Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?

Lily had been avoiding meeting with Sirius about setting up a time to practice their lines. True, they had rehearsal, two times a week, but it was not enough time to develop their relationship to adequately play their roles. After one practice session she decided to approach him about it.

“Hey Sirius,” Lily said catching up to him in the hallway afterward. She received a few glares from the girls who were vying for his attention, but Lily brushed it off.

“Hello Lily,” Sirius said turning around giving her his undivided attention.

“I wanted to talk to you about practicing our lines a bit more, outside of rehearsal. I think in order to do our parts justice we need to get to know one another more, and get the chemistry right,” Lily said hoping he would not take any of this the wrong way.

“Sure,” Sirius said without a pause or hesitation. “When would you like to start?”

“I er…how about tomorrow?” Lily asked surprised by his lack of protest.

“Alright how about eight,” Sirius suggested, that was right after dinner, and the first spot of free time since he had Quidditch practice after classes.

“I’ll meet you in the common room then,” Lily said with a shy smile before heading off to the library to play catch up on her homework.

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James was sitting at table in the back of the library, hidden behind a pile of books. He was growing frustrated as he stared at his parchment with scribbles on it, and a spot where he had spilled his ink well. “I hate papers,” he muttered before looking out the window at the setting sun. The dust was thick in this part of the library, and he could see it floating in the air in the rays of light. He stretched looking up to see a particular red head walking in, and he followed her with his eyes to a table behind a bookcase next to him.

Lily fell into her usual spot, and dropped her bag on the table pretty hard. She sat and stared at her planner for a few seconds, deciding on what to start with first. Since it would take the longest, she pulled out her charms text book, and parchment and began to work.

James sat and watched Lily for a while, before kind of going off into his own dream world for a bit. He thought about how Sirius had seriously pissed him off, and how he wished Lily would give him a chance.

“Good enough for now,” Lily said setting down her quill. She stretched and looked over her shoulder at the bookcase and nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw a pair of eyes looking back at her. “Jeeze,” Lily muttered grabbing her chest.

“Uh sorry,” James said just as startled since he had been pulled out of his daydream.

“What are you looking at?” Lily asked him starting to get defense.

“N-nothing,” James stammered putting is hands up in defeat. “I was actually curious if you could help me out on my paper. I see that you’re working on your charms as well.” He said thinking on his feet. True he could use the help, but that was not why he was looking at her.

She narrowed her eyes at him watching his face for a second. True she wanted nothing to do with him, but he had done her the favor of telling Sirius, so she would repay it. “Fine, but I won’t write the whole thing for you.” Lily said.

“Really? Alright give me one second,” James said genuinely surprised as he gathered up the main books he was using, and his writing things. He was around to her side about a minute later, setting down the books and spreading them out. “This is what I have so far,” James said pushing his parchment over to her.

“I was looking for that book,” Lily said pointing to the one at the bottom of the pile before grabbing his parchment. It was about halfway done, and she began to read over it, crossing out certain things, and adding a few words here and there. “Not bad,” she said once she was finished looking up at him. “You need to add a bit more of the history in the beginning, and more on the technique here,” Lily said pointing with her finger. “Otherwise it’s pretty good.”

“Thanks,” James said pulling the paper back from her, and flipping open a book. “Would you mind if I stayed here to work on in…incase I have any more questions?” He asked not looking at her, afraid of her reaction.

“That’s fine,” Lily said grabbing a book from the pile. “I have to leave in about an hour though for dinner, then practice with Sirius.” She said before scribbling on her paper.

“Oh you have rehearsal tonight?” James asked lightly trying to keep the conversation going.

“No we are going to practice in the common room on our lines,” Lily said. “So you can find me if you really can’t figure something out.” She replied.

“Oh alright,” James said. He was definitely going to be in the common room watching them rehearse.

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Lily was up in her room, changing. She had to meet Sirius in about five minutes to practice on their lines. Lily suggested meeting there because not many people would be around that time of night, and it had plenty of room for practice.

Sirius was already down in the common room with the marauders reading over his lines, and noticed James was going over his copy as well.

“Expecting me to get sick or something?” Sirius asked James.

“No, practicing just in case,” James replied not looking up. Since he was an understudy, Professor Burbage said practice was only mandatory once a week for him.

“Maybe I will be nice, and let you get a smooch in…you know for practice purposes,” Sirius joked before looking away. He did not notice the glares from both Remus, and James.

Lily bounded down the steps, her pony tail bouncing as she did so. “Oh hey,” Lily said noting that all the marauders were there.

“Hey Lily,” Sirius said rising from the couch and stretching. “James is here to watch incase he needs to take my place, and Remus wants to practice a bit as well…and Peter…well he is always here,” Sirius joked.

“That’s fine, the more the merrier,” Lily said before unrolling her paper. “What scene do you want to do?”

“Let’s start from where they first meet,” Sirius suggested flipping to act one.

James shifted uneasily in his seat as they began to read, they were narrowing closer and closer to the part that he was afraid would push him off the edge. It was taking everything he had not to show his anger.

