Forget

Chapter Nine

So breathe in so deep
Breathe me in
I'm yours to keep
And hold onto your words
Cuz talk is cheap
And remember me tonight
When your asleep

Second Hand Serenade

The next few days of exams passed quickly. It was now Thursday morning. Lily sat on the couch closest to the fire of the empty common room. Her watch clicked five. Lost in blank thought Lily stared into the ash and burnt wood, her eyes watering. 'Lily'. Victoria walked into the room, 'What are you doing up so early?'

Lily blinked, turning with a smile across her face. 'Victoria, good morning. I thought I'd have an early start today. Lot's of exams. You?'

'Sore throat. I needed to get a drink of water.' She grabbed a glass and filled it. 'You went to sleep early last night. James said you were stressed. I overheard you having a go at him.'

'Yeah, I was stressed.' Lily lied remembering last night. She and James were laughing together as usual these days. Lily had the urge to rest her head on his shoulder. She remembered the encounter well.

His smile turned into a laugh at her expense. She looked down her cheeks flushing crimson. Her eyes fell on his chest. She could see his perfect tone through his t-shirt. She looked back into his eyes pushing away her new thoughts of lust. She ran a hand through her curls, avoiding the thoughts. James leant over and brushed a few strands that had fallen in front of her face. His touch lingered around her ear. Against her own mind she moved forward, closer towards his body.

'I have to go.' She said standing.

'why?' He asked; obviously not ready to let her go.

'Do I have to tell you everything?' She said sternly. She grabbed her cloak off her armchair and headed for her Dormitory. Ashamed by her outburst she laid on top of her bed. What must he think now?

Victoria yawned. 'Breakfast will be ready in an hour.' She took a seat beside Lily. 'By the way, I've left a Christmas present on your bed. I didn't think I'd have time tomorrow, not with all the exams and packing for the afternoon train.' Victoria took a sip of her water and looked to Lily and asked uncertain 'Did you want to come to my house for Christmas?'

'No.' Lily smiled at Victoria's hesitant sentence of comfort. 'I am perfectly fine here. There are a few friends who are staying as well.'

Victoria had a large grin to this. 'You know Lils… you and James are a pretty good match.' Lily looked at Victoria bemused. 'I know his over you now, well so he says. But I think you two look really cute together. You should give it a thought.'

'Well as you said he is over me now so there is no point to give it an extra thought.'

Victoria thought for a moment. 'Love doesn't change just like that. I would bet that he still does… and' She added with a cheek 'I would also bet that you are starting to feel for him.'

Lily raised her eye brows and gave her friend a nudge. 'And what would you suffice that from?'

'I watch and observe is all. I'm going to get ready.' Victoria stood and made it to the stairs. 'Just give it a thought.' She called back.

_

James sat with Sirius and Remus in the Great Hall. Peter was stuffing his face with pancakes beside them, maple syrup dripping down his face.

'You know…' Sirius sighed.

'No I don't. Would you like to enlighten us?' Remus told him after a few moments of silence.

Sirius looked at him with a grin. 'It started snowing.'

'It started yesterday.' James put in.

'Yes, well today I noticed it… and you all know what snow means.' No one answered so Sirius continued. 'Snow fights! Come on, we'll have one after exams!!'

They agreed and stood ten minutes later for there first exam.

_

Lily walked into Charms and took a seat by Victoria. James walked over towards them with a big lopsided grin dazzling. 'The guys and I are going to play in the snow this afternoon. Would you both like to join?'

Lily looked towards Victoria who nodded excitedly.

James grin impossibly grew further. 'Great! I'll see you two there.'

It was one of the busiest day's at Hogwarts for the fifth, sixth and seventh years, who were found scribbling through papers, studying behind piles of books, or prancing about panicking as they went. Lily walked into the common room and put her books into her dormitory and sprawled herself out onto her bed, glad the exams were over for the day.

'Lily!' Victoria called, 'Come on the others are waiting down stairs.' Lily reluctantly rose from her bed, grabbing a pair of gloves and a scarf. She met up with ten others who were waiting eagerly. James and Sirius opened the portrait hole and beckoned everyone to follow suit. The corridors were cool, a cold breeze lingering through them. Christina grabbed hold of lily's arm for warmth.

'Okay everyone, we are going to team up into two groups. If you get hit with a snow ball your out and the group who is still standing wins. You can only hide in the grounds and when you're hit you must sit by the oak tree by the lake. Got it?'

