The finale moment. Thank you so much to any one who has read so far and even more to those that have checked in every once in a while to see if I had finally finished. I was away for a while and haven't been very diligent with my writing. But I hate leaving things unfinished so here I am, finishing. This little story has been a lot of fun.

- E.

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Seven Years. Seven Moments.

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Year Seven

Moment Seven

Part 2

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She pressed her middle and index fingers lightly to her bottom lip, touching the phantom feeling of his lips upon hers, trying to gauge if it had actually happened or was all in her head. By the look on James' face it most certainly had. Though he didn't look too thrilled with the memory either. Or, was it concern?

Lily had only just begun to understand the more nuanced looks of one James Potter. For so long she knew when he was happy, sad, looking for a fight, or up to no good. It had been a mathematical equation she had figured out by the end of their second year. But it wasn't until this year, when they had become friends, that she saw all the underlying layers of emotion. He was more than just the cocky kid she had had a roller-coaster relationship with, he was complex, thoughtful and really really funny. She hadn't ever realized actually how funny he was until she allowed herself to stop hating him.

And he was loyal. This year she had spent time with not only just James but with all of his friends, and she had never seen anything like it. They were what she imagined soul mates looked like. They were brothers, knew each other like she had never known anyone. And even without her knowing he had considered her a friend for so much longer than she had him.

It wasn't until the end of last year that she had found out that he had been the reason that the completely foul and untrue rumors about her and that git Johnny Barrett had stopped so quickly during fifth year, or that he had stopped seeing Janice Trully after only two dates when she said some nasty things about her last year, even when they hadn't been speaking.

He was her friend. They all were. And she was happy about that fact, whether or not Severus approved. He had his reasons, but people changed, people grew up. She had. So why wouldn't she give James a chance?

And that's all they were, friends. Right? She had decided to become his friend at the beginning of the term, after the horrible radio silence between them last year. Ignoring each other didn't feel right. And when Lily thought something wasn't right she ardently tried to fix it.

But was this right?

Lily tried to breath evenly as she stared up into the beautiful hazel eyes hidden behind James' irresistible wire rimmed glasses. His hair, as always, was an unkempt mess. He was the same boy he had always been. But that wasn't true. He was so different. And now was not the time to lie to herself.

The moment between them, after their kiss, sat heavy in the air. She was wasting time. She could feel his energy change as he mumbled a few words and turned to walk away. Her heart leapt into her throat.

Wait.

The word rung in her head like church bells. He couldn't leave her like this. He couldn't leave her.

They had been on this ride together. And now, after seven years and countless moments between them she knew that she wasn't ready to get off. She might never be ready.

She wanted to speak, but the word, the only word she could think of - wait - refused to move past her lips. He was getting away.

Her body seemed to have contracted the same disease as her mouth and refused to move while the rush of nerves pulsed from the top of head through to every fingertip. But finally, one foot moved, then the next, and finally her body was her own again. She ran after him. And within a paces she had caught up. She placed a hand on his shoulder and pressed down.

"Wait. Please," she said.

He stilled. Slowly turned.

"I'm sorry, Lily," he said with more raw emotion than she had ever heard him say anything. "I don't know what I was thinking."

She swallowed hard and gathered her courage.

"I do."

She pushed up onto her toes and kissed him once more.