loose strands of her hair whirling about her face in the light breeze. "Because I can't do that. Call me selfish, call me foolish, say what you like, but I can't give up what I've found with him."
She paused thoughtfully before adding in barely more than a whisper. "Some part of you should be able to relate to that."
She turned her gaze to him finally to see him grounding his jaw in frustration. Another long pause ensued before he spoke again.
"You can't go on like this Lily. It's only been a few months and yet already you're the subject of more gossip than anyone should care to be part of. His family is too prominent. The situation is too obvious. You need to step back from it. Wait for things to unfold a little more."
She shook her head. "That would be the worst thing I could do. I won't back away from what I've found with him. You're right it's only been a few months and yet in that few months I've been happier than I ever could have imagined being with someone. I…I've come to need him more than I ever thought I would. And he needs me." She set her jaw and went on. "I won't hurt him by being a coward. He deserves more from me than that."
His black eyes turned to hers in misery.
"Things can change Lily. What if he turns out not to be the regal white knight you've made him out to be?"
"Then I'll cross that bridge when I come to it." She answered plainly. "For now I'm willing to give him as much as he asks for because he's earned that from me."
"Even you're virtue? You're good name? You're willing to sacrifice those to him as well?"
She sighed as she realized he was beginning to turn nasty once again.
"Don't play the innocent with me Sev. We both know wizards don't hold their people to the same standards muggles do. Hell even muggles have come to feel the whole remaining virtuous thing is outdated." She retorted hotly.
"You don't know what you are talking about." He snapped back. "You've never been around the high society purebloods. Those who have more money than sense and feel they can place condemnation on whomever they like. They'll tear you to shreds if they can. They'll act like you're nothing but his plaything. It's already started and you know it."
Lily couldn't help the flicker of fear that passed through her at his words. She thought back to the dozens of times she'd heard people whisper about how he would get tired of her. About how he couldn't be serious about dating someone of her background. About how she wasn't good enough for him.
She tilted her chin back defiantly, refusing to give in to the awful thoughts.
"So what if they think I'm not good enough for him, maybe they're right. But that doesn't…"
"Maybe they're right?" He repeated incredulously, his nostrils flaring. "You think that idiot toerag could ever come close to being your equal? For Merlin's sake Lily you're already letting it affect you." He breathed deeply in and out a few times before saying harshly. "You won't survive this unscarred."
Lily bit her lip and said softly. "Maybe you are right then Sev. About all of it. But I'm not willing to stay hidden away in the dark in fear of living my life because I might get hurt in the real world."
She stared at him pointedly and said seriously, "Life is about the choices we make, about living each moment to the fullest, about never giving in because fighting is the right thing to do. It's not about being afraid of the shadows. I refuse to give up one moment of possible happiness due to fear. And that's all you're spouting. You're building a supposed future in which I should be afraid. But there's a difference between being alive and living. And I'll gladly pay the price of one if it means I got to experience a little of the other."
Before he could say anything further she moved away and entered the castle and began to jog back up to the Gryffindor common room where she was pretty sure she was going to find James.
She wasn't disappointed; she spotted him the moment she stepped through the portrait hole.
He rose from the chair he was in once he caught sight of her, a slight flush marking his cheeks. Later on she would likely remember why he was feeling slightly awkward but in that moment her mind was consumed with only one thing.
She threw herself into his arms and said fiercely, "We live and love today James and what comes tomorrow will come. I don't care what happens as long as I have you."
She pulled back and looked at him intently. "You're everything that matters and I'm not going to give you up."
It was a testament to how well he knew her that he let her lips capture his without having to demand an explanation. He kissed her back hotly and Lily felt herself sink into the incredible sensation of being in his arms. Of being right where she belonged.
After an indeterminate amount of time they broke away as someone cleared their throat awkwardly. Lily looked at the table where he'd been sitting to find their friends all gathered around.
She smiled at them and was about to move away from James and sit amongst them when Sirius grinned impishly and said, "If this is Evan's reaction to this morning, you must look damn good naked Prongs."
Lily gasped and her face turned red as she remembered the events of that had occurred earlier. She then looked back at James her face awash with embarrassment and said weakly, "We need to talk."
He nodded and let her walk away a little before moving to collect his things. When he was through he reached out and smacked Sirius lightly upside his head again and growled, "One of these days I'm going to kill you out of pure frustration."
As James and Lily disappeared through the portrait hole Sirius looked at his friends in confusion and muttered,
"For all my genius and good looks I'm highly underappreciated."
Once they had settled in their common room sitting on their biggest couch and facing each other James waited for Lily to speak. After a while she cleared her throat.
"I'm sorry about this morning. I forgot my towel and…" She flushed a little as she trailed off.
James nodded. "I figured as much. I had thought you'd already be in the Gryffindor common room with your friends by then."
Lily nodded and bit her lip as an awkward silence descended.
"Look Lils," James said running a hand through his hair in frustration, "I know what happened earlier was a bit awkward and all but it shouldn't make things weird."
"I agree and I'm not so much embarrassed about the whole thing anymore as sort of worried." She answered back honestly. "I mean don't get me wrong I still can't believe that it happened and I'm still just a tad mortified at how it all played out but…I don't really mind that you saw me naked."
James looked up at her slightly shocked. "You don't?"
"Well no. I mean I sort of figured you'd see me that way eventually anyhow." She mumbled feeling incredibly hot with mortification.
"I uh…" He cleared his throat roughly. "I know this is going to not come out at all like I want it to but I don't mind it either because I feel the same way. I had sort of assumed we'd hit a point in our relationship when we'd…"
He trailed off and tried to collect his thoughts.
