Honesty is a Virtue, so is Patience so WAIT!

A/N- Well yes… here we are once again and enter chapter 20 (or 19 with the prologue… but really it's 20) and I really want to make it special… especially with that short chapter last time! So why don't you wonderful readers/reviewers make it a special chapter too? LOL! I cannot believe I have gotten this far… it mind boggling really! And I WILL not hesitate to say that 99.9 of the reason I did was because of your encouraging and helpful reviews! Please keep at it and so will I…

Dedicated to the HMS/HHS Marauders (need I mention how much I miss you?), to the people who have stuck with this story… even in especially sticky spots… THANKS SO MUCH!

Also I got a question on my ships in this story… course it's LJ but I know there are many not-so-subtle OCs going on! But really finding true love in high school is sort of unrealistic, Lily and James were special… but then again lots of couples seem to be Hogwarts-made so Hogwarts may just be special… ;) Anyways our seriously favorite Marauder and an OC may be getting together somewhere- just not in the o so average way… or time! Personally I really don't like too much MWP-OC romance because it gets annoying because you KNOW it doesn't work out… but there are exceptions! (The worst are chapter after chapter of OC and OC romances...okay I'm being mean! They are written very well usually etc… There I'm nice again!) So anyways though this is mainly LJ (well duh!) but there are some other couples… well at least one at least running around if I have anything to say about it! (Alas I do- being the write and all… who knew?)

So here ends another novel of an AN!

00000ooooo00000

How did he end up being so lucky? He could easily ended up watching her marry some guy with the last name Smith or Hones… the sweater type with perfectly combed straight brown hair, clam eyes, and Smith or Jones would come home no later then five from the office, past the white picket fence 'honey I'm home style' to be greeted by two running kids named Jen and Ben- or Jill and Bill or something else that rhymed.

And he, James himself? Probably in a dead end marriage- doomed from the start living in an empty apartment in the city- after his room mate Sirius decided to settle down sooner or later, coming home after taking as many Auror shifts as possible to avoid the loneliness… though it seemed like he was being hard on himself he knew it was a semi-exaggerated version of what would happen if things happened differently… because he knew she was the only one for him. The only one who made him want to change for (finding that being himself was just enough- but his real self) , strive to be a better person, who made him think…

And oddly enough the girl who could have a very happily ever after because she just seems to have an aura that screams that, ended up with messed up him. Him with his messed up Potter lineage, jet black hair that no matter what couldn't lie still, and eyes that always seemed to be way too overexcited and hectic- not at all attractive. And most likely even more hectic future ahead. And really now he found out that even though it seems a strange that not only did she 'end up with him' she ended up loving him.

Now that was weird and uncalled for.

But then again it was probably his eleven-year-old-subconscious-mind screaming at him to talk to the pretty red head the only way he knows how (bug her of course) because his eleven-year-old subconscious-mind just knew she was the one. And he couldn't tell you why or even how come… but she was not like anyone else. Countless times Sirius would just tell him to forget it… but he couldn't forget it and luckily he didn't…

Her presence just screamed something-more… not your average beauty…

She deserved something better but chose him (on her own free will! Who knew?) He couldn't promise her a-happily-ever-after… he knew he couldn't. But he could promise her that he loved her. Not seventeen-year-old love. But real head over heals, fireworks, stupid love songs, sappy, idealistic, until death do you part, sort of love- and something more. He loved her and when he held her close it felt right.

And in a way he knew that she'd think that was enough.

And to think that he thought he could let her go especially after he couldn't do it the first time back during Christmas- and after everything that happened since then.

He was an idiot… a big git- he had been one since first year. And now after everything that happened he could admit that. It happened, life happened, Lily happened…

00000ooooo00000

James walked in on Lily sitting in the common room in a corner table with what seemed like a hundred pieces of parchment paper, books, Daily Prophets and what not around her muttering to herself.

"Idiot sister of mine, idiot over bloated fiancé of hers…"

"He snuck up from behind her placing his hands over her eyes, clichéd as it was and said, "At least you're calling someone else other then me an idiot Lily Flower. Now, guess who?"

"Wow I have no idea. My guesses range from John Lennon to the guy I'm secretly cheating on James with. So I choice the guy I'm secretly cheating on James with."

"Wow you really know how to bring a guy down Flower." He said amused sitting next to her.

"Oh gosh darn it," she said in an unemotional voice not looking up from her parchment. "You're not the guy I'm cheating on you with. You're the guy I'm cheating on. Sorry James, I guess you know now."

"And I'm heart broken etc. etc. but I too have a confession to make. I haven't been to faithful myself." He said giving her a wink.

"So we are more or less Hogwarts' most infidel couple?"

"Yah that more or less covers it Lils."

"Interesting…" she mused making him laugh again and move closer and resting his head on her shoulder.

"Lily?"

"Huh?"

"What are you doing?"

"Everything! Transfiguration test tomorrow… Potions essay due the day after… oh and I Petunia had to chose today to tell me about the finalized wedding plans. No one elopes anymore do they?"

