The Beginning

(Seven Minutes in Heaven

Part III)

Eight o'clock came too quickly for Lily. She pulled her cloak around her as she stepped out onto the astronomy tower. He was standing there bathed in moonlight, his cloak billowing behind him. She tried to act casually, but she knew the effect this man had on her.

"Lily," he greeted softly.

"James," she said stiffly, in a business like tone.

"Oh, Lily, no need to be so cold!" James chided teasingly.

"Bastard," she retorted.

"Lily, Lily, you wound me!" he put his hand to his chest.

"Potter, this is no time to be mucking around," she placed her hands on her hips.

"Potter?" he asked. "How can you still call me 'Potter' after we have been so intimately acquainted?" he asked, grinning at the memories of the previous evening.

She looked deeply, pausing before gathering courage to speak. "About that, Potter?" she ignored his plea to use his Christian name. "Last night was a one off. It won't happen again, I promise."

"What?" James asked, "You were pretty passionate."
"I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression," Lily replied.

"Yeah, you did," James said hotly.

"Well, I'm sorry," she said. "I'll see you later… nothing could ever come of this, anyway," she said, sadly.

"Lily…" she turned, at his muffled plea. The wind picked up, whistling through her ears.

"Yes?"

"Sirius said you were either going to hex or kiss your partner. Are you sure you couldn't make it the latter?" he asked.

"I'm sorry, James, we can never be," she sighed.

"I don't understand, why not?" he breathed, moving a step closer to her.

"Because!" she exclaimed. "Just because…" she repeated more quietly as if to assure herself this was what she wanted.

"You see, this is your problem, Lily. You don't know, because you've never given me the chance. You tell me I'm conceited, so I change. But you don't notice, you still don't give in. Lily, I made Head Boy, me, James Potter, Head Boy. I must have changed lots, from the conceited, arrogant, immature, rich boy I was when we first met. But I'm still not good enough for you." He turned to look over the stone walls of the tower, his messy hair blowing in the wind.

Lily felt tears stinging in her eyes at his harsh words. "James…" she mumbled.

"I'll never be good enough for you, will I? Not until you get off your high horse and see what you mean to me!" he straightened his glasses for something to do.

"But none of its true…" she argued weakly. "It's just the challenge… you won't give in until you have me. And then… you're not really interested."

"YES IT IS, LILY! I MEAN EVERY WORD OF IT!" James yelled. "I LOVE YOU!"
"You really do!?" she asked, in silent wonder.

"Yes," he said, rubbing his eyes wearily. "I do!"

She wiped away tears that were swirling down her ivory cheeks. "I'm a horrible person," she said.

James took her into his arms, "no you're not, just stubborn." He pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. "And it's one of the things I love most about you. You won't be pushed around!"

"James, say it again," she gulped.

"What?"

"The 'L' word," she whispered into his chest.

"I love you, Lily," he said truthfully.

She smiled. "I don't quite love you yet, but I fancy you a great deal, and I'm sure it won't take long for me to love you back."

"Fancy me, eh?"

"Yeah," he pulled her tighter to his body while her arms slid around his waist.

"Lil?"

"Yeah?" she looked up at him, tear marks staining her cheeks.

"What would you do if I kissed you?" he asked; wiping her cheeks tenderly, love shining in his eyes.

"Well, Mr Potter, I'd probably kiss you back," she said, smiling tentatively.

With that he gently dropped his lips onto hers, closing his eyes in delight. This was it; he was finally kissing Lily Evans, his long time crush.

She slipped her tongue softly into his mouth, his lips as soft and juicy as she remembered them being. They kissed harder, Lily entwining her arms around his neck and James' hands placing themselves onto her bum. She sighed happily into his mouth as their tongues wrestled back and forwards between their mouths.

Eventually they opened their eyes and took deep gulps of freezing air. Their eyes met, ecstatic and tender at the same time.

"Lily?" James said softly, cupping her cheek with his hand.

"Yes, James?" she watched his dark features, longingly.

"Will you go out with me?"

"Yes, James, I will." She said sweetly.

"You will?!" he said, his voice rising several octaves.

"Yes!" she laughed, pressing another single kiss to his lips.

"YES!" James yelled out to the cold night sky.

She giggled, "James!"

He took her hands happily in his, dancing around in happiness. "I'M GOING OUT WITH LILY EVANS!" he bellowed into the starry sky.

He kissed her deeply once again. "Lily," he said, "I'll be the best boyfriend you've ever had! No, I'll be the best boyfriend ever, in the whole of the wizarding and muggle worlds! You won't regret this, I promise!"

Lily smiled at his excitement, "I'm sure I won't." She returned another kiss to his lips, their hands still closely entwined.

He grinned, once again realising the moment that had just taken place. "Padfoot and the boys are never going to believe this!" he laughed.

She laughed with him, "James."
"Hmm…?"

"We better be getting back."
James nodded in agreement, as they walked off to the Head Common Room, hand in hand.

"And James?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"You do?"
"Yeah. Goodnight, love." She reached to kiss him sweetly on the lips.

"Goodnight, Lily, love." His said watching her move away to her bedroom.

As they lay in their beds, they both knew this was the start of a wonderful new relationship.