This is it then, James thought, reaching for the boiled potatoes, Lauren and Alice know. Lily will be seriously pissed off if you don't tell them soon. Besides, I want them to know! I want the whole school to know! I want to rub it in every single boys face that I have Lily Fucking Evans and they, amateurs that they are, do not! Muaha!

Except, James was wary that Sirius might be pissed off that he had not told him about this the second it happened. Lily was right when she said he would also be loud about it. Except, would he? Perhaps he would just laugh it off. In fact, even if Sirius was loud about it, would that really be so terrible? He did kind of want people, (everyone alive or dead in the world) to know...

It was there, as James was passing the potatoes to Remus, that he decided he couldn't hold it back any longer,

"So, I thought I should let you all know, I'm going out with Lily now."

Sirius froze. Remus and Peter looked up in alarm,

"You're going out with Lily Evans?" cried Peter in alarm, making several people nearby swivel round intrigued.

Remus started frowning suspiciously as though James was playing a practical joke, but James' eyes were on Sirius who had not so much as moved an eyebrow. Finally he put down his fork and turned to face James.

"Are you being serious?"

James felt a little nervous; there wasn't much emotion in Sirius voice

"Well yes."

"This isn't a really lame joke."

"No, definitely going out with her now."

"Since when?"

"Uh... only like a week."

"Had sex yet?"

"What? Well, no... not yet..."

"So you think you're going to?"

"Well, yeah, I mean eventually, she said something about -"

"It's pretty serious then? You're in love with this woman?"

"Err... Well, I'd rather say that to her if you don't-"

"What are you intentions?"

"Aaw, seriously Padfoot? I dunno – honourable? What are-"

"Have you been on a date with this woman?"

"Something like one, I mean we had a meal- Stop calling her 'this woman'!"

Sirius looked at James for a moment and suddenly grinned.

"Well, thought it would happen eventually. You were always too charming for your own good prongs."

James grinned, a laugh escaping in relief.

"So you're actually going out with her now then?" Remus interjected, looking surprised

James nodded,

"How come you haven't told us?"

James shrugged, "I dunno – happened really quickly. Only been going out a week or so – you haven't missed much."

Peter looked at James in awe, "So, you've been on a date and everything with her then."

James nodded, feeling ever so slightly smug. Sirius and Remus sniggered. Maybe his smugness was too obvious...

"I don't get it though, when did this happen? Like how..." Sirius asked.

James tried to keep from grinning too much, "well, I dunno – we sort of went on this date by accident last week. She was going to Hogsmeade and Lauren said she didn't want her to go alone. I took her – ended up spending the day together... it was a good day" he finished, shrugging modestly.

"You got off with her then?"

James shrugged again, trying with all his might not to giggle hysterically in his joy, "Um, yeah, right as we were walking back up to school."

Sirius barked a laugh and clapped him on the back, "Fucking hell... well done Prongs" James grinned.

Remus was looking curious, "So, do Lauren and Alice actually know then? Or has she not admitted it to them?"

"I'll have you know, she told them today – same as me."

Sirius laughed again, "Yeah, only because she knew they'd find out the second we did."

"Fuck off. And you've been alright so far, to be fair."

"God," gasped Sirius, looking concerned, "I have as well." He swivelled round in his chair rather suddenly.

Oh no...

"Evans! Hey EVANS!"

Lily was sat all the way down at the other end of the table, but she couldn't really avoid hearing as for a second time Sirius bellowed her name across the hall. Slowly, the whole Gryffindor table, and many from the tables either side, turned towards the source of the noise,

"So you're actually going out with Potter? THIS BOY RIIIIGHT HERE! THAT IM POINTING AT NOW? You're going out with it? JAMES POTTER?"

James had never seen her face such a brilliant red. Mutely, looking thoroughly annoyed, she nodded. James couldn't help but feel a little relieved that she had under such traumatic circumstances. Several boys were now wolf whistling down the table whilst girls all around her and turned to confirm the news. Sirius sat down triumphantly as several people started calling down the table to her,

"Finally gave in, did you Evans?"

"Can't believe you're going out with speckles over there!"

"Slip you a love potion, did he Evans?"

James punched Sirius in the arm, although privately feeling rather pleased.

Sirius just giggled childishly. Remus shook his head looking amused, "She will kill you for that later Padfoot."

"Nah, she won't. I wondered, actually, why she'd been more nice to me lately. Now I know. Trying to get in my good books! Trying to get my approval! Not likely, I tell you that."

Peter looked confused, "But what about getting in her good books? She's going to be around all the time now."

Sirius waved away this objection, "Pfft, only as long as James keeps her. Won't be that long, will it?"

James just smiled and shrugged, feeling a truthful response would sound rather ridiculous. But he couldn't honestly foresee a time when he would not want her... He looked down the table at her. She was coolly raising an eyebrow at some boys remark, her hair shining in the candle light, her face as pretty as it had ever been. He waited until she saw him looking and then smiled in what he hoped was an apologetic smile. She rolled her eyes, looking amused, pointed at Sirius and mimed beating him to death with her broccoli. James smirked at her and thought how it would be to spend forever with Lily... Good, he concluded, it would be really good...