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Hello, this is the beta here, if I missed something, sorry. Email me about it if it irks you! Yaukira

"So…" somebody said in a sort of growly voice as she approached James. "How about a birthday kiss?"

James looked disturbed. "Ah… that's alright," he said, sounding how he looked and felt.

"Come on, Prongs!" Sirius urged him. Really, the girl was quite nice looking, and she'd been following the two of them for the past half hour, and it was getting rather late.

"I'll go away," the girl tempted.

James heaved a sigh, "Alright… come here," he took her arm and pecked her cheek.

Sirius groaned, "Prongs!" he exclaimed. James looked at him helplessly "Come on Sadie." He led her off to some corner, and James continued by himself. He really only wanted to kiss one girl. Lily.

He wandered around Hogsmead by himself for twenty minutes or so, before gathering that it was a waste of time if he was all by his lonesome. He sighed again, and made his way up to Hogwarts. There was always something to do there.

All the way to the dormitory he trudged, then he saw something that stopped him in his tracks. Lily. She was curled up in a tiny ball on the couch, with a book that was just too large.

"Um… hello, Lily," James said uncertainly.

She smiled as she looked up. It must have been some book for her to be nice to him. "Hi, James."

James moved closer and sat down beside her. "What are you reading?" he asked, genuinely interested.

Lily raised an eyebrow, but obliged. "Romeo and Juliet." James stifled a yelp of happiness. "What? You have a problem with Shakespeare?" she snapped, rather defensive.

His eyes widened slightly. "No! I just…" he muttered a bit about the pacing, and something about star-crossed lovers.

She seemed to take that as an answer. "It's a beautiful story… isn't it?" she asked unnecessarily. He'd just said that.

"It is." James said quietly. "I actually… I left my copy at home, so…"

Lily smiled. "Well, here." She made room for him to curl up with her and read.

James looked surprised. "Really?" he asked uncertainly, "this isn't a trick?" He really didn't want to be hexed just then.

She shook her head. He sat closer to her, and bent his head slightly to read the words. An hour later, he sighed heavily. "It's not fair." he muttered.

Lily raised an eyebrow. "What isn't?"

He blinked, surprised that he'd just said that out loud. He paused, fishing for an excuse. He gave up. "It's just really surprising how alike our story, and theirs is." Her inquiring gaze was unwavering. "I mean… two people who were meant for each other, with the bad timing in the end… and Sirius as Mercutio…"

She smiled. "Starring Peter as the apothecary."

James nodded. "Exactly" he whispered in her ear. Lily shivered slightly. "Nothing but bad timing" he muttered to himself.

"Timing." Lily repeated quietly. "It's always the timing." Really, if it had been a year ago, she wouldn't have let him anywhere near her. A year in the future, and they wouldn't be at Hogwarts at all.

"Always." James agreed almost silently. But Lily heard it. She couldn't help but hear it.

"Do I have to quote some cheesy lines about hands touching?"

Lily frowned slightly. "Timing, James… timing." If he had managed not to ask her anything for just a few days more, she would've been much more willing to kiss him. But no, he just couldn't wait.

James looked almost offended, "I was kidding; Jules. Surely, you knew that."

She sighed a little. "Of course, Romeo. But the answer remains 'not if Merlin himself asked me to'."

"I don't think you ever used that one." James whispered, inching a touch closer.

"I'm losing my touch," Lily muttered, returning the millimeter.

"But never your mind," James countered, now so close that he could almost feel her eyelashes.

"Never." Lily whispered. That was all that James needed. He closed the two centimeter distance between them, and stole a quiet kiss.

He leaned back a moment later. "My dear; sweet Juliet. I must bid thee adieu."

Lily snorted "Terribly sorry, dear Romeo. That's my job." James raised an eyebrow, and she kissed him again. He put a hand tentatively on the back of her neck, and pulled her closer.

Ten minutes later, Lily pulled away. She looked surprised at herself. And little ashamed as well. "Um… Happy birthday," then she flew out of the room.

"Thank you," James said as quietly as if she'd still been sitting beside him. He walked up the stairs to his dormitory, humming 'happy birthday' to himself as he went.