Everyone agreed. Lily looked towards James who was fixing up his scarf. Peter was beside him trying to figure out how to best fold his own scarf. James looked up and caught Lily's eyes. She smiled and he returned it, putting a hand through his hair. The grounds were freezing. The snow made you sink into it up to your ankles. The sky was overcast and grey. Lily looked towards the lake. It was almost completely frozen over. First years were attempting to make ice castles beside it.

'Lets do girls verses guys.' Christina said as they stopped in the middle of the snow covered field.

'Alright, we give you twenty seconds to go hide and make snow balls. One… two… three…'

The girls started running as the guys made there first batch of snow balls. Ashlee, Victoria, Kura and Stephanie ran towards the forest while Christina, Zoe and Emma ran towards the lake. Lily quickly hid behind a large tree. She could hear the guys charge past her with snow balls ready. She giggled as they went pass without noticing her. She bent down to make her own snow ball as one hit the tree where she had just been standing. She looked up with her snowball ready and saw James. 'Missed.' She smiled simply. He picked up another snow ball.

'You were lucky.' He threw another snow ball; she dodged it just in time.

'Missed again.' She threw her own snow ball and he caught it in his hand. 'That's not fair.' She ran behind the tree and gathered another snow ball.

'Come out, come out where ever you are?' James walked around the tree. Lily crept around the tree almost running into a snow ball Remus had thrown. She turned and threw her snowball towards him and successfully hit him, square in the chest. He gave her a solemn bow and walked to the oak tree. James then came around the tree and rounded on her. She leant back into the tree cornered, his snowball raised and ready. 'Nice throw Evans.'

'Why thank you.' She eyed his snowball.

'I've got you cornered.'

'So you have. What are you planning to do with me?'

James raised his eyebrow. 'Hmm, I'm getting ideas.' Lily kicked him.

'You're sick Potter.' She quickly ran up towards the castle, a snowball slid past her, missing her by inches. 'You might be great at catching things but you're a pathetic shot. You must be the worst Chaser' she joked around.

'You're going down Lily Evans. I was just playing easy.' He called running after her. She laughed, stopping to gather up another snow ball. James leant down to make another as well.

'Catch this one Potter.' She threw her snowball at him.

'Ha, great throw Lily, it didn't even reach me.'

'Throw yours then genius.'

He threw it and she took her wand out, pointed to it and chanted 'Bombarda!' The snowball exploded, spraying them both with ice.

'Cheater.' He said making another one. She ran to him and jumped on him, wrestling him to the ground. He took advantage of this and rolled them over, pinning her. 'You cheated missy.'

'You cheated first by catching my snow ball.' Lily started making a new snow ball with her right hand. James oblivious laughed at her.

'What are you laughing at?'

'You.' He replied smiling. 'You're so cute. Look at your cheeks, there as rosy as your hair.'

Lily took his glasses off with her left hand. 'Can't see now thou can you?'

'I can see enough to notice they're the same color as your hair. Now can I have them back?'

'Nah…' She replied having too much fun. She put her hands up and brushed snow out of his hair, leaving her snowball beside her. 'You look like you have white hair. You even have some through your eye brows.' She removed them and let her finger slide down his warm cheek. 'You have soft skin.' She murmured.

'You have freezing hands.' He replied flinching.

'Good.' She replied holding his cheeks in her palms. James shuttered from her icy touch and felt around for his glasses. 'Looking for these?' She said placing them onto him.

'Thank you.'

She smudged her pre made snow ball into his chest. James looked down at his chest dumb founded. She threw him off and ran for the castle doors. He got up shaking the snow off himself and started chasing after her. The corridors were empty; a lot of students were in the grounds or in the common rooms packing. Lily ran into an empty classroom and waited in there for five minutes panting. The classroom was full of Christmas decorations. She slightly opened the door to the corridor to check if the close was clear. She stepped out and felt the cold breeze. She held her cloak closer and walked into the next corridor. It was full of decorations alike the room she had just been in. She heard a door close behind her. She turned quickly and saw James. She gave him an innocent look and backed away down the hall.

'I'm gunna have to come up with a really good idea to get you back with all the stunts you've pulled.' He said following her.

'Believe me you've done enough to me in the last six years.'

