Author: turquoiserainlilies

Title: Five Times Lily Evans' Pride Won Out, And One Time It Didn't

Fandom: Harry Potter

Characters: Lily Evans/James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Emmeline Vance, Marlene McKinnion, Rita Skeeter, and the rest of the Marauder-Era gang

Summary: He was doing his Charms homework. He wasn't tormenting the Slytherins (as much). He didn't attempt to ask me out again. While the first two were certainly blessings, the last one seemed to be vex me more than it should. This was James Potter. He was a Marauder! /or/ Lily would beg, apologize, and admit, but never to James Potter

Disclaimer: all own by the true queen, JK Rowling

Note: something wrote in haste during a road trip, please excuse any minor grammar or spelling mistakes, and the vague-ish ending. Jily fluff was too good at pass up.

One.

They were at it again.

Merlin's beard, I thought, as the annoying thumping of chairs rang in my ears, quite loudly, to the point I questioned how on earth my eardrums were still in tact. If this was the yard or the great hall, I might have just ignored it for the sake of my sanity. However, this was the library, and James Potter and his lackeys were at it again.

The seventh year brought quite a lot of changes among the Hogwartians. One that was most notable was the sizeable homework allotted everyday. The NEWTs were in the horizon, and the professors were stuffing the last bit of wizardly wisdom in our young minds. That meant enough essays, presentations, practicals, assignments, and readings to make all of the seventh year work late into the night.

The library had been a sanctuary for me since my first year. One, it was quiet. Two, the Marauders weren't there. Come to think of it, those two probably had a lot to do with each other.

The second change in the seventh year was that neither of those two facts could be true anymore. The workload had drove even the laziest students to seek help in the deep stacks of the restricted section. Even, yes, James Potter.

Thump. There it was again. The sacred silence of the library couldn't be said to exist anymore. I would've complained to Madam Pince, except I was sure she was half in love with Remus Lupin.

That meant I had to take matters into my own hand if I wanted to finish my Charms essay.

With a 'Potter' on my tongue (Merlins, not in that way), I turned to give the trouble foursome hell. When my emerald eyes fell on the group however, any semblance of scolding instantly melted.

They were studying...even Sirius Black, holding a book, studying.

The culprit turned out to be a bratty second year Ravenclaw. I gave him a signature Lily Evans glare and he scampered off.

With one last look at the Marauders, I turned back to my essay. The third change of seventh year was the most baffling. James Potter was actually being...decent.

First day back, on Hogwarts express. He said 'hello' without any form of innuendo, and proceeded to ask about my summer. I spent that conversation staring at the red and gold pin on his robe, wondering if Dumbledore had gone mad making him the Head Boy.

Yet second day during breakfast, Potter proved me wrong again by hurrying the first years to their place without a semblance of effort. When I stared in awe, he had the nerve to say 'morning Lily', as if he had a right to that name.

He was doing his Charms homework.

He wasn't tormenting the Slytherins (as much)

He didn't attempt to ask me out again.

While the first two were certainly blessings, the last one seemed to be vex me more than it should. This was James Potter, the annoying Quidditch captain who bugged me since first year. Head Prat was a more fitting title than the one he held now. He was a Marauder! My worst enemy!

Still, it bugged me to no end to not know why he had stopped. Certainly I had not turned into a prune over the summer. Nor did I grow a wart or turned into Severus Snape? What had caused him to lose interest?

The pursuit, perhaps, had been too damaging to his ego. There were only so many time a man could be rejected before he feels a certain bruise in his self-esteem. Perhaps Potter realized that I was a lost cause?

Yet he seemed rather happy. I chanced another look, he was smiling at a joke that no doubt Sirius Black had told.

He probably found another conquest, I reasoned with myself. Emilie Dawkins from Hufflepuff was pretty, and also his Divination partner (the only class that Potter didn't share with his other friends, not that I noticed). And I was sure Rita Skeeter had been giving him the eyes since fifth year.

Scratch that, Potter wouldn't go with quill-cozy Skeeter even if she looked like a Muggle supermodel.

Well, whoever she was, I need not to worry about it. I was officially Marauder free as I wished. Whoever the future Mrs. Potter might be, I don't care.

Yet the idea intrigued me. The name sounded incredibly...ridiculous. Who on earth would want to be named Mrs. Potter? It sounded like something for a spinster. Or a crazy cat lady who likes knitting and has a tea house.

