Dear Lily,

My parents have instructed me that it is proper etiquette to thank guests after a lovely evening. I told them that a real thank you wouldn't involve any letters, just lots of snogging. Mum didn't like that.

The truth is, I have written about 100 letters this summer that I never sent you. I missed you, Lily. I felt like we became good mates last year, and I realized how incomplete our group felt without you and McKinnon around.

I'm glad I ran into you yesterday. I'm also really glad you met my parents (who still won't shut up about you).

See you in a few days.

Your friend,

James

Dear James,

Thank you very much for your sincere and heartfelt "thank you" that I'm sure was so painful for you to write. I had a lovely time at dinner, and I am glad we ran into each other, too.

I actually tried to write you several times this summer as well. With everything going on at home, I really needed a friend. But when it came down to it, I couldn't put what I was feeling into words. Maybe I just felt like that made things more real. Feels pretty real now, though, as I write from a sticky table while drinking a pint at 2:00 in the afternoon in the Leaky Cauldron.

I've missed you and the boys as well. Even though you're all a bunch of obnoxious pricks, you're all my obnoxious pricks.

Send my best to your parents and Sirius.

Your friend,

Lily

Dear Lily,

I am so sorry you have been feeling that way all summer. I can only imagine what you are going through. I wish I had run into you sooner or had just stopped being a prat and actually sent one of my letters. I hope you know that I'll always be here if you need to talk.

We will be leaving for Hogwarts soon, and instead of sticky tables at the Leaky Cauldron, you can have sticky tables at the Three Broomsticks (or the Hogs Head, have you been there? There're some shady blokes there).

Sirius says to give his best to Marlene (he's still hoping to make that happen at least once by the end of the year).

Yours,

James

Dear James,

Oh Hogsmeade, just thinking of Honeydukes makes me drool. I haven't had their chocolate in far too long. On the last Hogdmeade's trip of the last term, I stuffed all my pockets, and Marlene's pockets, and Benji Fenwick's pocket (he was Marlene's flavor of the month at the time). All of that was not enough to even get me through one month of summer.

How are Remus and Peter doing? I've been meaning to write to Remus all summer and ask him if he received his Head Boy badge! Do you know if he received it?

Yours,

Lily

P.S. Please tell Sirius that no, I do not know if Marlene is still involved with Benji Fenwick (although between you and me, I hope she isn't because he's a bit of a prat).

Dear Lily,

We must rectify your Honeydukes withdrawal as soon as possible. Also, I do agree that Fenwick is a right prick. He's also a terrible Keeper, but I never said that.

Remus did not receive a Head Boy badge in his letter. I am assuming you received a Head Girl badge in your letter, though. My sincerest congratulations! But I can't say I'm surprised because who else would they pick?

Dad says that he can really work the Head Girl angle and that next time you come 'round for dinner, he's going to make sure that some Ministry officials are present. He plans to talk you up not-so-slyly. He already has some killer talking points. "Head Girl!" "Top of her year." "Vivacious redhead" (no wait, that's just how Sirius talks about you).

Hope the tables are less sticky today.

Yours,

James

Dear James,

Your father really needs to stop feeding my ego. And Sirius really needs to be more creative. I'm pretty sure he's been calling me that "vivacious redhead" since third year.

Yes, I am Head Girl this year. I'm surprised Remus wasn't appointed Head Boy. What shame, I would have enjoyed working with him. Can't wait to see what tosser I have to work with this year. Oh, Merlin, I hope it's not Bertram Aubrey from Hufflepuff, he's such a wanker.

Yours,

Lily

P.S. I'm curious, what words would you use to describe me?

Lily was awoken the morning before she left for her final year of Hogwarts by a very loud visitor.

"LILY!" Marlene McKinnon barged into Lily's room and jumped on her bed, waking her from a very friendly dream about James Potter. "Ugh, I have missed you this summer!"

"Marlene," Lily groaned from under her pillow. "What the fuck? It's like 8:00 am."

"Wrong, it's nearly noon," Marlene corrected her.

Lily sat up quickly. "So late already?"

"What were you doing last night?" Marlene asked suggestively.

Truthfully, Lily had been up late writing letters back and forth with James Potter. They had sent nearly thirty letters between the two of them in only three days. Lily had ended her last letter on a rather suggestive note and was hoping he would write back by the time she fell asleep. Of course, she wouldn't dare tell Marlene this.

"Nothing," Lily lied. "Just working on some last-minute homework assignments."

"I highly doubt our Head Girl would leave anything to the last minute," Marlene smirked. "Are you sure it doesn't have anything to do with this?"

