Chapter 9: Epilogue

First off, a great big thank you to everyone who's read and reviewed this story. I actually wrote most of it during a very stressful time, and because it helped me to unleash my stifled creative side and because writing it always helped me feel a bit better about life, it is very dear to me.

Anyway, happy reading =]

The following morning, Lily awoke with a start when she heard someone lightly tapping on her window. Heart pounding, she grabbed her wand from her night side table, crept to the window and wearily peered out to see - "Oh!"

And then her heart rate start beating even faster. But it wasn't fear that had her blood pulsing: it was the fact that James Potter was sitting on a broom right outside her window.

She hurried to undo the clasps on the window frame and jumped back as a gust of wind swung it wide open. Luckily, none of her roommates heard it.

"James!" Lily shout-whispered to the grinning Marauder, "What on Earth are you doing here? It's still dark outside!"

"Can I come in?"

"Of course not! This is a girl's dorm." Then Lily realized something, "Hang on… you've been sneaking in here to deliver me notes and things to me all semester haven't you? Merlin Potter, what if you came in on someone when they weren't decent? I can't believe that you'd - "

"Cool it, would you?" James chuckled, "I did nothing of the sort."

"But then how – "

"I had Mary deliver those things to you."

Lily couldn't keep from laughing, "So she's been your accomplice from the start then, has she?"

James gazed at Lily fondly, "Are you complaining?"

"Well, no, but… oh, what did you come up here to tell me anyway?"

"If I can't come in," James whispered, not seeming to hear her, "Can you come out?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"If you must know…" Lily faltered, "I'm, er… I'm afraid of heights."

James shook his head, "That's no excuse. Now come on." He flew in so that he was right up next to her window sill, "Put your arms around me, Lily."

"No."

"Lily. You're the toughest girl I know! Just hold on to me now."

"No."

"I'll make it worth your while, I promise."

Lily swallowed, "Well... alright." And she slid her arms around him, holding him so tightly it made James smile.

"Good, now swing one leg over the broom, there's a good Head girl."

"Oh stuff it!" Lily replied, but she followed his instructions. She hoped he couldn't feel her shaking, but even if he did, he didn't mention it.

Then James pulled up on his broom, and Lily's other foot was no longer on the ground. They were only hovering now, but Lily was already afraid.

"Are you ready?"

Lily shook her head, "No, but go ahead."

And they took off! It was all Lily could do not to scream as James took them into a dive parallel to the Gryffindor Tower, pulling up to detour over the castle turrets and then head for the starlight-reflecting lake. Then he began to accelerate. Faster, faster, until Lily could no longer make out the scenery they were tearing past. She could hold it in no longer, Lily screamed, "JAAAAAAAAAAAAAMES!"

But it wasn't fright, it was exhilaration, and James let out a shout of pure joy as well. He pulled up on his broom and took them into a loop, then zoomed towards the shining crescent moon as Lily laughed and held on tighter. She was having too much fun to be scared now, and the wind whistling through her ears and hair sounded like freedom. Besides, with her arms locked around James she felt safer than she had in a long time.

James finally took them down beside the old oak tree, landing more gently than Lily believed possible. Once they'd landed, he turned to speak to her. He looked so uncharacteristically serious that Lily had to hold in a snort, "Lily," he began , "I actually did have something I wanted to tell you."

"Go ahead then."

"Well, er….This morning I realized that we didn't actually confirm where we stand, and I want to be absolutely sure about it."

Lily raised an eyebrow, "About what?"

"About… you know…" James' hand flew up to ruffle his hair, and he looked slightly uncomfortable.

Genuinely confused, Lily shrugged, "No, I don't."

"Lily…. Are we officially dating or not?"

Lily burst out laughing – James was so terribly adorable when he was unsure of himself, it was all she could do not to smother him with kisses again, "Bloody hell, Potter! Of course we're dating! I mean, we had better be"

Letting out a sigh of relief, James smiled that infectious smile of his, "Thank goodness. Because I'm not sure if I'd be able to go through coming up with yet another plan to win you over and having it fail."

Lily smirked, "You're lucky you have Sirius, you know that? He truly does know the way to win a woman's heart."

James shook his head, "Are you kidding? Do you know what his very first piece of advice was, when I asked him to help me win you over?"

Lily shook her head, and James felt the corners of his mouth turn up, "Be nice to her. Just be really nice to her and she'll melt for sure."

"… That was Sirius's idea? This whole thing started because Sirius told you to be nice to me?"

James nodded sheepishly, "Er, well… Yeah."

And Lily burst out laughing: So that was why James had become the ultimate sweetheart overnight! Suddenly, the world made perfect sense again. Well, except for the fact that now, she could kiss him whenever she wanted to. So, she did.

"You know it's funny," Lily murmured - after they'd finished a snogging session that was significantly more fervent than the first, "I suppose I tried the exact same thing on you."

"What thing?" James asked, looking mildly punch drunk from the kisses.

"Being really nice. I suppose it didn't work on either of us."

"That's because you're bonkers, Lily."

"Why does everyone keep saying that?"

"Gee, I wonder why…"

Lily made a face at him, "Oh, shut up. You're just as mental as I am."

"Lily, I love you."

"I know that, you nutter, we had that conversation yesterday!"

James crossed his arms and pouted, "Wrong answer! Say you love me too."

"I love you too, you prat!"

James positively beamed at her, "Say it again."

"I love you too you prat."

He reached up to pass his fingers through her messy hair. Lily realized that she probably looked terrible, having just woken up and all, but James was eyeing her with nothing but reverence.

"Just say it once more," he whispered, putting his other arm around her waist and pulling her close to him. And just like that, he put that warm, fluttery butterfly feeling back into her stomach. Wrapping her arms around him, Lily looked up into James' eyes,

"I love you too, James. I really do."

And that's the end - for reals this time. I hope you liked it =]