"What I'm trying to say is that despite the awkwardness of this morning the whole incident got me thinking about you and I and where our relationship is at and I sort of wanted to know where you stood on the whole moving forward thing."
He waited while she processed his words and wondered if he hadn't overstepped himself by questioning her. Maybe she wasn't ready to talk about them going further yet. Maybe she didn't feel as strongly about him yet as he'd thought.
"While this will no doubt make me sound as completely ignorant as I believe I am when it comes to this subject," She took a steadying breath, "I'm not sure what I want yet. I know that when I'm with you I crave things. Physical things. I want to be intimate with you I just…don't know when I'll be ready for all of that. As I'm not really sure all of everything it will involve on my part I…" She shook her head as if to erase the thought. "Perhaps I want some things to move forward I just don't know where my boundaries are at this point." She took a deep breath and added in a rush as if she were afraid to get the words out, "I don't know if I'll be what you expect at any of it. Or if you expect anything at all."
James nodded and picking up on her habit bit his lip thoughtfully.
"I want whatever you want." He stated finally. "If you want to move forward I'm completely ready and willing to do so. If you aren't ready for that yet, then I am one hundred percent ready to wait for you to feel comfortable. I don't expect anything of you Lily that you aren't ready to give."
She smiled at him and then her expression wavered. "Can I ask you something?"
At his nod she rambled nervously, "Have you ever…that is to say have you done…I mean to say are you…"
He held up a hand to stop her and smiled softly. "Are you trying to ask if I've slept with someone before?"
"Sort of. I really was just curious if you've done anything in regard to the subject but I suppose we can start there." She answered her cheeks betraying her feelings as color appeared on her cheeks.
James sighed. It was one thing to talk about his virginal state with his friends and quite another to explain to Lily how he'd gone through seventeen years of his life, the latter part of them chalk full of raging hormones, without doing anything apart from snog a few times here and there.
"Okay here's the thing. You know I've been rather enamored of you for longer than either of us would care to admit." He chuckled softly at that and looked over toward the fire to collect his thoughts. "And I'll be honest I kissed my fair share of girls around the middle of our Hogwarts years. But…" His eyes turned back to hers and he noted the apprehension in the brilliant green orbs that looked back at him. "I've never really been able to give myself…any part of myself really…to anyone that wasn't you. So In answer to your question no I've never slept with anyone. I'm just as virginal as you are I suppose."
James watched as shock and relief and something like amazement moved across her face. There was a really long silence before he chuckled wryly.
"I know pretty pathetic of me right." He said lightly trying to make the whole thing not seem so intense.
"Don't say that." She said reaching for his hand. "And I'm sorry if my reaction bothered you I just…I'm sort of flattered and well to be honest quite stunned."
He looked at her and realized he was tired of sitting so far away. Giving her hand a firm tug he pulled her over to him and settled her into his lap.
"Talk to me. Tell me what you're thinking." He demanded feeling oddly vulnerable and awkward after revealing such a confidence.
"I just never realized that you would think so highly of it. From what my friends tell me it's not a huge deal to a lot of guys. The way they make it sound guys are willing to take what they can get a lot of the time. It doesn't seem to mar your reputations as harshly as it does ours and so I didn't think it would mean as much to you as it has to me." Lily explained running her hands through his hair and looking off into the distance as she talked. "I know this is going to sound awful but I'm actually really pleased you've never taken that step either."
James grinned. "So you don't think I'm completely ridiculous for having waited so long?"
Lily frowned at him. "Is that how you've felt about it?"
"Sometimes," he admitted. "Especially when it seemed like I was holding out for a dream that would probably never actually become reality."
She smiled at him and said, "I don't think it's ridiculous and I don't think there's anything wrong with you waiting for something that was actually meaningful to you. Afterall I never even kissed anyone because I never felt strongly enough about anyone to even think of trying it before you."
James grinned. "So I suppose this means we're pretty much on the same page then."
He frowned as Lily shrugged and looked away. "I'm still not sure about…"
He caught her face in his hands and kissed her softly. "There's no pressure Lily. I already told you it's whatever you want."
She nodded. "Can we just give it a bit? I mean let me give my nerves some time to settle and then we can…move forward a bit."
"I'm in for whatever is comfortable to you." He replied.
As she snuggled into his chest and began to relax letting him run his hands over her back and rub his thumb along her jaw line, he thought about how truly stunned he was to be sitting there.
They had just passed a milestone of sorts in their relationship. They had both agreed that they wanted to move forward, to keep going and to do so with one another. James couldn't believe that the girl in his arms was willing to give so much of herself to him. It was humbling to say the least.
He smiled and said softly, "So I guess I do look pretty good naked then huh?"
Two floors away, hidden in a secret alcove Sirius Black was burning.
He felt like his skin was on fire.
Every sense he had was honed in on how absolutely perfect the girl in his arms felt pressed up against him.
His shirt had long ago been thrown to the floor and her hands were greedily grabbing at his skin pulling him to her in much the same manner as he was holding her to himself.
Sweet Merlin he was hot. And she was so bloody sweet.
The buttons of her shirt parted at his command and the sides fell away to reveal the satin smoothness of her black bra beneath.
His hands roamed the sweet curves and planes of her body as his tongue delved deeper into her mouth.
He groaned and buried his face in her hair as she pulled back to let her lips move over his skin.
"Marlene."
The hoarse sound of her name left his lips as her tongue and lips travelled the length of his jaw and the sound of it carried along the length of the room until it hit the barrier of his silencing spell.
He was burning. Burning for her and slowly, effortlessly he gave himself up to it.