Lily flew down the wet grass of the Hogwarts grounds. She had a growing, bubbly feeling that James was following her down the lawn, that she would deny gave her an incredibly giddy feeling. Her tissue and gauze skirt flew out behind her as she rushed towards the special building. The Muggle Studies class had voted to play a few non-magic games, and Dumbledore had set up an indoor tennis court. Now, on this night of the seventh year ball, it was dark and deserted.

Gently pushing on a door, Lily slipped inside. Her gauzy pale pink dress swayed as she pushed the door closed and lightly ran around the net to the far corner to wait for James. As she hid in the shadows, she could barely suppress a giggle when she thought of her current situation. James would be coming in a second, he had said so. She knew she was in for some serious games, which, she had to admit, she wanted. Lily, as their half-friendship had formed, had realized, much too late, that she was irrevocably falling for him. Now, in this early summer of their seventh year, she knew James would try for her again, but this time, she wasn't exactly sure how far he'd get.

She heard the door open and shut, and suppressed another giggle.

"Lily?" James called. He heard her trying to breathe and hold in giggles and started to laugh himself. It gave Lily the shivers. "Lily, come on!" Oh, but she loved the sound of his voice!

"Why?" She emerged from the corner smiling, warily approaching the net.

"So I can pour."

"Pour what?" Lily said, stopping a little ways away from the net, still on her side.

"Bubbly nonsense. The house elves gave it to me, some drink that muggles drink," James peered at the bottle. "Ginger Ale. Well, I just asked for something bubbly, I wanted to see what they could come up with."

Lily laughed again. "It's very good, I can't believe you haven't had it before."

"Hmm," James smiled as the soda, a very good substitute for the wine he was pretending it was, fizzed icily. "Well, my dear Lily, here I have two glasses of this…bubbly nonsense." He began to throw one leg over the net, when he was stopped by Lily.

"Nope! James, don't you know the rules of this game? You have to stay on your side." Lily couldn't tell if she brought this up because she didn't trust herself or if she was just playing.

"Ah, I see." James leaned over and handed her the glass. As she slid it from his hand, James' eyes began to narrow, and she quickly retreated to her previous spot. As she stood, not facing him and smiling into her glass, she heard nothing except some strains of music from up the lawn, and then his footsteps. Turning she saw him casually walking to one end of the net. Taking another small, fizzy sip, she watched as he got to the end. Quick as lightning, his hand spun out and hit the tie lines. The net fell to the floor as Lily sucked in a breath.

James strolled back to the center of the net, looking at the ceiling as if she weren't there. Just as casually, he stepped over the net.

Lily's eyes grew a bit. This was new. She hadn't actually seen him be this…powerful, before. The giddy feeling returned, and she took the smallest of steps back.

James was still walking towards her, seemingly with no intentions whatsoever. Then he started to smile at her. It seemed innocent enough, but Lily, with the smallest of smiles, was wary.

And then he was only a few inches from her. Before she could blink, the glasses had disappeared and his arms were around her waist. "James?!"

He smiled down at her. "Yes Lily Love?"

All Lily could do was look up at him, his eyes seemed endless.

James' smile increased. "Did you think I didn't know?"

"N-no, I didn't."

"Well, I did, Lily. I saw the way you looked at me, I know the way you've felt these past few months. And you have no idea how happy it's made me." As the notes of a slower song penetrated the darkness, he put his chin on the top of her head and started to dance. Lily, still in shock, gingerly laid her head on his chest. And so they danced, spun in slow circles around the court.

The song began to close. James stopped their sleepy dancing, tilting her head up to look at him. "I love you, Lily." And he kissed her.

It was the softest, sweetest, gentlest thing Lily had ever experienced. His lips gently took hold of hers, commanding their sleepy attention to his sweet demands. The kiss was warm, and though it seemed to go on for an eternity, was actually brief.

Lily swayed a bit, still losing herself in his eyes. "James?"

He blinked slowly, the smallest of smiles creeping onto his face.

"I love you too."

(A/N- I hope you liked it! Please Review!)