Promises of Love

"Lily! Lily, please wait!" James cried out as he ran after her. Lily, however, did not stop. Instead, she increased her speed of walking and almost ran away from her pursuer when James finally caught up with her and grabbed her tightly to stop her running away.

She, Lily Evans, was not one to be tamed, however. Desperately, she fought against James to regain the control of her limbs. "James, let go! I – said – let – go!" She repeated as she tried frantically to free herself from him. James had a hard time trying to calm her down as she lashed out towards him, trying to struggle free. Finally, exasperated, he pushed her up against the wall and pinned both her arms to her side, pressing his body against hers to prevent her from escaping.

Lily was furious. Though slightly dizzy of the close proximity and physical contact with James, she managed to keep her head, and her temper. "James Potter, how dare you manhandle me? Let me go this instant! I swear to Merlin…"

"Lily, please! Just hear me out. It isn't all it seems to be," James pleaded earnestly. "Honestly, Lily. It isn't. All I ask is for you to hear me out. Please? Just give me one chance to explain. It isn't my fault!"

"You two kissed!" she exploded venomously. "I saw you… with her! I saw it with my own eyes, James!" She was trying to keep her composure, but memories of what she had just witnessed mere minutes ago was flooding back. She saw it now as clearly as she did then, how that… that girl and James were snogging… in broad daylight… in front of the rest of their classmates who was loitering around… in a classroom, no less! And she had believed his pathetic excuse of leaving one of his books back in the classroom! Merlin, that was so humiliating, seeing her boyfriend get heated with some bloody bimbo! She'd only been together with James for a month and he was already cheating on her. How could she ever trust him again?

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she closed her eyes in despair. I should have known that this would happen, she silently scolded herself.To believe that James actually likes me… it's all self-delusion. He has the attention span of a teaspoon! No, a gnat! I've seen that, haven't I? He always breaks up with his past girlfriends after a week. I should have learnt that lesson. Why did I get into this? What have I gotten myself into? Nothing but a heartbreak…

James was heartbroken when he saw the shining tears in Lily's emerald pools course down her face. She doesn't deserve this… but neither do I! Why is all this shit happening to me? Why am I being chased endlessly by countless bimbos while the woman I really love suffer like this? And why must I suffer like this? He clenched his teeth as he recalled that bloody girl's victorious grin. If she weren't a girl, so help me Merlin, I'll pummel the bloody daylights out of her for ruining Lily's and my relationship!

He focused once again on the trembling woman in front of him and his expression soften. "Lily…" James whispered gently, relaxing his grip on her arms, trying to sooth her before he explained the whole situation, but when Lily opened her eyes, James was shocked to be met by a blank stare. What Lily said next shook him to the core. "Am I not good enough for you, James? If this is it, say so. I should have seen this coming. I should have known it is futile to hope for your love. You never think about anyone but yourself. So say the word, James, and I'll be gone forever from your love life. You can go continue your snogging activities like you obviously want to."

He was shocked by what she said, but even more so at how she said it, with an empty, emotionless voice. It wasn't cold, it wasn't angry, and it wasn't even disappointment. It was just an empty voice, void of all emotions. Dead. Oh Merlin, what have I done?

"Lily, it isn't what it seem to be. I swear," James told her tiredly. "Shekissed me. I didn't do it. Hell, I didn't even respond. I tried to push her away, and then I saw you running away…"

"Don't give me that bullshit, James. I know what I saw."

James froze at her curt respond. Her eyes were hard. She would not forgive him.

Frustrated, James let out a sigh. "For Merlin's sake, Lily, you and I both know that those… those sluts… have been furious that you snagged me right from first year itself. I fell in love with you over the years and haven't even given them a second glance. Even if I did have an occasional girlfriend, I couldn't be with her long, because they're not you, Lily. I only want you, and they're crazed with jealousy. Of course they would ruin our relationship! Why wouldn't they? I'm rich, I'm handsome, and I'm a pureblood. Those girls would do anything just to go out on a date with me! Do you think that I don't regret I am so desired? Cause this is destroying the beautiful things we have, Lily. I've wanted only you, and they couldn't bear the thought of losing out just because you stole my heart! They'll stop at nothing to get what they want!"

All this time, their gazes were locked as James tried to plead his case. Lily could see that what he said was all in honesty. His hazel eyes were beseeching and pleading and regretful… and loving. She lowered her eyes, trying to take in the information and sort out her feelings, but James tipped her chin back up so that she was once again looking into his eyes. James was overjoyed that some emotions were returning to the emeralds he loved, though they held a sadness he wished he could take away. "Lily," he said quietly, as he rubbed away her tears with his warm, comforting hands. "I'd never cheat on you. I've waited too damn long to have you, and now that I have, I'm never letting go. Please say that you believe me. I can't bear the thought of not being with you."

