11 December 1976, Hogwarts

[lilium_evansiae]

Lily was right there when it all happened -- and she was present for the very detailed recap in Professor Sprout's office -- and she still can't quite actually believe it. It was like something out of a farce.

One moment, Syreeta Burtt had been sitting in the library, alone at a table, doing what looked like Divination homework.

And the next, there had been mistletoe floating above her head.

And then Alonzo Greene had come over and pointed out the mistletoe and tried to kiss her.

Alonzo was apparently unaware that Syreeta had agreed to go out with Malcolm Haley just that morning.

And, of course, Malcolm had come into the library just as Alonzo made his move.

When all the shouting and spellcasting was done, Lily had found herself walking three redfaced Hufflepuff Fourth Years, one in tears and two with mistletoe stuck up their noses, down to Professor Sprout's office.

She'll have to thank Professor Sprout later, for letting her leave once the story was told, instead of making her wait around through all the apologies and detentions and un-mistletoe-ing of nostrils.

Lily makes her way back down the corridor past empty classrooms and toward Gryffindor Tower.

She's done, she thinks, with the library for today.

Comments

[alotofgood]

"Psst."

That would be the sound of the stone wall — or maybe the large bolted classroom door — to Lily's right.

Or maybe it's just James Potter up to something.

[lilium_evansiae]

Lily stops.

Generally speaking, neither stone walls nor large bolted classroom doors try to get her attention.

Then again, this is Hogwarts, so it's not entirely outside the realm of possibilities, either.

"Hello?"

[alotofgood]

"To your right," James directs, still in that disembodied tone of voice.

A hand suddenly reveals itself, as if out of thin air. It gives a friendly wave.

[lilium_evansiae]

Friendly wave or not, Lily is not expecting a disembodied hand.

"Gah!

"Wait."

The voice is familiar.

(So is the hand.)

" . . . James?"

[alotofgood]

Another wave of the hand is given before James pulls off his invisibility cloak.

"Hello, Lily."

He smiles.

"All right?"

[lilium_evansiae]

"Hello, James.

"Did you just appear out of thin air?"

[alotofgood]

"It's entirely possible," he says, grinning mischievously.

He gestures to what looks to be a slinky mound of something over one arm, depending on how one looks at it.

"I had a little help."

[lilium_evansiae]

"Invisibility cloak?" Lily asks.

"So are you following me, or did I just happen down a hall you were invisible in the middle of?"

[alotofgood]

"Invisibility cloak," he confirms, grinning.

Oh, Lily. You're so amazingly clever.

"Actually," he adds, "I was waiting for you. Remus told me where you might be, so I came to find a place to wait for you."

[lilium_evansiae]

"Oh?

"So you've heard about the mistletoe attack of 1976 already?"

Lily grins a little.

"Guess you must be waiting for me for some other reason, then, yeah?"

[alotofgood]

"I might have ... but I'll admit, I wasn't exactly paying terribly much attention," James confesses.

He brightens in a split second, though.

"But — yes. I am. Call it a ... promise I said I'd fulfill."

[lilium_evansiae]

"And it's more interesting than Hufflepuffs with mistletoe up their noses?"

Lily takes two steps toward him.

"So what's up, James?"

[alotofgood]

"Very much more interesting than Hufflepuffs with mistletoe up their noses."

He takes a couple of steps closer to her too, one arm wrapping around her waist to pull her in. Then he gestures with his chin towards the window.

"The snow's begun to fall," he says. "What do you say we have a closer look at it?"

[lilium_evansiae]

"Oh, I think I can find time in my schedule for that," Lily says.

"In a minute or two."

She needs to kiss her boyfriend first.

James doesn't mind, does he?

[alotofgood]

Now, who in their right mind would ever mind kissing one's girlfriend, for whatever reasons?

Particularly when said girlfriend is an absolutely amazing kisser.

"Hmm. No rush," he manages to say in between kisses.

[lilium_evansiae]

Who needs mistletoe?

Lily sighs a little.

"You're giving me goosebumps and we're not even outside yet."

[alotofgood]

James laughs softly, his breath likely to tickle her skin with them so close to each other.

"I'd apologize, but it wouldn't be very convincing."

He lets his fingers slide through her hair, brushing it back behind her ear.

(He hopes he always gives her goosebumps.)

[lilium_evansiae]

Lily shivers a little and laughs, because, yes, it does tickle.

(And because being this close to James tends to have certain effects.)

"Yeah, I don't think even you could sell that one," Lily says.

"Right. You said something about snow?"

