Author Note: First James/Lily story ever! Please Review!
So there she was, and yet she had no idea how she got there. Well, she knew, but she refused to believe it was true. With a heavy sigh, she raised her glass to her mouth and waited for the butter beer to wash away her anxiety. While she did her best to only focus on her heavy glass, she couldn't help but notice the blue eyes staring at her from across the table behind thin black wire frames. It wasn't so much his eyes, as it was his grin. It was that grin, the grin she'd loathed for six and a half years ever since the first day she'd seen it on the platform all those years ago.
"You gonna say anything, Lily?" He spoke first, as she knew he would but she simply shrugged him off. "Come on, you got yourself into this." He pointed out only making matters worse by reminding her exactly how she ended up there. It had been her own pride, or maybe it was just him and what he did to her and her otherwise faultless reasoning.
"Come on Evans! You promised! You can't go back on your word now!" The words haunted her in the back of her mind as she took another long drink from her glass. "You should've been in Slytherin if you can't keep a Gryffindor's honest word!" And those bad been the words that got her here, in the Three Broomsticks, sitting across from an all too eager James Potter, on a date, though she'd never admit it was a date. A social outing was the term she'd already decided upon to use when the time came to explain any sightings of them together alone, not arguing for once.
"You have to say something," James sighed as he looked at her.
"Your hair is messy." She commented before returning her gaze to her drink. As she peered up once more, she realized she had drunk her butter beer nearly twice as fast as James, a thought that was not comforting in the slightest.
"It's always messy." He replied, rolling his eyes. "I expected us to have a real conversation for once." He told her in a voice that sound as if he might be telling the truth… for once.
"Well that's just foolish," She responded. "We have nothing in common."
"Except that I am Head Boy and you are Head Girl, and therefore she share a Common Room." He pointed out as if he'd just won another argument, but the look on her face was one of defeat as it would've been had he actually won something.
"And that is precisely as far as our commonality runs." She pointed out, then James realized he'd fallen into one of her traps. In the first few years at Hogwarts he never thought her to be the girl to lay verbal traps, then gloat when they caught an unsuspecting victim, but then again he never actually paid attention to her until she bloomed into the amazing beautiful woman sitting before him. Perhaps, he thought, that was made her so sour towards him. It took beauty to catch his eyes instead of just her.
"And because we have nothing in common," Lily continued speaking when she noticed James' attention had come back to focus on her rather than her thoughts. "We should just call this a date and be over with it." Lily had risen to her feet, and turned on her heel. James only sighed as he dropped a few coins on the table then caught up to her, just as she exited the building.
"Now, now," James tried to put his arm around her shoulders, but Lily shrugged his arm off and moved away from him. "you promised an hour at least." He reminded her and Lily inwardly cursed herself for such an outrageous bet to wage against four fools.
"Well knowing you and the rest of your Mauraders, you won by cheating, you know, the way you love to conduct yourselves in everyday situations." Lily spat back at him, but the insult rolled off him like nothing. He simply walked beside her, not daring to touch her again for fear she might over react. She was walking faster than she did in the hallways at school, but he attributed it to her tension.
They continued down the snow covered path, not saying much. James wondered if there was any particular place she was heading, or if she was walking just walk, as if he would grow tired and stop coming with her. He noticed a few girls in their year walking past them as well. They were girls James had once been wildly attracted to, but that was well before Lily.
"I'm not going to get tired you know," He pointed out to her. "I play Quidditch. I don't get tired just walking, Lily." He reminded her, and she turned to glare at him, but the glare melts away when he rose an eyebrow.
"This would be a lot easier if you just talk to me, you know." He pointed out. "One date was all you agreed to, and yet here you are acting like it's the end of the world. Is it me that you're constantly mad at, or this just your wounded pride that you lost a bet against me?" He asked and watched as the green in her eyes intensify with rage. He could help but notice how much better she looked like that, when her eyes were perfectly off set with her perfect red hair and pale skin. Such a contrast she was compared to his dark hair and tan skin. He was tall, dark and handsome, whereas she was small, pale and beautiful. Opposites, yet in their own way almost perfect together.
"It's not as if you could ever start a normal conversation with me anyway, James." Lily pointed out. Her voice surprised James. While he hadn't noticed her until they were at least thirteen, he'd always argued with her until they were at least sixteen, and he knew when she was pushed to the limit outraged, and she certainly had that look about her now. But when she spoke, her voice did not betray her feelings. Instead her voice was rather clam and clear while her eyes remained shining with anger. She had even managed to say his name, something else he'd also paid great attention to.
"What is that supposed to mean?" James responded.
