Hello! Welcome to my story! Since HBP came out, like everywhere I go, all of the Lily and James fics have stopped posting. I'm sorry if this isn't true some readers, but for some places like mugglenet fanfiction, have decided to give a tribute to HBP and not post for a few days after the book comes out. Under my desperate need for new fanfiction, I have decided to write my own. Please read, Review, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I am J.K. Rowling and am rich beyond reason. Now those of you who believed that, I believe the word Gullible is written on your ceiling. Besides, if I were JKR, would I really be posting on here? No, I would be writing book 7! Oh, all that you do not recognize, I do own, thank you.

Summery: Upon the start of James and Lily's 7th year at Hogwarts, Lily gets a very big surprise. What will James have to do to prove to Lily that he's changed for good? Your usual Lily and James fic, I know, boring. But, hey, it could be good right? Come in and find out!

Chapter 1- A Big Surprise for Lily

It's about 10:45 and we find a 17 year old boy by the name of James Potter pacing up and down a very luxurious compartment with very nice benches and just about every wizard candy and food you can think of. The reason? To his and his friends' great surprise James Potter was made Head Boy and he was in the Heads' compartment on the school train, the Hogwarts Express.

"What if she still thinks I'm a prat?"

"Of course she's going to think that I'm still a prat, she'll probably think that I paid for the Head Boy badge."

"Well all I have to do is just-what did Remus say? Oh, that's right, not ask her out and stop ruffling my hair. How am I going to do that? She makes me nervous."

"Well just chill out, then you won't have that problem will you?"

"How can I? Every time I'm around her I feel I need to impress her."

"Well clearly trying to impress her isn't working."

"What else can I do? I don't think I just like her anymore. I think I love her."

"Be that as it may be, this year is your final chance, if you miss this year, you may never be able to see her again"

"I didn't think about that before. What am I going to do with out her?"

"That's my point. You have to get her this year or that's it."

"Show her that you aren't just some player. Don't go out with anyone for the first 2 months. Don't ask her out, what ever you do. Try not to ruffle your hair. Most importantly, don't curse Snape."

"WHAT?"

"You know what I said. Don't curse Snape."

"How the bloody hell am I going to do that?"

"Self-control, it's not like you could anyway with your position as Head Boy."

"I didn't think about that."

"Of course you didn't. Oh when she gets here, make sure you call her Lily. But for the time being, call her Evans until you get her to agree to call each other by your first names which you will ask her after the meeting."

Suddenly the compartment door opened and who else but Lily Evans and her long red hair stepped into the compartment.

"Potter, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, hello Evans, have a nice summer?"

"You didn't answer my question. What are you doing here?"

"I'm Head Boy. But never mind that now, we have to get the final details in order because the meeting starts in 10 minutes."

Lily was surprised how well James was taking his new responsibility. "Fine, we'll get the details in order and then after that we can get down to how you got the Head Boy badge."

"Alright, I have never been to a prefect meeting in my life and now I have to conduct one so I need you to explain to me what we need to do. I got what Remus told me about that we have to assign a prefect or two to patrol the train, and I was thinking if we don't have any volunteers that maybe we should do it, I mean it certainly wouldn't be right if we just took people away from their friends just to patrol the train, I mean they already might have plains. He also told me that they can deduct house points and then our letter told me that I could add a few points to a house if I saw a student do something of good character in the corridor and the teachers didn't see it. I was also told that we can assign detentions and now the only thing that I don't know is about the meetings"

"Potter your rambling."

James blushed.

"But what Remus told you was all correct. That's a good idea to patrol the train ourselves. It will give us a chance to talk on how you go that badge and how you seemed to know that I was Head Girl."

"Alright, but lets just ask just in case." James said.

"You know I think that's a good idea. To think, I'm agreeing with you Potter. What would the school say if they knew about that?" And they both let out a laugh.

About 5 minutes later, the train gave a jolt and started to move.

"I guess we better be getting ready then." Lily spoke. "I'm not sure if Remus told you, but there are two compartments that we need to go to. They're right next door so I guess we should go in there then."

"Yeah," said James, "guess we should." And the two left the compartment together.

"Hello everyone, as some of you may know my name is Lily Evans and I am this year's Head Girl." Lily said.

"And I am James Potter, I was not a prefect, but I am this year's Head Boy." James said getting some giggles from some of the girls.

"As all returning prefects know you are to patrol the corridors at night, we will get a schedule out to you by your head of house. Usually we have a meeting once a month, but on occasion we will call a prefects meeting twice a month. Here are your passwords to your common rooms" said Lily handing a strip of parchment to everyone, "and the password to the prefects' bath is Gillywater. I don't want to sound like a teacher or anything, but now that you are a prefect you need to set an example for your other students. Potter, would you like to add anything?"

"Um…not really, but would anyone like to patrol the corridor here on the train?" James asked awkwardly. When no response but a few giggles from a few girls came, he said "If Evans has nothing else to say, then we are dismissed."

After the meeting in the second compartment, everyone heading to another compartment left, Lily and James started walking up and down the corridor and started chatting casually. "You did very well back there Potter." Lily said hoping this wouldn't trigger his previously large head.

