James watches Lily from across the room, her perfect lips turned up in an ever so beautiful smile as she listens to whatever her friend, Mary Macdonald, is telling her.
I’m going to humiliate myself, he thinks, before reluctantly looking away from her to glance at Remus standing next to him.
„Just ask her, James.“ Remus encourages, giving his shoulder a slight nudge. „She’ll say yes.“
James swallows against the lump in his throat. „You really think?“ he asks nervously. „She kind of hates me, though, doesn’t she?“
Remus rolls his eyes, albeit in good nature, as he shakes his head.
„Nah,“ Sirius suddenly chimes in, coming up to them with Peter following behind. „She doesn’t. At least not anymore.“ he winks, making James groan.
„Just do it, mate,“ Sirius insists, this time with nothing but genuine support. „You‘ve wanted to do this since like, forever.“
„I didn’t—“
„What‘re you lot up to?“
James nearly jumps as Lily suddenly stands next to him, brows raised in question.
„Uhm, we— nothing much.“ he stammers, and could curse himself for it. That’s not how he normally acts…what’s wrong with him?
Lily doesn’t look convinced at all, though, much to his surprise, she grants him one of those sweet smiles — the ones she uses with her friends. „Alright, well…James, actually, I was wondering whether you‘d want to hang out sometime?“
James could have sworn his heart just skipped a beat. „Hang out?“ he asks, just to make sure he hadn’t heard wrong. „Like…just us?“
„Yeah,“ Lily chuckles, the sound making his skin prickle. „if you’re up for it?“
She’s so beautiful…how can anybody be so bloody gorgeous? And her smile—
„Prongs?“ Sirius whispers after a moment, poking his arm. „Stop staring, mate.“
„Uh— yeah! I mean, sure, let’s do that.“ James replies quickly, snapping out of his daze. „I’ll think of something.“
Lily’s eyes brighten further, if that’s even possible. „It’s a date.“ she agrees, before catching Mary‘s arm to walk to their next class. „See you in the common room, James.“
James can only wave as he watches the two girls walk off, his heart beating in his throat and his mind racing. „What…what just happened?“
Remus lightly clasps his back. „Seems like you’re going on a date.“
He’s going on a date…with Lily. Merlin’s pants…
„Bloody hell,“ Sirius smirks, wrapping an arm around James’s shoulders. „You got a date! Finally! — even though you were hopelessly humiliating yourself just then.“
„Congrats Prongs.“ Peter chimes in next to them.
James smiles, though he only half listens to what his friends are saying, his eyes still fixed on where Lily‘d stood, just moments ago, when she’d asked him out.
„I’m going on a date,“ he finally utters, trying to stop himself from grinning like a complete idiot. „with Lily Evans.“