In short, Lily was freaking the fuck out.

The rest of the morning and afternoon went smoothly, attending all of her classes and taking every opportunity to tease Remus about his exploits with the infamous Sirius Black.

She hadn't even caught a glimpse of James all day, not even during lunch. She tried to convince herself that she wasn't disappointed, really, she didn't care.

Her downfall came later that evening, when upon inspecting the prefects schedule, (which was still being colour-coded and organised by James himself.) She found that she was paired with James, filling her gut with a similar anxiety, she felt foolish as She had totally forgotten about rounds.

The panic set in and she fled to her bedroom, pacing around feverishly to come up with every excuse under the sun not to go.

"sorry Lily can't make rounds because a random case of dragon pox has caused her to die, R.I.P she will be missed"

"Lily will be unavailable due to her actually exploding in potions today - Slughorn as her witness"

"Rounds? oh, lily can't attend, shes pregnant! oh yeah she's the next virgin Mary"

Lily groaned and flopped on her bed, thinking about how she didn't actually mind spending time with him, and something inside of her was actually excited about seeing him.

She couldn't deny the feelings that would erupt inside of her every time that idiot flashed that infuriatingly charming smile, she had to constantly remind herself that the smile was attached to the knobhead that's James Potter.

She thought about it for a second. He wasn't a total knob anymore, was he? I mean would a total douche still wear snitch patterned pyjama bottoms?

Lily was snapped out of her brooding by two sharp knocks at the door, only irritating her further as she got up to answer the door.

"Remus, I'm in the middle of a extensional crisis, could you reschedule your appointment with my manager?" Lily spouted while opening her door, still half wrapped up in her thoughts.

However, upon opening the door, she noticed the lack of a 6'3 clammy werewolf, instead there was the 6'0 athletic frame of James Potter.

"James! Oh shit, I'm am sorry I thought you were-"

"Your manager?" James quipped, running a hand through his hair, and flashing her that infuriating grin.

"Speaking of, did you speak to her before daring to knock at my door, it's appointments only" Lily grinned, leaning on her door frame.

"Of course! however... Bertha informed me you were a saddo with no appointments, therefore free to patrol the hallowed halls of Hogwarts with a charming lad"

"Ohhhh okay... so do you know when the charming lad will get here?"

James burst out laughing, tutting and strutting into Lily's room.

"Love what you've done with the place Evans"

"done what? chucked all my dirty laundry about?" James rolled his eyes and flopped down on her bed, almost like he was testing it.

"Up to your standards Mr pureblood Potter?"

"Hmm... could do with a new mattress but overall not shabby!" James laughed, mimicking an absurd over the top version of his accent.

Going against all of her better judgment, Lily laughed along and jumped next to him, lying down and shimming around as if she were testing it.

"In my humble opinion, there might be room for improvement.."

James looked over and grinned unabashedly

"Oh so you sleep in a lot of beds do you Evans?"

"Jealous Potter?"

James leaned slightly forward, his chocolate eyes meeting green, causing Lily's stomach to perform somersaults.

"Very"

He glanced down at her lips, and her mind was racing. She was sure he was gonna kiss her again, did she want him to?

Yes. the answer was yes, but there was that itch in the back of Lily's mind, where she thought of the old James, James that hexed every Slytherin, the James who bullied Snape relentlessly.

He closed his eyes and leaned towards her, where she promptly panicked, clearing her throat loudly.

"Um, we've got rounds!, can't skip em... what an example we'll be showing if the head girl and boy start skivving!"

Lily, who was up and off the bed, was now racing around - putting on her cloak and standing at the door.

"Come on Potter, We don't wanna miss the daily separation of horny students in broom closets!"

"Evans?"

Lily turned around, her heart racing as she was met with James, who was sat up and sporting a smug grin.

"Potter?"

"Are you planning on doing patrols with just your socks on?"

Lily blushed and ran over to grab her shoes, slipping them on awkwardly as James threw her a shit-eating grin.

The first twenty minutes that ensued were as predicted, incredibly and unbearably awkward.

The pair were more or less silent, with the only noise being the squeaking of James's shoes and Lily clearing her throat every few minutes.

