Lily
Marlene had been wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong.
Lily had wanted to laugh about it, but she was suddenly too caught up in her own head. Too distracted. Too restless.
It was like Lily had opened the floodgates - and now that she'd touched him properly, she was itching to do it again.
Hence - Marlene had been wrong. Utterly, completely wrong in her hypothesis.
It started when Marlene had caught her late arrival to Transfiguration the week prior.
Being late wasn't completely abnormal to Lily, lately. Honestly, it was rather consistent of her - between her Head Girl duties, being stopped in the hall, or avoiding anyone from Slytherin, Lily being right on time, or just a moment late, had become a consistent routine.
What was not normal and not consistent was Lily, flushed and out of breath. Her tie loose and blouse askew with a button undone at the top. The front of it was untucked. Though they'd not done more than heavy petting, her body felt aflame.
In their haste to make it to class, Lily completely overlooked fixing her clothes. God, it was her scatter-brained mind, honestly. If they'd had more time…
Marlene had narrowed her eyes, instantly suspicious and accusatory. She didn't say anything in class for fear of McGonagall, but Lily could feel the burning gaze of her friend the entirety of the class.
When the bell rang at the end of the session, Lily kept her own eyes steadfastly on her hands as she collected her things - ignoring both the constant stare from her friend - and the eyes she felt on her from the back of the class.
"Come to the loo with me?" Marlene asked , but her tone implied little room for a no.
"Sure," Lily said nonchalantly, her stomach already in knots.
They entered the nearest toilets, Marlene casually stalking the room to check the stalls before whirling around and pointing an accusatory finger. "Who the bloody hell is it?"
"What do you mean?" Lily asked as innocently as possible.
"And why the hell don't I know about it?"
Lily had walked towards the taps, checking her reflection in the mirror and immediately wincing. She'd done her best to fix her appearance subtly in class, but the results were less than satisfactory.
She ran her fingers through her hair before re-tucking in her shirttails. "I'm not sure what you're implying."
"And now you're acting daft?" Marlene swung an arm around to her heart. "If you don't tell me right this instance -"
"You'll hex me?"
"I'll send an owl to your mum, letting her know what really happened that weekend you stayed with me this summer."
Lily gasped, twisting around to glare at her. "You've been sworn to secrecy; how could you even threaten that?"
"I'm not above being dishonorable," Marlene said casually. "So spill it. What's been going on?"
Lily reached up to rub at her temple, unable to look Marlene in her eye. "I'm not sure I can even say."
Marlene hummed with a wink, "I'm not even sure if I need to ask Who. Are you saying you can't say it aloud because it's a 'I'm too embarrassed about it' situation?"
"No," Lily said immediately. "I mean, yes." She exhaled, swiping at her face. "I don't know what I'm thinking."
Marlene hummed again, giving her a peculiar look. "I see…and you're…"
"I think I'm going mad," she said bluntly.
"Okay," Marlene acknowledged carefully, walking around to lean against the tap beside Lily. "What are you hoping to accomplish?"
"I've no clue."
Marlene scoffed with an amused laugh. "Are you just hoping to have fun? Relieve some stress?"
Lily pondered, thinking over the last few weeks. "I suppose so," she said truthfully. "I mean - I honestly hadn't put much thought into it…"
Marlene smirked. "I'm sure you haven't."
"Shut up," she laughed, reaching out to smack her friend's arm. "I just… am realizing that it is nice not to think - but… I literally have no idea what the hell I'm doing. Why I'm doing it."
Marlene placed her hand on Lily's shoulder. "You're allowed to have fun and not worry about things, you know."
"Yes," Lily said after a long moment. "But I just … think it might not be smart. That I might be ruining something I shouldn't even… be dabbling in."
Marlene snorted. "Dabbling? Lily, you're a seventeen year old witch."
"I know," Lily chuckled. "I just…"
"You need it out of your system," her friend said decisively. "I get it. How far have you gone?"
Lily flushed. "I mean - not - exactly far -"
"Have you touched his wand?"
It drew a startled, wild laugh out of Lily. "Marlene."
Her blonde friend laughed. "What? I want to know."
"Jesus," Lily huffed, trying to contain her mirth. "No - I mean, nothing under clothing, at least."
Marlene pushed herself away from the porcelain sink. "Well, there you go."
