He was watching me again. James. I could see him sitting on the steps leading into the castle.

Except now it wasn't unsettling and it never made me feel bad. I loved knowing he was watching me, because it meant he still cared.

James never had to see me with other guys any more. They hit on me, but they never did it more than once. He was so overprotective, and while it used to drive me nuts, I loved him for it now.

We had been together almost six months and the end of school was getting closer and closer. It was depressing, really. I love Hogwarts – it had been more of a home to me than my own house had been for the last seven years. How was I supposed to leave it?

His gaze was burning a hole in the back of my head, making it impossible for me to study. I won't lie and say I minded all that much. And I really didn't mind when he came and sat himself behind me by the tree.

Attempting to ignore him is always fun. He makes it so interesting.

"Lilyyy," he crooned softly behind me. Smothering a giggle, I turned another page in my Charms text, even though I was no longer able to take in the words.

I felt hands slowly make their way up my sides until they stopped on my shoulders. With a gentle tug, I was leaning back against his chest, his arms looped around my waist.

"You know you really don't need to study." He pressed a kiss to my temple and dragged his lips up to the top of my head softly. "You're a genius Lils, you don't have to re-read all this."

"Yes," I said seriously, albeit with a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth, "I do need to study. It would benefit you to maybe do some studying too."

"But Lily," he whined. "I don't want to!"

"Well," I said slowly, getting to my feet, "then I guess my time would be better spent in the library with my more studious boyfriend Remus."

"Not funny," he called to my retreating back. I thought it was hilarious.

He was somewhere in the library. Watching me, of course. I was studying by myself – I don't know where Remus is, and I don't particularly care. I knew he would follow me. He says he can read me so well, but I don't think he realizes how well I can also read him.

A small paper airplane zoomed through the air and tapped me on the shoulder. Opening it, I found a small note in James's messy scrawl.

Transfiguration section. I'll help you.

In spite of my better judgment, I stood and picked up my textbooks and strolled slowly over to the Transfiguration section of the library. James was nowhere in sight, so I set my textbooks down and leaned against a bookshelf.

A calloused hand covered my eyes and I felt myself being tugged gently backwards. Stumbling, I reached for his other hand and followed him only Merlin knows where.

When he uncovered my eyes, we were in a far corner of the library, surrounded by three shelves of books. I turned to face him, but I hadn't even opened my mouth to speak when it was covered by his.

Moaning softly, I tugged him backwards until the backs of my thighs collided with a small desk. James grasped my legs and lifted me slightly, situating me on top of it and standing in between my legs.

My hands slid up his sides under his shirt. He tugged at the bottom of mine, and I murmured against his mouth, "Mmhmm." My shirt joined his on the floor.

I still can't figure out why I didn't say yes to dating James Potter sooner. Everything was just so much more amazing with him, and he made me feel things I hadn't even felt before and would never feel again if I lost him in any way. Like now – the way his lips were moving down my jaw was quite distracting.

"I've always wanted to do this," he murmured near my ear.

"What?" I asked with a giggle. "Have sex in the school library?"

"Mmm…no." He nipped at my collarbone. "Well, yes, but what I was…referring to…was…kissing you and…touching you…and-"

"Ahem."

James and I froze, my hands on his hips and his in my hair. Slowly, we turned to look at Madam Pince, who was giving us the scariest death glare either of us had ever seen.

"Out."

We reached for our shirts, but she whipped out her wand and Summoned them to her.

"Oh no," she cackled. "You can go like this so the entire school will know just what you've been up to." She disappeared with our shirts, leaving James in only pants and me in my bra and skirt.

"Ugh, I hate that woman!" I leaned my head against James's chest. "Now the entire school will think I'm a slut."

I could sense his tension, but he chuckled. "For snogging your boyfriend?" I didn't answer, so he pulled away from me, a mischievous grin on his face. "Don't worry," he added. "No-one will know." From his schoolbag, he pulled a large piece of smooth, silvery fabric and draped it over us.

"Stay close," he whispered, "and move slowly."

Somehow we made it back to our dorms, although I stumbled a few times – in such close proximity, James was quite the distraction.

He tugged the cloth off of us once we were safe inside the Heads Common Room.

"James, that is really cool, where did you mmm."

He pulled his lips from mine for a second. "Where were we?"

I smiled and pressed my lips back to his. James's fingers ran slowly down the backs of my thighs and he lifted me up a little. Reading his mind, I wrapped my legs around his waist and he carried me to his room.

"James you love me, right?" I asked sometime later. My head lay on his shoulder, our legs entangled. I stared up at the canopy of his bed, not really wanting to see the look on his face.

James slid his shoulder out from under me and propped himself on his elbow, staring at me in disbelief.

"What kind of question is that Lily?" he asked incredulously.

I picked at my nails. "I was just…wondering," I replied lamely. His hand came up and grasped my chin, making me look at him.

"Lily."

I sighed. "I wanted to know if you're ever going to…leave me."

Anger darkened his eyes, before sadness overwhelmed it.

"Of course I love you, and no, I'm never going to leave you, ever. Why would you think that?"

I shrugged, and pulled the quilt over my shoulders. James's room is a lot colder than mine.

"Lily," he tugged the quilt down slightly, "tell me why you would think I would ever leave you. Please."

"Well," I began, then sighed, not really sure how to phrase it. "I just feel like everything eventually comes to an end. We're leaving Hogwarts in a few months, and my parents are gone, and Petunia lives with her fiancé now. I just can't help but wonder if this…us…is going to end too."

James flopped back onto the bed and ran his hands over his face before looking at me, a smile tugging at his lips. I propped myself on both elbows and looked at him. The quilt slid down to my stomach, and James's eyes moved to my chest, his smile turning into a smirk. I pulled it back up and rolled onto my side.

"Why are you smiling?"

He reached over to his night table and opened the drawer, pulling out something I couldn't see.

"I was going to give this to you on our last day of school, but I think maybe you need it now. So…here." James handed me a small blue box. Opening it, I found a small ring, a silver band with garnets all the way around.

"It's a promise ring. I promise not to leave you if you promise not to leave me." I slowly turned the ring around, admiring all the gems and the way the light hit them, until something else caught my eye.

"What does LEP stand for?" I asked, pointing at the inscription on the inside. Surprisingly, James blushed, and I could practically feel his heart-rate increase.

"It …umm…well…it kind of…maybe stands…for…LilyEvansPotter," he mumbled the last bit, but I understood it and felt my heart leap in my chest.

"Really?" I practically squealed. James nodded, his face turning even redder. I practically launched myself at him, covering his face with kisses.

"I love you, you know?" I sat up, holding the quilt to me, one leg on either side of him.

He smiled, and very dramatically picked up my left hand and slid the ring on. "Yeah, I do know. You're amazing, you know?"

Laughing, I flipped my hair back. "Yeah, I do know." Leaning down, I pressed a firm kiss to his lips, then lay my head on his chest. "Love me too, right?"

A chuckle rumbled up from his throat. "I love you too Lily."

And he may not know it (yet), but I watch him too. And I will for the rest of our lives.

Okay...I had been thinking about doing a second part to this since Lili Evans dotcom put it on story alert. And so here is the second half, thought up last night :) but now the story is officially COMPLETE! no more parts. Review? And thanks for reading. :) I less than three you all. (if I actually put the little heart, it deletes the less than sign...lame)