A/N: This is just a cute one-shot, that came to me during a physics exam.
"Yes..." replied Lily, as she threw her arms around his neck "Yes, of course…"
She smiled and kissed him lightly on the lips, his sweet, musky scent reminded her of two years ago to this day, in a very similar scenario.
Lily was walking down the Library corridor at Hogwarts. It was her seventh and final year there, and she was using every available opportunity to study in the library for the imminent NEWTs. As she drew near, she stopped; she could here voices coming from behind a faded tapestry on her right.
"She doesn't want to know…Maybe I should just give up and leave her alone…"
Lily recognised that voice, it was the same voice that had been asking her out for five years, only today… well, today it seemed more serious, more mature.
"I mean…she has some idea that I'm an arrogant tosser… not worth the time of day…" he continued.
"Yeah, I wonder where she could have got that from…" Lily recognized the other voice as Remus Lupin's, the only sensible one in James Potter's gang of troublemakers. They were still troublemakers, even though this year, they hadn't been causing half as much trouble as usual. She assumed it was down to exam nerves, and stress from all of the work.
"Ok, I admit that for the past few years, we may have been a tad childish…you know, with all of the pranking…but even you have to admit that I've grown up this year, Moony"
"Yeah, you have, you've dropped the hexing people in the corridor, and most of the pranking…but maybe…maybe…oh, it doesn't matter…"
"No, tell me. Maybe what?"
At this point, Lily peeped round one side of the tapestry. James was sitting against the wall of, what lily guessed was one of Hogwarts many concealed passageways. Remus was standing watching him with a look of concern as James' usual happy-go-lucky grin had vanished.
"Well, maybe…" Remus said quietly, "Maybe it's too late…You've already spent five years asking her out at every opportunity, hexing her friends and dangling Snivellus by his ankles…hardly grown up, is it?"
"But I've changed! I hardly ever ask her out, hex her friends or dangle Snivvy by his ankles!"
Lily thought back to the last time he'd asked her out, it must have been last April at least, and over the holidays he had changed, he'd lost his teenage awkwardness, cocky attitude, and annoying habit of running his hands through his jet black hair, to make it look windswept, like he'd just got off his broom. Instead, he'd acquired some feelings, from somewhere and Lily had never noticed those muscles before…
Oh my god, she suddenly thought, I cannot think about James Potter like that, he's arrogant…he's…he's….he's…. pretty damn fit… she admitted to herself.
"I was just saying Prongs; maybe she just really isn't interested"
Remus looked at James carefully, seeing something that had never been there before. Lily saw it too. It was the unmistakable look of defeat.
"I'm gonna go mate and leave you to your thoughts… it looks like you need some time to yourself…"
Remus turned and walked off in the opposite direction down the passage. As soon as he was out of site, James put his head in his hands, pushing his floppy jet black hair out of his face and stared at the floor, deep in thought.
Lily felt a hard tug of guilt, she recollected the times that she'd rejected him, sometimes cruelly in front of everyone, in front of his friends.
In a sudden act of madness, she pulled the tapestry aside and stepped into the passage. James looked up at the sudden movement, and his cheeks tinted slightly.
"James..?" She said quietly.
He raised his eyebrows.
"You called me James? Are you trying to be funny?"
"No!" Jesus, she thought, you can't win… "No, I'm not…It's just…I heard what you said to Remus…I've been standing there a while…"
"Oh Christ. Feel free to take the mick." He said sarcastically.
"I'm not going to, James" She sat on the floor next to him, fighting a desire to put her arms around him.
"OK, you're creeping me out now…"
"James! I'm trying here, really trying!" She said exasperated.
"OK, OK…keep your wig on…What is it?"
"I guess I didn't realise that you actually had feelings, that you really cared…about…about everything…"
"About being rejected? Yeah, I care about that, do you know what it feels like? Have you ever been rejected about seven times a week, for five years? When your only crime is liking someone who doesn't want you?"
"No…I'm sorry about that…but, James…I like this change in you…" She paused, "This maturity…"
"Mr Mature, that's me" He replied, looking amused.
A bell rang faintly in the distance, and Lily stumbled to her feet.
"I'd better go…I'll be late for Ancient Runes, but it's been nice talking to you James…"
He stood up, and stood close to her.
"It's been nice talking to you too, Lily" James replied as he gazed into her emerald green eyes, "Listen, if you heard all of what I said to Moony, then you'll know that I am this close to giving up and leaving you alone…for good…but I'm going to try…one last time…for old times sake…"
He took a deep breath.
"Lily, please please please, will you go to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow?"
She looked deep into his hazel eyes, and said nothing for a minute, then softly whispered, "Yes…" Lily smiled, then leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips.
She pulled away from his kiss and her thoughts, then as realisation struck, screamed "Oh my god! We're getting married!"
A/N: Please read and review this bit of slush. PLEASE!
