Pocky Stick: a thin pretzel or biscuit stick dipped in fudge of various flavors.

Never agree to play any kind of game when Firewhiskey is involved; especially when said game is proposed by one very drunk Sirius Black.

Except… perhaps Alice could be the one to blame for this as well, or namely, her parents. They were the ones who came back from an anniversary trip in Japan with various souvenirs for Alice including a package of Pocky Sticks. They were good, don't get me wrong. Also… a completely innocent and enjoyable snack until Black saw them.

I'm sorry, I must not be making sense.

Let me start from the beginning.

The first Friday after the beginning of term, possibly one of the more stressful weeks because everyone is getting back into the gist of things, was finally upon us. My week had been especially stressful because I found out who my Head counterpart would be: none other than the notorious, infamous, Marauding James Potter.

Great.

That bloke would totally take advantage of his newfound power and use it to punish Slytherins unnecessarily, let his friends (and himself for that matter) off the hook whenever they planned and performed a prank…

This would be a long year.

However, towards the middle of the week, I realized that Potter was actually taking this job seriously. If at all possible, he had… dare I say it… matured.

And not just behavior-wise.

But physically…

None of that now.

Our story starts in the morning of this particular Friday. The Friday everything changed. For better or for worse… I haven't decided yet.

"Lily! Lily!"

I recognized the voice of my best friend, Alice Prewitt, immediately. I turned around and patiently waited while the short-statured, electric blue-eyed brunette caught up with me.

"Merlin, Lils, you walk fast."

"On account of my long legs, as some would put it." I internally glared at Potter.

"I don't know when to meet up with you to go to breakfast anymore! The Head's dorms are on a completely different level and side of the castle than Gryffindor Tower."

"We really should just decide on a time to meet…" I laughed. Why hadn't I thought of that before?

"I always knew you were the smart one, Lils." Alice giggled. "Let's get brekkie. I'm starving."

As we found our seats and began to fill our plates with the delicious cooking of the House Elves, the mail came in. Hoards and groups of owls swooped in carrying packages, letters, newspapers and every other assortment of deliveries you could possibly think of.

"Hey, Alice," I started, a mouthful of eggs and looking upward, "Isn't that your owl?"

Alice looked up, pieces of banger hanging attractively from her mouth and her eyes widened.

She swallowed quickly.

"Yeah! I wonder…"

Alice's black owl, Cassiopeia, dove down to where Alice was sitting and held out her leg.

"Good girl, Cass. What'd you bring me?" Alice cooed as she stroked the owl and took the package. Cassiopeia hooted in delight and affectionately nipped Alice's finger.

"It's from my mum and dad! They're back from their anniversary trip!"

"Where'd they go?"

"They'd always wanted to go to Japan… so they were there for the last few weeks of my summer vacation." Alice then paused and read the letter.

"Sounds like they had an awesome time… I wonder what they sent?"

"Open it!" Packages are always exciting. I don't care what anyone thinks.

Alice tore open the package, and inside, found an assortment of boxes.

"Pocky Sticks? Huh. According to Mum, these are widely popular in Japan…" she opened a box that said Milk Chocolate Biscuit and proceeded to take out a very thin treat.

She looked at me and then back at the stick as she took a bite.

"MMmmmmm… Lily! You have to try this!" she handed me my own stick.

I'm happy with anything that's chocolate… so I instantly took a bite.

Bugger, these things were good! Addicting! So delicious…

Alice and I sat munching for awhile.

"Merlin, thank your parents! They have good taste!"

"Yeah! I'm going to get so fat from these. Mum says there's more at home, too. I wonder if Frank will like these?"

"I'm sure. They're so YUMMY." I gushed.

Just then, they came in.

Potter, Black, Remus and Peter. Swaggering, strutting their stuff to the female population of Hogwarts.

I could throw up.

And of course, because it's their tradition, all four of them, lead by Potter, came and sat directly across from Alice and myself.

"Good day and how do you do Miss Evans? Miss Prewitt?" Black asked.

"Good, up until about a second ago." I countered.

"Aw, now Evans. Don't be so rude. It is a delightful, sunny morning, and we can't have rainclouds such as yourself drawling about and darkening it for everyone, now, can we?"

"Shove it, Sirius." Potter elbowed his friend and grinned apologetically at me. "'Morning, Lily."

"Potter." I acknowledged him. His grin faded a bit and he looked away, then back at me, then away again and sat down much less jovially than he had entered the Great Hall.

