The last day of term passes very pleasantly. Even at NEWT level, most of the teachers don't expect too much attention from students the day before Christmas Break. Dinner is cheerfully noisy, spirits are high, and everyone is talking about holiday plans. Slughorn's party is a giddy whirl of lights and music and mistletoe and James. Afterwards, Lily and her roommates stay up far too late, laughing and gossiping and exchanging gifts and eating the fudge Mary's mother makes and sends the last week of fall term every year.

Lily is yawning the next day as she makes her way down the corridor of the Hogwarts Express, so it's probably just as well that the biggest crisis she's asked to deal with is a window that won't stay closed in a compartment full of Ravenclaw first years.

She's on her way back to the prefects' compartment after charming the reluctant window shut, when a door to her right slides open and someone hisses, "Psst." A second later, James pulls her into the otherwise empty compartment and kisses her.

It's so very easy, kissing James.

Sometimes, she worries that it's too easy, because it seems like she could fall for him without half-trying, in that dizzying utter way of falling that it seems far too soon to even be aware of, nevermind considering. And it's not that she doesn't like him (because she really does) or doesn't want to like him (because she rather likes liking James), it's just that they're only sixteen and, even knowing what she knows about boys with her eyes and his hair, sometimes this all feels very ... fast.

(Except it's not, not really. They danced around this for so long before they ever made it official. She's not sure exactly how long, possibly all the way back to the night her asked her out at the end of the Universe, and certainly through all letters and conversations over the summer and fall, even the ones that went horridly awry.)

The break will be good for them, Lily decides a half an hour later, in the prefects' compartment, as they reach the outskirts of London and she swaps the Hogwarts robes she's worn over her Muggle clothes for her coat. Or, if not good than at least not bad. It will give things time to settle a little, give them both time to catch their breath (metaphorically and otherwise).

That's her theory until the train reaches King's Cross, anyway. The Hogwarts Express comes to a stop and Lily folds her robes and puts them in her suitcase as students spill out onto Platform 9 3/4, greeting parents and calling farewells to each other. Lily picks up her bag and steps out into the corridor to find James waiting for her, leaning against the windows opposite and smiling.

And then all she can think is, Oh, I'm going to miss him over break.

James takes her bag from her, swinging it like it doesn't have five textbooks at the bottom of it and carrying it off the train for her. He sets it on the platform and turns back to offer her his hand as she gets off the train. She's starting to get used to things like that, the Society chivalry and mannerisms that are second nature to him, even if she still doesn't quite expect them.

"Thank you," she says, smiling at him once she's standing next to him on the platform. She doesn't let go of his hand, though. Not just yet.

Because oh she's going to miss him over break.