A young first year sat in the corridor, tears streaming from her emerald eyes down her face. Her naturally red hair was a bright pink, one foot was three times the size her feet were usually, the homework she had spent hours on had spontaneously combusted and burst into flames, and she had no idea what was going on all around her. A Muggle born in a magical world, she didn't understand spells yet, or how to jinx bullies. She didn't even know anyone, which everyone else already seemed to. The only names she had learn so far were those of James Potter and Sirius Black, two of the most awful boys she had ever met. She was having a hard enough time without all these bad things happening to her. Oh sure, it was all fun and games when it was happening to them! It was funny for everyone laughing but no one seemed to care about the poor, naïve new witch. She sat alone, crying. It was a horrible way to start off in such a new unknown place. And as she sat, ostracized, a pariah, she wondered how she had ever gotten herself into such a mess. As she finally got up and dried her eyes, she prepared herself for entering the Gryffindor common room. As soon as she got past the Fat Lady she heard whispers and soon enough the whispers turned into laughter. The tears returned and she sprinted up the stairs to her dormitory. As she passed the two evil doers she heard a small bit of talk.

"Jeez, James, do you think we might have overdone it a bit?" Black asked his partner in crime.

"Nah. She's fine. She'll get over it. It was just a few pranks," James said. And then he let out a loud laugh as she ran by, her pink hair blowing in the wind.

That night she lay in bed, alone, friendless, sad and scared. Eventually her sobbing quieted as she fell asleep.

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Lily opened her eyes as the sun came through the window. Her hand touched her pillow when she sat up and she realized that she had been crying through her dreams. She quickly ran to the mirror to make sure her hair was not pink. She sighed as she realized she was still her normal, seventh year, red-headed self. She felt like such an idiot because that dream still haunted her. After that night she had made a few friends but was by no means popular. Her best friend, Adelaide, was the only one who really understood her. They were two friends who stuck by each other for better or worse, and in their case it was usually worse.

The pranks had by no means stopped after that horrible second night at Hogwarts. And even though Lily got older she just got madder and madder a those boys. They were no longer only pranking her and she hated seeing other kids picked on. Whenever she saw Black and Potter, Lily made a point of yelling at them and punishing them (since she later became prefect). But this only added to her bad rep. No one wanted to be friends with the girl who publicly yelled at two of the most popular boys in school. And, from the outside, she didn't seem like she had much to offer (to guys anyway). She wasn't unfortunate looking in the least; she just didn't have a sexy quality about her, probably due to a lack of self-confidence instituted by many years of being picked on. She wasn't the happiest person, but she was content. At least she had Adelaide to get her through the day, the hard times and the few and far between good times. Thinking of Adelaide made Lily sad. She missed her best friend. They hadn't seen each other all summer. So Lily sat down and wrote a letter to one of the most important people in her world.

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A few weeks later, there was a knock at the front door. As soon as Lily opened the door, an exuberant Adelaide through herself into Lily's arms.

"LILY!!! I missed you so much!" she squealed.

"I missed you too!" Lily replied, prying herself from Adelaide's arms. Truth be told, Adelaide had very puffy, curly hair that she always wore down and it was suffocating Lily.

"Wow, Lily, you look great!" Adelaide commented when really saw Lily.

"Oh, well, nothing special," muttered Lily. She didn't think she looked any different. But Adelaide could tell. All those weeks of swimming with the summer swim team had wonders on Lily's body. She had never been chubby, but now she was fit. And her skin was slightly tanned from being in the sun. She had put on a bit of makeup and her clothes were really flattering.

"When all those boys come to pick you up, remember me, kay?" Adelaide joked.

"Yeah, right," Lily said back, and flashed a huge smile. She said good-byes to her family and left with Adelaide and her family to get to King's Cross Station. She was happy to be returning to Hogwarts, if not for the social aspect, then at least for the scenery. She always felt like a princess in Hogwarts. She had never told anyone that. It seemed so childish and very unlike Lily.

Adelaide and Lily found their way into a compartment in the way back and sat alone. This wasn't unusual and the two friends started chatting away immediately. They chatted the entire way up to Hogwarts until Lily had to leave and go to the Heads Compartment. She wasn't that excited to meet the new Head Boy. She didn't have many guy friends so it was sure to be someone she wasn't well acquainted with. But when she finally did see who it was, she nearly passed out. JAMES FUCKING POTTER??? Was Dumbledore on crack??

"E-Evans?" Potter stuttered.

"Potter," she sneered.

Before they could say anything more, McGonagall walked into the Compartment to inform them of their duties. It all washed right over Lily. She still could not believe Potter was Head Boy. After the meeting, they both turned and left. Potter came right up next to her.

"Well, you certainly grew up over summer didn't you, Miss Evans?" he flirted.

"And you certainly didn't," Lily retorted. She had to admit she was surprised he was flirting with her. He had to be making a joke of her or something.

"Au contraire," he said with a grin, "I'm Head Boy. I think I must have matured to deserve this oh so wooorrrtthhhyyy title."

"Yeah, or Dumbledore was one crack when he picked you," Lily answered strongly.

"I don't appreciate that," James said, but he was smiling. Suddenly, he turned around and cornered Lily against the wall with one arm on either side of her body.

"Would you like to go out with me, Lily?" he asked. Lily was surprised he even knew her first name. Well, obviously he would know, but it just never occurred to her. She stood with her mouth slightly agape. Had Potter borrowed some crack from Dumbledore? He had always been awful to her.

James saw her surprise as an action that meant yes, just because she was so overly amazed with him. To his surprise she eventually answered,

"Oh, go snog yourself, Potter," and pushing through his arm propped up on the wall, she walked back to her compartment alone.

When she hit his arm that half his weight was held up on, James had fallen forward and smacked his head on the wall where Lily had just been standing. Lily heard the thud and smiled. James could not believe he had just been turned down… by Lily Evans. Well, she had nerve that was for sure. But now he was determined to get her. And he would do whatever it took.