Hey, so this one's kind of short, but I've got some fun stuff in the works. I'm about to get the actual party started, so hold on while I finish getting the awkward stuff out of the way. Actually, it's about to get more awkward, but that's a story for another time…

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"So, are we going to talk, or what?"

Lily started when she heard James speak for the first time in two hours. She removed her headphones. "Sorry, what?"

"Can we talk? It's dark and I'm getting kind of tired and talking helps keep people from driving off the road. Also, it's really boring," he finished, looking at Lily like a preschooler. She almost laughed, but caught herself in time. "Sure. But you get to start."

"Okay, um, why did you go into education?"

"I love learning, and I love children. It was really the only thing I ever wanted to do." She smiled softly out the window. "My mum was a teacher, I used to volunteer in her classroom." She frowned at him. "Why did you go into aviation? You clearly had options, you're smart, even if you do stupid things."

He grinned at her. "I love flying. I feel free, and I can do whatever I want, go anywhere I want, without anyone telling me what to do. Except the control tower, of course," he said, looking at her with a crooked grin on his face. "I'm hungry. Are you hungry?"

They were both, as it turned out, very hungry, which led them to pulling off at a dingy roadside diner with questionable interior. They were both silent until James burst out, "Can't we just be friends? I know that I hurt you and people you cared about, but you have no idea just how deeply I regret that. I hope you know that I never meant to hurt you, you are a singularly wonderful person. Please let me try to make it up to you."

Lily was silent, staring at James in contemplation. James seemed to get more and more nervous the more she stayed quiet. "Please say something," he said. "All I want is another chance. God knows I don't deserve it, but all I want is a shot to make up for what I've done." He leaned forward in his chair. "I just want to get to know you, Lily."

Does he really think that an apology will make everything better? Years and years of cruelty, and he just thinks… But Lily could already feel her anger abating. Or maybe it had abated long ago, and she was just determined to keep it up for Sev's sake. Sev isn't an object anymore, she reminded herself, and steeled her nerves for what she and Marlene had decided to do back at Kellynch.

She looked at him. "When I came on this trip, I promised Mar I would try to get to know you, and I intend to keep that promise. I can't say that I forgive you, at least not yet, but I'm going to have fun, and let you in, I guess."

James smiled so widely that Lily was afraid his face would break. Was his smile always that nice? She pushed the thought away and pulled a milkshake towards her. James wrinkled his nose. "Caramel? Really?"

"Excuse me, I happen to love caramel milkshakes. What does his majesty prefer instead, then?

Assuming a haughty expression, James pulled a pink cup nearer to him. "Strawberry. I suppose I'm an ice cream purist." He began to drink his shake with the energy and excitement of a kindergartener. Lily laughed at his enthusiasm.

He looked up at her, grinning. "That's the first time you've ever laughed at something I did."

"Not true! I laughed when you stepped in a paint tray when we were juniors. I laughed when Frank accidently spilled punch on you when we were sophomores. I laughed when-"

"Okay, okay! I mean that's the first time you've ever laughed with me."

She looked at him intently. "Yes, I suppose it is."

He changed the topic. "So what on earth could Marlene threaten you with to let you, the great, proud, Lily Evans give me a chance?"

Lily blushed a little. "I suppose I am a bit proud. But she actually didn't have to threaten me at all."

James looked up hopefully. "Not-not even a little?"

Why is that important? "You know Alan McKinnon, right?"

"Sure, he boards across from Remus, Sirius, Pete and I. With Frank."

"Are you aware of the unspoken but painfully obvious thing between Marlene and him?"

"Yeah, she's kind of the most important thing in his life."

"Well, she's been in love with him since they were in fourth grade, and I told her I'd give you a chance if she told him how she felt."

He looked at her intently. Is there ice cream on my face? "Good, I hate it when people circle each other."

Lily looked back at him. "Me too."