A/N: Well I just finished reading HBP and wow…overwhelmed. This isn't one of my greatest chapters buuuut I hope you like it anyway? Things are going to get more complicated soon for J/L, so this isn't the last chapter yet! I found a ton of mistakes from previous chapters that I really don't feel like bothering to fix…for one thing every time I said it being four years that Lily had been alone, well since they're in their fourth year in this book it should be only three years. And just so you know, the first Saturday they began talking was the 18th, Sunday the 19th, and Monday the 20th. I messed up the dates too so yeah I thought I'd clarify that.

Disclaimer I do not own Harry Potter

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Lily sat on the bed in the hospital wing, still deep in thought of her revelations from that morning. It was half past three on Tuesday, December 21, and a blizzard was roaring outside the warm walls of Hogwarts.

Remus (back to his human form) had taunted James and Lily upon waking for their thought-to-be-private kiss. James had threatened a good many things to Remus, some of which Lily had gasped and scolded him for.

James, as Lily had expected, remembered all those once-lost details that their little-bit-more-than-friendship contained, including the letter that his father had written. He and Remus had left a few hours before, James hesitant to leave Lily's side.

It was an odd feeling, knowing that her years of loneliness had been because of one simple request from a boy to his father. It was also odd knowing that, merely days before, James and still not known of her existence and she had hated his guts.

But the oddest feeling of all was this feeling of remorse deep within her, because she knew what the next step was for James and her, and didn't want to have to bother with it. Yet, it was a necessity that she couldn't do without.

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James knocked on Professor McGonagall's office door. The door opened instantly and the old, strict professor motioned James in.

"Potter," she said with a nod of her head. "The giant squid would not give any tale of the happenings of the previous night and, therefore, your story has to witness nor alibi. I believe, then, that I am forced to take 10 points EACH from Gryffindor and give detentions for you, Miss Evans, Mr. Black, and Mr. Pettigrew that you will serve the first Saturday after holidays."

"Detention?" James groaned. "For what?"
"For attempting to put blame on Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Snape," she replied, not taking her stern gaze off James.

James groaned again. Forty points taken AND detention? Not only that, but also two greasy slime balls were let off the hook.

And all because the stupid squid wouldn't talk. He would have to remember to fly over the lake and drop something on the squid's head.

Lily received news of their punishments later that evening, outraged and furious to the point where Madam Pomfrey threatened to kick James out because he was "overexciting her."

The bearings of his news, however, had not taken her mind off what she had to tell James as being the right thing to do.

He sat on her bed, holding one of her hands while stroking her hair.

"James," Lily said softly, hoping he wouldn't hear the sadness in her voice. "Has it occurred to you at all that it HAS been over three years since we discovered…er…each other?"

James shook his head slightly, signifying that the though had crossed his mind but he thought nothing of it.

"James, we have grown, matured, developed, and so much more. Who we were back then is not exactly who we are now."

James frowned. "All this has some depressing point, doesn't it?" he whispered.

"James," Lily stuttered, realizing just how much she loved saying his name, "we have only begun speaking to each other again a few days ago. I hardly know anything about who you are NOW, and the same goes to you. I don't want to plunge before taking a breath," she smiled, "as I experienced that last night and didn't enjoy it one bit. I think that we shouldn't be THIS quite yet." She gestured towards their held hands. "If there's anything I've learned, it's that 'Wisely and slow. They stumble that run fast.' The best things come to those who wait. James, it just wouldn't be the best idea to continue a relationship from three years ago."

"I understand," he nodded. "But it'll be hard for me Lily. All day now I've wanted to see your face, hold your hands, breathe the same air you breathe even. I'm in love with you, Evans."

Lily saw there was no hint of this being false in James's eyes. Flattered as she was, she just couldn't give in to him, not yet anyway.

"Another thing, Potter," she said, a little more strictly than before. "It wouldn't be wise to go around telling everyone about Malfoy's and Snape's little plot. Rather, I don't want you mentioning it to anyone, EVER."

"But EVANS!" James groaned. "They tried to kill you! Don't you want revenge?"

"'In taking revenge, a man is but even with his enemy; but in passing it over, he is superior.'"

"How many quotes have you memorized, Evans?" James smiled.

"I have many more, Potter. But right now, the only relevant ones are ones like 'An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.' I'm not going to sink down to their level, and that's what'll make me better than them. Potter, isn't it enough that I'm ALIVE? Is my life not enough for you?"

James fell silent. They both had released their hands, but James did not stop stroking her hair.

"Father's not going to be pleased," he frowned. "I don't see why he has such a problem with muggles. All the muggle-borns I know are far more ravishing and interesting than pure-bloods."

"How many muggle-borns do you know?" she asked.

"To be honest, just one."

Lily smiled despite herself.

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Christmas eve edged closer and closer, and Lily panicked as she actually had people to buy gifts for. Would Potter, Remus, Black, and Peter really care that much if they didn't get a present from her?

