Without Warning

Previously In Chapter 14:

"No. James, look. You have had this thing for her since as long as I care to remember. I thought you'd get over her eventually, but you haven't. Your desire has just grown stronger. Doesn't that tell you something? Tonight, I saw this electricity between the two of you. I know you felt it too. Do you want that to die, Prongs?"

James looked down at his feet. Sirius continued to gape.

"You have to go after her," Remus said.

"Yes," said Sirius faintly, after a moment. "Yes...yeah. He's right, Prongs. Go...Run!"

James looked from Sirius to Remus slowly. Then, without a word, he jumped to his feet and sprinted from the hall.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: The Fate The Fury Of Fire(whiskey) Can Bring.

"Lily...er, don't you think you should find out the facts -"

"Indigo, do you really want to give me a reason to hurt you?"

Indigo bit her lip and watched in bewilderment as Lily stalked around their dormitory. Apart from the fact that Lily couldn't possibly physically harm Indigo if she'd tried, Indigo was still very much aware of Lily's temper. Bloody redheads.

"Well...it's just that...well, he seemed pretty sincere and -"

"Sincere? Sincere? He and Black pride themselves on acting sincere and innocent, Indigo! You of all people should know that!"

"Well yes, I do. And I'm not trying to defend what happened, it's just...well it doesn't seem very logical, Lil."

"Since when were Potter or Black ever logical?!"

"Uhm, yes. Another...er, extremely good point."

Indigo realised this wasn't going anywhere. Lily was still far too riled up. She'd try reasoning with her again later.

"I'm having a shower," Lily muttered, walking into their bathroom.

"Okay, I might just go down to the common room."

"Whatever."

Indigo sighed as the bathroom door banged shut. She just couldn't see why James would have pulled such a prank on Lily. Things were going so well! Not just for Lily, but Indigo herself had been having a pretty damned good time out in the courtyard too.

"Nothing like a little dung bomb fiasco to sober you up," murmured Indigo, heading downstairs.

*****

Lily slammed her dormitory door closed. She'd changed into her muggle clothing after unceremoniously ripping her slime-stained dress robes from her body. Her wet hair was tied up in a messy knot on top of her head to prevent cold trickles of water or stray hairs clinging to her neck.

She shivered slightly as she stood outside the dorm door, glaring absent-mindedly out into the distance. Everyone would still be at the ball. What did she do now? She certainly didn't want to see anyone. To hear people snicker and see them point.

Shivering again, she gritted her teeth and thumped her way down the stairs angrily to see Indigo sitting nervously in an armchair by the fireplace.

"Hey," Indigo tried brightly.

Lily didn't reply. Instead, she made her way over to the fire and stood in the warmth that it brought.

"Here," Indigo said, handing her a steaming mug of something. "It's cocoa."

Lily looked up at her friend in amazement. "How...Where'd you get this from?"

"I conjured it."

"Oh..." Lily was increasingly finding herself in wonderment at Indigo McKinnon's magical abilities. "That's brilliant, Ind. Thanks."

"No problem," Indigo looked at Lily carefully. Her face seemed to have softened somewhat. "Look Lily, I'm really sorry about arguing the point with you before. Because...because well, regardless of what I think really happened down there, I should have been comforting you. Not arguing. So...I'm sorry."

Lily looked at her best friend, her eyes a trifle brighter than usual. Indigo frowned slightly, she wasn't good with feelings and emotions.

"Thanks, Ind," she murmured, smiling and taking a swig of her cocoa.

"Don't mention it...Ahem...Well hey, if you're allowed to get out of your dress robes, I'm sure as hell not staying in this thing!" Indigo tugged at the sides of her garment. "I'll just go change."

"Okay," Lily said, grinning.

As Indigo retreated up the stairs, Lily placed her mug of cocoa on the mantle-piece and sighed heavily. She stretched her hands out over the heat of the fire, watching the gold light lick her fingertips. She was still absolutely furious with James.

"Lily," a voice panted, entering through the portrait hole.

Lily groaned loudly, rolled her eyes and raised her gaze to the heavens. She new that voice all too well.

"What did I say before, Potter? Just leave me alone," she muttered dryly, keeping her back to him. The last thing she wanted was to turn around and see him looking...well, good looking. She might just forgive him if she went soft. And she certainly did not want that to happen.

"Sorry, I can't do that," he said, casually as they come.

"Yes. You can," she replied through gritted teeth.

"Not till you've heard my side of the sto-"

"I don't want to hear your crap, Potter!"

"Too bad." She could hear him smirk.

"Hey Lily, I just..." Indigo, who had just re-entered the room, stopped mid sentence to survey the scene. "I just...I'm just going to...yeah." She turned on her heel and hurried back up to the girls' dorm.

