Lily contentedly wrapped her arms around James and snuggled her face into his chest. The Common Room was crowded on this rainy Sunday afternoon, but she and James had moved a couch into the corner by the window and were enjoying pseudo privacy provided by the couch's back protecting them from the rest of the room.

James amused himself by arranging Lily's hair in different styles. He'd just finished admiring his latest creation, a high ponytail that used a long lock of her hair to tie it in place. Lily shook her head but sighed in satisfaction as his fingers began carefully threading through her hair to work out the tangles he had wrought.

"I'm worried Beth is homesick," Lily broke their silence without preamble. She'd debated whether to discuss this with James or not. It almost seemed to be violating Beth's confidence. Except Beth hadn't confided in her and James was her best friend. She wanted to talk it over with him.

James' fingers stopped moving in her hair and he brushed his hand against her cheek. "Why do you think that she's homesick?"

"I've heard her crying herself to sleep a couple of nights," Lily ran her hand up James' arm absently. "I know it's just her first week here and it's natural to be homesick. She never says anything and I can't exactly ask why she was crying, but it worries me she doesn't talk about it."

"She acts very happy during the day," James pointed out.

Lily nodded. "She certainly does. She's one of the most positive, cheerful people I've ever met." She pursed her lips. "But she can't be that happy if she cries that much at night."

"Have you asked her if she's homesick?" James fingers ran down Lily's back and she shivered.

"Yes, and she always denies that she is." Lily lifted her head from James' chest to look at him. "I doubt she's lying, she sounds totally sincere when she answers."

"Maybe she's sad about something else," James said thoughtfully. "Maybe she's not homesick in general but is missing one person in particular."

"You mean like a boyfriend?" Lily hadn't thought of that. Beth acted interested in Sirius in a way that made it seem there was no other bloke in the picture.

"If I wasn't at Hogwarts, there's only one person that I'd miss enough to be crying over at night," James told her. His eyes were amused but serious. "That would be you, Lily."

Lily beamed and scooted up so her lips could meet his, wrapping her arms around his neck. James returned the kiss enthusiastically and soon they forgot they were in a busy room surrounded by fellow Gryffindors. Although the couch back afforded them some privacy, they eventually heard a few wolf whistles and Jerry's voice calling "Get a room, Potter!" James responded with an explicit finger gesture over his head without removing his mouth from Lily's. Over the laughter, Mark yelled "Not the Common Room!" Lily pulled away, her face crimson. "They have a point," she whispered giggling when James tried to bring his lips to hers again. "So do I," he growled, kissing her neck. Lily laughed again but scolded, "Not here, James."

James sighed in frustration but laid his head back against the armrest as Lily relaxed against his chest again. They were quiet for a few minutes before Lily broke the silence. "James?"

"Hmm?" he mumbled.

"Do you ever worry about what it's going to be like when we leave Hogwarts? Voldemort seems to be gaining momentum and everyone is going crazy. What if we can't be together? What if—"

"Hey," James stopped her. He gently turned her face so he could see her eyes. "Why would we not be able to be together?"

Lily squirmed uncomfortably. "If Voldemort takes over the Ministry of Magic, he won't allow muggleborns to work there. He'll try and take away our rights. You're a pureblood and I'm muggleborn. There could be pressure to keep us apart."

"Who cares if there is pressure?" James gave her a stern look. "No one that matters will try to keep us apart. We're going to fight Voldemort so he doesn't take over the Ministry of Magic or anywhere else. If he does come into power, we'll go underground to fight him. We'll never give up. I won't go anywhere without you, Lil. I'll never let us be separated."

Lily smiled, her worried expression replaced by a tender one. "How did I get so lucky to get you, James Potter?"

"It took you long enough to figure that out," James grumbled petulantly. "I'm pretty sure I was smitten a couple of years before you even deigned to think of me as more than an arsehole you wouldn't be caught dead with."

"I had to wait for you to grow up," Lily grinned at him.

"I'm pretty sure I had to wait for you to finally wake up and notice me," James continued to grouse.

"I love you now," Lily hitched her body up so her face was closer to his. "Can I make it up to you?" She started kissing his neck slowly. "All those years you had to wait?"

James pursed his lips to keep from smiling. "I guess so," he said. His voice was sulky, but his eyes were bright. "I had so many sleepless nights thinking about you."

"I kept you up at night?" Lily moved her lips up to his jaw. "You poor baby. It must have felt like torture."

"It was," James nodded. "I had to wait for you a really, really long time. While I was sleep deprived."

"What would you like me to do?" Lily's lips were at the edge of his mouth.

"Hmm," James pretended to deliberate. "We could go to the Room of Requirements. Just to have some privacy to discuss your offer further."

"Deal," Lily smiled at him. She pushed up from him and stood up, extending her hand to help him up. James jumped up and they started towards the Portrait Hole, his arm around her shoulders holding her tightly to him. "You drive a hard bargain, Potter."

"Glad you noticed," James' grin was knowing.