Sorry for the wait, I want to thank "J" for reviewing. And partly in Latin too! You have skills.
Disclaimer: I bet J.K Rowling doesn't have a truckload of homework to do.
Enjoy xx
"You like me?"
"Kind of..."
"So you like me? For how long?"
"I've been trying to hide it since the start of the year."
"But you like me?"
"YES! Holy Agrippa, James! Are you deaf?"
His face is scarily unreadable, and my heart skips a beat as I hold my breath, waiting for his reaction.
For the second time this year, he catches me by surprise by leaning down and kissing me.
It's not explosions I feel this time.
It's him.
I feel James, all of him, kissing me and holding me and being there, being...James. My hands are in his hair, he's holding me around my waist, and I feel like I'm floating. So this is what a kiss is supposed to feel like.
As I pull away gently, he's there again, his forehead resting against mine, his breath mingling with mine, so close that I feel like I'm flying, like his hand on my waist is the only thing anchoring me to the ground. Leaning back slightly, I look up at him and smile, the kind of smile that you just can't get off your face, and he looks astonished, like he can't quite believe what just happened.
I'm convinced that I'm dreaming.
Yet I still don't wake up.
"We really should have done that ages ago." I mutter, light-headed.
"I told you the world knew it would be good." he smirks, but his hand doesn't leave my side.
Letting my bag fall to the floor, I cup his cheek and kiss him lightly, before grabbing his hand and dragging him towards the door. He grabs me gently around the waist, and I giggle as his long fingers tickle my side, stopping in my tracks.
"Where are you going, Petal?"
"You mean where are we going, James. To get my hot chocolate, if that's okay with you. I'm kind of obsessed, and there won't be anyone around." I blink up at him coyly, and smile as his eyes glaze over slightly.
"Yeah...let's do that."
"Come on then." I pull at his hand, swinging my bag up onto my shoulder, and he lets go of me, swinging our intertwined palms backwards and forwards excitedly.
That's another thing that I love about James: his enthusiasm is infectious.
We walk out of the portrait hole, hand-in-hand, and start walking down to the kitchens.
As we pass the Gryffindor common room, I jerk my head towards the sleeping Fat Lady.
"They're going to go nuts when they find out I told you."
"Why? Did you tell them?"
"Well...Alice knows, and Remus guessed."
"Moony? How does he know?"
"When I was upset yesterday-"
"You were upset yesterday? What-oh..."
He falters as I shoot him a meaningful look.
"Yeah. So he told me about some incident that happened in fifth year, about a prank or something...yeah, well he said it went wrong." He pales slightly and his hazel eyes widen.
"He told you about Snape?"
My jaw drops, and I can't quite believe what he just said.
"You saved Snape?"
"Ahhh...so he didn't tell you who I saved...Right."
"No...he didn't say who. You did that...why?"
"I couldn't just let him die, I mean I hate the git, but he didn't deserve to die, besides..." He blushes and I laugh.
"What?!"
"He is...well, he was important to you..." He looks so adorable, I can't help it; I lean up and kiss him on the cheek, then giggle as he turns scarlet.
"You're amazing, you know that Porcupine?"
"Well, you're beautiful as well as amazing, so I have competition." I blush.
We walk for a minute and then I stop, so he does.
"What?"
"Why were you out last night? How did you break your arm?"
He shifts his weight from foot to foot, and looks suddenly nervous. I lean against the windowsill behind me and look out across the lake.
"Yeah...Lily. It's not really my secret to tell, and...and..." He's rambling now, and I look at the cloudless, light blue sky, up at the just visible full moon, a beautiful white against the blue.
I turn to look at him, mind racing. "It was full moon last night, wasn't it?"
He looks worried now, playing with the hem of his shirt. "Uh-huh."
Full moon: werewolf.
James isn't a werewolf, is he?
No, he has none of the symptoms.
So who could it be? It has to be someone he would risk his life to help, I guess.
Sirius?
No symptoms.
Same with Peter.
But Remus? What did it say in my textbook?
"Sickly near to the full moon."
He looked pale yesterday.
"Uncommonly strong."
Check.
"Weak following the transformation."
Check.
"Scratches that turn into scars, that will never fade."
All over him.
Check.
Check. Check. Check.
Suddenly I'm worried. Very worried.
"James?"
"Umm...yes?"
"I know."
"Yeah."
"So you know that..."
"Remus has a monthly...'escapade'."
"Yes."
James looks impressed and grins sheepishly, slipping his arm around my waist and pulling me closer to him.
"You've always been too smart for you own good."
"Wait...James. What did you rescue Snape from in fifth year?!"
His eyes widen and he stammers. "Uh...Filch?"
"You could have DIED!" I punch him hard on the arm and he yelps.
"It was worth it though...I did it for you." he says in a soppy voice.
I punch him again, just for his reaction, and then narrow my eyes, as we approach the kitchen door.
"So how did you break your arm? Was it something to do with-"
"That's too many secrets to tell! That's way too many Marauder secrets for one day. I'll tell you soon, okay, Lils?"
I nod, unsatisfied, but he squeezes my hand, sending tingles running up my arm, and I smile.
Finally! (does happy dance!) They kissed!
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No, seriously, please review.
I mean it.
Review.
Please.
Asante,
She-who-loves-fanfiction xx