"It's always about you, James." Lily's voice sounded outraged again as she turned and started walking once more. James groaned knowing full well it was what he had said. He followed once more, only waiting for her to continue as he knew she would. "Everything is always about you. Every conversation you have is you, or something else that you like. We've been here for fifteen minutes, and all you've said has to do with you and your interests. Quidditch. Pranks. Brooms. And a million other childish things. Not once did you ask me about me, and yet you continue to delude yourself that this is-" Lily stopped herself before she let on the belief that they were currently on a date. How she was hate if the whole school sudden found its self entertained with the rumor that she and Potter were dating.
"A date?" James finished her rant for her at much lower volume than the one she had been yelling at him in.
"Yes," Lily snapped with a fiery force when she finally stopped pacing for the second time. She turned back to James, who for once, found himself at loss for words. For a silent moment they stared at each other, Lily with a look of complete outrage and annoyance, and James of slight guilt, though she had a feeling that his talent of lying also came with a talent for hiding true emotions or at least masking them to some varying degree.
"I'm sorry," James finally spoke first, just as she suspected for the second time. "You're right. Would you like to sit down somewhere and try again?"
"No, I don't but I know you'll never let me leave if I don't." Lily spoke with such honesty that James was taken back. "So just… pick somewhere."
James would've said something in response, but decided against it. Instead, he lead her to a nearby restaurant, and even held the door open for her to enter first, a gesture he hoped she would like. He wasn't quite yet sure if she was the girl that wanted a chair to be pulled out for her, the type to do it themselves. He supposed he'd find out soon enough.
They were seated and given menus, but before James could say anything, Lily was peering down at the menu. He was sure she'd pick the most expensive dish just for kicks, so he looked over at the cheaper meals just so his monthly spending fees wouldn't go over what he was allotted. The waitress returned, ready to orders. James allowed Lily to go first.
"I'll have a sandwich, no side, and just water." Lily ordered, before handing her the menu. When she looked to James, she found him staring at her with a look of complete shock. She didn't understand what he was thinking, so she simply looked away and waited for him to complete the order.
"What was that?" James looked to Lily and Lily rose and eye brow as she peered back at him.
"Are you referring to my choice in meals?"
"Yes," He nodded. "I thought for sure you would opt for far more expensive dishes just for the sheer amusement in it."
"Well, it's nice to know that you perceive me as a gold digging girl after nothing more than money." She replied.
"No," James responded, as he stared at her with confusion. "I just meant that you were very mad out there and I'm not the one to underestimate you when you're mad like that. That's all." He explained himself, but Lily choose not to respond. When their drinks were brought, Lily lifted her glass to her lips, and James followed her fingers the whole way before he looked his gaze to her emerald eyes.
"So," he spoke finally, breaking the silence, though that particular moment of silence was not the uncomfortable sort that was usually between the two. "Have you been reading anything interesting lately?"
Lily only stared at him for a moment. She was amazed at how sincere his voice sounded as he watched her. Even the look on his face showed sincerity, though she would never be sure if how he appeared was the truth or not.
"Yes," She finally answered, finding herself pleased that he had asked.
"What's it about?"
"It's nothing really." She shook her head as she looked down at the table.
"Well you said it was interesting, so it must be slightly more than nothing." James responded, still in his flawless sincere voice. Lily didn't look up to see if the sincerity was still in his face.
"It's not anything real. It's just a silly novel." She said, hoping he would not press for more information. Those hopes were crushed, and only because she had only moments before, insisted that he inquire about herself.
"About what?"
"It's a romance, James." Lily finally admitted as though it were something to be ashamed off. She looked up at him, and realized he was not the type to spend days in the library, so he must not have understood how mind numbingly foolish it was to read silly Romance novels when one would be perfect content to read a book on history or potions.
"That's surprising." James simply shrugged. He didn't care. In fact, he didn't understand why she cared so much. "Did your parents send it?"
"Yes." Lily nodded. "They send me things every month."
"That's nice." James spoke as he fingered the top of his glass. "You know, to have things that remind you of home. I imagine Hogwarts is quite a bit different from home for you."
"Yes," Lily agreed with a soft smile upon her lips. She hadn't noticed it, but James did. "It's two different worlds, and nobody understands the difficulty of living in them both."
"I can't imagine living without spells." James said as he looked at her.
"You'd be surprised how hard it is to live without a telephone." She responded, then laughed at how confused he'd suddenly become. "Relying on birds is so old fashion, and it's witches and wizards relied on their magic so much, they forgot to evolve their own methods." James only nodded along as he gathered that a telephone was some sort of Muggle device used for communication.
Their dishes arrived, and much to their surprise, the rest of the hour passed with ease. Though it hadn't been a perfect date, it was certainly much smoother than either had expected, after the disastrous start.
When the two arrived back at Hogwarts, she insisted she leave him to meet with her friends, and assumed he would run along to find Sirius, Remus, and Peter. She walked down the long corridor until she reached the library. As she entered, she made her way to the back table to find a girl reading casually with no study aids or homework out. Her feet were propped up on the chair next to her, and her bag was on the table in front of her.
