Alright
Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe and its characters belong to J.K. Rowling.
It was an odd thing for most students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, seeing Lily Evans and James Potter working side by side in the library without Lily shouting or James reaching up to run his hands through his hair. For the past few months it had been like that – the head boy and girl were not only being cordial to each other, but they seemed to be friends.
They had been sitting there for almost an hour, Lily silently turning a page in An Anthology of Eighteenth Century Charms every few minutes. James, next to her, was putting the finishing touches on an awful fifteen inch essay about the Draught of Death for Slughorn. Every so often, he slowly shook his head as he recalled Lily's stubborn refusal when he asked had asked for help.
They continued like this for another ten minutes, a crinkling page followed by unruly black hair flopping in every direction.
"Alright."
They hadn't been talking, and, at first, James thought he imagined the word.
"Mmhh," he absentmindedly agreed.
"Alright." This time Lily said it forcefully enough for him to know he hadn't imagined it.
"Alright…what?" James was now confused. It wasn't like Lily voice to her inner thoughts aloud. He thought maybe she was talking to herself until he turned to look at her. She was gazing expectantly at him, and there was something he'd never seen before in Lily's glowing emerald eyes, eyes that had been captivating him for years now.
"I will," Lily smiled as if she knew a secret, and a dimple formed on her left cheek.
James resisted the urge to run his thumb over it. "It'd be easier to know what you're going to do if you would tell me," he told her seriously.
For some reason, Lily looked into her lap and her face flushed. "I'll go out with you."
She said it so quietly, James wasn't quite sure he heard her correctly. "Wh-"
"I said I'll go out with you, Potter," she repeated, this time much louder.
James desperately tried to mask his euphoria. He was only just getting to know Lily, the real Lily – the Lily he always knew would be absolutely incredible. He thought this may be a trick. He hadn't even asked her out, for Merlin's case! The last time he asked her out –
James' eyes widened as he realized that the last time he asked Lily Evans out, halfway through their sixth year, she hadn't even bothered to tell him no before storming away.
Lily's smile was positively breathtaking as she saw the change in James' expression.
James almost fell back off his chair before he dived at a now laughing Lily, who shrieked in happiness and perhaps a tiny bit of fear.
His face was just inches from hers. James remembered all the times he almost kissed her, but didn't. The past few months since they had become friends had been especially trying. His eyes softened as he gazed at Lily, trying to gauge whether it was okay.
She didn't move away. She slowly reached up to clear a haphazard lock away from his forehead. James moved forward until his lips were barely a breath from hers. Her unique smell assaulted him: the flowery scent of her shampoo and something else, something spicy yet fresh, and infinitely more enticing.
Lily's eyes fluttered closed and James closed the distance between them.
It was like fire, liquid fire burning through his veins, changing him. It was like wind, the type of wind that blows you over, knocking all the air from your body. It was like water, like being drenched in the icy depths of a vast, endless ocean. James didn't know if he had the self-control to kiss her slowly, sweetly, the way she deserved. He wanted to taste more of her, he wanted to know this moment would last forever, because only then would he have long enough to experience every aspect of her that he wanted – no, needed to.
Lily seemed to be of the same mind as she wrapped her hands around his neck to pull him closer and hold him place; James sent up a silent thanks to anyone who would listen that he was right. He and Lily Evans were the same. He knew it could be like this, he knew that if only given the chance, they could be an extension of each other, finishing each other's thoughts, not even having to speak to communicate.
"James," Lily whispered.
There was no way James could hold back anymore. He began to shower her with kisses.
And that was the night James Potter and Lily Evans, Head Boy and Girl, got kicked out of the library for snogging.
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