A/N: Short one shot between Lily and James during 7th year.
Summary: Lily and James were patrolling the halls one night, for they were Head Boy and Head Girl. They decide to play a game.
Disclaimer: I'm a mere 14 year old who could never compare myself to the almighty JK Rowling. All things Harry Potter are hers.
5 Things About You
"Lily, why don't you trust me? Why don't you believe I've changed, for the better!" James said one night during patrol.
"Because, you're a prat." Lily retorted without really thinking, even though she knew that James had changed a lot since they first started Hogwarts together.
"Do you trust anyone?" James asked, hoping she wouldn't explode for getting into her personal life.
"Select few. Not many." Lily said as she looked at the ground while walking, trying to avoid James' intense gaze upon her.
"Oh. Well, let's play a game." James said, hoping to lighten the mood.
"Uhm, sure…" Lily said timidly, this was after all James Potter. The same James Potter who had chased her for the past six years.
"Alright. It's a reversal role thing." James said.
"Huh?" Lily questioned.
"I name 5 Things about you that I hate because everyone knows I like you." James began explaining. "Since the entire school knows you hate me, you have to say 5 Things you like about me."
"Uhm, okay." Lily agreed. "This can't be that hard. It's just Potter. Plus it's only 5 things." Lily thought to herself before James began.
"Okay, I hate the way you yell at me. It doesn't look like it hurts me, but it really does"
"Hmm… I love your carefree attitude. You're not afraid to get in trouble"
"I hate how you always follow the rules. You never let go, you're always so uptight"
"I love your eyes. I'd never admit it but I could get lost in them."
"I hate the way you don't trust me, even though I'm not the same person you met six years ago."
"I love your messy hair, even though I've always complained about it. It's beginning to grow on me."
"I hate that you won't even try to let me into your life. I'm not that bad of a guy, I've never been that bad of a guy. Annoying, sure. But I was always there for my friends when they needed me. "
"I love how you make everything so easy. You don't even try and yet you're one of the top students in our grade."
"I hate that I love you. You always seem to have me under some kind of fair, and I find it unfair because you won't even give me the time of day."
"Why do you feel like that?" Lily was taken aback at his answer. She had never seen this side of James before.
"Lily, you've done everything humanly possible that could crush me and hurt me. And believe me, it hurt like a bitch, but I just can't let you go. I just can't move on. It's unfair you have this spell on me. I don't know what I'm missing. I always have this feeling you're the one but what if you're not?" James said as he avoided the intense look from her green eyes.
"But things have changed between us James, we're not the same. People grow, people change. People learn from their past. Just like I've learned from mine."
"What do you mean? What could you have possibly learned from your past? You're Miss. Perfect, you never do anything wrong." James asked, he didn't understand.
"I'm nowhere near to perfect James. I've learned that people aren't always the same. Sometimes they change for the better. Sometimes for the worst, sometimes you have to learn to trust others. Let people into your life. Let go a little." Lily said trying to hint at everything James had said. "I've learned that I can only do so much. Whatever I can do, I will. But I'm nowhere near perfection. And that's the way I like it now. I always thought I had to be perfect, but now I know, I don't."
"You learned to back down, break away, let go, have fun? Instead of what the rest of us are working towards, you decide to work backwards? " James said still not understanding the words that Head Girl, Lily Evans, was saying.
"Yes. Exactly. I do believe I have one more statement to make." Lily said ready to express the feeling she's hidden for so long.
"And what might that be?" James said wondering if this could be the moment he'd been waiting for since the day he met the fiery red head on the Hogwarts Express six years ago.
"Like I said, People grow and people change. Sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worst, but you, James Potter has changed. For the better, and so have I." Lily said trying to build up the tension for the great moment, "James, my last statement is, I love: You." Lily said as she closed her eyes scared of his reaction.
"Do you really mean that?" James asked shocked at her answer.
"Yes." Lily said, "You've changed, and I've noticed. And I've learned a lot from watching you Marauders live your crazy carefree lives yet still fit everything in. I learned people would like me for being me and I don't have to be someone I'm not. I've learned to accept the fact that you've grown up and I've learned to accept the fact that I've had feelings for you since the beginning of the year. Because we all change, that is inevitable."
"Inevitable huh?" James said wishing he could pinch himself to find out if this was a dream or reality.
"It's inevitable to stop someone from learning life lessons. It's inevitable to fall in love, even if that person was your worst enemy."
"Prove it." James breathed as he stepped closer to Lily taking in her scent of fruits from her shampoo.
"James, falling for you was inevitable. Unplanned, shocking, confusing, and one of the best things that helped me grow." Lily said as she too took another step closer to James, their faces only inches apart. "And what I'm about to do now, is inevitable…" Lily whispered into James' ear and kissed him gently on the lips yet the kiss was full of care and passion. It wasn't rushed or forced but a genuine kiss.
When they finally pulled apart James whispered, "Inevitable," as he pulled Lily into an embrace and held her close.
A/N: My first oneshot with Lily and James. So it might not be the best. I'm sorry because I'm normally not very good at thinking of oneshots but I gave it a try and it'd be great to find out what your opinions are. R&R Please, it makes me happy. It also drives me to want to write more. Well, Ta-Ta!