The story of how James Potter managed to win over Lily Evans after she was painfully pushed away by Severus Snape.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters or…anything. J.K. Rowling does.
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Madame Pomfrey gave them a small, amused smile and turned back to the castle. Sirius also decided to take his leave at this point, saying, "I'll leave you two lovers to work things out. I wonder where Remus has got to…"
With a knowing grin, he strolled off. Lily's face reddened slightly at the remark and she looked away. They were both silent for a moment.
"We ought to be going back now; it's getting dark," Lily finally said quietly.
"All right, let's go," he shrugged.
For a while, the two trudged along in silence, each caught up in thoughts of each other. Lily couldn't help thinking about that kiss; it was so gentle and sweet, so unlike James Potter.
I just don't get him. Of course he's a self-centered, arrogant prat, but why would he… Perhaps that conceited confidence just a mask for the world? He must think he has something to prove, but what exactly? And why? she wondered. There isn't a real reason, Lily, she told herself. He's just a teenage boy, that's all. But her mind couldn't just take that as an answer. She needed to ask James what exactly he meant by all of this, and what he felt about her. She just had to know.
At length they reached the entrance of one of the outdoor hallways, and Lily stopped just before it.
"James?"
He turned to face her. "Yes?"
She looked at his face in great contemplation. But what came out her mouth was not really what she had intended.
"Why did you kiss me?"
A small, confident smile sprouted on his face. "It seemed like a good idea."
Lily's eyes hardened bitterly. "Is that all?"
The smile evaporated, and his hazel eyes became embarrassedly earnest.
"I don't know, Lily, I just…" He stepped closer, his rough, handsome face only inches from hers. Lily faltered slightly, but stood her ground.
"…I think…I'm in love with you."
Her mind spun for a second, trying to comprehend what James said. I think I'm in love with you…She felt as if she had been hit with a Bludger. Or a Stunning Spell. Or both. She knew Potter liked her, but had always been sure that his feelings could be no deeper than a rain puddle, if even that. Why was he professing them to be so profound?
Then immediately the thought occurred to her: He could be just saying that to achieve my affection. Yet even as the cynical, suspicious thought passed through her mind, she knew it to be wrong. There were loads of girls prettier than she was, and many that played the hard-to-get card, too. Yet he had picked her, pursued her, all the five years they had been going to Hogwarts, despite her constant prickliness towards him. Why? There was only one answer she could think of, and Potter had just said it.
"Do you really love me?" Her expression was heavily guarded with doubt and caution, but underneath it was a slight glimmer of hope.
James looked and sounded painfully vulnerable. "I do so much, Lily, I…" His hand went up to touch her cheek. "Maybe you think I'm an arrogant bastard, but just understand…" There was a slight falter in his confident voice that bespoke truthfulness. "…being around you kills every bit of nerve and confidence I have. I need to act better and tougher because…" He gulped. "…you disarm me."
Lily could barely believe her ears. The ever-proud, devil-may-care James Potter was disarmed by her? She searched his features hard, looking for any possible sign of falsehood or insincerity. She found none. What she did find was the look of a boy who was risking his dearly-held pride and knew it, all for the sake of winning the heart of the girl he loved. Lily saw courage and honesty and love in the face of James Potter, and at that moment, she realized that she loved him back.
A soft tear rolled down Lily's cheek, and she threw her arms around the astonished but elated James, feeling as if she never wanted to let go of him. Her voice choked as she let out the words.
"I do too."
"What??"
"I love you too."
At those four words, uncontainable, exultant joy leapt into his face, and with blissful certainty, James placed his lips on hers. The kiss they shared was long and deep, the kind of kiss Lily knew they had always been meant for.
…………
From a distant hill, a lone black figure that had stood there, watching from the beginning, turned away from the sight of the happy couple. Though he hated to admit it to himself, he knew he had forfeited his chance with Lily.
Severus Snape knew he had lost her to James Potter forever.
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