Work Text:
Into the hours of the night, Lily Evans finds herself awake. She goes down to the Gryffindor common room in hopes of finding a book to help qualm her restlessness, but she stumbles upon an exhausted James Potter instead, who sits on a couch next to the fireplace alone.
He looks lonely, and she can't help but wonder if he needs a friend.
Her red hair is tied back into a ponytail, she’s been up studying and needs a moment of brain rest. She’s surprised to see James there, and she blinks at seeint his figure sitting there. “James?” She asks. “You alright?”
"Oh, hey," James says sleepily, looking up at her with a smile, but also a hint of sadness in his eyes. "Yeah I'm alright. Just couldn't sleep." He rubs his eyes and smiles again before his eyes travel down her body. "You been studying?"
“Yeah,” she nods, fidgeting a little self consciously when his gaze drifts. Lily doesn’t know when she started to fancy James back she supposed she always had, though the thought terrified her. “Mind if I join you?”
"No not at all," James replies smoothly, taking in her curves. He scoots closer to make room for Lily next to him. "Here have a seat." With James so close to her, she can't help but feel butterflies in her stomach. She has a feeling that he feels it too. His warm breath tickles her neck, and she has to resist the urge to lean into him.
“You’re sure you’re okay?” She asks again. “You were staring into the fireplace for a while there. It’s not like you to be so… serious.”
"I'm fine." James says, though his smile fades quickly when she mentions his behavior. He shifts in his seat, rubbing his eyes and letting out a small huff of frustration. "Just having a lot on my mind lately. I can't explain it. It's like everything has been getting on top of me these past few weeks."
“Like schoolwork? Potter, if you need help you could’ve always asked me.”
"It's not necessarily the work." James sighs, running a hand through his hair. He's unsure how to express his feelings to Lily, or how he's even going to make sense of them himself. "Something just feels off about me lately. I'm not as happy as I usually am, and I am feeling more disconnected from everyone than normal."
“Oh,” Lily frowned. She wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do or say, and being so close to him made her heart pound.
James sighs and leans back in his seat, looking into the fireplace again. The flames flicker back at him, and it's like they're giving off an aura that reflects his current mood. It's a somber and quiet moment between them, though he's glad that Lily is here with him. He's starting to feel a bit better just having her in his presence.
“I know you and I haven’t always… seen eye to eye. But if you ever want to talk about anything, I’m here. Okay?”
James's mood immediately brightens at her words. He smiles at her and nods, feeling a rush of gratitude towards her. "That means a lot to me. Thank you." After a few seconds, James's eyes go back to the fire, and he seems to contemplate something before speaking up.
"You know..." He hesitates, looking back at her. "You're a great friend." He hesitates again before finishing the phrase. "And quite honestly, one of the nicest people I know." These words seem awkward to him, as if he's never once thought about conveying such thoughts towards her. But there's something about the moment between them that feels more than platonic. James's words feel true, sincere.
Lily blinks, her face flushing. “Friend? You’ve been flirting with me for years, and now we’re friends?” She’s being overly sensitive, she knows. She’s grateful for James Potter, but he made her brain hurt. She starts to climb to her feet. “You’re so bloody confusing, Potter.”
His heart catches in his throat and his cheeks turn red. He wanted to say she was more than that to him, but now he's scared that admitting such a thing could end their friendship. He stands after her and lightly grabs her by the wrist.
"That might be true," he says, hoping she doesn't think his words are only to keep her from leaving. "To be honest, you've always confused me as well. You're not the easiest person to read." He doesn't realize the significance of his statement until after he says it.
She turns to look at him. “Yeah. I suppose you’re right.”
James looks up at her and holds her gaze. There's a hint of uncertainty in his eyes, but his lips are turned up into a slight grin. His heart is racing with all the emotions churning inside him. His mind is flooded with all of the things he's wanted to tell her, but he's not sure how to say them. The silence between them becomes more and more awkward, and then he decides he should just take the plunge and see what happens. He closes the distance between them, and she feels how warm his breath is against her hair.
Lily’s eyes widen in surprise, but she’s quick to return the embrace.
James wraps his arms around her, and their mouths are almost parallel with one another. It feels like an eternity just looking at her. He can feel her heart racing the same way his does. The moment hangs on between them.
Lily feels his hand running through her hair, and it sends a shiver down her body. His breath smells of caramel and cinnamon, and it's a smell she never wants to forget. His lips are close to hers. Her lips are close to his. There's nothing but the two of them surrounded by the warm flames coming from the fireplace.
“James,” she whispers, eyes closing and mouth just barely brushing his.
James's breath hitches, and his eyes close as well. He leans in closer, their mouths connecting. They kiss softly at first, but the passion grows quickly. It's as if all of the built-up emotions they've repressed just erupt in this moment. The kiss gets deeper, more passionate, and their tongues meet. It feels amazing, and all Lily can think about is this one moment and being with him. Everything else suddenly fades away.
Her hands tighten in the cloth of his shirt and because he’s so much taller than her she has to stand on her toes to fully kiss him properly.
She feels his hands running up and down her back, and the feeling sends electricity through her body. Her lips against his is so addictive. She never wants to pull away. The kiss becomes more intense. The passion keeps escalating, and a moan escapes her mouth. She's being consumed by the moment, wrapped up in the euphoria of being with him like this.
She can’t believe she’s doing this, kissing someone she’s claimed to hate for years. But really, she hasn’t. She never hated him. Lilys eagerness grows as the kiss deepens, and James pushes her back onto the couch.
The kiss deepens, their moans becoming louder as they become more lost in the passion. She feels him leaning on top of her but doesn't mind the weight. She wants to feel everything. His hands wander down her body slowly. Her breath catches in her chest in anticipation of what's to come. It's so hot in the common room at night and James's body is making it hotter. She's getting dizzy just from everything they're feeling.
“James..” she whispers again, momentarily pulling apart. “Wait, slow down.”
James is surprised by her words, and he's unsure as to what he did wrong. His breath is heavy and uneven, but he nods in response to her request. He pulls away, though he doesn't quite understand why. He keeps his eyes closed, awaiting an explanation as to why she wants him to slow down.
“I… I want to do this right.”
James feels the butterflies in his stomach again as he opens his eyes. For some reason, her words made the moment hotter. "Right," he whispers. He can barely think straight in this moment. There's so much desire he feels for Lily that he can't control it. But he wants to respect her wishes.
"Does that mean there's a wrong way to do this?"
“No,” she laughs quietly. “I just mean… why don’t we go to Hogsmeade this weekend? Together?”
James stares at her for a few seconds with wide eyes. The thought of going with her to Hogsmeade had never even crossed his mind, but the mere suggestion of it gets his pulse racing. He could barely remember the last time he went.
"Are you asking me on a date?" He smiles, but he feels so much nervous energy in his body at the same time.
Lily started to grin, nervous. “Yes, I am.”
James can barely believe what's happening. His jaw almost drops. He never could have imagined that he'd be in this situation. He always figured she'd reject him. She's too beautiful and too desirable for him to think any other way. His nerves are through the roof, and he can feel his cheeks burning with his blush. "Yes, I'd love to go to Hogsmeade with you."