Speaking French

This is just a random one shot I came up with when my brother refused to let me teach him French. So I thought maybe I would torture you by writing a fanfic that had French in it. No not really. This isn't that bad that it counts as torture. Maybe…

Ok, ok I'm kidding yeah? No torture involved.

Oh and if I owned anything Harry Potter I would not be writing this. So don't be mad and please don't go insane and think that I own Harry Potter because then I will have to torture you. You have been warned…

See bottom of the page for translations.


"Hey James?" lily said approaching him in the Gryffindor common room.

James looked up from the fire into her face. She looked a little bit nervous but James supposed it was because she was tired.

"Yeah?" He said.

"Je pense que je t'aime." Lily said flushing slightly and looking at the floor.

James' POV

I looked at Lily surprised. I didn't know she spoke French that fluently. Even better I didn't know she was falling for me. I opened my mouth to speak then shut it. Maybe it would be better to plan what I was going to say. Should I speak back in French? It would certainly surprise her. She probably said it in French because she didn't want to tell me directly.

When she said it she was probably planning on me not knowing what she was talking about.

Well she guessed wrong pretty much. I can actually speak French fluently and two other languages. What can I say? I like learning new stuff. And Lily saying that to me was definitely new. Oh right, back to the problem at hand. What was I going to say back? I suppose I could say I loved her back. In French, of course. She was looking at me now. I should probably start speaking.

"Je t'aime aussi."

Now here comes the fun part: watching her go into shock. Her mouth fell open and her big emerald eyes widened. "I… uh- I um…"

Oh now she didn't know what to say. I'm flattered. Making Lily Evans speechless is quite a feat. I was actually really enjoying this now. She was shifting around waiting to see if I was going to do anything. Not gonna happen…

"I have to go now." Lily said in a whisper. Then she turned and fled from the room.

"Wow what happened to her?" Sirius asked as he came and joined me near the fire. I jumped, surprised.

"When did you get here?" I asked him.

"Since just then. Coming in here and she rushes out. Looked all distressed or something."

I chuckled. Then I debated telling Sirius what had happened. It would probably be better if I told him later. Or just never tell him. It would be a very nice secret to have. Even though I desperately wanted to shout the news out. But then Lily would probably bash my head in. So instead I just shook my head.

"I don't know what happened. Must have been stressed over some homework or something." I lied.
Sirius looked at me strangely. I could tell he didn't believe me. But thankfully he didn't ask any questions.

"Well I better head of now." I said cheerfully standing up and walking out of the common room

Lily's POV

I rushed out of the common room, my vision slightly blurred. I bumped into a figure that looked a lot like Sirius but I pushed past him. Great. James was probably going to tell him what happened between him and me. It would be so like him to scream the news out to every one. I was going to kill him someday for the way he acts. Or he will end up killing himself. That would be better. Then I wont have to do it for him. But what am I thinking? I don't want to kill him. I want him to live. Because I do think I am falling for him.

And the worst thing is he said he loved me too. What was I gonna do now? I can't just go back to hating him. I already said I loved him. Well I said I might be falling for him.

Ugh forget it. I like him ok? And now he knows. That wasn't how my plan was meant to go. He wasn't meant to know French! I was planning on telling him in French and he wouldn't know what I said.

But he did and he responded. I sat down on my bed and put my head in my hands. I flopped back onto my bed and sighed. I could just find him and tell him it was a joke and I didn't mean it but that would break his heart. And mine. I rubbed my eyes and yawned. I was getting tired. I looked at the clock and realized it was almost midnight! No wonder I felt tired. I really should get some sleep…

Authors POV

The next morning dawned bright and early. James was up with the sun and down at breakfast knowing Lily usually wakes early. But for some reason she was not there… she usually was there on time. But maybe this morning she felt tired and was sleeping in. James settled back into his chair to wait for Lily. He wanted to ask her what she meant last night. Maybe she was just joking. But… she didn't look like she was joking.

James' POV

"Hey mate, whatcha doing?" A voice said behind me.

I jumped. "Sirius! Would you stop sneaking up on me?"

Sirius shrugged and pretended to look hurt. "I wasn't sneaking up on you."

"Fine, whatever padfoot." I said picking at my food.

"Hey James, where were you last night? We didn't hear you come in." Remus said coming up next to me with Peter.

I sighed. "I was down in the common room all night."

"Doing what?" Remus raised his eyebrows at me suspiciously.

"I don't know. Thinking I guess."

"Since when does James sit and think all night in the common room?" Sirius asked incredulously.

"Uh since last night I guess." I said feeling a bit overwhelmed with them all interrogating me like I had done something wrong.

"Hmm… James what happened?"

Damn. Remus knew me too well. It is true I don't usually spend all night thinking in the common room. I panicked. Maybe he knew what Lily had said yesterday. See I didn't have to say anything and they pick it up. I hate being close friends with them. They can guess anything.

"Nothing. I'm leaving now. See you guys later." I said standing up and starting to walk away.

"James you know that if you and Lily had a fight we are still here for you!" Sirius called out to me.

I let out an inward sigh of relief. Thank goodness they didn't know yet. I really needed to find Lily soon and ask her if she really meant what she said.

"Yes it's fine, really." I called back to them. I kept going on deep in thoughts when I bumped into someone. "Oof! Sorry about that. I wasn't watching where I was going." I said hurriedly before looking at the person I bumped into. I groaned. Of course I had to bump into her. She looked at me and flushed.

"Oh- uh it's alright. Now if you would excuse me I need to go to my class." Lily said and started moving away.

