The Notebook

A/N: Hey, everyone! I'm sorry it's been like five months. I really did mean to update sooner- I've had this written for... two months, now. My computer broke down a few weeks ago, and my brother had to come down to fix it. It took ages. Anyway, I guess I won't keep you from reading- or reviewing! Reviews are nice. They make you feel all warm n fuzzy inside! Kay, well, thanks to all for reading! -Lil

Oh- I'm sorry about all the weird spaces and funky markings on here- if there are any left. I had to go through the entire thing three times, taking out weird stuff... :)

Chapter Two

"Hey, Lil. Have you seen Remus?"

"Oh, all the sixth and seventh year Gryffindor boys are out playing Quidditch."

"Weird, isn't it? Guess Dumbledore just felt like letting us out of school for a day. He's off his rocker, he is." Emma said with a laugh.

I smiled and tossed my letter from my sister carelessly away.

"What's that?"

"Just a letter from Pet."

"Bet that's good news." Emma said. I looked up at her and nodded sarcastically.

"Aren't all her letters?" I muttered.

"Well, they- is that James?" she asked incredulously, staring out my bedroom window.

Worrying about her sanity, I slowly turned in my chair to see what she was goggling at… Sure enough, James Potter was grinning mischievously at me from my window… Even though my room was up in one of the highest towers that year…

I laughed in surprise and pushed the casement open. Leaning over my desk, I grinned disbelievingly at him. "What are you doing?" I asked, with amusement.

James's grin widened. "Come with me."

"What do you-" I stopped, eyeing his broom suspiciously. "But-"

"Please?" he pouted, putting out his bottom lip.

"I..." I'd only ever been on one broom- and only because we had to learn how to ride one in first year... I don't think I'd even touched a broomstick since.

"I won't let you fall, Lily."

I opened my mouth to protest, but couldn't. I could only curse James and his puppy-dog-eyes. I found it almost impossible to resist him when he made that face.

"And you won't go too high?" I asked anxiously. He shook his head, and held out his arm.

"I won't- come on! It'll be loads of fun- I've been riding brooms since I can remember, Lil... I'll be careful!"

I shot a nervous glance back at Emma, who smiled at me. I turned helplessly back to James and grinned uncertainly. "All right..." I took his offered hand and scrambled up onto my desk, then out the window. James helped me onto the broom, in front of him, wrapping one arm around me. "Okay- I'm already scared..." I muttered, my eyes tightly shut. James chuckled and put his warm hand over mine.

"I love you, Lil."

Carefully, I leaned back into him, looking up into his eyes. "I love you, too."

He looked at me in disbelief... Okay, so maybe not disbelief, really, but shock. I've never said it to him, I know... But I mean it.

"You mean that." He said quietly. Sometimes I got the impression he could read my mind... Heck, I loved him even more for it.

I nodded. "I mean it."

I twist around the best I can and kiss him tenderly on the lips, wishing this moment could last forever...

Even if it meant I would have to get over my fear of heights.

Two weeks later, on our sixth month anniversary, James told me he had something exciting planned- and I, thinking he was going to lead me to a secret dragon, or a sleeping troll at the least, was a bit reluctant to follow him. He could only tell me I should trust him more.

"Where does this tunnel lead to again?" I whispered anxiously, trying to ignore the creepy feeling I got from the loudly dripping ceiling. Stumbling slightly on a rock, I pulled back on James's hand, causing us both to stop.

"You'll see," he said mysteriously, grinning at me over his shoulder. "What, don't you trust me?"

"No, I trust you, it's just that-"

"All right then!" He winked impishly and pulled me forward (somewhat reluctantly on my part...) again. "Not much farther, anyway... Ah- here it is!" He gestured toward a dark set of stone stairs that lead up- and out of sight.

It took us nearly five minutes to climb all the way up to the top, where James pointed to a tiny sliver of faint light directly above our heads. "Here we are..." He let go of my hand and pushed up on the ceiling near the crack of light. Once the trap door was up, he jumped out lightly and held his arm down to help me up.

