Author's Note: I know that it has been about a month since I last updated. I probably do not deserve all of your wonderful patience with me while I battle against writers block and just plain laziness. Admittedly it was more of the latter than I would really care to admit. Hehe =)

Regarding James and Lily's relationship, it has been brought to my attention that they "really need to have a talk" and I acknowledge this. But please understand me when I say that everything will happen in due time. So does that mean that they will eventually become a completely official couple…YES! But does that mean it will happen in this chapter or possibly the next one…NO! Just trust that I, your dear author, would not leave you hanging after all of this time and not eventually put them in a relationship.

WARNING THE END OF THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SOME MORE MATURE CONTENT. Nothing too bad, but I just wanted to tell you so that you are not caught completely unaware.

Now that that is out of the way, on to the second half of Lily's seventeenth birthday.

Charmed Love Chapter 26

January 31st

Window Seat, Common Room

"Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday Dearest LILY! Happy Birthday to you!"

I had barely stepped into the Great Hall and all ready Vanessa was skipping around me in a circle throwing pieces of confetti (that suspiciously looked like her Ancient Runes homework upon closer examination) into my face.

"Thank you, Vanessa." I sputtered trying to get the piece of her chopped up homework out of my mouth. Not getting anywhere with my attempts to dislodge the offending paper, I had to peel it off of my tongue with my fingers.

I heard a snort of laughter coming from my immediate left causing me to turn and face James whose face was turning red in an attempt to keep the laughter that was no doubt bubbling up inside of him, silent as to not embarrass me further.

Well, if he thinks that is funny, I should really give him something to laugh about. I thought as I took the wet piece of confetti and stuck it on the end of his nose.

After he realized what I had done, he tried his best I-am-completely-innocent-so-what-was-that-for look. So I just rolled my eyes and kissed him on the cheek. Men! When will they ever learn?

"Eww! Lily, what would you do that for? All of my hard work is not slobbered on and is now stuck to the end of your boyfriend's nose." I had told Vanessa how things stood between James and I; I had to tell someone how things were really standing between the two of us, and if you can't trust your friends, then who can you trust. But she just scoffed and has continued anyways, deeming us "Hogwarts' very own Star-Crossed Lovers".

Friends. Can't live with them, don't even want to try living without them. Because there was a time when I was really little that I did not have many friends, and all I did was talk to myself. In case for some reason you were wondering, that most certainly did not encourage anyone to become my friend.

I seated myself, rather graciously considering my track record, into my usual seat across from James and next to Remus. I liked the arrangement that we have had going ever since James and I have become an item. We sit with the Marauders now at meal times almost religiously.

"Happy Birthday dearest Lily! Happy Birthday to you." Vanessa continued to sing as she rested her head against her boyfriend, Ernie's, shoulder. They have been going strong for the past couple of weeks and they were both very happy with each other. And if for any reason I somehow doubted his affection for my crazy curly-haired friend, I certainly do not have any questions now because anyone would willingly sit that close to the noise she was making, and still keep his arm wrapped around her waist affectionately, he must really like her.

"Hey, St. Prongs," Sirius stage whispered into Alice's ear using the nickname that he has given her, even though he knows just as well as I do that her name is St. John, but then again, Sirius probably just thinks that he is funny. "Do you think that Edwards is going to keep on with her mating call all throughout the day, because I really do value my hearing."

Any response that Alice might have offered was drowned out by Vanessa's singing which coincidentally got louder and even further off any recognizable key, something I severely doubted was possible.

Just enjoying the company, I served myself some of the fruit and muffins that were sitting on the table in front of Remus.

"Oh, I did not even know that we were celebrating your birthday Lily. And here I thought that Vanessa and Alice kept me hostage all night cutting up tiny pieces of paper for my health." Remus said a little too brightly, so that I knew that he was really annoyed by it.

