Being back at Hogwarts felt good. The way the paintings moved, to the way the Suits of Armor would occasionally wave, and even Peeves' pranking was missed (unless, of course, the prank was on myself.) I'd missed Isabelle, and even our other housemates.

Most of all, I'd missed my favorite armchair in front of the cackling fire in the Gryffindor common room.

As I skimmed through the days copy of the daily prophet, I couldn't help but notice the room getting quieter. It must have been getting late... Third day back... students were probably exhausted, still used to their summer sleeping schedules. Luckily, it was Friday, and they could sleep in the next morning.

I, however, was waiting for James to return from his midnight trip to the kitchens with Sirius. One A.M. was our patrol time, the last patrols of the night, and he'd promised whole-heartedly that he'd be back on time.

I yawned and glanced at the fire. Yes, it was nice being back. But the smile on my face, although I'm not sure I'd ever admit it to anyone, had more to do with the prospect of spending an hour alone, walking through the castle with James Potter.

Finally, and five 'till midnight, James and Sirius burst through the portrait hole, pulling off his invisibility cloak as they did so. Thieir arms held butterbeers, and James tossed a still-corked one at me. Luckily (and probably thanks to my summer Quidditch training), I caught it, and pulled the cork out with my wand.

"Evening, children. Behave, and don't do anything I wouldn't." Winked Sirius as he made his way towards his dormitory.

"Ready?" I asked after I'd taken a sip of the warm drink. James nodded.

"Am I late? I promised I wouldn't be!" He looked at his watch. I shook my head and laughed.

"Nope. Nearly right on time." I grinned. He placed his arm gently on the small of my back.

"Then after you, co-pilot." He replied.

We had the top floors to patrol today. That meant the same floor as the Gryffindor House, and the Astronomy Tower. Usually, these were the floors where we'd catch hormonal teenagers.

We set off down the first corridor, directly off of the Portrait Hole.

"Sooo." James mused, trying to make conversation over the sound of our footsteps echoing across the hall.

"Hmmm?" I added. We both laughed slightly awkwardly.

"Does this get boring?" He asked.

"Patroling? Always." I answered.

Click. Clack. Click. Clack.

"Unless, you've got someone entertaining with you." I added.

"I see." He finnished.

Click. Clack. Click. Clack.

The enormous clock clanged one time. It was officially one o'clock.

"How long do we patrol, again?" He asked.

"One hour." I replied.

Click. Clack. Click. Clack.

"How was your last two weeks of summer?" He asked. I shrugged.

"Alright. The ministry got better, I suppose. I wasn't so... bored. I ended up learning a lot." I smiled.

"Ah. And you got to go home?"

"Yes. I missed my Mum and Dad, and my sister."

"You have a sister?" He asked, perplexed. I nodded.

"Petunia." I noted.

"Is she like you?"

"Not really. We used to be very close. Then... well, I went away. I supposed we drifted a part." That was only sort-of a lie, right?

"Did you spend time with her while you were there?" He asked.

"No. Not at all." I laughed.

"Why not?"

I thought about it for a moment. Because she detests me? Great, lets spill my family secrets. If he keeps with the questions, maybe I'll even cry.

"She was with her Boyfriend, mostly. Vernon Dursely."

"Great name." Laughed James.

"Yes well, he's just a great person all around." I said with a spark of sarcasm.

"Oh?"

"Yes. He looks sort of like a whale with a big, bushy moustache. He just got a job as a mail-boy for a drill company called Grunnings, so he's doing very well with his life."

"Whats a drill?" Asked James. I tried to stiffle my laughter.

"We'll... they sort of..." I scratched my head, unsure of how to explain a drill. "Maybe I'll show you one day. But I promise they wont be entertaining."

We turned corridor after corridor, sometimes with small talk, sometimes in silence, and sometimes joking about the quality of the people in certaint portraits. Eventually we reached the Astronomy tower, our last destination.

"Is this where Sirius' takes all his girls?" I laughed as we reached the top of the astronomy tower. The sky above us was bright with a half-moon, and stars surrounding it.

"Most of them. Some just get a broom closet." Laughed James. I walked towards the railing and looked out over the grounds. The moon reflected on the dark lake, and hagrids hut was slightly billowing smoke from the chimmeny.

"What does he do?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" He returned, walking towards me.

"How do they fall for it? What does he do?"

"Oh..." James ran a hand through his hair. I had to admit, he did look delightful under the moonlight. "Well, he probably -"

"Show me?" I asked, feeling braver than my own words - but Merlin, I wanted my kiss!

He ran yet another nervous hand through his hair. "Alright."

He moved closer towards me, so that my back was against his chest, and put his arms around me. Closer than we'd ever been before. The butterflies were rising in my stomach, and I tried not to appear too nervous.

"He probably does something like this." He whispered in my ear - sending shivers down my spine. "Probably says something about how nice they look under the moon light. And Lily Evans, you always look radient. Sun or Moon." He said. I couldn't help but smile.

He cleared his throat. "Then... then he... he probably..." James paused. For a moment. The butterflies in my stomach lept to my throat as I felt his breathing on my neck...

His lips were soft, and not too wet as they kissed the side of my neck. I felt myself tighten and my breath deepen. My neck positively tingled from where he kissed me.

I no longer wanted to kiss him, I needed to.

I spun myself around so that my green eyes were staring into his hazel ones. The moon reflected off of his glasses.