Mrs. Potter, I scratched on my scrap parchment. Ridiculous.

'Red?'

'Merlins!' I cursed. My eyes flitted up to meet the ones of Sirius Black. 'What do you want?'

'So cold in greeting old friends, Red. Why, I even have an endearing nickname for you!'

I rolled my eyes and repeated the question.

'Ouch.' He deadpanned. 'Anyhow, I want to know what innocent Terrance Boots had ever done to you. The boy looks half dead at the History of Magic section.'

I glanced at the Ravenclaw, oops.

'Being loud in a library, a sin I can't forgive.' I joked humorously. 'Is that all, Black? I really need to be getting back to my essay.'

His eyes traced to the parchment in my hands, 'Right, your essay.'

Bloody hell.

'Not what you think.' I glared. Sadly it did not have quite the same effect it did on a second year Ravenclaw than Sirius Black.

'Enlighten me.' He smirked, 'Better yet, enlighten Prongs. Oi! Prongs!'

'I will murder your family.' I threatened, 'I'll seriously burn your entire hous-oh hey Potter.'

'Seriously Lily? Are we still on last names?' James Potter said as he strolled over. 'No Padfoot, you don't get to make a joke about that.'

Potter's second-in-command pouted, 'You're no fun, but Red is! Looks like your fantasy came true?'

Potter glanced at my parchment, but I was too confused to be embarrassed. His fantasy? I thought he gave up on his conquest for my heart and hand?

'When's the wedding?' Black grinned from ear to ear. The embarrassment started to flow in.

'There is no wedding.' I clarified. 'I don't have to explain myself to you lot.'

'Looks like you should.' Black said.

'I don't.'

'You do.'

'I don't.'

'You do.'

'Potter.' I refused to get into another argument (Petunia and I once lasted one for two days, though the subject long forgotten), 'You've been awfully quiet.'

He raised an eyebrow, 'You're right Lily, you don't have to explain this to us.'

Somehow that twisted my wire more than Black's taunts. Was this a reverse psychology thing? Or a double reverse psychology thing? Triple? The questions bounced in my head.

I could've just accepted the exit gracefully, but there was no way my pride was going to let me surrender to James Potter. 'I was just wondering what's with the new change this year.' I chose my words carefully, 'You know, since you gave up asking me out. That thought came to mind, and it just flowed onto paper.'

Black burst out laughing, even Potter couldn't conceal a grin. I sat there, infuriated, as the two biggest idiots I knew laughed at my face.

'Merlins, Red, that's a nice story.' Black cackled. He had to actually hold Potter's shoulder to stay balanced, 'Well, I'm going to let you take this one.' And chuckled all the way back to his table, where a puzzled Pettigrew and a scandalized Remus sat.

'Right.' I said, refusing to look at Potter, 'I'll be back to my essay.'

'Good for you.' Potter coughed, maybe just as uncomfortable as me. I turned down at the parchment.

Three seconds later. 'Lily?'

'Hmm?' I hummed, looking up.

'I haven't given up, just so you now.' He said. No wink. No implying. No underlying tone.

It left me wondering if I should've given him a different explanation.

Two.

My friend Marlene McKinnion had a nickname, Marly, which shortened her name considerably by two whole letters. Emmeline Vance was Em, which went from a eight to a two. Hestia Jones wanted to be called Tia for a long time, but that never caught on.

For me, I never needed a nickname. My full name was Lily Harriet Evans, but that seemed like such a mouthful. I figured that simply Lily Evans would do for school. All of my friends called me Lily. A simple two syllable name, no need for alteration or shortening. No Lils, Li, or the absurd name Ily. Lily was who I was called since birth, and that was just fine.

The Marauders were the only people I called by last name (with the obvious exception of Remus). For some reason, first names were intimate to me. When I'm exchanging banters with an enemy, how odd would it be to be called Lily?

('You're dead to me, Lily' just didn't sound quite threatening')

Remus called me Lily because he was my friend. Black called me Red because he insisted to be not the only one to have a colour for a name (though I've explained that a colour was actually his name). Pettigrew called me Red because Black does, or Evans when he was with Potter. And Potter...always Evans, never Lily, never Lils, never the dreaded Ily, Evans.