Feeling bad, I replied. "I really hope that they did not do you any permanent bodily harm in the process." I know what it is like to get suckered into one of their grand schemes; I have spent many an evening helping them with their plans.

"Well, I did manage to get a couple of paper cuts from the confetti making, but I don't think that you could call that bodily harm. However, that was my first clue that I it could not have been for my own health." He smiled as he showed a particularly long cut on his left index finger.

Obligingly, I looked down and examined his cut "It does not look too bad, but I know what you could do if you wanted them to feel really bad."

"It is not like I could sue them or anything." He chuckled. Remus actually knows what that is considering the fact that he grew up in a mixed community not far from where my grandparents live.

"Oh believe me," I said leaning forward conspiratorially "I have heard about someone who is going to sue their neighbors just because they cut their lawn diagonally instead of vertically."

Remus broke out in a mischievous grin. "Do you think that you could do me a favor and check out my finger again because it suddenly feels as if it has magically become infected in the last minute."

"Of course, anything for you my dear friend." I swear anyone who thinks that Remus Lupin is a saint is clearly mistaken. His reputation might not be as black as James's or Sirius's but he definitely could have fun with the rest of the boys.

"Oi! Let go of my Lily's hand." James interrupted grabbing my hand away from Remus's in an uncharacteristic display of possessiveness.

"He was not holding my hand James." I spat at him planting my hands on my hips in a maternal fashion, a position I have used more when talking to James than any other person on the planet. And even though my heart gave a little flip when he called me his, I knew that I had to let him know that such behavior is not okay.

"It does not matter who was holding whose hand. The bottom line is that any part of your anatomy is not going to touch any part of any other male's anatomy while you are my girl." James retorted, his eyes steeling over.

"Well if that is not the most testosterone filled comment of the century. You have not stuck your flag on top of my head proclaiming to the world that I am your property. And until that happens, which you can be positive that it won't, you will not tell me what to do." I said as I ripped the blueberry muffin on my plate in two.

"I can see that I shall have to go buy a flag pole because you obviously have yet to fully get the message that we are together, I have not spent the past few weeks constantly by your side for the message not to be clear to everyone, and I mean everyone, that any part of your soft skin is most definitely NOT up for grabs." He finished as he reached up to gently stroke my cheek.

"I am not going to go around offering myself to anyone else. I am not that type of girl. But James, this is the 21st Century, so if you still think that a lady cannot even touch another guy in passing, then you really need to update your thinking." I usually did not mind James's old school ways because I found them oddly touching, but this was just going a tad too far, this was Lupin we were talking about for the sake of Merlin's frayed pajama pants.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO LILY!" Vanessa's song filled the silence that followed my last comment. James was just looking into my eyes, trying to decide how to answer that question. It only came to my attention that breakfast was almost over and everyone else at the table was just sitting there watching us.

"I have got to get away from this noise!" Sirius shouted/pleaded with the heavens. "I am going to go down to the lake so that hopefully without the confines of this hall, the acoustics will not be as good outside and I can drown out the screeching."

I quickly stood up and followed him out onto the grounds. I did not care to go outside as much as just get away from James because I did not know how I was going to respond to whatever he was going to say.

James caught up with me no problem, and gently grabbed my arm so that I would stop walking forward. "I don't want to argue with you, but I want you to know that I can't just let other guys touch you. You are my Lily, and you are more special to me than you could ever imagine." He breathed onto my ear, his warm breath sliding over the contours, settling on it warm and moist, as intimate as a kiss.

Processing this in my mind, I closed my eyes and let myself blush, aware that I was not really angry with him; I just did not want him telling me what to do. "I am not going to even let other guys touch me. But can't you trust me where your own friends are concerned. I hardly think that any of them have any designs to take me away from you."

"Unfortunately Lily, that still leaves all of my enemies." He joked as he leaned his forehead against my own.

