A/N: Never owned it… never will. Thanks for all the reviews and please keep it up! Enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 3

“James…” I breathed, as I watched Mary disappear via the portrait hole. “W-what’s going on?”

“Sit down, Lily,” he said simply, smiling that smile and patting the cushion on the couch next to him. I slowly obliged, cautious and hesitant. What the bloody hell is going on? “Pumpkin cheesecake?”

I nodded and accepted the slice he cut for me as he placed it onto a small plate that had been a coin in his pocket a few mere moments ago. I also accepted the fork he offered me and forked a small bit of the dessert into my mouth. Bliss. I swallowed and asked, “Where did you get the cheesecake from?”

“The kitchen, of course,” he chuckled, observing me intently from behind his glasses. “The house elves practically trip over themselves to get what you request. I’ve grown quite fond of them. I think I’ll actually have to kidnap the lot of them and take them home with me after this year, I love them so much.”

I managed to flash him a small, unsure smile. He put his own plate and fork down onto the coffee table in front of us and clasped his hands together, as if he was about to explain what was going on. “I’m sure you’re wondering what this is all about,” he said, his hazel eyes probing my emerald green ones.

“I very bloody well am,” I replied. “James… please tell me.”

“I’m sure you haven’t forgotten, but you do indeed recall the numerous times I asked you out, correct?”

“Numerous?” I chuckled. “More like innumerable.” I cocked my head at him, wondering where he was going with this. “Why?”

“And I’m sure you’ve noticed that I haven’t asked you once this year.”

I nodded, blushing at my confession. “I figured you got over me… and then we had to work together as Head Boy and Head Girl and became quite good friends… James… where are you going with this?”

He sighed, running a hand through his black locks anxiously, nervously. Why would he be nervous? “Lily… I dunno… I’m hoping I won’t regret this, but… will you go out with me?”

The breath caught in my throat as he looked at me with those clear hazel eyes. It seemed I had lost my tongue, for I floundered about for a few moments, trying to find words to express my response. “I understand if you don’t want to… I’m sorry to have bothered you…” he muttered, pushing himself up off the couch, looking crushed.

“To hell with it,” I muttered under my breath as he walked away. “James, wait!”

He turned around when I called his name, just in time to see me running towards him, just moments before I tackled him rather roughly to the common room floor. “Oh, shit,” I muttered. “ James, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to hurt you… just… don’t leave.”

“Okay, Lils,” he said as I got off of him and he sat up, a teasing grin playing at his lips. “Just don’t get all violent on me now.”

I stifled a laugh before I sucked in a deep, serious breath. “Yes.”

He looked confused for an instant, then he seemed to realize what I had said and his jaw dropped several inches. “What?” he choked out, still looking like a fish out of water.

“The answer is yes,” I giggled, my hand over my mouth now. “I will go out with you.”

He observed me for a few moments before he said, still looking shocked as ever, “You’re serious.”

“Of course, I’m serious,” I said, starting to get impatient. I stood, as if to leave. “But if you’re having second thoughts…”

“No, no, no,” he said, hastily. He grasped my hand firmly and pulled me back down, so that I was sitting on his lap. “I was just… surprised. Although Mary did say she thought you would say ‘yes.’”

“Mary had something to do with this?” I asked, cocking my head at him in surprise. He nodded. “And let me guess… so did Remus?”

He cracked a grin at me. “You know me all too well. Besides… how do you think I knew you liked pumpkin cheesecake?”

I felt a wide smile spread across my face. “James… when’s our first date?”

“I was thinking tomorrow night,” he said. “I’ve got everything set up already, you just need to meet me in front of the Room of Requirement at eight o’clock sharp.”

I turned to face him. “You knew,” I said, poking him in the chest with my index finger, my tone accusing. “You knew I would say yes!”

“Well…” he said, but it was as good as a ‘yes.’ “I was still nervous, anyway.”

“And why is that?”

“It’s not everyday you get to ask out the most beautiful girl in the world.”

I grimaced. “Such a cliché! Didn’t Remus tell you I absolutely abhor them?”

He flashed me a crooked grin. “That he did. But I simply couldn’t resist.

OPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP

“Mary,” Alice demanded of her friend, grabbing her by the shirt collar when she returned to the library. “What’s going on?”

“James is asking Lily out in the common room, if you must know,” Mary replied, looking indignant as she pried Alice’s fingers loose from her shirt.

“Really?” the blonde asked, a delighted look spreading across her face. “This is… brilliant! If she doesn’t say yes…”

“We’ll both hex her and then skin her alive, yes,” Mary agreed. “But there’s no way she can say ‘no.’ He has pumpkin cheesecake. And love songs.”

“He had help then,” Alice said and Mary blushed and nodded. “Damn, she’s going to fall for him… hook, line, and sinker.”

Just then, Remus, Sirius, and Peter happened upon them. “Mary,” Remus said eagerly. “Is he doing it?”

She nodded. “They’re in the common room right now.”

“Bloody hell, she better say yes,” Sirius exclaimed, slapping a hand to his forehead. “D’you have any idea who’ll have to pick up all the pieces if she doesn’t? Moony, Wormtail, and me!”

Peter nodded eagerly. “He never shuts up about her. I’m bloody glad he got his own dorm as Head Boy this year, otherwise I’d still be low on sleep!”

“Don’t worry,” Alice assured them. “She will.”

“And if she doesn’t, she’s going to meet a very painful end,” Mary added. “Because she can’t shut up about him either.”

“Is that so?” Sirius asked, a lopsided grin spreading over his face. “Oh, she’s never going to hear the end of this from me.”

“Cut her some slack,” Mary pleaded. “She had a good reason…”

“Oh, I can’t wait to hear this,” Remus said dryly.

“Well-“

“I thought we’d find you lot here,” said a voice. The five of them turned to see James and me at the door, hand in hand. James had spoken, a grin still spread over his face.

“So how’d it go?” Sirius asked, playing stupid.”

“Terribly,” I replied. “I slapped him and told him I hated him… which is why I’m now holding his hand.”

“Really?” squeaked Peter. “That’s odd.”

“Wormtail,” James said patiently. “That was sarcasm. We are going out.”

And that, just for clarity’s sake, was most definitely not sarcasm.