Lily woke up first, deeming that the best night of rest she'd had in months, actually. Then she realized where she was. She looked around and took in the familiar book shelves lining the walls and the writing desk in the corner opposite the one she was in now. She then looked down just to make sure. Yup. pastel blankets and a fuzzy bean bag pillow. She had never gone up to her dormitory and neither had james. They had never done their rounds last night. They had slept together. Ah fuck. I mean, they hadn't done anything to be worried about but that didn't mean people wouldn't talk. James had been after her for seven years and then they disappeared together all night. Oh merlin, this was bad.

"James!" lily hissed, shaking james's shoulder "james!"

"What?" he woke up almost instantly "What is it?"

"We were here all night!" she hissed again, not sure why she was whispering, but she couldn't stop all the same. James sat up and looked around before taking his glasses off and putting his head in his hands. He groaned, running a hand through his hair, per his usual nervous habit.

"We forgot our head duties." he mumbled into his hand

"Fuck that, james, do you know what people must be talking about right now? The two of us disappeared last night together and haven't been seen since. I don't know if that means anything to you but the rest of the world is probably going to draw certain conclusions. Oh, merlin, it was after you guys won the quidditch match too. Great. Just great."

"Who cares?" he rubbed his eyes and put his glasses back on, blinking a few times.

"Who cares?" she couldn't believe him. lily stood up and began pacing "i care. I mean, what would you do if people were spreading lies like that about you around the school? I mean, i guess we're about to find out."

"Lily, love, people have been spreading lies like that about me around the school. For years, actually."

"Lies?" lily stopped pacing "you mean you never…" i trailed off, not sure how to finish the rest of the question. Well this was an awkward situation she had just gotten herself into.

"No." he shook his head "never."

"Then where did all that come from?"

"Happened after i broke up with janice Maloby over the summer in fourth year. You see… i broke up with her by owl and she wasn't very happy about it. Before i knew it when i got back to school that year everyone had either come up with the theory, or janice had told them that we broke up because i cheated on her. A lot. They were… very graphic when they talked about it."

"Where was i when all this happened?" i mused, putting my hand to my head and becoming suddenly aware that my hair must be a state. I tried to inconspicuously calm it with my fingers. I couldn't see it but i was sure it wasn't working.

"Probably off somewhere with your nose in a book."

"Okay, let's forget about that for a moment, you broke up with her by owl?"

"Okay, okay, not my brightest moment but you remember me at fifteen-" lily snorted. Loudly. "what's that supposed to mean?" lily simply stared at him with one eyebrow raised "okay fine. I was not the greatest at fifteen and that break up was certainly not the best thing i've ever done." she was silent for a minute after he said this. then

"James," lily looked at him "promise you'll never break up with me by owl." she tried to say it lightly, but she was so serious, and she knew he could tell.

"Lily," james stood up and walked over to her "i'll do you one better. If we break up, i promise i won't be the one to end it."

"You're ready to promise that?" lily was a bit thrown off by his sudden commitment to her

"I've been ready to promise that for years, lils, i just know you haven't been ready to hear it."

"How do you know i'm ready now?" she was genuinely curious

"I don't," james gave a nervous chuckle and ran his hand through his hair again "i was just hoping you wouldn't get all scared and run off. It took so long for… for this to happen and i don't want to say anything to lose you." he was looking down at his shoes that were still on his feet from last night and lily almost laughed at how nervous he was.

"James potter, i am a gryffindor. It takes a little more than that to scare me. So how about i level the playing field." he was still staring down at his shoes, but she knew he was listening "if we break up, i promise i won't be the one to end it either." it took a minute but james slowly looked up. His face broke into a grin he looked as if he was trying to suppress but couldn't

"You know what that means, don't you?" he asked

"Tell me." lily prompted, feeling a playful smile creep its way onto her own face.

"It means if neither of us is never going to end it…" he rose his hands in the air next to his face "we can't ever break up." he wiggled his fingers, doing jazz hands. Lily laughed.

"No." she clarified "it means sirius will be the one to break us up." she watched as he slowly lowered his jazz hands.

"Bloody hell. That prick, he'd better not."