Disclaimer: Nope, I still don't own the Harry Potter series.

Love During War

James was an incompetent git. Lily was sure of that.

It was his entire fault Lily was in detention anyway. His entire, bloody fault. If he hadn't felt the need to poke her in the back with the tip of his wand like some immature child every second, she wouldn't have screwed up her Draught of the Living Death. "Too much asphodel has the reverse effect on the outcome of the potion," Professor Slughorn had repeated over and over again. "It appears to make the drinker always stay awake instead of fall asleep."

Of course, Lily hadn't been paying attention thanks to Potter's constant prodding. Miscalculating the amount, she had added too much asphodel. In the end when it turned a pukish green color, Lily had known it was all James's fault. According to Alice, she had "blown up at James like some ticked off bomb" after that. All Lily thought she had done was merely scold him about messing up her potion, but apparently it didn't look, or sound, that way.

But Slughorn, trying to be a "good teacher", had put them both in detention. Same time on the same Saturday night. Lily still didn't understand why Slughorn had put her, the image of a perfect student, in detention. She was supposed to be his favorite, perfect in potions. And personally, Lily thought James deserved longer than three hours in a hellhole. But that was just her opinion. The worst part was they had to clean the dungeon floor with no magic. No magic. It was a wonder how those mundane muggles survived all on their own!

That was why Lily was on her hands and knees scrubbing all her might out into this dusty dungeon floor across the room from James. She was seriously considering getting a restraining order against him. He kept asking her out all of the time. It was seriously annoying and was not getting her to like him. Five long years she had endured his taunts, mocks, and finally, inquiries. But the answer had always remained the same.

At this point, Lily didn't even know why she kept rejecting him. She had no idea why she kept resisting. If she would just last through one date with him, she would never have to see him again. This she knew for sure, as James promised it to her everyday. He was too blinded by lust to see that she hated him. But even Lily herself was beginning to question that fact while she lied awake in bed at night, wondering about this sketchy topic. She had no idea anymore why she hated him. But then Lily remembered why she was so infuriated everyday when that arrogant and total egomaniac strolled up to her like the world was peaceful and beautiful and birds chirped at every waking moment and asked:

"Will you go out with me?"

After a dazed moment of rearranging her thoughts, Lily whipped around and realized that choice of words had come out of James's mouth the exact time she had thought of them. He was on his hands and knees across the classroom, robes soaked with soapy water, hazel eyes hopeful behind water droplet covered glasses and messy black hair. Any gaze like this would make a normal girl melt like candle wax, but for Lily's stone cold heart, it didn't nothing more than infuriate her.

"No, for the last time, Potter!"

Sighing exasperatedly, James slammed his sponge into the bucket's bubbly water with frustration. Water slopped over the sides. "Why, Lily? Five long years I have chased you, trying to earn respect, even changing just to hear that simple word 'yes'! And where has this landed us? In detention, you as unyielding as ever."

Lily bit her lip with intense force mostly because every word that came out of James's mouth right then was so true. He had changed from that buff conceited kid she had known two years ago. Now, in their seventh year, he was respected and distinguished, knew his path in the future, and unfortunately, whom he wanted in it. She had noticed so many subtle changes in his character. He stopped hexing random first years for fun. He had earned the trust of his classmates. He had even worked hard enough to pass his NEWTs with flying colors.

But Lily couldn't seem to accept that he had changed dramatically.

James noticed the awkward silence easily. "You're so easy to read, just like a book. I've always liked that about you. You're not afraid to show your emotions."

This angered Lily. "I do not show my emotions! You have no idea what's going through my mind. You just think you know everything about me, going around and asking me out all the time. News flash: The girl you're failing to score is a total secret to you!"

James leaned against the wall, his wet knees sticking up over his head, legs too long for his body. "I know, Lily, I know. You're not who I think you are. If that happened, I would've had you on a date by fifth year."

This satisfied Lily. Darn right she wasn't who he thought she was! James had no idea of any of her emotions or feelings, and no right to know either. After all of that mocking and teasing, he had no inkling of anything in her life right now. Then why the heck was he so persistent with her?