"Lily wait!" I called desperately, thinking this would be my last chance to talk to her.

She paused but didn't turn around.

"Yes?"

Lily's POV

"What class are you going to?" I heard him ask.

I sighed. I really did not want to talk to him right now. He was probably going to ask about what I said last night. Great. Just what I needed.

"Potions." I muttered.

I could tell from his voice that he was positively beaming. Not a good sign.

"Great! Me too. We can walk together!"

Oh darn. What I really wanted to do. Well actually that is the truth. I wanted so much to walk holding his hand while we talk. I thought fast. What is a good enough excuse to get away?

"Well actually no. I cant I have some other things to do before class. See you there though!" I said speeding up a little bit.

I knew the smile would have vanished from his face now. He would look so, so dejected.

"Non, ne part pas ! Je veux te parler! S'il te plaît, reviens!" He called out.

I stopped again. Of course he had to start talking in French now.

"Pensais-tu réellement ce que tu as dit hier soir ? Ou était-ce une plaisanterie ? Je veux savoir. Parle-moi s'il te plaît." He continued.

Oh for goodness sake. He had to ask about last night too. Now what was I gonna do? Well I suppose I might as well tell him. I sighed. "Oui c'était la vérité. Je le pensais (vraiment)."

James' POV

She did mean it! She was telling the truth about it! Lily Evans loved me! But then a sudden thought occurred to me. Why did she say it in French? How long has she felt this way? Why did she not tell me sooner? So I asked her.

"Combien de temps avez-vous ressenti cela? Pourquoi tu ne m'as pas dit plus tôt? Et pourquoi le François?"

I watched her. She sighed. Lily didn't look like she exactly wanted to tell me this.

"Parce que j'avais peur. Je ne voulais pas que tu le saches. Je ne pensais pas que tu connaissais le Français. De plus, le Français est la langue de l'amour, paraît-il."

I looked at her. She had to be joking. But she looked serious.

"De quoi avais-tu peur?" I asked her curious.

"J'avais peur que tu ne m'aimes plus et que tu penses que je suis stupide de t'aimer enfin."

I almost let out a loud laugh. She had to be joking this time. Lily Evans was never afraid.

"But Lily why? You didn't have to be afraid." I said forgetting about speaking French. English is so much easier.

"I don't know!" Lily said exasperated.

"Lily I would never stop loving you." I said pulling her in for a hug.

"Really?" she whispered.

"Of course." I said.

"Prove it."

I leaned in and captured her lips with mine. She closed her eyes and I felt her hands go up to my hair, playing with it a bit.

"Ew!" A group of third years exclaimed but I ignored them.

We broke away and I asked "Is that proof enough?"

She laughed. "I guess so."

I asked her a question, hoping that this time I would get a different answer from before. "Lily, will you go out with me?"

Lily smiled and her bright emerald eyes sparkled. Ooh, preettyyy eyes… wait what did Lily just say?

"Could you repeat that?"

"I said I would love to be your girlfriend." Lily said laughing.

"Je t'aime, Lily!"

"Je t'aime aussi." She said pulling me down for another kiss.

I suddenly realized something.

"Uh Lily? We are kinda late for Potions." I said nervously, expecting her to go frantic.

"Oh well, I guess we just have too do something else this time." Lily said teasingly.

"Really?" I said eagerly.

Lily laughed. "No. Come on! I will explain why we are late. Just go along with it!" she called pulling me along. Great. I knew she wouldn't let it pass. Oh well. I know have a girlfriend. The girl I have been chasing after for years. I can just see the surprised look on Remus and Sirius's faces. This is going to be funny. I can just see them, Jaws dropped and eyes opened wide looking as if they are going to have a heart attack.

"Hey Lily?" I called to her.

"Yeah?"

"Je t'aime."

She laughed. "Come on we are almost there!" she cried turning around yet another corner and opening a door. Inside I could see about twenty shocked faces wondering why me, James Potter and Lily Evans are late, together…

Ok… that took ages to write. I am pretty sure I have most of the translations correct now but if you notice anything that is not right please feel free to tell me! I love hearing from you, whether it is good or bad. I prefer good.

Well here are the translations:

. je pense que je t'aimeI think I am falling for you.

. Je t'aime aussi – I love you too.

. Non, ne part pas ! Je veux te parler S'il te plaît, reviens - No don't walk away! I want to talk to you! Please come back!

. Pensais-tu réellement ce que tu as dit hier soir ? Ou était-ce une plaisanterie ? Je veux savoir. Parle-moi s'il te plaît.-did you really mean what you said last night? Or is it just a trick? I want to know. Please talk to me.

. Oui c'était la vérité. Je le pensais (vraiment) - Yes it was the truth. I did mean it.

. Combien de temps avez-vous ressenti cela? Pourquoi tu ne m'as pas dit plus tôt? Et pourquoi le François - How long have you felt this way? Why didn't you tell me sooner? And why French?

.Parce que j'avais peur. Je ne voulais pas que tu le saches. Je ne pensais pas que tu connaissais le Français. De plus, le Français est la langue de l'amour, paraît-il. - because I was afraid. I didn't want you to know. I didn't think you knew French. Besides French is the language of love they say.

. De quoi avais-tu peur? - What were you afraid of?

. J'avais peur que tu ne m'aimes plus et que tu penses que je suis stupide de t'aimer enfin-I was afraid that you didn't like me anymore and that you would think I was silly for finally loving you.

. Je t'aime- I love you