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]

"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."