Lily twisted to look at her. "What?"
Marlene gestured with her hand while grinning wickedly. "Polish his broomstick. Massage his flobberworm -"
Lily threw her head back and laughed. "Marlene-"
"I'm serious, Lily. If you take care of him, it'll get it out of your system. Works like an actual Charm."
"I'm not sure," she said dubiously. "Would that even help?"
Marlene waved her off. "It'll help you move on. Trust me. Once you get that out of the way, it all loses its shine."
Lily clucked. "Sounds like you might have your own problems with wizards."
Marlene huffed. "I'm telling you - get him off, you'll earn your endorphins from the pure power of it and you'll be able to move on," she said soothingly. "And then you can get back to being your uppity -"
"Hey," Lily cut her off with a laugh. "Don't you dare finish that. Don't you remember that weekend I stayed with you this last summer?"
This time, Marlene was the one to throw her head back and laugh. "Oh, I'll never forget it, my darling. It helps keep me warm at night."
"Shut it," Lily scoffed, threading her arm through Marlene's. "Let's go before you say anything else embarrassing."
"Embarrassing for you," Marlene said wryly. "Don't think I won't let this go forever - you'll eventually be willing to admit all of this out loud, won't you?"
"Sure," Lily smiled, pulling Marlene along. "I'll tell you - eventually."
Two days later, Lily had found out Marlene was wrong . Wrong, wrong, wrong.
Helping get James off had not helped her move on.
If anything, it only heightened a desire to do it again - the power she had over him, how he was pliable and satisfyingly supplicant under her hand (literally) .
She'd gone to bed that night wanting more. Dreamed about experiencing more with James. Thought about skiving off from their morning Potions class in order to find an empty broom cupboard with him.
Jesus, she was losing it.
It was clear she shouldn't be around him. She had other things to worry about, more serious concerns she should be focusing on, rather than fantasizing about James getting her off now.
Using his hands, no matter how calloused and rough they were. Using his mouth, with his full, tender lips that so easily redden. Using his teeth, gentle but sharp enough to pull shivers from her.
Lily threw her bedding off in a huff, rushing to the bathroom to take a cold, cold shower.
None of the others bothered her; so she took her time, opting to use the opportunity to wash away any sordid thoughts so that she could start the day fresh - and if she were late to breakfast and missed greeting the rest of her housemates, then so be it.
If she was a little late for Potions, she knew Slughorn would let it slide.
But then again, her arriving late would put everyone's eyes on her when she'd enter the dungeon's classroom. Everyone's eyes, including James's - though there was something that told her he'd be watching her anyways.
Lily cast a drying Charm over her hair so that she wouldn't feel the draft in the colder halls, twisting it out of her face into loose waves. Dried and dressed, she descended the stairs into the Common Room with the normal amount of slight tense excitement; exhaling slowly when there was no familiar sight of messy dark hair.
Though, Marlene stood by the Portrait Entrance with a wickedly delighted grin. "Why, Miss Evans. You're awfully late this morning." She held out her hand, a pastry in the palm of it.
"For me?" Lily asked wryly, accepting it. "Hm, cinnamon apple, my favourite."
"James actually left it for you," Marlene declared. "Noticed you missed the chance to make breakfast in time. I offered to bring it up since I forgot my Potions book."
"Oh," Lily responded, doing her best to keep her tone neutral. Absent-mindedly, she wondered if it was coincidence he'd chosen cinnamon apple or if he'd known it was her favourite. "Well, that was nice."
Marlene hummed, holding open the door since Lily's hands were now full. "It was nice, wasn't it?"
In order to avoid replying, Lily stuffed half of the pastry into her mouth.
"I mean," Marlene continued, following closely behind Lily. "He's often caring like that, isn't he?"
Lily murmured nondescriptly, taking another large bite.
"He looked awfully disappointed that I offered to bring you the pastry, actually."
Lily's hum was purposefully bland, silently wishing she had a drink in order to help wash down the dry crumbs.
"Asked how you were doing too," Marlene added. "Didn't you guys have an impromptu meeting last night?"
Mouth still somewhat full, Lily laughed nervously. "What do you mean?"
Marlene narrowed her eyes with an expression that Lily did not like the looks of. "Uh, don't you remember running into me in the Entrance Hall? Asked if James was still at the pitch?"
