Lily only had one problem, how to break the news to her boyfriend James Potter. James had been pursuing her since the 1st year and Lily had always turned him down, but she decided that since this was their last year she would give James a chance. But Lily had come to find that he was entirely too immature for her, and even though he treated her very well, she didn't feel that spark that told her this was the man she would spend the rest of her life with. Lily loved James, but she wasn't in love with him, and unfortunately, it was time to let him know.
This was something she didn't want to do, but Lily felt it wasn't fair to her or James that they continue on like this. She had tried to love him as he loved her but she couldn't. So, Lily wrote a note to James and told him to meet her on top of the astronomy tower after dinner, the last night of the term. When James received the letter he was ecstatic, he thought that finally, he was going to hear those three little words from his Lily flower and then he would propose. How wrong he was. As soon as dinner was over, James rushed up to the astronomy tower to wait for his Lily Flower, to his surprise Lily was already there.
"Lily, what are you doing here, I thought you said to meet after dinner?"
"I know but I couldn't eat, so I came up here early. There's something very important I have to discuss with you James, and I can't put it off any longer."
James' brow furrowed, he stared at Lily for a moment, his heart started to clench at the thought of what Lily had to tell him.
"What is it Lils," James asked as he walked up to Lily and tried to take her into his arms.
But Lily sidestepped him and moved away, "James it has to do with our future after Hogwarts."
"What about it?"
"I know that you have all these plans made out in your head about our future, but I have to tell you that once we graduate, I'm want to go to America."
James looked at her stunned, "Um, okay, I guess we can go to America."
Lily slowly shakes her head, "No, James you don't understand, I want to go to America…alone."
"Oh," Was all that James could say.
"James, I tried, I really did. You have to, believe me, I love you, but I'm not in love with you," Lily tells him as she steps closer to James.
James backs away, "No I understand, I had a feeling something was wrong, but I convinced myself that whatever it was we could work it out."
"I am so sorry, James."
"No, it's alright, you can't help the way you feel, any more than I can. But know this, Lily, I will always love you."
And with that, James took a step closer to Lily and kissed her cheek, then he turned around and left. He went back downstairs and up to Gryffindor Tower, there was a party going on, but he just walked past everyone and went to bed. An hour later Lily showed up and went up to her dorm to finish packing. The next day on the Hogwarts Express, James sat there quietly while Sirius babbled on about finally being free of school and looking forward to his new life.
"Speaking of a new life, when's the wedding, Prongs?"
James didn't answer right away he just kept staring out the window.
"Prongs," Sirius asks again finally gaining his best friend's attention.
"What, oh sorry, Sirius, what did you say?"
"Sirius? Prongs you never call me Sirius, I asked you when's the wedding?"
"There's not going to be a wedding, Lily is moving to America… without me."
Remus looked up from his book, "What do you mean, James."
"I mean, Moony, it's over, Lily and I broke up."
"That's impossible, you two love each other, " Sirius tells his best friend.
"Yes, Padfoot, we love each other, the only problem is that Lily isn't in love with me."
Sirius gave him a questioning look, he didn't understand the difference.
James sighs, "She loves me not as a woman a man, more as she loves me as a friend. She told me she tried, but she couldn't love me the way I love her."
Remus stands up and puts a comforting hand on James' shoulder, "I'm so sorry, Prongs, I wish there was something I could do."
"So do I, Moony, So do I."
At that precise moment, Lily is telling her friends that she ended it with James. Marlene looked at her best friend and sighed.
"It was for the best Lily, you told me yourself you weren't in love with James."
"Maybe if I had tried a little harder…"
"You can't force love to happen, either it's there or it isn't, and it wasn't there for James. Now it's time to move on with your life in America."
"Are you sure you won't come with me, Marlene?"
"No, I can't leave my family, but you should definitely go. You have nothing holding you here anymore. Your parents are gone, your sister refuses to talk to you, you're not with James anymore. You deserve a fresh start and I think America is the right place for you."
"You don't think I'm a coward for running away from this war?"
"No, I don't, you are at a greater risk than the rest of us because you're a Muggle-Born. You need to think about yourself and keep yourself safe."
Lily hugged her best friend, "Thank you, Marlene."
"Anytime."
The rest of the train ride was pleasant enough, Marlene and Lily talked about all sorts of things, and the time just flew by. Before they knew it they had reached Kings Cross Station, it was time to close one chapter of their lives and open another. Lily and Marlene got off the train together, they hugged and hung on to each other for a few moments until finally, they pulled apart.
"I'm going to miss you, Lily."
"I'm going to miss you too, but I promise once I get settled I'll write to you and let you know where I am."
"Alright, take care of yourself."
"You too."
The girls hugged one last time then Marlene went to meet up with her parents. Lily said goodbye to a few more people then began to walk away from the Hogwarts Express. Suddenly she felt like someone was watching her, she turned to see James off in the distance. He gave her a sad smile and she waved at him, He mouthed the words good luck and she said thank you. Lily gave him one last smile then turned apparated to the Ministry of Magic to get her international portkey. James stood there for a moment then he whispered…
"I'll always love you."