It all changed in seventh year, as most things do. I could get by maybe a whole week without talking to him (the prefects and Heads only met once a week, after all), but every time I do, Lily.

It lasted all the way until November before I had to ask.

'What happened to Evans?' I said one night at patrol. Which was after the prefects meeting. Don't pretend like I didn't plan it that way.

'He went back to the Slytherin dungeons while we're out here, keeping evil at bay.' Potter joked.

'Not Evan Notts.' Man that was a tongue twister, 'I mean whatever happened to calling me Evans.'

Potter blinked, almost innocently, 'Lily's your name.'

'Yes, but you've never called me that.'

'Yes I have, Lily.'

I groaned. 'I mean before this year. What changed? Why are you behaving so, so nice? What do you mean you're not giving up?'

Ahh, that's the real question I wanted to ask.

He blinked again. 'Would you rather have me call you Evans?'

No. 'Yes.'

'Why?'

'Because that's the way between us, Potter. We fight, we argue, we don't refer to each other by first name. We're Potter and Evans, not James and Lily.'

That didn't mean to sound harsh, but perhaps it did. James Potter's brown eyes shifted downwards, if only for a fraction of a second. I opened my mouth to apologize, but my stubbornness won out.

'Alright, Evans, if you'd like.' He said.

That went on for the rest of the evening. And the month. And the month after. Came December and the Hogwarts Express parted for the vacation. I got off at Platform Nine and Three Quarters to see James Potter laughing with his family, looking cozy and warm and nothing like the house I was going towards.

'Hey Evans!' He yelled over the sound of the train, 'Happy Christmas!'

'You too!' I chanced.

He apparated with the Potters. Only then did I realize that James was not my enemy.

Three.

It was like the vacation never happened.

School work in the New Years was twice as hard and three time as time consuming. The library had never seen an empty table since January, and the shelves were always half empty. Madam Pince had to reorder more textbooks, even a History of Magic.

Yet perhaps the homework wasn't as taxing as the classes. Every other week there was an assignment or assessment. Each with a new partner, so there was no possible way to cheat.

Even before the NEWTs, half of the seventh years already died.

'Partner up!' Even jolly good Slughorn wasn't all that jolly lately. 'Today we're mixing a curious brew. The draught of inner hearth!'

I had to smile. The draught was a sixth year assignment, though that was not boosting its easiness all that much, at least it'll be a breezy lesson for me.

Snape stared at me hopefully, I turned away purposely. Not today, not ever.

Sadly, where my sight ended on wasn't all that pretty either. Emilie Dawkins and Rita Skeeter are both staring down James Potter as if he was an easy prey.

Two things were wrong about that picture. One, Potter wasn't an easy prey. Second, I have never seen the three of them in this class before.

'Lil-Evans!' He spotted me, 'Be my partner!'

I can feel Snape's beady eyes staring into me. He wouldn't want me to do it. He hated Ja-Potter, which is why I said okay.

Emilie gasped. Rita's quills scribbled some more, she looked half intrigued and half curious.

'Brilliant!' Potter beamed. He grabbed a handful of dragon eyeballs and began chopping them up haphazardously.

I frowned. 'You're supposed to squish the eyes.'

'Evans, I'm like ninety-nine percent certain that chopping it would bring out more juice.'

I rolled my eyes. Was he the one that got an Outstanding on his Potions OWL? 'Potter, give it to me, you're supposed to squish it.'

'I'd much rather we not get into this argument.'

'I'd much rather you squish the eyeballs.'

'Check the textbook, if you will.' Potter stopped, mid-chop. 'Go on, I dare you.'

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. What would he want be to do? Plant a little doubt so that I would allow him to continue his chopping? I glared, but he stared right back. How infuriating could this guy be?

'I could consult Slughorn.' Knowing him, he'd agree with me just for the sake of keeping me in the Slug Club.

'You could read the book.'

'I'm sure our Potions Professor has more knowledge than a book.' I pointed it out.

'Care to test that theory, Lily?'

That was the last straw. I grabbed the Potent Potions Preparation and flipped to the draught of inner hearth.

A draught of inner hearth warms the body and protects the human body from freezing even in the most intense temperature. To prepare this mixture, first chop thee...

I looked up from the book. James Potter dared to smile.

'Something funny?' I asked. How could I have been so stupid? I must've read that book inside our trice, and to forget to chop the dragon eyeballs...

