This is the last installment, because now that they're together, its mushy and terrible and I hate it. I like it when they hate each other, yet I want them to be together too, but see that doesn't work. So. Here it is. The LAST chapter of the fic.




James and Lily stood up as fast as they could.

"Sirius---"

"What is going on?" Sirius asked, cutting Lily and James off.

"Nothing." they both said.

"Thats obviously a lie, because you were both sitting there next to each other, getting along." Sirius said, hurt and angry at the same time.

"Sirius! Lily and I...over break...we got to liking each other I guess--"

"NO James, not with Lily. I'm not gonna let you walk all over her. She's not gonna be your flavor of the week, got it?" Sirius asked, almost shouting.

Lily glared at Sirius, so mad she couldn't talk, and she fled down to her dorm.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?! Its none of your business!" James yelled, watching Lily go in dismay.

"Yes it is. When one of my best friends is involved, its my business." Sirius said, glaring at James.

"You don't even know whats going on! I can't believe you!" James shouted, before turning on his heel and running after Lily.

He caught up with her quickly, as she was just walking.

"WHAT do you WANT?" she asked angrily, teeth clenched.

"He doesn't know what the hell he's talking about Lil. Trust me ok? Its not like that." he said softly.

"I trust you." she said softly.

"Everyone will know by morning. Stick it out and ignore them ok?" he said nervously.

"Only if you're with me." she said, wringing her hands together.

The next morning, Lily walked out of her dorm to stares of disbelief and amusement. Several people yelled "I KNEW YOU'D GET TOGETHER!"

Lily shook her head in disgust.

She pulled her burgundy robes closer around her body and waited at the boy's dormitory stairs for James to come down.

He came down looking very calm, almost bouncy even.

Lily could tell it was an act, though no one else could.

He hurried over to her and kissed her quickly.

Several people whistled and hollered.

"What's your problem? Never seen anyone kiss before?" James asked, smiling crookedly.

Lily put her hand in his, and they walked down to the Great Hall, content, happy even, that they could do so without people freaking out. Though some people still did...

They sat down next to each other at the table, across from a silent Sirius, and a very very very curious Kathryn.

"So when did you two get to be friends? When did you start going out? Why didn't you tell me? What is going on?" Kathryn asked hurriedly.

"Ummm we got to be friends when you guys were on break. I dunno if we're even going out. I didn't tell you because I KNEW you'd tell Ella and Ella would be pissed...which is why she is not sitting with us right now. I don't even know whats going on, so don't ask me." Lily replied patiently, digging into her breakfast.

"Thats so cool!" Kathryn exclaimed breathlessly.

"You're not mad that I didn't tell you?" Lily asked curiously.

"No! Of course not! You would have told me when you were ready. Sirius is kind of peeved aren't you Si? But he'll be ok. I know he won't mess with you Lil because he'd have to face Remus, Sirius, AND me." Kathryn said, almost bubbling over with excitement.

"Kathryn you're the coolest!" Lily exclaimed, hugging her friend while Sirius rolled his eyes but couldn't help himself from grinning.

"Sirius. I bet you $50 galleons that I really mean it this time." James said, holding out his hand.

Sirius took his hand and shook it, going back to normal at once.

Lily and Kathryn bent their heads close together.

"Have you kissed?" Kathryn asked excitedly.

"Yeah, besides this morning you mean? Yeah. " Lily whispered back.

"Is he a good kisser?" she asked, giggling quietly.

"Yeah. Not at all like I thought he would be though." Lily replied, starting to giggle herself.

"Has he asked you to the Valentine's Day dance yet?" Kathryn asked, taking note that today was January 25th and the dance was on February 14th.

"No not yet. I don't even know if he will. Everyone has been looking at us weird, so he might not just so he can avoid being stared at even more." Lily replied solemnly.

"Ella was so peeved she actually started CRYING this morning. I couldn't believe it! She hardly ever cries!" Kathryn exclaimed in a loud whisper, brushing her chocolate brown hair out of her dark eyes.

"I feel terrible." Lily said sadly, mentally kicking herself.

"Don't feel terrible. She never would have gotten him anyway! He doesn't even like her as a FRIEND, much less as a girlfriend." Kathryn replied reassuringly.

"True. But I still feel bad. But hey, at least I got her off my back for a while about not having a boyfriend. She thought I was stupid for waiting for the right guy. What a ditz." Lily whispered quietly.