"The Slytherins would rather cut off their own testicles than have a red-headed mudblood for a girlfriend. So I do not think that you have too much to worry about." I closed the distance between our lips and kissed him enticingly for no other reason than I could.

"Stupid Slytherins do not know what they are missing then. Because they have no idea what they are missing out on." He said as he enthusiastically pulled me against him so that one of my legs was in between his own.

I felt the now expected heat flood across my skin, so that when the cold substance that hit me in the back of the neck, I figuratively jumped five feet into the air. "What was that for?" I yelled at Alice and Sirius who were bending down to gather up some more snow.

"We were trying to have a snowball fight, but you two love birds want to do nothing but glue yourselves together every free moment that you have." Alice quibbled as she threw another snowball my way, which I thankfully dodged.

"We do not glue ourselves together ever chance that we get. We-we" I fumbled for the right word as I looked back at James for support, who merely shrugged. "We were making up, because we just had an argument." I know that it was not exactly the truth, but it was not exactly a lie either. We were arguing, but that was not the reason we were kissing…Anyways that was the best that I could do on a lie.

"It looked more like making out to me, but then again I could just be confused because I have not done so myself for a little while." Sirius added. "But I have to hand it to you guys, I always thought that having sex lessened the public displays of affection, but you guys must really not be able to keep your hands off of one another." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"We were making up because that is what all couples should do and…" I trailed off, thinking, did they really all think that James and I have been having sex. I know that we have been really close lately, but did they honestly think that we have been long enough together to be having SEX. I mean, that is a super huge step. I am totally not ready to give away my virginity. "James and I are not having sex."

"Yeah, Padfoot, things are not like that between us. I have told you that before." James replied looking slightly embarrassed by his friend's outburst.

"Oh, I see. Sorry, I just jumped to the wrong conclusion. So, who is up for that snowball fight?" He asked looking un-disturbed by the abrupt change of conversation.

"I am game, but I hope that you realize that I am going to have to get you back for that comment Padfoot. And just saying so there are no hurt feelings later, buddy old pal, I highly believe that my Chaser abilities are going to totally trump your Beater ones." James said letting his old cockiness show through.

"Uh, Lily. Can I talk to you for a second?" I heard a familiar voice say from behind me. I turned around to find that for the first time in a long while, I was going to be talking to Beth Foster. She was standing there in her old black woolen coat, her honey colored curls standing out bright against the darkness of her jacket and the whiteness of her background.

"Of, course." I replied as I bit the inside of my lip.

She waited for James to leave before she began talking to me. "I have seen that you are not with Eli Chatfield anymore." She began, coming right out and saying what she wanted to say in true Beth fashion.

"So because I am not with him anymore, you want to be my friend again." I said unable to keep the coldness from my voice. I knew that the mature thing to do is to be friendly and not hold a grudge, but it had not changed the fact that she just up and stop being my friend as soon as I started going out with Eli.

"No, it is not that. I just did not want to see you settling for Eli. Because I could tell that even then you liked James more that you could ever admit to yourself. My older sister has always told me never to settle for anything, and that is exactly what you were doing with Eli. You just decided that you were going to go out with him because he showed some interest in you." Beth explained.

"Ah, Beth, I was not settling. I did believe that I could grow to like him back. What I did not foresee was his acting like an asshole later in our relationship. Eli was a good guy, before he became a controlling loser." I said as I raked my hand through my hair.

"But what did you honestly know about him before you decided to go out with him?" Beth interjected.

That stopped me, and I realized that I did not know a whole lot about Eli before I went out with him except for the fact that he likes Transfiguration but hates Charms. That was not a whole lot to base a relationship off of.

"That is what I thought. Don't you see? That is the same thing that happened to me when I went out with Eric. If I had known more about him, I would have been able to see that he was a two-timing snot face. But I didn't do that. And you were off making the same mistakes as I was. I could not have my best-friend making the same decisions I had. I thought that if I made a big enough fuss that you would come to your senses and break it off with Eli." Beth pleaded with me to see her side of the situation.

