A New Snowfall, a harry potter fanfic

A New Snowfall

Disclaimer: I am JK Rowling and Lord Voldermort has taken over for Santa Clause and his Deatheaters are now happy elves.

I gazed at the snowflakes collecting on the windowsill. The moon outside hovered above the lake, suspended in the frosty night air. Usually, I'd be outside on a night like this. But tonight, I felt far too preoccupied mentally to enjoy the wintry weather.

My thoughts of late had been revolving around a certain messy haired, bespectacled, seventeen-year old male. His behavior this year was much different then it had been last year around this time. Near the beginning of the school year, I'd been convinced his new demeanor was another ploy to get me to date him. I'd denied noticing the small favors he preformed instead of his usual attention seeking schemes.

For example, instead of asking me out, he created pleasant conversation that I found myself enjoying. Rather then hitting on me relentlessly, he'd offer a genuine smile. Never anymore did he confess his undying love for me and our unborn children. He did however make eye-contact whenever he could.

Eventually, I'd given in to ignoring the change in him. And rather unexpectedly I found my cold, cruel behavior towards him evaporating. He'd noticed of course. I'd smile back at him or return the conversation just as pleasantly. Yet, he never commented on my own personal behavior. Like a true gentleman, he accepted it and went along with it. I even found myself blushing when his hand brushed mine. It seemed as if our roles had been reversed. I was the dithering idiot, and he was calm and collected. I sighed as the truth weighed upon my shoulders. I was falling hard and fast for James Potter.

"Nice isn't it?"

A soft deep voice spoke from behind me. But I knew immediately who it was. He was the one who wouldn't leave my bloody mind.

"Yes. I've always loved winter." I could picture exactly what he looked like without turning around. He would still be in his school uniform, but his black robes wouldn't adorn his muscular frame. His shirt would be untucked and the sleeves rolled up to just below his elbows. His Gryffindor tie would be loosened considerably and perhaps the top few buttons of his shirt would be undone. But, his Headboy badge would still gleam from its position on his chest.

"Do you believe it?" I asked with a small smile playing on my lips.

"Maybe, I like to pretend to believe it. Well, now I pretend. When I was little I just took everything my mum said as real. But it's nice to have something, anything to believe in. Even if it's absolutely ridiculous."

"I guess so. But what's madness to one may not be to another."

"Very true. I suppose its all subjective opinions."

"When did you get so philosophical?" I teased.

I sensed rather then actually saw him shrug. "It's not so much philosophy as it is common sense. Anyway, everyone else went down to dinner. Are you heading there also?"

"No, I don't have much of an appetite. What about you?"

"I need to finish my charms homework. In any case, I can go to the kitchens later."

Although he needed to finish his charms homework and I had to start a potions essay, neither one of us left. The snow had enchanted us into watching it drift to Earth. Finally, James spoke again.

"Lily, can I ask you something?"

It seemed as if we'd unconsciously been moving closer, because he was directly behind me now. His breath was hot against the side of my neck.

"Yes."

"Why do you hate me so much?"

The question took me off guard. It was the one question I didn't have a direct response to. I frowned as I formulated an answer.

"I don't hate you James. I hate your behavior at times. I hate how you act like you're better then everyone else. I hate how you make a fool out of everyone around you."

"Sounds like you have a problem with my personality," he joked. But then his voice became serious. "I'm not going to deny any of that. I did act like I was better then everyone else because, well, I thought I was. But, I don't know, I guess I changed over the summer. I spent more time at funerals then I did in my own house. I'm not telling you this for sympathy. I guess, I just want you to understand why I've changed. Seeing so many family members and friends die, I started to look at my own life. Life isn't something to be thrown away. I want to be remembered as someone who didn't, who wouldn't raise his reputation at the risk of other people. I've always claimed to be courageous and brave. But any person who's not willing to degrade their reputation for the improvement of someone else, its lying when they make claims like that."

I bit my bottom lip in thought, as I let his words wash over me. He'd changed not for me but for himself. Even if we'd never met, never fought, never been in the same year and the same house, this change still would have taken place. Because, well, growing up was simply a part of life.

"James?"

"What?" He seemed to be lost in thought as I turned around to face him. My heart rate quickened as his eyes met mine. He was exactly a head taller then me, a perfect height for both of us. He looked down at me, confusion writing into his brow.

"I've changed too." Before he could ask what I was talking about, I pulled him into a kiss.

He seemed shocked at first, so his body tensed. But after a moment, he began to kiss back. He wrapped his arms around my waist and I intertwined my arms around his neck. It was more then just a kiss. It was as if we fit together. Every one of his movements matched mine. Every curve fit just the way it was supposed to. I'd never realized I was one half of a whole until this moment.

Simultaneously, we broke apart to receive air. I leaned my head on his shoulder and felt his hold on my waist tighten slightly. It was if he was afraid I was going to disappear.

"James?"

"Hmm?"

"Out of all the snowflakes that fall this winter, one will be my life. You're the person who's changed it."

I placed my quill down and leaned back in my chair. I wished I could charm my charms essay to write itself, but unfortunately I knew it wouldn't. This was why my mates had just dashed down to dinner and I had to deny my rumbling stomach. My essay would have been done by now if my mind didn't have a tendency to wander every time I sat down to begin it.

