#evotter

Dear Lily, 

When have you ever bothered me? Please write to me as much as you want! Sorry about the train...if you wanted to talk about Quidditch that totally could have been arranged!

As for Puddlemere versus the Cannons, what is there to explain Evans? Puddlemere has the strongest team and has for ages. They are top of the league. What else do you need when picking a team to support? Also, they have Jocelind Wadcock!! She is a force to be reckoned with! She has the most goals scored in both the British and Irish leagues! That's amazing!

Sorry, I’ll stop my quidditch rant before it gets out of hand. It’s nice hearing from you Evans. Please never think you are annoying me by writing to me. Don’t be a stranger.

Hope to see you soon,

James Potter

Dear James Potter,

What’s with all the formalities? 

Please don’t apologize for the train. I did exactly what I wanted to in that moment. I hope you did too? I do enjoy keeping busy. 

But Quidditch! No, it’s really interesting hearing you talk about Quidditch. Jocelind Wadcock seems really cool. Marly was saying though that there’s an all female team? Are they Puddlemere? Isn’t the Cannons mostly guys? I’m horribly lost. Maybe you should come over and explain it to me? 

Hope to see you soon too. Like maybe tonight? Mum’s making steak for dinner, if you wanted to come? 

Cordially, 

Evans 

Dear Evans,

OF COURSE I ENJOYED KEEPING BUSY WITH YOU. I just wasn't 100% sure you didn’t regret it. Merlin you have no clue how long I wanted to do that, but I don’t want you to feel pressured into anything. If you don’t want to pursue anything that's totally fine! I get it! We do not need to talk about it again. It can be like nothing happened. If you want. 

I would love to see you! We can talk about anything you want, quidditch, potions, your sister and how done with her you are at this point (sorry if that's rude to say i just figured from the stories I’ve heard you may want to vent). I’d be honored to spend any time with you no matter what we do. I can definitely come by for dinner tonight!

Your friend,

James

P.S. The all women team is the Holyhead Harpies! I’ll explain more at your house!

P.P.S. What time should I come over? 

Dear James, 

But something did happen and I wanted it to happen for a really long time too. My biggest fear in all of this is that it’s just going to have happened and we pretend that it never did. 

I think maybe I might possibly like you a little bit. Or maybe a lot. 

Dinner’s at 6 but if you wanted to come over early, we could take a walk around town and talk about stuff. My sister (you’re right, she’s a pill), Quidditch, potions, train rides… 

Anything you like. 

See you soon, 

Lils 

The next thing she knew, Lily heard the doorbell ringing incessantly. That could only be one person. She scrambled up from her desk chair where she had been anxiously waiting for another letter, barreled down the stairs past her confused parents, and flung open the door. Her cheeks were red and he looked breathless, and nothing mattered but James Potter standing on her doorstep, still holding her letter in his hand. Lily squealed with laughter, throwing her arms around his neck and jumping into his arms. 

He nearly toppled over, but luckily Quidditch gave him great reflexes and he managed to steady both of them and pulled Lily close. 

Marie and Thomas Evans shared a look with each other, watching their youngest daughter tackle a man they’d never met. “Should I set another place for dinner, then Lily?” 

Lily nodded, not even glancing back at her parents. “Yeah. Yeah, he’s staying for dinner.” Her heart thudded in her chest, staring into his eyes. James was here. He was here and he wanted to talk about what happened on the train. Maybe keep busy again? Lily grinned at the thought, slipping down and holding the door handles. James busied himself by tucking the letter into his pocket, much too nervous to stand around doing nothing. “Going for a walk! Be back later!” The door closed, and Lily’s eyes met his again. She couldn’t stop the little giggles bubbling up from her chest.

Their hands found each other, who initiated it was unclear. 

“There’s this spot,” she breathed, swinging their hands between them. Her nerves insisted on doing some kind of erratic dance, much like her heart, and she was trying her best to keep her fidgeting to a minimum. “By the lake, it’s-”

“Let’s go,” James nodded, seemingly unable to stop himself from fidgeting either as he ran his hand through his hair. Lily pulled him along towards the lake, squeezing the hand still linked in hers. He kept messing up his hair, and he looked like he was grappling with trying to find the words to say something, anything. Lily wasn’t much better off. Besides being tongue-tied, she was a little more than distracted by the boy in front of her. She couldn’t stop staring, watching as his hand tousled his hair, but she tried to hide it as best as possible. When their eyes met for what felt like the hundredth time, he stopped walking. 

“What?” He asked.

