What if I told you none of it was accidental?
And the first night that you saw me, nothing was gonna stop me
I laid the groundwork and then, just like clockwork
The dominoes cascaded in a line
What if I told you I'm a mastermind?
And now you're mine
It was all by design
'Cause I'm a mastermind
- "Mastermind" Taylor Swift, 2022
The hallways were never as crowed when James started his rounds. There was the odd group on their way back from the library or a few friends sneaking around. James never told them off, only raised an eyebrow and watched them shoot him an apologetic smile as they walked a little quicker back to their dorms.
Sirius had thrown a bit of a temper tantrum when James had shot him down when he suggested going with him. While James loved his friends and the pranks they pulled, there was a time and place, and he was starting to tell the difference.
“This is Evans’ doing!” Sirius cried, throwing himself across his boyfriends lap. Remus lifted his book before Sirius crushed it and leaned back against the armchair, taking no part in the dramatics.
James leant against the portrait, slouched in a relaxed manner. “Are you done?”
Sirius huffed and turned away from James, looking up at Remus. “I’m not talking to you. Moony will give me attention.”
“No he won’t,” Remus sighed, turning the page of his book.
James left when Sirius started to wail.
Okay so maybe it was Evans a little bit. But she wasn’t corrupting him. He was just making himself a little more acceptable in her standards.
He’d been doing it for a while now. Just little things. He didn’t let Sirius come on rounds with him, he avoided the Slytherins rather than make a big show of putting them in their place. He was quiet when she let him study with him, rather than try and charm his way off her shit list.
God he was a genius.
James did his rounds quickly. He finished early and doubled back, finally taking his time, stopping to talk to the odd portrait or ghost that sparked conversation. In the last half hour of his rounds he spotted her vibrant hair ahead of him in the corridor.
She hadn’t seen him yet, so he snuck up, stepping lightly.
Lily was still, looking up at the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy before her. James got very close standing just behind her shoulder, looking up with her.
“Out past curfew, Evans?”
Lily whipped around silently, wand already in her hand. James took a predicted step back when her arm came out, ready to hex whoever snuck up.
He watched Lily’s eyes meet his and held her gaze for a few seconds before the tension ebbed from her face. Though untensed her brow was still furrowed, and her mouth turned down in frown as she slipped her wand back into her pocket.
“Potter you’re an absolute wanker. You gave me a heart attack.”
She emphasised her last point with a glare before turning on her heal and continuing her rounds. James followed helplessly, entirely enthralled by her.
“Oh we wouldn’t want that,” he said with a smile, walking leisurely by her side. “Do I need to do that muggle thing… what’s it, ABC?”
“CPR,” Lily mutter, rolling her eyes with the barest hints of a smile tugging at her lips. James clasped his hands behind his back and followed along happily.
“Shouldn’t you be going that way?” Lily snapped, nodding her head in the opposite direction.
James shrugged. “I’m pretty much finished. Besides you just came from there. Not much point. I think I’ll keep you company instead.”
“No you won’t. Go finish your rounds Potter.”
He didn’t. He stuck by her as they made their way back down the corridor he’d just come through. They walked in silence for a few minutes. James was happy to just be in her presence, doing their Head-boy and girl duties together. Lily seemed resigned to the fact that James would stay with her until they reached the dorms
“How’d you find me?” Lily asked as they turned a corner to the third floor corridor. “I mean,” she stuttered as James spun around to walk backwards, facing her. “Don’t trip, you toe-rag.”
James barked a laugh, spinning again to walk with her, close enough that their shoulders brushed. Neither of them moved. “Don’t trip? Oh Evans, you do care.”
“No, it would just be a hassle for me to levitate you to the hospital wing.”
He snorted and nudged her gently with his arm. “You care.”
She looked at him with an exasperated eyebrow raised. James noted the way she had to tilt her head to look up at him. “Our rounds aren’t meant to cross,” Lily said, continuing her earlier train of thought. “Why were you in that corridor?”
“What can I say, I’m a wizard,” James said with a grin. “Maybe I have a time turner. Maybe I’ve done my rounds twice already and found the time to escort you to the dorms.”
“You’re moronic.”
He smiled and tilted his head back to watch the engraved ceilings as they walked. They slowed as they approached the common room.
James took a quick step to stand in front of her. Not walk, but stand, stopping Lily in her way.
She raised an eyebrow and cocked her head. “Yes?”
He did something daring then. Or stupid. Probably more stupid than daring. James reached out and took both her hand. He stepped closer and lifted their joined hands, holding them between their chests. He bent down a little, so they were closer to eye level and whispered to her.
“What if I told you I’m a mastermind?”
Lily smiled. She didn’t hide it or turn it into a scowl. She genuinely smiled at him, then stood on her tiptoes and whispered back.
“I’d tell you you’re an idiot.”
She patted his cheek and dropped back onto her heals. James snorted and stood back up to his full height. He took her free hand back in his and didn’t let go. Neither did Lily.
“Maybe it was all by design,” James insisted. He swung their hands between them, and Lily rolled her eyes with a slight smile on her face. “I planned it all and knew you were going to be there, and I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist me.”
“You know that makes you a stalker, right?” Lily asked, that same smile that James adored still on her face, lighting up her eyes.
“Just like clockwork,” James continued. “You were going to fall for me one way or another. The first night I saw you nothing was going to stop me.”
Another eyeroll. She slipped one of her hands out of his and for a moment James backtracked. Had he pushed his limit for the night? Was the hand holding and brushing of shoulders just for quiet rounds at night?
Then Lily cupped the side of his face and she kissed him. One kiss. She stood on her tiptoes at the same time she pulled him closer.
She stood back but her hand was still on his face.
“Was that part of your masterplan?”
James nodded slowly, not really hearing her. Lily Evans just kissed him. She kissed him. Sirius was never going to believe him.
“Alright Potter?” She rubbed her thumb against his cheek, and it brought him back to reality. Her hand was so soft against his skin. Her hands were cold, he noted.
He nodded and squeezed her other hand which still held his. “Alright.”
Lily smiled again and kissed him once more, before dropping both her hands and going to the portrait of the Fat Lady. James shook his head and followed her.
She went through rather quickly, already on her way up the stairs to the girls dorms by the time he’d made I through the common room.
“Evans!” he whisper-shouted, startlingly aware of the lack of people in the room.
Lily turned back, green eyes blazing with the smile on her face.
“What does this… like what are—what’s—”
“Oh come on James isn’t this all part of you plan?” Lily asked with a smirk in her voice.
He just stood there in silence, completely thrown by Lily. She’d kissed him for crying out loud.
“Yes…” he started slowly.
Lily rolled her eyes and started back up the stairs. “Talk to me if your plan works and we meet up on rounds again,” she called quietly over her shoulder. “Goodnight James.”
“Goodnight Lily.”
James she’d said. Not Potter.
Lily.
Upstairs and lying across James’ bed, Sirius was still awake. He lifted his head as James came through the door, taking in James shocked face.
“You right there Prongs?”
James closed the door behind him and leant back against it. “Evans just kissed me.”
Merely three seconds passed before Sirius barked out a laugh and rolled onto his back.
“Oh yeah, and my mum loves me.”