'The fact that you'd rather be wrong than allowing me to be right.' Potter said, pointing with the dangerous edge of his silver knife, 'Quite endearing, Lily.'

'Don't call me that.'

'Lily-flower.'

'No.'

'Lily-kins.'

I laughed at that one. 'Never.'

'Lils? Li? Ily? No the last one was horrid.' Potter wrinkled his nose, 'Evans is fine, since you're so insistent.'

'Thank you.' I said with as enough courtesy to choke a dinner party.

'Now, Evans, I think that when a certain someone was right and a certain someone else was wrong, that certain someone else should really really apologize for being wrong. Just an observation, really.'

'Umm-hmm.'

'Just observing.' He went on, 'The world, in general. You know, nothing specific.'

I should apologize, shouldn't I?

I glanced across the room, pretending to contemplate on it, when my eyes caught Sev's, I mean, Snape's. Evidentially he was totally eavesdropping, and shook his head, just a bit.

I narrowed my eyes, and was just about to say my words when I saw Rita Skeeter.

The saying goes that sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me, but in Hogwarts politics, it totally does. Skeeter was notoriously spreading gossip via those god-awful Quicky Quills. I could just imagine the new headline. POTTER AND EVANS, FRIENDS AT LAST, OR SOMETHING MORE?

Hell no! I thought with a sudden fierceness. I wasn't friends with Potter, I was never going to be friends with Potter, or something more. He said himself that he hasn't given up, and I'm not going to be the one that fuels him from going further.

I can't apologize. I just can't.

I turned back to him with a cool expression, wavering slightly when I saw his puppy eyes. Damn those eyes.

'Just chop your freakin' eyeballs.' I muttered, and reached for a bowl of Phoenix paste.

Four.

'Bloody hell. James Potter is fit.'

'If you like his body so much, why don't you marry it?'

I know, not the most original response. I was slightly distracted being not distracted by a certain Gryffindor Chaser on the Quidditch field.

'I would if I could, but I'm pretty sure that gate closed a long time ago.' Emmeline Vance complained.

'When he opened his mouth?'

'What? No.' She laughed, 'When he discovered my best and most ginger friend Lily Evans.'

I had to laugh at that. 'Go for it Em, I won't mind.'

She shook her head, brown curls flying everywhere. 'Nah, you would. It's not like you haven't noticed yet.'

'Noticed what?'

'That he's practically a swimsuit model!' Em clasped onto my arm. She gets like that, my best friend, very girly and very boy-crazy anytime that she was not in front of a book.

'Right, and my real name is Gertrude.' I rolled my eyes. Ridiculous the obsession girls put into Potter's look, really, ridiculous.

'Im serious Lily!' Em insisted, 'Look at him!'

I did.

Objectively speaking, if I was going to see what Em was talking about, you could say that James Potter was attractive. Playing Quidditch since he could hold a broomstick wasn't going to make him unfit, I suppose. He has the old wizard family blood, which probably guarantee that he look at least decent, if not above average. Even with his spectacles, which couldn't be pulled off by everyone, Em was excruciatingly right; he was fit.

'He's aesthetically pleasing.' I said at last, looking somewhere off towards the Ravenclaw tower.

'Baby steps.' Em muttered. 'Still, it's not like his looks are the only things you like about him.'

I looked towards her now. 'Say what?'

At this exact time, Marly scored. The Gryffindors roared. 'Yeah McKinnion!' Black hollered on the field.

'Woo Marly!' Em shouted. I said something of similar words, but Em's words still occupied my brain.

'What do you mean I like him?'

'I mean-hold on, TAKE THAT YOU SLEAZEBALL!-that you've been acting different this year.' Em finished.

Me? Different? 'Really Em?'

'Yeah, totally!' She nodded eagerly. 'You've been way nicer to the Marauders, if not James Potter himself. You stopped complaining about them too.'

'Right, and that means I want to marry him.'

'No...' Em admitted, 'But I swear, even before I mentioned it, you were totally staring.'

'Probably at the train-wreck that's his flying forms.' I argued.

'Like you're the Quidditch expert.' Em laughed.

'Whatever. There's nothing between James and I.'

Em paused. For a sweet moment I thought she had given up, but the Cheshire grin then returned. 'You called him James.'

Ah bloody hell.

