CHAPTER TEN: PRETTY GOOD YEAR

Surprisingly enough, Sirius didn't get angry at all when he found out about James and Lily. In fact, he was quite happy for them.

"Oh well," he'd said, shrugging his shoulders, "At least one of us gets her."

"You really don't mind?" James had said, surprised by his friend's flippant reaction. "You're not rabidly jealous?"

"Jealous- of course I'm jealous. Have you seen her? She makes Britney Spears look like the rear end of a hemorrhoidic camel. She's only the hottest creature to grace the walls of Hogwarts EVER. OF course I'm jealous." Sirius shook his head. "But I don't mind." He'd rolled his eyes at James's concerned expression and patted him on the shoulder. "Look- between two people, James, there's often this thing called friendship. And when one friend is happy, the other is obliged to feel happy for him. I know it's hard concept but do try to wrap your mind around it."

James had grinned. "Okay, okay. Thanks. You stupid git."

"No problem, Prongs. Come on, let's go and throw these sprout flavoured beans at Peter."

"Gladly, Padfoot. By the way, who's Britney Spears?"

Remus, of course, was ecstatic, not only for James and Lily but also because he had finally worked up the guts to tell Evelyn the truth about his feelings, and she had admitted that she had often thought about him in a fond way more than friends. She announced to the rest of the school that she and Remus were an item by snogging him whenever they went out in public together.

"Oh, Evelyn," Ingrid chided her when she first found out, "You haven't ever liked Remus, don't be silly. You'll hurt his feelings."

"Oh, I've always liked Remus," Evelyn retorted dismissively.

"No you haven't! You told me he wasn't your type!"

"That shows how much you know," said Evelyn defensively. "I happen to think Remus has changed this year- he's much more my type now." She quickly changed the subject, "Well, it's obvious Lily's changed this year too- at least, changed her mind about a certain bespectacled young man,"

"Yes," agreed Ingrid, "Lily, how can you go out with James when you have convinced us for the past four years that you'd rather him dead?"

"You're just jealous because you haven't got a boyfriend," Evelyn had laughed.

"Actually," Ingrid said, blushing.

'What?!"

"Um…on the night of the dance Ivan Abbot came to talk to me. Apparently he's always thought I was…really gorgeous!" She had blushed while Lily and Evelyn exclaimed with delight.

The rest of the year passed quickly, and very happily, for Lily at least. Exams came and went and for the fifth year running both she and James secured the top marks in the class. This time though, they laughed about it rather than letting it add to the animosity. Too soon, the last day of school arrived and the students of Hogwarts once again boarded the Hogwarts express, ready to be returned to the respective homes for the summer. This time, the six Gryffindor students shared a compartment on the train voluntarily. Lily found it much more enjoyable to be on the good side of James, to laugh with him rather than at him or not at all. As it happened, Lily was dreading spending three months without him.

"I will fly over to you on my broomstick if I have to," James said in her ear when everyone else's attention was on Sirius, who was telling a joke.

"As long as it doesn't throw you off on the way," Lily said. James laughed and kissed her hand. The compartment door slid open and Ivan Abbot walked in.
"Hi everyone," he said. They all greeted him in return. 'Can I talk to you for a moment Ingrid?" he said. Ingrid blushed furiously as Evelyn sniggered. Remus gave her a gentle poke in the ribs to shut her up.

"Actually," said Evelyn, sliding off his lap, "you boys can all leave- Lily and I need to get changed."

James touched Lily gently on the arm, and was last out of the compartment. Lily smiled as she watched his back retreat.

"You really love him?" Evelyn said. Lily turned to her and nodded happily.

"I knew it," Evelyn said with a grin, 'I always knew you guys would end up together."

"You did, didn't you?" Lily said, smiling as she remembered Evelyn's words on the train trip at the start of the year-"Maybe he is your type, but you just don't know it." It seemed so long ago…

'I'm glad you're happy," Evelyn said, her elfin face wearing an unusually soft expression. "I don't think I've ever seen you or James so…content."

"I've never felt this content," Lily said, as she pulled her bag from under the seat and started looking for her clothes in it. "And you? Aren't you content?"

Evelyn grinned, "Remus is amazingly sweet. And he sure can kiss."

"Oh, god, I didn't want to hear that!"

Evelyn laughed maniacally, then shrieked as Lily threw her shoe at her.

The journey wore on. Lily got quieter as their destination drew nearer. Was she going to be able to handle this? Three months…without Hogwarts, without her friends, without James…

She stood up to go and look to the window, watching the trees and fields become sparse and houses grow in their amount and density. Ingrid was still with Ivan, somewhere on the train. Evelyn had gone to the bathroom, and had taken Remus with her (Lily didn't even want to think about it.) James said something softly to Sirius, and then she heard the compartment door open and close. James came up behind her and laid his head down on her shoulder, pressing his lips very briefly against her neck as his did so.

"Are you going to be all right?"

"As long as you're with me…I" Lily wanted to reply, but that didn't seem right. It was all coming to her in a rush…of course she was going to be okay. As long as she knew James loved her- and he did.

"Yes," she said. 'Yes, I'm going to be fine." She turned to James and took his hand in hers, stroking it gently. Then she leaned up and kissed him. He looked surprised, but pleased all the same.

"What was that for?" he laughed.

'For helping me long the way," she answered.

"Well, you know I always will, until I can't any more." James said, looking into her beautiful green eyes.

And it was true. James and Lily, as it turned out, would love each other until the moment they died.

But for now, Lily stayed safe in James' arms, and the reassurance that everything was going to be all right.

And, after all- it had been a pretty good year.

THE END

Author's note; Well, how did that digest? I think you may all have diabetes from the sweet, sweet sugary fluffiness. People have asked me to write more, so I have. Please read the sequel to this story- "Time of Your Life", and then review it. If anyone has any complaints or suggestions or the like then for the love of Hogwarts SAY SO, so that I can improve in whatever I'm failing at- and I know I'm failing at something.
Cheers,
Pixiepoop- the poopiest Pixie in the universe, including all the black holes, and Middle Earth.