A/N: Written for the QLFC round 2, Chaser 3 for Puddlemere

Word count without author's note: 1,594

Prompts: Write about someone preparing for or taking an exam in the subject.

3. (word) Procrastinate

8. (picture)

6. (song) Check yes Juliet - We The Kings (side note, I literally am in love with this song so if you've never heard it before seriously check it out)

Everything about life seemed to be annoying James that evening. The heat from the crackling fire felt blisteringly hot. The silence of the usually rowdy Gryffindor common room was deafening. Even the red plush chair he was sitting on felt as hard as nails, causing him to squirm every few seconds, trying to get comfy.

He knew why he felt this way. How could he not? Lily had forced him to do it since seven am that morning. Revision. The R-word. The thing he and Sirius had protested against since their Autumn term tests back in first year. It was like homework, only worse, because with homework, you could do it for two hours and be done but with revision... oh no. Eleven hours a day – at least! (James had heard some of the Ravenclaws were managing fourteen). Essentially, revision was the bane of his existence.

"Okay," Lily said, leaning forwards and keeping her voice low so as not to disturb the other silent workers. "Describe and explain the Bond of Blood charm with reference to the precise wand movements, incantation and circumstances required to activate it."

Her boyfriend didn't reply.

"James!" Lily hissed after a moment, causing a nearby fifth year studying for her upcoming OWLs to glare over at the pair. She lowered her voice. "James, aren't you listening?"

"Huh?" He said, lifting his head up from his parchment to stare blankly at her from behind crooked glasses. "Sorry, what? Did you say something?"

"Yes," Lily said through gritted teeth.

"Oh." James awkwardly shifted the closest book, Olde and Forgotten Bewitchments and Charmes by E. Linus, slightly to the left, shielding his parchment from Lily's fiery gaze. "I was busy, uh, copying out the incantation for the Caterwauling Charm. Could you repeat whatever it was you said?"

Lily fixed him with a blank gaze before reaching behind the strategically placed book and snatching his parchment right out of his grasp. "James!" She hissed again, causing the same fifth year to turn and glare. "What is this?" She waved his parchment in front of his face, making it exceedingly difficult for James to focus on the many doodles and scribbles adorning it.

"Revision?" He tried.

Lily's green eyes narrowed dangerously. "Procrastination more like."

James shrugged his shoulders and huffed loudly, relaxing back into his chair. "I already told you, Lils, I can't do it. I give up."

"Give up?" the red head repeated, her eyebrows rising. "You do realise we have our NEWT Charms exam in less than ten hours and you've been doing nothing but scribbling on parchment for the past thirteen! Remind me why I went on a date with you again?"

James grinned, apparently oblivious to her former rant. "Because I'm-"

They were both interrupted by the harsh scraping of wooden chair legs against the floor. A little way away, Remus had spun his chair around and was glaring fiercely at the couple... As were the rest of the fifth and seventh year Gryffindors dotted about the room, James suddenly noticed. "Can you two," Remus managed, the combination of stress and the recent full moon paling his normally tanned skin and curling his hands into fists, "either get out or shut up."

Lily's cheeks went bright red. James glanced at Sirius, sitting over on the same table as their werewolf companion, but his best mate just shrugged apologetically, not that that really surprised James. The Black had always liked Charms... and Remus.

"So," James whispered to his girlfriend, keeping his voice as quiet as he possibly could. "How about it then?"

"How about what?" Lily muttered, burying her crimson face in a book as their fellow Gryffindors turned back to their own revision.

"Going out."

"I'm not tired," Lily said.

James shook his head at her adorable innocence. "Not to the dorms," he said then inclined his head toward the common room entrance. "Out."

"James," Lily sighed, running a hand through her thick, red hair and sending him an exasperated look. "It's eleven, way past curfew, and besides, in case you'd forgotten, we have a Charms NEWT exam tomorrow!"

"Oh come on," James wheedled, leaning closer to her across the table, "it'll be fun. Much more fun than staring at some boring notes."

"I said no," Lily declared, staring pointedly back down at her open books. "And that's an end to it."

Which of course meant to James that that was most certainly not an end to it. He stood, grabbing Lily's hand as he did so.

