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“Right then, have fun at your boyfriend’s party Evans!” Sirius called over his shoulder as he left the two of them outside Slughorn’s office, strutting back down the stone hallway whistling a muggle rock song. Having insisted he ‘needed the exercise’, Sirius had escorted them to their party for no apparent reason other than bothering her.
Lily narrowed her eyes at his retreating form and held up a half-hearted middle finger as James chuckled lightly beside her. His warm hand came up to caress hers, pushing down the offensive finger and gripping her palm so they were holding hands. She let out a huff as she stepped closer to him, took his other hand in hers, and tilted her head up towards him, resting her chin softly on his chest as she pouted.
“Come on love, can’t be the teacher’s pet and not show up to his exclusive dinner. You’re practically the guest of honor. Plus I’ve got to go in and remind Sluggy that you already have a boyfriend. I hear he’s very handsome and good at quidditch AND completely age appropriate.”
“Mm, and humble too,” Lily mumbled into the fabric of his dress robes, feeling his laughter rumble in his chest as he brought a hand up to stroke the back of her head, careful not to tousle the half updo she had coiffed her red curls into for the party. Pressing a kiss to her hairline, James pulled back and tugged on their joined hands, leading a begrudging Lily into Slughorn’s expanded office.
Passing under a sheer drapery, the couple entered the warmly lit room bustling with party-goers. Before the fabric had even settled behind them, shuffling footsteps brought Professor Slughorn to their side.
“Miss. Evans! Thank Merlin you’re finally here. I love getting a moment to chat potioneering outside of class, but it's so terribly dull without a worthy conversationalist such as yourself.” Slughorn resituated the small hat on his head before his eyes fell on James, smiling patiently at Lily’s side.
“Ah, and of course Mr. Potter, good to have you here as well. You are also not too shabby at discussing potions, must be the genes! You’ll have to give your father my regards of course, let him know his products still have my stamp of approval”
James chuckled politely, ruffling his hair and assuring the rotund man that he would pass along the message. “If you don’t terribly mind Professor, I’m going to steal Lily away to grab some refreshments.”
“Of course, of course, help yourselves! Eat, drink, be merry! Miss Evans–– I expect you to circle back to me later this evening so we can have that scholarly discourse!” Slughorn gave her a mock stern look before returning to his jolly smile.
Lily nodded and smiled back at their teacher as James gave a small wave and began leading her through the room towards a table of hors d'oeuvres. The two of them piled up their cocktail plates with finger food, poking fun at the slightly pretentious offerings as they went along the small buffet, and Lily’s slender fingers darted out to steal the last puff pastry from James’ plate. She popped it into her mouth when he turned back from reaching for the mini tarts and he scoffed playfully at her, eyes glinting as he snatched a fancy looking mince pie from her stack.
Moving away from the food spread, the couple stationed themselves at one of the high tables draped in mauve fabric and munched on their snacks.
“Lil, I’m going to grab a spot of butterbeer, need a drink?” James slid his plate towards her for her to guard and she smiled back at him.
“Butterbeer sounds brill, thanks.”
He leaned in to press a quick peck on her cheek and headed off, “Back in a mo’!”
As she waited for James to come back with their drinks, Lily took a moment to observe the event. She hadn’t really wanted to go tonight, having been to so many of them over the years and now having a much better option for spending a Saturday evening, but she had to admit there was a certain comforting ambiance to the warm tones of the evening. The firelit room held passionate students and talented witches and wizards and this mix of people was something special and fleeting, especially as graduation approached. She stood leaning her elbows on the raised cocktail table, taking small bites of her tarte and allowing herself to feel the bittersweet reminiscing that had accompanied all of 1977.
She was shaken from that feeling as she sensed an uncomfortable burning into her from behind. Fisting her hands on the tablecloth, she stood straight, preparing for the worst. Severus inched closer, surrounded by fellow Slytherins and giving her the most confusing look of disgust and concern.
“Snape,.” Lily spoke tersely as he came up to stand across from her.
“Lily. No surprise to see you here, though I could do without your,” he sneered and looked away from her, “companion.”
