A/N Oops, sorry guys. Looks like I still haven't quite grasped the concept of updating. Ugh, how long has it been? I don't think I even want to know. I'm so sorry, especially to those of you who have to go reread the last chapter to remember what is going on! I am a horrible person, I know. So horrible, that there is no way I'm JK Rowling. And yes, that was my disclaimer because I haven't put one in for a while.

"I wish they'd hurry up and get together already," Lily sighed.

She and James were sitting on the couch that was closest to the fire. James' legs were propped up on the coffee table and Lily's were draped across James' lap. It was the first day of Christmas break and the whole gang was staying at school for the holidays. Well, the whole gang minus Peter.

"Who?" James asked, looking around the Common Room.

"Alice and Frank. She's fancied him since first year for Merlin's sake!" Lily pointed to the Portrait Hole where Frank and Alice were heading out to work on a project for potions.

"Ah," James nodded knowingly, "Maybe they just need a little help."

"I know you've got a plan James. Let's hear it."

"Well, we could lock them in a broom cupboard. That's a classic."

"No, you have got to have a better idea than that."

"Oh, I do." James assured, then he whispered the plan into Lily's ear.

"That just might work," Lily smirked. "But what if it backfires and we get stuck?"

"We'll have to wish for some food and take a nap." James shrugged.

"No joke about us passionately making out and getting together?" Lily asked teasingly, "I'm impressed, Mr. Potter."

"I'm giving you time, Miss Evans," James replied seriously, "No rushing of anyone or anything here. Friends is good."

"Thanks, James," Lily blushed slightly that he had let her know that he was waiting for her to be ready. She felt her stomach do a tiny little flip at the thought. Somehow, even after all she'd been through, she was wanting to try relationships again. Or, rather, she wanted to try a relationship with James, but just not quite yet.

"So, when should we put this plan into action?" James asked.

"Starting tonight," Lily replied, "I want them together by Christmas if at all possible."

"Why haven't they gotten together yet?"

"My guess is because Frank is shy and Alice isn't about to ask a guy out."

"You two look comfortable," Sirius winked as he and Marlene walked up.

James shrugged and Lily blushed again, both of which Sirius and Marlene noted. They shared a look and grinned, both thinking that James was playing down everything to keep Lily comfortable and that Lily was getting closer and closer to being ready to date him.

"So, what are you two over here plotting about?" Marlene asked, "You both have that look."

"What look?" said James. While Lily exclaimed, "Nothing!"

"Okay, now I'm really suspicious. What is it?"

"We're not plotting anything," Lily insisted.

"Come on. Sirius and I are two of your best friends," Marlene urged.

"You'll have to wait and see like everyone else," James announced, placing his hand over Lily's mouth to keep her from telling their plan.

Sirius and Marlene shared another look and walked away, Marlene shooting suspicious looks back at James and Lily as she went.

"I wasn't going to say anything!" Lily protested as she pulled James' hand off her mouth.

"Of course you weren't," James laughed, noticing Lily hadn't let go of his hand.

"I wasn't! I was going to say that they'd find out later."

"Okay, sorry, Lils."

"You should be," Lily pouted.

Sirius and Marlene watched from across the Common Room.

"Look at them, they are flirting like crazy!" Marlene exclaimed, "She's got her legs propped up on his and everything!"

"About time," Sirius replied, grinning for his friend, "Prongs has wanted this for years."

"She didn't let go of his hand. How long do you think it's going to be?"

"Are we starting a bet pool?" Sirius asked eagerly, "I'd say they won't be official until next year."

"You're on, thirty sickles they're together by the end of the year!" Marlene stuck out her hand, "Should we get the rest in on this bet?"

"Yeah, Remus is always up for making some money."

"So is Dorcas."

"Oh, look at that," Sirius pointed, "He's tickling her."

"I am so winning this bet."

"We'll see about that, my dear Miss McKinnon."

6TH Year: That Night

"Why are we going out tonight?" Alice asked Lily again.

"You'll see. It's a surprise," Lily replied.

She and Alice were getting ready to go out for an evening stroll or something. Alice wasn't exactly sure what was going on because Lily point blank refused to tell her.

"I'm not sure I like surprises," Alice sighed.

"You'll love this one, trust me," Lily grinned excitedly. "Now grab your jacket and let's go."

The two Gryffindor girls headed out into the school, Lily leading the way to the Room of Requirement.

"Oh! Alice, you go on in here. I've forgotten something for your surprise." Lily opened the door to the Room of Requirement and Alice walked inside.

Then Lily looked around and headed back down the hallway in the direction they had come from. James stepped out of a side hallway and caught her.

"I told Frank I needed to go and grab a book for the essay I was helping him with."

"Alice thinks I forgot something for her surprise."

"Do we need to shut them in there?" James asked.

"No, do you think it will work?"

"We said we wanted a room that would get them together, so I think it will work."

Lily nodded, "Where to then?"

"Let's go outside in the snow."

"I don't have my coat and it's dark."

James transfigured a couple spare pieces of parchment from his pocket into two coats, two hats, two scarves and two pairs of gloves. "There, now you'll be plenty warm."

"It's still dark," Lily protested halfheartedly.

"Not really, the moon was full a few days ago so it's still pretty bright. Come on, Lils. Let's go outside and play in the snow."

