"Lea, oh my god!"

When Azalea had made it to the platform, she'd been taken straight to Madam Pomfrey to be healed. James had reluctantly left her, after she'd asked him to go and tell their friends and her parents what had happened. The heads of the three schools had gathered, no doubt to discuss the scores, and Azalea had been told that they would announce them once she was back to normal.

So she was upstairs on the platform, sitting on a bench as Madam Pomfrey murmured curses around her, closing up all her cuts and cleaning up the blood.

That was when Alice ran in, hugging her best friend tightly.

"Oh my god," she repeated, squeezing her tighter and then pulling back. "James told us- the grindylows- are you okay?"

"Yeah," Azalea said with a smile, her cheeks still rosy, her hair still coiling in red waves down her back. "Yeah, they, uh... they put up a fight, but... we got the box, and... I'm okay."

"Oh yeah, the box," smiled Alice. "We can talk about that later, in the meantime now I know you're okay, can we please talk about you and James fucking making out-"

"Alice..." Azalea said weakly, her cheeks going red again as Madam Pomfrey finished up on her arms and legs. "Thank you," she told the nurse, who smiled and let her go.

On the way out, Alice grinned at her like crazy, Azalea rolling her eyes. "What?"

"We need to think about this!" Alice hissed. "You bloody made out in front of the entire school! In front of your parents-!"

"Yeah, well there goes my life," Azalea sighed.

"It's fine, we convinced them during the hour that you were gone that James is a good guy," Alice shrugged with a smile.

"Yeah, but that doesn't help the fact I just kissed him in front of them, after I've spent six years complaining about him to them," Azalea hissed as they got down the stairs, moving through the crowd to all their friends.

When Azalea laid eyes on James, she knew she was screwed. His hair was still wet, his eyes shining brightly, looking straight at her.

Lea was grinning before she even realised it, and Alice was just laughing, rolling her eyes, as the whole circus came out.

"Azalea that was amazing!" Lily said, hugging her and then whispering in her ear. "And so was kissing my brother after it, I'm sure."

Azalea flushed heavily, but tried to disguise it as she muttered. "Shut up, Lils."

Fred, Louis, Scorpius and Albus were much the same. Happy that she'd fought so hard on the task and that they'd managed to retrieve their box, but also teasing about James and the kiss. Azalea was red as a tomato by the end of it, wanting to jump into the lake again just to cool her face down.

But she had two more people to see first.

"Azalea!" Her mother's voice was like music to her ears as she ran at her and her father, hugging them both tightly.

"I can't believe you're here," she whispered to them, hugging them tightly, despite her still wet body, as she was only wearing a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie on top of her bathing suit.

"Of course we're here, Azalea," Annabelle smiled warmly at her. "We said we were going to be. We wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Thank you," Lea said with a smile, pulling back.

"We also wouldn't miss your little moment after the task, kid," smirked Chris.

"Oh," Azalea said, biting her lip and blushing. "Y-you saw that, then?"

"Yes we did see you kiss the boy you've hated all your life," her father told her, straightening up.

Azalea blushed even harder, stammering. "I- I'm sor-"

"Sweetheart," her mother stepped forward, holding Azalea's shoulders with a radiant smile on his face. "Don't say sorry. You've found someone you really like, and... by the looks of things, James is a great guy who really likes you, too."

"Yeah, but I don't think snogging him in front of the whole school was the best way to go- ouch!" Chris started, yelping in pain when his wife slapped him lightly on the arm.

Azalea giggled.

"Not going to introduce me to your parents, Edwards?" A familiar voice said, and Azalea found herself staring at James again, who was walking through the crowd to greet her.

"I was going to," Azalea murmured.

Meanwhile, the boy next to her just grinned, extending a hand. "I'm James Potter. You've probably heard about me."

"Definitely," Chris said, shaking his hand.

"Yeah, all good things," Annabelle said pointedly, giving her husband a dirty look before hugging James. "It's really nice to meet you, James. Well done for the two tasks you've done, and thanks for putting up with Azalea here."

"Mum, you're supposed to be on my side!" Azalea complained, but she was laughing along with them.

