So this totally just popped into my head. I hope everyone likes it! I know this has been used but I couldn't resist!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I wish I did. But I don't. So deal with it.

Il nostro amore sarà sempre dura per sempre-Our Love Will Always Last Forever

Lily

Quidditch parties. I hated them. Why did we need to celebrate? I know that we won the House Cup but honestly—

Oh alright. I was excited. I was glad. It was my seventh year at Hogwarts. I wanted to win. It's not like we haven't won before—I just wanted to win again. I needed to prove to Severus that we would always be better than Slytherin.

At the thought of Severus Snape, my heart constricted. He had been my best friend once; we had done everything together. My friends didn't know why I had been friend with him. They thought he was vile. I didn't understand why. And then he started hanging out with Avery, MacNair, and those people. I hadn't approved but it wasn't up to me who he hung out with, as long as they didn't come around when I was with Snape.

It was just after our O.W.L.'s. My friends and I—Snape wasn't with us—were sitting at the lake, laughing, celebrating. Out of the corner of my eye, unwillingly, I noticed Potter and his friends, sitting by their usual tree. Potter was trying to show off to—somebody. Okay, I knew he was trying to impress me but I didn't care. He was throwing a silly Snitch up in the air and then catching it. Peter, being the oddball, would clap and cheer for Potter every time he did. With a roll of my eyes, I turned away from him but not soon enough not to notice his disappointed look. I ignored the guilt I felt.

Suddenly, I heard a yelp and I turned just in time to see Snape being held upside down by Potter and Black. I was furious. What right did they have? With a glare, I got up and stalked toward them. I remember telling them off. Potter had been so…angry at me for doing that. Like I had betrayed Gryffindor by standing up for a Slytherin. But what did he expect? Severus was my friend.

Then he'd called me the horrid name. I knew it would come eventually but I had a little shred of hope that he wouldn't slip, even though he called all others with Muggle parents the same thing: Mudblood. Potter had been even more furious by that name. I was angry at him for standing up for him. Severus realized his mistake and tried to apologize. I didn't accept it.

Just like that, our friendship was over. It had been fragile anyway.

I blinked away the sudden tears that were boiling behind my eyes at the memory. It wasn't as if it mattered. After that, Snape and I had barely associated with one another. It was only in Potions when we did, because we were so competitive. I'd always been amazing but so had Snape.

I looked around the room. The Marauders had gone all out putting it together. It didn't matter whether or not Gryffindor won; they still partied. School would soon be over. Forever, for the seventh years. Unless you were going to be a professor.

My eyes caught landed on James. In the last few months, he and I had grown close. Almost as close as Snape and I had once been. Well, I guess we had grown closer than that even. After sixth year things started to change. He matured, he stopped asking me out, he stopped hexing every Slytherin he saw. I was impressed. I still didn't want to admit it though. Against my will, I had slowly started a growing likeness to him. Instead of getting mad at him every time he would make some sickening or stupid joke, I laughed. My friends, as you can imagine, were thrilled. All those working nights together as Head Boy and Girl had paid off. Not long after we started hanging out with the Marauders, Sirius Black and my best friend, Emma Kenzington, started dating. She'd been in love with him since sixth year and I just didn't know why. But they were a perfect fit and I couldn't deny it.

James seemed to sense my scrutiny and he turned toward me. There was something strange about his expression but I couldn't quite pinpoint it. His eyes were the same hazel they had always been, sparkling as if hazel eyes sparkled all the time. Then I realized that below the depths of his pathetic attempt at keeping up his happy façade, I saw sadness. Overwhelming sadness. He was thinking about his parents. You see, I knew James, having spent so much time with him during the year, scheduling, planning, and everything in between that a Head's job was. My heart constricted like it had when I'd thought of Snape, though for a very different reason.

He turned away, not wanting me to know that he was upset. I glanced over at Remus, where he was sitting next to Sara Marshall, another friend of mine. He shrugged when he caught my gaze.

I sighed. His friends obviously didn't know what was up. They were too preoccupied with my friends.

I turned my attention back to James. He was quietly maneuvering through the throng of people. Occasionally, he would stop, someone congratulating him. His smile didn't quite reach his eyes. I suddenly couldn't enjoy the party. My eyes followed him as he slipped out the portrait hole. After a minute, I followed him. I caught a glimpse of Emma and Sirius snogging each other on a chair, their arms wrapped around each other. I smiled slightly at the sight; my friend had been the happiest I'd seen her in six years—and Emma Kenzington was one of the happiest people in the world.

