AN: I am very very sorry for updating so late. I was, again, busy with school stuff, and then our school's chorale group (which I'm part of) had a huge performance to put on so we had to have a lot of rehearsals. Also, I was really working hard on this, since it's the last chapter. I hope it'll be well worth the wait! :)

Chapter 13: Well Worth the Wait

A week had gone by with little incident. The stress of the final Quidditch match of the season was upon James, and he was once again spending all his spare time on the field. True, the moods of many Hogwarts female students went way down the moment the news officially went out that Sirius Black was very much taken, and Lily, Remus, and Sirius had their hands full dealing with jilted girls who occasionally attempted to hex—or off—Nicole. The attacks on the Ravenclaw, however, stopped after James heard about it and put his foot down, threatening his worst hexes on anyone who dared to lay a fingeron his best friend's girlfriend. Knowing full well what James could and really would do, the Psychotic Ones announced their retreat.

Lily continued to pay no more than perfunctory attention to James. The fact that her parents liked him seemed not to affect her an iota, contrary to what Nicole, Remus, and Sirius had hoped. James had stopped concocting crazy schemes—he had decided to just let fate work its magic. That and the fact that he could barelyput his broom down because of the many practices.

"Lily, Sirius and I are going to watch James practice," Nicole announced to her friend in the library one afternoon.

Lily barely lifted her head from her Charms book. "Okay."

"Don't you want to come?"

Lily indicated her book. "Maybe later."

"Oh Lily. Homework can wait. Taking a couple of hours' break will not doom you to failure."

"Besides, ol' Moony is coming," Sirius added as he entered the library, with Remus in tow. "And he's an even bigger geek than you are. So he can find time to r&r, you can too, Evans."

Remus looked very affronted. "I am not a geek! I haven't been since the beginning of the year!"

"Moony, it's the sad truth. Live with it and prosper."

Lily, most reluctantly, shut her book. "Alright, alright, already."

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They found a nice, comfy vantage point up in the bleachers. James almost slipped off his broom when he saw Lily sitting there, watching him. With clinical disinterest, yes, but at least watching. He managed to right himself, however, when he felt the sly gazes of his fellow team members boring into his back.

"We are banning Evans from the final match," the Keeper mused. "Potter here always loses his head when she's around."

James looked annoyed. "I do not! I'm fine. There's no need to ban her from anything!"

"You're right," one of the other Chasers interjected. "We can't. She is, after all, your muse and sole reason for living."

James felt his entire head burning. "Well? What are you all waiting for? This is Quidditch practice, so let's practice!"

They heeded and began throwing the balls around.

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Lily tried to maintain her mask of coolness. But she couldn't help feeling awed as she watched the Gryffindor team. They were so good! They'd take the Cup for sure. Especially with the help of one messy-haired, hazel-eyed person who moved like lightning on his broom.

She came back to earth when Remus poked her in the shoulder.

"You are seriously fancying him, aren't you?"

"Says who?" Lily mustered in as calm a tone as she could manage.

"Says me, your closest friend in the whole wide world."

Lily scoffed. "Right, and Cornelius Fudge will become the next Minister of Magic."

Remus just stared at her until Lily could feel her face growing hot.

"You do realize that there is absolutely no use hiding it, don't you? I know you better than I know Hogwarts: A History, which is saying something," he remarked.

Lily tried to will away the redness of her cheeks.

"Oh no, does this mean Cornelius Fudge is going to become Minister? Aah, what the heck. So, tell me about The Plan you have."

Lily gave up resisting and leaned closer to his offered ear.

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"Are you sure that this will finally put everything to an end, Lily?" Remus asked.

"Yes. I'm very sure."

It was the day of THE Quidditch match. They were in the stands, waiting.

"What will put what to an end?" Nicole asked. She was juggling a box of snacks as she made her way to the pair.

Lily drew her pinched-together index finger and thumb across her lips in the international symbol for "Shut it".

Remus grinned and put an arm around Lily's shoulders. "Our little secret, Greenleaf."

"You two aren't having a torrid love affair, are you?" Sirius asked as he came up behind his girlfriend, his arms loaded with extra-creamy chocolates, Nicole's favorite.

"That's highly disgusting, Black." Lily wrinkled her nose and shuddered. "In case you STILL do not realize it, Remus is like my brother."

"I'm not having a torrid love affair with Lily, but I am having one with Nicole," the werewolf quipped, perfectly poker-faced.

Sirius's face turned positively neon green, then shifted to a raging blood-red, then to a furious fuchsia, eliciting much laughter from the others.

"Oh, look! They're going to call the teams out already!" Nicole called excitedly when she stopped laughing.

"You hear that, Lils?" Remus muttered.

"Yes. You've got what I asked for, don't you?"

"Uh-huh. Wasn't easy to get them though. Should I get them out?"

"Erm…maybe wait a bit."

The Gryffindor players started zooming out on their brooms.

"Okay, get them!" Lily hissed.

Remus pulled a plastic bag out of his pocket and pointed his wand at it.

The crowd's cheers turned into huhs.

Because huge red and gold balloons had suddenly risen into the air. As the things aligned themselves, the people could see that the blinking words scrolling across each balloon (in perfectly curly cursive) formed a message. The message read:

I'm still waiting for you to ask me out on that date, Potter. And it's Lily, not Evans.

James, more than anyone, was stunned. He would've slid right off his broom if his fellow Chasers hadn't caught his arms.

After regaining himself, he swooped right down to where Lily was standing, pink-cheeked and surrounding by whooping Gryffindors.

"So, what are we doing next Hogsmeade weekend?"

THE END

AN: Well, here it is. The finito. The adios. (By the way, I advise you all to read through this entire Author's Note, as there is a pleasant surprise at the end.)

First of all, I want to thank my LORD JESUS CHRIST, who has sustained me all throughout everything that's been going on in my life. I bid You an advance happy birthday, Jesus, and thank You for coming down here to earth and resuming the form of man to save us all.

To, as usual, my best friend Pannikittypiggyphant, my dear editor, who continues to put up with my occasional grammatical errors, wrong terminologies, hyper chemical imbalances, and sugar highs.

To my chums GUI (also known as xinlingluvsxiezhi), Teabag, NN, Xima, Abbie, Jennifer, Netty, Fred, Brice, and JM for the inspiration, ideas, funny lines, funny situations, insight into the romantic-male psyche, and helpful enthusiasm.

And of course, to all the reviewers who've been with me. As you guys are a lot, as much I want to credit you all one by one, it's rather difficult to do so… But please know, that every single one of you have my deepest thanks.

Special mention to Alcapacien and Laughing Fountain, who've been there from my second fic onwards, to brilliant-author16, who did so much for Almost Over You, and Carmel March, who's been there from my first fic up till this one.

My next fic will be a Draco/Hermione entitled Strange Magic. It'll still be a romance/humor, as it appears that I have a knack for it, and it seems that people like funny better than dramatic. I hope you all continue to r&r this one! It should be up very soon.

BUT this will not be the ultimo adios for this story. For those who guessed that there would be a sequel, CONGRATULATIONS! Yes, our fabulous five (Lily, James, Nicole, Sirius, and Remus) will return. It'll be my next project after Strange Magic, so keep checking back!

" 'The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you; the Lord lift up his countenance and give you peace.' "- Numbers 6:24-26