Summary: Sequel to "Time to Fly (Friends Forever)". Lily and James haven't seen each other for seven years. A school reunion rekindles their friendship, but how far will friendship go?

Disclaimer: See chapter 1.

Author's Note: FIFTY REVIEWS!!! *hyperventilates* Omg, I'm soooo glad you love this!! I'll stop blubbering and give ya the chappie now--

Seven Years

Chapter Three

By Lady Wildcat

"Yum, beef!" James dove enthusiastically into his dinner. "You don't know how good this tastes after seven years of your own cooking."

Lily rubbed her eyes. She looked haggardly over at James, sitting in an added chair at the High Table. "You," she said.

"Yes. Me. Wonderful, wonderful me." He grinned through a mouthful of potatoes.

"You. I can't believe how bad you are!"

"I think you're setting the record for saying a sentence the most in one day."

"Don't blame me! I think it was the green ceiling slime that really sent me over the edge."

He shrugged, a picture of all innocence. "What can I say? The class was falling asleep. They needed a pick-me-up."

"Green slime?"

"Well, everyone woke up."

"Yes, but it was a bit difficult to teach with slime dripping into one's hair."

"Oh, well." James put on a semi-serious face. "I promise I'll be better tomorrow."

Lily looked at him and sighed. It was hard to stay mad at someone that goofy. "Okay."

James nodded, spooned the last of his dessert into his mouth, and stood up impatiently. "There, finished, let's go."

"James!" cried Lily, incredulous. "I've just begun my dinner!"

"Oh." He sat back down. "How long 'til you're finished?"

"I'll be finished when I'm finished!"

"Right, talk gobbledygook at me, why don't you."

Lily rolled her eyes and began eating slowly and deliberately. It was quite disconcerting, having someone watch you eat while you're trying to enjoy your meal. After a few minutes she put down her fork in exasperation. "You don't have to stare at me, you know."

James sighed and put his elbow on the table, staring deliberately straight ahead. Soon he faced Lily again. "Dessert's peach cobbler, you know."

Lily glanced at her plate of cobbler. "Yes. I can see that."

"Well, it's peach cobbler."

"And?"

"You're allergic to peaches."

"Thank you for remembering, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"So you can't eat the cobbler."

"So...?"

"Can I have your dessert?"

Lily sighed, but smiled. "Here." She slid the plate over to him.

James ate the cobbler in about five seconds--he inhaled, not ate, Lily thought--but by that time Lily was done. She pushed her chair out, patted her mouth with her napkin, and arranged her silverware in a neat X on her plate. She was about to slide the cobbler plate back into it's proper position when a hand grabbed her wrist and tugged her out of her seat. "Good, you're finished, let's go."

"Jaa-aames!" Lily yelled, barely grabbing her bag as she was towed along. "I need time to digest, unlike some people I know!"

James didn't listen. It wasn't till they were outside the Great Hall (with several pairs of eyes following Professor Evans be pulled by Mr. Potter) that Lily was able to slow him down.

"James. Stop." She took several deep breaths, straightened her robes, and took a look at her kidnapper. "You have whipped cream on your cheek."

"I do?" He stuck out his tongue and looked sideways, trying to reach the cream.

Lily shook her head and reached into her immaculately neat bag for her wad of tissue. "Hold still, you great git." She wiped the cream off and chucked the tissue into a nearby dustbin ((A/N: aren't y'all proud of me, using the British term stead of the American one?)).

"Aww, whatcha do that for? It was perfectly good whipped cream!"

Lily merely granted him a look of disgust as she climbed the stairs to the faculty dorms.

Headmaster Griggs greeted them with a smile. "Who's your friend, Lily?"

"Griggs, this is James Potter. James, this is Headmaster Griggs. James will be sleeping in the dorms for a few weeks."

"So you're that Mr. Potter. Your room is number four, and your suitcase has been brought up from Lily's classroom." Griggs raised his eyebrows. "According to the Fat Lady, you woke her up countless times when you were in school. I shan't have you doing that to me too much, mind."

"Don't worry, he won't if I have anything to do with it. Primroses." Lily led James through the portrait hole and down the Men's wing. Pushing open Number Four's door, she saw a relatively Spartan room with a canopy bed, a desk, chair, closet, and window. James' battered suitcase sat in the middle of the floor.

"Well, this is it. I'll see you in the morning." Lily turned to go.

"Wait a sec. You're not going to bed already?"

"No, I've got papers to grade, then I'm going to bed."

"Lily, you're a teacher, you have the privilege of walking the school at night, and you go to your room at six thirty."

Lily shrugged. "Yes, if I don't want to be asleep on my feet tomorrow."

"Well, you're coming with me, and we're going to explore the school."

"You grade my papers then."

He laughed. "All right, I'll grade half your papers if you come."

A slow smile spread over Lily's face. "Deal."

"Good, come on then!" James grabbed her wrist--again--and pulled her out of the Men's Wing. Lily dropped her bag onto a chair in the common room as they breezed past. James pushed open the portrait hole and they climbed out.

"Where are you going?" asked Griggs.

"I don't really know!" Lily replied, laughing.

Author's Note: Do remember to be good boys and girls and review. And if you like this story, don't be shy, put it on your favorites! g

Best,

Lady Wildcat