"This... This is Honeydukes!" I breathed, much more impressed than I would have been with, say the dragon I expected. "We're in Hogsmeade?"

"We sure are... Now- shall we, my lady?"

We went to get a drink in the Three Broomsticks, where Madame Rosmerta served us a midnight snack (even though our pockets were bursting with Honeyduke's best sweets) and free butterbeer. She said it was the least she could do. I imagined she was a bit happy that all four Marauders hadn't been brought along- to wreck havoc on her pub.

After an hour or so, James decided it would be best to go back to the castle- we were half way down the second-floor corridor, when we heard a loud shuffle and a voice croak, "Where are they, my sweet?"

James spun around, staring down the corridor. "Filch..." he muttered, taking my hand.

"And it's past midnight!" I said urgently, pulling him away from the sound of Filch's muttering.

"Run!" James whispered as a door at the opposite end of the corridor flew open.

We sprinted up two flights of stairs, behind three secret tapestries, and behind a hidden suit of armor, hoping to get away from the wheezing caretaker. "That bloody cat!" James muttered as we rounded a corner. "It's a curse to all of..."

"We've almost got them!" Filch wheezed from behind a cracked door to our left.

"Bloody hell!" James whispered, looking frantically over his shoulder. "Here!" He pulled me over to a door hidden in dark shadow- one I wouldn't have even known was there if he hadn't decided to drag me over to it. We squeezed into the tiny space- both thinking it must have been the smallest, darkest bloody closet in all of Hogwarts.

"Well... Maybe they went behind that tapestry of that fairy with gold hair, after all..." Filch muttered disappointedly. I put my ear to the door, listening. "We might still catch them..."

His rapid shuffling grew softer… and softer… Until the only sounds we could hear were each others rapid breathing.

"Think he's gone?" I whispered. But at the same moment, I heard a dull thud and James's muffled, "Ow! Bloody bucket... right in the way..."

"So that's a yes?" I muttered sarcastically.

"If he didn't hear that, he doesn't deserve to find us..." James said- I could practically hear him grinning. "But let's wait just another moment..."

I nodded and put my ear back to the door. Anything to ignore the fact that something (that something meaning James) extremely warm was pressed right up next to me... And that James took one of my curls playfully between his fingers.

"How do girls get their hair so soft?" he asked.

I laughed. "Some people do actually take care of their hair, you know." I felt him put one hand to his hair.

"I take care of mine!" he said defensively.

I reached up to touch his messy black hair. "I'm sorry. It's the best hair I've ever seen." I giggled.

He put his hands on my waist in response. "Lil- you're amazing." He bent down and kissed me softly on the forehead. "Really amazing."

As we walked into the warm common room, I looked sideways at him, smiling coyly.

"Er- James? I've realized something." I laughed quietly.

James looked up curiously. "What's that?"

"We're Head Boy and Girl." I said seriously.

"Erm... yeah. We have been all year..." James said with a slight grin. "Are you feeling all right?" he said after a pause.

I laughed quietly. "We didn't have to hide from Filch- we could have said we were making our rounds." James's grin faded.

"I hadn't thought of that."

"What can I say? I'm the brilliant one." I teased. James rolled his eyes and, with maturity beyond his years, stuck out his tongue.

"James, I had a lot of fun tonight." I said, snuggling closer into his arms. He gave my hand a light squeeze.

"Me too, Lil. Me too."

I smiled, thinking it had undoubtedly been the best six months of my life- I'd never been as happy as I was since I said yes to James.

"James, I… I love you." I said softly, making gentle circles on his hand with my thumb. He paused, then brought his hand to my face, turning it so that I had no choice but to look into his hazel eyes.

"I love you, too."

Our eyes stayed locked for one brief moment before we, at the same time, leaned in a bit towards each other…

And everything was right in the world.

I walked slowly down to the lake, watching the sun set in its streaks of fiery orange and yellow. I had homework- essays and reading for Potions and Transfiguration, but, as I liked to say, why should I do today what I can always put off until tomorrow?