"Paige." Lily said as she knocking the girl's feet to the ground and took the chair. Paige sat up straight and stared at Lily before she marked her page and put the book down.
"Is there any particular reason you just did that?" She asked as she turned to face Lily. Only then did she realize the day. "how was your date with-"
"It wasn't a date. It was a social outing." Lily corrected before the sentence could even be completed. "And it was… it was rocky at first, but then smoothed out towards the end." She explained as she reached out to look at Paige's book, but Paige had slid it over without even casting a spell.
"That's mine." She warned.
"One day, you'll get caught using illegal magic you know." Lily warned as she leaned back in her seat.
"That wasn't illegal."
"No, but you could just as easily cast illegal spells. It's the ones who don't need wands that most at risk for such temptations." Lily stared Paige straight in the eye. Paige only leaned forward and looked at Lily.
"Maybe you should try it sometimes," She invited. "Let loose a little Lils. You'll have fun on the other side, I promise." Paige laughed as she leaned back once more, to prop her legs up on the desk. "Besides, you're stronger than I am. You could do anything of these easily."
"Perhaps," Lily shrugged as she turned away from only of her only true friends left.
"You've changed in the last few years, you know." Paige commented. "I remember you were also so… sour towards James and his little friends. And then all of a sudden, you came back, and you looked twice as good as all those other girls he'd always wanted and suddenly you changed. I mean you were still sour but you enjoyed being sour."
"I do hope there's some long lost point to all of this." Lily commented, staring at Paige, who was wearing a grin that reminded Lily all too much of James.
"Yes, there is in fact, and had you not been so blinded when it comes to this one guy, you would've seen it already." Paige responded with an answer that also reminded her of her Head Boy counterpart. Lily had always though Paige should've been in Ravenclaw but now that she was successfully reminding Lily of the all little mind tricks, she felt Gryfinndor was a nice fit. Now it was herself whom she thought belonged in another house.
"Well then enlighten me," Lily sighed and rolled her eyes. She noticed Paige had started to pack her things and rise to her feet. After Paige snatched her book from the table, Lily rose to her feet and followed her out of the library.
"I think," Paige started to speak, then paused to turn back to Lily, just as the two caught sight of three juvenile boys, plus Remus, sneaking off probably to cause somebody harm. "You rather like James just like every other brainless girl here, though you're probably the only one with at least half a brain." Paige pointed out as the two stared at James. Lily had started to protest, but she saw James whip his wand out and lead his minions towards a tree where Lily caught sight of Severus sitting as he read.
"Severus!" Lily yelled as she ran out to the courtyard.
"Lily!" Paige groaned, as she watched, but eventually followed her. Paige saw James cast a spell, and before Lily could get there, Severus had ended up floating in the air, all his things strewn out of the grass.
"James Potter!" James heard his voice, and instantly recognized the voice. He had planned to do more to their little friend Senvilus Snape, but before he could even dream of it, he turned back to see Lily storming towards him, her friend Paige close behind.
"Lily, I-"
"Shut up, Potter!" She yelled at him as she pushed him as hard as she could. James fell back onto the grass, and his wand slipped out from his grasp, causing Severus to fall to the ground with a thump. When Lily turned back, she watched the other three Maurauders back away as if it concerned them little. Thankfully, Paige was nearby to send them each a stare that made it clear they certainly were no exceptions.
"Lily!" James groaned as he sat up. "What was that for! I was going to put him down!"
"You shouldn't have lifted him up in the first place!" She yelled at him before she went to Severus, but he turned away from any help she tried to give him. All she could do was lift his wand from the grass and hold it out to him after he collected his books. "Severus, I-" She started but He whipped his wand away and stormed off before anything else could be said.
"Lily," Paige called her when she only stared at the spot where her once best friend had just been standing. Though it was through his own choice that they were no longer friends, she couldn't help the urge to reach out to him, even once in a while.
"Lily," James called her, and she finally turned around. "I don't know why you liked him so much, anyway."
"Is that supposed to be an excuse, Potter?" She snapped back at him, just as she remembered Paige's comment only minutes before.
"You were still sour, but you enjoyed it." The words haunted her much like the way the Maruaders had blackmailed her into a social outing with James Potter. Then as she stood before James ready with a sarcastic remark, she couldn't help to agree that she did enjoy bantering with the vile arrogant creature. She never admit it aloud, but once she saw James' grin and Paige's smile and had a feeling she'd smiled and didn't even notice it.
"Oh come on Lily!" James called out as Lily started to walk away from him and join Paige off to the side. "We have to do rounds together! We might as well make up now or rounds are gonna be worse!" He called out to her, but she continued on her way with Paige on her side. He continued to watch the two girls walk away, as if silently hoping she'd turn back to look at him, but instead, Sirius got a glance back from Paige.
"Sorry, man." Sirius laughed as he pated James on the back. "Better luck next time."