Disclaimer: You know by now, right? I don't own The Characters. Good job.

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James had been sitting on his bed staring at Lily's parcel for fifty-four minutes. At least that's what the clock said. He thought it might be broken.

What was it? What did this mean? When did she decide not to hate him? Where was she now? Why would she give him, of all people, a gift? How had she gotten her timing so right, giving him a reason to fold on just a little longer when he was ready to give up?

"Only one way to find out." James sighed as he ripped the wrapping off slowly, trying to preserve any part of her that might have been left behind when she sent it. Could this be the parcel she was sending when he bumped into her in the Owlry? "She sent … a box. A box?"

He looked at it blankly for a moment before realizing that a girl as bright as Lily wouldn't send him something as useless as a box. There must be something inside the box. He opened the clasp, almost expecting it to blow up or something, and lifted the lid up. Inside were six neat stacks of parchment, each piece folded neatly in half and lay perfectly upon the one beneath it. That's odd, he thought as he picked on up. Lily's sent me her notes from class. Does she really think I'm stupid?

He slipped his finger inside the letter to flip it open. His heart skipped as he read the lines of its contents.

Dear Lily,

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

Girls like me,

But I love you.

I know it sounds a bit cocky, but hey, it's true. Nearly every girl at Hogwarts would do anything for a date with me. Nearly. This meaning everyone except you. I like you, Lily, and that's not about to change.

PS: You have the prettiest eyes I have ever seen.

Yours always,

James Potter

On the back of the letter, a date was scribbled in Lily's customary emerald ink. June 27th, third year. It was the last day of school. Now he remembered writing this, but why did she have it almost three years down the road?

He picked another letter, this time from the fifth pile.

Dear Lilikins,

I really wish I were the Giant Squid. If you would rather date it than me, I must be insane to love you still. Funny thing is, I do. I'm sorry for being such a jumped up git. I'm trying to change, but it's hard. I'll do it for you, though. I love you.

PS: You have the prettiest eyes I have ever seen.

I love you,

James Potter

On the back of this June 6th, fifth year - He's improving was written in green. He smiled to himself as he remembered his huge infatuation with her eyes. He couldn't help it. They were just so … green. And gorgeous.

Suddenly, he realized that these must be in chronological order. So completely Lily. The piles were the years and they were stacked from September to June. He remembered being so broken hearted that he hadn't sent another letter until September of next year. Sixth year. This year.

He picked up the top letter from the sixth pile and opened it. It was his All Else Has Failed letter from last week. Had she kept every letter he'd ever sent her? Oh, every one? Haha, he thought triumphantly. He rummaged through the 5th Year pile, looking for two letters he really regretted sending. They weren't there. Had she been so embarrassed by them that she'd disposed of them? Understandable. They were written when he had been dead drunk and wasn't thinking straight. They were rather dirty.

He closed the box after setting every letter back into it's original place carefully and headed to the common room.

OoOoO

"Open it yet?" A sugary sweet voice asked from behind James, who was sitting on the couch with the box beside him. His face split into a smile.

"Yes, Evans, I did." He looked over at her lovingly. "You really do have beautiful eyes, you know. Beautiful everything, really. Lucky girl."

"I'm sure. I've got something rather un-poetic to say about those letters." She informed him. He nodded, watching in amazement as she plopped herself onto his lap and grinned. "Right back at you, Potter."

He simply smiled at her, loving the way she smiled back. It was much nicer than her usual look of disgust at his presence.

"I'm sorry about those letters from 5th Year. I was drunk. I know that's not an excuse, but it's all I've got." He smiled sheepishly, feeling awkward about talking those while she was sitting on him, in a perfect position to do most of what was in those letters. "I didn't see them in the box. Were they so bad that you got rid of them?"

"No. I've got them." She grinned, patting her pocket. He flushed bright red. "I read them a lot. They're proof that you don't always speak with pretty words. Those were … crude. It's very hot, you know."

"Yeah … what makes you think you're not pretty?" He asked, changing the subject. She was gorgeous. What could make her think like that?

"What doesn't?" She snorted. "Red hair, clashes with everything. Green eyes, just … ew. Tiny figure, looks like I'm twelve. Pale skin, it's like I've died. Extra-Straight teeth, people think I'm some sort of crazed dentist's kid. Small nose, pixie nose. Short fingers are toad fingers. Skinny legs make me look like a frog. Yep, basically everything."

James' face had grown increasingly pale during her little speech. How could she see herself so differently than he did? None of that was true! No, no, no. It was all a lie.

"Lily." James said softly. "You are beautiful. Red hair is like fall. It's my favourite season. Green eyes look like emeralds. They make me rather dizzy. You don't look twelve years old. You're delicate. I'm slightly afraid of breaking you, actually, but I like you little. Straight teeth and a small nose make for better kissing. I like pixies, they're cute. I have honestly never looked at your fingers, so I have nothing to say about those. As for the legs, they fit perfectly around me that day on the tower. There isn't a thing that I don't like about you, Lily."

"Really?" Lily smiled shyly up at him, moving a bit closer.