I picked up that line off Sirius. Emma kept telling me that I was around the Marauders too much… I don't think so.

I paused under the shade off the Marauders favorite beech tree. I'd always loved to watch the way the sun sets over the lake…

"Hey, Lils."

I looked over my shoulder at the sound of James's voice. He smiled and sauntered up beside me. "Whatcha doin'?"

I gesture to the part of the lake where the light is reflected from the sun. "Isn't it beautiful?" I whisper.

He nodded and wrapped one arm around my waist. I put my hand on his and carefully set my head back into his shoulder. "Did I tell you about the letter I got from the Ministry?" I asked calmly and tried my best not to look too excited- even though I knew I was about to burst with happiness.

"No..." he said slowly.

I smiled. "You won't believe it..."

"I won't if you don't tell me," he teased, poking me gently in the side... Earning himself a jab in the ribs.

"I got accepted into the Department of Experimental Charms training program I wanted in." I said quietly.

James froze. "You got accepted!" I nodded. "That's good, Lil! I'll have to get the Marauders to help me help you celebrate."

"Erm... I know how you boys celebrate- I'm not sure I want in on it!" I said playfully.

"Ah, fine. Don't let me have an excuse for fun. But I'm happy for you, really." He kissed my cheek.

I smiled. "What about you?" I asked.

"No, not yet." He definitely sounded a bit disappointed.

"You'll get it."

"Oh, I know I will sooner or later- but whether or not it's an acceptance or rejection letter is another thing."

"You'll be an auror, James. I have no doubt about it." I started rubbing circles with my thumb on his hand.

He smiled like he did when he didn't believe what I'm said, but was glad to hear it anyway. His eyes moved back out onto the lake, and he looked suddenly thoughtful, with a far-off look in his eyes. He stayed that way for a moment, then smiled slightly.

"You okay?" I ask.

"I'm fine... Ready to go back to the castle?" He asked, eyes sparkling.

"So, I've been thinking, Lil." James said unexpectedly, a few days later, as we were working on our homework. He tossed his quill back down on the table.

"What about?"

"Us."

I looked up fearfully. 'Us' could only mean two things... Something really bad, or something really good. "Okay..."

"And since, you know, you're going to be in London, for your Charms training, and I'm going to be in London for my Auror training-"

"You got your letter?!" I cried.

"Yeah- today, but that isn't the point-"

"But- you got your letter! How can that not be important to you? I'm so happy, James! I told you you'd get it- if only you'd listened to me all along! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!" I said excitedly, sliding closer to him. "Congratulations," I hugged him.

"I know, I'm happy, and it is awesome- but-"

"Hey, Prongs." Peter threw himself into an armchair next to the fire.

"Back from your date?" James asked flatly.

"Yup." He grinned, a dreamy look on his face.

"Good, good... But I need to talk to Lily, could we have a moment?" James said with a hint of impatience, looking around the empty common room. The only other person was a tired looking first year, who, at the sound of James's voice, shuffled toward the boy's dormitories.

"Peter!"

"Oh, right..." he mumbled, picking himself up ff the chair.

"Prat..." James muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Anyway, what was I saying? Oh… Well, I was thinking that since we're both going to be staying in London, it would be pointless for us to be living apart- we're going to be heading off to the same place everyday, anyway- and this way, we could see each other more- that is, if you want to..." James said quickly. He stuttered a bit over his words, and kept running his hand through his hair... He was nervous.

Obviously, he'd put a lot of thought into this... I'd thought of the idea, entertained it briefly when James and I would talk about our futures. I knew deep down that I would like nothing better than to live with him while we did our Ministry training- I didn't want to be away from him, either. My parents probably wouldn't like the idea, but I was not their little girl anymore.

I watched as James fidgeted nervously with a piece of string from the couch, waiting with bated breath for my answer. I was quite enjoying seeing him a bit uncomfortable. "I think it's a great idea. I'd love it."

