Update 6/13/12: Hey, guys! Every once in a while, I go through and read some of my older stories to make sure there are no embarrassing mistakes and whatnot. I found a few in this one, so I fixed them today. Don't worry, I didn't change anything but the few grammar and spelling errors. This story is very near and dear to my heart so I just wanted it to be perfect. Thanks for reading!

A/N: I'm really going crazy with all the updates this weekend, aren't I? Oh, well, I have nothing else to do. Of course, the one weekend when I don't have hours worth of homework, my friends are all out of town, and I have to help my Mom do chores around the house. Anyway, it's raining at my house, and I felt the urge to go outside and just spin around, but since I can't do that without getting a cold (something I definitely don't want since I just got over one) I decided to write about it. I'm kind of rambling so I'm going to wrap it up now. I hope you enjoy this, and please review!

Disclaimer: I don't have the energy to give a whole bunch of reasons as to why I'm not JKR and how I don't own anything. Who even reads these?

Absurdity

If you've ever stood in the midst of a warm spring rain, you would know the feeling. You would know how it seeped through your clothes, soaked your hair, and dripped slowly down your face. You would know how it seemed to cleanse, to purify as the droplets rolled down your body. You would know exactly how James Potter felt one late afternoon in April.

There was something about the rain that brought peace of mind to him. Peace of mind was something that James desperately needed much more lately.

He sat on the bank of the Black Lake, staring out over the dark water, his arms loosely wrapped around his knees. His plain white, short-sleeved T-shirt was soaked through, clinging to his perfectly muscled chest, and his dark jeans were dripping; the drops were quickly turning blue from the dye of his pants. His black hair was plastered to his forehead, but he didn't move his hand to brush the strands away. His hazel eyes shined with an inextinguishable light behind his fog-covered glasses.

He didn't really know why he enjoyed the rain so much. Maybe because it was the only time he could really be alone; Sirius had girls he had to snog, James's fan girls never wanted to get their hair wet, Remus always had his nose buried in a book, and Peter…well, no one really knew where he disappeared to. But James didn't mind. He almost wished for it to rain.

He was so immersed in his own thoughts that he didn't even notice someone approach until she sat down next to him on the cold, wet ground.

"Remus told me you'd be out here," Lily Evans said conversationally. James just nodded, never taking his eyes off the horizon. Lily followed his gaze, and continued talking. "It's nice to know I'm not the only crazy one."

James tilted his head to one side, but kept looking ahead, knowing just what would happen if he turned to look at the beautiful redhead beside him. "What do you mean?" he asked, curious.

Lily waved her hand at the scene in front of them. "Well, I'm assuming the only reason you're out here alone is because no one else wanted to risk ruining their hair, or their clothes. Am I right?"

James nodded, his lips tugging up at one corner.

"It's their loss, really," she said abruptly. "It's really quite beautiful, isn't it? In a gloomy, dark sort of way?"

James wanted to snort at the absurdity of it. The most beautiful, clever girl in the world thought that this was beautiful? "Beautiful is one way to put it…" James agreed slowly.

Lily seemed to know what he was thinking from the look on his face. She jumped up suddenly, and held out her hand. "Come on. Dance with me," she offered excitedly.

James turned his head up to look at her. She was smiling brightly, her rosy cheeks were flushed, and she, too, wore only a fitted v-neck shirt and jeans.

He appraised her momentarily before grasping her hand and pulling himself up. An electric shock ran through their bodies when their hands touched. Lily's heart fluttered pleasantly when she glanced up at his face. He was looking at her like she was the most transfixing thing on earth.

Lily blushed and began running towards flat ground, towing James along behind her. "Come on!" she squealed, laughing happily. James couldn't help but smile after her—anything that made her happy was in his good graces.

When she found a suitable place, Lily turned to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck. James placed both of his hands on her waist and began turning them in a little square formation, occasionally dipping and twirling her. Neither of them could contain their grins.

Lily sighed contentedly and rested her head on James's shoulder. James clutched her closer, unwilling to have her suddenly realize who she was dancing with and run away in disgust. Sure, they were friends now that James had deflated his head a bit, but friendship wasn't always quite enough for James.

Seeming to be in tune with his thoughts, Lily spoke up. "You're a really good friend, James," she told him softly. James stiffened and started to pull back, but Lily held him to her. "You're a good friend, but…" she sucked in a deep breath, summoning her Gryffindor courage, and plowed onwards, "but I don't want to be just friends, James. Wait! Wait, let me finish first!" she added hastily upon feeling his body freeze again. She took her head off his shoulder and looked him square in the eye. "Over this year, I realized just how big a part you are in my life, how important you are to me, and I don't want to lose you. Ever. I love you, James, and I really hope you feel the same way. I hope you haven't moved on despite what you say, because that would just kill me! It would ruin me, James and I don't — why are you looking at me like that?"

"Shut up, Lily," James interrupted quickly before leaning in and capturing her lips with his. It took Lily a minute to reassemble her incoherent thoughts and respond, but when she did, she pulled herself even closer to James and kissed him passionately. James's hands slid from her hips, up her sides, sending shivers down her spine, and finally stopped to cup her face tenderly in his large hands. Her fingers reached up to play in his sopping wet hair.

They pulled away from each other only when their lungs felt like they had shriveled to the size of a raisin.

"I love you, too, Lily," James whispered in her ear.

Lily grinned. "I always knew I loved the rain," she concluded, smiling, before bringing her mouth back to meet his.

A/N: Well I hope you all enjoyed that. It's pretty short, but sweet enough, I think. Thanks to everyone who read, and thanks in advance to anyone who reviews! I really do love them, and I read every single one of them. I keep them all, too. If you have any questions, or want me to reply, I would be happy to do that, just say so in your review. Also, feel free to PM me at any time! Thanks, ladies and gents. Just out of curiosity, do guys even read these?

~Livelier~