"Just tell him Lils! I know he's gonna feel the same way. That boy has loved you since 2nd year!" Alice begged her friend. "That boy" in question was none other than one James Potter. Lily had started to like him sometimes around November that year.
"No Alice, he won't. He doesn't like me anymore, I already told you. He's stopped asking me out, flirting with me, declaring his undying love to me, and he went out with some girl from Ravenclaw just last week." Lily's pain was clear just from her tone of voice. "I told you, I had my chance, and I lost it. There's nothing I can do about it now."
"Fine." Alice sighed. "I'll let It go for now. But believe me Evans, this conversation isn't over!"
"Yeah, I bet it isn't." Lily muttered under her breath. Alice had been trying to get her to tell James for 3 weeks now, and there was absolutely no way that she was going to let go of it.
Later that night, Alice and Lily were finishing up their potions essay in the common room. It was nearing midnight, and the common room was deserted aside from a sleeping James in his favorite armchair in front of the fire. Lily's face softened as she looked over at him. His face looked so much younger-but still not exactly innocent- as he slept. Lily doubted anything could get James to look innocent.
"Lillllyyy," Alice said sweetly, "Could I take one tiny peak at your potions essay? You know I'm no good at it."
"Lily," Lily mocked her, "Can I please just cheat on the potions essay? I'm too lazy to do it myself."
Alice rolled her eyes, but dropped it. Stretching her arms, she yawned, and looked around the common room.
"Hey Lily, there's James over there. Here's your chance. Just tell him how you feel! Besides, he's sleeping, how hard can it be just to get the words out? It's not like he'll know that you told him anything." Alice told her. "Come on, I'll even go upstairs so you don't have an audience!"
"If I do it just this once, will you please let go of it?" Lily sighed. Alice nodded eagerly. "Fine" Lily sighed. She began walking over to the armchair, and Alice walked upstairs to the girl's dormitory, but Lily hesitated when she got right up to the chair. What if she woke him up? What if he heard her? But she promised Alice. Lily sighed. Here goes nothing.
"Um…there's something that I've wanted to tell you for a long time…but I couldn't get myself to do it." Lily began. Taking a deep breath, she went on. "This year we've gotten closer James. And I've gotten to know you…and I realized I liked who I've gotten to know. Everything I learn about you makes me like you more. I know that you care about your friends more than you let on. I know you tell everyone your favorite color is red for Gryffindor, but it's really green. I know that Halloween is you favorite holiday, because you love the taste of pumpkins. I know that whenever you feel trapped or suffocated you grab your broomstick, and go to fly for hours because it makes you feel free. I know that you hate the taste of toothpaste, so you always sneak down to the kitchens to get food to erase the taste from your mouth before you go to bed. I know that you love to take pictures, because you're scared that someday the people in the pictures will be gone and maybe at least you'll have that to remind you of the past. I know that you always have trouble blurring the line between brave and stupid, but you're so damn afraid of living in the real world and having to become an adult because that means responsibility, and you don't know if you can handle that. I know that ice-cream makes you sick because when you were eight, you ate six bowls in a row, and proceeded to throw up. I know that you would do anything for someone you love." Lily was looking at James, and her eyes were full of awe. "I know that you would never admit it, but you're amazing at drawing, and there's a notebook in your room filled with sketches of things and people you love, so you can always remember them. I know," Tears were now falling down Lily's face, "that you used to like me, but I lost my chance and you don't anymore. And the one thing I know about myself- "Lily finished, "is that I love you, but it doesn't matter anymore, because you don't."
Lily gulped, and tried to stop the tears falling down her face. She started to get up, but found James' hands pulling her back down onto his lap. She looked around at him, and found that he was, in fact, wide awake, and most likely was the whole time, and had heard every word she said.
"I'm-I'm sorry," Lily muttered, and tried to get up, but James' hands wouldn't yield.
"What," James smiled, "I don't get a turn to be all romantic, and confess something to you? Because Lily, "James announced, "I, in fact feel the exact same way about you."
"Don't- don't say that just to make me feel better." Lily said, and tried to get up again. "You're obviously lying. There's nothing special about me, so why should you?"
James looked at her in disbelief. "Lily, everything about you is worth loving. The way you laugh, your smile, the way you never put up with my crap. Because when you're feeling nervous, you play with your hair." Lily's arms immediately fell to her side, and James laughed. "Because you are amazingly blunt, and never lie just to spare my feelings. Because you always stand out in a crowded room. Because of your fiery temper that matches you hair. Because I can tell you anything, and you won't judge me. Because when I need it, your there to hug me and promise everything will be okay, and your voice makes me trust that it will. Because Lily Evans, you stupid, beautiful, breathtaking, intelligent, genuine, captivating, priceless, treasure, your wrong, I DO love you. And I always will. There's nothing you can do to stop it. You're stuck with me."
Lily looked at him, and couldn't doubt what he said when she looked in his eyes. She gave a delighted laugh, and leant down to kiss him. When they broke apart, James spoke.
"So, Lily Evans, I have one thing to ask you. Will you go out with me?"
Lily laughed again, and the feeling felt so good, that she did it again.
"Yes James Potter, you arrogant toerag I will." And she leant down to kiss him again.