I slipped out of the portrait hole after catching Sara's eye. She nodded in understanding before turning back to Remus. I slipped into the corridor as the portrait hole closed behind me.

He wasn't out there. I sighed, suddenly becoming frantic. I looked around hysterically. "He went into that empty classroom," came the Fat Lady's voice.

I turned to see her pointing toward a room on the other side of corridor. "Thank you," I said to her hastily. I hurried down the hall toward the room.

"Don't take long, m'dear!" called the Fat Lady. "I haven't got all night. I would like to get some sleep!"

"I'll let James know," I shot over my shoulder. I stopped in front of the door that she had directed me to. I could hear something in there. It had to be James. I slowly opened the door. He was there, sitting on a desk, yellow birds fluttering around him.

He turned as the door opened. "Lily." His voice held a certain note to it that I had heard so many times in the past but not so much now. He hopped from the desk.

I walked toward him, my heart speeding up. Oh. Did I forget to mention? During those months of studying, the late night planning, the patrolling corridors, I had fallen in love with him. Somewhere in between all that hate, there was some love too. I'd never expected it.

Only problem was, he didn't either. He didn't know.

"James," I murmured. He stared down at me, scrutinizing me.

He cocked his head to the side as if he were thinking, overanalyzing in the way he had. "What are you doing here?" he asked after a minute.

I rolled my eyes. "James, I've spent enough time with you to know when you're upset. I was worried."

He snorted. "I don't see any of my other friends coming to my rescue. Who, I might add, have spent more time with me than you have." He shook his head darkly.

I touched his arm. "They knew that I would go after you." I smiled slightly, trying to reassure him. "Besides, Sirius is…a little busy. Remus, I think, might just make a move on Sara tonight."

James momentarily forgot about his grief and a grin splashed across his face. "Really? Well, what do you know? Our dear old Remus is growing up. Who would have thought?" He shook his head. "As for Sirius and Emma, well, there's no surprise there."

I smiled and nodded. "So tell me, James. What's wrong?"

The smile was wiped clean off his face and I felt a little guilty for reminding him. It's not like I didn't know what was wrong but I wanted him to trust me enough to tell me.

He turned away, toward the window, running a hand through his hair. "Lils…" he groaned.

I followed him, stepping in front of him. "James," began softly. "You need to talk to someone." My breath caught in my throat. "Dumbledore told me that when he…when he informed me of my parents'…death." My voice cracked on the last word. Unconsciously, my fingers played with the front of James's Quidditch robes.

He caught my hand is his own. This was normal for us; I know that sounds all couple-y but really, it's not when you're used to it. "Lily," he muttered, playing with my fingers. My heart sped up. "You know what's wrong. Obviously."

I reached up, almost as if I wasn't aware of my actions, and pressed my palm to his face. "I want you to tell me what's wrong."

A ghost of a smile came across his face as he reached up to touch my hand on his cheek, raising his eyebrows. Blushing, I pulled it away. "What's wrong?" I repeated, when I gained my composure.

He sighed, dropping my hand. For a long minute, he stared down at me. I hoped my expression was sincere, if not, hopeful. Finally, he started talking. It seemed when he started, he couldn't stop. "My parents…they were so committed to what they did. They fought for me, for Sirius, for Remus, even Peter." His voice was soft, melodic. "When I heard that Voldemort had…killed them, it was like a punch in the stomach. They had fought this war to be killed? And to think that I was graduating soon. They wouldn't be here for it." Without really realizing what he was doing, he slid his arms around me and dropped his forehead to rest on mine. He closed his eyes as he continued. "I blamed myself. Why would Voldemort kill my parents?"

"Because he's cruel like that," I said quietly. My heart had sped when his head rested on mine.

James seemed not to have heard me. "I could have been there. To protect them. It was Easter Break; I should've gone home!" He sounded furious with himself but more over, he seemed in pain.

I shook my head, this time deliberately bringing my hand up to cup his face. "James," I said fiercely and not without emotion. "If you had gone, Voldemort would have killed…killed you too." I choked up at the thought of James Potter, dead.