"Lily, I'm sorry - I -" He began to move away, but I grabbed his arm and pulled him back. I wasn't going to let him play hard to get. I stood on my tip toes to reach his face, and before he could pull away again, I kissed him deep on the lips.

He was stiff, at first, caught off guard by what had just happened, but slowly he began to form to me, and he wrapped one arm around my torso, and the other placed softly on my cheek. I pulled my arm up into his hair, raking my fingers as he did in nervous habit across his scalp.

Kissing James Potter was completely unlike kissing anyone else. His breath smelt of butterbeer and pepermint, his lips were a bit rough, but still... perfect...

He pulled away.

"Lily." He said quietly, taking a step back from me.

"Sorry." I mumbled quietly, feeling blush rise to my cheeks.

He ran his hand through his hair and gulped. "No, I..."

He looked at anything but me. Had I done something wrong? My heart was pounding out of my chest.

Hadn't this been what he had always wanted?

"James..." I whispered. He finally looked at me. "I'm sorry."

"No. Don't be. Why are you sorry?" He stepped closer to me again, and grabbed my hand. "Thank you." He kissed my cheek.

Thank you? Thank you? Was that what you were supposed to say after an mesmorizing first kiss? My heart was sinking faster and faster.

"I didn't mean for it to happen like this... I didn't want to... The astronomy tower... the moves... that's Sirius' deal... I wanted it to be... perfect..." He said quietly. "I'll fix this. I promise. I'll fix this."

Fix what? I wanted to scream, but my words had escaped me. I wasn't even completetly sure what was going on. All I could think about was that I had just kissed James Potter, and he was... back out? I had expected him to try and take advantage of me... but this wasn't right? this wasn't what he wanted? Did he not want to kiss me?

He turned and left the astronomy tower, leaving me to my thoughts.

What had I gone and gotten myself into?

He was long gone when I finally got the courage and strength to walk down the stairs from the Astronomy Tower. My heart was beating, but it felt like it was in the bottom most pits of my stomach. I'd kissed James Potter... and it had been just as incredible - no, more incredible, than I'd imagined... what was going on?

I traced my steps back to the dormitories. My footsteps were the only sound. I mumbled the password to a disgruntled Fat Lady, and clamored through. The common room was dark, the fire had already been estinguished, and in the 45 minutes we were gone, the house elves had cleaned up whatever mess there had been. I stumbled my way through the dimly lit room to the girls staircase. My mind was so extremely numb.

I fell onto my bed. The other girls were already fast asleep, the sounds of their snoring and occasional hootings of owls from outside were the only distractions from the silence.

What had just happened?

I wasn't sure how I'd fallen asleep, but I do remember waking up the next morning to blood-stained eyes and a groggy mental-attitude. The rest of the girls were already gone, and on my bed-side table sat a few slices of toast, a glass of pumpkin juice, and a note from Isabelle.

Gone to Quidditch Practice. Didn't expect you to sleep so late. Hope you're not sick. James was looking for you at breakfast... hope you're feeling alright.

-Belle.

I stared at the note blankly. James was looking for me?

I picked up the first bit of toast and nibbled at it.

After the way he'd treated me last night - why was he looking for me?

Quidditch practice already?

I nibbled some more.

I tried, I really had. No longer could anyone say I hadn't given James Potter a fair chance. I had. I'd given him multiple chances. We were doing really well, actually.

And all he did is leave me feeling confused, and slightly dishearted.

I didn't need this! I was Lily Evans, for Merlins sake! I could get another boy! I didn't need a boy my final year of school, anyway! I had my N.E.W.T.s approaching... I needed to buckle down! I didn't need a boy distracting me!

And Thats When A Bludger Came Through My Window.

It smashed the glass, leaving sparkling pieces scattering everywhere. The ball rolled towards my bed, and clanged against the post. I picked it up.

A bludger through my window.

Two forms in the distance were growing larger.

"I've got it!" One of them shouted.

A bludger through my window, and two boys on broom sticks.

James Potter hopped off of his and into my dorm.

"I think you dropped this." I said quietly. He looked up at me, and towards the bludger in my hands.

"Sirius and I were messing around after practice... hitting the bludger around... I..." He began to walk closer.

"Yes... Alright." I said quietly.

"Th-thank you." He said. "I was going to ask you something... at breakfast... something... I can't remember."

He was now centimeters from me. I dropped the bludger absentmindedly. It rolled into the broken glass.

He kissed me, again. For the second time in 24 hours, I was kissing James Potter. After I'd sworn not to... after I'd said I was done with him...

And I wasn't stopping.

I don't know how long we stood like that... fingers intertwined in hair... lips locked, but we pulled away eventually. Mostly out of necessity for air.

"You were... going to ask me something?" I asked.

"Hmm?" He asked, a silly smile on his face. It faded, suddenly. "Oh, right... Oh shit, I've done it again... Lily, I wanted this to be perfect. For our first kiss to be perfect... I was going to ask you to hogsmeade... I was going to take you out... and finally, finally we could have our kiss... I've messed it up again." He rambled.

I couldn't help but laugh.

"This isn't funny!" He sulked.

"James, shush." I grabbed his arm and kissed him again. A short, sweet kiss on the lips. "This is perfect. It doesn't need to be fireworks over us. It doesn't need to be anything special. Kissing you is perfect."