February turned into May with stunning speed. Flowers had begun to bloom as sunshine swarmed through the windows of the castle. The students had begun to spend their free time outside, though there was not much free time left for the Seventh Year students at Hogwarts. They tended to make the most of the sunshine by studying for hours by the lake.

Lily had yet to feel ready to date James. Even though she had tried to show him that she was nearly there, he knew instinctively that she wasn't ready yet. He somehow knew when she needed her space and when she craved his attention. He was in tune with her.

Everyone save Sirius sat at the lake. He was, as the Marauders told the girls, studying inside. This unusual statement was swallowed by the others, accepted merely because of the looks of secrecy that accompanied it.

Sirius sat beneath a painting of Gwendolyn the Weird on the fourth floor. There was a staircase to his left, though it rarely pointed in his direction. He was waiting nervously, tapping his hand against the cold floor.

"Hi," he said as soon as he saw her walk towards him.

"Hi," she replied quietly.

"Are you surprised?" he asked, looking at the ground.

She stared at the ground too. Silently, she nodded.

"Disappointed?" His voice nearly broke, he was that nervous.

Continued staring at the floor, nearly without movement. His heart was pounding so loudly he thought a swarm of hippogriffs had gone lose in it. After nearly a minute of such pain, she shook her head no.

"Well… er…" Sirius couldn't think of anything to say. He had spent so much time crafting those letters that he'd sent that he wasn't sure what subjects to touch upon.

She had an idea of what she wanted to talk about, though. "Is this a prank?" She asked suspiciously.

"What? No!"

"Then why did you write me?"

"Because I've fancied you since I saw you ages ago. I told you."

"No, Prince Snagglypuffers told me he fancied me. Sirius Black said nothing of the sort."

"That's because I was nervous. I didn't want you to think I fancied you like I had fancied your sisters."

"How did you fancy them?"

"Fleetingly. I thought they were charming and good-looking so I dated them. It didn't work out, obviously."

"So how do you fancy me?"

"Strangely. I want to know what you'll say about something, how you'll react. Stupid as it sounds, I long to hear you laugh or talk." He glanced at her and saw a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "See? Even though I'm extremely mortified at the fact that you're laughing at me, I'm still happy because I know how you'll react. I know it's strange but that's the effect you have on me."

She looked at him carefully. Slowly, she pushed back a strand of her long hair.

"I know I'm a prat and going on and on about this but I'm desperate. I'm practically in love with you, and not just your outside though it is gorgeous. I'm in love with the girl from your letters, the one who made me laugh and think deeply. The one who challenged me and made me feel like nothing only to cheer me up later. I love you." Sirius stared at the ground. "I didn't think this would happen," he said sadly. "I thought I could date you and then it'd all be done. That I'd be done thinking of you almost every second of every minute, that I wouldn't whine to my best mates about how confusing this all is. Merlin, I feel so much more sympathy for James. I don't know how he could go on with Lily like that. I'd have died. But anyway, I'm in love with you." He looked at her from underneath the eyelashes that had driven so many girls mad with envy. "Could you possibly love me too?"

There was a long pause before she replied.

Lily sat beneath an old oak tree, singing softly to herself as she studied her Transfiguration notes.

"Tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree," she sang before humming the rest. She had forgotten the words.

Someone filled them in for her, though. "And I'll know you'll be back for me," James Potter finished for her.

"You know that song?" Lily asked, looking at him with a smile.

"Yep. My mum used to sing it to me when I was a baby."

"And here I thought you knew nothing of Muggles," Lily teased.

"Oh no, I know plenty." He pulled a bouquet out from behind his back. "I know, for instance, that Muggles love magic tricks."

Lily clapped her hands with delight, looking at the flowers. "They're lovely," she smiled.

He bowed and handed them to her. "For you, m'lady."

"Why thank you, Smuggy." Lily held them close to her face and breathed in the scent. "They're wonderful."

James sat down beside her and they gazed out at the lake for a long, long time in silence.

The sun had begun to set while they sat there, sending golden red streams across the water. The water and the sun seemed made for each other, hugging them with all of its might.

After the sun set, darkness fell upon them. Still they sat in silence, gazing at the stars.

"James?" Lily said, breaking the quiet.

"Yes?" He asked absentmindedly, gazing out at the lake.

"Cover your eyes for a minute," she ordered.

James obediently clasped his hands upon his eyes. He didn't bother to ask questions knowing she'd answer eventually.

"Do you remember what I told you about a year ago under this tree?" Her voice was extremely distant.

"Can I uncover my eyes?" He asked instead of answering.

"No. Answer the question," she called.

"Yes, I think I remember."

"What'd I tell you?" She sounded so distant that James was momentarily alarmed.

"I seem to recall something about skinny dipping with the Giant Squid," he answered, a grin creasing on his face.

"Open your eyes." Lily ordered.

James opened them slowly, looking around for her in the shadows. It was a moment before he saw her but when he did, he gasped.

Lily stood within the lake up to her shoulders, her body completely covered by the water and the dark of night. The only thing he could see was her hair falling upon her bare shoulders. The moonlight hit her, illuminating her smiling face.

"What are you doing?" James asked incredulously.

