Work Text:
don’t make me over
now that you know how i adore you
“I thought you were enjoying Muggle Studies?” Lily asked with a frown.
It was nearly the end of lunch but the Great Hall still buzzed with activity. Beside her at Gryffindor table sat James, running a hand through his soft, unruly hair in frustration. Well, Lily assumed his hair was soft. She had been pathetically wondering, in fact, for months.
James held up his latest essay. It was heavily creased from where he’d folded it so many times with that pent up energy of his.
“I am, but I'll tell you who is not enjoying my homework. Professor Medean is bringing down my whole average by giving me all these As.”
He was practically pouting, and Lily couldn’t help but laugh at the Quidditch Captain, never mind Head Boy, doing such a thing. He really didn’t care. She pushed his face lightly, until his mouth morphed into a grin.
Lily rolled her eyes, because his smile was warm and lingering and she couldn’t look directly at it.
“Such melodrama, Potter. After the Prefects’ meeting later, I promise I’ll give you the full lowdown on electricity. It'll be a riot.” Lily’s tone was dry but she meant it. James had a way of making everything fun.
His hazel eyes lit up. “You are quite literally an angel. Have I said that before?”
“Yes actually,” Lily deadpanned before turning back to her lunch. She snuck an insuppressable smile his way and he pinched her leg in return.
Lily knew she was flushed pink. She ignored the flat out butterflies running rampant in her stomach at the idea of spending time just the two of them, even if it was for academic reasons. Currently they sat closely on the bench, legs and shoulders brushing together every other moment. When he turned his head, he was far too close. She could count every eyelash on those mischievous eyes.
“I better go.” He sounded sorry. Minty breath skated over her face. “Time to face my fate and all that. But I’ll see you later?”
“Sure will.”
“Alright,” James smiled, and then he leaned down and kissed her.
Lily’s world stopped spinning. His lips were soft as they captured hers, and he filled up her every sense for two seconds. Or was it two hours?
Just like that, he was gone. Swinging his leg over the bench and sauntering off, messenger bag swinging.
Lily stared after him, mouth slack and eyes wide. The din of the Great Hall crashed over her like a wave.
“Did you just kiss James Potter?”
“Uh,” Lily said faintly, lips tingling. She wasn’t entirely sure who had asked. “Technically I think he kissed me.”
James made it about ten seconds through the courtyard before he came to an almost comedic halt. A Ravenclaw protested loudly as they had to swerve at the last minute to avoid crashing into him.
He didn’t care.
Oh. Merlin.
James jabbed a hand in his hair and began walking again as though on autopilot. What the hell had he been thinking? The answer to that was sadly easy. He hadn't been thinking at all. Lily was going to kill him. Even if she didn’t pull away, and even if she maybe wouldn’t have minded kissing him at some point, he’d done it in front of everyone they knew. On a Tuesday at lunch. As though… as though they kissed all the time.
James’ feet fumbled on the cobble stones.
He spent an agonising afternoon in Muggle Studies with Professor Medean and a suspicious Sirius. He was increasingly aware of the looks he was getting throughout the lesson and the panicked evening walk - or jog, really - down to the Third Floor where they held their Prefects meeting as Head Girl and Boy.
Lily stood up when James strode into the room. She was, thankfully, the only one there. His heart did its usual flip flop in his rib cage when he saw her. Lily’s red hair was now in a single haphazard plait, and her face was expectant.
“James—”
James tossed his bag on the table. “Lily, I don’t know how to begin apologising. I’m sure you're pissed—”
“I am furious,” Lily tilted her head as he drew close. Between them, her hands twisted together nervously. She took a breath. “That it ended so quickly.”
James short circuited. “Lily. Don’t even joke with me—”
“Why did you do it?” Her green eyes scrutinised him with their usual precision, but uncertainty lurked there too.
He couldn’t have that. Besides, he’d pretty much laid his cards on the table today. Fuck it.
“Probably because I think about doing it all the time. It was automatic and I just… kissed you.” The words felt foreign on his tongue. Unbelievable.
Lily had bit her lip, as though clamping down on a smile. “You think about it all the time? That’s not really possible—”
“All. The. Time.” James repeated, like it was a fact. He sounded slightly tortured even to his own ears. Lily’s sharp inhale was only audible because he’d drifted in as he spoke. “Lily, I like you so much, and everything is so easy when we’re together, it just makes sense to me. But that’s not—”
Lily grabbed a handful of his jumper then, cutting him off effectively. “It’s hard to care what everyone thinks when I’m thinking about you instead. If you keep apologising, you’re going to give me a complex.”
James released an unsteady laugh at her snark, marvelling at his luck. His anxiety that he’d upset her dissolved between them as he drew Lily in with the hands that had ended up on her hips. She made a surprised noise that brought a smile to his face as he now looked down at her, trying to regulate his hard breathing.
“Can I be sorry that our first kiss wasn’t on a romantic date or surrounded by candlelight?” He asked. Lily’s fist left his jumper to link with her other hand around his neck. She swayed slightly and James tightened his grip by sliding both arms around her waist. She was now impossibly close. The closest she’d ever been.
“The Great Hall is filled with candles, James. What’s the problem?” Lily raised her eyebrows, but her voice trembled.
Their noses brushed. His heart was going to bust right out of his chest and onto the floor because ohshitsheisreallygoingtokissme.
“Right, as always.”
-
Lily wasn’t sure who finally closed the gap. Their lips met, moving together slowly at first, almost in wonder. His softness and warmth felt like pure luxury and she was surrounded by it. Then Lily slid her hands into his hair, or maybe James lifted her off her feet first, one hand sliding up her back. Suddenly they couldn’t get close enough. This kiss was the delivered promise of months, even years.
Remus’ voice was like a horn blasting through the fog of the moment.
“Everyone is saying that they saw you two today. I hope it wasn’t like this.”
Lily leapt away from James, blushing furiously, only for one strong arm to hoist her back into his side. She glanced up at his flush face as he righted his glasses. He was fighting (and losing) against a brilliant grin. She could only clap a hand to her intoxicated mouth and laugh, muffling it in his shoulder.
“Alright, Moony?”
Remus shook his head, but he looked pleased. Two Hufflepuffs and a Slytherin ambled in behind him, looking confused. “Time for the Prefect meeting. If you’re not too busy, that is.”
James grinned at the newcomers. “Come on in. Lily and I can carry on our meeting later.” Lily elbowed his side with great difficulty, but her heart wasn’t in it. James let her disentangle, but caught her hand instead, fingers sliding between hers. She could feel his pulse. “And every day after that.”