He refused to look at me as we ate.

Somehow, I was upset by this, and felt a little colder, although it was only the beginning of September.

"Thank Merlin it's Friday. Who else thought this was like the longest week ever?!" Black complained.

"Paddy, you say that every week." Remus calmly explained.

"Because every week is bloody LONG. I think the professors had a teaching lesson from Binns this past summer. Can we say boring?

Peter maturely snorted into his juice, spraying it up into his face.

Potter looked over at him, slowly chewing his muffin and just shook his head and proceeded to mop Peter's face with a napkin like a mother would do.

"There, there, now, ickle-Petey-Wormy-kins. Mummy's got you all cleaned up!"

"Knock it off, Prongs!" Peter laughed.

I grinned despite myself.

Classes went by rather quickly, I thought. Sorry, Sirius, I can't share in your sentiments there.

Potter and I didn't have to patrol tonight. We had scheduled it earlier this week that we would never have to patrol on Fridays.

Perks of being the Heads.

Alice, Frank and I were calmly sitting in the Common Room, chatting, laughing, and playing Exploding Snap. It was around 10:30, so most of the younger kids were in bed. Good thing the doors were sound proof, otherwise, with the way I was playing, or should I say losing… let's just say I'd be a very unpopular Lily to a bunch of zombie-esque first and second years.

Without warning, the Marauders burst into the room through the portrait hole, guffawing like the idiots they were. Black had a paper bag clutched in his hand, Peter was trying to snatch it from him, and Potter was making his way over to one of the tables. Remus walked in, shaking his head, but I could see his mischievous, wolfish (yes, I knew) smile.

"What a way to celebrate the LAST first week of classes than with a bottle of our old friend… Firewhiskey." Black announced.

Peter bounced up and down on his toes, anticipating the drink.

Potter placed four shot glasses on the table and slid them to each of his comrades.

Sirius raised the bottle in the air while Remus made a show of bowing down to it.

"Merlin bless Firewhiskey and its many powers of forgetfulness. Instant memory charm." He chanted.

"Just pour the damn thing, Pads. I'm eagerly awaiting my buzz." Potter stated.

"Now, now, Prongs. Wait your turn. We're doing this alphabetically."

"Obviously by first name. I'm first." Potter said, lifting his glass.

"Like Hell, Prongs. By last name." Black drawled while pouring his glass. Potter pouted.

"But… that makes me last."

"Exactly."

Eventually all the cups were filled.

"To the last first week of classes! To the last year at Hogwarts! To Prongs being Head Boy!" Sirius shouted. A series of clanking, and glasses slamming to the table.

"That drink. It is tasty. A SECOND!" Remus shouted.

That's when they noticed us. Or more specifically, Black noticed us.

"Longbottom! Won't you join us in our manly escapades?"

Frank laughed and looked at Alice. She shrugged.

"Most certainly, my good gentlemen!" Frank elaborated, bowing and pretending to tip a hat.

The Marauders applauded.

"You as well, my fair maidens!" Black held out a hand and beckoned us.

"Yes! Do join us!" Peter shouted.

Alice looked at me, tilted her head in that direction and gave me a questioning gaze.

I knew that look.

It said, "Please? It could be fun… come on Lily, live a little."

"FINE. Let's go." I smiled.

Just then, my other two close friends, Marlene McKinnon and Mary MacDonald came in through the portrait hole, both with brooms slung over their shoulders and a Quaffle.

"I love night Quidditch!"

"Me too… what's this? A party? LILY! Why weren't we…?"

"You most certainly ARE, Ladies." Black waltzed over and slung his arms through the arms of the two of them. "You are most cordially invited to attend the… whatever it is we're having."

"Brilliant!"

"Is there enough Firewhiskey, my good Moony?"

"Of course there is. I have another bottle in our room." Remus smirked.

"Excellent."

Around midnight, a bottle and a half of Firewhiskey was gone. I had had my share, let me tell you. Not enough to make me drunk… but enough to feel warm and fuzzy on the inside.

Also, things I wouldn't have laughed at before became the most hilarious things I had ever heard.

That's when Alice took out her Pocky Sticks and offered them around. Everyone took one and began to munch. Then Black took his.

"Why Prewitt, I didn't know you had it in you! I always thought you were so innocent!"

"What do you mean, Black?" Alice questioned.

"Do you know what these are?" Sirius questioned with a raise of one eyebrow.

