"James," Lily said breathlessly as she plopped down next to him on the sofa. She carried a newspaper in her hands and she threw it down onto the coffee table. "James."

James slowly looked up from his text book, Untransfiguring the Transfigured, his eyebrows raised. They were alone in the Head common room, the fire flickering in front of them and the clock ticking at every second.

"Yes, Evans?" he asked in a monotone voice. Lily took a deep breath, but then her brow furrowed.

"What's wrong with you?" James shrugged.

"Nothing. What's up?" Lily shook her head and exhaled.

"I need you to do something for me." His eyes narrowed a fraction of an inch.

"You need me to do something...for you," he said slowly. "As in a favor." She nodded. He closed his textbook.

"And why would I do that?" She looked surprised and a tad hurt.

"Because...I asked you to?" James stared at her until she flushed.

"Okay, well...I was reading the Daily Prophet, just before and I just started to think and I'd really appreciate it if you did something for me."

"Maybe I would consider it if you actually told me what the favor was." Lily took another deep breath.

"I want you to kiss me." There was silence.

"Go to bed, Evans," James told her coldly and opened his book back open. Lily's face fell.

"What?"

"I don't know what you're playing at, Evans, but drop it. I've left you alone, okay? I get the message."

"That's-that's not even what I'm- what-" Lily stammered, pink in the face. James turned to her, his eyes icy.

"Not what, Evans? Not what you're doing? Of course it's what you're doing, it's what you always do, isn't it? Always playing games, always trying to mess with my head-"

"Mess with your head?" Lily said aghast. "I'm not messing with you, James. I really-" she took a deep breath, "-really, want you to kiss me. Right now." He continued to stare at her suspiciously.

"Why?" She faltered.

"Be-because."

"That's not an answer, Lily," he said, rolling his eyes.

"Because I asked you to?" she tried again. He shook his head.

"That's not a real answer either." She sighed.

"Because I want you to. I want you to kiss me, James, for real."

"And I want to know why you want me to kiss you," James said slowly. He stressed each word. "Have you been hit in the head recently? Did Sirius throw a Snargaluff pod at you? He's been talking about-" Lily covered his mouth with her hand.

"No," she said. "This has nothing to do with Sirius. Or Snargaluff pods." She crinkled her nose and removed her hand.

"I want you, James Potter, to kiss me, Lily Evans, because-" She paused. There was a long silence and after a few minutes, James's face softened. He tapped beneath her chin so she would lift it up, their eyes meeting.

"Tell me," he said, his voice low and husky.

"Because I want to know if you've given up," she whispered back. Her voice was croaky; she sounded on the verge of tears. "I want to know if you still like me."

"What does it matter?" James whispered. "You don't like me, Lily. You never have." He said this as if he was reminding her. She shook her head.

"I just want to know." He shook his head slowly, his eyes never leaving hers.

"I don't like you, Lily." He shook his head again. "Not anymore." She closed her eyes, and a tear fell from her right eye. It dripped onto her skirt, leaving a dark gray circle, just above her knee.

"Prove it to me, James," she whispered and it was the pain in her voice, like thousands of knives were ripping through her skin, like there was fire dancing inside of her, like her heart was being torn in two, it was that pain that made James take her hand.

She looked up as he grasped it in his, hers pale, smooth and tiny in his large, tanned and calloused hand. His thumb skimmed over the sensitive part on top. Eyes wary, he brought it to his face and she cupped his cheek, her fingers caressing his warm face. His eyes closed briefly as she did so, but they opened again, wide and serious. Lily couldn't ever remember seeing such a beautiful eye color- ever. His eyes were so bright, they were almost gold. However, they were too dark and always changing shades to be categorized as one color. Her hand fell limply to his chest.

He leaned over her, his hands pressing into the sofa next to her waist as he held his upper body up. He could hear her breathing becoming ragged and she could hear his heart beat, inches away from her own. One hand reached up and gently moved the hair away from her shoulder. His lips gently brushed her neck as he dragged them up to her ear. He whispered, his voice huskier still and low.

"I lied." His breath gently blew in her ear, and she shivered as his teeth grazed her earlobe. He pulled back, to stare into her eyes for a brief moment, before closing his own and pressing his lips to hers. The hand that was still on his chest moved upward, wrapping around his neck and into his unruly hair as they kissed. But was it really kissing? Neither of them could be sure, because it was really only moving their lips together- just barely touching the others lips, but yet- Lily had to suppress a moan- it was kissing. James suddenly pressed his lips against hers, harder.

Both of her hands were in his hair now, and she was pulling him closer, closer until he was lying on top of her. He wrapped his arm under and around her waist until their chests were pushed tight against the other. She didn't want him to move, he didn't want her to let go and all they wanted was this moment to freeze so they could experience it forever.

But time couldn't freeze and how long was forever? James slowly pulled away and, with a glance that told him her eyes were still closed, he dropped his head and buried it in her shoulder. Her hands were still in his hair and she moved her fingers lightly against his scalp as they both fought for breath.

"James," Lily said finally and her eyes opened. Her heart was beating loudly in her chest and she knew that he could hear it.

"Lily." He pushed himself up, so his chest wasn't pinning her down. When she spoke, her voice sounded like it did before- croaky, her throat tight.

"I like you, okay?" she said finally and another tear pushed its way out. "A lot. I didn't- I didn't know-"

"You didn't know if you still had a chance," James finished flatly. Lily nodded miserably. He stared at her coldly.

"I was too late," she whispered and nodded. She pushed herself back, so as to move out from beneath him. "I'm sor-" She was cut off quickly as he growled and pulled her back under him. His lips were on hers and he kissed her more fiercely.

"Do you think," James growled again. "Do you think that I would kiss you like that if you still didn't have a chance? If I lied and said I didn't like you?" She stared at him.

"Does this- does this mean-" James sighed and, being careful, his hand gently wiped away the tears that had began making their way down her cheeks.

"Just stop talking, love," he told her. "And kiss me." With a disbelieving smile, Lily leaned up and did as she was told. A moment later, James broke away and when he spoke his voice was incredulous.

"Can I ask what brought this on?" She laughed.

"I actually…lied. Sirius did have something to do with this." She giggled at his expression. Her hand cupped his cheek again. "He told me how you've been moping and that I should really stop lying to myself and to you and just get on with it." She paused. "And then he started going on about how you were sucking at Quidditch because of me and-" James growled and jumped up from the couch, stalking to the portrait hole and wrenching it open. She sat up, grinning. With an amused expression, Lily watched as it slammed shut, only to be opened seconds later. James came back in, his hand tangled in a mess of black hair. Sirius moaned in pain James half dragged him to show to Lily.

"I'll be right back."

"Lily," Sirius squeaked. "Help-" The portrait slammed closed. With a giggle and a sigh, she fell back into the sofa and kicked her feet up onto the table. The newspaper she'd thrown onto it fell onto the floor and the headline bore large black printed letters:

VOLDEMORT ATTACKS