Chapter Text
Half the school comes out to watch the Dueling Club tournament, and the crowd is not disappointed. Sixteen students participate in all, sixth- and seventh-years, from all four Houses. The first eight matches go fairly quickly, with weaker duelers getting eliminated in matches lasting less than three minutes. The next four are better, and the semi-final round is absolutely fantastic.
But the final duel between Lily and James is the stuff of instant legend. It lasts over twenty minutes, and they cover the whole platform with their moves, so in sync it looks choreographed, like a ballet, or a stage play. They each get knocked down more than once, but they always pop to their feet before the other can end the match. The crowd gasps when the rare errant spell flies over their heads, and they go wild when Lily hits James with Silencio and he has to finish the duel nonverbally. He pulls off the Tripping Jinx again, but by now she knows his movements so well that she's able to block his silent Leg-Locker Spell.
The whole time, no one uses a Tickling Charm.
They're both beaming and exhausted when it’s over. The students watching whistle and cheer, Marlene and Sirius loudest of all, when Slughorn crowns the champion. He declares their duel the best he's ever seen and congratulates them both. They take their bows and leave the platform to ringing applause.
Later, James is sprawled on the couch in the Common Room, recounting the highlights of the day with Sirius, Remus, and Peter, when Lily marches over to them with her hands on her hips. Sirius takes one look at her face and moves out of her way with a smirk that says he’s glad he’s not the one in trouble, for once. Remus and Peter follow his lead, congratulating Lily on a brilliant duel before excusing themselves.
James grins up at her, but she’s not smiling back. Her eyebrows are climbing her forehead and her chin juts out defiantly when she demands, “Did you let me win?”
He’s so shocked he laughs, which is the wrong move. He reaches for her hand, but she snatches it out of his grasp. She folds her arms across her chest, her lips pressed into a thin line, and he quickly waves his hands in a calming gesture.
“I swear, I didn’t,” he promises. He gives her the smuggest smirk he’s got in his arsenal, in part to distract her and in part because he knows it will reassure her that he’s his usual competitive self. “Everyone gets lucky sometimes, I guess.” He winks.
“Lucky my arse, Potter!” she says, but her expression is more amused than angry now. Now she lets him grab her hand and tug her onto his lap. “I was brilliant.”
“You were,” he agrees, tucking his chin into the crook of her neck. “And you know very well you didn’t need me to let you do anything, you can kick my arse all on your own. As you’ve shown, repeatedly,” he adds.
“I know,” she says, but there’s a hint of uncertainty in her voice. She twists so she can see his face. “I know I can beat you, but I thought maybe you thought I couldn’t.”
“So I threw the duel for you?” James cackles. “Absolutely not, love. I fully intended to thrash you. In fact, I was looking forward to lording this victory over you for years to come.”
Her face flushes at the mention of years, but she looks pleased. “Then how come you don’t seem at all bothered that you lost?”
“Oh, that,” James says, and he wraps his arms tight around her middle. “Do you see where we are right now?”
“You mean…in the Common Room?”
“No, you silly woman. Right here. You and I.”
“Oh, you mean, like—” she nuzzles his cheek with her nose “—here, together.”
“Exactly,” James says. He drops a kiss to her shoulder. “Us, together. So, of course I wanted to win the tournament. But how could I be upset, here, today?” He lifts his eyes to meet hers, and he’s not sure he’s ever smiled so hard in his life. “I don’t feel like I’ve lost at all.”