"It's just… things are changing."

This simple sentence uttered from James's hesitant lips made Lily want to listen for more. She stood up and brushed the grime from her damp robe. "How?"

James closed his eyes and sighed deeply. "A great war is coming. Don't doubt it, because it is. Both of my parents are in the Order, fighting to stop it. But it is evident nothing can. You-Know-Who is growing more powerful by the day, and I feel it's my job to stop him. To stop all those innocent lives from being taken, to destroy the one wizard who can cause this much pain and misery."

James's words were the first inspiring ones from his mouth in what seemed like forever. Not that Lily had given him a chance in the first place, though. Every hallway, every room they were alone in, she fled like antelope from a cheetah. So it surprised Lily that James would make such a noble decision as to fight in the upcoming war between wizarding worlds. He could go on to do great things, maybe as a Quidditch star or auror, but no. James wanted to be a soldier.

"But how can you be so sure you want to do this?"

"It's beating in my blood, my every vein of existence. It's like I feel the need to fight." James patted the spot next to him, dry and free of mold. Any other moment, Lily would have slapped him silly and run the other way, but now, James seemed vulnerable. So she crossed the slippery dungeon and sat down, positioning herself carefully in case she needed to move quickly. It wouldn't be the first time he attempted to kiss her.

"But you're just seventeen. You're too young. Experienced wizards and witches should fight. You can go on to do something great."

"What great things will there be to do when our world is taken over by evil and betrayal? All there will be left is hate, raw hate burning in every wizard heart. I can't let that happen to the world. Definitely not while you're still in it."

This made Lily a little uneasy, bringing the question at mind to her lips. "Why me, James? Why are you so persistent with me? You can have any girl in the school with your good looks and charming personality. I'm the only one that doesn't want you, yet I'm the only one you want."

James turned his head to look right into Lily's emerald eyes. His gaze was potent at getting his message across as he answered, "We can't choose who we fall in love with, Lily. Things just happen, no matter how hard we push them back. I didn't choose to fall in love with you, it just happened. Love happened."

Lily drew in a sharp breath. He had just openly alluded he loved her. A wash of joy and hope overcame Lily. But wait, why was she celebrating? She hated him, right? All of the sarcastic marks, rejections, and taunts were all displays of pure, deep hate. Or was it just a way of miming she loved him too?

"I've rejected you so vehemently many, many times, James. And you have never failed to give up, even when I hurt you, driving knives into your chest."

James smiled and gave a small chuckle at this comment. "Yes, you have hurt me. That you never ceased to do. But with these times changing, I'm learning I can't give up. The next day or two, a Death Eater could kill you right under my nose, and I'd have to live with a broken heart for the rest of my life, thinking of how I let you slip away. Every day it scares me half to death wondering if that would be our last conversation together, ending with, 'I hate you, James'. I never want that to happen."

Lily found herself pondering this logical reasoning. After all of these years, his persistence had been out of love, not annoying stubbornness. Sure, he still wanted her badly, but Lily was too blind to open her eyes to him. Hesitantly, she weighed her fate on this one sentence, completely forgetting they were in a frigid and spooky dungeon, which was not in the least romantic.

"Well, um, maybe if you'd still accept me after everything I've done, I would go on that one date. Just as a test run, you know. Nothing demanding. So you won't live in wonder your whole life."

James didn't need to answer as he leaned over and brushed her cheek lightly, savoring this delicate moment that Lily knew she would deny to Alice the moment she left detention. Those softly whispered words lingered in her ear moments later after they were uttered: "Thank you."

Lily didn't know what it would accomplish or where life would take her after that. She maybe would go on to become an herbalist. Maybe she would publish a book on potions. And maybe she'd fight back against You-Know-Who and his crew of formidable Death Eaters. But one thing she knew: as long as James was there beside her, everything would be okay.

She would have to thank Slughorn tomorrow.

A/N: This popped into my head one day and I decided to write it down. It was pure fluff. Sorry if it's not that good or has grammatical errors. Read and review please :)