'What's so wrong to admit it, Lily?' Em pressed on. 'What's so wrong with saying that you might have feelings for James Potter? At least, that you two are friends.'

Nothing. 'Everything.'

'Uggghhh.' Em exhaled. 'You're impossible Lily! You can't even see how much he likes you, or how much you like him. Every time he smiles at you, in class or in the corridors or whatever, you smile right back.'

Did I ? 'I don't.'

'Just watch.' Em said pointedly, 'James is going to look at you any second like the smitten puppy he is, smile, and you can't help but to grin back, compelled at his powers of amazingness.'

'Amazingness is not a word.' I told Em, and did not watch for James for the rest of the game.

Five.

The notice sign went up on a Tuesday morning, and the entire world exploded. A Hogsmeade trip was set to be on Valentine's Day.

I know what Em was thinking by now, based on her glances between Potter and I every class. She seemed to be trying to compel the both of us with her mind to talk to each other. Or rather, have Potter talk to me. Or rather, have him ask me out to Hogsmeade in an elaborate dance number.

Sixth year Potter would've done it, and sixth year Lily would've sent a Bat-Bogey hex at his face until he was begging for mercy. Seventh year James wouldn't...and I wasn't sure what seventh year Lily would do.

Instead I inclined to ignoring both Potter and Em, at least for the week leading up to the trip. Surprisingly, there were other offers to go as well.

Amos Diggery, a shy yet well-meaning Hufflepuff asked me out to Three Broomstick. I would've said yes, except Marly decided it was a good moment to ask me on the choice of broom polish for her Nimbus 2779.

Gilderoy Lockhart, a boastful Ravenclaw, asked if we could go to Zonko's together. Mary MacDonald cut in to borrow my Trasnfiguration textbook.

Evan Notts asked me out to the Shrieking Shack, I'm sure that was just a jape from the Slytherins. Never the less, Em interrupted the conversation by demanding that I accompany her to the Ancient Runes classroom, halfway around the school.

I wasn't stupid, I knew they were trying to eliminate all of my potential suitors (despite only one being even remotely interesting to me) so that when Potter asked me out, I'd have to say yes. I asked Em this at dinner that night. She refused it blantaly.

'All right then.' I said, 'But I'm not going with Potter, no matter what.'

'Right, Lily.'

I looked across the room, Skeeter was sitting at the Ravenclaw table and looking very interested at our conversation.

To be very honest though, I actually had no idea if James meant to ask me out or not. He hadn't done so all this year, but he also said that he wasn't giving up. Was he just saving up for a moment? The most romantic time of the year where I'm feeling totally vulnerable to try and take me by surprise?

Sucks for him, I'm ready for the question, and I already knew my answer.

I expected it in Potions, when Slughorn had a lesson on love potions.

I expected at lunch, when the owls gave Emilie Dawkins her first (and thirtieth) Valentine's Day card.

I expected it at the library, where Madam Pince (not so subtly) stared at Remus Lupin across the hall.

Finally, it came out very unexpected on the day of my Care of Magical Creatures lesson on unicorn.

Originally covered in fifth year, Professor Grubbly-Plank decided that we must cover it as a review subject. The girls went first, listening to the professor's words while ohhing and ahhing at the magnificent creature.

I couldn't concentrate on that. James Potter was also in this class, and he was whispering with Sirius Black right behind me.

'Do it now, Prongs.'

'Shut it Padfoot.'

'You'll regret it forevvvver!'

'Shut your pie hole, I'm on it.'

I retreated from the unicorn to give Alice Prewett a turn. Just in time to bump into the bloody prick himself.

'Hey Li-Evans, would y-'

'No.' I said, panicked. 'I mean, what?'

Potter paused, unsure how to proceed. I was sure my cheeks matched my hair. Curse you ginger blood.

'I mean, would you move a bit over so we could get to the unicorn.'

Oh.

'Yeah, sure, what else could you have meant?' I said, dazzled. A familiar relief could be felt, but also something remotely like disappointment that I'm going to label as ridiculous.

I slide aside, Potter didn't move. Instead he stated.

'Well, there was something else...' He paused, 'I don't know. I wanted to ask that first but I was a little afraid that you were going to hex me, you know, given past records.'

Oh.

'Listen-'

'Would you like to get a drink, possibly at Three Broomstick, possibly on the upcoming Hogsmeade trip.'

Oh.

