James flopped onto the sofa in Gryffindor common room.

'I just don't get it! I've stopped asking her out so much- I'm nice to her, we're friends! So why, tell me, does she still feel the need to hex me when I ask her if she wants to go to Hogsmeade?' Sirius sat down in the armchair in front of the fire.

'We don't know James. If we did, we'd tell you... maybe.' James glared at him.

'Can you just try to help? I love Lily,' Sirius snorted. 'I'm serious!' Sirius grinned.

'No, I am!' Remus groaned as he sat on the carpet.

'Not again. How many times do we have to tell you? That was only mildly funny the first time you told it. It has not improved with time.' Sirius frowned. James cleared his throat.

'Hello, bigger problem! We have less than a year left here, and if I don't get Lily to like me by then, I don't think it's gonna happen.' Remus sighed. 'What?'

'Don't you see, James? She already does like you.' James raised an eyebrow.

'Have you not been following? She just hexed me to the hospital wing for asking her on a date!' Remus sat up straighter and went into his analytical mode.

'I'm pretty sure that was too over the top. I think she just doesn't want to admit how she feels.' James leant forwards, embracing this idea immediately.

'So how do we make her admit it?' Sirius rolled his eyes.

'Kiss her. Always works for me.' Remus gave him a reproving look.

'James actually feels something for Lily, Sirius. And I don't think she'd really appreciate it.' James, whose eyes had lit up at this suggestion, fell back on to the sofa.

'So what do I do?' The other three Marauders shrugged. 'Thanks guys. Helpful.' Sirius leant forward.

'Well, James, I know you've liked her for years, but don't you think it's time you just gave up, stopped pretending to be friends with her? I mean, the only reason you even liked her in the first place is that she wouldn't go out with you.' James flared up.

'You don't get it, do you Sirius? It might have started off as a stupid little thing because she wouldn't go out with me, but it's so much more than that. She's smart, and beautiful, and funny, and she's just perfect. And if being friends with her is the best I can do, I'll take it. Because I'd rather see her every day and not be able to have her than never see her. Because I don't think I could handle that. I love her.' He heard a little gasp behind him. He turned around, praying that it wasn't her, and internally groaned when he saw that it was. Her hand was over her mouth and she looked shell shocked.

'Err... Lily?' He asked tentatively. She looked at him, seemed to collect herself, and ran up the stairs to the girls' dormitory. James turned back around.

'I've completely ruined it! Now she won't even be friends with me.' Remus shook his head, smiling.

'Did you see the look in her eyes when you said you loved her? Give her time. I'm certain now, this will work out.' James looked disbelieving.

'Right. Well, I'm off to bed. See you guys.' He trudged up the stairs.

'He'll be alright, won't he?' asked Sirius concernedly. Remus smiled confidently.

'Yes. They both will.'

'James! James!' He heard someone hissing his name.

'Ten minutes, mum, I promise.' Somebody stifled a giggle, and shook him on the shoulder.

'No, James, it's me, it's Lily.' At this he sat straight up.

'Lily? What are you doing here?' He whispered. The look of amusement on her face was replaced by nervousness.

'Err, let's go down to the common room. That way we won't wake anybody up.' James was pretty sure that she was just stalling, but he flung the covers back and followed her down the stairs. She sat on the sofa in the common room, gesturing for him to sit next to her.

'Nice pyjamas.' She remarked, raising an eyebrow at his Snitch-decorated nightclothes. He flashed a brief smile at her.

'What's up, Lily?' She took a deep breath.

'Err, well, I was thinking about what you said earlier...' James interrupted her.

'No, no, no, you can just forget all that. I was just being stupid, that's all.' Lily looked confused.

'Oh. That's a shame.' It took a minute for her words to sink in.

'And really, I was just messing about with Sirius, because, you know, Sirius can be really- What do you mean it's a shame?' Lily kept her eyes trained on the fire.

'Well, it's just, you know, I thought if you really did feel all that...' James urged her to continue.

'If I really did feel all that...?' She took another deep breath.

'It just made me realise... that maybe... I wouldn't mind you feeling all that,' She looked up at James. 'Maybe... I might feel some of that too.' James' jaw dropped.

'Are you saying what I think you're saying?'

'I'm saying that after years of you asking me out, and me saying no-'

'-And hexing me-' Lily grinned.

'Yes, and hexing you, I'm asking you. James, will you go out with me?'

'...'

'… James?'