A/N: hey, everyone! I'm glad you came back to read this chapter…if you did come back that is. To all of my old readers: I'm so sorry that this has taken so long to get up. I'm really and truly excruciatingly sorry. I can almost promise it will never happen again. I guess it really just depends on how my year goes. I will have you know however that this story would never have made it anywhere without you. If no one had ever reviewed about how much they loved this story I would never have continued. That's what happened with my last one. Which I think I might post here and see what happens. Who knows. Maybe I'll have two stories…and a play…and English…and lines…for two different things…and a scene to direct…I feel like I have a lot of artistic responsibilities lately. :p but it's okay. I enjoy it. Now…I feel like this has come off as though this is the last chapter. Let me just say, it's not. Trust me. I plan on writing a lot more. I actually have a sequel planned out in my head actually. If you guys want it that is. Now, without further ado! The long awaited chapter. Enjoy. J

Disclaimer: maybe she'll let me own them for my birthday. But I doubt that will happen since it hasn't already. L

Chapter Eight: Of Kitchens and Gardens

Before I knew it he was leaning over the table and grabbing my face in his hands. I tried to pull away but he kept my head firmly in place and touched his lips to mine. My mind was wiped clean.

I reacted with such vigor I'm pretty sure I scared him. I wrapped my arms around his neck as best I could with a table in my way and squeezed my eyes shut.

I was beginning to think every kiss with James Potter was different. This one was loving. Gentle. Passionate. All rolled into one. It was intense enough to keep us there for a long period of time but gentle enough that there was no tongue involved or an overwhelming need for air.

"Hmmmmm," I heard someone clear their throat behind me.

I jumped, effectively pulling my lips away from James. I turned around slowly, highly embarrassed at being caught and saw Mr. Potter standing there, staring at us.

My face went up in flames but he just chuckled and said, "Just be glad I'm the one who caught you. Otherwise you would be gone in a jiffy to a hotel. But if I catch you again, I will tell your mother," he warned, staring pointedly at James.

He gulped and nodded.

"Now, I actually came down to see if you two want to go into town. Diagon Alley, that is. Your mother and I have a party tomorrow night and she wants to get new dress robes," he grimaced. "We invited your parents along as well, Lily. They said yes so they're coming along now."

James and I glanced at each other nervously.

He looked like he wanted to get out of the house as bad as I did. But there was no way in hell I was leaving Petunia and Sirius alone under the same roof.

"Sorry, Mr. Potter, but we're going to pass," I said politely.

He laughed. "Don't want to hang out with your guys' old folks, huh?"

"Oh, no. It's not that," I started to say, but he cut me off, holding up his hand.

"No. It's okay. I wouldn't want to go either if there were more…pleasant activities to participate in," he said, a twinkle in his eyes.

My face blushed scarlet as I realized what pleasant activities he was hinting at.

James shifted uncomfortably in his chair, looking anywhere but at a pair of eyes.

Mr. Potter laughed again. "Just be careful next time, okay kids? Otherwise it might be another pair of eyes witnessing teenage hormones."

And with a pat on James' back, he left through the dining room.

"Well that was highly embarrassing," I said, breaking the silence.

James just nodded.

"You really shouldn't have done that," I said sternly. Again, he just nodded. "We're supposed to be starting out as friends. Friends don't just lean over breakfast and contaminate it with snogging," I added.

He didn't even nod this time.

"James! Can I please get a response from you?" I snapped.

He jerked, turning his hazel eyes on my green ones but he still said nothing.

"What is the matter with you? Have you suddenly gone mute? You like you've just seen a dementor."

He shook his head and sighed. "Sorry. It's just…that's the first time anyone has witnessed us…kissing. It just makes it all the more real," he said quietly, slipping back into his trance like state.

I rolled my eyes. "And it'll the be the last time unless I say otherwise, right?"

…

I swear he had become deaf! "James, please tell me that was a one time thing," I begged. My voice must have gotten to him because he slowly turned to me.

"Yeah, Lily. That was a one time thing. Not gonna happen again," he said, toneless.

I sighed. "James, that's not what I meant. But I told you that I need to know that you're not going to leave me the instant you have me. And it'll give us a chance to get to know each other without jumping right into a relationship."

"I know, I just…I couldn't help myself. But let's eat before we have to take care of the crazy nutheads upstairs," he chuckled, digging into his French toast.

We ate in silence, glancing at each others plates to see how close to being done the other was, but never looking each other in the face.

Finally, after what felt like ten uncomfortable years, I put my fork down, done, and heard his clatter to his plate. I looked up to see him stretching his arms above his head and his mouth open in a wide yawn.

His shirt lifted to show a small stretch of his stomach and mine did a couple of cartwheels. When he looked towards me, he grinned and chuckled making me realize that my eyes were bugging and my mouth was an open cave for flies to take refuge.

I snapped it shut and rolled my eyes, standing up with my plate in my hands. I started to walk back the way we came, looking for a sink to drop off the dirty dishes, but ended up doing a couple spins not seeing one. On my fifth rotation, my nose ran into James' chest.

He chuckled some more.

"Lost?"

"No. I just can't find your sink."

"Just leave the plate on the table. The house-elves will clean it up."

"That's rude! Why would I make them do it when I am perfectly capable of doing it myself?"

"Because they actually enjoy doing those things. It makes them feel unappreciated when you do it for them. Like they're not needed or wanted. So just set it down and we'll be on our merry little way and we can finish that tour."

Sighing in defeat and feeling horribly guilty, I sat the plate back on the table but not before piling it on top of James' and stacking the silverware on it, making it an easier clean up for them.