'No.' I decided that a long time ago, his wide brown eyes and hopeful smile wasn't going to convince me any differently.

'It's not a date.' Potter insisted at once, 'Just as friends.'

Friends...

At my silence, he continued to ramble on, perhaps a bit more nervous. 'I mean, Marly is going with Sirius, and Alice and Frank are tagging along. Emmeline said that you had no plans, so I thought to just invite you to this huge friend gathering thing.'

How incredibly...sweet.

'I don't have any plans.' I admit that, 'I just...'

Don't want to go with you?

Don't want to give the school more gossip about me?

Don't want to tarnish my reputation?

Don't want you to lose interest if I said yes?

'Don't feel up for it.' I settled, quite diplomatically if I said so myself.

'Really.' He crossed his arm, 'You seem awfully intrigued when Amos Diggery offered you the same deal.'

My eyes narrowed. 'You've been spying on me?'

'What, no!' Now there was panic in his eyes, 'Marly sort of mentioned it. I guess, I didn't-'

'Oh, you think I'm some sort of property that you own and can't spend Valentine's Day with anyone else?'

'Actually, I've been very reasonable in my question, and haven't forced any romantic notions. Lily, I haven't said anything about Valentine's Day!' He protested. Now what? Anger? Disappointment? Sadness?

'I'm not Lily.' I snapped, 'Not to you. You're just a pig-headed git who thinks that the world revolves around yourself.'

'Open your eyes, Lily, my world pretty much revolves around you!' He shouted, 'You're just too damn prideful to admit that I might actually be genuine.'

His words left me speechless. A conquest, I had told myself, a contest for my hand and heart. Nothing more than a game to him and the Marauders.

'I might have been in love with you since first year, but I sure as hell won't be for much longer.'

So James went to Hogsmeade on with Emilie Dawkins. They spent February 14th at Madame Pudifoot while I pretended I didn't know that fact.

Marly and Em both left to hang out with the rest of the seventh year Gryffindors, at my insistence and eventually command. Being awesome friends, they couldn't resist buying me some chocolate from Honeydukes. I spent February 15th stuffing my face and yelling any anyone who came by my bed.

I was heartbroken. There, I'll admit it, I was totally jealous that James went to Hogsmeade with Emilie. Also incredibly angry that I didn't say yes. Also regretful because I could've said yes a billion times in the past seven years.

I wasn't in love with him, but I liked him so much that it hurt to think about her with another girl.

Came school back in session, the homework load went from unbearable to impossible. I lived in the library, but could never spot a mop of black hair or brown eyes. It was more distracting to be there, really, so I set up a studying corner on my bed.

Classes, those I couldn't avoid. Potions were unbearable with James and Emilie giggling behind my back. Snape gave me a withering 'I told you so' look. I made the cauldron explode in his face.

That's how I ended up in detention for the first, and last, time in my seven year career at the wizarding school. My nearly perfect record tarnished, but I couldn't bring myself to care too much. The Marauders each got at least a hundred detentions a piece, might as well see what persuaded them to get back.

Filch had been clean the trophy room, which was as stupid and pointless as it sounded. Made worse as I scrubbed the red and gold Quidditch Cup, bearing the name of the seven players currently on the Gryffindor team.

'Get in here you little imbecile!' Flich yelled at a student. Emmeline Vance tumbled into the room a few seconds later.

'What are you doing here!' I asked. Em hadn't made anyone's cauldron explode, that I know of, at least.

'Detention, one last time before the school ends.' Em smiled sarcastically.

'No, really.'

'To spend some times with my best friend?'

'Em?'

'Fine!' She cried, 'I figured detention would do better than studying, so I set a stack of books on fire.'

My eyes widened. 'Madam Pince would kill you!'

'Nearly did, if not for her saviour, the magnificent Filch that used the hose to drown half of the library.' She grinned.

'Ah, at least she's going to be over our darling Remy now.' I grinned despite myself. 'Really, library books?'

'Go big or go home!' Em declared. After a few seconds of pregnant silence, she continued, a bit subdued. 'Seriously though Lily, we're almost going home.'

I shook my head. 'Hogwarts is my home.'

'Only for a few more months.' Em pointed it out. 'Our last months, could you even believe it? Our lady Quidditch match or Hogsmeade trip or McGonagall's near impossible essays. It's all coming up.'

