Well. I must admit, this was rather... unexpected. I've had an idea for this for a while now, but never actually believed I'd come around to writing it. Huh.

This is a James/Lily story, describing the major events affecting their relationship. This is in their 7th year, just so you know.

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own it. Less prey for the lawyers, then.

That Year

She had known this year would be bad. From the moment she had found out that he was Head Boy, she had known.

So she really shouldn't have been so surprised when she found herself running out to help a first year being bullied in the first week.

There was a group of 7th years, circling the poor kid, standing next to the lake.

With a jolt, she realized that those 7th years were Gryffindors.

Shock coursing through her, she made her way to them as fast as she could.

But she wasn't fast enough.

James Potter, the very bane of her existence, Head Boy, had noticed too, and he had been closer than she was. He rushed over, breaking through their circle even as they fired more hexes.

From here, Lily could see that the child was Slytherin. She waited helplessly for Potter to notice this and join the Gryffindors in their cruelness as she hurried over.

He never did.

"Oy!" He shouted, looking angrier than he had in years, ""Someone tell me what the bloody hell is going on here!"

The hexes had stopped the moment they had noticed James. The ringleader of the group, a weasel of a boy named Mark Reeler, answered proudly, swaggering forward.

"We were just teaching this little slimy Slytherin a lesson, James, surely you understand that. No harm intended."

"All I understand," Potter said, venom in his voice, "is that you lot are cowards. Do your stupid little minds think, that it's a noble thing, bullying a defenseless first year with impossible odds against him?"

At this point she had stopped, and was watching this exchange, intrigued. She knew she should interfere, get a professor, but she was entranced.

"No harm intended?" Potter continued, his outrage demonstrated in every movement, " Every single one of those hexes could have sent him to the Hospital Wing, and I shudder to think of the effects of them combined."

"Detention for a week, each of you." His eyes were cold as ice. "And 50 points from Gryffindor."

Reeler, who seemed to have no sense of self-preservation, started to protest.

"Don't you dare complain, Reeler. You could get in a lot more trouble for this. But as it is, I'm feeling generous tonight. Do this again, and you'll find yourself in risk of expulsion. Do I make myself clear?"

Grumbling, the group sped off, heading to the left around the lake.

Potter crouched down to the little first year, who had curled into a ball protectively over his shoulder and face.

He lightly reached out and touched the boy's shoulder.

The kid flinched back, face showing in the process as he tried to scramble away from Potter. Lily recognized him as Aaron Wuealt. Quiet and somewhat shy, the boy was picked on and teased by the Gryffindors because of a limp he had been born with. But the teasing had never gone this far before.

"Shh." Potter murmured comfortingly. "Don't worry. They're gone now."

"Don't hurt me," Aaron whimpered, "please."Even from her, Lily could see the tears on his face. Realizing that now was the time to get involved, she began moving forward.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Potter reassured him.

Aaron looked up at him fearfully. "But you're James Potter. Everyone knows you hate Slytherins."

Potter frowned at this. "I may disagree with them, but I wouldn't hurt them like those thugs did to you."

"That's a bit hypocritical, don't you think, Potter?" Lily called, not far away.

Potter's head whipped around, eyes staring at her."

"Really, though, I must admit, I'm quite surprised at the fact that you even did stop their bullying, considering how much you've done it yourself in past years." Lily continued.

"Surprised, because I did the right thing?" He asked quietly.

Lily snorted. "Frankly, yes, considering your past handling with Slytherins."

Aaron, who now looked even more terrified than before, started shaking. Potter touched his shoulder again.

"It's all right. I've changed." He said this to Aaron, but directed them at her.

"Come on, " He said, picking up the boy gently, "let's get you to the Hospital Wing."

Aaron looked like he was about to fight, then slumped down in Potter's arms.

"Oh, and Lily, " Potter said to her as he passed, "I really have changed."

They were friends now. She found it hard to believe, but his kind act hadn't been for show.

Yes, he still joked around and played pranks.

But, he never did any that were harmful nowadays. Pure, innocent fun was all.

She never would have believed, in past years, that there was even a possibility of them being allies, let alone friends.

Slowly, he had grown on her, melting her cold exterior towards him. They were still a bit wary around each other, but that would fade in time.

For the first time, she had hope for James Potter.