By the time I walked into the common room, my arm linked with Jolie's, the party was already in full swing. Music was blasting, people were dancing, drinks were poured.

After my adventure with James, we had laid cuddled up in each other's embrace for a while, until we both left to get lunch. Since then, I had spent the afternoon with all of my friends, opened their gifts, went to dinner, and got ready for the party.

Candies from Honeyduke's from Mary, a new skirt from Marlene, a framed picture of all of us girls from Lily, a charm bracelet from Jolie, complete with a Gryffindor charm, a ruby charm, and a D charm.

From the boys, Sirius got me a leather jacket, "So we can match", a few classical books from Remus, and from James-

"Let me go get your present." James announced, standing up from the couch. "Make her cover her eyes."

Sirius obliged and covered my ears as James disappeared up the stairs.

"Moony, what is it?"

He laughed, "You know I can't tell you that."

There were footsteps on the staircase again, along with the meow of someone's cat.

"Open!"

Sirius moved his hands away and my eyes readjusted to the sight before me.

James was standing in front of me, with a cage in his hands, containing the cutest kitten that I've ever seen.

"Happy birthday, love!"

I opened the cage and took out the kitten. It began purring as I scratched its head, holding him tight in my arms.

"He's so cute! It's a he, right?"

James nodded and began to scratch the kittens' ears.

The kitten began to nuzzle into my arm, his soft white fur tickling my arm. He was a Birman cat, with deep blue eyes, white fur, grey ears, and a grey snout.

"That cat would not stop meowing earlier today."

I looked at James, "How long have you had my kitten in your room?"

Remus laughed, "Don't worry, Sirius and I picked him up this morning when you two were doing Merlin knows what."

"What are you gonna name him?" James asked, kissing me on the cheek.

I looked at the kitten that was purring in my arms, his blue eyes pressed shut.

"Romeo," I said, "His name is Romeo."

James grinned at me, "Hello, Romeo."

Romeo spent the afternoon sitting on my lap, or James' lap, in the common room as we talked with our friends. He was very affectionate, but also very sleepy. He was tiny.

When Jolie and I reached the common room, James greeted me with a kiss on the cheek.

"You look lovely."

Jolie flicked James' forehead, "I'm here to idiot."

I let out a laugh as James pulled me back into his arms, and pulled me into a hug from behind.

"You look beautiful as well, Jolie."

The blonde smiled, "Thank you, Jamesy. I will be at the drink table if you need me-, but don't." She shot us a wink before disappearing into the crowd.

James kissed my neck, his arms still wrapped around my waist.

I squirmed away from his embrace and grabbed him by the hand, "Danse avec moi, mon amour."

James grinned at me and let me lead him into the crowd of bodies dancing, kissing, talking, living.

I had spent so much time surviving, that I forgot how to live. He taught me how to live again.

My arms were wrapped around James' neck as he held me by my waist, pulling me into him. Our bodies moved together to the music.

There was a thump as someone jumped up onto one of the tables.

Bloody hell.

Sirius had stumbled onto one of the tables and was using his wand as a microphone. He was already drunk off his arse, and Remus was trying to get him down but failing.

"Attention!" Sirius slurred. "This next song-, is for the birthday girl, one of my best friends, who is shagging one of my best friends-" Remus grabbed Sirius and muttered something into his ear before stepping back down off of the table. Sirius chuckled, "Apparently I wasn't supposed to say that, even though I think it's quite obvious."

I buried my face against James' chest, stifling a laugh, as his face turned bright red.

"You know-, James has a hickey-"

Remus gave Sirius a look.

"Anyways-, this one is for you Daphne!"

Sirius stumbled down with the help of Remus, as the music started back up again.

Friday night and the lights are low

Looking out for a place to go

Sirius stumbled his way over to James and me, followed my an unimpressed Remus, and he flung his arms around our shoulders.

"I just love you all so much!"

James laughed, "Love you too, Padfoot."

Sirius grinned and turned around, "Dance, Moony!"

"I don't dance."

I grinned, "Please? It's my birthday wish."

Remus rolled his eyes before a grin came across his face, "Only because you asked."

I wrapped my arms around James' neck and he gripped my hips as we danced.

You're in the mood for dance,

And when you get the chance

James twirled me around and kissed me on the cheek.

You are the dancing queen

Young and sweet

Only seventeen

People bounced around to the music, even those who claimed that they 'don't dance', like Remus. Everyone loves Abba.

As the night went on, shots were poured, records were spun, and so much dancing that my legs felt like they were going to give out by the time that the party started to die down.

It was well after midnight when people finally started heading to bed, leaving a very drunk Sirius and James, a very drunk me, and a sober Remus alone in the common room.

I smiled at James, "It's like the beginning of the year party-, when we first kissed."