He stared at me uncertainly, then smiled in relief. "I love you."

"I love you more."

He grinned cheekily. "I love you more."

"I love you more!"

"No, I love you more!"

A few weeks later, I sat up slowly in my four-poster, wondering what it was that woke me. Seeing nothing out of place, I threw back the scarlet covers and stretched my arms comfortably. I took a fresh change of clothes out of my trunk and tip-toed into the bathroom.

There wasn't a need to be quiet, really, I was just used to it. James left early that morning to go to Hogsmeade- said he needed to take care of some things with the Marauders. So I slept in as late as I could.

And no, I didn't feel left out just because I hadn't been to any Hogsmeade visits without James since we'd been together... I thought it was perfectly fine that he wanted to be with his friends. Completely. Entirely. No problem at all.

Okay, maybe I did feel a bit left out- but it was only a bit! Or maybe more than a bit. All right, so maybe it was a lot- but what does that matter?

It's perfectly fine that I didn't want to spend the entire day alone. Emma went on a date, with Merlin knows who- she wouldn't even tell me.

After a quick shower, I walked back over to my four-poster, planning to pick up my room, then go down to the Great Hall for breakfast... That's when I noticed a folded slip of parchment on one of my pillows.

Lily- I'm sorry I couldn't go with you today- I wanted to, but the Marauders and I had to go look at some things today. I promise I'll make it up to you! I'll see you tonight. Love, James

I sighed. "Looks like it's just going to be me and my potions book all day." Great.

"Why didn't you go to Hogsmeade, Lil? It was a really nice day." Emma said happily, sliding into an armchair next to me.

Nice day, my arse!

I guess it was easy for someone to say that when they'd spent the entire day having fun in Hogsmeade, on a date... But for someone who had stayed in the Head Common Room all day, doing potions, it was quite the opposite.

"Hey, Lil. How was your day?" James said from somewhere behind me.

"Oh, it was wonderful." I said.

Emma sat back in her chair, watching me though narrowed eyes, smiling slightly. That was her 'thoughtful' face.

"I brought you something." He held out a large striped sack. I took it eagerly.

"Mm... Thanks, James." I said, pulling out a slab of my favorite chocolate flavor- cherry-vanilla. Yum.

"Thought you might like that." James grinned, sitting on the arm of my chair.

Emma laughed, and pushed herself out of her armchair. "I'll see you at dinner." Something in the tone of her voice told me quite clearly she knew I felt a bit left out.

"And then, she tried to blame it on me! It was so funny- you should've seen mum's face…"

Emma laughed and pushed her Transfiguration book out of reach. "I'd forgotten we came in here to study..." she sighed.

"Aww- it can wait 'til another day!" I yawned, pulling out another box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. I glanced up in time to see Emma give me a funny look. "What?" I asked defensively, setting the box back on the table.

"Lily Evans- we have had N.E.W.T's the last two days- we have them the rest of this week, and we have them four days next week! How can you possibly tell me it can wait to another day?"

I stared at her, quite taken aback. "Em- if we don't know it by now, I doubt we'll ever know it." I argued.

"We're graduating in a little over two weeks!" Emma said hysterically.

"And that's only more of a reason to not keep our noses stuck in some old, musty book!"

I laughed as Emma rolled her eyes impatiently.

"That boyfriend of yours has had too much influence on-"

Everyone looked up in surprise as a loud burst of excited yelling came from somewhere in the direction of the boy's dormitories. "Merlin, someone is happy." Emma said sarcastically.

I laughed quietly. The entire week, Emma had been in what I called her 'Ultimate Study Mode.' She had hardly had time for anything else. At first, it was a bit of a surprise to me, but I began to find it increasingly funny. I had always been more of the study type that Em- and she was always the type to try and find any excuse not to study at all. Especially during our O.W.L's.

Again, everyone looked up as loud footsteps sound on the stairs- someone running with the force of a rampaging hippogriff coming down from the boy's dormitory. We all watched expectantly, until the Marauders came into sight, grinning- and looking extremely proud of something or another.

