A/N #1: I previously posted this and other storied on the hpff site, however, it has been several years, since I have written/edited/reviewed my FanFiction and therefor I am going to start posting it here, after much editing and revamping. So if you see similar works under the user names Casey Granger or Janus Emma Lafey - just know that is formerly me.
A/N #2: This is a fluff AU piece of FanFiction which came to me while listening to the Jonas Brother's song "Hello Beautiful". This little brain child of my grew until I just had to start writing it for James and Lily.
DISCLAIMER: J.K. Rowlings retains the right to the Harry Potter franchise and the Jonas Brother's retain the write to the lyrics and music of the song "Hello Beautiful". The plot and very OOC character interpretations of James and Lily are of my own muse.
~LE~JP~LE~JP~
Lily sat under a large willow tree by the lake, relaxing in the shade. School would be over in a few months and then a new world awaited her, a thought that partially scared her, yet another part that was anticipating and even looking forward to this next great adventure.
In her lap was her diary, the one her mother had given her the first year she had entered Hogwarts as a scared little muggle born witch with carrot red hair and bright green eyes. Seven years had passes and Lily had grown up into a fine young woman, her hair darken to a more natural shade of flaming auburn but her eyes were the same, bright as emeralds. Over there years, many thoughts, dreams, frustrations and hopes had been written in that little diary, which had been charmed to hold more pages than belied its small appearance along with privacy charms and even a notice-me-not spell for those of a much more curious - some would even hint a marauding - nature.
Hello beautiful
How's it going?
A person's singing interrupted her reminiscing, catching her attention and she paused to make out the words,
I hear it's wonderful in California
I've been missing you
It's true…
Unable to recognize the voice, and her curiosity sparked, Lily slipped her worn diary into her school bag, and quietly went in search of the singer.
But tonight
I'm gonna fly
Yeah tonight
I'm gonna fly
She walked in the direction of the melody, which was coming from the Quidditch pitch. Moving closer, Lily thought she knew that tonality of that voice, but a name escaped her.
'Cause I could comb across the world,
And see everything
And never be satisfied
If I couldn't see those eyes
In the center of the pitch sat a boy with messy black hair, his back to where Lily was standing. Beside him lay a broomstick, but her attention was drawn to something else as the light breeze gently picked up the loose pieced of parchment out of the opening of his bag, which had been carelessly discarded on the grass, blowing them into the air.
Hello beautiful
It's been a long time
Since my phone's rung
And you been on that line
I've been missing you
It's true
As the pages drifted across the ground by her feet, Lily bent down and picked them up. She was intrigued by the boy, who was sitting there lost to the world around him - simply singing from his heart.
But tonight
I'm gonna fly
Yeah tonight
I'm gonna fly
Oh yeah
A gust of wind rustled the papers in her hand causing her to glance down, noting that they where in fact sketches of a girl. They were not masterpieces by any means, but great detail had been taken in capturing the form and grace of her body. A spider hand written was scrawled over the bottom of the last, which showed the girl sitting under a tree - her tree…
With a shaky breath she realized who the subject of those drawings where, sending her mind into a confused daze - both from the sketches and the words of the song. Lily returned her gaze to the boy in front of her. Suddenly, her mind flooded with random questions, the meaning of the words being sung sank into her heart and softened it a little.
'Cause I could comb across the world,
See everything
And never be satisfied
If I couldn't see those eyes
Lily was brought back to reality by the sigh that came from the boy. Not knowing what to do; caught between fear of his reaction and longing to understand, her feet stayed rooted to the ground beneath her.
'So much for Gryffindor courage' a little voice in her head said with arrant sarcasm.
Shaking his head, the boy stiffly rose, grasped his broom and turned to retrieve his bag. Seeing Lily, with his sketches in hand, his face flushed hotly and his eyes dropped in embarrassment.
He asked in an unsteady voice. "How long?"
"You drew these?" Lily asked quietly, ignoring his question, her eyes also unable to meet the gaze on the person in front of them.
Sheepishly, he nodded his head and turned to leave.
"James..." Her voice softer still, whispered as if she was scared to admit such things. "I…I like them…"
Stopping abruptly and turning back to face her, James' expression was filled with surprise.
"You do? I thought…well…" His nerves had got the better of him.
"That song, who was it about?"
A need filled her like she had never before and she just had to know if he had meant what the song had said. All of a sudden, Lily questioned if he really had been telling the truth all those year he had told her, he loved her.
"Lily, I don't want to make you mad or ruin the friendship we have been building up." Yet in his eyes, a light began to shine, a spark of hope that spoke of his feelings for her.
Going out on a limb, she took a step closer and looked in his eyes. "Please, James."
James paused for a long moment unmoving, his features unreadable.
"You already know the answer. It's you, it's always been you." James took a step closer, slowly to gauge her response. "Lily, I know that in the past, I wasn't the best guy to be had or that I didn't act my age or a million other things but under all that I meant every word I every said to you."
"Everything?"
James smirked. "Well, the time I said that you needed a good spanking wasn't entirely true but other than that, oh then there was the time that I was betting on how long your sanity would hold…."
"Still a cheeky little bludger, aren't you?" Lily said, smiling for the first time.
"Milady, you would do me a great honor if you allowed me to escort you the bounteous meal that awaits us in yonder castle?" James could charm a nun out of her vows, but these charms had never worked on Lily, only making her angry with him.
Lily looked at the young man standing in front of her and realized that all those year she had been saying 'no' her heart had silently said 'yes'. Here before her stood a man willing to died for her in the name of love, and her heart melted at the though that under all her pretenses, she might love him too.
"Why not?" Lily boldly stepped forward and grasped a hold of his free hand.
'How's that for Gryffindor courage?' she defiantly thought to herself.
James' jaw hung open in astonishment and disbelief, glancing repeatedly, down at their clasped hands then back to her face.
A slow smirk spread over his face, but it was different then all the other times she had seen him smirk at something. This one was rather cute - in a quirky way.
"Sirius is going to die when he finds out!" James said gleefully as he hurriedly pulled her back towards the castle. By the time they had reached the Great Hall, both of them were laughing at their ideas of the entire school reception to them being together.
"Ready?" James asked tentatively.
"As long as I'm with you, I think I can handle anything."
With that the doors opened magically and they entered the Hall, hand in hand.
Finally destiny had won out in their lives. Finally the prince had awoken his sleeping princess from her tomb of frosty slumber. A moment of pure abandonment, of losing himself to the unquieted love for his princess seemingly unobserved, leading to a moment of truth and bliss. Who knew that the way to Lily Evans was a simple song and lovingly done sketches - from the heart.
~LE~JP~LE~JP~
A/N #3: So what did everyone thing? Please review and let me know if I should expand this into a short story - or keep it as is and just do other stories in a similar style.