Lily let out a startled laugh. "Right, yes - we talked. There was an issue with a point form from one of the Hufflepuff Prefects - Corday?"
"Hm-hm," Marlene said idly.
"It was a, you know - whole thing."
"I'm sure."
They descended the staircases down to the dungeons, dodging last minute stragglers who were rushing to classes.
Before they entered Slughorn's classroom, Marlene tugged at her elbow.
Lily turned to find her with a small, knowing smirk. "What?"
"You'll tell me eventually, yeah?" Marlene asked quietly.
Lily inhaled slowly, feeling her face flush. "Eventually."
They entered the room and Lily kept her eyes avidly on the professor.
James
She was avoiding him. Again.
When she didn't appear in the Common Room before breakfast - or at the Great Hall, he wasn't anxious at first, exactly, but when she avoided his gaze in Potions, a small unsettled feeling sparked in his chest.
She'd been one of the first out of the classroom when dismissed - it hadn't helped that he and Peter had fallen behind in their potions instructions; they had to stay behind to help clean up. The chances of catching up to her were nil - even with his extensive knowledge of the castle.
There was a brief moment that James worried she'd regretted it - regretted giving him the most absolute brilliant hand job he'd ever received.
When he'd caught up with Sirius in Transfiguration, his best mate immediately picked up on his darkening mood.
"Who pissed in your porridge?" Sirius asked under his breath after his second failed attempt at freezing petrol - borrowed from their Muggle Studies class. He'd done it before with plain water - why the hell was this so hard to do?
"No one," he scoffed, raking a hand through his hair and keeping it there, yanking at the hair at the top of his head in frustration.
Sirius muffled a laugh, speaking under his hand. "Evans is staring at you."
James scoffed again. "Piss off," he murmured, dropping his hand as he re-concentrated his efforts. The glass of his case frosted over, the sound of it audible. Encouraged, he twisted his wand a second time, letting out a pleased exhale after the liquid finally froze over.
"Brilliant job, mate," Sirius said wryly, sitting back in his chair with crossed arms. "Even Evans looked right impressed."
James refrained from cuffing him, leaning back instead to study his work. The petrol was already sweating - but his spell had taken hold. He was satisfied - it would at least keep until McGonagall made her rounds back around the class.
Instinctively, he raised his gaze to search for the professor herself - but his eyes immediately snagged another sight (of course).
Lily had been watching him - a peculiar look on her face. Nearly puzzled, if he had to hazard. Her brows were furrowed, lower lip tucked between teeth with her lashes lowered. It made his stomach flip.
Caught, her expression quickly slid to surprised embarrassment, her gaze returning to her case of petrol - the glass before her only tipped with frost.
"See?" Sirius murmured from beside him, his tone smug.
For a moment, James worried that maybe Sirius knew something - which was possible. There was the map. His skiving off during dinner or in between free periods. Hell, had he been watching her more than normal, studying her movements or cues towards him?
But Gods, had she been watching him?
Something about that tightened a spot in his chest. Sure, she let him snog her. She had let him touch her - over the clothes, but still. She hadn't exactly been explicit with seeking him out. Had she?
Involuntarily, his eyes swung back towards hers. Her hair was down; but he could still see the familiar faint pink flush across her throat, down to the skin that peeked out from her blouse's collar.
As if she could feel his gaze, she glanced up and met his eye.
It was obvious - maybe only to him - that she was trying to not smile.
His lips fell to her mouth, where her soft, reddened lips were pursed into a tight line.
He winked; careful to keep it soft, secretive.
Her immediate response was to roll her eyes - but her smile broke through despite her strongest effort. It was impossible to hide his own smile in return. Her eyes fell onto him again, catching sight of his grin, where it teetered almost on teasing.
She subtly flipped him off behind the table, pulling a surprised laugh out of him.
"Sweet Merlin," Sirius said in a shocked tone. "What the bloody hell is happening?"
"Nothing," James immediately replied, facing forward to check on his petrol. Still frozen. "We've just been - getting along."
Sirius snorted. "I'd say."
"Please - don't -"
Sirius raised his hands, a gesture of no-harm or malice. "I shall ask nothing of what I don't want to know."
James narrowed his eyes at him.
"Yet," he clarified with a catlike smile.
