“If we don’t head back soon we’re going to miss my secret surprise cake”
Lily spun around in the dark hallway to face him “Who told you about the cake?”
James, a few steps behind her, stopped cold, “There’s a cake?”
Lily let it sit for a beat before turning back to the corridor and walking, trying to hide her face.
James caught on, “You are cruel.”
“ You just make it so easy”
“– Utterly cold and unfeeling.” He calls behind her, walking faster, “you could’ve gotten me a cake. Being made Quidditch captain is a pretty big deal.”
“Play for England and I’ll get you a cake.”
“Okay,” James said, meaning it.
Lily spun around, walking backwards now, “Cocky shit.”
James rolled his eyes. “You’re awful.”
“–So much” he agreed, grievously.
Her heart thudded, “Reflects rather poorly on you, doesn’t it?”
“Eh, I’ve never had taste.”
He laughed, and Lily felt the door against her back. “Wait here,’ she said, cracking the door. James, who had never been good at doing what he was told, walked right up to the partially closed door, smiling, leaning one hand against the frame.
“I’ll hit you., the door opens outwards.” Lily warned.
“No, it doesn’t,” James said, and to prove it he pushed it open.
Lily took a step, shut the door, the wood pressing into her back and James, James, James was in front of her, arm leaning against the frame, close and everywhere. The world was reduced to this hallway, him looking at her
“Impatient.” She breathed, holding up a bottle. The Firewhiskey bottle was the standard, just charmed to change alternate red and gold in the light, but everything was shadow here anyway. Across the front of it, in black pen, Congratulations, I love you.
“I know it’s no cake” She said, the glass cool in her warm hands, “but I thought this would be more use anyway.”
He stared at the bottle some more, unmoving, a statue of a boy. Then, looking up, “You love me?”
Lily swallowed, “Yeah.” Then, unable to stop herself, “Loads actually. An embarrassing amount.”
He kept staring at her, chest rising and falling, disbelieving. They could do magic, were born knowing how, had it all through them, and yet this he was stuck on. Love simply too good to be believed.
He blinked, “An embarrassing amount?” His voice croaked.
She could only nod. In her head she’d been funnier, had more jokes, but here she couldn’t think of a thing. It had been six months and still when he was this close, looking at her, she couldn’t think of one funny thing to say. Everything fell away. I love you and I’ll do it forever, no take backs, even in dreams.
“Wow,” He breathed, “I’m– wow.” He put both hands on her cheeks and kissed her crazy, abruptly, dumbly. Her head spun.
He pulled back, “I love you too,” he was breathless, “Did I say that? I love you. I love you.”
Lily’s heart was red and huge in her chest, thudding through her, “No, you didn’t.”
“I do, I love you–” he shook his head, grasping for a word, “Huge, dumb, stupid–“
“Yes,” he said, and kissed her as she laughed, “So stupid, I love you so stupid.”
“It sounds like you’re calling me stupid.”
“That too,” she said, still kissing her. Lily pulled back, grinning.
“Git,” she pushed him, then pulled on his collar with one hand to bring him back, not let him get far, spinning around so she was pulling him back down the corridor. His body inches from hers, even now. She walked backwards. “We should go back to the party.”
“Fuck the party,” he kissed her again, “Let’s talk more about how you love me loads.”
“I say that to all the Quidditch captains. It’s a morale thing.”
James grinned, “Ouch, well, I understand. Monroe’s fit.”
Lily laughed and James kissed her again, both of them stumbling backwards, Firewhiskey bottle between them and party distant, almost forgotten.
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