11 o'clock

James P and Lily E
Romance
T
Summary: "GET OVER EVANS ALREADY PRONGS, YOU WON THE BET, YOU KISSED HER, NOW GO SNOG MCKINNON OR SOMEONE, DO WHATEVER, JUST STOP MOPING. MERLIN'S STRIPEY THONG." James kissed Lily. Lily kissed James. But then Hogwarts ended forever.

Helloooo, I missed you –looks sheepish- I'm going to continue my other stories I promise I just haven't been in the mood lately anyhoo enough excuses...
ALL OWNERSHIP GOES TO THE BEAUITFUL PLAIN WHITE T'S AND OUR GOD JK ROWLING
meow
that is all

I'm sittin' here all by myself
just tryin' to think of something to do
Tryin' to think of something, anything
just to keep me from thinking of you
But you know it's not working out
'cause you're all that's on my mind
One thought of you is all it takes
to leave the rest of the world behind

"Earth to Prongs"

No reply

"Prongsie"

Still nothing

"PRONGS"

...

"WAKE UP YOU ANNOYING SHIT"

"He is awake Padfoot"

"Shut it Remus"

It's unclear what happened here but we think he blinked

Sirius tapped hard on James' head

"ANYONE HOME?" he screeched

James stayed sitting up straight, eyes unfocused staring distantly out the window, the only movement being the rising and falling of his chest hidden behind his knees as he hugged them tighter and tighter, his knuckles going white from the way his fists were clenched, each one squeezing the fabric of his blue-y gray shirt, stretching the material so that it was taut across his back.

Okay so I don't normal pay that much attention to James but I thought you might like a description of our once friend, now person who's slightly deranged and twitches every now and again in a most off setting manner. Yes poor 'Prongs darling' as Sirius would say is suffering from major heartbreak, actually scratch that, I don't even think that even cuts it, lots of people suffer from heartbreak but James was a different kettle of fish entirely. He got so close, I remember him coming back to our once dorm in Hogwarts School, he didn't go back to his head boy room, he came to us. He was ecstatic for he had kissed Lily Evans. Seven years of constant nagging, pranking, asking her out and finally growing up and he had done it.

I remember the way he leapt on Sirius giving him what he called a 'manly hug' which consisted mainly of squealing and crying tears of joy. Sirius had then told him politely, being the charming bloke that he is if James 'didn't move his whale sized arse off him he would calmly and without hesitation castrate him.'

Didn't I tell you he was a lovely boy our Black?

After that James then gingerly got off Sirius as he had regained his 'manly composure' once more and stood up, but seconds later he was jumping up and down on Sirius' bed singing the Hogwarts song at the top of his voice. It wasn't until he accidentally jumped on something Sirius values his most prized appendage did he get pulled out of his splendid stupor, but even the hexes a maimed Sirius threw at him couldn't pull the broadening smile of James' face and Black mixed with a well aimed Bat-Bogey hex was pure hell at the best of times.

None of us apart from James got much sleep that night as the aforementioned had decided to sleep in his old bed for his last night of Hogwarts; this was bad for three reasons:

He made us all wake up around two in the morning to sit up with him as he claimed he was too excited to sleep

After he woke us all up properly, he fell asleep almost straight away

Then just as we all began to feel our eyes shut voluntarily for the second time that night, James started singing in his sleep, very soft and out of tune singing about wanting to shag Lily Evans was not something that was easy to fall asleep listening to. It gave one more mentally disturbing pictures than anything. Why couldn't he have chosen to sing about Babbity Rabbity I ask?

We were all extremely grouchy the next day, except of course James who wore his smile with pride as we entered the Great Hall. Sirius, Peter and I all rubbing our eyes and yawning as James skipped over to where Lily and her friends were sitting.

Now what happened next, I don't fully understand as James and Lily were always meant to be together. As soon as you saw them fighting or hexing each other you would see and expect that they hated each other, enemies forced to work together because of their duties but it was the smaller things that showed something entirely different.

