He sat by the fire, with his books open in front of him as he ran his hand through his dark, untidy hair in frustration. He had no idea that she was watching him.

She had been sitting in the Common Room with him for a long time; but he, consumed in trying to finish his homework after coming back from one of the many detentions he had this year, had not noticed her.

They had been dating since the beginning of this year. Everyone said that the dark-haired, bespectacled boy and the fiery-haired girl made the perfect couple. He wasn't big on romantics; neither was she, actually. She was content to just sit and watch him.

A strand of brilliant red crossed her vision and she brushed away the hair impatiently. This evening had started out as a study session. Ha. That plan had been ruined when he and his friends came through the portrait hole.

She watched as the dark-haired boy let out a sigh of frustration, his glasses glinting in the firelight. He flopped back in his chair dramatically and reached for a box next to him marked 'Sugar Quills'.

He unwrapped one and began to suck on it. She nearly fell out of her chair- it was the most erotic thing she had ever seen.

She must have sighed, or something, because he turned and saw her sitting there. He smiled and moved over, patting the seat next to him. She smiled and took the silent offer, curling up next to him and reveling in the feeling of warmth from the fire.

"Want a sugar quill?"

She looked up and saw him grinning wickedly, eyes sparkling like that Snitch that he was always after. She caught on quickly and kissed him, smiling at the stickiness of his lips from that damn quill.

He kissed her back, and she found herself thinking how things were between them. How she desperately tried to ignore him, how his best friend always teased her...

She pulled away for lack of oxygen and leaned up against his chest, feeling him kiss the top of hear head gently.

'God help us if one of us doesn't live through this war,' she thought silently.

'I don't think I'd be able to live without him...'

She was startled when his chest hitched a little and she looked up at him, concerned to see him staring at the fire with tears in his eyes.

"What's wrong?"

He looked at her intensely.

"We're entering a time where everywhere we go, there will be a mention of a death. Nothing will be simple, we won't know who to trust...I don't want to lose you. I...I don't think I'd be able to bear it."

He drew a deep, shuddering breath and looked into her eyes as if in a trance.

"Hogwarts can't protect us forever. I want to make sure you know that I'll always be there to protect you. I love you, Lily. Nothing will ever change that."

Lily smiled and kissed the boy next to her.

"I love you too, James."

~*~

That was my attempt at fluff. It turned kind of sad at the end, but on my friend's "fluff chart", I think this is 'awww' fluff. Please review, and those of you that do, please tell me whether you knew it was Lily and James or if you thought it was Harry and Ginny. That was my plan, ya know!