“Nothing. It’s just…” She trailed off before removing her hand from his grasp. He shot her a confused look before she stepped closer, got on the tips of her toes, and mussed his hair up so it was sticking out at all angles. “Better.” She smiled goofily at him, her hands still in his hair. Their eyes locked for a beat, James looked like he was thinking something through before his eyes settled on one emotion. His eyes flicked down toward her lips, and he was leaning in. Lily’s eyes closed on their own accord and she felt the barest hint of pressure from his lips. Before she had the chance to respond, James pulled back and grabbed her hand. James winked down at her dazed expression, before continuing in the direction they were originally headed in.  

Lily stood rooted to the spot, and when her arm held him back, he turned toward her with a small smirk on his face and gave a little tug on their joined hands. Lily responded with a tug of her own, pulling him closer. 

“I wasn’t done with you yet.” Lily barely registered the shock shining on James’s face before she closed the distance between them. When their lips met all Lily could think was holy shit. This was different from the kiss on the train. The kiss on the train was sweet and quick. Filled with questions. This was definite. This answered all those questions and more. 

Lily’s hands found their way back into his unruly hair, settling on giving gentle tugs to the tufts found at the nape of his neck. The pleasant slip of their lips spelling out the emotions neither were able to put to words. James traced the seam of her lips with his tongue, asking for permission. Granting him access, Lily stepped closer so there was barely any space between them. Her heart’s erratic beat became even more irregular. James’s hands were resting at the small of her back and he pulled Lily closer, causing their noses to bump together, pulling her back to the present moment.

 Lily couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out against his lips. Once it started she couldn't stop.  James laughed too, his head dropping into her shoulder. After a moment of recovery, he pressed little kisses into her shoulder, stopped to drag his nose along her neck, trailing kisses up along her jaw til he landed on her cheeks. After a few kisses there he landed back squarely on her smiling lips, a lot more chaste than the one previously.

“We can’t tell the guys,” he murmured in between kisses. “They have a bet going and Padfoot’s not gonna win again.” He emphasized this with a kiss on her nose, to which Lily burst into another fit of laughter. 

“So how long do we need to keep it secret?” Now it was her turn to pepper him in kisses, starting by cupping his cheeks and pulling his head down to plant one on his forehead, temple, nose, cheeks, down his jaw. His sharp inhale when she reached his neck made her pull away, but he was grinning at her as if to cheer her on. She stopped, nevertheless, instead tugging him to sit with her underneath the big tree overlooking the lake.

“Only until the first Hogsmeade weekend?” He looked sheepish, but Lily couldn’t help the grin that stretched across her face. 

“Think we can make it that long?” The devilish look that was plastered on her face filled him with an equal amount of thrill and terror. He was not sure what she was suggesting, but was very sure that her end goal was to kill him. “Wanna bet on that?” He couldn’t find words, and Lily couldn’t help but think of a deer in headlights. He nodded mutely and the smirk on her face grew. He was rubbing off on her, wasn’t he? “First to spill that we are dating owes the other something.” 

“Something.” James repeated, wrapping her up in his arms. “That’s quite open-ended isn’t it?” 

“Well I have a few ideas….If you’re up to hearing about them...” She winked at him. Lily watched his Adam’s apple bob and quickly avoided his eye, knowing the blush was spreading down her neck. 

“Oh,” He cleared his throat when his voice came out far too squeaky for his liking. “Wha-what, erm, did you have in mind Lils? Remember I am just a young, innocent fawn. What are you suggesting?” He feigned a scandalized look. 

“Get your head out of the gutter, Potter! I was gonna suggest the other pays for a Honeydukes trip. Who do you think I am?” Not able to contain the laughter filling her chest, she doubled over, the sound pouring out of her. James’s grin grew and he pulled her closer, dropping a kiss to the top of her head. Once the laughter subsided, Lily dropped her head onto James’s shoulder. They sat cuddled up, looking out at the lake, talking about sweet nothings until Lily noticed the sun starting to set. She turned and hid her face where James’s shoulder met his neck.

“We’re going to be late to dinner,” She mumbled into his skin, placing a kiss there at the end of her observation. Her tone clearly showed she was not concerned about dinner. James let loose a low laugh, turning slightly to wrap his other arm around her and setting her firmly against his chest. 

“C’mon Lils. We don’t want to upset your parents.” He rubbed up and down her back before pulling away to stand. She tried to keep the pout off her face, but the ringing of his laugh let her know she failed. He reached his hand out to help her up. She grabbed it gingerly and let him help her stand when she was quickly enveloped back in his arms. James shot her a wide smile, placing a gentle kiss on her nose. They held eye contact for a bit before he pulled away and started heading back towards her house. 