Well I didn't mean for this to go as far as it did
And I didn't mean to get so close and share what we did
And I didn't mean to fall in love, but I did
And you didn't mean to love me back, but I know you did

Like when James would compliment her hair, she would throw an insult right back at him but as she whipped around, her lips would curve into the smallest smile and a faint blush would be visible on her cheeks until she took a deep breath and walked away. Or when they were on patrols together and he would say something, she would burst into peals of laughter and would have to grip a wall to keep herself from collapsing, he would stare at her like she was totally and utterly off her rocker but at the same time like she was the only girl in the world that mattered. Her ears would turn pink as she tried to control her breathing, then she would look up at him, her starling green eyes glistening from her tears of joy and smile radiantly at his befuddled expression, then as always she would realise her mistake of looking into his deep hazel eyes and instantly start shuffling her feet, willing her ever flushing cheeks to return to her normal ivory complexion.

It was things like this that made the whole of Hogwarts sure that one day they would end up together, that was until what happened at breakfast on the last day of school.

He stopped skipping and came to an abrupt halt as he sang, "Morning Lils," at her across the Gryffindor table. Her head snapped up, her red hair framing her face perfectly, her eyes sparkling with emotion. His smile faltered as she glared right through him, burning holes in his chest and straight through his heart.

"Lily?" he questioned, he voice came out shaky and unsure

She stood up, he eyes climbing up his body until they found their target; his.

"James," she replied, her eyes faltered for a minute displaying a pleading look before returning to ice woman as she stood opposite him.

Her friends stared up at her, "Lils calm down it's only Potter," Mary whispered up to her

Lily stared at James, as if trying to pass a message from her brain to his, whatever it was she succeeded and he understood. I would never understand girls I thought as I put my hand on James' shoulder and pulled him away, he stumbled slightly before following my lead, I gave a curt not and a small smile to Lily before leaving Hogwarts along with James, Sirius, Peter and the Marauder spirit. I turned my head to look at the scene we'd left behind, Lily was still standing, staring at the spot James Potter had just been in, a single tear running down her right cheek, she didn't bother to brush it away, she just blinked and let more fall landing with an almost silent splash in her empty plate on the table. The rest of the students were eating merrily, exchanging spells and small pieces of parchment. That was the last time I saw Lily and the scary thing was, her vacant facial expression, one that was a stranger to heartbreak but instead covered in wounds of something much much deeper, was exactly the one James Potter was wearing now as Sirius tried ever so hard to wake him from whatever was holding him back; Lily Evans.

"JAMES POTTER IF YOU DONT GET UP AND READY FOR YOUR AUROR TRAINING NOW I WILL..."

"Castrate him?" I grinned

"NOT NOW MOONY," he snapped as I held up my hands in sarcastic surrender, he turned back to James and inched closer to his face, "GET OVER EVANS ALREADY PRONGS, YOU WON THE BET, YOU KISSED HER, NOW GO SNOG MCKINNON OR SOMEONE, DO WHATEVER, JUST STOP MOPING. MERLIN'S STRIPEY THONG."

James twitched, I knew he hated it when Sirius had referred to Lily as a bet, it wasn't, well technically it was but that was back in second year, in between then and now things had changed, James had grown up considerably, he had also fallen in love. I for one didn't believe in all that forbidden fruit crap, he loved Lily because she was someone he could relate to, she was funny, pretty and despite how I described her, had a lovely temperament, she was nothing like James' perfect woman, yet she was. Merlin I sound like I'm in bloody love with her, I'm not for the record, as much as Lily was one of the best friends I ever had, the Marauders came first and unfortunately that meant leaving Lily behind.

Today was September the first, for the whole summer James had been moping around but at about three this morning, when Sirius got in from visiting whoever the 'lucky' girl was this time he found James awake, unmoving staring at space out the window. He hadn't moved since and it was edging on 10 in the morning.

September first, today was the day the Hogwarts Express left, at 11 o'clock, just a little over an hour would be the moment James finally accepted he had lost Lily Evans forever.

As the front door slams and Mum and Tuney come home from picking out a wedding dress for her marriage to Vernon next month I sit in my room on my bed staring at my watch that I casually flung off last night after Tuney had that huge engagement party. I didn't go, I sat in my room the whole time thinking, and no I'm not going to deny it, I was thinking about bloody James Potter and his stupid hair and broomstick (not kinky version). Yes I'd been a total prick all summer locked in my room but my last few months at Hogwarts hadn't gone to plan, I guess, looking back you can't plan falling in love, it just happens. It's kind of a bitch really.

I really wished I could blame someone for making this happen, but I couldn't so I did what any good and well practised teenager would do; shut my bedroom door and world outside and think if only I was Merlin.