"Attention! Attention!" McGonagall called around everybody, wand to her throat to amplify her voice again. Once everyone was silent, she said. "The winners of the second task are Mr Krum and Mr Valkare from Durmstrang school!"

And Lauri and Adrian were grinning and cheering, but it wasn't real. Azalea wasn't jealous.

"They showed good use of transfiguration, recieving fifty points!" McGonagall finished, causing more cheers to come from the Durmstrang end. Azalea didn't pay any attention to it, instead exchanging looks with James.

"In second place are Beauxbatons, with Miss Wicker and Miss Beaumont recieving forty points, and using great command of the bubble-head charm!" McGonagall announced, causing Beauxbatons to clap like crazy, rather than Durmstrang. Azalea and James did join in with clapping for them, though. They deserved it.

"And in third place, with a considerably greater injury rate, were Mr Potter and Miss Edwards of Hogwarts, making great use to gillyweed and earning thirty points!"

Azalea and James grinned as all their friends, and all the crowd from Hogwarts went crazy for them. And they knew it wasn't just for their performance in the tournament, it was also because of just them.

But, as they stood basking in all the glory, Azalea didn't even care what it was for.

She loved it either way.

✾✾✾

"Hey, Lea," James murmured. "Can we talk?"

Azalea knew this would happen. She knew they wouldn't be able to bask in the happiness forever, it wouldn't be possible. They would have to talk about this, and now, clearly, as they walked back up to school after the task was over, ready to celebrate at Hagrid's with all their families and Lea's parents, was the time.

"Yeah," Azalea said with a small smile. "Do you want to just go for a walk?"

Yet, deep down, she was terrified. He was going to tell her it was a one off. He was going to tell her he just wanted to be friends. He was going to say that he'd only kissed back out of pit-

"So," James said with a sigh, as they began to walk. "That was... a lot. Are you actually okay? It doesn't hurt, does it?"

Your rejection will- "No," Azalea shook her head, turning to him slightly. "Madam Pomfrey fixed me up, I'm fine."

"That's good," James nodded. "When I saw them on you, and how much pain you were in... I don't know, I just- I would've rather put myself in that situation, than watch you go through that."

Azalea blushed hard again as she turned to him.

"James, listen," she told him, stopping walking and turning to face him. He stopped walking as well, looking at her.

She took a deep breath, and spoke. "You can't keep saying those things to me," she explained. "I- I know you're just being nice, but that stuff actually means something to me."

She didn't know why the tears came, but they did, and they sparkled in her eyes as she told him with a weak chuckle. "And I'm going to find it so hard t-to keep being friends with you, if you keep saying stuff like that, that makes me want to snog your face off."

"Lea-" James started.

"That kiss was amazing, really," Azalea told him. "It's all I need. Y-you don't have to go along with this for me. I-I know what it's like to kiss you know, I don't need to imagine. I- I know you're over me, James, I know you'll never like me again, and I'm just sorr-"

James had given up trying to talk to her, so he just leaned forward and kissed her, cutting her off mid sentence. Azalea immediately kissed back, hands coming up to cup his cheek, one going into his hair.

But then she came to her senses, and made a small sound against his lips, pulling away.

"I- I'm sorry," she repeated, looking down and making to turn round. "I'm sorry, I should go, I-"

But before she could leave, James gently grabbed her arm, turning her back round and looking directly into her eyes. Directly into those emerald green eyes he does and has always drowned in.

"I don't know what I like more," he told her. "You, or the way you say my name."

"James..." Azalea shook her head, biting her lip.

"I like you, Azalea Edwards, I never stopped," James told her, plain and simple. "Seeing you with Lauri broke my heart, and seeing you hurt wasn't much easier. But I knew I had to wait for you to come to me, because I said I wouldn't ask you out this year. So I waited."

Azalea was speechless. She had been so sure he had moved on. She had been so convinced.

"And you have no idea how hard that was," he told her. "You, Azalea... you're so stubborn, and determined. Yet you're so kind to everyone around you. You're beyond beautiful, beyond breathtaking, even. When I saw you in that yule ball dress... you took more than my breath away. And I feel so lucky to call myself your friend, you don't even know. God, Azalea... how could you ever think I was over you?"

"James..." Azalea said, finally finding her voice.

