Disclaimer: Harry Potter, Hogwarts, or anything that has ever been mentioned in the Harry Potter books does not belong to me. I would like to own them, and make billions of dollars every year, but the only thing in this story that is mine is my plot, if you can call it one. I am simply one of those very sad people who obsess over something that isn't real. So please, don't sue me, all I have that is of any value is a cello and a computer. Thank you for your time

Random quote of the day-

"Is Dr. Pepper a real doctor? I don't think he's qualified to be a soft drink." –Sauron,

Chapter Nine

The Confrontation

James Potter

Lily, I have to talk to you.

I don't care; I have nothing I wish to say.

Lily, please, just listen to me! Just this once. And then I'll leave you alone.

How do I know that you're not going to start spewing out lies again? Did our relationship mean anything to you besides a gain of 25 galleons? Did you ever really care about me at all?

It wasn't a gain of 25 galleons.

Excuse me? Did I get the amount wrong or something? How much was I worth, then?

You're too precious for me to have a worth, or anything like that. I should have realized that. I gave the money back to Sirius. They were what drove you and me apart, and I didn't want to think of that. I didn't want any reminders of my stupid mistake, didn't want to be rewarded for it.

Which mistake? The mistake of making the bet, or the mistake of leaving a note around, with the possibility that I would be able to find it before you embarrassed me in front of the whole school.

Do you really think that about me? Do you really think I would stoop so low?

Do you really want me to answer that question?

Lily, why don't you understand? You were never just a bet to me. You were you, the perfect girl. The girl I could only ever dream of dating. The girl who I thought would never care about me.

The girl who wishes she had never heard of James Potter in the first place. The girl who had her heart torn out, ripped to shreds, and punted across a quidditch field. And now you're trying to do it again.

Lily, I would never intentionally do something that would hurt you.

What do you call this, then? Did you think I would just laugh it off, or something? I thought you knew me better than that.

I didn't think my actions through before I agreed to that stupid bet. If it makes you feel any better, I did the exact same thing to my own heart. Will you please listen to me?

No, I can't! I don't know whether I can believe you or not. Why can't you just leave me alone? Why do you insist on making us both go through this? It's done, it's over, and we're finished. Why can you not accept that?

Because I don't want that, Lily. I don't want us to be over.

Well, it's a bit too late, now isn't it?

Lily, you're everything I ever wished for, everything I ever dreamed of. You're a part of me now. I've given away a bit of my soul to you. I'm lost without you, Lily.

Very much like your namesake, you are. Marauder. A thief, an invader. Well, I hope that you are happy now. You've won.

You've made me fall in love with you. You've invaded my mind. I can't even close my eyes without seeing you. You've stolen my heart. And now everything in my world is crumbling, and you are to blame.

Don't you think that I'm hurt too? Don't you think that I wish it had turned out differently?

I hate myself now. I hate everything about me. I realize that every single spiteful thing that you've ever said about me is true. And I only wish that I could go back and redo everything.

Well, it's too late. You've done it. And nothing can ever be the same.

Can't we just start over again? Can't we try to pretend that this never happened?

Trust is a crystal vase, James. Once broken, it can be mended, but is never completely restored. What do we have if we do not have trust? This would only lead to more heartbreak than either of us could imagine.

I don't believe I can go through any more heartbreak after this, because in order for heartbreak to occur, you need to be in possession of a heart, and you are in control of mine. You hold it in your delicate hands.

Every day without you I die a little more, and soon there will be nothing left of me but bitterness and despair. I love you, Lily. I could never live without you.

James, there can be no love without trust. We could never make it work. We would only hate each other more. Every time we see each other, we would be reminded of our shame. Of one stupid lapse in judgment. And it would slowly kill us.

We would slowly grow to despise each other more and more, until even the mention of one another's names would bring on a rush of hate and loathing. I couldn't live that way. Could you, James?

How do you know that, Lily? How do you know that we couldn't make it work?

I have common sense, James. Think about it. We're Head Boy and Girl. We have to work together too much this year for us to hate each other. Everything would fall apart if that happened.

Lily, wait. Please, just consider it. Just consider it one last time, for me.

And, with that one last note fluttering down onto the grass, Lily Evans walked away from her class, and yet, at the same time, walked away from the only person who could ever truly understand her. The only person she could ever love.

She walked away from her dreams. She walked away from a promise of hope and destiny. And she left behind someone who refused to give in, someone who refused to believe that this could truly be over.

The bet had brought Lily and James together, and had then torn them apart. Their lives could never be the same. And so James, his heart buried in a sheet of ice and snow, gazed after her until she disappeared from view, watching her carry all of his hopes and dreams with her, slowly fading away like water escaping from cupped hands.

The End

Now, just for the record, that is the end. There will be no epilogue or anything. The story ends here. And boy, am I in for it when you lot read this chapter.

Now, I know you all probably want to murder me right now, and the feelings justified. But you have to remember, I'm probably just as sad as you are. I'm a die-hard Lily/James fan too, and I fell back in love with all their characters as I wrote this story. But I had this ending planned from the beginning.

So, this is the end. My first finished story. Damn, I'm depressed now.

But always remember, even while you are fighting to urge to throw rotten vegetables, nothing ever ends for good. However, I received enough threats for this that a sequel was written. It's called Murphey's Law, and it's finished as well. So go enjoy.

Now, to answer all my beloved reviewers-

EmeraldEyedEvans- You've had too much sugar? Darlin', there ain't so such thing. And I have a dog jumping on me because she's so scared of the thunder. Unfortunately, it's a fat dog. And I wasn't aware that you were ever sane.

makoto-47- this chapter wasn't really either of those. And they didn't get back together. Oops.

Hikaru- oops. Guess they aren't happy. And I'm doing a sequel if enough people tell me to do so.

ThelovelyladyLily—I don't really have any other stories like this one. Most, if not all, of my other stories are somewhat angsty and depressing. I like to write that, if you couldn't tell by this chapter.

Jen Riddle- You could read all my other stories. (does puppy dog eyes while "Shameless begging alert!" sign pops up.)

nebulia- Lovely random quote. And it cannot go on forever. I'm sorry. Like I have said before, if enough people review there will be a sequel.

sassafras029- I've locked uber away, you cannot have it. And I don't know whether you'd consider this to be a good ending or not. I like it, but I'm weird.

NorberttheDragon- But Sirius is much too cute to do that too. Now Pettigrew, on the other hand…

munch010- Thanks. Yes, I will do a sequel, if enough people tell me to do so. But I have to end it. It is time.

Alatariel Linwe Narmolanya- But that's why we love Lily. I'm stubborn too. Which is why this is the last chapter, no matter what everyone says.

Leaping Cow- Somewhat like a diary, yes. Just random reflections.

PinkyTheSnowman- Thank you again. And I'm sorry you didn't catch the quote. Keep looking. You can even look up the lyrics on google.

Peace-

Sally