"Yes, it is, only this time we actually know our feelings for each other."

"Come on lovebirds," Remus chimed as he helped Sirius up the stairs, "Time for bed."

James grabbed my hand and pulled me up the staircase, both of us stumbling our way to the boys' dormitory.

When we reached their dorm, Remus flung the door open and help Sirius to bed, as I flopped down on James' bed. He kicked his shoes off and helped me take mine off before he pulled back the blankets.

He patted the bed and I crawled in next to him, curling up against him as his arms encircled my waist.

I turned my head and kissed him, "Goodnight darling."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

• • • • •

The rest of May went by in a flash. The weather got warmer and exams got closer. I found myself spending most of my days studying in the library, studying out on the grounds of Hogwarts, and counting down the days until the school year ended.

While it would be quite melancholic, being only one year between the end of school and the start of my adult life, I was excited about the upcoming summer.

The boys and I were going to Amalfi, Italy for two weeks at the end of July.

We had most of the details planned out, and it would be much easier now that we were all of age and passed our apparation tests.

"You're staying with us for the whole summer, right?"

I tapped my quill against my lip absentmindedly. "Yes, I might go to visit my family, but only for a day or two."

Out of my peripheral vision, I saw James laying down in the grass, staring up at the leaves of the tree that we were sitting under.

"Brilliant-, mum loves it when you come to visit. She was a bit bummed that you only spent the first half of the summer with us last year."

I set my quill down and turned my attention to James, I needed a break from studying.

"And I love your mum."

James sat up and fiddled his the grass as he smiled at me, "Good because she will be your mother in law someday."

I grinned, "Really? And what day exactly will that be?"

"Are you proposing to me, Beaufort?"

"What if I was, Potter?"

James smirked and leaned in to kiss me. I slid my hands underneath his untucked shirt, feeling the warm skin of his hips.

He pulled away from the kiss and grabbed my hands, intertwining our fingers.

"What-"

"Marry me."

My jaw dropped, "I'm sorry-, what?"

James was grinning at me, "Marry me."

"Now?" I asked in disbelief.

He chuckled, "Not now-, but soon. Once we're done with school."

"A-, are you proposing to me, Potter?"

James kissed my hand, "No-, not officially. I want to do it the right way, with a ring, and your father's blessing."

My heart practically melted right then and there.

"Of course I'll marry you once school is done."

James smiled, "Good. I knew that you would marry me, I just didn't know if you wanted to so young-"

"James," I cut him off, "We're adults now, we love each other, we're living in the middle of a war. If anytime is the time to get married, it's while we're young. We don't know if we'll even be alive-"

"We will because you and I are going to make it through this war. We're going to get  married, you're going to start Healer training, I'm going to play quidditch professionally, we'll have a couple of kids, we'll watch Remus and Sirius, and Lily and Marlene, finally be able to get married, we'll watch Jolie be forced to eventually settle down."

I smiled softly at James, "We will, we'll make it."

"And we'll get married when school is done?"

"That's the plan, love."

James smiled at me, his hazel eyes bright despite the shaded tree we were sitting under to seek refuge from the sun.

"I love you so much."

I kissed James on the cheek, "And I love you."

• • • • •

As soon as exams were over, all I wanted to do was sleep. Studying was exhausting, and exams were even more exhausting. At least I think I did well. As much as I wanted to sleep, the boys had other plans.

I had somehow found myself in the Astronomy Tower at about midnight, the night before we had to board the Hogwarts Express to go home for the summer.

James, Sirius, Remus, Jolie, and I were sitting in a circle in the Astronomy Tower, passing around a blunt as we stared up at the stars.

It was Sirius's idea.

"One last smoke sesh before we go home."

Jolie was quick to agree, as well as James.

I was laying on my back, my head resting on James' arm as I watched the night sky.

"Look at that one," James pointed, "The bright one right there. That's the Vulpecula constellation."

I followed his finger and found the constellation among the lone stars.

"The fox?" I asked, trying to rack my brain for anything I learned in Astronomy,

James turned to look at me, "Yup, it's Latin for little fox."

"Sometimes I forget that I can change into a fox at will." I replied, gazing into James' eyes.

He laughed, "Me too! Well-, expect a deer."

"What if we-"

Remus spoke up from across the room, "Don't even think about it, you won't be able to change back."

"Wanna bet?" James asked.

"No, go back to looking at the stars Prongs."

Jolie giggled from a few feet away from me, "Did you know my name means pretty? It's like my parents were setting me up for having a big ego."

All five of us laughed at this, probably more than we should have.

In a year, we wouldn't be able to have nights like these anymore. We would be adults, working adults.

As much as I want the summer to come, I don't want to get any closer to being thrown into adulthood.

At least I have James and all of my amazing friends.