"No kidding. I'm embarassed that I am related to her! All she cares about is looks and boys and she talks like a total valley girl." Kathryn replied, turning back to her food and talking in her regular voice.

"Has Sirius asked you to the dance yet?" Lily asked Kathryn loud enough that Sirius could hear.

"No. I wonder who I should say yes to. I've gotten asked by a lot of people." Kathryn said, playing along.

"Oh me too. Davies, Richards, Pettigrew *shudder*, Snape *shudder* and get this, Lucius Malfoy! I'm thinking either Davies or Richards, what do you think?" Lily asked, grinning devilishly.

"Hmm Davies definitely. He's so cute! Have you seen his Quidditch muscles?!" Kathryn asked excitedly.

"OK OK OK Kathryn you're going with me." Sirius said, breaking in with an odd look on his face.

"Well, if you insist." Kathryn replied, grinning.

"Seriously Davies though? Richards has nice muscles too, AND he's nice." Lily said, refraining herself from looking at James.

"Really? I don't know him that well. What's he like?" Kathryn asked, a mischievious twinkle in her eye.

"Oh, well, he's hot, obviously, and he is so sweet and funny and cool and popular and *sigh* the smile. The smile gets me every time he looks at me. My knees turn to jelly and--"

"ALRIGHT! ENOUGH! Lily, you're coming with me no questions asked." James said, interupting them with a panicked look on his face.

"Alright then." Lily replied, glancing at him quickly before turning back to her friend and giggling like mad.

"Oh that Potter..." Kathryn started.

"He's got some nice muscles himself doesn't he?" Lily put in, knowing that James was listening intently.

"On a scale of one to ten what would you give him?" Kathryn asked.

Lily turned around and eyed James critically.

"Hmm I'd give him a 9.5. He would have gotten a ten, but the hair..." she said, grinning.

Kathryn laughed and James made a face, but his eyes twinkled merrily.

"Come on Kath, we've got double Potions to get ready for." Lily said, gesturing out of the Great Hall.

Kathryn stood up and followed her friend up to their dorms to finish getting ready.

Lily combed her long blonde hair into a messy bun at the back of her head, and soon she was ready to head to classes.

Kathryn and Lily sat right down next to each other in Potions, as usual...but since Ella was pissed off at Lily at the moment, the spot to Lily's left was open.

James plopped down next to her, Sirius next to him, and Remus at the end.

"Hey bug, whats up?" James asked, calling her by the nickname he had used on her since their 1st year.

"Not much. Did you study for the Semester final in here?" Lily asked, pulling at the hem of her burgundy robes.

"Nope. I'll flunk but thats ok." James replied casually.

Lily snorted with laughter.

"You? Flunk? Yeah right. You NEVER turn in homework, yet you get the second highest marks. I have the highest of course." she said proudly, rubbing it in gleefully.

"Ah shut up. But see, you CARE about your grades...I don't. " James replied carelessly.

Lily rolled her eyes.

"Lily, Silvernoggle looks pissed. Do you think she found our little surprise?" Kathryn whispered, giggling like mad.

Lily's eyes lit up.

"Possibly...oh wow this'll be great." Lily said, giggling too.

"HEY, PROFESSOR! Come here for a sec!" Kathryn shouted, waving the teacher over.

Silvernoggle walked over and frowned at them.

"How are you this fine morning?" Lily asked, hiding a grin.

" inefe' owhe' reae' ouye'?" she asked, horrified at what came out od her mouth.

"Oh my. Is that, is that Pig Latin you're speaking?" Kathryn asked seriously, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Ie' elievebe' tie' sie' " Silvernoggle said angrily.

Kathryn and Lily burst out in giggles, and soon they had the whole class roaring with laughter.

Pleased with themselves, Kathryn and Lily turned Silvernoggle back to normal silently, so that the teacher did not know who had done it.

Over the next three weeks, Kathryn and Lily established themselves as the best team of pranksters to ever reach Hogwarts...aside from the Marauders.

Over the next weeks also, James and Lily had a falling out. Lily couldn't take the stares or the whispers anymore, so she had suggested they end it, even though inside she was tearing herself up.

James had grown angry because inside he was hurting, and he had said some things that she could not forgive him for. At least not now. Not yet.

All too soon, the Valentine's Day Dance came. Lily was still going with James, but this was to be their last "date" together, and Lily was not looking forward to it at all.