"Too much bloody noise! Lily- you're Head Girl, can't you enforce a little quiet?" Emma said irritably, giving me a pointed look. I ignored her and plucked absently at the feathery part of my quill, just to have something to do. She watched me with a look disapproval for a moment before turning back to her book.

The Marauders made their way over to Emma and me, still smiling happily. "What are you all so happy about?" I yawned.

"What, can't a guy just be happy?" James grinned, pulling a chair next to mine.

"Hmm... One guy, yes. The four Marauders? That's just suspicious." I smirked at them over the top of my quill.

James laughed. "Wanna know what's really suspicious?"

"What's that?" I said with another yawn.

"Em is studying, you're not." He smiled innocently. "Anyway, the guys and I are going to go out for a bit... We'll be back before our duties tonight, I promise."

"Okay," I took the tip of the quill and dipped it in Emma's ink.

"I'll see you tonight, love." He leaned over and kissed me softly... Only to have it turn to a rather passionate- and lengthy kiss.

He smiled as we pulled apart- leaving me quite breathless, Emma looking up in surprise, and the Marauders laughing at some unknown joke. And as for him? He grined arrogantly around the Common Room, of course.

"Mad…" Emma muttered. I smiled at her.

"Aren't we all?"

A few days later, I found myself walking up to Gryffindor Tower in search of James. Usually, we spent Saturdays with our respective friends, but that day, I just feel like being with him. There's no harm in that, is there? We did miss the last Hogsmeade visit together, after all. Besides, Sirius and Remus were in detention for 'disrupting dinner' and Peter was probably with his Hufflepuff girlfriend... Em was off studying again.

"Raspberry Ice," I said clearly to the Fat Lady in her pink dress.

"Oh, Bree- please tell me what's wrong!"

I glanced around as the portrait hole swung open. Kambrie Alex- a small first year- was sprawled out on one of the common room couches, sobbing. Her best friend, Nora Thomas- a petite girl with short, bleach-blonde hair and bright blue eyes- was kneeling by the couch, stroking Kambrie's long mass of black hair.

"Kambrie..." Nora sighs. "It's okay..."

I joined them at the couch and gave Nora a small smile. Her big eyes looked exhausted and red- she looked like she was ready to fall upon the couch and cry herself to sleep. Seeing the girls sad and tired was a rare thing for Hogwarts- most nights you could find the two lively first years telling funny stories by the fire, or pulling 'innocent' pranks on people in the halls. Rumor was that the two could even rival the Marauders. Of course, the four seventh year boys found the idea extremely funny- they would laugh until they had tears in their eyes just at the thought.

I slid onto the couch next to Kambrie. "Kambrie, dear, it's okay... Don't cry..." I said quietly, pulling her into my lap. Nora smiled gratefully and sat back on her heels.

Kambrie sniffed loudly and looked up slowly at me. Her normally bright, sparkling gray eyes were dark and sad. She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand and took a deep breath. She opened her mouth to say something, but once again dissolved into tears.

Nora sighed and frowned. "She keeps doing that," she mouthed.

I nodded and pulled out my wand. Conjuring up a large mug of hot tea, I pulled Kambrie into a sitting position next to me. "Here, drink this, Bree..." I handed it to her. She nodded and took a tiny sip, tears still falling freely down her cheeks.

"A letter came earlier for her... It was horrible looking, Lily." Nora said sadly.

"It's... there..." Kambrie whimpered, gesturing towards a dark envelope on the floor. Nora picked it up slowly, pulling out an even darker slip of parchment with a short paragraph written in spiky letters of silver ink.

I watched as Nora read the letter quickly, then looked up fearfully at Kambrie, her eyes full of tears. "Bree..." she whispered, looking very pale.

Feeling a fresh wave of tears coming, I took the empty mug and set it on a nearby table. Nora turned her worried eyes to me, mouth wide open. "Vold... He-who-must-not-be-named...killed ... all of- Kambrie's family…"

I felt a horrible sinking in the pit of my stomach. Why Kambrie?

