Disclaimer: I don't own any of this. If I did, do you think I'd be on here writng fanfiction?

That Sparkle

She stormed down the deserted, chilly corridor, staring at the ground as she walked. Angrily, she blinked back tears and sat down, right in the middle of the deserted corridor. Her mind drifted back to what had happened last week.

"Lily I- just forget it" he said sadly.

"Fine. If your not going to tell me, don't expect me to grovel at your feet" she spoke angrily and her emerald green eyes blazed to the back of his head. He turned around and there was that damn sparkle again.

"Lily. I love you, that's all I can say, I always have, and I know I always will".

"You can't know you always will James. And you don't love me now, you only want me because I'm the only girl you haven't dated yet" Lily said sadly as she gazed into his warm hazel eyes.

"Lily you have to understand, I lo-" he said in a rush, staring intently at her, trying to make her understand.

"No, James," She interrupted him "I can't understand, please," She emphasized the please. "Don't make this any harder then it has to be" James looked like he was about to protest, but he didn't. He silently walked out of the heads common room. Head hanging, shoulders slumped, he had finally given up.

It has been a week and two days since he has looked at her in that way. She couldn't quite explain the way he looked at her, but she realized it was a look that he saved especially for her. Even when she was screaming at him or telling him to "bugger off" he always had this look on his face, a look that sent shivers down Lily's spine just thinking about it.

She couldn't understand why girls of all years would flock to him and gush about his "crooked smile," his "charming attitude" or his "stunning eyes". His eyes she had always thought were just ordinary brown. But last week, when he had looked so intently at her she realized his eyes were not ordinary brown, in fact they were quite nice to look at. They were brown, but she had never noticed the bright specks of gold and how they light up whenever he looks at her. Yes, she noticed that he stared at her a lot throughout the years, but she always thought this would be a passing fancy. He had liked her ever since third year when she tripped in the great hall and people started to laugh, she had yelled at them to "shut up and stop staring" and then had proceeded to sit down on the Gryffindor bench and enjoy a pleasant meal, even with all the giggling and pointing in her direction. He told her that she looked absolutely hilarious when she fell and she should be the comedy act every night at dinner. Lily had looked at him stonily and in a formal tone had told him to "bugger off". He had never left her alone since…except now.

He avoided all contact with her now. He barely talks, barely laughs, hasn't planned a prank in over a week (which is a record for the Marauders), and the worst thing of all, the sparkle was gone from his eyes. He occasionally glanced over at her, and she noticed all his 'secret' glances, but what worried her was when she looked at him there was no sparkle in his eye, they didn't light up when he looked at her, and there was no special look. She was ashamed to admit it, but she was hurt. She was very hurt.

Lily hadn't realized how much James had become a part of her life. Even if he wasn't technically "in" her life, he was still in it. She had to admit he did make her laugh, and he did help her with Transfiguration, he lightened up all of Hogwarts if she really thought about it. She can see his friends share worried glances at the dinner table, or in class and try to get him to lighten up, to smile. But he never does. They have been giving Lily suspicious looks all week now; she thinks they know James recent depression has been caused by her. 'I have to do something' Lily thought desperately.

Remus Lupin was not a dumb person. He was third in his class, only Lily Evans and James Potter in first and second. Remus knew Sirius would be beating him if he actually did his homework but Sirius has more important things to do, or so he says.

Remus has assumed something big is up with James, and he thinks he knows what it is. "Lily Evans" he thought to himself, as he did his DADA essay. "James never gets this upset about anything else except Lily…and maybe quidditch". Remus also remembered James telling him that he was going to "tell Lily I am obsessed with her dazzling green eyes, her vibrant red hair, her-" and that's where Remus had cut him off, saying he had gotten the point. Remus figured James had told Lily and she had rejected him, once again. He seriously needed to talk to her. Can't she realize he truly does love her? It's not all some act to get her in bed at all. When James is upset, Remus is upset, and when Remus is upset, everyone should be afraid, especially so close to a full moon. "Sirius has snuck James to Hogsmeade, hoping to cheer him up a bit, I think I'll pop over to the heads room and give Lily a little visit" he thought to himself as he strolled out of his dormitory and into the common room.

Lily had made her way back to the heads common room and was sitting in front of the fire, her head in her hands, thoughts running through her mind, all on one raven-haired boy. She stared morosely at the fire when a knock at the portrait sent her tumbling to the floor in shock. She shakily stood up and opened the portrait hole, seeing Remus Lupin standing there, a neutral expression on his face. She had been dreading this. She knew it had been coming; one of the Marauders was bound to come talk to her sooner or later. She was just glad it was Remus. Sirius, even though she would never admit it, could "Hello Remus, how can I help you? James isn't here".

"That's okay Lily" he said pleasantly, "I've come to talk to you, about who you just mentioned actually".

She mentally sighed. Of course it was about James. What was she supposed to say? "Yes, he just professed his undying love for me last week, I told him I didn't believe him and then just let him walk away". She would never say any of that out loud.

"What about James?" She said, curiosity lacing her voice perfectly.

"I think you know Lily, he's…not been himself lately. Any ideas why?" He asked in a would-be curious sort of way. And then Lily found herself on the couch sobbing her eyes out. "Remus, I'm so pathetic, it's my entire fault that he's so depressed, and I feel so horrible about it, I just didn't know what to do, I panicked!"

