Song(s): Promise by Matchbook Romance

Dedication: The prologue is dedicated to my Uncle Joe. It was his young death that gave me the perspective for James' character. He died a little over a year ago, when I wrote this prologue.

Author's Note- So, you have stumbled upon Bittersweet Irony. I hope that this doesn't let you down. At this time, I have up to chapter two already written, and the entire story planned out. It is a short prologue, and as the story progresses, the chapter lengths increase. You can expect chapter one, hopefully, by Monday. However, don't hold it against me because I have midterms and need to study. Again, I hope you enjoy and I would appreciate any reviews/constructive criticism.

And now I present to you,

The Prologue to Bittersweet Irony

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The rain slid down the compartment window slowly, slightly obscuring James' vision to the outside world. Not that it would've helped. He felt lost, like nothing that had and was happening to him was real. He was the star of the movie that was his life, and watching open-mouthed as the terrible turn of plot took place.

"James?" He looked up for the first time in hours. It was Lily, poking her head into the compartment tentatively. She seemed to be debating something in her mind, careful not to say anything that would get him upset. "Erm- How are you doing?"

He shrugged, looking back out the window, waiting for this moment to pass and his movie to continue on to the next dramatic thing.

He didn't even flinch as she sat down next to him, uncertainly taking his hand.

"She wouldn't have wanted you to be moping around..."

"How do you know what the fuck she would've wanted?" He snapped. His temper had been responding quickly lately. "Just- leave me alone."

She wordlessly got up and left the compartment. She leaned against the door for a moment, tears sliding down her cheeks. "Why do I love you…" she muttered, and wiped the tears from her cheeks before going to find her friends.

The first person she came across was Peter Pettigrew. Peter was one of James' best friends; one-fourth of the group called 'Marauders,' named after their knack for causing trouble. However, he wasn't like his three other friends; Peter didn't have natural magical talent, or a charming smile. He had to work for his grades, no matter how bad they were, and watch as his friends went out on dates and hooked up with girls without him. Lily always had and always will have a soft spot for the marauder who never quite fit into the puzzle.

"Lily? You alright?" he asked.

Lily nodded, but at the same time, tears leaked from her eyes, and she let out a sob, running into Peter's arms.

"Don't worry; James is absolutely taken with you. He's just… going through a rough time right now," he said, reading between the lines and guessing what happened.

"I know, I just wish he'd open up to me," she mumbled into his shoulder. He stroked her hair calmingly. "God, I feel like I'm living in an alternate reality. Last year at this time he was chasing me. Now I know how he felt…"

"Feels," Peter corrected her sternly.

"Whatever…"

"So, are you excited for Sirius'?"

Lily looked up, clearly confused. "Sirius' what?"

Peter's eyes grew wide. "Oh, I mean… his new apartment… are you excited to see it? Because I'm sure you will sometime. Not next week though, theirs nothing going on next week…"

Lily slumped against the corridor wall as the train picked up speed around a bend. "Pete, Sirius is having a party, isn't he?"

"What? No!" But his watery eyes told her otherwise.

"James is going to this party, am I correct?"

"Lily, I don't know what you're talking about. I wasn't invited to any parties…"

"Yeah, and neither was I. Thanks for the effort, but you're a terrible lier."

Peter looked at his feet, his hands fidgeting with the sleeves of his robes. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah, 'course I am. I'm just… going to go find Elle…"

"Oh, okay. Make sure to say 'bye before you leave!"

"Yeah, of course."

-Promise by Matchbook Romance-

Lily stood with her trunk by her side, her pillow in her arms. The clouds loomed overhead, threatening to let its raindrops fall. Lily wanted them to. Everything else was falling, why shouldn't they? At the very least it would disguise the tears that threatened to fall down her forgotten cheeks.

"Lily!"

She turned around, clutching her pillow, but a smile breaking on her face. "Hey…" she whispered.

James walked over to her, his hands shoved in his pockets. Lily noticed he avoided looking into her eyes.

"Listen, we need to talk."

Lily looked at him expectantly. No shit, that's why he told her to meet him here. She already knew what it was about. She had heard…

"I'm… leaving. Only for awhile. Sirius' uncle died, remember, and left him all that money. A shit load, actually. He bought a place… Remus and Peter are coming with us…"

"Remus and Peter my ass," Lily mumbled, careful not to let James hear her. She didn't want to get Peter in trouble. "How long will you be there?"

"A bit."

"Alright, maybe I can come-"

"Its kind of a guy thing…"

"A guy thing?" Lily asked skeptically

"Prongs! Lets go, man," they both heard Remus signal to him.

James ran a hand through his hair, and for just a moment looked into Lily's eyes. She saw something flicker through his emotions. Was it regret? Sadness? She couldn't tell… but it was gone a second after it had come.

"W-will you write me?" She stammered out, pleading with her lip to stop quivering. She didn't know what all of this meant, but she knew it wasn't good, and felt a familiar barrier begin to form.

"I don't know," James said, again not looking at her.

"You don't know? James I'm your fucking girlfriend!"

James just shrugged and ran his hand through his hair again. The heavens had opened up and the rain had finally fallen. Just in time.

"Are we… breaking up?" She asked, tentatively.

"You could call it that. Just for awhile at least."

"Well how long is that?" Lily's voice was clogged with the tears that were stinging her eyes. They were hot tears, burning her as they rolled down her cheeks.

"I don't know."

"God damnit James, what do you know?"

"That… I can't be here anymore. That I need some time. To morn, to forget, I… don't know. I just need some time."

"Potter! Are you coming or not?" Sirius' voice screamed from a cab off to the side of the road.

He looked to Lily and for a brief second kissed her cheek. "Take care of yourself, love."

James didn't mean to blame Lily for his mother's death. They were out on a date. Sure, Lily had insisted on it being in a muggle movie theatre, but there was no way that she could have known what was going to happen that night. If they had stayed at James' house like he wanted, he would've been able to at least try to help his mom.

He didn't outright blame her for Voldemort's murder, but for weeks he felt a squirm of anger when he looked at her. He could no longer look into those deep emerald eyes, the ones that made him fall so deeply for her. He hadn't looked anyone in the eye since his mom's death. He never wanted to see any more eyes except hers. James missed her eyes every second of every day. The beautiful hazel eyes that they so dearly shared.

But he shouldn't blame Lily for all of that. He knew he shouldn't. Nor should he blame her for not knowing the wonderful Mrs. Potter as he had before she passed. He didn't blame anyone but himself. He should've been there… to protect her.

He shouldn't have agreed with going to the movie theatre, where he couldn't be reached, when killings like that happened all the time. He should've treated Lily with more respect. He should've done so much more that year to keep their love from falling. He should've done so many things… but instead he was left doing nothing but watching his god damned life unfold around him.