...tried to kiss James Potter…

...got totally wasted last night…

...smacked Emmeline Vance, poor Em…

...threw herself all over him…

…he had to push her away…

Everyone. Literally, everyone was staring at Lily as she walked into the Great Hall the next morning. She heard everything they were saying, and her head was pounding from the previous night, and she was so self-conscious and her face was streaked with tears and her hair was unbrushed and she felt like she was going to vomit.

"Marlene, I can't do this," Lily hissed, tears stinging her eyes.

"I know, honey… let's go. Hest, grab us some breakfast?" Marlene said.

"Course, of course! You just go on ahead," Hestia waved them away, then turned back to talking with Mary McDonald.

It was ridiculously hard for Lily to get through the day, what with pointed glares and whispers following her around the halls. Then, during History of Magic (when all she could do was think about the previous night) a thought hit her, turning her stomach over even more.

"Hestia!" she hissed to Hestia, sitting next to her. Hestia's eyes were unfocused, and she seemed to be concentrating rather hard at Binn's desk. "Hest!"

"Whaa…?" Hestia slurred, turning towards Lily.

"Hestia, I have patrols with him tonight!"

Hestia jerked awake. "Switch with Remus."

"I can't," Lily whined desperately. Tears prickled her eyes, threatening to spill on her blank parchment. "He's- he's visiting his mum, she's sick."

Hestia sighed. "Poor Remus- his mum seems to always have something!"

Lily nodded somberly. She, of course, knew that Remus was really undergoing a transformation, as it was the full moon.

"Ask anyone to switch with you, then- anyone at all!"

Lily had so far approached three Hufflepuffs, four Ravenclaws, two Gryffindors, and even a Slytherin to switch patrol dates with her. Some were sympathetic, giving her a pitying eye before telling her they were busy; two Ravenclaws had outright told Lily she deserved what she got for slapping Emmeline; and the Slytherin just laughed cruelly before stalking off. Having this stress to deal with on top of her pounding headache was driving her batty.

"Just tell James you can't tonight," suggested Marlene while the girls were in the dormitory after dinner.

"Marlene!" Lily gasped, affronted. "Patrols are to be taken seriously- and I signed up for the spot, after all!"

Mary snickered. "Always the rule-follower, Lils."

"I'm just going to have to do it," Lily resigned, mostly talking to herself.

"You really don't have to if you don't want to, Lily…" Hestia frowned pityingly. Lily despised pity- it made her feel weak and fragile.

"It's nearly nine- I'd better go." She attempted a shaky smile, then turned around and strode out.

She tried not to think about facing James as she walked down the hall. (it'sokit'sok...) She didn't believe it actually was ok for a minute, though.

And there he was- James, (with his glorious messy hair) standing in front of the Great Hall, waiting for Lily. Just like always- except it wasn't just like always. He turned around, giving Lily a trademark James grin. (ohgodohgodohgod) Lily felt completely detached from her body, because it kept walking forward, when all she wanted to do was run away and hide. "I- I wasn't sure you were going to show up today," James said sheepishly. "Because- well, after last night, I mean, you were pretty drunk, and how are you feeling, by the way? Alright by now? Because obviously it's worse because you never drank before, and-"

"That's it?" Lily said softly, unable to help herself. "Nothing about what you did to me? About how you embarrassed me in front of THE ENTIRE YEAR?" Her face was heated, and she knew she might regret this later, but she had to get it out… James had been an utter prat (albeit a hot one) and he deserved this.

James sighed, ruffling his hand through his hair. "No, Lily, I couldn't-"

Enough. She couldn't take it anymore. She didn't want to hear it, didn't want to hear the affirmation that he just didn't like her…didn't need her dreams come crashing down around her…

Lily turned around and started striding briskly away. "We'll do patrols separately," she called without turning around. She was mortified, utterly mortified-

"Lily, wait! I'm sorry, please don't go!" James cried from behind her.