"Yeah?" James asked.

The kiss this time was chaste and soft, and when Azalea pulled back she said. "You're all of that as well, you know. And more."

"Whatever you say," James said as they continued walking, knowing they could sit and debate this forever.

He waited a few more seconds of walking before he asked. "So... are we really doing this, then?"

Azalea couldn't help it; she burst into giggles. She had nothing to lose now, as she knew he liked her and had proudly admitted it.

"What?" James asked her exasperatedly.

"It's just- you're going to pour your heart out to me and then ask me 'are we doing this'?" Azalea mimicked, causing James to jokingly shove her.

"Well, I can't ask you," he shrugged. "I told you I wouldn't ask you it this year."

"That's true," Azalea shrugged. "But you never said that I couldn't ask you it."

"Okay," James shrugged. "Come on then, Azzie, let's hear it!"

He was excited to hear this. Not only because he was excited for them, but also because he'd spent too much time asking her this over the past six years. Now, it was finally (finally) his turn to hear it.

As for Azalea, her heart was beating at a million miles per hour as she looked at him, and said. "James Siriusly-arrogant Potter, will you go out with me?"

James grabbed her hands and kissed her again before answering, causing her cheeks to heat up considerably.

Then, finally, he grinned at her, and told her. "Azalea Edwards, it would be an honour."

✾✾✾

If you told eleven year old Azalea Edwards that by halfway through her seventh year, she would be proudly wearing the title of 'James Sirius Potter's Girlfriend', she would've either slapped you or screamed at you.

Now, however, as Lea sat in Hagrid's cabin with everyone (and she meant everyone, it was packed), sipping a firewhisky, she wore it prouder than ever.

The cabin was pretty full. At the moment, it was holding Azalea, James, Alice, Lily, Fred, Louis, Rose, Scorpius, Albus, Hugo, Harry and Ginny, Annabelle and Chris, Neville, and Teddy. Hagrid was not present, as he was out on a date with Madam Maxine, but had offered them his hut for their celebrations.

So as Azalea sat at the edge of the cabin, drinking and watching Fred and James bet each other how many shots they could take, she felt good. She was surrounded by her boyfriend, her best friends, her family. The people she loved.

Alice and Lily were sat on either side of her, and Rose was opposite. They were laughing as well, but for them it was with barely contained excitement and happiness for their best friends, considering their new relationship development.

She'd told them every detail of their four kisses, albeit begrudgingly, and had also let slip that they were dating along the way, as well. James had as good as told all the boys, as well, and it had been obvious to the adults as soon as they saw the two kiss in the lake that they'd get together.

"So," Lily eventually murmured to Azalea, low enough that no one else heard, what with the crowded room and the loud laughter and chatter. "I know we're best friends, but you're practically my sister now, just saying."

Azalea gasped. "Shut up!" She told Lily, shoving her slightly, jokingly, as the two girls laughed.

"No, but in all seriousness, I'm happy for you," Lily grinned.

"Yeah, you and James were enemies for the first task, you were friends for the second, and now you're gonna be together for the third," Rose grinned.

Azalea blushed again. "Yeah, I guess."

Across the room, she saw Teddy, Neville Harry and Ginny talking with her mum and dad, and her face split into an even bigger grin.

"Hey, Edwards!"

And then there was that voice. The voice of the boy she had fallen hard for. The voice of the boy she wanted to see every second of everyday. The voice of the boy she would always say yes to, no matter the question.

"Yeah, Potter?" She asked, but with an unmistakable smile upon her face.

"Fancy a game of exploding snap?" James asked.

Azalea couldn't help but laugh as he held up the cards, grinning as she shrugged. "Why not?"

They ended up playing about ten rounds. First it was just Lea and James. Then Fred, Louis and Lily got involved, and by the tenth round, James was even playing with Azalea's dad, teaching him the magical side of the game.

Azalea was having so much fun. She didn't even care that they'd come last on the task, or that they'd have to work hard to work out whatever secret that box they'd collected held.

But right now, she couldn't bring herself to even think about it.

Because her eyes had just connected with James', with her boyfriend's, and she loved it.

(She thought she loved him, as well.

But he didn't have to know about that one yet).