For the rest of the day, James was keenly aware of Lily's attention - whether she was doing it intentionally or not, he wasn't sure.
During lunch, they sat just outside of each other's friends' perimeters; but he sat catty-corner from her a bit of a ways down, gracing him with the perfect direct line to watch her.
Her eyes would stray to him and he found himself unable to stop from returning her glances, fighting to smile too broadly in order to prevent scaring her by the pure excitement he felt each time her eyes found his.
Their afternoon classes were opposite of each other; he knew he'd be unable to pull her aside or catch her off guard. He'd have to wait.
Which left him plenty of time to fall into the deluge of dishonorable, unseemly daydreams of how he'd fancy returning the act she'd been benevolent enough to bestow on him the night before.
He had to be told off twice by his professors for not paying attention and even a scolding look from Remus before he had to shake himself from the spiral of sordid thoughts.
But Gods , the pure desire of finding ways to repay the favor left him wanting.
Dinner put them in the same position as lunch - far enough away that he couldn't speak to her directly, quietly, but close enough they could maintain eye contact. He knew then that it had been purposefully done; she continued to keep the distance.
"You guys hear Alastor Moody will be visiting from the Ministry?" Vance asked from across the way - she sat just beside Lily.
"What's that for?" Peter asked curiously. "He's an Auror, isn't he?"
"He is," Lily confirmed, surprising him. "He's been an Auror for over a decade."
James briefly wondered why she knew of him.
"He's coming to speak for the next Defence class, right?" Remus asked. "I think Dumbledore asked him to speak with the 6th and 7th years."
"Heard he's a nasty bugger," Sirius said wryly. "Saw his name in the papers a few weeks ago."
"Didn't he just apprehend a whole set of dark wizards?" Vance asked. "That's why he was in the Prophet , wasn't it?"
"Death Eaters," Remus confirmed. "A lot were from the pureblood families."
"Surprise, surprise," Marlene hummed under her breath. "Is Moody meant to give us a lesson, or just a chat about 'our futures'?"
"Futures, I bet," Vance mused. "I heard Slughorn's trying to recruit some potioneers to have career visits, as well. Not just for the Slug Club, right, Lily?"
Lily smiled. "That's what he told us at the last meeting," she said. "Aesop Sharp and Dorothy Spottle were some of the names he's mentioned."
"Merlin, Professor Aesop Sharp?" Sirius crowed. "That codger's got to be at least a century old."
"How'd you know him?" Marlene demanded from Lily's other side.
Sirius shrugged. "I don't. His name's on quite a few of the trophies in the Trophy Room."
Marlene snorted. "Like what?"
Sirius rolled his eyes. "You think I remembered what he's won awards for? I just had to polish the damn things."
Marlene opened her mouth to retort, but was cut off by Lily as she inserted, "Potioneer's Crown. Slughorn went on about it for ages; Sharp had won it nearly every year he attended."
"'Potioneer's Crown' ?" Peter asked curiously as he ate another chip. "I hadn't heard of that."
"I think they stopped awarding it about fifty years ago," Lily explained patiently. "Probably because the same student kept winning it each year while they attended."
"I wonder who'd win it these past few years?" Marlene said sardonically as she nudged Lily with an elbow.
"Bug off," Lily scoffed back at her. "I wasn't even here last year."
Marlene reached out to pinch at her cheek. "You still took lessons, didn't you?"
"At home. Hardly the same."
"Less distraction, if anything," Marlene said with a teasing grin.
Subtly, Lily's eyes narrowed at the other, before they seemed to involuntarily flick towards James's - before immediately returning to Marlene.
It had been too quick for him to decipher the intention of her look, but it still made that spot tighten in anticipation.
Peter cleared his throat. "Do you think he's hoping to recruit for the ministry?" He looked around at the table curiously. "Are any of you all thinking of joining the Aurors at the ministry?"
It was a heavy question, James knew. It'd been a topic that the four of them had rarely broached, the precarious nature of the query sure to open sensitive emotions and unwanted fears.
Sirius hadn't ever been forthcoming in what he hoped to do with his future - since he'd been named inheritor to his Uncle Alphard's gold this past summer and toyed with the idea of moving out of Potter Manor, James wasn't sure what his plans were.