"Snackies?" Alice quipped.

"Much more than that, Miss Prewitt. Much more." Sirius grinned evilly. By now, he had everyone's attention.

"These," he started, holding up his Pocky Stick, "Are Pocky Sticks. They are incredibly delicious, and addicting if I do say so myself."

"They're chocolate. Of course they are!" Remus muttered.

"They are also game pieces."

"What?" everyone said at once.

"You heard me. There is a game, called Pocky, that uses these very sticks."

"Is that so?" Peter asked.

"Very so." Black answered.

"How do you play?" Mary asked, eyeing Remus.

"I would be delighted to explain. Come, let us all sit in a circle on the floor."

We all got up from the table and made our way to the fireplace, making a circle: Mary, Marlene, Frank, Alice, Peter, Black, Remus, Potter, me.

"We will use this empty bottle of Firewhiskey, Merlin rest its bubbly spirit. Now. One takes this bottle, and much like Spin the Bottle… well, er, spins the bottle. Whoever it lands on is that person's partner. They then take one Pocky Stick, and each bites the end of it, holding it between them with their mouths. The point of the game is each person continues to take small bites, ultimately making the two players get closer and closer and closer… until one of them can't take the closeness, gives up and lets go of the stick. The one who didn't let go wins. The loser has to do a dare prepared by the rest of the group. Who's in?"

Everyone was. Including me. I blame the Firewhiskey.

"I shall spin first," offered Black, wiggling his eyebrows at Marlene, who blushed.

To Black's dismay, the bottle landed not on Marlene, but on Peter.

"Merlin Avada me now."

"Now don't be that way, Paddy-Poo…" Peter taunted.

"You have to do it!" Remus said.

"Moony…"

"This was your idea, Pads. Don't blame me."

Sirius jutted out his lower lip. Remus pushed him towards Peter. Alice reached in her box and pulled out a stick and handed it to Sirius.

"You better let go, Wormy."

"Not a chance. I don't want to do a dare. You remember last time."

"That I do. It was my idea."

Sirius held the stick between them and they both placed their mouths on either end of the stick.

"Let the games begin," Remus announced.

All of us watched in interest as first Sirius, then Peter, took small nibbles: the smallest they could take as to try to stay away from each other as long as they could.

Eventually, the small nibbles caused a noticeably big cut in distance. Peter and Sirius were three inches away from each other.

Sirius looked nervous, and angry at Peter for not letting go.

Peter looked determined.

Nibble.

Nibble.

BITE.

"ARRRGHHH!" Sirius let go of the stick as Peter took a giant chomp toward him.

"HA!"

"Sirius loses." Remus announced.

"I know that, you twat!" Sirius looked annoyed.

Peter looked quite proud of himself as he finished the stick, munching rather contently.

"What do we make him do?"

Remus grinned widely. Sirius looked at him in fear.

"Oh no. Moony comes up with the best… or should I say… worst dares. That man is a diabolical, diseased, maniac."

Remus whispered his idea to Potter, who immediately burst into laughter.

"What. What?!" Sirius begged.

"Pads, go find Mrs. Norris. You know what I mean." Remus gave Sirius a look.

"You wouldn't dare… Moony…"

Remus whispered the rest of the dare to Sirius who became paler by the second.

"May Merlin burn all of your pantaloons in Hell, Moony."

Then Sirius left, pulling a yellowing parchment from his pocket.

"What did you dare him to do?" Mary asked.

"Lick Mrs. Norris. In front of Filch."

"NO WAY!"

"GROSS!"

Potter, Remus and Peter all shared a secretive look. I looked at them suspiciously.

Fifteen minutes later, Sirius returned looking as if he had been sick. He had four scratches running vertically down his face.

Everyone laughed.

"Yeah. Haha. Very funny. My beautiful face… my pride…"

Remus patted Sirius on the back.

"Now, Paddy. It's not that bad. I'll fix it before we go to sleep."

"Don't bother being nice. You wait to see what I have in store for you, Moonykins. Just you wait."

"As the winner, Pete, you get to choose who spins the bottle next."

I made myself look very uninterested, and tried not to make eye contact.

"I see what you're doing there, Evans." Peter grinned.

He handed me the bottle.

Merlin's tits.

"Alright then," I said, sounding more confident than I felt.

I spun the bottle.

Round and round and round and round and round and round… slower… slowing… stopping… on…

I looked up at the person the neck of the bottle pointed to.

