The early darkness that the storm brought didn't deter Lily Evans from venturing outside. Nor did the fact that it was early November near Scotland. She just didn't care at that moment. She just needed to get outside, to clear her head. She didn't worry about onlookers as everyone else was either in the Great Hall having dinner or in their prospective common rooms. She had only been outside for a couple of minutes before she was soaked through, but again, she didn't care. She lifted her face up to the sky and closed her eyes to let the rain assault her pale face from above. Lily felt her tears blend in with the rain as she thought about why she was crying in it.
James Potter, the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain, fellow Head opposite herself and the most annoying person she knew, followed incredibly closely by his best friend, Sirius Black. Ever since she had had to work with the person who had irritated her from her first moment at Hogwarts, she had gotten to warm up to him. He seemed to have really grown up that year – he wasn't hexing people for the fun of it and he was being responsible – and that impressed Lily. She was amazed at how well and quickly he had adapted to being Head Boy, despite not being a Prefect beforehand. His ability to take charge in a situation and be firm but fair to other trouble makers convinced her that he definitely deserved his position. Of course, with his popularity, he got plenty of interest from other girls. James had spent the entire fourth, fifth and sixth year professing his love for Lily, but after a stern conversation (or rather, an incredibly loud shouting match), James had moved on and was now dating the most popular girl in school, Claudia Rena, a busty seventh year Hufflepuff with more blonde hair than brains, and Lily was sure she was only using James to gain more male attention.
The heavy rain washed away her tears and darkened her normally vibrant red hair. Lily opened her eyes and stared at black sky. She had unwillingly done what she had promised herself would never happen. She had fallen in love with him. He had really grown up. His smile and his joking eyes were forever in her mind. Even with all his responsibilities, he was on top of his school work, whereas Lily had nearly broke down with the amount of pressure she had. He was on top of everything and Lily admired him for it. After all those years, she wanted him as well, and she couldn't have him. She had missed her chance.
After performing a simple drying and warming charm on her robes, Lily went down to the Great Hall where her friends were waiting for her. Though she had removed any evidence that she was outside crying in the rain, she see felt like every eye was on her as she walked toward her friends at the Gryffindor table.
"Are you all right, Lily?" Sarah Cooper asked as Lily sat morosely at the table, a deep look of concern in her pale grey eyes.
Lily looked back at her friend and nodded. "I'm fine, don't worry." She began to fill her plate with food before more questions could arise.
"We're your friends, we have to worry. It's in the job description." Lila Dunbridge's dark blue eyes glinted with humour as she chuckled at her joke, making her brunette curls dance at her shoulders.
"It's Potter, isn't it?" Sarah asked, her blonde eyebrows raised sympathetically.
Lily looked down the table but instantly regretted it. Just seven spaces to the right of her was James, laughing with his friends (who dubbed themselves "The Marauders" in first year) and Claudia's arms wrapped possessively around his shoulders. Her heart ached so badly at the sight that she looked away quickly.
"No," she lied lamely.
Her friends looked at each other sadly. Simultaneously, they stood up and walked to Lily's side. Lila took Lily's arm and Sarah led the way out of the Great Hall, her long blonde hair swinging graciously behind her back.
"Come on," Lila said gently, coaxing Lily out of the chair. "We all know what you need and at the moment, they're not serving it."
Lily nodded and walked glumly behind Lila out of the Hall and towards the Gryffindor tower.
Patrol came too quickly after that, but her Head Girl duties were more important than her moping over James with a large dose of Honeydukes sweets and Chocolate Frogs. She walked silently through the common room and prepared to wait for James outside in the corridor. She didn't have to wait for long though, as James was coming down the corridor with Claudia hanging off of his arm. Stupid, airhead bimbo! Lily thought, and surprised herself by doing so. She never thought bad about Claudia before; she had no reason to. James spotted her from down the hall and gave her a small wave. Lily smiled and waved back, trying to ignore the big-boobed monkey that thought he was a tree.
"Hey, Lily. Ready to patrol?" James asked as he trotted up beside her when Claudia walked back to her common room by the kitchens.
"Don't you know it!" Lily plastered on a fake smile and began the walk around the school.
She remembered the time during the train ride to Hogwarts that September how much she dreaded spending alone time with James. Now it was the highlight of her miserable lonely days.
They walked in companionable silence before either one of them spoke.
"So, how have you been?" Lily asked, proving to herself that she was a true Gryffindor.
"I've-I've been fine, I guess." Lily could sense there was something more to that statement.
"But . . ." she lead.
James sighed. "But Claudia has been acting really strangely for the past couple of weeks. Like, she doesn't even want me anymore, you know?" James looked at Lily pleadingly for an answer.
"Oh, I know how you feel." Lily sighed and patted his shoulder. She felt the tension in it and quickly changed the topic. "Quidditch going any better? I remember you said you were having some problems with the team."
This worked exactly how Lily imagined. James leaped into a long rant about his team and all Lily could do was watch him. She admired how he was so passionate about something that he would take a million tries just to perfect it. As he talked, Lily couldn't help but be mesmerized by him. James was talking about how the other Chasers on his team were just clowning around and how hard it was for him not to grab a Beater's bat and knock over the head with it but Lily could tell his heart wasn't entirely in it. His dark hazel eyes were guarded and his smile was mostly put on.