"Skinny dipping with the Giant Squid," she answered cheekily. "What does it look like?"

"Get out of there!" He shouted. "You'll freeze, Lily!"

She merely laughed as she swam towards the edge, making sure her body was beneath the water at all times.

"Cover your eyes," she ordered again before summoning her clothes to her. Within a few minutes, she was dressed and fairly dry, though her hair was wet. She walked over to him, smiling widely.

"You're really something," James said, looking at her with adoration and amusement. "You're really kooky, Kooks."

She giggled as she slipped her arms around his waist. "James, please don't make me go swimming with him again to make sure you get what I'm getting at."

James looked at her deviously. "What are you getting at?" he asked.

"James Potter! I want you to ask me out, right now!"

"Why on earth should I do that?"

Lily looked up into his eyes and smiled. "So you can kiss me," she whispered.

James held her close to him and leaned down, whispering in her ear. "Lily Evans, will you be my girlfriend?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied softly, leaning up to him.

Their lips met and Lily hadn't known something could feel this good. It was amazing, their first kiss. She melted into him, bliss evident in every cell of her being. As they broke away, she looked up at him with an impish smile.

"What are you thinking?" he asked, stroking her hair gently.

"That it's quite sad," she answered slowly.

"What's quite sad?"

"That it took me seven years to find out what a wonderful kisser you are." Lily grinned at him.

"Oh but I've been telling you that for ages. You just didn't listen."

"I'm listening now," she whispered.

Lily and James sat in the Gryffindor Common Room. His arm was wrapped gently around her waist while she leaned against him. Her hair was lying across both of their shoulders. They were studying for their N.E.W.T. in Potions and completely oblivious to the stares of the other students around them.

Neala saw them and felt her heart was broken.

Mary saw them and was very glad she had bet 5 Galleons on them dating.

Marlene saw them and laughed with joy.

Remus saw them and felt happiness with a mixture of relief.

Peter saw them and felt jealous of the connection the two had, the closeness.

Sirius hadn't seen them yet. He was walking into the Common Room clutching the hand of his love. He was both nervous and excited to show her off to his friends.

They stepped through the portrait together and walked straight to the Marauders and girls.

"This… this is my girlfriend," Sirius said, looking at his friends.

James grinned at him with delight while Lily winked, welcoming her into the circle of Marauder Girls.

"I'm so glad I've got you to help me deal with them now," Lily said. "It'll be much more fun."

James rolled his eyes. "Lily, we've only been dating for three hours," he commented.

"Oh but it's been a dreadfully boring three hours," she teased, leaning against him. She was about to kiss him but stopped, remembering where she was.

Mary broke the silence that had fallen. "I think," she said quietly, "we need to have some girl talk."

Lily nodded and the girls, Sirius's girlfriend included, raced up the staircase to their dormitory.

As soon as they reached their destination, they collapsed upon the beds, out of breath.

"So, tell us how you and Sirius started dating," Lily said with a wide smile.

"Oh yes, do tell." Mary's eyes were narrow.

The girlfriend sighed. "He wrote me letters."

"Letters?" Marlene echoed. "Sirius Black wrote you letters?"

"No. I didn't know it was Sirius until a few hours ago. Someone wrote me letters, signing them Prince Snagglypuffers."

"And you just decided to date whoever was the author of those letters?" Mary asked, her voice somewhat cold.

"No Mary, I didn't. I went to see who the author was out of curiosity. I was expecting some mousy third year, to tell the truth."

"Well that sure didn't happen," Mary said icily.

"Why aren't you happy for me?" She sounded sad.

"I'm scared for you. I'm scared you'll get hurt," Mary explained. "I don't want you to be hurt by him."

"He won't hurt me," she said confidently.

"He hurt me," Mary said slowly. "He hurt me even though he didn't mean to. That's his problem. He doesn't mean to hurt people. He probably doesn't even know he hurts them at all. He falls in love but it's only momentary."

Sirius's girlfriend stared at her. "Did he tell you he loved you?" she asked slowly.

Mary sighed. "No, he didn't."

"That makes all the difference then," she replied, "because he told me he loved me."

Mary looked at her younger sister closely, looking for signs of lying. Della, though normally aloof and silent, opened her arms to Mary. The two embraced, holding each other close.

"I just don't want you to get hurt," Mary whispered.

"I know," Della replied.

Lily and Marlene had been looking at each other awkwardly during this exchange. They waited until the sisters were done hugging before speaking.

"Do you know what I've got a craving for?" Lily asked with a wicked smile.

"What's that?" Marlene answered, catching on quickly.

"Pancakes!" The girls giggled, remembering Sirius chanting on the train ride to Hogwarts.

"Let's get some from the kitchens," Mary suggested.

Lily nodded. "James told me how to get there ages ago."

"James your boyfriend?" Marlene winked.

"James my boyfriend," Lily confirmed. "But let's not waste time. We can talk about that later. Now it's time for pancakes!"

Author's Note: One more chapter left! It feels so strange to be nearly finished! I may write a sequel though, once I get some more time. It's a seriously busy time for me but thanks for ALL of the reviews! They motivate me to write faster! Expect replies to them in my sob final chapter!!!