A/N: Hello readers. Welcome to my first Jily fanfiction! They are my ultimate OTP and I have read so many stories of how they fell in love. This is my first attempt at writing one, though. I hope you like it!

August 1st, 1977

Evans Household, Cokeworth

"Lily, an owl arrived for you!" called Rose Evans, a warm-looking woman in her mid fifties. She had auburn, chin-length hair with sparkling brown eyes. Those eyes twinkled as her younger daughter walked into the kitchen.

"It feels a bit heavier than usual. Perhaps that Head Girl badge you've always wanted has arrived?" she teased.

"Mum! You're making me nervous," Lily said, flushed with excitement. She looked a lot like her mother, with deep red hair, the color of strawberries. Her hair fell down to her shoulder blades. Her eyes were inherited from her dad, emerald colored almond eyes. Lily had always loved her eyes, they were unique and special.

Lily took the envelope from her mother, and took a deep breath of anticipation. She opened it up, and out fell the long awaited badge.

She was Head Girl. Her. Lily Evans. Lily had known that she would be a candidate for the accolade, but she didn't think she would be good enough. Although Lily had good grades, top of her class in Charms, Arithmancy, and Potions, she had to work hard to maintain them. Unlike some of her classmates, Lily thought with disgust of Potter and his friend Black, brilliance did not come naturally to her. It seemed her hard work had paid off, though. Lily did think that she deserved the position, and not out of arrogance. She was one of the hardest workers in the school, and everyone recognized and respected that. Except, Lily thought, again of Potter.

Amidst her mother's squeals, Lily examined her badge. It was a lot like her old prefect's badge, but slightly larger and had the letters HG on them instead of a P. She took out the papers in her envelope, skimmed the book list for her 7th year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and perused the long list of duties she would have to perform as Head Girl.

Lily grinned at her mother and waved her letter around.

"I'm going to write to my friends and tell them the great news!" Lily said joyously. She raced upstairs to her small bedroom. The walls were light pink, as she had never redecorated her room since the summer before her 1st year at Hogwarts. It was a memory of her childhood before she knew of the whole world of magic.

Lily sat down at her desk and pulled out a few sheets of parchment, a bottle of ink, and a feathered quill.

Dear Marlene,

Guess what? I've been made Head Girl! Can you believe it? I just got my book list today. Do you want to meet at Diagon Alley soon so we can buy our books? How's France been? See you soon.

With love,

Lily.

She wrote something along those lines to her other friends, Alice Prewett and Dorcas Meadowes. Lily vaguely wondered who the Head Boy would be. Probably Remus, she decided. He was the best student and prefect of their year for the boys. Lily frowned, wondering if his lycanthropy may deter Dumbledore from appointing him Head Boy.

Oh well. I guess I'll see come August 31st.

August 31st, 1977

Hogwarts Express, Platform 9³/₄

King's Cross Station, London

Lily emerged from the other side of the brick wall with her eyes shut. No matter how many times she went through it, Lily always half expected the wall to be solid. She opened her eyes to the thick smoke coming from the scarlet train's engine, permeating the air and making it difficult for Lily to see more than ten feet in front of her.

The platform was noisy with the shouts of students to their friends who they hadn't seen all summer. Lily made her way towards the back of the platform, where it was less crowded. She then contemplated her next challenge: loading her trunk onto the train.

Usually, there was a few "Buff Trunk Lifters" around, as Lily liked to call the 5th, 6th, and 7th year guys who would always help load trunks onto the train. As she looked around, there were none near her.

Lily sighed and eyed her trunk.

"All right, Evans, don't be a wimp. Let's do this!" she urged herself.

"You know, talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity," a deep voice said behind her. Lily whipped around, and almost tripped over her trunk in the process. She immediately blushed a rosy red. Curse those redhead genes!

"How was your summer, Lily?" asked James Potter, easily lifting her trunk into the storage compartment. Of course, he would be the one to witness her weakness. What a stupid, scrawny ponce.

Even as she thought the words, Lily knew she was failing in fooling herself. James Potter was far from stupid. He was top of their class in all the subjects Lily was not: Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and History of Magic. She also knew that he was not the scrawny boy he had been in third year. The opposite, in fact.

James Potter was now a handsome man, not that Lily Evans would ever admit it. He was a head taller than her, and quite broad as well. His messy black hair was one thing that had never changed since their first year, however. His hazel eyes twinkled as he stared down at Lily.