Remus's situation was even more uncertain - James's wasn't oblivious to the prejudiced ways of the Wizarding World. Remus had mentioned his desire to write, perhaps even apply for the Daily Prophet or some other newspapers as a research apprentice, but James hadn't pushed. He'd been afraid to.
Peter's plans for the future weren't ever discussed in depth. He often pushed off the question, turning it back onto them. James knew Peter had an aversion for Magical Creatures and other talents; he was damned good at being cunning when they'd been deeper into planning pranks and mischievous plans.
For James himself, he was under no disillusions of what his future potential could be. He was well supported by his family and fortune. From 4th to 5th Year, he'd amused the idea of becoming a professional Quidditch player - but that changed at the end of 5th Year on the train ride home.
"I am," he said aloud, surprising even himself.
"You are?" Sirius demanded as he turned to face him. "Since when?"
James shrugged. "For a bit, I think," he said honestly. He could remember Auror Singleton's calm, authoritative demeanor, how he'd single-handedly disarmed the Death Eater that had been attacking them. "Why not?"
"Because it's dangerous," Peter said reverently, as if he were torn between being scared and impressed by him. "Haven't you heard how many wizards die a year from the Auror department?"
"Have you heard how many Dark Wizards they've managed to send to Azkaban?" James countered. "It's three years in the academy to start, if I get in." When James looked back at Sirius, he found his mate struggling with his own emotions - and James immediately knew that Sirius couldn't quite approve of this new development.
From his other side, Remus was smiling supportively. "Sounds like you'd better have a chat with Moody, then."
James chuckled, appreciating the encouraging brevity from his other mate. "Just have to avoid pissing him off, I suppose."
"You're out of luck then, Potter," Marlene sniped with a teasing grin. "I don't think there's one professor you hadn't angered."
"Nothing's impossible," he countered, and for the briefest moment, his eyes accidentally met Lily's.
She'd fallen quiet, watching him contemplatively with what looked like admiration.
They'd all returned to the Common Room shortly after, the group of 7th Years automatically falling into their normal after-dinner habits. The girls headed towards the dormitory stairs.
James fell onto the sofa in front of the fire, soon followed by Sirius, while Remus and Peter took their respective spots in the single seaters on each side. James felt restless, fidgeting his leg as he surveyed the room.
"Have you guys started the Transfiguration essay?" Peter asked absentmindedly, having already retrieved his own book and parchment.
"Nearly done," Remus replied. "Want me to review yours?"
"You're nearly done?" Peter asked, surprised. He looked down at the parchment in front of him with a frown. There was only a paragraph written at the start. "Let me get half-way through. Could you take a look then?"
Remus smiled reassuringly. "Sure."
Sirius let out the smallest tut, only noticed by James, who gave him a reproachful look. "What?" he asked innocently. "My essay was done this afternoon."
There were still a few hours before curfew; but most of the students milled about the common space, making the area louder than normal.
His stomach lurched as he caught sight of a familiar redhead, heading towards the portrait. Her bag was settled over her shoulder and he watched as she reached a hand to release the hair trapped beneath the strap, her face angling towards him.
Like they'd done at least a dozen times in the last half hour, their eyes met.
Lily smiled, briefly, before ducking through the portrait.
James waited for a moment, contemplating what his next course of action would be.
He could stay with his friends, chatting and relaxing; he was in need of some downtime, he reasoned for himself. Between Head duties, classes, quidditch, he should honestly have a night of nothing.
Or…
He could follow Lily, make sure she made it to her destination fine - of which, he was positive it was the library. She didn't often carry her bag in the evening unless she was going to complete extra studying. Perhaps she'd allow him to join her at her table - the one that had unassumingly become the older Gryffindors' table. Maybe he could grab a Transfiguration or Defence book to (pretend) to read, just to sit in her presence
There was the quickest flash of the night previous - her hand around him, his lips on the exposed skin of her throat.
Merlin, he was a lost cause.
Decision made, he jumped up.
"Oi, where are you going?" Sirius demanded, unmoving from his lounged position.
"For a walk," he said unconvincingly.
Sirius called something at his back, but he no longer cared, weaving around the other students to find the quickest route to the exit.