Lily whined as James tugged her along, but let him do so anyways. “Hey,” she said, realizing James had never met her parents. “Are Mum and Dad in on our secret or are we keeping them in the dark too?” 

“They can know if they promise not to tell any of the boys if they meet them.” He had a very serious expression on, his eyebrows drawn together. It looked wrong on his face. She couldn’t help but laugh.  

“So serious,” she teased, cupping his cheeks and rubbing her thumbs along them. “You want to meet and tell my parents we just started dating tonight, and also that they have to keep it secret because our friends placed bets on us? Is that right?” Lily went on her toes to bump her nose against his just like earlier. “For some reason, I feel like that may not set the best tone for how my parents will feel about this relationship.” James had the decency to look apologetic.

“I know. I know, But do you want to deal with Sirius if he wins this? He will be unbearable. Plus, I feel bad that we’d have to ask your parents to keep it a secret, but-”

 “But you’re more worried about...the boys finding out?” Lily snorted indelicately, pulling out of his arms and turning away from him to gather her thoughts. “Aren’t my parents gonna be suspicious if we are hanging out all the time? Or are we not gonna do that either?” She tried to keep the bitterness out of her tone.

Lily wanted to tell her parents, she wanted to tell them how wonderful he was, but she wanted them to believe her. If she told them James wanted to keep her a secret, she doubted they would ever be able to get over that. Why wouldn’t he want the world to know their precious daughter was his girlfriend? Besides, Lily realized she wanted to be openly falling more and more for James Potter and the more she thought about this stupid plan she’d come up with, the more she hated it. Sensing her mood change, James nudged her to turn back around, and she did, but her eyes refused to meet his. 

“Lil.” Her eyes remained firmly on the ground, not sure she could meet his without getting all emotional. He tilted her chin up slightly, that stupid signature smirk playing along his face. He was about to say something adorable again, wasn’t he? “You can always lose the bet. I prefer blue sugar quills, by the way.”

Lily wrinkled her nose. Yes, definitely adorable. And cocky. 

“Oh no, bud, you’re just going to have to be the one to tell my parents to keep it secret and deal with the fallout of that. I can just imagine how well they will take that.” Lily glanced over her shoulder at him, already starting to walk towards the house. “Oh are you embarrassed to be dating my daughter? She is our pride and joy, and you won't even admit you’re dating her in public?” 

She could feel James’s eyes boring into the back of her head and when she turned around to see if he was even keeping up; he was rooted to the ground. 

“Okay, what color sugar quill did you want?” Lily giggled, gesturing for him to come over to her before holding onto his hand. 

“How about this? We split the sugar quills, I’ll help you break it to the boys. You know Sirius is hesitant to make fun of me ever since I told him his hair looked dull and lacked volume back in March. That way it won’t be too bad.” While she proposed her idea, she had started heading towards her house. Lily assumed he would eventually follow her, and with those long legs of his, he would catch up in no time. 

“Fine. You know, you’re lucky you’re cute Lils.”  She felt his arm snake around her shoulders. Tucking her right into his side, he moved to place a kiss to the top of her head again, but Lily tilted her head up just in time for it to land on her lips. 

“You keep missing, silly.” The goofiest grin split James’s face in half. 

“Where would I ever be without you?” 

“You’d definitely be bored somewhere. Since you wouldn’t have me to keep yourself busy with...I think the boredom would drive you a little bonkers, really. Maybe you’d buy a boat?” 

“Ooh! I can buy a boat and be a pirate. Ya know Evans, I take back what I said previously and I think this may have been a big mistake. My true calling was to drop out of Hogwarts and to become the captain of a pirate ship with the lads. I actually think I shoul-” He was pulling away from Lily, and to prevent it she went up on her tiptoes to shut him up. Before he could continue on his tangent, Lily dragged him the last block to her doorstep. 

“You better watch what you say, James Potter, because I am definitely better than some bloody pirate ship.”  Despite her words, her voice was dripping with laughter, and her smile went on for miles. He couldn’t help but match her enthusiasm. James bent down to possibly keep busy some more, but Lily spun out of his grasp, walked to the front door and leaned against it. She turned and shot him a look that asked are you planning on coming? As if to taunt him more, the way the setting sun hit her face, it made her green eyes shine luminously and her hair looked as if it were ablaze. Who would want to keep her a secret anyway?  Besides, she was so brilliant, it wasn’t like he could hide his amazement of her for very long; the lads would see through his act immediately. 

He took the stairs two at a time to catch up with her, their hands finding each other once more. When they shut the door, they were greeted with a pair of green eyes staring at them. Now he saw where Lily got them from. 

