A/N: This feels like the end of an era. "Love is All Around" was the first chaptered fic I ever wrote, and the only one I have completed yet to date. "The Trials of Tonks" will shortly follow with the completed status- check it out if you haven't allready. I'd like to thank all of those who've stuck by this story through the years. Kudos to all of you- you are wonderful.

I hope you all enjoy this last chapter- a relic of my thirteen year old self. So, without much more ado, I give you:

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Love is All Around

Chapter 6: Love is All Around

In which Lily turns red a whole lot and she and James go on patrols. So ends my story, I hope you enjoyed it!

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James Potter sat in History of Magic, staring at the back of Lily's head and daydreaming. Lily is so perfect, he thought. He remembered their kiss while he watched as she chewed on the end of her quill during her rapid note taking. He hadn't felt that strongly when he was a second year and declared he was in love with Sandy Dennis.

He prodded Sirius, who was asleep. Sirius woke up and mumbled, "but Bella got to pet the pretty unicorns, why can't I?" then he seemed to realize where he was and said "What did you wake me up for mate? I was getting my beauty sleep."

James pointed at the back of Lily's head. "That is the girl I'm going to marry" he said.

"Yeah" Sirius said "that'll come true in a world where I am Minister of Magic, Remus goes around in a tutu proclaiming his everlasting love of Snivellus, and Peter becomes the most powerful dark wizard in the world. Until then, I'm going back to pet the pretty unicorns- night, night."

James shook his head. He was seriously worried about his friend's mental health sometimes.

Their next class was Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall. She had them work in pairs to review the vanishing spell.

"Black and White. Potter and Evans. Lupin and Witherspoon. Smithfield and Longbottom. Pettigrew and…" McGonagall called out names.

James grinned, and moved over to sit next to Lily. "Vanisisco," she cried, and his quill disappeared, leaving not one feather behind.

"Nice one," James smiled at her, and she blushed. He gave her a nod of approval as McGonagall gave her five points for Gryffindor and he saw the blush again. Since when did Lily Evans blush at anything he did?

"James?" Lily asked, peering into his face, "It's your turn."

"Oh yeah." James grinned at her, and she thrust a piece of parchment at him. He was about to vanish it when he saw a little doodle in the corner. Lily Evans? Doodle? Yeah right. He decided to take a closer look at it until he saw Lily eyeing him.

"Well are you going to vanish it, or just stare at it?" Lily snapped. James sighed. You couldn't keep this girl waiting.

"Miss Evans? Will you come see me for a moment?" Professor McGonagall called Lily up to the front of the room. The perfect chance. James peeped at the parchment. His jaw dropped. No wonder she had been so edgy about him looking at it for so long. For in the bottom right hand corner there was a tiny miniscule doodle that said James Potter with little hearts around it.

All day long James waltzed from class to class. Lily and her friends sat next to him through dinner. (Lily got called Mrs. Potter throughout by Sirius and Alanna) Then it was time for patrols. Lily got up at the same time as he did. They both grinned at each other.

"Usual splitting point?" James asked.

"Hmm…lets just stay together tonight," Lily said. James beamed at her.

They walked down the corridor, looking for miscreants. James thought, I really want to hold Lily's hand…I could just reach out and grab it now…

Surprisingly enough, Lily's thoughts were the same. I wish James would hold my hand…Stop thinking that, Evans. Stop right now! But I do want to hold his hand. And kiss him and…STOP THAT THIS INSTANT! THIS IS POTTER WE ARE TALKING ABOUT! Oh yeah.

James took the chance and reached out to grab her hand. Lily felt all tingly and her stomach flipped. Must be something I ate at dinner…she thought.

"I'm glad you were head girl, Lily," James said simply, after much silence.

Lily's stomach flipped. "There goes my stomach again," she said, not realizing what she was saying.

"What did you say?" James asked, grinning.

"I said that aloud?" Lily asked, turning red.

James' only response was to smirk at her. Lily turned even redder.

"Jeesh, Evans. You'd think it was two hundred degrees in here!" he said, referring to her color.

This of course only made Lily turn redder.

They heard a suspicious banging in an empty classroom, so they went in to check.

"There's no one in-" James started, but stopped as someone locked the door behind them.

"You have to stay in there for two hours, or until you get together," a disembodied voice belonging to Sirius said.

"Have fun!" said a voice that sounded very much like Alanna's.

Both Lily and James stood there trying to process what had just happened. Then James said, "Well, it would appear as if we were locked inside a classroom on a stormy night with no hope of rescue. How interesting." He stressed the word interesting and gazed out into the darkness of the Quidditch pitch non-committaly.

Lily couldn't take it anymore. All the Mrs. Potters, and the way her stomach flipped whenever he looked at her, and her ever mounting blush. She just sat down on the bench and laughed and cried hysterically.

James immediately snapped out of his mood. "Oh, Lily, it's all right, I'm sure we can get out somehow. If we can't, they will come back in two hours…please don't cry… I've, er, never seen you like this before," he said, a little unsure of what to do.

His frankness startled a laugh out of her. "Neither have I." She sniffed, frantically searching her pockets for a handkerchief. "Oh, bloody hell… I always have one…"

James presented his to her nervously. Lily shook her head, still intent on the search. "Oh, I couldn't —"

"Lily, please —"

"No, really, it's all right —"

"Lily!" He took matters into his own hands and wiped away her tears for her, grinning triumphantly.

He sat down beside her. "Why do you like me, James?" Lily asked before she could stop herself. James looked at her startled. He put an arm around her shoulder. The fact that she didn't shake it off encouraged him and he said "Lily, you're so radiant. Every time I talk to you I want to jump for joy. You are so kind, you study hard, you are the top of the class, and you care. Yes Lily, you are the most caring and real person I've ever met."

His face was inches from hers now. "Oh James," she whispered. He turned and saw the look in her eyes. Her gaze was full of many things, but something he had never seen before stood at the forefront of it all. Was it love? Neither knew. He came closer and kissed her face.

The kisses were soft and gentle, his lips caressing over her tear-stained face. He finally found her mouth, and then his kisses suddenly weren't so gentle any more- both were in a sea filled of passion that neither had known existed. It was nothing like the tentative kiss they had shared on the train- this was the kiss of two people who were single-mindedly going after what they wanted- each other.

He started to pull away, but she moaned and brought him back for a longer, sweeter kiss. They stayed this way for many minutes.

"James" Lily whispered when they broke apart, "I do like you, you know."

"Lily, I absolutely adore you." James said. They both sat there, leaning on each other's foreheads, enjoying the moment. Then they began kissing passionately again, until Sirius yelled from outside the room, "Are you together yet?" When Lily and James didn't answer, he unlocked and door and stared. James was nibbling Lily's neck and Lily was running her hands through James' hair.

"I guess so," Sirius said to himself, "I guess so." Numbly he walked out to find Alanna. He was feeling lonely and wanted some of that love that had saturated the room Lily and James were in.

And who knows, Sirius thought, maybe love is all around!

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A/N: And so ends the story "Love is All Around". Thank you to all my fans who have been so supportive about me posting this and updating frequently. Thank you to all who reviewed, even if it was with criticism- it helped me improve my writing style. And lastly, thanks for putting up with me when I didn't update.

I hope you all liked and leave a review on your way out. This story is now complete. I am considering an epilogue, but it is unlikely.

Thank you to all again!

Lady Mage