CHAPTER TEN: TRUTH AT LAST

The new term had begun. Christmas was well and truly over and the teachers were pushing the NEWTS students harder than ever. The exams were now just weeks away. Spring was just around the corner. James had caught up with all the work he'd missed while he was so low after his parents deaths and was now also back doing patrols with Lily. He'd almost forgotten he was Head Boy! A twinge of sadness caught him when he remembered how proud his parents had been. It made him all the more determined to be good at it.

James was also helping Lily with her Transfiguration. They were spending time after patrols in the Common Room that was set aside for their private use. They were patrolling together now rather than each patrolling a specific area and then meeting up when it was done; they agreed it was probably safer that way. Neither wanted to admit that the real reason they did patrols together was because they enjoyed each other's company.

James enjoyed helping Lily with Transfiguration and she was improving all the time. They were sitting together now at a small table that James had conjured up at the start of each lesson. They had completed patrol earlier and decided that the lessons were even more important now as the exams were getting closer. They had nearly finished for the night when Lily asked a question. 'James, what were your parents like?' James smiled warmly. 'Oh they were great. Dad taught me to fly and he taught me to play Quidditch and he helped me to decide I want to be an Auror. Dad was one, and a good one too'. Lily swallowed. She was touched by the way James's eyes shone when he spoke about his father. 'What about your Mum, What was she like?' James considered. He didn't know how to explain it. He swallowed hard. 'Mum was…she was…' the back of his throat burned. He covered his eyes with his hands, pushing his glasses aside. 'Damn it Potter, don't you dare cry!' he thought, angry with himself.

Lily felt suddenly anxious. 'I'm sorry James I didn't mean to upset you. I just wondered what they were like. I'm really sorry' she said quickly. 'I've opened my big mouth and upset him' she thought, annoyed at her tactlessness. James swallowed hard, trying to steady himself. 'You haven't upset me Lily, it's just that Mum was…amazing. She was good and sweet and kind. She was just amazing' James kept his hands over his face as the tears in the back of his throat faded. Suddenly he felt something brush his cheek. 'So are you' a voice said.

James lowered his hands away from his face. Lily was sitting down, her cheeks as red as her hair. James had to know if she had just done and said what he thought she had just done and said. 'Lily, I know this sounds conceited and you're bound to get angry with me, but what did you just say?' Lily looked down. She was shy now. She had just kissed him and told him she thought he was amazing. She recovered her courage. It was what she felt after all. 'I'm not angry with you James' his eyes widened in shock. She smiled. 'I said so are you' he looked confused. She smiled again. 'I said you are amazing James Potter'.

James was stunned. 'Lily Evans thinks I'm amazing!' He was staggered. 'And then I kissed you.' Lily couldn't believe how bold she was being! She had kissed him! James could have fallen off his chair. She had kissed him! 'Why Lily?' he tried to keep his voice even and calm. Lily gazed at him as if she thought he was asking her something really obvious. 'Because James, I love you'. Excitement exploded in James's stomach. Lily Evans loved him! Then reality kicked in; 'No you don't Lily' he said flatly, struggling to sound relaxed. Lily couldn't believe this! This wasn't how he was supposed to react! 'Yes I do!' she was trying to stay calm but tears were starting to build up inside her. 'No Lily, you don't. You might feel friendship for me, but you don't love me. What you feel Lily is pity, because my parents died and you know I miss them'. He knew he had to be reasonable. Lily was persistent. 'James, I don't pity you…oh I know you miss your parents and I am truly sorry they died, but I don't pity you James, I love you' she insisted. James suddenly felt giddy but he had to make her see sense. She couldn't possibly love him. 'Lily I'm sorry but you do pity me. I don't want your pity. I want you to love me as much as I love you'.

Lily was crying now. She had to make him see she was telling him the truth. 'B-But James, I d-do!' Then she got angry with him. How dare he say she didn't love him! 'Damn you James Potter, I do love you, but fine, if you don't love me, you can forget it!' Lily stood abruptly, aiming towards the door.