My mind hadn't stopped thinking about her since, well since ever. Her behavior towards me lately had been much more puzzling. I preferred her yelling and cursing attitude towards me then this soft almost graceful new approach. It was taking all my will power not to snog her on the spot.

I'd began the year with a change in place. Over the summer I'd seen too many deaths and too many lives torn a part. This got me to thinking about my own life and how people would think of me when I was gone. It had dawned on me that I was going to be remembered as a git. This didn't appeal to me one bit. So, I'd traded in my marauder type demeanor for that of a gentleman.

I mentally scolded myself for getting off on another tangent. I stretched my arms over my head and looked around the common room. It was empty, aside from a few first years sitting by the fire. Then I noticed Lily Evans. She was standing by herself at a large window, lost in thought. I couldn't see her face, but I knew it by heart. Her emerald green eyes would be glazed over and she'd be biting her bottom lip. Just under her eyes and over her nose, a few freckles ran. She had a small curvy frame, which many people took for as weakness. But I'd learned not to under estimate her. I stood up and made my way slowly over to her.

"Nice isn't it?" I myself had always loved watching the snowfall. She tensed momentarily as if not wanting to talk to me and my heart fell a few notches.

"Yes. I've always loved winter."

Her voice was calm and collected, yet this was the way she always appeared. I knew that she was fighting a mental battle because of the way she looked. Her black robes were probably thrown haphazardly on her bed in the girl's dorm because they didn't cover her frame. Her auburn hair was up in a ponytail, but a few strands had fallen out. I knew her Head badge would still be pinned to her shirt and her Gryffindor tie would be loosened ever so slightly.

"My mum used to tell me each snowflake that falls, represents one life that's been changed in the past year by someone else. It's how she explained the lack of snow some years and the abundance of it others." I couldn't believe I'd just told her that. It was something I had never mentioned to anyone.

"Do you believe it?"

"I guess so. But what's madness to one may not be madness to another."

Her words took away any embarrassment I'd previously felt. "Very true. I suppose it's all a matter of subjective opinions."

"When did you get so philosophical?"

I felt myself blush at her compliment. I shrugged to ease the blush. "It's not so much philosophy as it is common sense. Anyway, everyone else went down to dinner. Are you heading that way also?"

"No, I don't have much of an appetite. What about you?"

Honestly, I was starving. But I replied with, "I need to finish my charms homework. In any case, I can go to the kitchens later."

Neither one of us spoke as we watched the snow fall. Once or twice I sensed her take a small step backwards, though I was sure it was unintentional. I knew I too was stepping forward. My actions were slightly less unintentional. A thought suddenly occurred to me. "Lily, can I ask you something?"

She shivered slightly as my breath hit her neck. I contemplated taking a few steps back, but the idea immediately left my head when she replied. "Yes."

"Why do you hate me so much?" This was a question I had been dying to ask her since the beginning of the year. Yet, I hadn't gotten up enough courage to actually ask it. I waited with baited breath for a response.

"I don't hate you James."

I loved it when she said my name and she didn't hate me! But then she continued.

"I hate your behavior at times. I hate how you act like you're better then everyone else. I hate how you make a fool of everyone around you."

I naturally said, "Sounds like you have a problem with my personality." But I knew she was looking for me to explain myself, to give her some cheesy pick up line. So I did the last thing she expected. I became serious.

"I'm not going to deny any of that. I did act like I was better because, well, I thought I was. But, I don't know, I guess I changed over the summer. I spent more time at funerals then I did in my own house. I'm not telling you any of this for sympathy. I guess I just want you to understand why I've changed. Seeing so many family members and friends die, I started to look at my own life. Life isn't something to be thrown away. I want to be remembered as someone who didn't, who wouldn't raise his reputation at the risk of other people. I've always claimed to be courageous and brave. But any person who's not willing to degrade their own reputation for the improvement of someone else, is lying when they make claims like that."

There was silence as she thought about what I'd said. I ran a hand threw my hair as I waited for her to say something. Once or twice I thought about leaving and walking away, or maybe taking a few steps backwards, to give her space. If she was going to punch me, I wanted to be a little bit further away.

"James?" Her voice was full of determination.

"What?" I got ready to run to the boy's dorm and hide until she'd calmed down. Then she turned around to face me. Her features showed no aggression at all and I relaxed. She was exactly a head shorter then me, so she had to look up to meet my eyes. I knew confusion would be written across my face.

"I've changed too."

I was about to ask what in Merlin's name she was talking about when she kissed me. My mind froze and I didn't know how to react. After a moment I jumpstarted my brain and began kissing her back. I automatically wrapped my arms around her waist and felt her arms wrap around my neck. I never imagined that it would feel so right. I mean, I always knew she was the one for me, but I never realized kissing "the one" would feel so awakening. I decided at that moment that if Voldermort killed me tonight, I would die happy.

Sadly, we had to breathe. This is why we pulled apart. She leaned her head on my shoulder and I tightened my hold on her waist. I was terrified she would run off laughing, telling me it was some sick joke.

"James?"

I loved the way she said my name and the way I was holding her. I didn't trust my voice at that moment. "Hmm?"

"Out of all the snowflakes that fall this winter, one will be my life. You're the person who's changed it."

A/N: Thanks for reading! I really hope you review! Also, as a side note, if your running low on fanfic ideas let me know. I have more ideas then I have time to write. Once again thanks for reading.