Jily

Chapter 13

James's POV

I stood up for the first time in several hours and allowed a shiver to race through my body due to the cold air from the top of the Astronomy tower. I walked toward the door, focusing on my steps, one after the other. Finally I stopped at the door. For a moment, I just stood and stared at the sturdy wood it was made from and the old golden handle. Then I took a deep breath and reached for the gold knob.

As I opened the door, I was greeted by seemingly endless stairs that I slowly embarked upon, descending all the way to the bottom where everything awaited me. I took more and more deep breaths, pleading with myself to keep moving. My mantra still repeating in my head.

I slowly walked through the castle in the direction of the Great Hall. I urged myself to move forward, concentrating on my footsteps, simply working on moving one step in front of the other toward the light, the noise, the people, toward Lily.

When finally I made it to those two large, matching, wooden doors. I held my chin up high how I used to always do it. I shook my hair gently out of my eyes in an attempt to seem at least somewhat presentable. I straightened my clothes. I took one final deep breath before opening those monumental doors that stood in from of me, the only thing between me and the others.

Lily's POV

I sat in the Great Hall. I alumped down and rested my head in my hamds. I couldn't even pretend to be happy anymore. All of my thoughtsnwere always interlaced and overtaken by my concerns for James. But there was nothing I could do. I knew that he didn't care about me the way he used to, even if I care about him in that way now. He is just so gone from everybody and everything, so alone. I only wish he would ask for help.

"Can you pass the butter Lils?" Somebody asked from far way. I didn't respond, lost in my thoughts of James. Nothing was worth enough right now to pull me from those thoughts.

"Lily?" Somebody tugged on my elbow. I snapped.

"What?!" I barked at the incriminating person on my right. They cowered at my uncharacteristically angry tone. It was one of my closest friends, Marlene McKinnon.

Marlene was one of the many people affected by James's startling absence. The two of them had been close as children and became even closer when they were both placed in gryffindor back in first year. The two of us had bonded as being two of the smartest girls in our class and gryffindors. She was almost as worried about me as she was worried about James.

"I juat need the butter. It is on your left." She said, concern flooding her eyes. She really did not like to see me like this, so affected and upset.

I scoffed at her but reached over and picked up the tray of butter that sat by my left elbow. When I turned around, I nearly dropped the butter tray, thankfully Marlene caught it before it all fell to the ground.

Over Marlene's shoulder, James had appeared at the doorway to the Great Hall. I leapt from my seat and rushed over to him as soon as all of my thoughts collected and I realized that it was really him. I engulfed him in a hug.

He froze for a second, obviously not expecting such a reaction, then he reciprocated the action and hugged me back. He lifted me into the air and I smiled for the first time in days. He placed me back on the ground and I looked at him, just really looked at him.

He was obviously disshleved. I could tell that he was trying to hide how upset and distressed he had really been, feigning the confidence that he normally protruded. But I could tell, for he is James and I am Lily.

I placed a hand on his face, my eyes ebbed with the concern I had felt for the last couple of days. I didn't think, I didn't even mean to do it, but I pulled his face to mine, and I kissed him. I kissed James. It was a short, tender kiss, but it was a kiss, and when I pulled away james stared straight in my eyes.

And that's when it hit me, what I had just done. I kissed James. Wow. I kissed James. James. A dark blush krept onto my face and I nervously looked down at my feet for he still had not responded to my action. I anxiously pulled away from him, suddenly very self concious. His silence surrounded me and I felt his eyes on me but I did not dare to look up.

Just as I was about to simply run away in embarassment, he gently pulled my hand into his. He laced his fingers through mine and brought my knuckles to his lips for a gentle kiss. I looked up at him and he smiled at me a little, that smile that I had always secretly thought was absolutely amazing and unbeatable, that smile. I couldn't help but smile back and that's when he pulled me closer to him.

This time, he was the one that kissed me. This kiss was just as gentle as the last but was also flooded with emotion. His free hand went to my face and my free hand went to his shoulder.

Wolf-whistles and whoops thundered through the Great Hall and we jumped apart, suddenly aware of how many eyes were on us. The entire Great Hall had eagerly stopped eating their dinner to watch my interaction with James.

I blushed furiously and nervously looked back down at my shoes, but James pulled my hand back to his and grinned widely. I looked back up to him and smiled back, still blushing a little. I tugged toward where I was sitting and he sat down next to me. All of ou friends simply grinned at us as conversation throught the large room resumed, the spectacle of us obviously over.

Nobody sad anything for a while until Remus turned to Peter and said "Peter, you owe me twenty galleons. Lily made the first move."

Then we all laughed heartily as Peter reluctantly payed his debt to Remus. James wrapped hs arm around my shoulder.

All was well. For now.