Always and Forever

chapter 15

Lily and Marlene dragged Mary out of bed by an ankle each and Alice tried to catch her head to soften the blow, this resulted in them all being in a giggling, groaning heap of people on the floor. They laid there for a while before Marlene announced that her and Ali had places to be, leaving Lily to deal with the inevitable conversation with Mary. Unsure of what approach to take, she decided to start easy.

"Hows your head feeling?" she asked, moving to sit cross-legged on her old bed, whilst Mary sat opposite her on Marls' bed.

"Physically? The pepper up potion fixed my hangover. Psychologically? I'm feeling guilty. From what people tell me I wasn't acting like a friend to you last night and I'm sorry Lily." Mary rambled, clearly uncertain about her friends reaction. Who could blame her? Lily wasn't exactly known for her calm temper. Lily stayed silent and so Mary continued, "anyone with a pair working eyes can see that you like him, if not more-"

Lily's head jerked up at that, her attention caught, "more?"

"You haven't considered the possibility that you love him?" Mary asked incredulously.

"Of course not, I would like to establish that we both like each other before I even think about that," she groaned and placed her hand on her head dramatically, making Mary giggle.

"Are we okay then?"

"I'm not happy about how you were all over James, I won't bother denying that, but I can't tell you how to feel and so I'm happy for you to pursue him, you have as many rights as I do in that area." Lily said thoughtfully, hoping Mary would deny that she had any feelings for him at all.

"Thanks, Lily. It means a lot." She grinned and made to walk to the bathroom to get dressed, leaving Lily with one quote whizzing through her mind.

Drunk words are sober thoughts.

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Marlene was laid across the sofa in the Gryffindor common room with her legs laid in Remus' lap and her head in Sirius'. She was comfortable and had no intention of moving as Sirius ran his hands through her long hair. She flinched as Lily came flying down the stairs, long red hair billowing out like a cape behind her, mentally prepping herself for the wrath of her best friend's temper. After 7 years with Lily, she knew from the look on her face that she wasn't angry, more frustrated and determined.

"How did it go?" she asked, tilting her head on Sirius' legs to look at Lily as she paced.

"Fine. Where's James?" Marls could practically see the gears turning in Lily's mind.

"Quidditch pitch I think." Remus supplied, watching as Mary ran through the common room and straight out of the portrait hole.

Lily cursed softly, under her breath and turned to leave, just as Marlene came up behind her and caught her arm, "whats going on lil?"

"Mary likes James and I like him and I said that she has every right to pursue him but I didn't mean word of it and now she's going to get him and i'll never be happy and i'll die alone."

"Lily calm down, I think that's a little dramatic don't you?" Marlene asked as Lily flopped into the armchair behind her and closed her eyes.

"What's dramatic?" a voice asked from the doorway, moving to stand behind Lily's chair.

"I'm going to die alone." Lily announced, not even opening her eyes.

"Ah I'm sure that's not true, I'd make sure you have someone there when you bite the dust." Lily opened one eye, to reveal James, grinning down at her.

"Where's Mary?" she asked, closing her eyes tightly.

"Dunno, she left almost straight after I told her I only have a thing for redheads who are dying alone." The smirk was evident in his voice, "can we talk Lil?" She nodded and turned leaving the common room after saying bye to everyone, James followed sheepishly, waving goodbye to his friends.

"Let's go to our common room" she suggested, falling into step beside James, as they walked down the hallway.

When they arrived, James shut the portrait hole and told the monk not to let anyone in unless it was urgent.

"So..." Lily began, settling herself onto the armchair, whilst James sat on the couch. "You spoke to Mary?"

"Yes I did, and she told me that you gave her the green light to date me." James moved his body so he was looking at her more intensely, his head in his hands, elbows on his knees.

"Yeah, I decided I'm happy for you both, you both deserve to be happy and if thats with each other then I guess ill just have to get used to it but I swear I will ditch her so fast if she hurts y-"

"Lily, you're rambling." James said gently, "and just to clarify, I said no to her, you should know im only for you."

"For me?" Lily whispered.

"Yes for you, you've had my heart since like third year Lils." He sat back and closed his eyes, waiting for the unpreventable hit of her rejection. Instead he was hit by her body as she climbed onto his lap, not particularly gracefully.

"You want me?" she asked and he nodded, moving her hair behind her ear and then cupping her face in his large hand. "Promise you won't break me?" she whispered.

"Break you?"

"I've been betrayed by people close to me one too many times and I don't know if I can handle it happening again." He searched her face, looking for signs of humour in this practical joke, but he could find none. He traced his hand from her temple to her chin, he watched her soft features becoming more guarded with the longer he took to respond. He relished in the feeling of her sat on him, her weight was warm and real, her arm was wrapped around his neck and her other one rested on his beating heart, his hands were on her waist and touching the smooth planes of her face.

"I can't promise not to hurt you, I'm sure you'll hurt me too. But I will always be here for you, ill always want you and I would never ever break your heart, if you promise not to break mine."

"I promise" she whispered, leaning her forehead against his and tilting her head to meet his lips with hers briefly.

"So what does this mean for us then?" he asked her, careful to not assume anything.

"I want you to be my boyfriend." she confirmed smiling at him.

"That doesn't sound like much of a question Evans." He smirked at her.

"Are you really gonna make me say it?" she groaned, tucking her head into his neck.

"You made me wait six years, so yes I am." He said, gulping as the warmth of her breath hit the point just below his ear.

"James Potter. Will you be my boyfriend and allow me the oppurtunity to tell everyone including Mary that you are mine and I am yours?" She gasped as James swiftly knocked her off of his lap to the floor as he stood up abruptly.

"Ow James, what was that for?"

"That's what this is about, you getting back at Mary through me." James spat, his demeanour was angry but his eyes were hurt.

"No James, of course not. That came out wrong," Lily tried to explain as she stood up to mirror his stance.

"Then tell me, Evans. Tell me how that was meant to come out." Lily winced at the derogatory way he used her surname and racked her brain for a way to fix this. After a few seconds of thought, James spoke again, "right, enough said. See you around."

He turned and left the room, leaving Lily wondering how that had gone so wrong in such little time.