The corridors were much less crowded than the Common Room, he was pleased to find. He kept his pace even, hands in his trouser pockets as he journeyed the path to the library on the first floor. He knew there wasn't a way to catch up with her, Lily having had the head start by quite a few minutes, so he'd use the opportunity to enter the library in a casual manner.
It was easy enough to spot her though, sitting alone at the back of the library like he knew she'd be.
"The Transfiguration essay?" he asked quietly, leaning over the table.
Lily jolted, nearly upending the inkwell she'd been about to dip her quill back into one. She laughed abruptly, as if she wasn't surprised to see him.
"If you want to call it that," she said breathlessly, gesturing to a page that had even less words than Peter's had. "Feels impossible to get the bloody thing done."
"Struggling?" he asked carefully.
"More than I'd care to admit," she said with another small laugh as she tucked a large chunk of hair behind her ear. His eyes were drawn to the movement.
Gods , she was gorgeous.
He gestured to the seat beside her. "Would you like help? I've finished it this afternoon."
She shook her head. "You don't need to -"
"I want to," he replied before she could deny him. He slid into the chair, shuffling it closer to hers, fully aware that their knees nearly touched.
He was surprised she didn't pull her own away, but instead seemed to deflate, letting her face fall forward as she massaged her temples. "I cannot bloody concentrate," she said in a low voice, as if complaining to herself. "This section makes no sense whatsoever," she added, now directing the words towards him. She waved her arm over the large text book in front of her. "How in the world did you already finish the assignment?"
James chuckled. "It took a few reads," he admitted, reaching across to pull the book closer. Their hands nearly grazed as he settled the book between them. "Here - this section. It's not really about the compositions of the matters - it's more about the qualities that make them."
"What the bloody hell does that mean?" she asked with a wry grin as she glanced up at him, her eyes quickly assessing his face.
He grinned, leaning infinitesimally closer as if he were going to tell her a secret. She mirrored his movements - and he was pleasantly aware to find her gaze drop to his lips. "Don't think about a solid being a solid. Or liquid being water . Think about how firm a solid is - things that are solid are nearly immoveable - or made not to be flexible. Liquid is created with fluidity; it's meant to fill in the gaps and be flexible."
She'd looked away from him, back at the text with unfocused eyes. "So it's not about focusing on the makeup of it - but more so the structure. The anatomy of it."
"Right," James confirmed, watching as her hair ruffled from his breath. "See this here?" He pointed at the segment that provided an analysis of elemental cores.
She hummed, leaning the tiniest bit closer as he re-read the paragraph to her, translating to his understanding of the topic in a way that finally allowed him to understand the purpose of it. This came easy; understanding transfiguration.
He eventually trailed off when he realized she'd been watching him closely, an unreadable expression on her face. "Sorry, have I lost you?" he asked, a bit chagrined.
"No, not at all," she sighed, brushing her hair out of her face. "I just - think I've realized - that I'd seen a publication that could maybe help me understand. I'll go grab it -"
"Oh, sure," James said as he shifted, giving her space to push her seat back.
"Sorry," she murmured as her hand brushed his arm. "I'll be right back. It's just - right over there -"
"Right."
He watched her go, her red hair quickly disappearing behind a stack. James exhaled slowly, suddenly bereft of her body heat no longer near him.
His eyes fell onto the table before him, over the things she'd left behind. Her bag, her quill - both well worn and used. He traced where she'd written her name in the top corner of her essay.
And then waited a beat longer before standing up, gingerly pushing his chair back in so that it wouldn't make any loud noises.
It's not that he felt like a stalker, exactly, but he walked the aisles of bookshelves with sharp purpose, his eyes scanning for any occupants as he passed by them - until he found his goal.
There she was; at the end of one of the stacks that backed against a wall - a large window was set into the stone overhead, the evening sun filtering through its coloured glass. She stood with her hip against the cabinet of the shelf, her back to him - one hand on her hip while the other rested on the shelves.
"I didn't realize Transfiguration could be found near the Herbology section," he point out quietly.
Lily spun, eyes falling on him before dropping away, searching the shelving. "Oh, right," she laughed lightly. "I just got turned around, I suppose. Just been - really distracted, you know?"
"Sure," he said easily, taking a few steady steps towards her. "Were you able to find that publication?"
"No," she said dryly, reaching up to massage her temple again. "Must be checked out."
"Are you alright?" he asked, intentionally softening his voice as he closed the distance between them.