He opened his eyes for a moment and, realizing our position, pulled away hastily, mumbling, "Sorry."

I stared at him incredulously. He still didn't get it. He didn't know how I felt. He took in my expression as if he were expecting me to explode. When I didn't he laughed humorlessly. "Lily, you've been the only thing keeping me going. I…don't want to ruin that." He turned away but not before I saw his expression.

I didn't move toward him, sensing he didn't want me to. "James. What do you mean?" I asked hesitantly, barely able to let myself hope. Barely breathing.

He laughed again, as if everything should make sense but it didn't. "Lily," he mocked. I winced slightly. He was instantly contrite. "I'm sorry. It's just…you seriously don't know what I'm talking about?" I shook my head. He laughed incredulously. "Lily," he started in a measured look. "I changed. You noticed. You have said it time and time again. Do you want to know why I changed?" He went on without waiting for my answer even though I nodded vehemently. "I changed for you."

My heart rate rose to a point where I wasn't sure if it was healthy. I blinked up at James, astonished. He still felt the same way. He still fancied me. "You…did it…for me?" I asked breathlessly.

He nodded mutely.

"Are you saying—you're not telling me—you still feel the same way?" I finally breathed out.

Seeming to become a little bolder, he stepped toward me. I stayed where I was. "Yes. I do." He took another step closer. He was almost close enough to touch. "I always have. Lily, did you really think that feelings that I have had for six years could have just disappeared like that?" He took another, bigger step toward me as I shook my head. He was close enough to touch me now and he reached out to brush a piece of hair from my face. "I didn't want to ruin this," he whispered. He pulled his hand back, as if expecting me to run.

Instead I took a step closer. "You didn't," I said just as quietly. "In fact, James Potter, I've wondered that for a long time." I lowered my gaze and reached out for his hand, playing with his fingers.

His eyes widened a fraction. "You…have? What have you wondered?"

I laughed softly. "I've wondered how you really felt about me, whether you still felt as you used to." I blushed furiously, unable to meet his eyes.

I felt a rumble run through him; he was laughing at me. I glared. He held up his hands. "I'm not laughing at you. I'm laughing because I'm…happy." He grinned broadly, bringing my gaze to his sensuous full lips. I shook away the thought and turned my gaze downward again. He gripped my chin and brought my eyes to look at him. "Lily," he said softly. "Lily…I…I love you." My heart sped up. James loves me! "I have for quite some time. I want to spend the rest of my living days with you, Lily Evans. I want to be able to wake up next to you and know that you love me too." He suddenly stopped, gazing at me with wild eyes. "Do you, Lily?"

I looked up at him. I was scared, I'll admit. But the love I saw in his eyes made my pulse speed even more, if that was possible. I stared up at him and finally found my voice. "I love you too," I murmured. "Somewhere in all that time we spent together, somewhere between all those insults I gave you, I fell in love with you." I shook my head. "And to think I thought I hated you." I smiled wickedly up at him.

He smirked. "You know what they say: There is a fine line between love and hate. Love is often mistaken for hatred." He sighed dramatically. "I told you all along; you were just so stubborn." He grinned.

I laughed, wrapping my arms around his neck. "Yes. You did, didn't you?"

He didn't answer. His gaze slid down to my lips. I knew the moment before he brought his head down that he was going to kiss me. His lips crashed down on mine and I groaned. I felt him smirk against my mouth. His tongue fought for entrance. My lips parted ever so slightly and his tongue swept in. his lips were soft against mine, his hair silky between my fingers.

His hands went around my waist, lifting me off the ground. When I pulled away, we were both breathless. He set my down, resting his forehead against mine. "I love you, Lily-flower," he murmured, using the nickname he and Sirius had chosen for me.

I smiled slightly. "I love you, too, James." I was lost in my own blissful world for the moment but unfortunately we can't all stay in that world. I suddenly remembered what the Fat Lady had said to me. "Oh, no!" I groaned.

"What?" James said in alarm.

I laughed, despite myself. "Nothing terrible." I touched his nose and trailed my finger along his face. "I just remembered that the Fat Lady wanted us back soon….She wants to sleep."

He laughed out loud and slid his arms from around my waist, taking my hand. "Well, by all means, let us not disappoint our dear Fat Lady."