"We can you know Lily…"

"No we can't! I have too much homework!"

"Okay how about next week?"

"It's a date."

"Lily you do realize you just agreed to marry me?"

"No but you just agreed to accompany me to my snobby sister's wedding."

"I did?" he groaned.

"Yup," she said certainly. "I am not going into her snooty nuptials by myself! I need back up Potter! BACK UP!"

"You know I've got your back Lily. We'll act so sickeningly adorable she'll forget it's her wedding day!"

"That's not nice- but I like it," she smiled shaking her head. "Don't worry; you won't have to lose sleep over wearing a Muggle tux until come spring break."

"Really Lily I must love you a lot."

"No I'm just that darn persuasive."

"And cute."

"Yes how could I forget cute?" she muttered moving papers on the table around looking for some notes to continue writing her essay as James spotted a Daily Prophet article and moved to pick it up.

"Oi, James no need to bother with that," she said suddenly tying to jerk it out of his hand.

"What are you trying to hide Lily?" he grinned.

"Nothing," she muttered as he picked it up and she saw his face fall.

"So it got into the Daily Prophet as well?"

"Er… yes… it was yesterday's edition." She said glancing at the front page headline Ministry Aurors, Potters Murdered accompanied by a picture of James's parents. But Mrs. Potter didn't look like the one Lily met. Standing together they had a more professional dignified air to them, Mr. Potter's hair even seemed to lay still even though James assured her it never did.

"And I thought they were paid off enough not to print it. Well they wouldn't be silenced for long," he sighed giving her a sad smile and started playing with her hair.

"I'm sorry James… you know…" she started at lost for words.

"You know Lily, my mom loved you, but my dad would have adored you. Any girl who would be able to put me in my place like you're able to would be his idol." He laughed shaking his head and finally acting upon his decision. "Lily I have to tell you something. Do you think you have a minute?"

"James," she said stunned at his serious voice pushing all her work far away from her. "Anything, but I'll tell you this the common room is ideal for secret conversations right now. In a silent room you're at risk of being over heard."

"Lily, you're scaring me. You sound like a marauder. Even scarier you sound like Sirius."

She shrugged. "James do stop avoiding the subject. I know there is something you've been trying to say forever. For crying out loud yesterday you tried to break up with me then confessed that you loved me. Either my boyfriend is schitzo or James, Dumbledore told you something you're worried about. Listen if you haven't figured it out you can tell me whatever. It's not like I'm going to go tell Bellatrix Black, James."

James finally blurted it out before something else inside of him told him to shut it. "I'm the heir of Gryffindor!"

Lily looked at him and once again did something he didn't expect her to do. She laughed. "Is that it James? That's neat and all, but the head girl two years back was a distinct relative of Ravenclaw and most families that are decedents to Hufflepuff are well known. And besides I remember there were rumors about the Potters back in first year."

"Lily, Voldemort is a direct descendent of Slytherin, and I'm a direct descendent of Gryffindor. There's a prophecy Lily. About one destroying the other. He's out to get me. That's why my parents were killed by him. He wants to kill me and or needs something I have or something- I really don't get it but it's something along those lines. And that's why I was worried about you!"

"James you do know that more then half of the prophecies never come true, any ways despite that. So the crazed dark lord who's bent on destroying the world is after my boyfriend?" she said taking it in quite nicely. "Figures, Potter. You know you are so much more trouble then you're worth? You're lucky I'm under your freaking spell or charm or whatever."

"What do you mean Lily?"

"Well then we fight him James. I'm not going to let some blood crazed man who hates Muggles destroy the wizarding world….but if he's after you personallym I dare say now it's personal."

Now James remembered something she said to him that night on the Astronomy Tower. 'I'll end this James. I promise you James we'll end this.' It was so quite he barely heard it but now it made sense.'

"Lily you don't know how much I love you right now."

"Yes you're just going to love me more after this," she said pulling a large sheet out from inside her DADA text book. "Here's a list of all the supposed Death Eaters in Hogwarts and I have a plan to get inside of the Slytherin Dormitory to make sure."

"Wow, you thought this through," he awed staring at the descriptive paper.

"Yup, Now what you can do dear is get Black and Lupin and-" but she was silenced for a moment as James pressed his lips against hers in gratitude.

"Er…ya…" she finished.

00000ooooo00000

Yes I know it's been a long while and I'm sorry! Extended summer vacation and writer's block apparently is NOT a good combo! SO PLEASE REVIEW EVERYONE! I PROMISE THAT IT'S ABOUT TO GET BETTER! I know this chapter was pretty sucky! And a bit OOC but I had to get this bridge thing over with somehow!

Also please feel free (LOL!) to read my new ANDROMEDA/TED fic IN YOUR HONOR! I have big plans for it and there's some LJ in it!

:D

THANKS FOR STICKING WITH ME GUYS!

I REALLY APPRECITATE IT AN PLEASE REVIEW and suggestions are welcome like always!

Like always,

TajM