AN

Well the kissing chap when down very nicely indeed - its the best response I've ever gotten - but I suppose that's what happens when you build tension like I have and then don't let it culminate to anything until the 16th chap - not that its going to be happening again for a little while Mwhahahahaaaa

I wrote this chap because I thought if I didn't write something like the below some loyal readers may have abandoned me.... but I was told to warn you all that this is a VERY short chapter and it wasn't in my original plan.

Now I want you all to be very nice to abok because she made some major additions to this chap and helped to make it what it is. Thank you abok!

Review!

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James stared numbly in the direction that Lily had disappeared.

Well, that certainly doesn't happen everyday, he thought to himself, shock still lancing trough his system.

He couldn't believe Lily had actually done it. She just strode up to him, calm as you please, and put her tongue in his mouth. It had been so smooth and effortless that it was almost like they really did snog each other's brains out every day.

It had been a truly flawless kiss. A masterpiece. So convincing that even their audience seemed to have felt the tension.

And as amazing as it was, he had to admit that he wasn't particularly surprised about it.

He had always known that given the opportunity, they could have some real chemistry together. The last few months of their almost faultless performance as a couple had proved that. It had been almost too easy for them to slip into a close relationship.

Despite that though, he realised that even his vivid imagination hadn't been able to dream up a kiss like that; he hadn't known that her lips on his would feel like that. During that kiss, he had felt like nothing else mattered except getting as close to her as he possibly could.

No one had ever made him feel so single minded, whether he'd been kissing them or doing…. other things. He'd never quite been able to commit himself entirely to the moment. He should have known it would be different with Lily.

Just now, it was if they had been completely alone in that corridor sharing a private moment, not snogging as if their very lives depended on it for all to see. There had been such a connection, such an intimacy between them in that one amazing kiss, that James was left to wonder how he had managed to restrain himself at all and not completely lose control..

He was angry with Catreena for making Lily feel insignificant, but a small part of himself couldn't help but want to hug her, because now he knew exactly what it was like to kiss Lily, no more guessing or imagining. It had gone so far beyond his expectations-- it was better than any kiss he'd ever had, which brought up a whole new range of questions about when and more importantly who Lily had been kissing.

And unfortunately, aside from his new worries about her past experiences, this new development put them on dangerous ground as far as their odd friendship-relationship was concerned.

James knew Lily's body language well enough to know that she had felt the sparks too. After all, no one could completely fake a kiss like that. But he also knew, had a deep innate sense, that before now she hadn't realised that the chemistry between them was quite that strong.

He'd suspected for a while that things were developing between them, and that given the opportunity they could be really happy together. But he also suspected that Lily hadn't accepted that fact yet. She had buried the idea deep behind the lies of their own making. She had convinced herself that their interactions and reactions were all part of the plan, and until she decided that what she felt - what he hoped she felt - was real, then nothing was ever going to develop between them.

And he knew to the depths of his soul that, no matter what she had just felt, she was not going to acknowledge that kiss for what it really was. She was going to cover it up and explain it away as a defence mechanism for dealing with Catreena. She would rationalise that it was just another stage in the lie that they had created.

Or worse, pretend it had never happened.

He wanted to be angry at her, but he knew he couldn't really blame her. Even he wasn't sure where the lie ended and his real feelings began anymore. But he knew that he'd always been fascinated with her, attracted to her, enthralled by her. And he was so bloody close to getting what he had wanted for years that he couldn't help but release an almost pitiful sigh. And with his exhalation of breath the real world came back into sharp focus.

And surrounding him there was……silence. A shocked silence.

Proving his assumption that he wasn't the only one who'd felt the passion between them

He almost wanted to laugh because of the stunned silence that Lily Evans had left in her wake. He was so proud of her that it was adding a whole other layer to the feelings currently charging around his body.

Finally managing to tear his eyes away from the spot where she'd vanished, James cast his eyes around the assembled group still trying desperately to make sense of what had just happened. He was also desperately trying not to smile like an absolute fool, knowing that he should look like he was used to getting kisses like that from her all the time.

So to distract himself from both the butterflies in his stomach and the sudden tightness in his trousers, he surveyed the surrounding group. He noted that Sirius looked disgusted but on the verge of hilarity. Remus looked shocked, and Peter was so red James would have been worried about him, if he hadn't had issues of his own to contend with. But the sweetest expression of all was on Catreena's face, and James was gleeful to see she was looking decidedly pale.