It wasn't my fault James only wanted me for a bet, the night of the Hogwarts leaving do was the best night of my life, his lips tasted so good and they fitted against mine perfectly, plus James Potter was amazingly hot, what girl in their right mind wouldn't want to kiss him? I'll tell you who, I Lily Evans but now you can call me a liar. Yes I said it, and I can't take it back, I just wish I could, it would save me a whole lot embarrassment from having to hear throughout the halls of Hogwarts the next morning that Lily Evans had finally caved, that James Potter won the bet, he had kissed her, it took seven years but good old James never misses out on a dare. Why if he did you wouldn't be able to call him James Potter.

I remember feeling devastated and my heart shattered, when he was staring at me at breakfast I was even tempted to screw the fact it was a dare and jump him then and there. But I didn't, why? Because I was Lily Evans and Lily Evans did not under any circumstance give way to James Potter.

I heaved myself slowly off my bed towards my half packed trunk; still containing a few scrolls of parchment I was never going to need again and a few Hogwarts robes. I picked up one stray piece of folded parchment to show for myself that I had done something worthwhile today –tidy slightly– when something in the corner of it caught my eye. An ink stain which was odd as I made sure never to have ink blots on my work, I turned the parchment over to realise, obviously that it wasn't mine, I hadn't taken Muggle Studies and it clearly had Muggle Studies written across the top in a haphazard sort of way, not the way to write an essay Lily Evans style I can assure you. I figured living with Muggles most of my life would make Muggle Studies a sit off and Lily Evans does not do sit offs. The parchment clearly wasn't work as I saw the meaningless scribbles across the top that surrounded the title, from what I could make out there were a few paw prints and a couple of cauldrons. As I unfolded it I realised more than one person had written notes on it, in fact it looked more like a conversation.

Me: PADDDDDYYYYYY how's the plan going?

You: Looks like the potions working, amazing idea if I do say so myself

Me: Of course you do

You: Well I don't know how I couldn't; I'm just too bloody amazing

Me: ...

You: HEY! I'm scowling at you right now

Me: I know I can see you

You: ...

Me: Listen, have either you or Wormy been to see Remus today?

You: Pete went to see him this morning yes, I was planning on going this evening, wanna come with?

Me: I can't sorry, I have patrols with Lily

You: How's it going with her anyway? You're smiling...

Me: Do you want the long version or the short one?

You: Well considering I don't have a very large attention span...

Me: I'm in love with her

You: Because I haven't heard that before James-y and James? STOP BLOODY GRINNING AT THIS NOTE, SMILING AT MUGGLE STUDIES NOTES IS NOT A COOL LOOK

Me: Shove off

You: Prick

Me: You hair is stupid

You: My hair is beautiful

Me: Whatever Sirius

My breath hitched in my throat as I re-read the parchment in front of me, the date in the top corner said the 30th of June. I checked again, no matter how many times I read it; the messy slanted writing still said he loved me.

I'm sittin' here tryin' to convince myself
that you're not the one for me
But the more I think, the less I believe it
and the more I want you here with me

If there was one thing I'd learnt after a whole summer of skulking around the house it was, there was no point in being unhappy. I just needed to talk to James I though as I balled the parchment in my fist and shoved it in my pocket, grabbed my wand from my bedside table and watch from the floor and turned on the spot, then I felt the disconcerting distinct pull on my naval as I apparated towards what I think could be happiness, or as close to it as I'm ever going to be.

I rammed on the door with my fists until I heard a faint, " I'm coming, I'm coming" emerge from somewhere upstairs, what followed was a series of rather loud bangs, a vast choice of cuss words and the sound of keys clinking in the lock. Whilst this whole charade was going on I pulled my watch onto my wrist and checked the time; 10:55. I thought of the Hogwarts Express leaving in five minutes, the last minute goodbyes being said and the whistle of the steam train and suddenly I missed it all. Like a wave, the emotion hit me and knocked me several feet under the water, I felt like I was drowning, my foot tapping impatiently on the make shift brick step. I could hear the key turning in the lock now, but I was definitely still drowning. Without James I was alone, without James I was lonely, without James I was Lily Evans; Hogwarts nerd and Head Girl forever, with James I was me, Lily Evans, an auror. I think anyway. He was still a bitch for betting on me, but if he loved me then that was okay... right?