The truth hit James hard in the face. 'She does love you, you stupid idiot, stop her!' he thought desperately. His heart was thumping so loud he thought she would hear it. 'Lily I…' but she wasn't listening. 'Lily, please I….' She was running towards the door. She needed to get away from him! James stepped in front of her. He had to stop her leaving! 'Lily please, don't leave me…. I love you'. Lily stopped. She looked at James straight in the eyes. 'Lily I love you'. He said again. He stepped towards her and pulled her into his arms. He kissed her tenderly on the lips. Lily moved closer to him, holding him as tightly as she could. After what seemed like ages they stepped apart a little. James grinned at her and Lily beamed back at him. 'Lily' James was still grinning. 'Yes'. Lily was still beaming. 'Will you go out with me?' They both laughed. 'Yes James, I will'. James pulled her to him again and kissed her firmly. As they kissed they knew were both thinking exactly the same thing. 'YES!'

The next day James practically skipped down to breakfast. He hadn't had much sleep. Dreams of Lily had kept waking him up all night. He could still hardly believe that she loved him and they were going out. When he got back from patrol the night before, Sirius was already asleep and James didn't feel like waking him up to tell him what had happened between him and Lily. He hadn't told him when he woke up either. He wanted to see how Sirius would react when he saw them together at breakfast.

After all the excitement of last night James kept smiling to himself. Sirius noticed straight away and kept asking if he was all right, but James just shrugged, nodded and then broke out into smiles again. 'Prongs, it's starting to look weird now, you sitting at the breakfast table, smiling at everything' Sirius muttered, but James didn't care. He was happy. Then Lily came to the table, sat opposite James, and began to smile in the same way. Sirius looked at the pair of them. Something was definitely going on. 'All right you two, what is it?' he asked suspiciously. James and Lily looked at each other and went on smiling. 'Nothing' they responded, in unison. Sirius shook his head. Don't give me that, what have you done?' Now James looked at Sirius. 'Padfoot, mate, what on earth makes you think we've done something?' he said, looking as innocent as he could, but his eyes were shining. 'Well now, let me think…' Sirius was determined to get to the bottom of this, but they weren't going to help him! 'It might be something to do with the fact that you've had a daft grin on your face all morning, and now Lily is sitting here grinning in…..'

Sirius stopped in mid-sentence. 'Now wait a minute……' He seemed to be thinking something through. He looked at Lily and James closely. Then his face took on a puzzled look. 'When?….How?...You've got together haven't you? Well, haven't you!' He was laughing now. His dog-like laugh echoing down the hall. 'Yes' the two replied, again in unison. 'But how did that happen?' Sirius was confused now. He knew they had become closer lately, but this! This was unbelievable! 'Actually Sirius, it was your doing, yours and Professor Slughorn's'. Lily said. She laughed when both Sirius and James looked at her incredulously and cried 'Slughorn!' Lily nodded happily. 'James, it was Sirius who asked me if I would come and see you in the Hospital Wing.' She looked at Sirius gratefully. He smiled and shook his head. 'But it was Professor Slughorn who made me realise I love you'. Lily blushed. She hadn't meant to say that in front of Sirius!

James leaned over and gripped her hand. 'But Lily, Slughorn?' he cried incredulously, pulling a face. Lily smiled. She knew James didn't like Professor Slughorn very much. 'Yes James, Slughorn. I realised I love you when you shouted at me that day after your accident with the potion'.

James couldn't believe it. She'd loved him for weeks and he didn't realise! He was definitely still an idiot! 'But Lily, we had patrol together that night, remember?' She grinned now. 'Yes James, but you were so busy telling me you were going to stay away from me from now on, I couldn't get a word in edgeways. Besides, I could hardly turn round after you'd said that and say 'but I love you' could I? That would have sounded really pathetic'.

James looked sheepish now. 'Yeah, that's true I suppose. But McGonagall told me that the only way you would notice me was if I left you alone, so I did' then he grinned at Sirius, 'But you sorted us out didn't you, you're brilliant mate!' Sirius grinned ironically. 'Thanks for the credit, but the person you should be thanking is Dumbledore – he told me to ask Lily to come and see you…' Sirius laughed again. 'You know, I reckon Dumbledore has been playing Match Maker all year. I mean Prongs, he made you Head Boy and you weren't even a prefect, and he made you Head girl Lily, didn't he?' Lily nodded, catching on to what he was saying. 'You don't think he….he wouldn't, would he?' James and Sirius laughed. They realised that a number of events and people had conspired to get James and Lily together – and it had worked!