I smiled slightly as we walked out of the classroom. The Fat Lady was disgruntled when we woke her from her slumber but her eyes immediately lit when she saw our joined hands. "Finally got her, eh, Potter?" she said, winking at him.

He grinned. "Yes." He looked down at me with an expression that I'd never seen: He really did love me. "I finally did."

She smirked. "Password please?" she asked.

James opened his mouth but I stopped him. "What about our friends? What do we tell them?"

He cocked his head to the side. "The truth," he answered. "That I'm in love with you. That you're in love with me." I smiled, nodding. I swear I thought I heard him add, "Finally," but I didn't get a chance to ask him because he said to the Fat Lady, "Il nostro amore sarà sempre dura per sempre." His voice was soft. The phrase was Italian, one he had picked out but he never told me what it meant.

As we entered the common room, I asked him, "What does that Italian phrase mean? You never told me."

He grinned but didn't answer as applause seemed to shoot up from the crowd that was watching us. Emma grinned from her seat on Sirius lap and Sara smiled at me, leaning against Remus. "Finally!" called Sirius. "What took you so long, Lil?" he asked.

I laughed. "I don't know Sirius; what took you and Em so long?"

He smirked. "She was just afraid of my good looks." That got him a smack from Emma. "Ow!" he yelped, reaching up to rub his head. "No need to get violent."

She smiled prettily. "Oh, but there is, dearest Sirius." She reached up to kiss him on the cheek. "But you know I love you."

He grinned down at her with more love than I thought possible for Sirius Black. "Yes. I know." Emma smacked him again. "Ow!" He rubbed his arm this time. "Fine, fine, I love you too." Under his breath, though it was loud enough for everyone to hear, he muttered, "Though only heaven knows why."

My friend rolled her eyes. "You know why, Black, so don't pretend you don't." he smirked at her, leaning in to kiss her.

"Oh, get a room," called Sara, giving a small eye roll.

Sirius gave her a wicked smile. "I wouldn't mind that." That got him a third hit, on the leg this time. "Jeez!" he muttered. "I have an abusive girlfriend."

"But like you said," she grinned innocently, "you still love me." The whole of Gryffindor house laughed. The party went on until James and I, as Head Boy and Girl, thought it was time to clean up. There were suddenly many people who were tired. The only people left in the common room to clean were Sirius, Emma, Remus, Sara, James, and I.

I laughed as James threw some confetti at me. "Stop it!" I said. "You're getting confetti all over!" I tried to sound like I was upset but it didn't work. The look on James's face was so loving that it made me smile and blush at the same time.

He pulled me toward him, grabbing my wrist. "Yet, I think you look beautiful with confetti flowing around you."

I smiled at him and the others took it as their cue to say good night. Everything was clean; it was just a matter of house elves coming now. Even though I strongly disagreed with that.

James leaned down to kiss me and I melted into his arms. When he pulled away, I could feel the flush of my cheeks. "You asked me what that Italian phrase meant," he stated. I nodded. "It means, 'Our love will always last forever.' I picked it out myself, thinking of you." He smiled. "And I think it's true. Love isn't something you fall in and out of. I never once hated you, although at times, I wished I could. Love really does last forever." He pecked me one more time before walking me to the bottom of the girls' dormitory. He gazed at me lovingly before whispering, "I love you. I will always love you." He kissed me one last time before turning and walking up the stairs of the boys' dorm.

I watched him go, feeling happier than I had in a long time. "I love you, too," I murmured and somehow, I knew he heard me.

Late that night, I wrote in my journal the events of the day and I wrote down the phrase that James had chosen as our password: "Il nostro amore sarà sempre dura per sempre." I wrote what it meant and then stated this:

It means "our love will always last forever." And I believe it. Whoever ends up reading this, I wish to tell you, never ever think that you hate someone. I thought I hated James for the last six years when really, I was in love with him. Just as he said. You never know. You see all the things that I could've had with James but I was too stubborn and I didn't? It's so important to remember what Dumbledore always tells us: Love is the strongest thing to have when going up against the enemy. Those aren't his exact words but it is something like that. And I realize, he is right. James and I can conquer anything with each other. I can't believe he loves me. I must sleep now. I'll dream of him. Good night, dear one.