She exhaled slowly, before a sharp, wild laugh escaped her. "Not really," she admitted, dropping her hand and finally raising her eyes to meet his.
He was held there. "What's wrong then?"
Lily laughed again, the sound resigned. "Nothing, technically."
"Technically?" he prompted.
"It really is nothing…"
"So…" he reached out to twist a stray piece of hair out of her face, his fingers curling around the edge of her jaw. "That publication you were looking for, then?
"Oh, Jesus Christ, just kiss me, James," she hissed, reaching forward to grab at his loose tie, pulling him towards her.
He met her halfway, walking her backwards until she was pressed against the stone wall at the end of the stack, matching the ferocity of her lips just the same. His hands automatically threaded into her hair, his fingers sliding into the soft waves just behind her ear so that he could hold her in place as she clutched at him.
"Fuck, Lily," he murmured against her mouth as she pressed her hips into his.
This, surely, was heaven - or the path to it.
Her hand snaked from his shoulder up to where his hand had been nestled into her hair, retracting it and guiding it lower down her front until her hand was pressing his fingers into the soft feel of her breast.
He immediately understood her silent ask, his low moan nearly matched hers as he kneaded the flesh there. Even from over the fabric of her school blouse and bra, he could feel the peak of her nipple, concentrating his thumb on its point as he palmed the weight of the rest of his breast in his hand.
She inhaled sharply through her nose, arching into his touch, her body reacting beautifully to his ministrations.
It only made him want more.
James suddenly bent at the knee to slide an arm around her waist to haul her up in order to set her at the edge of the cabinet's ledge, where her hips lined up gratifyingly close to his own once she'd opened her knees and allowed him to step between them.
Instead of returning to snog her, he pressed his mouth to the sensitive part just below her ear, using his teeth to nip at the skin there.
Her gasp was quiet, but it was loud enough for him, the sound going straight to his cock.
He tugged at the fabric of her shirt at the waist, pulling it from the band of her skirt until his fingers found the soft, warm skin of her sides. The tips of his fingers skimmed higher until they reached the edge of her bra.
She shivered, weaving one hand around the back of his neck.
He pulled back from her throat, catching her eyes to make sure he was alright to continue. Her lids were half-lowered, lips parted as she panted for air. "Touch me," she whispered.
The tone of her voice sent another shock to his cock.
James's fingers slipped beneath the band of soft cotton, curling around the warm flesh of her breast, till his thumb found purchase, rolling the peak of it carefully to see how she'd react.
Lily arched, using her arm around his neck to pull him back towards her, where he met her waiting lip, already prepared for it. He used his own arm around her back to support her, to avoid pressing back against the books and upsetting any of the shelving.
Her knees tightened around him to tug him in closer - just as he realized almost a moment too late her hand fiddling the belt at his trousers.
He retracted his hand from her bare breast - an action he already nearly regretted - to clasp at her wrist, bringing it up to join the other around his neck.
She drew back from the kiss, brow narrowed. "What -"
"You're so fucking beautiful," he murmured, cutting her off with another heated kiss.
Her arms tightened around his shoulders, drawing him closer.
James let his hand find its way back to her waist, but instead of slipping beneath her blouse, he lowered it further so that his fingers rested on her upper thigh, just above the spot where the edge of her skirt ended.
The muscles of her leg beneath his touch contracted for a brief moment, until they slowly relaxed. Without hesitating in the kiss, Lily shifted her knee the slightest away from his hip, opening herself up to him more. Giving her silent consent.
Reassured, heart racing, James slid his hand down the wool until his palm met warm skin, slipping his fingers beneath the hem of her skirt and then following an invisible trail towards her hip.
The skin of her upper thigh was smooth, marred only by the hint of gooseflesh that arose beneath his light touch. His fingers met the upward curve of her hip until he felt the soft cotton of her knickers, then he followed the seam towards the inside of her thigh.
Her breath hitched. There was a brief moment where he wondered if he'd been the first bloke to touch her like this - then immediately shoved the thought aside. It didn't bloody matter, not when it was his hand at this moment between her warm, smooth thighs.
Not when it was his knuckles brushing the softest amount against the center seam of her underwear, resulting in her hips rolling forward the slightest, urging him on.