"Surely Sirius wouldn't mind helping you knock some sense into them?" she asked, desperate to see a real smile on his face.
"Oh, sure." James laughed at the idea that his best friend would be serious around girls. "He would just flirt with them and they would be even more distracted."
Lily giggled as well. "Sorry, didn't really think that one through."
They continued to joke as they inspected hallways and broom closets. It wasn't until they got near the library when they hit trouble. Severus Snape, Lily's ex-best friend and despised Slytherin, was loitering in the corridor with two other Slytherins. He had turned around when he heard James and Lily approach and an ugly expression crept up on his oily face.
"Well, if it isn't the Head Boy and Girl," Snape sneered, the light bouncing unseemly off of his hooked nose and greasy black hair.
"Snape, you and the others have to go back to your common room now. It's past curfew. Leave now and I won't dock any points," Lily ordered.
"I'm not going to take orders from a filthy Mudblood," Snape hissed and the two other Slytherins barked with laughter at the notion.
James' hands clenched at the word "Mudblood" and he raised his wand before any second thought. "Apologize right now, Snivellus!" James' anger was plain on his face.
Snape and the other Slytherins cackled at James and Lily had had enough. She put a hand on James' arm as she whipped out her wand.
"Silencio," Lily muttered. Their laughter ceased immediately and they looked around, confused.
"Now, go back to your common room. Ten points from Slytherin for being out after curfew." Snape's eyes narrowed at Lily.
"Each," amended James, seeing the glare.
They sulked back and mouthed profanities at the Heads in silence.
The Heads' patrol was almost over when Lily heard a small giggle coming from a broom closet by the statue of Gregory the Smarmy. Lily looked over at James and saw that he was smirking, most likely thinking Sirius was in there. The giggle became louder as they had gotten nearer and James' eyebrows furrowed. They both crept closer until they heard a high pitched girlish voice.
"Oh, Jarred, this is bad," Claudia giggled again and James stopped dead.
Lily saw him freeze and saw the hurt and betrayal burn his eyes. He took a tentative step towards the cupboard before Lily put a restraining arm in front of him.
"Let McGonagall or Filch get them," she said, locking her emerald eyes with his hazel ones. "Come on." She tugged gently at the arm of his robe.
James hesitated at first but soon gave up and let Lily lead him to the Gryffindor tower. Lily sneaked glances at him and saw his dejected look on his face. With just that one look, Lily could tell that man she had fallen in love with had a broken heart. She felt her own heart go out to him.
"Hey," Lily said, halting in front of the Fat Lady. "I'm sorry."
James looked at Lily confused. "What would you be sorry for? You're not the idiot who believed his girlfriend when she said she wasn't cheating." His anger crept into his usually calm eyes, his hurt showing quite plainly on his handsome features.
"Don't punish yourself for what she did to you!" Lily used a little more disdain than usual when she mentioned Claudia but tried to disguise it. "Your friends will help you through this, James." Lily smiled back up at him.
"Thanks, Lily," James whispered, smiling slightly.
James drew her into close hug and their cheeks brushed. Lily's heart fluttered and a small blush made its appearance. She smiled as they broke apart and turned to face the Fat Lady. James spoke the password and they entered. He went straight to his friends to tell them what had happened and she went to her friends by the windows. They were already talking about Quidditch and Christmas, so Lily was free to look out of the window without explanation. The rain from earlier had lightened but was still going strong. She leant her forehead on the window and closed her eyes. Listening to the rain, she once again thought about James and her heart throbbed with his pain.
Two days after Lily and James discovered Claudia cheating, Lily was stuck working with her in Potions. They were reviewing the Strengthening Solution for their N.E. and Lily and Claudia were stuck working together. Lily had done most of the work and Claudia was just fiddling with the ends of her peroxide blonde hair, only pretending to do work when Professor Slughorn walked passed. Just as Lily was about to put in the final ingredient, Claudia held out a hand and stopped her.
"What?" Lily said through gritted teeth, still furious with Claudia for hurting James.
"Why are you adding that, Laura?" she asked innocently.
"It's Lily," she growled, saying it for the umpteenth time that lesson. "And I'm adding it so the potion will work and not kill the drinker."
"But if you add it, won't it change colour?" Claudia seemed serious about that question.
"Yes, what's your point?"
"It's a pretty colour already," Claudia said, waving her hand over the purple solution. "There's no need to change it."
Suppressing her humongous urge to slap her in the face, Lily just glared at Claudia and, without breaking eye contact, dropped the ginger root into the potion. Claudia gasped as if Lily had personally wounded her and turned her back on her. Good, Lily thought, Maybe she'll shut up now.