She resolved the matter by sneaking to the kitchens on the night of the 23rd and receiving four different cakes. It wasn't the greatest, but that was all she could manage that year.

Christmas Eve finally arrived, with most of the Gryffindors in the common room having a party. The four Marauders were nowhere to be found.

Lily had, surprisingly, opened up to people a little more, though she should have known it would happen eventually. One girl, whom Lily had never spoken to in her entire life, had seen how much Lily had been with the Marauders and, almost instantly, attempted to become friends with her.

However, despite Lily's now amiable feelings, the girl had been shunned and humiliated when Lily chose to read a book over converse with her.

Though it was Christmas Eve, despite the large party surrounding her, ignoring all the exclaims that she was crazy, Lily sat curled up with yet another book in front of the fire.

Suddenly, the book floated out of her hands forcefully and was thrown aside. Not only that, but a branch of mistletoe hovered above her.

"Potter, take that bloody cloak off," she laughed.

"Isn't it muggle custom to kiss under the mistletoe?" he asked, taking the cloak off and giving her an innocent stare.

Lily sighed as if it was the most tragic thing in the world, surprising a smirk. "Well, I can't go against my own traditions. That would be horrible hearsay."

Lily felt the eyes of a hundred people on her as James swooped in to what Lily had expected to be a peck, but ended up being a long and passionate kiss.

James was not bothered by the stares at all. On the contrary, he delved deeper, wanting a bit more than a kiss on the lips.

Lily, however, shoved him off, looking harassed and furious. Grabbing her book, she stormed off to her bed.

James slouched into the chair. "Good going," he muttered, ignoring the fact tat all eyes were still on him, appalled that someone had denied the famous James Potter.

Muttering darkly all the way there, James trudged off to his dormitory.

He awoke the next morning to a large whooping noise Sirius was making.

"My family didn't send me anything!" he happily claimed. Though this would have seemed upsetting for anyone else, Sirius jumped on his bed for sheer joy. His family sent him spiteful gifts since he was not exactly what their standards of a son was.

James first noticed the square box from Lily on the top. He already knew what was inside it, a vanilla cake covered with chocolate frosting that the house elves in the kitchens made. He had followed her (with his invisibility cloak) all the way there and back. Sirius, however, did not know what was in the square box, and when he opened it, he clapped happily.

"IT'S LIKE CHRISTMAS IN JULY!" he gleamed, but then frowned. "Only it's Christmas in December…"

James ignored the idiocy of his best friend and continued unwrapping his presents. A gold watch (was it?) from Sirius. Knowing his friend, however, told him to handle the present carefully.

"It won't blow up," Sirius mumbled. "Just thought you'd enjoy knowing just which direction Lily was in all the time, since you love stalking her. You know, in case you happen to need her." He winked, or made an attempt to.

And, of course, when James looked closer at the watch, there was only one hand, pointed in the direction of the girl's dormitories.

"I charmed it myself," Sirius exclaimed proudly.

'I don't understand how he can be so dim but such a genius at the same time," Remus laughed.

"Did Lily give ALL of us cakes?" Sirius groaned. "How original is that?"

"What did you get her James?" Remus asked, choosing to throw a pillow at Sirius rather than answer.

James smiled mysteriously. "She'll be 'enchanted' to see it, we'll keep it at that."

James hadn't told anyone what he had gotten for Lily, though it shouldn't have mattered that much anyway. Firstly, since they were only friends and secondly, it wasn't that great of a present.

Lily, however, seemed to think it was. When she opened the long thin package revealing a brand new, well-polished wand, she nearly squealed with joy. The note attached said, "Mahogany, 14 inches, with Unicorn hair. Ollivander said it'd be best for you. It took a lot of trouble to get it, so you better not lose this one, Evans."

Lily bounced out of bed, leaving her (surprise) other presents unwrapped, dashed to the fourth years boy's dorm, slammed the door open, jumped on James Potter's bed, and knocked him over with the forceful hug she enforced, causing them both to land on the floor with a thud.

"Potter, that was really thoughtful!" she said, kissing him on the cheek and then standing up. James was blushing and did not move. He had not wanted Lily to get off him, but she had and how he was stuck in a daze.

Lily then remembered the pile of presents she left unwrapped and dashed back to her dorm, knocking Sirius down on her way. He then chased after her, seeking revenge. James, Remus, and Peter heard Lily scream and a loud thud.

When they walked down to the common room, they found Sirius tickling Lily while she was attempting to hex him.

"Sirius," James whined, walking over to him. "Don't do that to her. That's my job."

Sirius gladly moved aside as James began mercilessly tickling Lily.

"James…no…please…this…not…no…" she attempted to say in-between laughs. When James finally did release her, she huffily pulled his pajama pants down (revealing a pair of boxers with broomsticks on them) and ran away to her dormitory smiling to herself all the way.

It was then that James Potter vowed that Lily Evans was never going to have another peaceful moment as long as he lived.