Remus eyed her, wary, but with concern in his eyes. "Walk me through what happened Lily, we are going to sort this out tonight, James deserves it to be settled" So she did what Remus told her to do. She talked.

Sirius rolled his eyes at James defeated posture. He had been dealing with a grumpy, depressed James for a week and two days now and he liked the other James a lot better. "Prongs, cheer up mate, it's not as bad as it seems!" Sirius proclaimed with fake enthusiasm. "How would you know Sirius? I didn't even tell you what happened" James said sadly.

"Well then tell me Prongs, let me help you" Sirius said gently. "Were best friends James, and if we can't tell each others secrets, then there's no hope for us".

James looked up, startled. "What do you mean Padfoot? No hope for us? That's ridiculous, were Marauders till the end". Sirius looked happier at that statement, but still wary, James hadn't been the same in over a week now.

James realized Sirius was genuinely upset, and wasn't the lively, energetic Sirius he had come to know, and understood it was his fault, so he began to talk.

Lily just finished telling Remus everything that had happened last week and Remus was not surprised at all. He was surprised at how upset Lily was though, and that is what piqued his curiosity. "Don't you have anything to say Remus? You're just sitting there" Lily said softly, her voice was hoarse from talking and crying at the same time.

"I'm just digesting all the information. So, you're upset because…he's not happy anymore?" Remus asked quietly. "Yes, why else would I be upset? I don't even know why I am upset Remus! I don't care about James Potter" Lily exclaimed.

"Ah, that is where you're wrong I think my dear Lily" Lily gave Remus a puzzled look but stayed quiet, giving Remus the indication her should keep going. "I think you may have feelings for James, you're just too scared to admit them. I think you might even love him back, and now…now you're regretting not doing anything the night he told you how he felt. You feel as if you lost your chance" Remus said quietly, yet his voice was strong.

"Remus…that's just ridiculous and just…just absolutely-" Lily stopped, "true" Remus cut her off abruptly.

Lily sighed and admitted defeat. "And true" she whispered sadly, staring into the fire. "Wow" Remus thought, easier then he thought it was going to be. He thought there would have been a shouting match at least. Lily surprised him. She had definitely matured these past few years, just like James had.

"You know what you have to do" Remus said to her. She looked at him and nodded. Remus got up to leave the heads room, his work there was done. Hopefully, Sirius was working on James.

"James, you have to talk to Lily!" Sirius exclaimed after James had finished his story. "Sirius, weren't you listening, she has no reason to talk to me. She hates me, and she always will it seems"

"James, stop feeling sorry for yourself. You really just need to sort things out with her. Do you want things to be like this for the rest of your final year here at Hogwarts?" James shook his head no. "Then you need to resolve this issue, or its going to be so awful for you" Sirius said

James thought about what Sirius had said and came to a conclusion. "Your right Sirius, I just need to sort it out with Lily, I need to be mature about this"

'Even if it hurts so badly it feels like my heart is split in two' he thought morosely.

James and Sirius trudged back to Hogwarts and split apart on the seventh floor.

"Thanks for the advice Padfoot, it really did help" James said sincerely. Sirius looked at him. "Yeah, yeah, I'm the best, I know, well you go sort it out with Lily, I have a date with Katie, the Ravenclaw fifth year!" Sirius said in a playful tone.

"Have fun Padfoot!" James tried to sound as enthusiastic as possible. Sirius saw right through his façade but just waved and leisurely strolled down the corridor.

'Time to face my doom' James thought. He passed Remus on his way to the head's room. "She's waiting for you mate, good luck" Remus said casually. James gave him a strange look while Remus smirked. 'Odd one that one is around the full moon' James thought to himself as he said the password and walked into the head's common room. His eyes immediately went to the redhead sitting on the couch staring at the fire. Her eyes darted up when she heard the portrait close. Her sparkling green eyes were glowing because of the fire and James breath was caught in his throat.

'It's now or never Lily, do it now!' She thought to herself as she slowly raised herself off the couch and walked over to James. "James…I'm so, so sorry about everything. I feel like such a jerk"

James was confused. Why was she apologizing? "Why are you apologizing? You did nothing wrong Lily!" He was surprised to see her eyes well up with tears. "Lily, don't cry! I swear, you did nothing wrong. It was my entire fault, I shouldn't have sprung my feelings on you like that" James said sadly.

Lily felt like her mind was in the middle of a hurricane with millions of thoughts zooming everywhere. She did the only thing she knew would make him understand. She kissed him. Immediately, all the thoughts in her mind vanished and she focused on this one perfect moment.

'

I am kissing Lily Evans, the girl of my dreams, the one I was just about to say I was never going to bother her again, and she kissed me!' James thought to himself as snaked his arms around her waist. He felt her hands move up to his hair, and he almost groaned out loud.

Neither could believe what was happening, except, they both wanted it to happen, so why stop such a good thing? "James, I love you" Lily told him passionately, as they comfortably seated themselves on the couch.

James heart soared. How could those three simple words make him feel as if he were the greatest man alive?

Finally, after years of yearning for each other, one publicly admitting it, one keeping it locked inside, they were together, together forever. Lily gazed into James not-so ordinary brown eyes and saw something she didn't know if she would see again. The sparkle was back.