CHAPTER 5

The morning before the game, I was sitting in the common room with Mary as we painted our nails Gryffindor scarlet and tied scarlet and gold ribbons in our hair. Sirius and Remus ran over to me and asked me to talk to James before the team left to change.

"He's doubting himself as captain, and you're the only one we can think of to cheer the poor bastard up," Sirius said.

"Pete says he's been mumbling about being a crap captain for two hours in the Great Hall," Remus added, looking at me desperately.

I nodded and made my way to the Great Hall, blowing on my fingernails as I went. Before I arrived, I thought of something brilliant. I quickly charmed my scarlet Gryffindor sweatshirt to say "Go Potter" across the chest. I smiled to myself; this wouldn't be so hard.

When I arrived at the Gryffindor table, James' nerves were almost tangible. He barely looked at me when I sat down beside him.

"Hey, Captain," I said, trying to sound positive. "How're you feeling?"

"Like we're going to lose."

I set my fingers down in front of him. "Do you see these nails?" He looked unamused, but nodded anyway. "These are Gryffindor scarlet. And do you see these hairbows? I was wearing these when you won the Cup last year. You're going to win, James. You always do. Besides, I'm wearing my lucky hairbows."

He didn't look sold. I decided to try my recently addled sweatshirt.

"James, look at my chest," I said. His eyes got wide, and I laughed. "At my sweatshirt, you idiot!"

I watched him read, then watched as the corners of his mouth lifted lightly. "Are you going to wear that throughout the match?"

"Yes." I grabbed his face and forced him to look me in the eyes. "I know you can win this game, James. I believe in you, and so does all of Gryffindor. You've worked too hard to throw it all away before you hit the pitch."

He looked thoughtful for a minute and glanced down at my sweatshirt again.

"Hey, Lily? Will you wear that even if we lose?"

I grinned. "Every Saturday for the rest of the term. Pinky promise."

-/-/-

As the match raged on, I sat with Mary, Remus, and Sirius as we watched the Gryffindor team practically fly circles around the Hufflepuff players. Sirius had raised his eyebrows at my sweatshirt, but I told him to sod off if he wanted Gryffindor to win.

"POTTER DODGES LEFT, SHOOTS RIGHT, AND HE SCORES! TEN MORE FOR GRFFYINDOR, GIVING THEM A FIFTY POINT LEAD ON HUFFLEPUFF!"

We cheered wildly, and I saw James look over at us and grin madly. He was playing really well; four of the six goals for Gryffindor had come straight from him. Dorcas had scored one of the others, and she had passed the Quaffle several times to James to assist in his scores.

"AND PETTIGREW KNOCKS A BLUDGER TO HUFFLEPUFF'S MITCHELL, WHO DROPS THE QUAFFLE! MEADOWES CATCHES IT AND SHE SCORES! SEVENTY TO TEN, GRYFFINDOR'S IN THE LEAD!"

We continued cheering, even as drops of rain began falling. Hestia Jones and Marlene McKinnon, two sixth years sitting a row above us had painted a big paper sign bearing the crest of our house, but when the rain began pouring, all that remained were big yellow and scarlet swirls.

"IT LOOKS LIKE GRYFFINDOR'S SEEKER, JONES, HAS SEEN THE SNITCH! HE'S OFF, TAKING A DIVE AND HUFFLEPUFF'S LENNON ISN'T FAR BEHIND! JONES SWERVES TO THE RIGHT, AND HE'S GOT IT! GRYFFINDOR WINS!"

I hopped up and hugged Sirius and Remus enthusiastically. I turned and cheered with Mary: "Go, go Gryffindor! Go, go!"

"Lily!" Sirius shouted over the crowd. He pointed down to the field, and I saw James, grinning and exchanging hugs with the team. I turned back to Sirius and smiled and nodded. We were up, fighting our way through the crowd in a millisecond. Mary and Remus weren't far behind.

I was the first of the four of us to make it to the pitch. I saw a crowd of gold and scarlet clad students and fought my way to the center to find James. He was standing with Jones, smacking his back and grinning happily. I ran up to him and pulled on his arm.

"Lily!" he beamed when he looked down.

"You were amazing!" I shouted, trying to be heard over the crowd.

"Listen, thanks for what you said earlier, it—"

But I reached up and, in one fluid motion, wrapped my hand around his neck and pulled his face to mine. I captured his lips with my own and heard his gasp of surprise. And then suddenly, his arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me close to him and his tongue was begging entry into my mouth. I obliged almost instantly. Merlin, his mouth felt good.

I heard a loud whoop from beside us, and, without removing myself from James, I flipped Sirius my middle finger. I could hear his bark-like laugh and felt James smile into my mouth. We pulled apart, and he rested his forehead on mine as he caught his breath.

"So does this mean you're my girlfriend?"

I nodded.

He smiled that crooked grin of his, looking happy as a fool. My fool, I thought.

"Oi! You lot!" he yelled, pulling away from me. "Watch this!"

Several of the Quidditch players, all of his mates, Dorcas and Mary, and a handful of other Gryffindors turned at his shout. I caught Sirius' eye, and he winked at me, then turned his attention back to James.

"Lily Evans," he asked, loud enough for everyone to hear him, "Will you go out with me?"

"No," I said, then took in his surprised face, and turned to everyone else, shrugging and said, "Whoops! I mean, yes! It's a hard habit to break!" I kissed him and heard everyone laugh. When I pulled away, I whispered, "Yes, James Potter, I thought you'd never ask."

James laughed heartily, and I smelled his leather and wet grass scent and kissed him again. I brushed my hand up his forearm and felt the muscles that had first called to me on the Hogwarts Express this year. I grinned into the kiss. He was mine.

Fin.