"Bugger off!" Lily cried. (iwon'tcryiwon't)

"Lily! I- I didn't mean it like that! I only- Lily! I wasn't going to take advantage of you when you were bloody wasted! Oh, shite- Lily, I love you!"

Lily stopped in her tracks, shocked. She slowly turned around to look at James. Oh, James. He was running his hands nervously through his ink-black hair, and his shirt was wrinkled and he was giving her a sheepish, deliciously hopeful smile-

"James." Lily whispered. Desire took control of her body; she stood there for a moment more, and then desire yanked the reins it was using to hold her, and suddenly Lily was flying, running as fast as she could to James, and he looked surprised, but only for an instant and he outstretched his arms to catch her. Lily jumped into his arms and suddenly they were kissing, and it was the most wonderful thing in the world. She wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes, because he was so sweet and incredible and she wanted to relish in the sensations. Lily could literally feel the ages of tension they'd had between them washing away in one smooth movement, because she was here, and she was kissing James Potter. James. The thought made her smile into his mouth, and he grinned back. They both pressed against each other, and James backed up into a wall, so that they could feel each other; the heat of James's body was so unfamiliar and yet so lovely at the same time.

James reached up and pulled out her hair tie, undoing her ponytail and unleashing the mane he so loved. And it was like fire- fire that washed over her pale shoulders, fire that cascaded down and tickled James's skin- and it only served to add to the heat. He began to kiss her more fervently, and his hands trailed down to her waist, causing Lily to involuntarily shudder. He smiled against her lips. Passion coursed through Lily's veins. It was passion that drove her to kiss him in the first place, and now look where they were. His lips were so warm and delicious- and this was the best moment of her life, and somewhere in the part of her mind that was still working she knew she'd remember this forever, and then that very same part of her mind told her to stop, they had to stop- but she pushed the thought away and brought her hands to the hem of James's shirt. With a mind of their own, Lily's hands dove underneath James's tee and felt his stomach- smooth, and hard, with just a hint of abs. James's breath got hitched in his throat, and she could guess what he was thinking- Lily Evans, prude little Lily Evans, was doing these things- and the voice in her head told her she HAD to stop, and this time she listened, albeit grudgingly.

She slowly brought her hands back up and gently pushed her lips away from his. They were facing each other, and James was staring at her. Lily felt her face get hot, and she knew she was probably bright red, and he was just staring, and-

"I-I'm sorry, was I not good? I don't often do these sorts of things, I mean- hell, I never do these sorts of things- and I mean obviously you do, and-"

"Hush," James chuckled softly. "You're rambling again."

"I know, I just- I just-" Lily was utterly embarrassed. What if he didn't even like her now? What if he- James interrupted her thoughts. He laughed.

"Do you honestly think that I'm not happy?" he inquired.

"You're- you're not saying anything, and I don't know, maybe, I just-"

"Lily," James gasped, looking at her incredulously, "that was easily the best snog of my life."

If it was even possible, Lily felt her face get even hotter. "Oh," she said, not hiding the relief in her voice as well as she would've liked to. She was staring down at her shoes, determined not to be even more mortified by seeing the look on James's face. Fate didn't want this to be, however, because James cleared his throat and she forced herself to look up at him. He began awkwardly, "So- erm- I take it that you have a possible slight interest in being my- my girlfriend? So I was wondering if- if you wanted to? Be my girlfriend, that is?" James blushed.

"Oh- em- yes, definitely! I'd love- I'd love that," Lily smiled. James emitted a sigh of relief. The awkward couple stared into each other's eyes for a bit, then-

"We'd- we'd best get back to patrolling, then," Lily said after a moment, breaking the silence.

"Erm- yes, yes, of course," James muttered, running his fingers through his hair. They began walking slowly down the third-floor corridor, side by side. After a moment, Lily tentatively laced her left hand through James's right. He looked sideways at her, gave her a trademark grin, and kissed her gently on the top of her head. And this is how they spent the rest of the night, side by side, hand in hand, strolling through the empty hallways of Hogwarts.