"Okay," Lily pulled on her coat, gloves, scarf and hat. James did the same. Then Lily took James' hand, lacing their fingers together. James looked at her questioningly and she blushed, smiling slightly. "You wanted to play in the snow. Let's go."

The happy pair hurried out into the snow, forgetting that Alice and Frank were probably getting together right at that moment.

"James, help me up so I don't mess up the snow angel." Lily called.

"I'm supposed to mess up my own snow angel so I can save yours?" James grumbled.

"Pretty much."

James stood up, trying but not succeeding to save his own snow angel as he did so. Then he took Lily's outstretched hand and pulled her up, leaving her snow angel perfect on the ground.

"Thanks," Lily grinned at her snow angel, "Good work, Mr. Potter."

"Why, thank you, Miss Evans," James replied, nodding gratefully, "I do try."

"Oooh, let's go ice skating!" Lily exclaimed, grabbing James' hand again and pulling him towards the lake.

"We don't have skates," James protested.

"You're a transfiguration genius!" Lily pointed out, "I doubt we'll have any difficulties."

"True." James made four snowballs and pulled out his wand, waving it and muttering under his breath. Then he handed Lily a pair of skates and they both pulled their pairs on.

"Give me your hand. I haven't skated for a while," Lily said as she stepped onto the ice.

"Lils, I really don't skate very well," James warned, giving her his hand anyway.

"You complain too much," Lily announced decidedly, pulling him out onto the ice and skating away.

After a couple of minutes, James had yet to fall down, so Lily was beginning to doubt that he really had difficulties skating.

"I'm letting go. I don't think you have problems skating at all," Lily announced.

"That's it. You caught me. I just like holding your hand."

Lily laughed and let go. James wobbled slightly and promptly fell over.

"Oof!" James exclaimed as he hit the ice, "See, I told you I didn't skate well."

"James, that hardly counts as not skating well. You've fallen once!"

"And it hurt. I'm not fond of skating, Lils."

"Aww, did the little bump bruise your ego?" Lily teased.

"If you must know, yes it did. The prettiest girl in the school just watched me fall on my arse. It would bruise anyone's ego."

Lily skated over to James and helped him up, "Okay, we'll stop skating then."

James scrambled up off the ice and grabbed Lily's hands in his. "You can skate backwards, right?"

"Yes James, I can skate backwards," Lily laughed, as she started doing so, pulling James along with her.

The pair got back to the edge of the lake and James immediately sat down and started pulling off his skates. Lily skated back onto the ice and did a couple tricks before plopping down beside him to remove her own skates.

"So, want to go in and get some hot chocolate?" James asked.

"Yeah, I'm cold."

James pulled his gloves off and pulled off one of Lily's gloves too, "You're not too cold."

"Now I am!" Lily exclaimed, pulling her hand back and quickly replacing her glove.

"It's not like you've gotten hypothermia or anything," James muttered.

"How do you know? Hmm? Maybe my fingers are turning purple and fixin to fall off right now!" Lily shot back.

"Fixin?" James shook his head, "Have you been watching the Muggle-American-picture-box-thingy again?"

Lily stuck her tongue out at him, grabbed her skates and started off. James watched her, laughing. One second she was there and the next second she was gone.

"Lily?" James asked, following her and stopping at the top of a huge snowdrift that Lily had fallen in.

"You want to help me out?" Lily called, "I'm a little stuck."

"I see that."

"You want to do something about that?"

"I dunno."

Lily fixed him with a glare.

"Relax Lils. I'm fixin to."

James took hold of Lily's hand and started to pull her out of the drift, but she tugged hard suddenly causing James to lose his balance and fall beside her into the monster drift.

"Ah!" James shouted as he landed with a thump in the thick snow.

"You scream like a girl," Lily dead panned.

"Sod off. You are a girl," James retorted.

"I'm glad you noticed."

"I noticed years ago but you know that."

Lily grinned. James shifted slightly and she realized just how close they really were. Her hand was still holding his, and she moved her hand so that their fingers were interlaced. James moved closer, but then stopped, letting Lily make the decision. Her eyes flickered closed and she moved slightly, her lips brushing James'. This was what James must have been waiting for, because he caught her lips with his and kissed her, almost lazily.

Lily felt something she had never felt before course through her veins. She wanted this kiss. But then, his tongue brushed her bottom lip and she panicked. Suddenly, it was as if she was being pinned against the wall by Adam again. Eyes flying open, she pushed James away and scrambled away.

"Lils, what's wrong?"

"I-I-I can't! I have to go!"

James sat in the snowdrift, knowing that it was better to let her go than to chase after her right now, but he cursed loudly all the same. Why did he have to make the mistake, simply kissing her was enough. He knew she would have to take it slowly, why had he pushed her? Like an idiot. Within a minute he had lost everything he had been working towards for months, and it was all his fault.

A/N Bummer, poor James. Ah well, obviously he'll get another shot and get her in the end... The exciting part is seeing exactly how it is that he does that. I shall try to update again soon, but as it is summertime I am making no promises. The reason I haven't updated was because I was working on my original stories recently. But I need a break from them, so its probably back to fanfiction where I belong!

Love From,

The Very Sincerly Sorry,
MotherCrumpet