He did it again, experimentally pressing harder as he brushed his knuckles down her cunt, the fabric of her knickers damp and warm.
She shuddered against him, one of her hands weaving into the back of his hair.
Confident now, his fingers slipped inside the edge of the fabric, feeling along the line of her cunt till he found where she was wettest, pressing his middle finger in the first knuckle to collect some of it and spread it over there, the slide of it painfully delicious.
He knew when he successfully found her clit when she gasped against his mouth, pitching her back in a quick, shocked movement.
Overcome, his eyes opened to watch her, starved to log her reactions.
Her cheeks were already flushed, her mouth abused and red. Her eyes opened for a brief moment to meet his, unfocused and filled with desire, before he repeated the movement that had given her first reaction.
Her mouth fell open as her head tilted back, exposing the flushed, lean lines of her neck.
Too enticed not to touch her with his mouth, he bent forward, placing a wet kiss to the spot below her ear as he navigated a finger back to her slit and pressed in. His eyes rolled back at the hot, wet sensation of her, and nipped at the skin of her throat out of pure want.
Her gasp quickly devolved into a low moan, rocking her hips against the hand he held against her, the finger situated inside of her.
"Sh," he whispered into her ear, fighting against his lizard brain as it yelled at him. He wanted to hear her. "Careful, love. We're still in the library."
She hummed softly in distracted acknowledgment, and he pulled back slightly to catch sight of her closed eyes, her lower lip worried between her teeth. He let his finger curl upwards, exploring the feel of her and studying for her body's response.
Lily arched again, tilting her hips forward as if instinctually. Gods, she was fucking hot. His mind automatically went to imagine the silk heat of her wrapped around his cock instead of his finger. He wanted it. So fucking bad.
Instead, he shifted his hand to press a second finger inside of her, her cunt adjusting easily. Her fingers contracted in his hair as she hummed, the sound of it contradictorily needy and content.
He curled his fingers again, grinding the heel of his hand against the spot he knew was her clit. Her reaction was instantaneous; a poorly caught moan as she rocked forward, another instinctive movement.
"God," she hissed, wrenching her eyes open to stare at him. "Please do that again."
As if he'd do anything but that.
Fucking hell, he's never get the image of her out of his head now: her head lolled back, skirt bunched up around her hips, the sight of his hand in her knickers.
He replicated the movement over and over, working his hand against her and enjoying the sounds she and her body made each time he moved just right. He'd be damned if he didn't accredit his hands dexterity and tolerance to Quidditch.
There was a swift change in the moment when her poorly veiled hums became tinged with a desperate need, her knees bracing just the tightest amount around his hips.
He seized it. "I want to feel you come, Lily. Are you going to come for me?"
"Please," she hissed, tone breathy. As if needing to, she forced her eyes open to meet his again, releasing the hold of one hand in his hair in order to reach over her head a clutch the edge of a shelf.
"Fuck," he cursed, instantly committing the moment to memory as he fought to ensure his hand remained steady. "Come for me, Lily."
Her eyes fell closed just as her breath hitched, bodying tensing for a split second before shuddering, her hips rocking in waves against his hand. He could feel her around his fingers, pressing in deliciously as she came.
"Jesus," she hissed, dropping her hand to encircle his wrist. He made to retract it, but she fought against him, holding his hand in place while rolling her hips in a slow experimentation as rode out her orgasm.
Her eyes finally slid open, a languid small smile gracing her lips.
The hand still around his shoulders pulled him towards her in demand - and he obligingly met her lips, the kiss sensual and slow. Heady. Sated.
She pulled back enough to allow a breathless laugh to escape. "Jesus," she repeated and he realized his fingers were still inside of her just as she did. Her eyes dropped between them, catching sight of his hard cock, poorly hidden by his trousers. "Oh, I -"
The library's warning chime sounded, jolting them both.
James finally retracted his hand from between her thighs, fully conscious of her wetness spread across the skin there. "I suppose we might need to leave before Fawnly walks the stacks," he said wryly.
Lily let out a startled laugh, hopping down from the shelf and smoothing her skirt down, retucking her shirt in haphazardly. Her eyes dropped again to the front of his trousers before meeting. "You -"
He grinned, grabbing her hand to pull her along back towards her table in order to collect her things. "Let's get back to the tower before we really get caught after curfew."