Lily Evans was angry. She always was, whenever he tried to apologize, and tried to use his usual defenses: I didn't mean to! It just slipped out! Two years on, and Severus was still trying, with the same excuses that he knew Lily didn't buy. Mudlood. Lily scoffed, deciding she would make her way down to the courtyard, do some reading, get her mind off it. Well, that, and she had to study. Everyone was in class except the Gryffindor seventh years, who were studying for NEWTs. That's why it was easy to hear the what was probably supposed to be hushed voices of James Potter and Sirius Black, five feet away from the entrance to the courtyard. Lily frowned, considering the options.
"- about Lily?" Black. Lily's eyes widened, halting. She tiptoed sneakily as close as she could to hear them, choosing the 'eavesdrop' option.
A heavy sigh. "It's not even that she's the only one who says no, Padfoot."
Sirius chuckled, somewhat dryly. "Then what is it?"
"She's funny, charming, and she cares about people. She's nice." James paused here. "I got to see that even better this year. Lily's so hard working, and ..." He sounded a bit frustrated.
"You could go on forever, Prongs, I get it," Sirius said. Lily could practically hear the smile in his voice. "Oh, all those fantastic traits, of course, and she's really pretty. Isn't that part of it, Prongs?"
A smack. "Either way, she'd be the kindest person I know if she had webbed feet, two noses, and no eyebrows."
"You would want date her if she had two noses?" Sirius asked interestedly.
Another smack. "If I got to know her, of course, I would."
Sirius laughed loudly. "Imagine kissing someone with two noses, Prongs. I wonder how awkward it would be to bump -" Yet another loud smack. "Alright, alright."
"No, I'm serious, Pads -"
"You are not! When are people going to understand that? Honestly, seven years on as my best mate and you still haven't figured it out! I am Sirius, you are Ja – OW! Alright, alright, breathe, mate."
"Like I said, serious, I'm not kidding. Lily is unlike anyone I have met before, and I've met you. That's saying something," said James, joking now.
"Is that meant to be an insult or a compliment? … you know what, whatever. Keep talking about Evans so you can get it out of your system."
"She helped me with my Potions homework, Padfoot," said James, "and I was bloody terrible. She was so patient. I felt stupid -"
"- right you are -"
"- but she was talking like I wasn't!" James said. Lily smiled at herself, hearing the glee in his voice, ignoring Sirius' comment. "I even understood it in the end, mate, doesn't that mean anything?"
"Of course, Prongs," Sirius replied loyally.
"It feels good to be friends with her, though. If I can't be her boyfriend, I'd rather be a good friend," James decided, his tone making it sound like he was trying to convince himself that. "If it makes her happy."
"Blimey. If you talk like that, she's missing out on an excellent relationship, Mr. Potter," Sirius said, continuing with his humor. Lily could tell that "serious" situations like this were not his forte.
James laughed. "Glad you think so, I guess." He continued: "This is going to sound like I've been imperiused, but she treated Snivellus well when everyone else didn't. I kind of respect her for that. I still hate him, but..."
Sirius was quiet, and he sounded ever so ... serious as he spoke. Lily had never even speak him like this, ever. "I do think you're falling in love with a girl who doesn't love you back yet, James."
There was a long silence. Lily leaned against the wall, smiling a little to herself. "Yet," came James' voice, a near whisper.
"Yet," Sirius agreed. "Mate. Your head has officially been deflated." James laughed a little. There was another long soundless span, and James shifted. Lily could hear it. He asked:
"Do you think she's still dating that Ravenclaw bloke? What's his name? Er – Carmichael? Wood? What is it?"
Lily moved out into the open, smiling at James, looking directly at him. "It's Diggory, James. Amos Diggory. No, I'm not dating him anymore."
"Lily!" James said, flustered. He leaped up from his cross-legged position on the grass. His hand twitched obviously, as though he was going to run his hand through his hair, but he remembered that Lily didn't enjoy him doing that. Sirius grinned, standing up slowly.
"I'll leave my Head Girl and Boy alone for a second, then...?" said Sirius, grinning wildly at Lily as he backed up behind her. Judging by the glare on James' face, Sirius was mouthing something behind Lily's back.
"So – er – did you...?" James stammered awkwardly.
Lily's lips rolled inward, smiling a little. "That depends," she said slowly, taking a medium sized step forward. The wind blew her robes forward to him, as though bringing her to him. "I want to make sure I heard what you think I heard." She paused, smiling with an unusual sly expression. James rarely saw that face from Lily Evans. Her voice feigned exaggerated thoughtfulness, an almost Marauder-like cleverness. "Did you talk about my lovely sense of humor? My charm?" James turned a light shade of pink. He hid it with a small smile. Lily took one more step forward. "How nice I am, probably? Or how I would still be nice with two noses?"
"Er – well, ye -" James said, embarrassed.
Lily interrupted him by taking one more small step forward. There were about two feet separating them. "How patient, helpful, I was for you, James?" James reached up and scratched behind his neck, unsure about what to say. Lily closed the space between them, and stared up into his eyes, his boyishly mischievous hazel eyes.
Her voice was a whisper, now. "How I don't love you back … yet?"
James continued to be reluctant for two seconds. He recovered, however. James found his familiar confidence and said in a gentle, but witty voice: "Yes, I do believe I spoke of that." Lily smiled, leaning her face in toward his, wrapping her arms around his neck. James hoped his heart wasn't thudding as loudly as he thought it was.
The kiss was gentle, short, and exactly what James had been waiting for. When Lily leaned back, she felt around his head. James stared at her. "Lily, what are you doing?" he asked, somewhat incredulously.
"Checking to see that your head was truly deflated."