A/N: Ah... some refreshing mushiness for you.

"I love you," he had said.

The words had come so quickly that she didn't quite know what to do. Should she say them back? But… surely he hadn't meant them. He was probably just messing with her to see what she would do. But what if he wasn't? And anyway, even if she knew that he was, she still couldn't say she didn't love him. It was an undeniable truth that she did, and it was show on every inch of her face if she denied it. Then again, she couldn't exactly admit it either.

"Huh?" she had said, sounding dazed. He knew that it had been silly of him to think that she'd say she loved him back. Because—she didn't. But, of course, she is Lily, and he is James, and even if he does ask her out constantly and pester her, she must have never expected him to tell her he loves her. What if she doesn't believe him? He knows he's been rude and annoying, but somehow he had come to believe that she felt something more for him… perhaps even as strong as his love for her. But she had sent his every hope crashing down when she hadn't returned the feeling.

"Excuse me?" asked she, after he didn't answer for a minute. It was clear to her now that her ears had been playing cruel tricks on her.

"Nothing, I said nothing," said James, looking rather downcast.

"Um… all right," said she.

She began to walk away, when he felt a powerful urge to stop her. "Wait!" he screamed.

She turned around, shocked at his sudden change in emotion, "what is it James?"

"I did say something."

"What did you say, James?" She couldn't breathe. She was walking toward him, seemingly drawn to him.

"I said—I said," he couldn't seem to finish his sentence. He was staring at her.

"What is it, James?" she asked, "what is it? Tell me…" it was then that she realized that if he wasn't going to say what she hoped he was, she was making an idiot out of herself. She sat down gracefully, though she still felt compelled toward him.

"It's—I—I think, no, no, I know that I'm—I'm hopelessly, helplessly…"

"What, James? What is it?" she asked. She was hanging on his every word, holding her breath, and she would surely faint if he didn't finish soon.

"Helplessly in love with you."

She still couldn't find breath; she was in such shock. The room was silent and still, she knew; yet for some reason it was spinning. Lily wasn't moving for she feared any move she made would wake her from what could only be a dream. She fainted.

"Lily!" she thought she heard James shout before all went black.

Oh, what had he done? He wondered as he looked at Lily's still and unmoving body, with her emerald eyes lost underneath her closed eyes. He took her to the hospital wing: what else was there to do?

Her eyes fluttered open and the first thing she saw was the face of James—perhaps then, it really happened?

"James?" she said groggily, and opened her eyes all the way.

"Lily! You—you're awake!"

"James…"

"Yes, Lily?"

"I love you, too."