I heard someone take a deep breath, like they were sighing, but I didnt open my eyes to see who. I thought it was probably Emma- she had a habit of leaving her dormitory and coming up to my room. She said my mattress was fluffier than hers. Heh, guess that's what I got for always telling her the new passwords.

But one single ray of light was shining right on my face.

I left my eyes closed and tried to stretch out my legs, like I did every morning... But something stopped me... Something under my legs...

I opened my eyes, thinking I must have fallen asleep on the common room couch the night before, with Kambrie... She cried herself to sleep in my arms. But she was at my feet, on the other end of the couch, and me? I was laying on James Potter's legs… And he was smiling at me. "What are you smiling about?" I said groggily, closing my eyes again and snuggling closer to him.

"You're beautiful when you're sleeping." He chuckled. I opened my eyes again and gave him a questioning look. "You fell asleep last night here, with Kambrie before I came back down from the Marauders dorm. I was going to wait here until you woke up, but I guess you never did... And I fell asleep, I suppose..." he said with a grin.

"Who opened that bloody window?" I groaned, putting my hand up to block the light. "And it's only shining on me..." I muttered.

"Not much telling..."

"Well, come on. Will you help me take her up to her bed?" I asked, getting to my feet and stretching properly.

"Anything for my Lily, no?"

"Anything at all."

"Are your parents here yet?" James asked.

I looked up at him with a sad smile. "They aren't coming."

"But- I thought-"

"I know- me too. They wanted to, but they can't make it..."

"I'm sorry, Lil..." His hand found mine.

I did want my parents to see me graduate. Well, really, at Hogwarts, there isn't a graduating ceremony, like muggles have, there is just a feast. But I'd still always dreamed of this day. Now that it was there, I was a bit disappointed.

I looked around the crowd, watching the people I'd spent the last seven years of my life with. Everyone was smiling- congratulating each other. I pulled my wizards hat back onto my head, trying to smile.

"James?"

James and I turned our heads to look at a tall witch with short brown hair. "Mum!" he smiled. She wrapped her arms around him, giving him a warm hug. I tried to slip away, not wanting to interrupt the 'family moment' but James reached out and took my hand, pulling me back over to his mother, as an even taller man with dark, messy hair just like James's walked up behind her. "Dad!" So that's where he got the messy hair.

James and Mr. Potter's faces cracked into identical lopsided grins. Guess that's where he got that, too.

"Mum, dad, this is my girlfriend, Lily. Lil- this is my mum and dad."

"Nice to meet you," I said nervously.

"You too, dear. We've already heard much about you." Mrs. Potter said with a smile. I shot an uneasy glance in James's direction.

"Good things, Lil." He laughed.

"So, James, how are things going?" Mrs. Potter asked pointedly. James's cheeks turned a light shade of pink and he looked quickly at me.

"Pretty good."

Watching the looks James and his father were exchanging, I couldn't help but feelleft out... So I turned my attention to the front of the hall, where Professor Dumbledore had just joined the other professors at the table.

"Are you going to..." Mr. Potter began, but trailed off, as he too noticed the Headmaster waiting for silence.

I saw James nod quickly. Professor Dumbledore held up his hands to the crowd across the hall. "May I have your attention please." It wasn't a question.

"Did you see that?!"

"Wow! What a way to start the term! That was brilliant- wish we'd thought of it!"

"Lily- are you all right?"

I slowly turned my eyes to my friend, Emma Morgan. "Em... What just happened?" I asked in a frightened voice.

"You fell out- and something long and gray pushed you back in!" Emma said breathlessly.

"It happens ev'ry now 'n then, little miss. I's nothin' to worry 'bout!" the tall man named Hagrid called over his shoulder from the boat in front of us.

"It was weird!" Emma said.

"It was cool!"