Lily and Kathryn were in their bathroom holding up different dress robes to themselves to see which color would go best.

"I think I am going to do Magenta today...since its a shade of pink for Valentine's day." Lily said, eyes narrowed in concentration as she held up the silk robes to herself.

"With your normal red hair, that would look awful." Ella commented, still pouting about James.

"I know it would have. But I'm not a redhead am I?" Lily sniped back.

Ella frowned.

Lily slipped into her magenta robes and pulled on her strappy, chunky heeled, magenta shoes to go with it. Her nails were coated with some pink glitter nailpolish, and her blonde hair was piled elegantly on top of her head.

Kathryn had settled for some nice red dress robes, that brought out her highlights nicely. She had matching shoes, and she had left her hair down.

There was a knock on their bedroom door and Lily muttered a swear word under her breath as she hurriedly applied lip gloss and some shimmery eye powder.

She checked herself in the mirror one last time, slipped the lipgloss into her handbag, checked to make sure she had everything, then hurried out to meet the guys.

James' face lit up when he saw her, but a sad look replaced it, and he held out his arm like a gentleman.

"I have the most beautiful date at the dance tonight." he whispered in her ear.

Lily just said hello, much as an aquaintance would, before accepting his arm and walking slowly after Sirius and Kathryn.

"Just so you know, in case you've forgotten, I am a terrible dancer." James said, in a weak attempt at humor as they entered the Great Hall, which was already full of dancing couples.

"I haven't forgotten." she replied rather coldly.

James ignored the comment asked her to dance and she accepted.

The first song went by slowly, so slowly that Lily was ready to just leave. She wasn't having a good time, and she was afraid to look at James because looking at him would make her cry.

"Lily...I'm sorry ok?!" James said exasperatedly for the hundredth time.

"Is it your main goal to make me cry at every dance we go to together?" Lily asked, a tear spilling over onto her cheek.

"Of course not. Look, I didn't mean what I said. I'm sorry. I really am." James said sincerely.

Lily looked up, not caring who heard or who saw that she was crying.

"You don't get it. I can't just say "oh thats ok, forget about it" because i CAN'T forget about it and I WON'T. Just...just leave me alone ok? I shouldn't have let Kathryn talk me into coming here. I'm not having a good time at all and I just want out." Lily said brusquely, picking up the hem of her skirt and hurrying out of the hall.

Kathryn saw her best friend running out and she took off at a sprint after her.

"LILY!!! Lily you can't let everyone else get to you. You can't. It'll ruin what you and James have and you know it." Kathryn said breathlessly when she had caught up to Lily.

"Oh Kathryn, you don't understand." Lily wailed.

"NO I don't. I don't understand why you're throwing this away. Come on, I have something to do." kathryn said, grabbing her friends hand and hurrying back to the Great Hall.

She hurried up to the band, grabbed one of the mics from the singers and shut off the backround music.

"Ok. Ok. Listen up." she said impatiently.

Everyone looked up, startled.

"You're all pathetic. Thats what I think of all of you. Pathetic losers who can't accept change without whispering and sneering at it. I just wanted to let you all know, that because of your bloody sneering and whispering, you've ruined one of the most special things in my best friends life...her relationship with her boyfriend. I hope that all of you are happy now, and I only wish you could BEGIN to comprehend how disgusted I am with all of you." she said angrily, before throwing the microphone onto the floor and stalking off.

Everyone sat in stunned silence for a moment, before they started to shuffle around guiltily and stare at their feet.

Lily saw James hurry out of Hogwarts...into the pouring rain and darkness.

Once again, she fled the Great Hall, but this time because she wanted to find James, not run away from him.

"James! JAMES!!!" Lily shouted into the darkness, before seeing a glint of silver that she knew were his glasses heading towards the lake.

"James PLEASE!!!! PLEASE WAIT!!!" she yelled, crying and yelling at the same time, and sounding so pathetic and wounded that James slowed down, wanting to go back to her.

"James!!! Please, just hear me out!" she shouted across the green, still running up to his now still form.

"What?" he asked angrily...or what he thought was angrily.

"I'm sorry." she said softly.

Standing there, soaking wet, James thought she had never looked more beautiful.

He took her in his arms and held her tightly, kissing her head.

She was shaking from the cold, but she didn't care, James pulled her towards him, and suddenly she was warm, the only feeling was the feel of his lips on hers.

And suddenly she knew. This was where she belonged.