James didn't know how to ask Lily. He was barely ever embarrassed! He was trying to decide whether to ask her casually, like it was no big deal, (yeah right, he thought to himself) or whether to make a really big deal out of it.

"So," Mary nudged James, "have you asked her yet?"

"No, not ye-"

"WELL WHY THE HELL NOT?"

"I'm working on it OK? Just give me some time!"

"Some time to do what?" Lily asked curiously as she walked into the room, followed by Sirius.

"Some time to ask you whether you wanted to come on a picnic with me," James said breathlessly.

"Oh, can I come?" asked Sirius hopefully.

"No Sirius, you have things to do," said Remus sternly.

"No I don't! I really want to go!" he said, not comprehending why he wasn't invited.

"Sirius, you - have - things - to - do!" said Remus, a bit desperately.

"Oooooooooooooooooooooh, right!" nodded Sirius, finally getting it. He winked at James, "I'll leave you two lovebirds together then shall I?"

"Yes Sirius, you shall," said Remus. In all this time, Lily hadn't been able to get a word in. Her cheeks were now a shade of deep red and she wasn't quite sure what to say. Remus wouldn't have gone behind her back and told James that she really liked him would he? No, he wouldn't.

"James, I would love to," she said, feeling extremely self-concious.

--

"Here we are," James said putting down the picnic basket and spreading the rug on a patch of green grass which was surrounded by flowers and plants. James started pulling out food and gestured for Lily to sit down.

"So why are we actually having a picnic?" Lily asked slyly.

"I just thought it might be nice to get away for a while. Not as a picnic date or anything just a picnic as friends." James thought he may have noticed a look on Lily's face, which he recognised as dissapointment, which was instantly covered with a smile.

"Oh, Ok." Lily said picking up a sandwhich and starting to eat. "Did you make this or did the house's elves?" she asked gesturing to the picninc basket.

"The house elves," James replied. Lily stared at the sky and started to think about how she could tell James that she liked him.

"James, I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For turning you down so harshly every time you asked me out. I didn't realise how nice a person you actually are, and if i had then maybe I's have -"

"- have said yes?"

"Probably," Lily sheepishly bit her lip.

"What about now, I mean, if I asked you to go out with me? What would you say?" James asked looking at Lily straight in the eye.

"Well... I'd say yes."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I only realised it this morning but I really like you James, more than a friend and I had to tell you because it would break my heart if you got with someone else, but I didn't know how to tell-" James kissed her. Not a passionate kiss, but a sweet kiss. A kiss that sent shivers up her spine and a spark of energy throught her body. After all this time she was finally kissing James and it felt, amazing. That was when Lily and James both realised, that they both really wanted to be together. Lily's hand was cupping James' cheek and his arm was around her waist. Finally they broke apart and Lily cocked her head at James. "How did you know that I liked you?"

"I didn't, I just liked you so much that I thought I would take a chance and ask you out again. And maybe just maybe this time, you'd say yes. So, go out with me Evans?"

Lily didn't have to say anything to answer James' question, the kiss that she planted unexpectedly on his lips was enough to satisfy him altogether.