Other than feeling an overwhelming pride that Lily had managed to put Catreena in her place, James found he didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or leave the whole bloody lot of them and chase Lily down. In fact, he was amazed at his self-control so far. It was only with a supreme feat of will that his feet remained planted where they were.

He couldn't go chasing after her like it was the first kiss she'd ever given him. Even if he did, he knew what her reaction would be, and he wasn't sure he was quite ready for that conversation yet. Besides, they really didn't need that kind of awkwardness between them right now.

"Well that was certainly interesting," Sirius said gaily, finally breaking the tense silence. "That's some real sexual chemistry you two have going on!" he continued, sending James a lecherous wink.

James punched Sirius on the shoulder, trying to fight the mild blush he could feel staining his cheeks.

"Yeah no wonder you're always ditching us for her." Remus said, shaking himself and finally managing to smile. "Can't say I ever want to have to watch it again though…"

James grunted, listening to his friends with half an ear, while using the rest of his energy to continue to fight the war between his feet and his mind.

Some desperate part inside of him couldn't bear the idea of leaving things as they were, it went against his nature not to hunt Lily down and force her to deal with the consequence of that kiss and the feelings surrounding it. But he knew if he pushed now, he would panic her and the results would most likely devastate them both.

Just as James' body was convincing him to fuck the consequence and chase after Lily, Catreena

finally seemed to come out of her stupor drawing herself up and opening her mouth to speak.

Noticing her movement, James was distracted and couldn't help but turn irate eyes on her. "Watch it Catreena, I'm the wrong person to be around if you're going to bad mouth Lily. In fact, I suggest you leave. Now."

When Catreena looked like she was going to continue despite his warning, James sent her a filthy look and rumbled, "Lily may not care about what you have to say, but I care about her and she's not here to stop me anymore. So try to marshal some of your extremely rare common sense and bugger off, before I get really pissed off."

Catreena's eyes widened at the threat, and after a moment full of shock and hesitation, she wisely decided to saunter off.

When James turned back to his friends he found them all staring incredulously, and he could help but snap defensively, "What?"

"Nothing, just never seen you be that mean to Catreena before," Remus shrugged uneasily. "Sparks even came out of your wand."

James looked down at his hand, shock filling him when he discovered that he'd reached for his wand without even noticing.

"I've rarely seen you move so fast outside of a competition."

James frowned and couldn't help but acknowledge to himself that perhaps practicing with Lily wasn't just benefitting her.

True to form and reading his best mate like a book, Sirius waved the whole issue off with a dismissive hand. "Man, Prongs, you know I never really understood why you liked Lily so much. Don't get me wrong, she's a great bird, but I always thought you two were too different to really make a go of it. But I officially stand corrected." Sirius smacked James on the shoulder. "Man, if I'd known she could be that passionate I may have given her a go myself!" He grinned broadly.

But his smile quickly faded when he saw James' expression, and heard what was unmistakably a growl come from his best friend.

"Merlin, James!" Sirius said holding up his hands in surrender "I was only joking!"

"We'll just be going now," interjected Remus quickly, ushering both Peter and Sirius out of James's way and dodging the glare that he was giving them.

"See you, Prongs," muttered Sirius, brushing past him and quietly shaking his head at the realization that James was about as far gone as you could get.

James sighed and pocketed his wand. He walked over and leaned against the wall, scrubbing his hand down his face as he again tried to process the ramifications of the kiss.

Just how in the hell was he supposed to act with Lily now? How could he pretend that he wasn't completely blown away by what had happened between them?

And more importantly, how could he hold himself in check now that he knew what it was like to be so close to her? How could he even be around her without recalling exactly how it felt to have her pressed tightly against him, her mouth moving hungrily over his?

He sighed deeply and tried to get that particular image out of his mind. It would do him no good to dwell on it, especially right now. He needed to sort through this and figure out a way to be around Lily without causing awkwardness between them.

James was certain of only one thing. It would take every bit of restraint and willpower he possessed not to pin Lily against the wall and to pick up right where they left off today. And deep down, he couldn't help but think, well hope, actually, that she might be off somewhere right now, struggling with the exact same questions he was.

And that thought, at least, made him smile.