I smiled as I reread the entry and then lay the journal on my dresser. I lay down on my pillow and thought about everything that had happened that day: the Quidditch match, the party, James and I talking, his declaration of love, my declaration of love, Sirius and Emma's declarations of love. I smiled at the thought. I thought about the phrase James had shared with me. With everyone. I repeated it in my mind and then repeated its translation: Our love will always last forever.

And he was right. Our love really would last forever. There was no doubt in my mind. With that thought in mind, I fell asleep.

James

It was the last day of school before we had to go home the next morning. I was walking with my girlfriend of a month and a half. I was nervous in a way. We'd only been dating for a month but I needed to do something. We were walking around the lake and I gazed lovingly at the love of my life, the love of my existence.

"I can't believe it's finally over!" she exclaimed, seeming unaware of my stare. "I mean, it seemed like yesterday that I was sitting in a compartment with you, Sirius, and Sev—Snape. It just doesn't seem like this should be happening already." She smiled up at me.

I adoringly ran my free hand along her cheek. Her eyes fluttered closed at my touch and she leaned into me. "Ya know," I murmured, "there are other places we can do…this." I deliberately cupped her cheek and pulled her face closer to mine. She moistened her lips in anticipation. I pulled away at the last second. She pouted; I laughed at her expression and led her to the willow tree that had become our own secluded spot. She rolled her eyes as I sat down and pulled her down into my lap. She leaned against me as I stroked her hair.

"Look at this," she said in awe, looking around the grounds of Hogwarts. "We're never coming back to this. Not ever. Isn't that jus the weirdest thought?"

I smiled. "Yes. No more memories. No more midnight swims. No more...staring at you as you laze in the sun." She blushed at that. "Which is why I need to ask you something," I finished quietly. She sat up quickly, looking back at me with a confused expression as I ruffled in my pocket for a velvet box. When I found it I walked around to face her. I pulled her on her feet and then knelt down on one knee. She covered her mouth with one hand as I took her left hand in mine. "Lily Rose Evans," I began. "I have loved you for the last six years. I always will. I know that it was hard to come to terms with the fact that you love me too. But you do and that is the best thing that you could ever give me. So I ask you, Lily Rose, if you will make me the happiest man in the world by giving me your hand in marriage?" I gulped as my slightly shaking hand reached up to open the box with the ring in it. "I will cherish you forever. Will you marry me?" I repeated before I realized I had already asked her that.

Her lips were trembling as she struggled to answer. Her eyes were filled with pure joy and I was in total wonder that I was the one to give it to her. "Y-yes," she answered shakily. "I-I will marry you." I grinned and stood up, pulling her into my arms and kissing her with as much love and fervor that I could muster. When I pulled away I gazed down at her. "Lily Potter," she muttered, testing it. "I like it."

I grinned. "I like it too." We heard cheers coming from behind us and I turned to see Emma and Sirius, Sara and Remus, rushing down from the school toward us. Emma and Sara were waving their hands; my mates had done it too. I smirked as stared in amazement as they came down toward us. I wrapped my arms around her waist from behind. "Lily!" Emma reached her first. She waved her left hand. "I'm getting married!" she squealed. "To Sirius!" She seemed so giddy. I looked at Sirius. He smirked, kissing his fiancés cheek, resting his head on her shoulder.

"I'm getting married too," Sara grinned. "They planned it, unsurprisingly."

Lily grinned and hugged her friends. Later, we all sat by the lake, each with our own girls in our arms. "Are you happy?" I asked her. She nodded. "You love me?" I said, suddenly worried she'd change her mind.

She laughed. "'Il nostro amore sarà sempre dura per sempre,'" she quoted. "Our love will always last forever." She kissed my cheek. "And I know it will."

"I love you, Lily Evans."

"And I love you, James Potter," she murmured. "Don't you ever forget it."

I grinned. "I don't think it's something I'll ever be willing to forget."

And it was true. We would grow old together with a beautiful son. That day was the happiest of my life and I would never forget it.

I can tell you one thing. Our love always will last forever. And guess what? It did.

I know, I know. It's cliché but this idea popped into my head and I thought I'd try it. I couldn't resist. I hope you liked it! It didn't turn out as well as I hoped. But I still like it. Review! Please? My birthday is coming up! That can be my gift!

~XJamesBondX