“Who I associate with is no longer any of your concern Severus. I am not your concern.” She said his name as if it was venom on her tongue. “You made that perfectly clear two years ago.”
“Lily if you would just––”
“If you’re looking for an autograph, Snivellus, I’m afraid you’ll have to move along. It’s my night off.” James’ stony voice carried from behind her as he came up to her side, placing the two butterbeers on their table. His right hand came to rest protectively on the small of her back.
The disdain on Snape’s face looked almost painful as he cast his gaze back at Lily. Her eyes were cold and downcast, no longer deigning to meet his stare. He grunted as he hunched his shoulders and crossed his arms, crumpling the velvet of his slightly outdated dress robes.
“And besides that, I don’t believe Lily has anything to say to you so you should be moving on anyway Snape.” James wrapped his arm around her shoulders as his glare put a crease between his eyebrows.
Snape stood still but his shoulders slumped just slightly, his stare slightly more pained than it had been.
“Hope you enjoy taking out the trash, Potter…” Mulciber spat venomously as the Slytherins continued on deeper into the party. James’ eyes darkened and he moved to step forward, but Lily’s fingers gripped into his forearm and held him in place. Severus trailed behind the other boy and Lily glared at him, her emerald eyes glistening with pain and resentment. He looked to James and spat at his feet before turning to follow his housemates.
James and Lily both let out the breaths they hadn’t realized they’d been holding as the green robes disappeared in the crowd. He pulled her into a tight hug and kissed the top of her head before she pulled back. She glanced at the full cups of butterbeer and in the direction they’d left Slughorn before meeting James concerned, hazel look.
“Hey, you want to get out of here?” James asked tentatively, leaving one arm looped behind her and picking up the butterbeer with his free hand. Lily took a deep breath before allowing the corner of her mouth to twitch upwards. She reached for her glass and clinked it against his, meeting his eye as they chugged down the frothy drink. He smiled his patented grin as he intertwined their hands and sped them towards the exit, stealthily avoiding Slughorn, who was deep in conversation with a willowy, older witch right by the door.
As they tumbled out into the corridor they both laughed breathily and Lily’s slingback heels clacked on the stones as they tore away from the office, still holding hands in the candle-lit hallway. Following James’ calculated twists and turns, tethered by her hand clenched in his, Lily followed until she was tugged abruptly into an alcove she hadn’t been aware of.
A single white candle illuminated the small room behind the tapestry, woven in Ravenclaw blue and blocking James and Lily from the main hall. Her back met the cold wall as James perched over her, his forearms pressed to the stones above her head. Their breaths mingled between them as they slowly inched towards each other and their lips crashed together. Biting her bottom lip gently, James coaxed a sigh from her and Lily smiled as she reached one arm up to wrap behind his head, fingers curling into his hair. James hummed against her mouth before moving downwards to give the dip between her neck and her shoulder some much appreciated attention.
“James,” she breathed out as he nibbled lightly on the side of her neck. “James.”
He pulled away just slightly so he could meet her eyes, his face flushed and his eyes glinting. Lily brushed his cheek with the tips of her fingers and looked back at him, her gaze all-consuming. “I–Thank you.”
James chuckled and his glasses slid just barely down the bridge of his nose as he shook. Crooking an eyebrow playfully but with a sincere question in his eyes. “For what?”
Her eyelashes fluttered as he exhaled breathily against her cheek. “For… for coming to this stupid party with me. For not starting anything with Snape. For sneaking me away from the party. For… everything, really.”
Lily pressed a soft kiss to his lips, whispering, “You’re just my favorite person. So thank you.”
James wrapped his arms around her so his hands overlapped behind her back, pulling her tight to him. Her cheek pressed into his chest as she tucked into his embrace. “I lo––” he started but then paused and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Don’t tell Sirius, but you’re my favorite person too.”
“Well I rather hope so,” Lily replied, cheeks flushed from the words not yet said and voice slightly muffled by James’ robes. “Wouldn’t want to be snogging someone in a secret room who only thinks I’m so-so.”
The rumbling in his chest was warm and familiar as he laughed with her sharp retort. James tilted her chin up with his knuckle and replied, “Nah, Evans. You’ve always been extraordinary.”