Emma and I turned to look at the two boys behind us. They had followed us into our boat. One had long, dark hair that fell into his dark gray eyes... He's the one that had the nerve to call me 'Red' on the train that afternoon. The other boy- the one that helped me get my trunk onto the train- had black hair that stuck up in just about every direction and hazel eyes that were twinkling at me.

"How'd you do that?" he asked incredulously.

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "Er... why would anyone want to fall into a lake? It's a bit chilly- do you fancy riding boats while you're soaked in cold water?"

The messy haired boy stared at me, his face blank. "You are." He said simply after some time. The boy next to him snickered.

I frowned at the pair of them, unsure of how to treat this kind of behavior. "I don't know how I did it- I guess I just fell out when I was looking at the castle."

He nodded. "I didn't introduce myself on the train, did I? I'm James. James Potter." He said, holding out his hand.

I took it suspiciously. "Lily Evans."

"Charmed." He said without taking his eyes off mine... Or moving his hand. I tried to pull my hand back, but he tightened his grip. "Absolutely charmed."

"I'm sure you are." I said bravely, staring right back.

He grinned and tilted his head to the side a bit... Still having a firm hold on my hand.

"I'm Sirius Black!" said the other boy. He was grinning, looking between James and me. He shared a knowing look with James, whose grin widened. I sighed and turned with pleading eyes to Emma- to find her smiling mischievously, too.

He still had my hand in his.

Everyone in the hall clapped as Dumbledore took his seat again. I sighed and leaned back a bit in my seat. Finally… I admired the headmaster, I really did, but sometimes, it's best just to sit down and shut up, to put it bluntly. At the Graduating Feast every year, several people made speeches- Dumbledore, the Heads of House, the Head Boy and Girl... But when the headmaster got up there and blubbered for five minutes straight, I found it a bit hard to pay much attention. Of course, since it wa professor Dumbledore, everyone was actually trying to listen- but it was just hard to, sometimes. At least he was the last one to do his speech.

I looked over at James as we made our way down from the Platform at the front of the Hall, towards our table. As I watched him, he looked up at Sirius and Remus and grinned. Halfway to our table, he put his hand on my arm, pulling me to a stop.

"Let's go for a walk, Lil... Please?" he put out his bottom lip in a pleading way. Sometimes he could be too bloody adorable.

"Sure,"

Emma smiled at me as we got nearer to the door. "Your speech was great, Lil!" she called.

"Thanks, Em."

James reached over for my hand, entwining his fingers with mine... Trying to pull the attention back on himself.

"They're perfect for each other..." We heard Emma sigh. Mrs. Potter beamed at us.

I looked back over my shoulder and smile. "So we've been told..." James chuckled.

"I don't mind." I said softly as we walked out into a large garden with live fairies lighting the walkways. James smiled at me over the top of his glasses, and began to fumbe with something in the pocket of his dress robes.

"Do you remember the first time I asked you to go to Hogsmeade with me?"

I laughed. "Of course I do. It was just after your first Quidditch game. All the Gryffindors ran down on the pitch- and you came and found me."

James nodded. "I'd been planning to ask you for ages- I figured that after the game was the best time... and I wanted to ask you before I changed my mind. I've never known a girl like you, Lily. No one has ever been able to make me speechless- no one has ever made me as nervous as you do... I could never love anyone like I love you." He paused and kicked at the small rose bush in front of him. He stared at it and took a shaky breath before continuing. "And that day- in first year, after that Quidditch match, I was so nervous... Well, today is no different- except that it's seven years later- we've practically graduated now, and it isn't a date I want to ask you about..." Slowly, he turnd his beautiful hazel eyes to mine. I watched him with bated breath as he put his hands over mine. "Lily, I love you- more than you'll ever know- if you ever do one thing- just one thing for me, let it be this... Will you marry me?"

I wiped the tears from my cheeks- and realized for the first time that a small black box was waiting, open, in his hands... And he was on one knee.

"James, I..." But I was unable to go on. I looked into James's eyes... And he knew.

seewe'd