A week later, the break up between Claudia and James was official. No one but the Marauders, Lily, Claudia and Jarred Jones knew the reason, but the rumour mill wouldn't let a little thing like the truth stop them. James had tried his best to ignore it, but he couldn't help but let a few get under his skin. It was a Saturday when Lily had had enough of James' sad mood and needed to get away from everything. December was just around the corner and so was the Winter Break. Everything was piling up and all Lily wanted was some peace. It was once again raining but there was also some snow mixed in with it. Everyone else was still in Hogsmeade doing their Christmas shopping, but Lily just wanted to be on her own for a while. She had gone there that morning with Sarah, Lila, Alice Hensher, her long-time boyfriend Frank Longbottom and the Marauders. She had enjoyed it for a bit but she felt uncomfortable and made her excuse to go back, saying she had homework to finish.
As she entered the empty common room, she breathed a sigh of relief that it was just for her and James. She just needed a place to be alone and to admit her feelings to the rain once more. It had become a ritual to her ever since she first admitted it to herself. She smiled sadly as tears escaped down her cheek, making her gaze glassy. In her thoughts, of course, was James Potter. The boy who had decided to make it his mission to ask her out every chance he got in fifth and sixth year. The boy who had somehow become a man over the summer and fill his Head Boy position better than expected. The fire was roaring greatly in the hearth and filled the room with warmth as she sat by the window. All her life, Lily imagined what her first love would be like. In her mind, she saw a man who refused to give up on her, protect her and love her for who she was, and likewise to him. She should've known that Hogwarts would change everything for her. She sighed as the rain attacked the glass and she pulled her legs under her. Lily heard the portrait open and guessed that James must be back from Hogsmeade. Lily wiped her eyes and glanced over to the burgundy sofa in front of the fire to see a mop of messy black hair over the back of it.
"Back so soon?" Lily asked, hoping her voice didn't give away the fact she had just been crying over him.
"Yeah, Lila was moaning about the rain ruining her hair, so I left to get away from it." He looked over the back of the sofa and smiled. "Should've done what you did and left before that."
Lily chuckled and looked back out the window. A comfortable silence fell on them as they sat and stared, James at the fire and Lily at the rain.
"Hey," James said softly and Lily whipped her head around to see him looking at her again from the sofa. "why don't you come over here? It's got to be warmer here than by the window."
Lily nodded slightly and climbed slowly off of the window seat, blushing somewhat. She sat in front of the fire on the floor by James' legs and rested her back of the sofa. Without warning, Lily felt James slide off the sofa and sit next to her on the floor.
"So, are you gonna tell me what's wrong or are you gonna make me tickle it out of you?" James asked while still staring into the fire.
Lily turned her head to face him. "There's nothing wrong."
"So you just felt like watching the rain and producing your own waterworks?" James turned to her and smiled gently.
"Nothing has to be the matter to cry, you know," Lily said, trying – but failing – not to get lost in his eyes.
"Well, crying is the result of a strong emotion, such as love or sadness, so yeah, something has to be the matter." James reached over and placed a lock of her hair behind her ear, resting his hand on her cheek. "I don't like seeing you hurt, Lily," he said in a quiet voice.
"I don't like seeing you hurt either, James," Lily whispered, her lips trembling.
James' hand remained on her cheek and their eyes refused to move away from one another. Lily's hand moved to his unruly, unmanageable jet-black hair and she moved closer. James made no move to stop it and she kept going until, at last, their lips touched. Both Lily and James felt an instant spark when they met and Lily's chest flooded with warmth. Her eyes fluttered closed and revelled in her dream come true. James smiled against her lips and she felt herself do likewise. She felt as if the whole world had stopped and it was just her and James in that moment. James' other arm made it's way around Lily's waist and her hands tightened in his hair. After a minute or so, they broke apart and rested their foreheads on each other. Lily refused to open her eyes, determined to keep themselves glowing with ecstasy for as long as possible.
"I've wanted to do that for so long," Lily admitted, still breathing heavily from the kiss as she reluctantly opened her emerald eyes to gaze into his hazel ones once more.
"I bet I've wanted it longer." James' eyes sparkled with happiness and desire and Lily was pretty sure that hers were a mirror of his.
Lily chuckled and released her grip on his hair, stroking it lightly while staring into his eyes. James moved his hand from her cheek and pulled her into another mind-blowing kiss. Lily felt more love and security in James' kisses than she did her entire life.
"Lily Evans, will you go out with me?" James asked when he pulled back again.
"With kisses like that, how can I say no?" Lily answered and whispered "Yes," just to put his mind at ease.
James broke into huge smile and began kissing her some more.
When their friends returned from Hogsmeade, none of them suspected anything, not with Lily sitting on the sofa and James in an armchair. While they both talked to their individual friends, Lily and James kept sneaking glances at each other and smiling. When their friends finally departed, James went to join Lily on the sofa and picked up where left off. After a while, they just laid on the sofa together. They did nothing, just watching the flames while wrapped up in each other. Lily's head fit perfectly into James' chest and his arms felt so right wrapped around her small body.
"So what changed your mind about me?" James asked while stroking her hair.
Lily pondered for a moment before answering his question. She looked out the window and smiled.
"I don't know. I guess you could blame it on the rain."
She smiled back up at him and kissed him once more, knowing in her heart of hearts that this was where she belonged. She finally had him.
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