three – calm

James hurtles down the stairs before they can even think about moving so that he can reach his destination as quickly as possible, but she chases after him and almost catches him up. He feels his sleeve being tugged and he turns angrily, annoyed that he can't continue on his way.

His fist is just itching to connect with the bugger's face.

"James, wait –"

He shakes her off but stays put and she rests a calming hand on his arm and his rugged breathing slows. His fury fades – but only slightly.

"Lily, don't. I don't care. He's – just – he's being a complete tosser and –" He finds it difficult to articulate and sighs, rubbing a hand over his face. "Let me talk to him."

"You aren't planning on talking to him. I know you. You want to punch his lights out."

He rolls his eyes. "True."

Lily looks at him and swallows. "I don't care about what he said. If you go and – if you go and knock him out or hex him or whatever you do, it's going to aggravate him more. He's your best friend, James. You need to sort it out."

He frowns down at her.

"James," she says, forcing him to look at her. "James. I don't care. I wasn't even supposed to hear him – he was talking to Cass Talcott and I walked past –"

"Oh, great, so he was talking about you behind your back as well?"

"He misses you. I'm sure of it. We spend a lot of time together," Lily comments.

"You're my girlfriend, Lily. Besides, he's spent six years with me." He steps closer to her, taking her hand. "I've been with you for six weeks."

She reaches her hand up and runs it through his hair, resting her fingers on the stiff arch off his collar. "I know. But I mean it. I don't care about what he said. I've been called worse."

James exhales. "That's not the point, Lil. He's my best mate and you – you mean everything to me and he needs to grow up and bloody well accept it because this – us – isn't –" He scuffs the ground with his shoe, struggling to find the words. He's not breaking up with Lily over Padfoot's childishness, and he hopes to Merlin that she isn't going to break up with him. The thought weighs heavily on his chest, settling in his throat and cutting off his voice.

Lily speaks softly. "I'm not going anywhere." He brings her hands to him and kisses her knuckles, sweeping her into a hug. She smiles for the first time since he'd found her.

She'd been curled up in their armchair – it isn't technically theirs, he supposes, but as seventh-years and heads of school they'd kind of claimed the spot by the fire and no-one had dared challenge them – with her head buried in her Runes notes, quill dancing across the parchment at her side. He'd crept up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, but the surprise made her jump and her ink pot spilled on her essay and robes. He'd moved to kneel in front of her, an apologetic smile already on his face, but the tergeo died on his lips as she blinked rapidly and hugged her arms around herself, looking away from him.

"Sirius hates me," was all she'd offered at first, so he'd cleared her study notes onto the floor and curled up next to her, pulling her onto his lap.

James sits on the bottom step of the now stationary staircase. Lily sits next to him. He turns his head so his lips are by her ear and whispers, "Promise?"

She kisses him. "Promise."