Lily was starting to get nervous, they had not done any kissing scenes yet on stage because Madame Burbage had always worked around them, but she knew it would have to happen sooner or later. “ Saints do not move, though grant for prayers sake,” Lily spoke, her voice hiding her nervousness.

“Then move not, while my prayer’s effect I take,” Sirius read before putting his hand gently behind Lily’s head, placing a soft, but hungry kiss on her lips. He paused there for a second before pulling back, and finishing his line, “thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged.”

He could not take looking at it, and quickly diverted his gaze out the window waiting for the sound of them finishing. James stared at Lily waiting for her reaction.

“T-then have my lips the sin that…they have…took,” Lily said trying to remember her lines, before resorting to check her script. She did not see what all the fuss was about him. He was not that great of a kisser Lily thought, though it had thrown her a bit off guard when he put his hand behind her head.

Fuck! She bloody enjoyed it! James thought to himself as Lily stammered.

“Well since we can all see you’ve got the kissing line down, how about we move to another act, such as the fourth, since we haven’t practiced it that much at rehearsal,” Remus said catching on to James’ obvious jealousy. The last thing he needed was a fight to break out between them.

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For the next day or so James could not shake off the kiss between Lily and Sirius. He knew that Sirius had to of done it on purpose because he was there. There was no other explanation, unless of course, he was trying to get down Lily’s pants, which James knew never would happen.

He sauntered into rehearsal that night, and took a seat in the front row, waiting for the professor to call him up on stage to practice with Bridget, which was normally toward the end of practice. It upset him the tiniest of bits that he could not practice with Lily, but he wouldn’t say anything about it especially in front of Bridget. He had heard that she liked him, and he wouldn’t be mean and crush her like that.

“Mr. Potter we need you on stage,” he heard the professor call. James jumped up, and set aside his Quidditch plays, and jobbed up the stage, waiting for further instruction.

“We need to you do dance with Miss. Evans for this scene. It seems Mr. Black has a detention,” the professor said a bit distastefully. “And he is going to be about an hour late.”

“Er, alright,” James said, suddenly feeling his palms sweat, and his knees shake. He looked around and saw Lily walk out, in a large dress that was tight on her torso causing her chest to be pushed up, and together, and the bottom flared out. He could hear the click of her heals, and he gulped slightly watching her. “Hey Lily,” he said as she got closer.

“Hi,” she mumbled putting her hand up for him to grasp. Once he held her hand she set her other arm lightly on his shoulder, and his hand settled lightly on his waist. Lily tried to put on a happy face, but really she felt nervous, and a bit weird dancing with James. She tried to stay as far away from him as possible but it didn’t work.

“Stop, stop stop!” The professor called causing all the other couples to halt mid-step, and the music to stop playing. “Lily you and Jams are going to have to get a bit closer then that! I can see the scenery between you!” She yelled up to the stage.

“I promise I don’t bite,” James joked, his voice cracking.

“Ha-ha,” Lily said sarcastically before moving closer to him so their bodies were fully touching now.

“Much better,” the woman said and clapped and the music started over again.

They moved through the piece, and they continued right through the scene, the same one Lily and Sirius had practiced last night. Lily looked at the door to the make-shift theater room looking for Sirius. She did not want to kiss either boy, but she would like to keep the kissing down to a minimum of one, and her and James were dangerously close.

James could feel the nervousness slowly starting to overtake him, and it took everything to not stutter as he pressed on through his lines. “Then move not while my prayer’s effect I take,” James said moving in to kiss Lily. This was it, he was finally going to kiss Lily, even if it was just an act.

“HEY! PRONGS! Trying to move in on my Juliet!” Sirius called as he burst through the doors, his bag slung over his back.

“Mr. Black, PLEASE do not disrupt a scene again,” the professor said clearly aggravated.

“Sorry Professor,” Sirius said sheepishly before climbing up on the stage.

Damn it! James thought, wincing a bit as he pulled away from Lily. He was hoping the professor would let them continue together.

“Well now that Sirius is here, we can do this right. Thank you James,” the teacher said dismissing him from the stage.

“You’re welcome,” James said bitterly walking off, ignoring Sirius’ wave as he did so. He took his seat back and went back to working on Quidditch plays ignoring everything that was going on around him.

Rehearsal was short that night, and Lily was grateful because she still had Head girl duty, and homework to do. She rushed off stage, and changed quickly back into uniform to meet James sitting in the front row.

“Ready to go?” She asked him breathlessly as she zipped up her bag.

“Of course,” James said trying to hide his anger.

“You’re a pretty good dancer,” she complemented as they walked out.

“Thanks you too,” he replied feeling a bit better now.

“Can I ask you something?” Lily asked him as they climbed up the steps.

“Sure,” James replied smiling as he followed her.

“Do you think Sirius…likes me?” She asked him quietly. The truth was it was bothering her; the last thing she needed was Sirius having a crush on her. That would complicate everything.

“I uh…I can ask him…” James said feeling crushed.

“Thanks,” Lily said, letting it go at that.