[alotofgood]

"I did," James says, grinning.

He steps back, sliding his hand down the length of her arm to clutch at her fingers.

"It's time for that rendez-vous."

[lilium_evansiae]

Now he's just trying to cause more goosbumps, isn't he?

Lily laces her fingers through his.

"All right.

"Lead on, James."

[alotofgood]

James moves forward, leading Lily towards the Hogwarts grounds (and leaving his cloak tucked safely into one of the cornerstone niches for picking up later).

The snow is, indeed, falling around them. And it's really rather magical in its own way.

"It's not quite a 'secret' rendez-vous," he says, "but seeing the snow fall from the dormitory windows, I couldn't resist. I love the snow."

[lilium_evansiae]

"Yes, I think I remember one or two of your snow-related pranks of years gone by," Lily says, cheerfully.

"You're not planning to drop ridiculous amounts of snow down the back of my collar, are you?"

[alotofgood]

"Nah," James says, waving his free hand. "I save things like that for Sirius. Or Peter."

He grins.

"You and I are going to do other things."

[lilium_evansiae]

"Oh?"

Well, that sounds promising.

"Such as ... ?"

[alotofgood]

"Hmm —"

James pauses by a group of trees and turns back to face her.

"I haven't thought that through yet. But I can think of a couple possible ideas."

He leans forward to kiss her again.

[lilium_evansiae]

As fallback plans go, it's an excellent one.

Lily certainly has no complaints.

"James."

[alotofgood]

"Lily."

The contrast between the cold December chill and her breath against his mouth when she says his name is enough to send shivers down the length of his spine.

"Merlin, you're brilliant," he exhales.

[lilium_evansiae]

"You're not so bad yourself," Lily says, as her hands come to rest at the back of his neck.

She leans back just far enough to be able to look into his eyes, and her smile is very, very bright.

"James?

"Will you go to Slughorn's Christmas party with me?"

[alotofgood]

James returns the smile, with just as much intensity.

This is one of many moments he thinks he'll remember for the rest of his life.

"Of course," he responds.

Ordinarily, he'd probably try to find a reason to skip out on it, but attending with Lily?

It could be good.

[lilium_evansiae]

"Good," Lily says, fingers of one hand moving from his neck up into his hair.

"I'll save you a dance, then.

"I'll save you all of them, if you want."

[alotofgood]

"Are you condoning my being greedy?" James asks, teasing. "Because if you offer them all to me, I'll take them without a split second's hesitation."

[lilium_evansiae]

"Next Friday night I give you permission to be as greedy with my time and attention as you like," Lily says.

Because she's not really going to want to share him, either.

[alotofgood]

James laughs.

"You know, this may just be the first Slughorn party I'm looking forward to."

[lilium_evansiae]

"The Christmas party is fun," Lily says.

"It's not just sitting around and talking about your incredibly impressive great aunts and such."

[alotofgood]

"Well. If I'm with you the whole time, it won't be," James says.

"You may have to take on the role as protector — keep Slughorn from inquiring me about all my family members and their agendas."

[lilium_evansiae]

"If he tries to hold you hostage to inquiries about relatives, I'll just tell him you owe me a dance."

And since she just gave James all of them, it'll pretty much be true for the whole of the party.

[alotofgood]

"Perfect," he says, grinning. "We have a plan, then."

And it is an excellent plan.

"Have I told you you're brilliant? Because you are."

[lilium_evansiae]

"Once or twice," Lily says, reaching up to kiss him again.

But he's welcome say it as often as he likes.

Well, when he's not busy kissing her, of course.

[alotofgood]

Of course.

It's hard to feel affected by the cold when you're so close to someone that you can share their warmth.

(And their words have a funny, amazing way of warming you, too.)

When they break apart again, James gives her a fond smile, thumb gently touching the place where a snowflake lands on Lily's cheek.

[lilium_evansiae]

Lily smiles back at him.

It's so very easy to smile at James.

"So is there any chance this secret rendez-vous ends in the kitchens, with seeing if Milty will get us some cocoa?"

[alotofgood]

"It's a constantly evolving rendez-vous," James explains, cheerful.

It's flexible and open to suggestions.

"And that is a very good idea. Perfect, even."

[lilium_evansiae]

"And of course, there's still no rush."

They have things left to do, don't they?

[alotofgood]

They'll always have things left to do.

That's the great thing about their evolving rendez-vous. (And relationship.)

"A bit of a walk, then?"

[lilium_evansiae]

Lily puts her hand in his.

"Sounds perfect and brilliant and perfectly brilliant."