"Thank You, Evans." James said. "Can I ask you a question?"

Lily afraid what the question would be, but decided before getting mad, she would let him as. "Sure, I guess"

"I figured that since we will be working together we should be friends, or if not friends, at least on a first name basis. What do you say, I know I've been a prat in the past, but can we be friends?"

Lily stunned because the question, Will you go out with me didn't come out of his mouth stuttered, "S-sure, we can be friends."

James smiled and said "I'm glad Lily."

Lily amazed at a feeling inside of her said, "The feeling's mutual James"

James and Lily kept looking at each other when a familiar voice said behind them, "Well I'd never think I'd see the day where you to would have a civil conversation."

"Go away Sirius." James said.

"No thanks, I don't feel like it." Sirius said grinning, "Besides, Lily Evans and James Potter are getting along and addressing each other by their first names. Who wouldn't want to witness that!"

"Don't you have Katie to be getting to Sirius?" James asked in desperate need for Sirius to leave so he could be alone with Lily.

"Was that her name? Then I guess I better be getting to her then. See you at the feast." Sirius said and walked off.

"I have no words for him." Lily said after a moment of silence.

"Nor do I, and he's my best friend. He lives with my family you see, he's had a bit of trouble with his family."

"I figured, the way Regulas treats him, and he's in Gryffindor and not Slytheren like the rest of the Black family."

"Yeah, please don't mention that though, he's a little sensitive about that."

"Alright, my lips are sealed."

"Thanks." James said and smiled.

"Lily!" A voice called out from a compartment.

"James, that's my friends, I think as long as nobody causes any trouble, I think we can stop now."

"Sure, that sounds fine. See you around Lily."

"Bye James"

"Lily what was that all about?" asked Amanda curiously.

"Nothing" Lily said thinking about James.

"It had to be more then nothing" said Zoë the one in the group that was the most boy-crazy of all, "you're happy and smiling and were just patrolling the corridor with the one and only James Potter who we all know likes you."

"It really is nothing." Lily said.

"Sure, last time I checked you hated James, now you were talking like good friends, and from what I saw a little flirting." Lizzy said with a finalizing tone.

"Well you mine as well know that James is Head Boy, so we just decided that we might as well be friends if we were going to work together all this year, and share a common room."

"You've shared a common room with him for 6 years already, that's no big deal." Said Zoë

"Not just the two of us." Lily pointed out. "Head students get their own dormitories and share a common room for the two of them."

"Well that's a point, but has your hatred changed?"

Lily blushed, "Yes"

"Lily your blushing" said Lizzy who was the quietest of them all.

"It's just my red hair." Lily said. "James changed over the summer, at least he seemed that way. Now he could be a good friend."

"That's James for you." Amanda said who practically grew up with James, being his cousin.

"Really?" Lizzy asked pressing for answers.

"Yes," said Amanda, "what Lily needed was to see James with out his friends and schoolmates. They make him feel pressured."

"And how exactly did you find this out?" asked Lizzy again.

"Duh, I practically grew up with him, and I see him at all family events. Let me tell you, he really likes you, Lily. I find it cute to see him all concerned over you during breaks. Especially with Voldemort at power, attacking muggle and muggle-born homes."

Nobody noticed Lily's reaction to these words, however, because all of a sudden there was a bang outside in the corridor.

Lily rolled her eyes and said, "I'll be right back."

To Lily's surprise, James already had a handle on the situation.

"Hi Lily," He said, "You can go back to your friends, don't worry it was just a few fireworks set off by a 6th year."

"Alright," Lily said hesitantly. "If you're sure there won't be any more trouble." She didn't know why, but she was hoping he asked her to stay.

"Actually," James said after she turned around, "would you mind if we patrolled the train. At least for a little bit so we know nothing else will go off."

Lily smiled slightly, although she had her stomach doing flip-flops. "Sure, just a second, I have to tell my friends where I'm going."

"Of course" James said with a shy smile.

"Hey, I'm going to patrol the corridor with James, a 6th year decided they were going to set off some fireworks so I think it's best if we patrol the corridor for at least a little bit, I'll come back in here after we're done." Lily said sticking her head into the doorway compartment she had just walked out of.

"Well it seems to me that our dear Lily just my seem excited about this little stroll with our new Head Boy." Said Zoë teasingly to her friend.

"You wish" Lily said, although inside, she didn't know if that was exactly true.

"I can't like James, I just can't. I mean we just became friends today."

"But you do"

"No I don't. Remember last year? He was a huge prat, who says he's not just trying to make a first day impression"

"Because you can just feel it, this isn't the James that kept trying to impress you. Something happened this summer, something big."

"You're just making excuses. I don't like him. I mean how don't I know that he's just faking it?"

"Because of what Amanda said, she's known him his whole life, she knows the true James. The James you saw today."

"But I still don't like him and he doesn't like me."

"Oh really?" an amused voice in her head asked, " You may be in denial but there still is a spark between you and him, he really likes you, if not loves you"

"Lily?" James asked shaking her out of her thoughts and into reality.

