Chapter Text
The two of them arguing was nothing unusual. Lily was hurrying up the stairs after one of their late night prefects meetings, fire in her green eyes, lips pressed together and her red hair swinging as she headed towards the Gryffindor common room. She was followed by no other than James, his uniform shirt tucked into his trousers as carelessly as ever, Gryffindor tie loosely hanging around his neck and his loud mouth running to make excuses.
“You can’t just abandon your duties and do whatever you want just because you’re James Goddamn Potter,” Lily cut him out.
“I said I was sorry, something came up.”
It wasn’t like she needed him to help her guide the prefects, but she could not stand the way James though he could do whatever he pleased and get away with it. Like that time James literally slept through charms once and still managed to give a correct answer when asked by professor Flitwick. Like that time James had smuggled booze to the castle and almost gotten Lily into trouble for it.
“What was it this time; too busy snogging Kathy Prickett or hexing Slytherins?” She asked.
She took a left to an empty, he followed.
"I snogged her one time."
“I don’t care whether you snog her or not, Potter, I care whether you show up like you’re supposed to!”
She did care though, not that she would have admitted it to herself. She did care enough to spend days wondering if it had been just Kathy Prickett trying to steal the spotlight in a Quidditch victory party by kissing their best player, or if it had been more. If it had been more for him.
“I care whether you think I’m still snogging her!”
Lily stopped to stare at him fiercely. She didn’t know if she was more angered by his casually careless attitude towards his Head Boy duties or because she generally could not stand his presence. She hadn’t been able to since last spring’s booze smuggling incident. The thought of those few minutes hiding from Mr. Filch’s watchful eyes under James’ silvery invisibility cloak, his hands pulling her closer and his voice ticking her ear like – she refused to think of it.
“You’re impossible,” she stated continuing towards the Gryffindor tower. “I thought you’d at least try and make an excuse for your absence.”
“What’s the point if you jump to conclusions and immediately assume I was avoiding my responsibilities?" He raised an eyebrow at her. "You know, you’re not always right about everything.”
“I’m pretty sure I’m right about you missing the meeting.”
“For a good reason Lils.”
“I told you not to call me that”, she said.
“You did, and then I asked you if you liked me calling you that anyway, but you never answered.”
She ignored his point but stopped walking. She tried to ignore her heart pounding in her chest as she concentrated on the formalities. James had no right dodge his duties.
“You have ten seconds to come up with an excuse or I’m going to ask professor McGonagall to replace you with someone at least mildly competent first thing tomorrow.”
“Do you like me calling you 'Lils'?"
"Eight seconds."
"How about I was on the second floor dealing with Sni- Snape and his friends having a bit of fun on the expense of two fifth year muggleborns?” He asked. “So please scold me all you want, but I was just trying to save you from hearing about it because I know you still care about that bloody twat even if you act like you don’t and I didn't wand you to– “
James had no time to react. He was pushed backwards. Somewhere behind him a door swung open and his back hit the wall. It was midly cramped but he didn't have time to think about it as he waited for the burst of her anger that never came. Instead, her hands found his neck. Her lips found his. And even if he had thought about kissing her a thousand times, he had never imagined it happening like that in the middle of night and after a fight and with her lips soft and certain. After the first wave of surprise he kissed her back and pulled her closer with his hands on her lower back as the kiss became more demanding.
Their noses bumped together as she pulled him by his collar and he was sure it was awkward because she made a noise. Or was it the kind of good noise? His hands were trembling at first but still one of his hands found its way under the hem of her uniform blouse and the other cupped her cheek They weren't trembling any longer but still, he could not believe it was happening.
And when their lips finally parted after what must have been seconds but felt like a lifetime, they were both panting. The forest green eyes met hazel and Merlin she looked wild and beautiful.
“What – “
“I got to go.”
She was out of his arms with the same speed it all had started with and as she disappeared from the door he was still leaning against the wall, panting, and his head feeling strangely dizzy.
James’s hand ruffled though his hair, still not quite grasping what had just happened, as the door slammed shut in front of him and it became dark. He heard a thump and jumped a little as something fell against his shoulder. It was only then that he realised she had pushed him into a broom closet.
But to be fair, his exact location was not the most intriguing thought running through in his mind.