The roaring fire in the Head's common room was comforting. I wrapped my arms around myself and snuggled into the couch cushions, relishing the extra warmth. Hogwarts could be so drafty during the winter months, despite the warming charms put on the castle.

I turned my head to observe the downpour of rain that was pounding on the window; I couldn't help shaking my head, giggling quietly. Poor James…well, he wanted to play Quidditch. I don't have to feel guilty because I'm all toasty and he's freezing his arse off.

I watched the fire turn and flicker and pop, vaguely aware of the homework I should be doing, the patrols that needed ordering and contemplating my new-found boyfriend. I was still laughing at James when I fell asleep.

"Lily…Lils," I heard a voice call. It was far-off and dreamlike. I murmured something in response - something nonsensical, I'm sure - and I heard the voice laugh. Something warm brushed my head and I felt the couch sag with additional weight. Slowly, I opened my eyes, blinking a few times; then I rolled onto my side, so that I staring up at James.

He smiled down at me, the smile of someone in blissful love - he wasn't wearing his robes. He had changed into jeans and a jumper; he looked handsome as always and I suddenly felt inadequate.

"Hello, love," he whispered to me.

"'Lo, James. How was Quidditch?" I asked, as I propped my head on his shoulder. Our fingers intertwined, as one of his arms stretched across my shoulders and we both relaxed into the cushions.

"Fine. Rainy. I bet you laughed at me, didn't you?"

"Course I did. You don't have to play Quidditch. Especially when it's pouring outside."

"Course I do, Lils. You know that." James's voice was scoffing as he told me this information, as if I was silly for suggesting anything contrary to Quidditch in the first place. I just smiled into his chest, practically purring as his hand ran through my red curls. How had I ignored this boy, no, this man for so long?

We sat quietly, just enjoying each other's presence. What with our Head's schedules and N.E.W.T classes and Quidditch practice and making time for our respective friends, we didn't see each other as often as we liked.

James was peppering the crown of my head with kisses now, which I rather adored. He was the first to break the silence. "I could do this the rest of my life, you know."

"What?"

"Sitting with you."

"Wouldn't it get awful boring, James? I know you, James Potter, - you'd get bored fast."

James sounded affronted. "What are you suggesting, Lily?"

"Just that sitting around all day with only me for company - you'd get bored."

James shifted beneath my head - I could tell he was preparing for a fight. I felt the rumble in his chest as he uttered the next words.

"What do you think we're going to do when we're married?"

I breathed in sharply and I felt James go stiff as a board as we realized what he'd said; words uttered in the heat of a battle, the avant-battle showdown, which as of late ended up with us snogging. I sat up and turned to look James in the eye.

His face was desperate and sad and a little hopeful, like he couldn't help it. I could feel him thinking overtime - he was worried he had scared me off after finally managing to get me to say yes. Well, a month of dating is a little soon to be proposing but honestly… this was James Potter.

If I was being honest, I felt like saying yes. YES, bloody hell, yes - let's get married right now! I was so scared he wouldn't want me; I was a Muggle-born, putting him and our friends in danger. His words were exactly what I needed to hear.

"Lils, I'm sorry…that was… Merlin, I'm sorry," James's face had turned red - which was amusing, considering I was generally the one blushing - and he was watching me warily, waiting for what he figured was the inevitable explosion. For once though, James had read me wrong - I wasn't angry… I was relieved.

I kissed him soundly on the lips…chaste and sweet but with feeling, so that even James couldn't misread what I was trying to convey.

"Why don't you try focusing on something a little more pressing?" I offered, making James chuckle. "Like homework or patrol schedules? We can figure out what we're going to be doing when we're married later."

James's eyes widened a bit at my last statement and a blissful smile sprang onto his face; the smile that made my knees weak and butterflies show up again and make me the horrendously girly person I sworn to never be.

"Alright then, we can do that," he said, before kissing me with passion I had yet to experience from James Potter. Made me wonder what else I was missing out on.

"Hand me that," James ordered and I complied, handing him the schedules before curling up on the couch and learning against him once again. James tucked his hand near my waist, brushing tenderly but still causing shivers to run up my spine.

"Now what's giving you trouble?"

"Well, Hufflepuff prefects are having a bit of a row, so I was wondering if we could pair them with Ravenclaw… cause we can't pair them with Slytherin…"

And that was how we spent the rest of our Saturday evening - talking about patrols and laughing and cuddled up together in front of a fire on a couch. And I was completely relieved and secure and happy with the knowledge that someday James Potter wanted me to take his last name.