"I'm sorry?"

"I just asked you if you were hungry. We haven't eaten all afternoon and the trolley has pasted everyone already."

"No, not really, my mum made me a big breakfast and we ate really late. I'd just finished eating when we left for the train and the station's about 5 minutes from my house. Thanks for asking though."

"No problem. Alright, I think we can go back to our compartments now. I think that now everyone has seen that we still care if they behave there won't be any more fireworks or dung bombs or anything like that."

"Yeah I agree. I'll see you around James. This was nice."

"It was wasn't it?" James said with the same shy smile from before.

"Have a nice time snogging James?" Amanda asked innocently.

"I did not snog James." Lily said defensively.

"Maybe you didn't but you can't deny you enjoyed you self." Zoë said.

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't, but I'm starving and didn't realize it until now. I'm going to get some food from the Heads' compartment."

"Can you bring us some back?" asked Lizzy. "I wasn't hungry when the trolley came but I am now."

"I was going to anyway." Lily said in response and left the compartment.

"She likes him." Amanda said.

"No kidding. Too bad she's too deep in denial to realize it." Zoë said.

"Oh, she knows." Lizzy said. "She just doesn't want to let anyone else know."

Lily entered the Head's compartment expecting it to be empty, but to her surprise she saw James. What was most unusual about this was that James was alone. She expected him to be with Sirius, Peter, and Remus. But no, here was James alone, crying silently to himself.

"James?" Lily asked gently. "Are you alright?"

"What?" Asked James looking up, "Oh Lily! I didn't see you there." James said turning away to wipe his eyes hoping Lily didn't see the tears.

"James, something's wrong. I can tell."

"It's nothing Lily. You can't tell anyone what you just saw."

Lily startled, and took a minute to say, "James, I don't care if you threaten me not to tell. If you don't want me to tell I won't. I just want to know what's wrong."

James took a second to think and said, "Alright, you mine as well share this with your friends, but just the ones from Gryffindor, I don't want this to be publicized more then it already has. I'm not sure if you read the daily prophet this summer, but at my house, there was an attack."

Lily was stunned. "Oh, James I'm so sorry! What happened?"

James continued. "Well I was away taking my apperation test at the time and my parents were at work. Well, I'm not sure if you know that I have-had" James corrected, "a sister. She was 11 years old and was going to attend Hogwarts this year, but-" here James broke off as if his voice failed him. "But-" he continued, a few days after she got her letter, some death eaters arrived at our manor looking for my mother and father, who are both high ranked aurors. Soon after arriving at the manor they saw that no one was home, they didn't see my sister. Before she could get into the living room, where we keep our floo powder, they saw her. They realized that if they held her hostage they could get my parents to come after her, but after a long struggle, they realized that they wouldn't be able to stun her or anything. So they sent the killing curse at her." At this point, James could talk no longer and burst into a fresh set of tears.

All Lily could do for the first minute or so was to gasp in surprise. When she finally found her voice again she said. "Oh my gosh James, I'm so sorry. Do you want me to stay with you? Or do you want someone else in here, like Amanda or Sirius?"

"No, no thanks Lily" As she gave him a hug and held on to him tightly. "I'll be ok here thanks."

"If you're sure" Lily said hesitantly. "If you need me, you know where I am. If you don't want to face anyone use my owl."

"Thanks Lily." James said weakly.

"It's no trouble at all. Just hang in there James." Lily said with a look of sadness in her eyes as she got some food and left.

"Lily where have you been?" Lizzy asked as soon as she step inside the compartment.

"James was telling me about his summer." Said Lily meeting Amanda's eye, she understood what this statement meant like Lily knew she would.

After they all ate Lily said, I'm going to go change into my robes, Amanda would you like to change first with me?"

Amanda recognizing the tone in her voice said, "Sure, let me get my robes."

Out in the hall Lily started to talk first. "Amanda, why didn't you tell me? Or Lizzy or Zoë for that matter? It didn't sound like you were going to tell any of us." Lily said, not in a scolding tone, but more of a gentle tone sympathizing her.

"Well I knew if I told anyone they would treat me differently, and that's not how I want to be treated. I mean everyone seems like they are being attacked by Voldemort and his Death Eaters, why should I be any more special then the rest." Amanda explained. "I mean if the subject came up, I would tell you all, but she was my cousin, and even though it was a great loss, some people are loosing siblings and parents everyday. And that, is more important to everyone. Besides, haven't you noticed that James is the type of person that doesn't like to show his weakness? If I had told you, you would want to treat him differently and that would make him start to remember and cry."

"Oh, hun, I'm so sorry, I really didn't mean to make it a big deal. I don't know what I would do if my family was attacked, I'm scared, now that he's getting more and more muggle and muggle-born houses."

"Me too Lils, me too." Amanda said before both of them stepped into a stall to change.

(A/N: That's chapter one for you! I'm posting as I'm writing so I'm not sure how long until I post again. But since it's summer holiday I should be posting a lot. So look out for it! Read and review please! Oh, this is done with out a betta reader so don't blame the bad parts on them because they don't exist. 3 your author)