He smiled at her comment and rounded on her, she backed further away running into a wall. Damn, she thought, a dead end.

'I always seem to corner you.'

'Hmm… that is true. So what's the genius idea huh? I want to know what you are going to do to me before you do it.'

'You know what Lily?' He said his voice a little bit softer, placing his hand against her cheek. Lily's heart thrilled at its warmth.

'What James?' She asked, hiding the jumpiness in her voice.

'You led us into an uncomfortable situation.' Too uncomfortable…

'I'm aware of that. I'm stuck on a wall.' Remember to breath

'Look up… 'He lifted her cheek. She looked up to the decorations above them puzzled. 'What am I looking for?' She looked back into his eyes, they were inviting. Her heart raced and she used all self control to contain herself from falling into his embrace.

'Mistletoe.'

Lily looked up again and noticed it. Her body froze.

'I'll have to talk to Dumbledore about putting mistletoe around the school.'

Lily managed to stifle a laugh. 'You love it James. You can steal kisses from all the girls.' She regained her control and smirked.

'Nah.' He replied, putting her hair behind her ear. 'I'd pretend I didn't see it.'

'Why'd you spot it just now?'

'It'd be your punishment.' And my only chance…

'Are you sure kissing me would be a punishment?'

'Of course it would. In all my years of wanting to kiss you I knew you'd despise it… and me.'

'You thought of kissing me aye. Was this one of your dreams?' She teased.

'Might have been. Can I steal a kiss…? '

He leant in slowly, brushing his lips across the small of hers. He held them lightly into a soft kiss. Her body froze once again at his touch. He released his lips open, enough to beckon her lips to slide in. Slowly his hand lowered to place itself around her waist, pulling her in closer. She let out a small gasp of air as there lips divided and his tongue reached her lower lip. Her own hands crept up his arched back, one residing to his hair. The messy strands slid between her fingers as she grasped his head closer, his body following suit. His lips fell rough and needy. Lily grabbed at him a little harder, forgetting all complications. Her breathing became unsteady and rushed, as was his. Her body flushed warm and feelings Lily had never dreamed of having for the irrevocable James Potter erupted. She could feel the beat in his chest against her own, the smell of his usual cologne filled her head, intoxicating her, leaving her breathless. She couldn't let him go, he was too addictive.

'James.' She managed to whisper as there lips opened for a moment. He looked into her green eyes, the eyes that had always got the best of him.

'yes lily?' His deep voice welcomed her back to his lips. I cant be with him now and not want this closeness. I like him… a lot. I can't fall for him. His just my friend, no more, no less.

'I'm sorry.' She whispered.

He crossed his head ashamed of his advantages. 'It's okay… It meant nothing' He lied afraid of loosing her. She left his arms and ran back down the corridor. James went to run after her but she stopped, alarming him to halt.

'Don't' she said with a steady voice, her insides crumbling into pieces. 'Please just don't.' She walked away knowing she would never be able to be in his presence again and that he would never know why she ran away from him after tonight's events. Or maybe he does know, maybe he knew but did not feel the same for me?

James stood there, staring at the empty corridor before him, lost in the thought of Lily leaving. He turned to look back at the dead end, his heart dropping a beat. He could still feel the warmth of Lily's lips. I stuffed it big this time. I shouldn't have mentioned the mistletoe. He remembered the regret in her eyes as she left. Regretting kissing me… her friend. I was stupid to think we would still be close after kissing. He held his fist tight. 'Idiot.' He muttered to himself. Now she thinks you're still madly in love with her. Well she's not wrong. She won't go near me now.

He took one last glance at the dead end and walked to the oak doors hoping she had gone back to the game. But she hadn't. 'Where's Lily?' Victoria asked as he made it to the group.

'She's in the castle; I think she may have gone back to the common room.'

'Is she okay?' Victoria took in his obvious reluctant reply. 'Are you hiding something James… come on, what happened?'

'I'm not sure.' He replied honestly putting a hand through his hair puzzled. 'I might have offended her; maybe you should go see her. I doubt she wants to see me.'

Victoria nodded curiously and walked up to the castle. Sirius ran through the snow towards James. 'Prongs.' He called gleefully. 'I won! Who got you?'

'Lily.'

Sirius fell into a bark of laughter. 'Ha beaten by a woman!'

'Hey!' echoed a few girls who were sitting by the oak tree. They picked up some snow balls and pegged them at Sirius.