Chapter XXII

What We Have

((Lily's POV))

N.E.W.T.s were easier than I thought they'd be. Yeah, the week passed by really slowly, and we were all worried about the next exam, but when it was finally over, I realized that it wasn't that bad. Of course, James never thought it was that bad, but he's James. He's less of an obsessive freak than I am.

The sun was out when the last exam, Arithmancy, was over. The whole of Hogwarts seemed to be lounging on the grounds or flying around and playing for fun in the Quidditch field. James and I sat together, his back against a tree with me sitting in between his legs and leaning back against his chest.

"I wonder if I'll pass and be able to be an Auror," I mused aloud.

James snorted. "Of course you will. We'll be Aurors together."

"Same," Sirius said, lifting his head from LeAnne Barrows's lips, only to return once he had made a contribution to the conversation.

"I want to start up a store in Hogsmeade," Peter announced.

Sirius looked up again. "Oh, please, Wormtail. You'll probably just end up stealing cauldrons and selling them in Knockturn Alley for the rest of your life."

LeAnne laughed and then started kissing Sirius's neck. Um, gross. James and I might have been having a romantic moment as well, but we were cuddling, not sucking on each other.

"I was thinking about being an Auror, as well," Remus said. "And maybe I would teach Defense after retiring."

It was surprising to hear Remus speak then. He was quiet all through the N.E.W.T.s, because Rose had broken up with him. She said that "having a boyfriend during such a stressful time would keep her mind wandering away from her studies." And so poof! for them.

At that point, LeAnne stopped kissing Sirius to complain that her neck itched.

"Hickey," I explained shortly, adjusting my position in front of James. He noticed and caressed my hip gently before shaking in silent laughter.

The other girl huffed and left.

"God, Prongs, Carrot just scared away my entertainment for tonight," Sirius whined.

"Oh, Padfoot, come on, now," he laughed. "You know that you almost got caught last time you were in the Room of Requirement with that one girl."

I loved the feeling of somebody close to me talking. I could hear his chest vibrate, and I could even smell his breath from where my head was positioned below his chin. I nudged his chest lightly with my own chin. I could feel him look down, and he kissed my forehead softly.

"You two are so good together," Sirius said, watching us.

We both nodded and kissed. His lips lingered on mine.

"How do you two know…that you're…you know…?" Sirius asked.

I raised my eyebrows. "What?"

He scratched his head. "Well, how did you two…you know…get together?"

"I thought she was smart and beautiful and funny, and she thought the same of me. Replacing beautiful for dashing," James said.

Sirius didn't laugh. He merely continued, "I just wish I had a girlfriend like you do, Prongs."

James's arms drew tighter around me. "You want to steal my girlfriend?"

"No," Sirius said. "I just wish I could have a relationship like you two."

I smiled. "Sirius, if you'd just put caring about your girlfriends before making out with them, you'd have this."

"Well, you two are just so perfect together. I want that."

"What we have?" James asked. "What is it that we have?"

It was a question whose answer goes without saying.

"God, Prongs, do I have to go about saying it?" Sirius asked, picking up a bit of nonexistent lint off of his shoulder and tossing it away in a haughty manner.

I knew James was smiling. "It would make me very happy if you did."

Remus glanced up. "You smile at each other for no reason. You crack jokes at each other without hurting any feelings. You laugh together when there's nothing to laugh at. You hug at all the right moments. You never get tired of each other. You're sensitive when you need to be, but mostly you aren't serious around each other. You've cried over each other—well, James has gotten all broody over you before, Lily, and I expect you did the crying bit." Remus paused. "You're total opposites. James has dark hair, Lily has bright. James is laid back, and you get uptight over small stuff, Lily. Lily hardly ever breaks the rules, and it's a routine for you, James. You're both smart, but are brilliantin different subjects. You both argue over little things, but then you run back to each other's arms and kiss, like always. Together, you two make up the most complete couple that seems possible. You're the envy of most people at Hogwarts. And you love each other."

I looked at James. He was smiling at me.

"That about sums it up," he said, ruining the moment with his humor. I laughed and kissed him. He added some tongue.

And it was the best kiss ever.

Because we loved each other. And, apparently, everyone wanted what we had.

A/N: Vot iz zeez? An update? Hai karumba!

Reviewers, I love you. And I am veryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryvery... VERY sorry that I haven't updated in, like, twelve years. But seriously. It was kind of hectic, well not really. I just got lazy and all this stuff and then... Well, I'm just kind of babbling like a bumbling band of babboons.

But, you know what? I don't like this story. I hate it, actually. I HATE THIS STORY. Know why? It's so completely and utterly random. I am the Queen of Randomness, and this is just...the WORST. My writing has improved since I started this, and when I look back on it, man, it just sucks. I think I might do one more chapter after this, and then an Epilouge, and then this story is going hasta la vista, bebe. I'm going to start another J/L story, and it's going to be way better.

I was thinking about my new fic, and I've decided on a plot. But it's going to be less canon. The characters are going to be canon, but I'm going to throw in some stuff that wouldn't happen in your average Marauder-time story. But I hope you like it. I've been thinking about it for some time now.

Is that all I had to say? Yes. I'm not going to do review responses right now, since I have to go decorate the Christmas tree, but still. If I could hug each and every one of my faithful reviewers and give them some pie, I would. I love you all, please review, and forgive me, and love me, and hang around for my next fic!

P.S. Last Thing I Ate: Tuna fish.

Gotta keep up with tradition.