The Marauders: Year Three | #Wattys2016

April

April

It was James that was waiting up in the common room when Lily and Remus returned. Remus's cheeks flushed bright red when he saw James, lounging across the chair closest to the fire, a book balanced on one knee. James shut the cover the moment they stepped inside and sat up, tossing it onto the coffee table. "Hey, there you are," he said, getting up. "Are you alright?"

Remus nodded, "Is... is Sirius still awake?" he asked, looking at the stairwell that led up to the dorms.

James shook his head, "Him and Peter both fell asleep ages ago."

"Good." Remus turned to Lily, "Thanks again..." he murmured and he hastened away, up the stairs to the dorm.

Lily and James both watched him go, silence save for the cracking of the fire behind them fell over the pair of them, then. James turned to look back at her. She seemed to glow like gold in the fire's reflection. He cleared his throat and she looked up at him. "Is he really alright?" he asked her.

"I s'pose he will be," she answered. "How's Sirius?"

"A bit on the traumatized side, really," James replied.

"They'll be okay, though, won't they?" LIly questioned.

James nodded, "Yeah, I think so."

"Does... does Sirius feel the same way as Remus?" she asked.

James shrugged, "It's complicated for Sirius."

Lily sighed, "I know it's not very conventional, but... honestly, I sort of like the idea of the pair of them."

"You do?" James asked.

"Yeah," Lily nodded, "They're just such opposites of each other. I think... they sort of balance each other out, don't they? I dunno, I just think they'd make a cute couple."

"With the small exception of the issue that Sirius is straight?" James asked.

Lily shrugged, "Yeah, that small exception."

James looked at his feet and dragged his toe across the carpet. "I'm just really impressed with how... how bloody brave Remus was... just... kissing him." He let his eyes slowly move up to connect with Lily's. "Don't you think that's quite brave?"

Lily smirked, "Don't you dare, Potter."

James's mouth curled into that stupid grin - the one with the one tooth that caught his lip, the one she hated - "Evans, don't go getting your hopes up, I wasn't planning to."

"The only hope I had was that you'd try it so I'd have a good excuse to slug you in that big stupid face of yours," she replied haughtily.

James's eyes twinkled, "See, you say that, but I hear James, I want to touch your face."

Lily rolled her eyes, "Why would I ever want to touch your face for, Potter?"

"To see how soft and smooth my skin is," he replied. "The same reason you really want to run your fingers through my hair." He bent, turning his head so the great mop of messy hair hung toward her, "Go on, live it up, Evans. Touch it."

"Bugger off, I don't want to touch it! You twisted prat."

James laughed.

Lily rolled her eyes, "Can't hold a conversation with you - it's impossible! You're impossible." She turned and started toward the girls dormitory stairs.