Disclaimer: plot lines are mine, the rest… not so much

A/N: Argh! We got to the end! I'm so sorry this last bit took so long to write (and is so short, it was meant to be one chapter with the last one posted but I felt I had to update with something), but I had a complete mental block, I re-wrote the ending sooooo many times. This chapter is going out partly unbetaed, but it was either that or send it to my betas and then post when I get back from holiday (in two weeks) and I couldn't do that to you guys :D

A/N2: Thanx to my betas Fran, Hannah and Ali and to everyone whose reading this :) hope you like this last chapter, and THANK YOU for all the reviews; *sniffle* I can't believe I finished it :)

CHAPTER 17

"Yes!" Bella shouted, punching the air with her fist, as the rest of the group surrounding the couple grinned widely. Any further discourse was prevented by the Gryffindor common room being flooded by chattering third years that stopped immediately on seeing the illustrious Lily and James in the midst of what they presumed to be another of their spats, surrounded by all their friends.

Lily blushed furiously and took several rapid steps back from James. "So … erm…" she stuttered, desperately trying to think of something to say, "thanks for the transfiguration help," before turning and bolting up the stairs. The third years on realising there was nothing interesting about to happen, dispersed and proceeded to spread around the common room, settling themselves into the various comfy armchairs.

"Do you think she realised she ran up the stairs to the boy's dormitories?" Fee whispered to Sirius.

"Not a chance," he replied, smirking.

~*~*~*~*~

"So I'm just going to go to our room now," James said nonchalantly, trying to repress a grin.

"Sure," Remus replied, smiling. "We'll all just stay here and… guard the common room." Beaming widely, James ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

"Dammit!" Lily exclaimed furiously, looking around feverishly as she came to the horrifying conclusion that she was in fact outside the 6th year boys dormitory and not her own. Sinking down on to the steps, she put her head into her hands, fervently wishing for the ground to swallow her up before the inevitable happened.

~*~*~*~*~

James spotted Lily sitting on the stairs, and slowed his ascent.  He casually leant against the wall of the stairwell, "Hey," he greeted. Lily replied with what sounded like a very distressed little squeak, James just grinned. Incredibly embarrassed, Lily ran her hands through her hair and forced herself to meet his gaze,

"Hello" she said, managing to keep her voice from wavering, though the effect was ruined by the scarlet flush staining her cheeks.

"You ran out of there rather quickly," James started, trying to sound like it didn't matter to him at all.

"And up the wrong staircase," Lily moaned, mortified.  Grinning widely at this James swung himself off the wall and sat down next to her.

"And how many years have you been here, Miss Evans?  Surely you should know where to go by now," James said in a passable imitation of Prof. Glibert, causing Lily to smile.

"Were you really worried when you thought I'd kissed Fee?" he asked, staring at his boot laces.

"Not worried," Lily responded, turning to look at James, who muttered a pitiful,

"Oh," in return. That was when Lily noticed the tips of his ears were red. He was embarrassed, she realised, suddenly thinking how her answer must have sounded to him.

"I was hurt," she added quickly, trying to reassure him.

"Really?" he asked looking up at her.

"You know, you sound rather pleased about that," Lily said glaring at him.

"I… I…" James stuttered, trying to think of a way to dig himself out of the hole he'd just jumped into.

"I was kidding," Lily said, smiling at him. She ducked her gaze in confusion, as he stared back at her, wide eyed.

"You were teasing me," James whispered incredulously.

Grinning, Lily retorted, "Yes, but don't tell anyone else. It'll ruin the belief that we can't have a conversation without fighting."

James beamed at her, she was right. This could quite possibly be the first conversation they'd ever had without slinging hexes at each other.

They were interrupted by a fifth year bounding up the stairs.  He stopped and gaped noiselessly at them. To him it appeared that mortal enemies Lily and James were sitting very close together on the steps to the boys' dormitories and smiling goofily at each other. Terrified, he turned on his heel and bolted back down the stairs to the common room.

"Oh god," Lily whimpered. "Just imagine the rumours. By the time we get down there, it'll be 'Lily and James were snogging outside the boys' dormitories'".  James raised his eyebrows and Lily flushed red.

"Well…" said James thoughtfully, "I always think it's a horrible shame to be accused of something you haven't done. If you're going to suffer the consequences," he grinned before continuing, "it might as well be for something."

~*~*~*~*~

Sirius was trying to surreptitiously hold Fee's hand, he'd decided to do this without anyone else noticing, or Fee noticing for that matter, just in case she turned around and slapped him.  He was pretty sure she wouldn't, she was smiling at him a lot more and she'd practically admitted she liked him, he thought anxiously… Sirius was abruptly awoken from his musings by Fee entwining her hand with his.  He grinned widely.

Remus turned around when he heard someone pounding down the stairs, his mouth dropped open in shock as Michael Gestor, panting, announced that "Lily and James were snogging outside the boys' dormitories!"

THE END