"Lily?" a high pitched voice squeaked

I looked down into the once boys chubby face, he was staring up at me blinking like a kid wanting a lollypop only not cute, he had forgotten to shave half his stubble off for crying out loud.

"IneedtotalktoJames" I blurted

"Wha-"

I pushed past him and ran upstairs towards the voices

"He won't move, we've tried everything,"

"I wonder who's at the door"

"I wonder if it's the new broom James ordered. Maybe that'll cheer him up"

"Do you like pickled eggs?"

"I hope it is, then he can go out and fly, like whoosh all his thoughts away, isn't that why he loves flying or some shit?"

"I know something he loves more"

"Don't Padfoot, he'll hear you and then all hell will break lose, remember last week? Without Madam Pomfrey I don't think I'll be able to re-grow any more bones, "

"Stop being such a fuss pot, I was going to say me"

I'd stopped mid way up the stairs to listen, unintentionally of course but by this point Peter had caught up to me, "Uh, guys" he squeaked, unsure if I was going to eat him or not, "We have a visitor"

"Dude or chick?" a deep voice stated, Sirius I thought

"Uhh, uh," he whimpered as he cowered under my death glare, "F-f-female" he stuttered

"Shit"

"Remus put these away, and these, and these and urrrgghh what the hell are these?"

"Sirius?"

"Uh"

"They're your socks."

I shoved open the door at the top of the stairs and both their heads snapped up,

"I want to talk to James" I whispered

A faint scrambling could be heard from the room beyond this one, then the door swung open and there was James Potter in all his glory standing in his underwear and tight top, showing off his chest muscles, his eyes wide with frenzy, "Lily?"

And I didn't mean to meet you then
we were just kids
And I didn't mean to give you chills
the way that I kiss

With my voice stuck in my throat a delved into my pocket and pulled out the crumpled parchment, James' eyes went wide as he saw it and evidently recognised it.

"I was never just a bet, was I?"

He shook his head, his shaggy black locks falling in his eyes, his hand came up to his face to push them away and then he dragged his fingers through his hair.

"I'm sorry"

He shook his head again

"I think you should go Lily," Remus said after a few minutes of silence, I nodded. I hadn't tried, I couldn't, it was just too damn hard, there was only one other thing I could think of doing but it was stupid and would probably plunge me even further into the depths of the deep blue pit of self remorse.

I looked straight into James' eyes, a pained expression in them as Remus stood up to guide me out, I turned away as soon as I felt Remus' warm hand on my shoulder and noticed James' head drop, his gaze falling fixatedly on his holey socks.

Maybe a little living on the edge wouldn't be so bad..?

When I reached the top of the stairs, Peter standing to the side to make way for me to climb down, I looked back over my shoulder, James hadn't moved, Sirius was giving him a pitying look

Screw my confidence and who cares if I end up wanting to kill myself after this?

"James Potter, I love you." I blurted out

Whatever I was expecting, it was not this, as the handsome grandfather clock in the corner of their room began to chime 11 o'clock, James took a few huge steps over towards me, he didn't stop when he reached me either, backing me further and further towards the wall, he looked deep into my eyes, searching for something. Then he smiled and with a hand on either side of my face bent down and kissed me. My back pressed flat against the wall I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him back full force.

Yeah it wasn't the most romantic setting, their shit hole of a place flush against a no doubt damp infested wall but I didn't care, he was James Potter and I was Lily Evans and I didn't mean for this to happen, it didn't fit in with my plans but without it I couldn't function.

And I didn't mean to fall in love, but I did
And you didn't mean to love me back but I know you did
Don't say you didn't love me back 'cause you know you did
No, you didn't mean to love me back
But you did

On the last chime of the clock he pulled away

"At-bloody-last" Sirius squealed

James chuckled and whispered so only I could hear "I love you too Lily Evans,"

I smiled up at him; living life on the edge was so fucking worth it

"Sirius Black you owe me 5 galleons," he grinned

...well almost worth it I thought as I stamped my heel down hard on his foot, he yelped then leant down and kissed me again.

Cliché I know... hmm, I'll edit someday when I'm not tired but for now I LOVE YOU! ;D

I also love reviews, they're fun

In case anyone was wondering the song was A Lonely September but I only used parts of it, is that alright? Also I know they got together sooner than this but I wanted to write something different so did you enjoy? Love it? Hate it? Want to throw pie at it? Let me know

Theressomethingaboutthemoon x