It was James' turn to roll his eyes.

I glared at him.

"Come on. We have to finish this floor and then there's the outside to deal with," he said, walking towards the other side of the kitchen.

I reluctantly followed and we ended up in a second living room. This one was nicer and obviously the one that they used to entertain guests. Typically people put this one in the front and the other towards the back. I couldn't figure out why it was different here.

It was so…expensive looking! I was afraid to go any farther than the doorway. There were heavy drapes in all different fabrics covering the windows and throw blankets all over the sand colored seating. The tables all seemed to be marble and held unique lamps.

James walked farther into the room making his way through to the next door. Realizing I wasn't following him he turned around and gave a small smile.

"It's okay. You can come in. We aren't going to spend too much time in here 'cause I'm even scared to break something. Mum spent a lot of money on a designer to set this room up. She normally brings her work friends and important people straight back here. I haven't decided why she put the other one up front, either."

I nodded and carefully made my way towards him. He grabbed my hand and this time I let him without any hesitation or anger at him touching me. I would rather he lead me through this clutter so my clumsiness didn't kick in and I accidentally break something. And this time, when we made it to the other side and through the door, I didn't drop his hand immediately.

We seemed to be in a second little foyer with a door leading off to another section of the house.

"That door's just a bathroom. We don't have to look at it unless you have some weird fetish for bathrooms…you don't do you? If you do, I may have to rethink this friendship thing," he smirked.

I hit him in the chest. "I do not have a bathroom fetish. I don't particularly like bathrooms actually. They're gross. Even when they're pretty. So why'd you bring me through here if you just wanted to show me the bathroom door?"

"Because I'm showing you the back yard? I thought I already explained that."

"Oh. I wasn't paying attention. I was trying to avoid the breakable things," I cringed at the thought of what would have happened if I had broken something.

He laughed at my face. "Well where we're going you can't break anything unless you have immense strength," he joked. He opened the door and lead me onto a patio.

It was done in large stones with little pebbles in between them. There were bunches of flowers blooming on either side of it, giving it an Alice In Wonderland feeling. I squealed with excitement. Had I mentioned that I liked gardens?

James jumped a little in surprise at my outburst.

I dropped his hand and ran out to the little porch swing they had set up. The patio slimmed here and became a path. Flowers still lined the path but there weren't quite as many. A little ways off, it looked like the path ended and there was a large field of well kept grass. I could see three golden hoops rising in the distance and had to laugh condescendingly. He would have his own personal Quidditch pitch.

I didn't notice him coming up behind me and gave a start when I felt his breath on the back of my head. He must have been really close for me to feel it through all of my hair.

"I wish that wasn't here. When I made it onto the team, Dad had it built so I would never have to stop practicing."

I scoffed. Yeah right.

"It's true. I'm not proud of it. I hate it. It makes me feel like this rich kid who gets whatever he wants because his parents don't pay enough attention to him. They do. I know they love me. And they love Sirius. They would never have let him come in otherwise."

I didn't know what to say. What are you supposed to say when the conceited, rich kid explains that he hates it. It was almost like a teenage romance. The pretty nerd brings out the good side of the rich kid that he doesn't let anyone to see. I didn't think life happened like that. So I just ignored him.

"It's really pretty out here," I said quietly after a few minutes. I couldn't help thinking that this place would be prettier at sunset. And then the sunset lead to romantic ideas and those romantic ideas lead to romantic scenario's with James. I shook my head vigorously. Stupid teenage romance books.

"Yeah. It's my favorite place to come think by myself…did that sound as cheesy as I think it did?" he asked with a nervous laugh.

"It did. But it's okay. I would have said it too. Then again…I am a girl. We have the right to say that. What's your excuse? Is there something you aren't telling me, James?" I asked, a smirk on my face.

"Ummm…well you see. I've been meaning to tell you but-"

"Oh you sick, sick man!" I cried.

He bent over laughing and I ran off, down the path and towards the open field.

It seemed to be longer than I suspected. At first I didn't quite understand until I remembered we're magical and it was probably just an illusion put in place so you could see it better than normal.

My hair was flying, my heart was racing, and I could the feel the biggest smile I had had on my face in a long time, light up. It was thrilling.

I heard James running on the path behind me, and looked back to see how close he was. This turned out to be a bad idea. I immediately caught my toes on a stone and went flying forwards, face first.

James had too much momentum to stop and came tumbling down next to me.

My face hurt and my hands and knees were scratched up. James looked windswept and confused, obviously not having expected that to happen.

We looked each other in the eyes, and immediately started laughing. It was loud and crazy and went on for a long time.

Finally, not being able to feel my body and tears running down my face, I calmed down enough to catch a breath.

I laid on my back and looked up at the sky. It was still lightly raining; a fact I hadn't noticed until just now, and watched the clouds rolling and blending in together. I could tell that by night, it would be a full-fledged storm again. I wasn't looking forward to it. But at least I had someone to suffer through it with.

A/N: oh. My. I can't believe that I finally wrote it! I'm really sad though. I normally write it all up in my journal then rewrite and edit it while typing it up. This time I didn't do that for the sake of getting it up soon. I'm sure I'll go and write it down into my journal later. Maybe I'll just print out the pages and stick them in there. That might be easier….and better for my eyes. Anywho: well, I really hope you like it and I really hope that everyone who has waited for forever for this isn't either a: disappointed, or b: so mad at me that you're not reading this. Because that would be sad. But I get it. Soooooooooooooo! Review please! J it would make my day…literally.

MarahJ

p.s. you know what pisses me off? The fact that my word processor thinks my name is spelled wrong. L