They looked at each other in silence as Lily struggled to find an answer. Finally, she burst out, "Oh God, James! I believe you." Flushed at his success, James made to kiss her, but Lily stayed him with a hand on his chest. "But… James…" Once again she turned away, and this time James looked at her averted face enquiringly. "James…" she tried again, but only managed to stammer. "I… if this is what I'm going to be expecting… I mean… I'm not sure… that I'll be able to… to handle being your girlfriend…"

Disgruntled, but not giving up, James told her sternly, "Lily, look at me." Surprisingly, she did, though a little hesitantly. "I cannot give you promises on other people's behalves, especially not people who would likely betray it, and more so not people who would want to betray it for their own benefit. But I can promise you this… that you're the only woman in my life. Well, my mother too, but that's beside the point…" he joked lightly, receiving a well-earned, though watery half-smile from the beautiful redhead. "What I'm trying to say is… Lily, I promise you that I will never leave you. I love only you, and it's going to stay that way, because this isn't some high school crush, or even teenage lust. We're soul mates, Lily. Some people takes ages and ages to find that out, but I've felt so completed since the day I met you, and though my heart broke time and time again when you repeatedly turned me down, I never gave up. We're meant to be, Lily, and I promise that I won't let anyone or anything take this away from us."

James spoke with such conviction that Lily almost believed it, believed that she was going to have a happily-ever-after ending. Yet, a shadow of doubt remained in her mind. "I'm not sure if I can handle it…"

"Lily, as long as we work together, there's nothing we can't do. You'll just have to trust me when I say that I'll never cheat on you, because that's the truth. You're so perfect for me, so why should I go get myself some loose girl for a snog partner? I promise you that I really truly love you, I trust and respect you, and I know that you would never cheat on me, no matter what I see, because I have the utmost confidence in you that you won't throw away our love for anything in the world."

Lily finally smiled for the first time since she caught James snogging that girl… no…she snogging James, as she reminded herself. She reached out a hand to caress her beloved's cheek. "When you say you love me…" she murmured as she drowned in the hazel eyes that belonged to James, "do you really mean it?"

James's expression was suddenly sheepish. "Yes, but I'll understand if you don't feel the same way… I mean, I know we've only dated for a month… I don't want you to feel pressured to have this deep feeling for me just because I do for you… I can wait…"

But Lily did not give James a chance to continue with his rambling. She moved in and captured his lips with her own. James instantly stopped speaking as he kissed her back hungrily, encircling her waist with his strong arms as he pulled her closer to his frame. Melting into the kiss, Lily wrapped her arm around his neck and into his hair, making it even more awry than usual with each kiss. Lily noted faintly in the back of her mind how fortunate it was that it was after class, and they won't be late for anything, but that thought, along with her rational, flew out of the window and disintegrated as she felt James's warm lips move against hers. Eager to please, James moved his mouth to the hollow of her neck, causing Lily to gasp involuntarily in pleasure. He kissed every inch of her neck before travelling back up to claim her lips once again. It was not until Lily vaguely heard some of the portraits coughing in embarrassment did she remember that they were in a public corridor, possibly kissing in full view of everyone at Hogwarts (though the corridor was quite empty at that moment, but it won't be for long). James, however, seemed not to mind.

"James…" she said between kisses, "not here, love… everybody's going to see us… if we don't move soon…" Heeding her at last, James placed a final kiss on Lily's luscious, slightly swollen lips and pulled back, smiling at her. "We could go to the Heads Common Room. No one will be there," he suggested, waggling his eyebrows at her mischievously. Lily smacked him playfully, but agreed anyway, "All right, but dinner first. Sirius would kill you if you detained his mealtime. And he would kill me too, come to think of it."

"Whatever the lady says," James replied, sweeping into a mock bow. He offered her his arm, but Lily did not take it. "Before we go…" Lily pulled James back into her arms and kissed him again, but this time it was just a short, sweet kiss that left James blown, nonetheless.

"Wow, Lily, what was that for?" he asked in amazement.

"I just wanted to tell you… that I love you too, James," she told him shyly. James smiled and kissed her forehead, while his insides were running riot, and he would like nothing better than to run around and jump for joy. "Kiss me," Lily breathed, before wrapping him into her arms and began kissing him (much to the annoyance of the portraits). James was only too happy to comply. Dinner can wait.

– Finis –