A/N: Be nice, please R&R

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing (except my GCSE results! which I was very happy with! )

So again a massive and sincere apology from me.

But it is finally here, so please enjoy and review.

Even though I don't deserve it :(

Chapter 25

This has never been the objective

'Now, Mr Black you will be serving your detention with Professor Slughorn.' She says, while we are all standing in front of her desk

Sirius moans, 'Really Minnie!'

'Yes, Mr Black.' She replies bluntly, 'Professor Slughorn was very accommodating and has graciously allowed you to do his ironing.'

'His What?'

'His Ironing, am I to believe that you are not aware of this phenomenon?'

'Well yes. But don't the house elves do that?'

'Yes. But they have been very cooperative as well, allowing you to do his.'

Sirius just looks dumbstruck; I bite my tongue really hard to stop a laugh from erupting.

'You may go now; I trust you know where his rooms are?'

Sirius mumbles, 'What about them?'

'What they do is none of your concern.' She just looks at him, as he slinks away. 'Ohh and Mr Black.'

He turns when he's at the door

'I do believe that Professor Slughorn likes his underwear ironed.'

Sirius' eyes go large and he visibly shakes. Sometimes McGonagall really surprises me.

'Now you two.' She turns to us.

'Yes.' James answers rather chipper – hey that makes me sound like I'm bloody Darrell Rivers not cool

'I am glad that you find detention such a happy occasion.' McGonagall says back

'It keeps the little grey cells working.' He replies.

I can't help but turn my head to look at him; he catches my eye and says, 'I picked up one of your books.'

'It obviously went it.'

'Of course it did Miss Evans.' He replies in an awful French accent.

'He's Belgium.'

We are brought out of our conversation by McGonagall coughing loudly, 'If you two are quite finished discussing the characteristics of a fictional character. Perhaps you would honour me with the time to informing you of your detention destination'

'Shoot.'

'Hagrid's.' She says, looking back down at her desk and going to pick up a piece of paper.

'Hagrid's Professor?' James asks hesitantly

She looks up and peers at him, 'Yes. That isn't a problem is it James?'

'No, no, not at all.' With that he grabs my hand and pulls me straight out of her office.

* * *

'Hagrid,' James looks down in disgust, 'really.'

He nods and hands us each a shovel.

'But Hagrid you like us.' James complains looking up at him

'McGonagall's orders.' He says obviously not happy about giving us this wonderful job as punishment.

'It's okay Hagrid.' I say affectionately patting his forearm, 'It's a nice night for it.' This is met with Hagrid's unhappy smile and James' look of horror.

Hagrid's nods and slouches back to his hut.

'Really, it's a nice night for it?' James turns to me

'It could be worse, could be raining.'

He nods and we both look down to the ground

'James?' I say hesitantly.

'Uh huh.'

I turn and with a look of discussed on my face say, 'It's shit James.'

He nods and puts his arm around me, 'I know Lily, I know.' As we both look down to the ground.

* * *

2 hours later we're sat on the ground, leaning against a tree with the shovels laying on the grass near us.

'James' I say quietly.

'Yeah?' he turns and replies.

I pause slightly and lean back against the tree, 'Do you ever think about the future?'

'The future?'

'Yeah. Life in the big bad world after all this is finished with.' I point to Hogwarts while I speak

'Of course.' He says quietly. We're both silent for a time, just looking out onto the dark expansive grounds that encompass us. 'Everything seems to be in fast-forwarded though.'

I turn my head to look at him, 'What do you mean?'

'The future, it's just uncertain. I know it always has been but now it is more so. So I suppose.' He takes an intake of breath at this, 'If Voldemort didn't exist. I suppose I would say that I'd leave school get a flat with the guys, train to be an auror, fall in love, get married, have 2.3 kids and wave them off at Kings Cross. Now, now I don't know.'

I'm shocked, like properly shocked, ' Really?'

'Really what?'

'Marriage, children, a back garden with a veg patch and a green front door.'

He looks at me, 'Yeah, except a red door.'

He smiles and we both laugh slightly.

'How about you Miss Evans, the big plan?'

'What if I don't get killed?' I say dryly but it is met by James' despairing look. 'Yeah, fall in love, children, and roast dinners on Sundays.'

He stares at me puzzled slightly, 'No marriage.'

I turn and laugh slightly, 'Why do people think I'm that conventional?'

'No it's not that. Why?'

'I suppose I never thought it necessary. It's never been the be all and end all for me. I've never dreamed of my dream wedding or a big white wedding. I suppose it's never been that major for me.'

He just looks at me, 'And now?'

'Now.' I look out into the darkness. The moon is half hidden behind clouds but you can still see stars. On of things I like about it here. You can see more stars when it's cloudy than you can ever see back home. 'Now I'm just hoping we survive till tomorrow.'

Neither of us speaks for a moment, until James pulls his arm up, wraps it around me and pulls me into him.

So here we are, wrapped up in each other, leaning against a tree and each other. Looking out onto the dark grounds. I'm not meant to feel safe here; this isn't meant to be warm and secure. But it is.

'This has got to be the best detention ever.' James whispers down at me.

I tilt my head to look at him, he has a tiny smile and then I get it.

I don't know what I'm going to do after Hogwarts because of bloody Voldemort. I could die this very moment. A death eater could walk though that forest and kill me before I even know what's happened. So why shouldn't I. Why shouldn't I, because at the moment I can. And that's really all that matters.

I pull away slightly from him, he turns and looks at me in puzzlement, I smile slightly and kiss him. It's not a fantastic, heavens opened, perfect kiss. But it's ours. It's the first one and it took 7 years to get that one imperfect - we're not sure where we stand - kiss. It's not the stuff of fairy tales. But I always thought they were over rated anyway.

'What was that?' He asks running a hand though his hair, after we have separated

'I thought there were death eaters in the forest.' I tell him, smiling

He shakes is head slightly and pulls me back into him.

A/N

It's been a while so hope it was adequate. Not the best ever chapter but It had to be done, the next two are better (I think) I also think it's one of the shortest.

Only a few more chapters to go.

Another sorry for not updating.

Darrell Rivers is the main character in Malory Towers by Enid Blyton if you didn't know.

Little grey cells and Belgium? – You seriously didn't work it out, shameful. Actually I don't like the style the books are written in. But David Suchet is great.

Now this is your part – see that big button there, that's it the green one, go on press it, you know you want to.

Ken

XD

P.S

The next 3 chapters plus the ending are all written. I just need to type them up. (I wrote them while on holiday and didn't have a computer – I was very sad)