"What are you doing?" She hissed, causing several nearby students to glance over at them.

"Don't cause a commotion," James whispered, raising an eyebrow and giving her hand another tug. "Let's go."

"I hate you for this, James Potter," Lily grumbled, getting to her feet – but only so that she wouldn't get yelled at for making too much noise again.

"That's the spirit," James said, pulling her over to the round common room entrance and ignoring the eyes on their backs. Two seconds later, and the portrait swung closed behind them.

"Congratulations," Lily said, speaking freely for the first time since they'd returned from dinner four hours ago. She crossed her arms tightly over her chest. "Now we'll get kicked out before we even get the chance to sit our exam."

James grinned again, the smile lighting up his whole face. "Excellent, even more reason to go on this little adventure!"

"No," Lily said hotly. "Not excellent! In fact, this is the least excellent situation I have ever been - James! What are you doing?"

"Hush, Lils," James replied, continuing to saunter off down the corridor, gripping her hand firmly in his. "Filch might hear you," he leant in closer, "he has spies everywhere."

"What, really?" Lily asked, though the worry quickly seeped from her voice when she caught sight of the laughter dancing in James's brown eyes. "Not funny," she said.

"You never know," James shrugged. "All the time Filch has spent at Hogwarts. Surely he's made friends with at least one portrait."

"Doubtful," Lily replied, glancing back over her shoulder at the portrait of the Fat Lady (who was currently leaning against the frame with a wine glass in one hand and her eyes half closed) and drawing to a stop. "Look, James, this was a nice idea and everything but we should go back. I really have to revise for this Charms exam tomorrow-"

"Lily," James said, his voice earnest as he took her other hand, gazing into her beautiful green eyes. "You've been revising everyday for these exams since March - I should know, you've been making me do it too… Even if I did spend most of the time doodling - so there is no way that someone as hard-working and as intelligent as you could possibly fail. The best thing you can do now is relax."

Lily smiled down at the floor, her cheeks flushed red. "Thanks, James, but-"

"Students! Out of bed!"

The two span around, expressions akin to deer caught in the headlights, to see none other than Filch, lumbering down the corridor with his mangy cat at his heels, blocking off the only way back to the common room.

James didn't waste a second. "Run, Lily, run," he yelled, sprinting down the corridor away from Filch, their interconnected hands forcing her to follow. They rounded the first corner and James pulled them behind a large tapestry depicting one of the many goblin wars. It lead to a long, dark passageway stretching into the distance.

"Does Filch know about this one?" Lily gasped as James pulled her forwards, however, the sound of heavy footfall and the pad pad pad of paws on the ground answered her question for her.

"It appears so," James said, tightening his grip on her hand. "But that doesn't mean we can't lose him, come on, this way."

Together, they raced out of the passageway, down a narrow corridor, up a spiral staircase, through a false wall, past a suit of armour, along even more corridors. Finally, they drew to a stop, both gasping for breath and Filch nowhere to be seen.

"Merlin," Lily said, doubling over and clutching her side. "It feels as though I have eight-hundred stitches."

"At least we got rid of him," James panted, leaning up against the frame of one of the large, south-facing windows dotted down the corridor for support. "Though I suppose that means we'll have to do the exam tomorrow," he added, winking at her.

Rolling her eyes, Lily moved over to where James was stood once she'd caught her breath and peered through the glass. The lake spread out beneath them, its surface as cool and clear as ice, reflecting the glittering stars above. "Hogwarts is beautiful at night," she said softly.

James nodded, brushing a stray strand of red hair behind Lily's ear. "And yet only the troublemakers who sneak out get to witness it," he said, smiling. "One of the perks of being a troublemaker."

Lily laughed, the sound sparkling in the calm air. "Then I suppose this is one of the perks of dating a troublemaker."

"I suppose it is," James agreed, gazing down at her. Slowly, she lifted her head until their lips met and there they stayed for a moment, revealing in the fact that despite the pile of exams they had that week, despite them having to leave Hogwarts behind in less than a month, despite the war raging out in the wizarding world, they'd still managed to find their own moment where everything was perfect.