He looked as shocked as I did: his eyes were wide, and his posture portrayed that of something wanting to get up and run. His hazel gaze met mine in a deer-in-the-headlights look.

Potter lifted his hands as if to calm me down… then tried to talk. I interrupted him.

I swear it was the Firewhiskey.

"Let's do this, Potter."

He looked gobsmacked.

"Erm, uh. Okay…?"

"Alice?" I held out my hand.

Alice looked scared as she handed me the Pocky Stick.

Like Hell I would lose to Potter. But I knew he was competitive, too. He played Quidditch after all. What we had in common was that we were stubborn, competitive, and ruthless when it came to wanting to win. Years of classes together had proved that. This would be interesting.

I held the stick between us.

Potter opened his lips, looked at me, wiggled his eyebrows once, and bit down on the edge of the Pocky Stick.

I winked at him and took my end.

"Here we go." Remus said.

I lost all awareness of everything around me. I bit down first.

Potter stared intently into my eyes as he bit down next.

I could smell his scent, forest and cinnamon, wafting over to me. We'd never really been this close before. His back was against the couch but his face was toward me. His left arm was resting on the couch, behind my back. I sat with my back to the couch as well, my hand resting between us, balancing my weight as I was required to lean closer to him.

Nibble.

Bite.

Crunch.

Closer.

Potter's breath was uneven, and his pupils had pretty much taken over his eyes, darkening them to a burnt caramel. I looked from one eye to the other.

This wasn't so bad…

My heart beat erratically. I could feel it trying to pound its way out of my chest.

Was it warmer than usual in here?

Some of his hair hung in front of his eyes.

He looked… sexy.

Crunch.

Our mouths were less than an inch away.

Snip.

Potter exhaled through his nose and shut his eyes, looking like he was concentrating really hard.

Munch.

I felt his lips ghosting over mine. They were trembling.

So were mine.

I don't know what got into me. Once again, I'll be cliché and blame the Firewhiskey, but suddenly everything just became too much. His scent, his breathing, his lips…

My hands whipped up from my side and I jumped on him.

I jumped on James Potter.

My mouth met his in a hot, desperate mess as I pulled his hair to bring his face to mine.

His mouth didn't move for what felt like an eternity. But then, he pressed his hand to the back of my head and part of my neck and pushed me down closer, as his arm wrapped around my waist, pressing the rest of me up against his fantastic, hard chest.

I couldn't seem to get as close to him as I wanted to.

James' tongue snuck out, licking my bottom lip, but when I opened my mouth, he teasingly brought his tongue back into his mouth. I groaned, but then proceeded to slip my tongue into his mouth. I felt, as well as heard, his moan of pleasure. He tilted his head to deepen my access as he sucked on my tongue and brushed it with his own. Then, he took my bottom lip into his mouth and massaged it with his tongue… and it was so beautiful… so hot… and I couldn't believe that I had not been with this man before now because he was fantastic, wonderful, a dream… he was…

He was James Potter.

With that realization I tore my mouth away from his and stared in horror down at his face. His eyes had opened and he was looking at me with a confused expression. His hand tentatively reached up to cup my cheek, but I climbed off of him and stood up.

I then remembered that we had an audience. I looked up at our friends and saw looks ranging from shock, happiness, dumbfounded…

"Lily… I…" Potter had sat up and was attempting to get to his feet. I took a step back and brought my fingers to my lips. The lips that had…

He looked worried, and very sorry…

Had I just…?

And I…

I liked it. I had felt… complete…

This couldn't be happening. I couldn't be feeling this way. It was just one bloody kiss! People do not just fall in lo-

I would not complete that thought.

"I…Erm." I looked around frantically. No one had moved. "I have to…er, go to bed now. 'Night all."

And with that, like the coward I was, I ran away from my embarrassment, my confusion…

And my feelings.

Do you see my predicament now? I didn't know if what had happened had been for better or for worse. Jam- Potter and I had kissed. Things had been going so well between us with Head's duties and all… we hadn't argued, we worked well together… maybe even became somewhat friends. But…

We'd kissed.

And I'd liked it.

This was definitely for worse.

I was sitting on my bed, in the Head's Dorms, hugging my pillow to myself and scrunching myself into the smallest ball I could manage.

I hadn't left my room all weekend. I was too… I couldn't face him.

Not after that.

Alice, Marlene and Mary had all tried to talk to me and bribe me out with food, but I couldn't eat. I was afraid I'd be sick.