"Er, Lily? I asked how your summer was?" he asked again, uncertainly.

Lily cleared her throat, aware that she had been staring at James, no, Potter, for longer than necessary.

"You called me Lily," she said stupidly. Smooth, Evans, real smooth.

"Yeah," Potter said, looking awkward. "I guess I was hoping that, er, we could maybe start over this year. You know, as friends. Or acquaintances," he amended quickly, taking note of the look on Lily's face.

FRIENDS? Where had this git been for the last six years? They had always fought with petty arguments as well as jinxes. There was the time he turned her hair blue in retaliation for her charming his textbooks to bite his fingers, the time she transfigured his hands into tentacles, the time he had asked her out in 6 feet tall letters during dinner in the Great Hall, the list went on and on. And now, this idiot wanted to be friends?

"Potter," she said, firing up, "I don't know where you got the idea that we could ever be something other than enemies, but let me make this clear. I will never, ever, be friends with you."

With that, she stormed away from James, entering the train and disappearing down the corridor.

James stood, looking lost, on the platform. There was a glimmer in the air next to him and his best friends Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew appeared.

"Tough luck, mate," Sirius said, clapping James on the shoulder.

"I don't understand. What did I do wrong?" James asked pleadingly, looking at Remus for answers.

"Maybe you took it a bit fast," Remus said. "She did hate your guts for the last six years, you know. After that prank you pulled on Lily on the last day of 6th year, asking her to be friends the next time you saw her might not be a great idea."

James sighed, "Guess I'll try again later."

He entered the train with his mates, his mind still filled with thoughts of one special red-headed girl.

"Lily! I haven't seen you in such a long time!" gushed Alice Prewett, one of Lily's close friends and fellow Gryffindor, as Lily slid open the compartment door in a huff. She enveloped Lily in a hug.

"Alice, we saw each other two weeks ago in Diagon Alley," chuckled Lily, forgetting her annoyance at Potter in reuniting with her friends.

"Oh, I know. But how can you expect me to live without you?" Alice joked.

Lily sat down in the compartment with her three best friends: Marlene McKinnon, Alice Prewett, and Dorcas Meadowes.

Alice was a couple inches shorter than Lily, with light blonde hair that curled to her shoulders, a round face, and brown eyes. She was the sweetest one of them all. Alice could be found helping first years find their classrooms and making friends with everyone. Whenever one of them needed a shoulder to cry on, they always went to Alice.

Marlene was the most girly out of all of them. Most of the male population at Hogwarts adored Marlene's long brown hair that swished when she walked and her dark, thoughtful eyes. However, there was only one bloke for Marlene. She had set her eyes on Sirius ever since fourth year, yet he never returned her affections. Marlene was very clever, but she only applied herself when she wanted to. Lily always vented to Marlene about her guy problems, which usually surrounded James Potter. She was always understanding and loyal.

The last of Lily's close friends and resident of their dorm, Dorcas Meadowes, was the social butterfly of their group. She played on the Gryffindor Quidditch team as a Chaser, and got along with James very well. She was constantly telling Lily to give James a chance, but Lily never listened. Dorcas had wavy blonde hair that fell to her shoulder blades, and sea blue eyes. She was very athletic, and went running every morning to be "in shape" for Quidditch season. Lily called it torture.

"How are all of you?" she asked.

"Amazing. Did you know, Benjy Fenwick asked me out?" Dorcas chattered. Lily rolled her eyes.

"Cass, you told us a hundred times since he asked you," Lily said.

"I know, but he's just the cutest Ravenclaw ever," Dorcas said, sighing in happiness.

Lily made a face at Marlene who giggled.

"Lily, shouldn't you be going to the prefects' meeting? After all, you're the Head Girl," Alice chided.

Lily gasped and glanced at her watch. "It's already half past eleven! I've got fifteen minutes to prepare for the meeting... I'll see you guys later."

She rushed out of the compartment and dashed all the way to the other end of the train to the prefect's compartment. She skidded to a stop and tucked her hair behind her ears, straightened out her green blouse, and entered the compartment.

A/N: So, what did you guys think? I know it's kind of short; I'll try to make them longer next time. If you guys are wondering what the Marauders and Lily's friends look like, just shoot me a PM and I'll tell you who I think they look like. Anyways, please favorite and reviews would be much appreciated! *hint hint*

xo, Emmy