"Really." He said firmly. Looking into those eyes made his knees weak. "Lily? Can I … er, never mind."

"Can you what? Do this?" She leaned up, shifting on his lap, and kissed him softly. With one swift movement, he had her on his lap, kissing her frantically.

"I love you, Lily."

"I love you, too, but shut-up and kiss me."

"Right." He leaned back down, shifting her legs to either side of him and kissed her, completely reassured that she didn't like Remus.

OoOoO

"I guess we can officially call Prongs a hypocrite." Sirius said off-handedly at lunch.

"Er, why?" Remus asked, feeling a bit touchy about James. That jaw really hurt!

"Well, I was sitting there, minding my own business -"

"Short version, please." Peter said in a bored tone. Sirius glared at him, annoyed.

"But I want to give the long one!"

"Short version, please." Remus ordered.

"Fine. Two on one. Unfair. Anyways, James walked in on Chloe and I doing what he said were 'Private Room Activities'. Then, ten minutes ago, I walked in on Lily practically eating his face. Not a pretty sight." Sirius grimaced in remembrance. Peter smiled and Remus scowled.

"Great. Now he'll come begging for forgiveness and I'll give it to him. Again. It's like tradition." Remus said grumpily. Sirius slapped him on the back in a manly fashion.

"He'll get over it and so will you!" He said loudly. Remus gave him a disdainful look as he began stuffing an entire roll in his mouth. Sirius smiled, dropping half the roll onto his lap when his lips parted. He looked at it sitting there for a moment before flicking it Peter. Peter brushed it onto the floor absently.

"I'm happy for James. I suppose persistence actually does work." Peter squeaked happily. Sirius clapped for a reason not currently known to human kind a Remus nodded slowly.

"Why does he think Lily and I are more than friends?" Remus grumbled, upset that his best friend was ignoring him because of a bit of jealousy over a non-existent thing.

"Well, judging by the way he reacted to you feeling Lily up last night, I'd say he think you're going behind his back." Sirius answered off-handedly. Remus looked…appalled.

"What? Me feeling up Lily? What on earth gave him that idea? We were just dancing!" Remus spluttered in surprise. "Alright, so we're a bit closer than before, but that's because I told her I'm a w- about my furry little problem."

"You did? How'd she take that?" Peter asked cautiously. The whole werewolf thing could be a touchy subject sometimes.

"Great! She's with the small section of people who think it's not my fault! She is the sweetest girl I've ever met, I swear." Remus smiled, remembering his surprise when Lily barreled him over with a hug instead of running away in fear.

"Let's head back to the common room. I've got a Divination test to pretend to study for." Sirius said, standing up. Remus and Peter followed him silently. Trying to convince Sirius to study was like trying to make James believe it was okay for guys to use Chapstick. Fruitless.

OoOoO

"Oi! Prongsie, not nice!" Sirius bellowed as he entered the common room. Lily was tucked under James as he kissed his way down her neck. He hit a sensitive spot, wrenching a groan from her lips.

"Oh, shut up, Black." Lily gasped as he hit it again. "I'm quite enjoying this."

"I'm not. Gross." Remus pretended to gag dramatically. James came up for air, gasping as he began undoing Lily's buttons.

"Oh, no you don't!" Sirius yelped. He dragged James off Lily and did up the buttons James had undone. "That's a 'Private Activity'. Not a common room full of people one."

"Shove off, Padfoot." James said embarrassedly. His face heated with shame as he glanced over to see Remus standing by, looking as though he felt rather awkward. "Hey, mate."

"Hey." Remus said quietly. James stood up and walked over to his friend. Or the guy he hoped was still his friend.

"I'm sorry. I tend to be, er, insanely jealous when it comes to Lily." He muttered awkwardly. He was no good at apologizing. Sirius was best at that. Mostly because he did it so often, but still…

"That's alright." Remus accepted quietly, staring at his shoes. James' shoulders slumped in defeat. It obviously was not all right at all. Remus looked up with a small – very small – smile playing at his lips. "Like tradition, right?"

"Right, deary." James grinned, patting Remus' cheek playfully. Remus winced and rubbed his jaw while James looked sheepish. "Bet that jaw's a bit tender, huh?"

"A bit, yeah." Remus replied, popping it open and shut. " Kinda dislocated."

The two boys looked at each other, both obviously glad to be in the other's good books again and at the same time regretful that they didn't do it sooner. Suddenly, they embraced like brothers, thumping the other's back with their fists and laughing happily.

"Oh, boys!" Lily exclaimed, tearfully moved by the apology. She grabbed them both in a tight hug. "You are such idiots!"

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epythyne: fast enough? Hope so!

Fudge-butter: no one's ever quoted my story in a review before! (sniffle) That's my favourite part, too!

Em3191: Now you know what Lily got James. Hope you like!

Smiley0531: Thanks for helping me out with my mistakes! Hope you like this chapter.

XPinkRocksMySocksx: Glad you think so!

Firelily28: I'm hurt! You haven't reviewed yet! Sob