Without eating, the only taste that was in my mouth was the last thing it had had: James.

The best I could do was blame the Firewhiskey for my behavior, but a nagging pull at my stomach and heart told me that that wasn't the case, as much as I wished it could be as simple as that.

I wouldn't have kissed him if I didn't feel anything for him.

That's kind of what happens.

We had been on the brink of crossing a very fine line between hate and… and love.

I doubted it had ever been hate.

I've always had strong feelings towards Potter. I just never knew which way they leaned on the spectrum. Now I knew.

And that's what scared me.

I had no way to explain it, to myself, to him…

To anyone.

I had no right to do this to him. He had given up a while ago. It wouldn't be fair.

I would try to keep things as if that kiss had never happened. That was for the better.

Monday came, and unfortunately, that meant classes and patrolling.

Luckily for me, Potter was in none of my Monday classes. Every time he tried to approach me in passing, or in the Great Hall, I would conveniently turn the other way and walk very quickly away.

He never pursued me.

Once I looked back as I made my way through the sea of students, and I saw him. Staring after me dejectedly, until he would hoist up his bag on his shoulder and shake his head, and turn to walk away.

This was for the better.

However, we did share patrol together.

"Um, Lily?" James knocked on my door. When had I started referring to him as 'James' in my head?

"What."

"We, er… have to patrol now… It's nine…"

I got up. I had locked myself in my room after dinner, four hours ago.

Here we go. No running now.

I opened the door. James stood nervously back about five feet, hands at his sides, and he was looking down.

"Let's go, then." I whispered.

"Right."

There was a wall between us, so thick… that I could easily slice it with a knife and serve it on toast to the Giant Squid. We walked right next to each other, hands brushing every once in a while. Every time they did, I heard James suck in a breath. My blush deepened every time it happened. To know I had an effect like that on him… that he had that effect on me…

We refused to look at each other. We didn't talk. There was absolute silence.

It's like the school knew, too. There was no one out of their dorms. Not a student in sight.

I chanced a glance at James.

His jaw was clenched and locked in place. His eyes were narrowed and they looked straight ahead. His Adam's apple bobbed with every gulp he took. He had a… resolved look on his face. Then he looked down at me. Our eyes made contact.

I looked away quickly with a gasp and began to walk quickly to gain distance between us.

"No, Lily. Not this time." James growled as he snatched my wrist. In a flash, James had me pressed against the nearest wall. There was no space between us at all. He had placed his forehead on mine and was looking right into my eyes. He was angry, and confused…

His hand was still around my wrist, but he soon let go and instead slid his hand down and grabbed my hand in his, our fingers going between the spaces in the other's hand. They fit perfectly.

"Not again, Lily Evans. I can't do this. It's been a weekend… and if this is how… why did you kiss me?"

I tried to look away, but James gently grabbed my chin in his other hand.

"Why."

"I… I don't know…"

"Yes, you do."

"F-Firewhiskey…?"

"You know that wasn't it."

"Sirius' stupid… stupid game… and… heat of the moment…"

"Don't lie to me. Don't lie to yourself. Please. I have know… why?"

He looked as if he might cry. He was so lost…

"I… I just… I think I…"

His face was so close. I couldn't help but look down at his perfect mouth. Those soft lips that had so eagerly caressed mine…

I snapped.

My hand reached around his neck and pressed his mouth to mine.

It was better than I had remembered.

James responded immediately, placing his hands on my hips and crushing me into the wall.

It was completely out of control, more so than last time. The wall between us had crumbled.

"Lily…please… gooutwithme…" James uttered between kisses, making his way down my neck.

I held on with all I had. I would puddle onto the floor if not for him.

James' mouth came back to mine and they met again.

"'Course…" I mumbled on his lips.

"Good." He whispered back, slipping his tongue into my mouth where I gratefully accepted it.

I had at some point jumped up and wrapped my legs around his waist as he pressed me further into the wall. Our hands were exploring everywhere they could reach. I couldn't think anymore. Everything was just so… so great.

A while later, we were panting, trying to catch our breaths. We were still pressed together, and our foreheads were stuck together again. Then James spoke up with his trademark smirk:

"I'm glad you started that one, Lils. I was afraid I was going to have to resort to desperate measures." And with that, James reached down between us and pulled a package of Pocky Sticks out of his pocket and held them up for me to see.

I laughed, and grabbed him again, our mouths meeting in smiles.

I guess it was for better after all.