So, this is it! I know, short story, and this is a short chapter. But I have three AP classes, and this just seemed like a good place to end it, anyway.

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Staggering.

CHAPTER THREE- miracle.

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It all sounded rather unhealthy to her, really. The very idea of going weak in the knees terrified her. Lightheadedness was surely a sign of fatigue- which was, more than likely, the cause of the infatuation anyway. What were sparks doing flying about, anyway? That was potentially very dangerous, as it could start a fire. And who on earth would want butterflies in their stomach?

Apparently, she did.

Curse him. Stupid James Potter. Who was he to just come crashing (quite literally, that was how they had come to meet) into her life? And what right did he have to make her fall in love? That was the last thing she needed now.

She needed to focus on her studies and her Head Girl duties, and- most importantly- on what she was going to do after graduation. She had to get a job. Of course ruddy Potter wouldn't understand that. He would never have to work, if he didn't want to.

Ah, back to him. Stupid one-track mind. It didn't help at all that she to see him everyday. He took all the same N.E.W.T. classes as she did, and they had to patrol together every night.

Oh, patrol. It was an awkward hour, to say the least. She dreaded it all day, and, in some way, even looked forward to it. Her day would be incomplete without that last hour of James doing his best to be charming and sweet, even though experience taught her he was actually a clumsy berk who tripped on his own feet and was raised to have impeccable manners.

You see, she was very much a creature of habit, and the nightly patrol has become part of her routine. It was like brushing her teeth- absolutely essential. And after patrol, they would walk back, slowly, to the Head's Tower, lightly bantering and teasing one another.

They very rarely fought anymore. There was, admittedly, the occasional argument, but it was never serious. He still asked her out every now and then, and she still said no, if only because she was afraid. She wasn't, as has been said, quite yet ready to surrender the chase… yet.

But she somehow wished he would ask again, just so that she could see his face when she finally said yes.

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It was, without a doubt, the most wonderful feeling in the world. She said yes! All the trouble he'd gone through- he was finally getting his reward. Sirius and Remus had been brilliant help, of course. Even Peter had given some effort. That had been over three months ago, and they were still (miraculously, he was sure) together, and both alive, and neither missing any important addendums.

They still fought (a lot), but he looked forward to the fights now. It would have concerned him, really, if she had been agreeable. His stomach still fluttered every time he saw her, and he was certain that he would never get over the light-headedness. She was always going to give him weak knees, but that was okay. He figured that if she didn't, then she wouldn't be The One. And after everything he had been through to get her, she'd damn well be the one. Or he would just… die! How could she not be?

She insisted that she probably wasn't, they were still rather young, but he was convinced. And he would tell her so over the summer. They were going to get married and have a baby and a cozy little house out in the country with a white picket fence in a tree-lined neighborhood and roses in the back garden, a big dog sitting in front of the hearth on a braided rug and an overstuffed couch- everything would be absolutely wonderful. She would cook and clean and do his laundry and always greet him at the door looking like his beautiful wife- a happy smile on her face, and tell him all about how the baby had learned a new word today and how she found a great dress when she was shopping today and--

"James?"

He smiled up at her, spinning around and pulling her into his lap. "You know, Lily, I think things will work out all right after all."

"Maybe. But let's just take things one at a time, for now."

"That sounds like a plan to me."

"Good. If it didn't, I might have to do something drastic."

James paled, and she laughed, a tinkling sound that still managed to give him chills down his spine. "Yeah. Definitely a plan, then."

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Hope you've all enjoyed it, and thanks so much for all the nice reviews!