Title: Silly Questions

Author: firstflier

Pairing(s): James/Lily

Rating: T for scenes of a sexual nature. Ish.

Summary: Lily says something teasingly and James' tongue swells up.

"You know I love you really."

James stiffened, all of his features frozen into a comical caricature of himself. He found he was holding his breath and his eyes glazed with a hazy mist.

"Do you?" The words left his lips in a murmur that was not loud enough to be a whisper. Naturally, this went unheard by Lily who had already happily turned back to her Arithmancy books. Clearly, she did not realise the gravity of the situation. That, or James felt her air of nonchalance was hardly fitting for this rather heart stopping, important moment. He cleared his throat, suddenly dry and scratchy though he did not know why, and Lily hummed to show he had her attention but did not turn around.

"Do you?" He asked again, louder this time in the hopes that she might actually listen and partake in this poignant plateau in their relationship.

Lily turned to him with a frown, amusement dancing in her eyes, probably expecting some silly joke as James was wont to tell.

"Do I what?"

"Do you really...you know..." James trailed off awkwardly. Embarrassment reared its ugly head and James felt panic rise.

Shit, she was only joking. It's a phrase isn't it? Now you've really messed things up. Bollocks.

Lily laughed.

"Do I really, you know, what?" She turned fully to face him on the sofa and raised the back of her hand to his unexpectedly clammy forehead. "James? Are you feeling okay?" The amusement melted into something much more serious and a flicker of genuine concern leaked into her keen eyes as they regarded him with something akin to worry. James took her hand in his, rubbing circles slowly across her knuckles with his thumb as he watched her carefully, nervously even.

"Do you really love me?"

That's about as subtle as a sledgehammer, Potter.

Lily looked slightly alarmed at the question, not really sure whether he was joking or what he expected her to say. Her mind rapidly backtracked trying to think what could have spurred the question. Eventually a smile blossomed. She drew her knees up onto the sofa so that she could crawl closer to the Head Boy and drape herself on his chest as he shifted to accommodate her move. She lay fully atop him on the sofa in the Head's room barely a breath separating them, with a very uncharacteristic, feline grin on her face that did all sorts of things to James' tummy. She whispered very quietly and oh so slowly.

"Oh, James."

Her sigh was more a purr than anything and it sent jolts of sexual awareness to his brain. Other situations that she might utter those same two words instantly sprung to mind. Situations where she might be screaming instead of whispering. Situations that he would be so very embarrassed if his mother ever found out what kind of thoughts her son dreamt up in the confines of his bedroom, or indeed the Head's Common Room, or the Great Hall or out by the lake or anywhere that Lily happened to be present really. He gulped, unable to move towards her or away from her, frozen helpless like a deer beneath a victorious lioness. Never before had he felt so utterly powerless and never before had he enjoyed the sensation so much. His heart thumped wildly against his ribcage.

"Do you really need to ask?"

Merlin, what was the question?

Her leg slid between his and his tongue swelled to double its normal size. His eyes were like saucers behind his glasses as she drew even closer to him so that when she spoke her lips grazed his lightly and all he could see was a blur of the darkest green he had ever known. Her eyes were bright, captivating even and he was quite a happy prisoner in her arms. His breath was uneven and he wondered when she had gained so much control, so much power over him that she could reduce him to trembling.

Had it always been this way?

"Of course I do, you plonker."

And then her lips were fully on his. Hard and fast and so hot it was all he could do not to moan straight in her mouth. Her hands ran up his chest and latched onto his shoulders, his own propelled into action and wound through her hair gently, cradling her head and taking control of the kiss. Slowly but surely he softened the lip lock until she was a pliable mess of lust and love in his arms. They separated briefly for air, her forehead on his and he could feel every ragged breath she drew in. He pecked her on the lips once, twice, chaste and innocent even as she wiggled atop him, breasts heaving against his chest trying to get more comfortable. His eyes flickered shut and he savoured the feeling of the moment. Of the delicious weight of her on him, of the way everything fit together without an ounce of space between them. His eyes sought hers, glazed with passion, cheeks tinged pink.

"Love you too."

His words were clear, strong, easy. Like he'd been waiting his whole life to say them and, really, he supposed he had been.

&&Fin