And as much as I hate to admit it, I could see where she was coming from. I understood why she would not have wanted me in the same type of relationship that she had been in. And in Beth's own strange way…I knew that she really never hated me.

"That was all. You thought that I was making a mistake. I thought that you did not want to be my friend anymore just because I was not doing what you were saying and flinging myself at James Potter." I squeaked, all the months of hurt flooding into my voice making it sound high and childish.

"I will always want to be your best-friend, Lily. We had been together for too long to throw it all away now. Please believe me when I say that I never intended to not speak to you for so long. Ever since I said those things I have been trying to find a way to apologize, but the right moment never came along." Beth reached out to grab my hand and give it a friendly squeeze.

Looking down at our hands, I thought of the past few months of not being her friend, and I knew that it was for only stupid reasons that I would not accept her apology and stay mad at her. So I reached out and crushed her in a hug telling her that I forgave her. It did not matter anymore because we were too good of friends to let something like this come between us permanently.

"So are we friends again, Lily" Beth queried as she stepped out of our hug.

I subtly moved over to a tree and grabbed a handful of snow off of one of the branches, "Definitely." I affirmed as I threw the snow in her face, thus effectively joining in the snowball fight that was battling on between our friends in full swing behind us.

We laughed and joked around for the rest of the afternoon, while Vanessa continued to sing "Happy Birthday" constantly in the background. And much quicker than any of us wanted, the sun was setting over the grounds and it was starting to get dark and colder out, signaling that it was time to call it a night.

James and I parted from the rest of the group on the stairs because they all needed to take different staircases to get to their respective common rooms. I was carrying a bag of all the little trinkets that my friends had gotten me.

The Marauders had gave me a variety pack of joke products, their reasoning that if I was going to be dating their friend, that I had to get used to having these sorts of things in my possession. I laughed and smiled appreciatively even though I think that the bulk of them will just be given to James anyways.

Vanessa gave me a mix CD of all of her favorite wizard singing groups. She has been trying to introduce me to some of the popular wizard songs so that I can become a better teenager, which means that I will have to actually listen to them eventually.

Alice gave me a new copy of Northanger Abbey, being the only one of my friends who can fully understand and agree with my reading obsession. All of the others think that I am crazy that I would spend my hard earned galleons on books, thankfully one of them gets it, or otherwise I think that I might go insane.

Even Beth remembered my birthday and slipped it into my possession right before we left. It was a new leather bound journal that I plan on using just as soon as I finish up all of the spaces in this one. Because she knows that I am always writing in this one, so she figured that I would at least get good use out of it. I could not have been more touched or surprised by any gift.

Once again hearing James laugh about something next to me, I turned to him and asked him what in the world he could be laughing about.

"I was just thinking that without Vanessa singing, I almost forgot that it was your birthday for a matter of seconds." He answered as the corners of his lips turned up in a smile.

"I know what you mean. I think that Vanessa takes the term birthday cheer to a whole new level. I do not think that anyone else in the world has ever had their birthday as fully celebrated as mine was today." I agreed thinking about the singing to the confetti throwing.

"Well I hope that you would not be entirely averse to another sort of birthday present." James suggested as he turned around to face me in front of the common room fire.

"That all depends on the type of birthday present, I swear I will not be pleased if you have gotten leprechauns to sing and dance around me just because it is my birthday." I teased, secretly hoping that he had not done something as stupid as that.

"I was thinking something of a more personal nature." He corrected before his lips descended upon my own. "Would that be a more acceptable birthday present?" He asked as he gently nibbled and licked my bottom lip.

And almost like clockwork, my brain shut off and my legs melted like butter on hot toast. In order to stay upright I had to cling to his chest, a task that was not difficulty at all. His shoulders were strong and comforting, and just the right width that I could hold onto for dear life.

