Jealously Wears A Green Mask | Jily

11: Always

"You've been saying that for the last half an hour," she pointed out sternly.

"Tomorrow's a Sunday though, we can just relax and sleep all day anyway."

"In case you've forgotten, we still have a Potions essay to write for Monday," James groaned at his, cursing himself for not completing homework before it was due for once in his life.

"You know if you hadn't have asked for a second hot chocolate we would have had more time in the common room," she lowered her voice to add, "or somewhere more private."

James flushed immediately, not forming any known words to reply with.

Lily giggled madly at making him embarrassed, she spun around and headed for the staircase to her room, "you're such an idiot, Potter, but I love you for it. Night."

James froze, shock holding his body, making him almost motionless, "what did you just say?"

Now she'd gone and done it. She hadn't meant it, it had just come out. Well, she had meant it, she did love him, but maybe he didn't love her? Of course she knew he liked her and that he had a crush on her. But love? That was a different matter entirely.

"Hmm?" She responded, trying to think on her toes, "I just called you an idiot. Goodnight." And she quickly turned back round again, almost sprinting up the stairs.

"No, no," James said, clearly not going to let this one go, "after that bit."

"Oh it was... you know emm," Lily was panicking, her mind had deserted her and she was becoming unintelligible, "probably just... err."

"You said you loved me," James said, as a statement, not a question.

"Well maybe but in like, you know, a friendly-"

He cut her off, his mouth was still open wide and he blinked slowly, "Lily Evans loves me?" He said carefully and quietly, to himself more than to Lily herself.

He stood up perfectly straight and yelled, "Lily Evans loves me!"

She shut her eyes right, that seemed to do it. This loud deceleration seemed to illicit some sort of response from the rest of the Gryffindor tower. Suddenly, there were footsteps from every direction of confused and tired students alike, wondering what the hell was going on.

Sirius, Remus, Marlene and Peter pushed their way through to the front of the forming crowds, all standing on the staircase, watching with silent focus as a scene unfolded before them.

Lily glanced around her, her cheeks going a bright red, "look James, I didn't mean anything by it", she stumbled on her words, frantically shaking her head.

However he wasn't even listening to her anymore and shook his head back, "Lily Evans you love me," he strode over to her with conviction, and holding her face with one of his warm hands, whispered to her, "and I love you too."

Relief washed over her. Deep down she had always known, but to hear the words from him made her feel as though the whole world had waited for a moment like this. He kissed her, with the same strong passion as before, but it felt different this time. A good different. Because this time everything felt certain. Like everything was going to be okay, forever.

***

"James where the bloody hell are you?" Lily craned her neck to look up the staircase to the boys dormitory, nervously pacing around the common room, "we're going to be late."

"Alright," he replied, sounding exasperated, "just give me 2 more seconds!"

She fell into one of the armchairs around the fireplace, annoyed at James' antics. Everyone had already gone down to the party, they'd be the last to arrive. And although late is fashionable, she thought, this was pushing it a little too far. They were head boy and girl for Merlin's sake, they should've been helping the elves set up!