“Lily,” Mr. Evans cleared his throat. “Won’t you introduce us to our dinner guest?” Lily looked sheepish, hugging James’s arm. “Marie, dear? Come meet Lily’s new friend!”

“Dad,” she said, giving James a reassuring smile that he hadn’t even realized he needed until then. “This is James, my...boyfriend?”

Boyfriend. The word rang in James’s ears. If he was her boyfriend, that meant Lily Evans was his girlfriend. If her father weren’t standing right there, James could have swooped her up and kissed her right there. As it was, he merely squeezed her hand tighter before smiling his most charming smile at Mr. Evans. 

“James Potter,” he said, holding out the hand not linked with Lily’s. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Lily talks about you and your wife a lot. She really admires you both.” 

Thomas shook his hand, smiling faintly. “Strong handshake, son. Glad you can join us.”

A wide grin broke out across Lily’s face, which she would later explain to him meant that Dad likes you. Mrs. Evans, a short blond woman, joined them outside of the kitchen.

“Good evening, Mrs Evans.” James was trying so hard to impress her. Lily thought it was the most adorable thing watching James put on this professional front for her parents. For her. 

 Mrs. Evans  quickly swept James up in a hug, foregoing the handshake.  “Call me Marie,” she whispered. The four convened in the kitchen for steak dinner and apple tart for dessert.

“Lily tells us you’re a school athlete?” James glanced over to Lily, wiggling his eyebrows. 

“You talk about me?” She nudged his foot under the table, crinkling her nose. 

“Like your mum doesn’t know every little detail about me?” Everyone at the table burst into laughter at their banter.

 The whole night long, jokes and conversation filled the air. James could see where Lily got her wits from. Both her parents were sharp, quick to joke with James, and overwhelmingly kind. He’d learned Mrs. Evans took great pride in her little garden out back, much like his mother took pride in the large gardens outside their estate. Thomas had invited James on their next camping trip, much to Lily’s surprise and excitement. James had even swapped a recipe with her mother. If there ever was a more perfect parent-boyfriend meeting, Lily would be shocked. James had managed to charm his way into their hearts with ease-not that her father wasn’t still watching him like a hawk. 

 When the time came after they’d all had dessert and Marie Evans had ensured James would not be leaving without a doggie bag for his brother and parents, Lily found she wasn’t ready to say goodbye to him. Suddenly she wished they were at Hogwarts and she knew she’d see him again at breakfast the next morning. Lily walked out onto the front deck with James and closed the door behind them. 

“Your parents are great, Lil. I’m happy I got to meet them tonight. As he said this, he was slowly closing the distance between them. “Though I have to say I’m a bit sad the night is over.” 

A rush of  relief flooded her at his words. “Me too. I wish you didn’t have to go.” Lily found herself pulled to him like he was some sort of magnetic force. “There’s plenty of night left, how will I ever stay occupied?” 

“Ugh Lils, you are going to kill me. I am going to leave right now, and stay in your parents' good graces. Are you sure you're not part veela?” 

James’s breath tickled her ear, he was so close. Lily’s eyes fluttered shut at the sensation. James leaned down, and she went on her toes to meet him in the middle when- 

Knock knock knock. 

They both turned, breaking apart quickly at the sight of her father peering through the window. James’s face now matched Lily’s hair. She was less embarrassed and more frustrated; there was no chance for any goodnight kisses now. 

“Ah, yes. I believe that was my fairy godfather giving me the five minute warning. Better hurry up before the magic runs out,” Lily winked up at him, holding back giggles. She felt light, airy, like she could take on the world. 

“That’s from Rapunzel right?” The laughter couldn’t be held back any longer and she dropped her head into his shoulder. 

“You’re cute,” she said. “When I see you next I’ll teach you about Cinderella, okay?” James grinned, poking her nose. 

“You’re cute. Cinderella it is.” He pecked her cheek before pulling away. “Until next time?” Lily nodded softly, her cheeks burning pink. James gave her a little smirk before apparating home.

When she returned to her room that night after some family time,  an owl was waiting outside her window. Ora!

Dear Lily,

If  it wasn’t apparent before I am head over heels for you. I got home and realized I never responded. I definitely like you and it’s more than a little bit. Sorry about that. 

Are you available tomorrow? The lads are coming over, and I distinctly remember someone promising to help me break the news. I’d say we should prepare for a dramatic display from both Sirius and my mum. Any ideas to help cope? 

Hope you can come tomorrow!

Love, 

Your Not-So Secret Boyfriend

James