The patrol was proving to be extremely uneventful, with Lily even deliberately checking some nooks and crannies that were infamous for having people shagging in them - just for some form of entertainment.

The two made their way up to the astronomy tower, again, finding a barren wasteland with not even a single couple attempting to fondle each other underneath the moonlight.

Lily sighed, sitting down on the ledge and bringing her knees up to her chest. James was quick to join her. Sitting across from her, cross-legged and eyes wide as he tried to make any form of eye contact with the girl.

Lily felt his stare but remained coy about it. Instead, choosing to focus her gaze on the moon, it thankfully not close to being full.

"If I could, I would punch that motherfucker" Lily said, her gaze fixated on the slither of the moon that was staring back at her.

"She doesn't mean any harm, its not her fault she hurts Remus." James tore his eyes to admire the moon.

Lily failed to contain the soft smile that burst onto her face, she looked at the boy across from her. The tenderness of his voice not being something she was used to.

"The moon is beautiful, isn't it?" she said, staring at the boys face, waiting for a reaction.

James met her stare and he looked almost desperate as he calculated the words he wanted to say.

"I'm sorry I kissed you" He blurted out, making her chest instantly become lighter. There it was. The big fat elephant in the room - out of its cage.

But he was sorry? he was sorry for kissing her? did he regret it? Did he not want to do it? What if he never wanted to do it again?

"Sorry?" Lily said, furrowing her brows. "you're sorry?"

James blinked and ran his fingers through his hair, scratching his neck before looking back up.

"I- I mean I'm certainly not sorry that it happened but I don't know, but you just... ran away?" He laughed, and Lily swore she could hear his racing heart.

Lily outwardly cringed, burying her head in her knees as she groaned.

"I did, didn't I"

James awkwardly chuckled, he was fidgeting with his robes and shifting. He reminded Lily of an hyperactive kid, his eager to please radiating off of him.

"Well if you wanna just forget about it... that's fine with me"

Lily stared at him, he wanted to forget? Lily felt like a fool. Of course, he did, maybe he really likes Mary after all.

"If that's what you want..." Lily shrugged, trying to act as if he wasn't stomping all over her heart.

James made a non-committal noise, only confusing Lily further. She felt the familiar anger bubble inside of her and she stood up, startling the boy slightly.

"What do you want James? because the last time I checked I'm not a fucking legilimens!" She snapped, living up to her red hair.

James didn't move, he just stared up at her. Frozen. Like a deer in the headlights.

Lily also froze, looking down at him, telling him, no begging him, with her eyes. So he could say anything. anything.

"Potter?"

James visibly gulped, standing up to face her, towering over her small 5"3 frames.

"Evans, all I've ever wanted to do was kiss you"

The softness and sincerity in his eyes almost made Lily melt, She finally realised that it just felt so right with James. He just made sense. they just made sense.

He was a stag and she was a doe.

"But if you wanna forget that it happened, then it's done - my lips are sealed. But I cannot promise that my love for you will be gone."

love?

Did he love her?

"Love?" Lily choked out, feeling his rough palm caress her cheek, cupping it gently as that familiar James potter smile flashed back at her.

"Yes, love. I've always loved you"

"Even when I had braces?" Lily laughed, leaning into his touch.

James chuckled and nodding, remembering when she came back for their second year, wearing Muggle braces with her parents insisting that she straighten her teeth the "natural way"

"Especially when you had braces"

Lily teared up, laughing slightly

"Weirdo, do you have a braces fetish or something?"

James rolled his eyes, still holding her face gently "What? and you don't?"

He raised a quizzical brow at the girl, and she laughed again, Of course the two of them still found a way of being utterly ridiculous when confessing their love for one another.

"Well your in luck Potter, cause I love you right back"

James burst out into a grin, practically steaming from the ears.

"That's convenient isn't it?"

Rolling her eyes, Lily wrapped her arms against his neck and brought their lips together, kissing him sweetly.

It was nothing like the fiery mess that was their first kiss, this time it was slow and steady, with James holding her face and showing her just how much he loved her.

And she loved him right back, from the tip of his messy hair to the bottom of the idiotic trainers he wore for quidditch.

She loved James Potter, and he loved her right back.