Lily forced herself to whirl around and glare at James. "Don't you ever get tired of being Mr-I'm-Too-Cool-For-Anything? Once you get into the real world, James, you'll realise everyone will not wait on you like some bloody house elf. Just get over yourself!"

"Ahh, but you called me James. There's still hope!" He grinned and placed a hand on his heart.

She stared in awe. "You just don't get it, do you? You're not even listening to me! What happened to the 'real' James Potter? Is he some kind of prisoner that you only let out on special occasions when you're out to impress, or do you just take pride in being an insufferable prat?"

James recoiled slightly, though he didn't show it. When he didn't answer though, Lily continued her rant.

"Or maybe this whole arrogant persona you have is some kind of defence mechanism."

James suddenly turned serious. "Well of course it is! If I didn't have some kind of defence for every time you've throttled me, I'd be a broken man! Don't you get it, Lily? Don't you understand yet? I - like - you."

"You have an extremely funny way of showing it."

"Because I'm scared to get too close to you! Every time I do, you scream at me!" He threw is arms in the air exasperatedly.

She stared at him hard, breathing heavily. "Look, I know this story, okay? I've heard it all before. It's always the same. You got me to briefly trust you for one teensy second and you throw it back in my face...literally! Well, well done, Potter. Mission accomplised." She clapped her hands at him sarcastically.

"That's not how it happened, Lily," he said quietly.

"Oh yeah? Sounds awfully familiar to me. Why just last term I seem to remember a similar incident-"

"I've told you that was an accident already!"

"Yeah, you did. All rather fitting though, isn't it?"

"It was meant for Bellatrix tonight, all right?" James explained quickly. "You know, from that time when we saved you from her?"

Lily looked at him for a fleeting moment. "Meant for Bellatrix?" She whispered. He nodded.

She nearly believed him. For one frivolous second, she actually nearly believed him. Then she came to her senses and scoffed loudly.

"You actually expect me to believe that? After all the dramatic pranks you've pulled? That's pathetic! Just...go away." She turned back to the warmth of the fire place.

"It's true! I just...I wanted to embarrass her in front of the whole school. I know it seems unlikley, but I -"

"That's your solution for everything, isn't it Potter? Revenge by embarrassment. How very mature.

"Lily, I -"

"Look, I don't care, all right? I really, really just don't care. The damage is done. Just go away. Save yourself the hassle."

James was starting to get agitated with the repetitiveness of the argument now.

"For Merlin's sake, Lily! Do you really think that I'd even be up here apologising and trying to explain myself if the prank had been meant for you?!"

"Merlin knows how your mind works, Potter," she muttered quietly, staring into the fire embers.

James chose to ignore her, raising his voice. "No! I'd be down there laughing my arse off and enjoying myself at your expense!"

"Piss off, Potter!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Not until you believe me."

"God you're a lost cause! How could I ever believe an arrogant, bullying toerag?!"

"Don't call me that," he said dangerously.

"Aww, don't you like that? Did that hurt? I suppose you would be more acquired to dishing it out than receiving it. But guess what, Potter? I wouldn't be saying it if it wasn't true!"

"You know, for someone so beautiful, you really can be such a hag sometimes!"

"Better a hag than an insolent prick!"

"Bitch."

Lily stared at James, matching him glare for glare. To tell the truth, she was slightly stunned by his behaviour. Usually he never retaliated.

He took a step towards her and she noticed the golden flecks swimming in his eyes, reflecting the fire and dancing crazily with the fury from within.

"Squib," she challenged.

He looked thoroughly offended but took another step closer. His eyes were searching her face, ravishing her emotions.

"Scarlet woman," he offered in a low, deep growl.

Lily gasped. "What did you say?"

His face was set in stone. "You heard me."

Lily lunged at him, grabbing his collar and pulling his face down towards hers. Their noses were nearly touching. She could feel his warm panting breaths tickling her cheeks.

He looked straight into her eyes, slightly bewildered but in no way about to back off. She looked down at his lips and realised, with great satisfaction, that she had total control. She slammed her mouth against his, feeling the grain of his lips, the saltiness, the surprising softness.

It took him about five seconds to register what was happening, and another fifth of a second to kiss her back. He kissed her with much tenderness, allowing her to see his desirous side. And then -

"Whoo! Let's get this party started!"

Lily pulled away quickly as Gryffindors began tumbling through the portrait hole. The Ball was over.

She stepped back from James feverishly, as if repelling a bad disease and looked around the ever-growing crowd.

"Lily," James began quietly, touching the side of her arm.

She looked up at him hastily. "Sorry...Sorry, I...I shouldn't have done that." She took a deep breath and then marched off towards the stairs leading up to the dormitories.

"Oi!" Sirius sauntered up beside James. "So," he handed James a tankard of something. "How'd it go? What happened?"

James watched Lily's form hurrying up the stairs and disappearing from view.

"As usual Padfoot, excellent timing."