Marlene whipped out a letter from behind her back. Lily could make out her name in what was undoubtedly James's handwriting.

"Where did you get that?" Lily asked while trying and failing to retrieve the letter from Marlene's grasp.

"Tom gave it to me when I told him I was here for you. He says you've been getting ten letters a day. Who have you been writing to Miss Evans?"

Lily glared at her for a moment. "If I tell you, will you swear to give it back?"

"I solemnly swear," Marlene promised. It was a stupid saying they had picked up from the Marauder's last year.

"Fine," Lily hissed. "If you must know, I have been writing to James."

"Potter?" Marlene clarified, but she relinquished Lily's letter, nonetheless.

"Do we know another James?" Lily retorted. She ripped the letter open, anxious to see what James replied.

Dear Lily,

Your ego could always use more feeding, and the Potter men are more than happy to oblige. You don't talk about yourself nearly enough (take it from someone who is an expert on talking about themselves).

I definitely think you'll be stuck with a tosser this year, Head Girl.

As to how I would describe you, well, let's just say it's not really appropriate to write in a letter. You never know whose hands this might fall into.

I guess you'll just have to wait until we are back at school for me to tell you.

Yours,

James

Lily hadn't realized how fast her heartbeat was until she finished reading his letter. Then she read it again, and again, and a fourth time just to make sure. Was he flirting with me? Lily thought. Because I had definitely been flirting with him.

"Well?!" Marlene asked impatiently.

"What?" Lily had forgotten she was there. Lily made her way to her desk to write a quick reply.

Dear James,

I guess it's good we only have one more day then.

Maybe I'll tell you how I would describe you, too.

Lily paused at the signature. When signing off letters, they had moved from "your friend" to "yours" quickly. Lily felt like that was more personal. She secretly loved seeing James write, "Yours, James." I made her feel like he was hers. And she liked that very much.

Your Lily.

She wanted to convey that she was his as much as he was hers. Then she just felt silly because they weren't really anything. Just friends.

"You're not going to give me any more details?" Marlene asked.

"Oh, Mar, where do I begin?" Lily asked. "Come on, let's go eat lunch. I need to send this response to James anyway."

"So, let me get this straight," Marlene started while skimming a stack of letters Lily had been hiding under her pillow. During lunch, Lily had told Marlene everything. How she left home, running into James, dinner at the Potter's, and the letters. "You have been sending love letters back and forth with James Potter for three days?"

"I wouldn't call them love letters," Lily corrected.

"I think a real thank you would involve lots of snogging. I hope you know that I'll always be here if you need to talk. Your ego could always use more feeding. Let's just say it's not really appropriate to write in a letter," Marlene quoted their letters. "This is just pure, disgusting, blatant flirting. Blimey, Lily, there's got to be thirty letters here. When did you start this?"

"Um, three days ago," Lily blushed fiercely and snatched her letters back from Marlene. "And it's only 27."

"27 letters? In three days?" Marlene asked incredulously. "Have you told him how you feel?"

"What do you mean?" But Lily knew she wasn't fooling anyone.

"Fuck off, don't play dumb," Marlene snapped. "You told me you fancied him not two months ago, Lily Evans. Are you saying that's changed?"

Lily hesitated. Of course, it hadn't changed. If anything, she fancied him even more now. "No, it hasn't changed. But what if he has?"

"He has changed; that's why you fancy him," Marlene pointed out.

"No, I mean, what if his feelings have changed? What if he's moved on or found someone else?" Lily admitted her fears that had been haunting her for several months now.

"Lily, do you really believe that? I mean, look at these letters, they seem much more than something friends send to each other," Marlene assured her. "While I highly doubt he has moved on, there's only one way to find out. You have to tell him."

Tell him?! I can barely admit to myself my feelings for James Potter, Lily thought. So, how am I supposed to actually tell James Potter?

"I guess you're right," Lily admitted. "But I just get so flustered around him. I can't breathe, my hands get all sweaty, and I can barely string two words together."

"Yes, dear, that's called being in love," Marlene said.

"Love?! I never said anything about love," Lily sputtered.

"You didn't have to," Marlene gave her a smug look.

Lily didn't reply. Love? I don't love James Potter. Right? Well, maybe not yet…..

"Don't get your knickers in a twist," Marlene said at the confused look on Lily's face. "Let's go out tonight. Get our minds off things for a while. I haven't seen my best friend in two months, we leave for our final year of Hogwarts tomorrow, and I plan on getting absolutely pissed."

"Go out where?" Lily asked.

"Muggle London, of course," Marlene answered with a sly smile.