"Should I take that as a Yes, Miss Evans?" He chuckled causing the air to tickle against my neck sending little shivers down my spine.

Not even deeming that worth a response I just threaded my fingers through his jet black hair and planted butterfly kisses on every inch of skin that I could get to.

With both of his hands around my waist he started to move, and not wanting to break contact with him, I blindly followed even though I had no idea what was on his mind. Before I knew what had happened I was lying on my back on the carpet that was warmed from the fire in front of the hearth.

"No response I see, and usually you are never without a witty comment." James continued prodding for an answer as he moved to place those intoxicatingly hot kisses on my collarbone.

Or maybe I should correct my last statement, at least no response that can be expressed in the English language…" He whispered as he moved so that every last inch on him was on top of every last inch of me. I think by his comment about the no response that can be expressed in the English language had to do with the, well I don't know what exactly it was…But whatever-the-hell it was that came out of my mouth when he carefully sucked at the place where I could feel my pulse pounding wildly on my neck.

"You are not even being fair…I can't straight think." Even to the point where all of the grammar rules that was grounded into my head as a little girl went flying out the window.

"Don't think. Just go with what you are feeling." He coaxed as I felt a very warm hand on the bare skin at the small of my back.

I did not even know how he got his hand anywhere near under my shirt. I knew that I should be offended, or at the very least appalled. But all I could think about was how having his hand there was making my entire being warm and the only thing that I knew was that I wanted it to stay there for all eternity.

"I feel, like the world becomes a much more dangerous but wonderful place when one is on one's back. And that I don't understand what it going on, but I don't want it to stop anyways. I don't think that I ever want this to stop. We should do this all the time." I replied as I tried to pull him closer against myself, that someone if I held him close enough that we could be one.

I did not realize that I had actually verbalized that wish until suddenly James stopped. I heard him mutter a curse under his breath before he rolled off of me with great reluctance.

Not knowing why he had so suddenly stopped when I had not wanted him to, I sat up so that I could look him in the eyes. "Why did you go? I didn't want you to stop." I said not even bothering to care how pathetic I must sound.

"Oh, for the love of Merlin's baggy pants, Lily, do you know what almost just happened here?" When I did not respond he continued, "I almost just broke every principle that my parents have beaten into me. And I cannot do that with you. Everything has to be perfect. I am not going to let anything stop it from making it as wonderful as your first time should be."

I was too stunned to speak. It was as if my mind had completely numbed over, and all I could think was that I did not care. I would not have regretted the decision if we had ended up making love right here and now. It would have been perfect to me because it was with James, the only guy I could ever imagine getting that intimate with.

"Oh, if that is what you want." I replied woodenly, feeling as if it was someone else who was speaking.

"Yes, it is what I want. It is what I want for us both, because I am not going anywhere. I don't want anything to happen that would make it impossible for us to be together anymore. Because when people have sex, Lily, things change. They might not want it to change, but they do. I care about you more than to just take your virginity when we are both lost in the moment. Because it needs to be more than a moment; it needs a lifetime for either one of us to be satisfied." James finished, standing up and offering his hand so that I could get up.

"A lifetime?" I questioned just to makes sure that I heard him correctly and to make sure that I was not dreaming.

"A lifetime for you and me, Lily." He promised, placing a kiss on my knuckles before he turned and left the room.

I sat down at the window seat, staring blankly at the sunset that was casting reds and oranges across the Black Lake.

According to the old saying "Red sky at night, sailor's delight." That seemed like a good omen.

A Lifetime sounded perfect for me too.

Author's Note: I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. It is even on the longer side of the spectrum given my past updates. And if any of you are wondering why James did not give her a formal present (because James is not that much of a tool to think that the major kissing scene was enough to be her present) all I have to say is that good things come to those who wait. And in the case with my awesome (or not so awesome) updating skills, that is certainly the case with this story.

Please leave a review with your thoughts; I treasure each and every one that I receive.

All my Love, Allison.