A tear made it's way down Em's cheek, I couldn't help but to mimic the same thing. Soon Filch found the two of us crying and hugging in amidst of soap and tags.

'Bloody imbeciles.' He grumbled. Mrs. Norris gave a great big purr, and soon we were chased out of the room, Filch mumbling something about punishing us for not completely our punishments.

'I'm going to find something to eat.' Em declared. 'Come with?'

'Nah.' Trophy cleaning didn't exactly up my appetite.

Em nodded and made her way down the hall. After a few more steps, she seemed to have thought of something, and turned back.

'You only have a few months left, Lily.' She said, 'Don't let anything get in the way.'

One.

RITA SKEETER TELLS ALL - THE QUICKY QUILL TALE

Skeeter released a series of flying memo across all of the Great Hall, the morning of our first exam. I strongly suspected that journalism didn't require any important NEWTs.

'Check this, Alice and Frank are engaged!' Em gushed. Frank sat across from me, and blushed deeply, while Alice's face seemed to be one of rage.

'How did she find out?' Alice demanded.

'I didn't tell anyone!' Frank protested immediately.

'Frank...'

'Just my mom!'

I shook my head. Augusta Longbottom had a large hat and an even larger mouth. Gossip doesn't need to be persuaded out of her.

'I'm so not dating Sirius Black!' Marly insisted, though a great blush came across her face.

'Just snogging. I swear!' Black said, his face was covered with a grin. Marly chased him down the Great Hall, his robes inside out and his underwear shown to the great big world.

'Lily!' Em said excitedly. 'Emilie and James broke up?' She waved a memo in my face.

THE STAR COUPLE CROSSED - JAMILIE IS FINISHED FOR GOOD?

'Are you sure you can trust Skeeter?' I squinted at the paper, trying to calm my heart. Damn to the cardio system.

'She's spot on about Alice and Frank, and Marly as well.'

I glanced at Marly and Sirius, though she was shouting curses, you could see he no smile upon his face. 'Yeah, a blind werewolf could see that.'

'Isn't that a bit discriminating against werewolves?' Remus Lupin said as he sat down, 'Hey Lily, if you're wondering though, it's true. They've split just last night, over a dress or something.'

'Really.' I said, my voice nonchalant.

'Exams are starting.' Em urged, 'You want to do something about James? It's got to be now.'

Oh bloody hell.

He was across the hall, at the opposite end of the Gryffindor table, laughing at Black while Pettigrew tittered on, looking rather pale. Well, Pettigrew always looked pale.

'Okay.' I heard my voice echo, and my feet taking me towards him. Did I care that Rita Skeeter was watching the scene with a quill at hand? Did I care that Emilie Dawkins was staring sourly with red eyes? Did I care that Snape was across the room, pretending I didn't exist?

Of course not.

I got up next to him before I realized that I was speechless. I might've kissed him, or asked him out, or just walked away. Instead I apologized.

He turned. 'What?'

'I'm sorry.' I coughed, hands sweaty and hands fumbling. 'For being oblivious, there's really no explanation I could give for that. I didn't accept your change because I hadn't accept mine yet.'

He stared. Pettigrew stared. The entire hall seem to stare, but maybe the last was just my imagination.

'I like you, a lot.' I breathed at last, 'And I'm going to have a lot of free time after school ends. Would you like to get a drink, possibly at Three Broomstick, possibly after the upcoming graduation?'

It took about a billion years for him to say yes, or maybe just a second. All I heard was that one world, and everything was okay.

'You actually apologized though!' James said, after the exams, when we're sitting side by side under the big tree, staring straight into the lake.

'Yeah, yeah, don't wound my pride.' I grumbled.

'I can't believe that!' His voice almost dreaming. 'Actually, I couldn't. You should really repeat that, especially the part about how handsome I look in the light of your realization.'

'Git.' I said, but I was smiling, 'You should really apologize for tormenting me for seven years.'

'I don't know Evans, it got me here...so...'

The Bat-Bogey hex never loses its hilarity.

'Kidding, of course.' He laughed. 'I'm super mega sorry for asking you our repeated despite it being borderline harassment, or tormenting your ex-best friend, or not notifying you that my love is as genuine as the stars in the sky and the depth of the ocean and the scales of a dragon and-'

'Good enough.' I stopped, blushing again root to root.

The tree rustled, its leaves as green and bright as the summer air.