Hi everyone, and thanks so much to those who read and left a review for my first story! It felt so good that I decided to try something new. So - here it is. If you quys like it, it will be several chapters. If not... then bad for me haha! Oh, and I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Follow your dreams!:)))
"Merlin, Lily. This is enough. Just pull yourself together, get a shower or something and go to bed. We have a bloody exam tomorrow and you need to get some sleep". Mary Macdonald's pretty face was half-worried, half-irritated. Worried, because her best friend Lily Evans had been constantly crying for the past three hours. And irritated, because the person who had made her cry was Severus Snape. Mary detested Severus Snape from all her heart and had no idea why someone would ever cry a single tear for him.
"Anyway, I hope what happened today will finally make you realize something we have all known for almost six years. Severus Snape is a nasty little Death-Eater- to-be and I see no reason for you to ever talk to him again."
"I know you are right, Mary. It's just so hard. I know he has changed and he is not the boy who used to be my best friend. And still I can't believe he said that word to me."
"He did, Lily. And he dares to show up here, I just can't believe it! What did he want anyway? Suppose he begged your forgiveness? Like that will change anything! Tell me you didn't forgive him, Lily, did you?"
"No, Mary, I can't forgive him. It's not only the word. It's the life he chose that I can't accept. I can't be friends with someone who thinks muggleborns are crap."
Lily's beautiful emerald eyes were wet with tears but she tried to smile, because Mary looked really concerned about her.
"Go to bed, Mary. I just want to sit a few minutes here by myself. I'll be fine, I promise."
"Are you sure, Lils?"
"Yes. I'm coming in a while".
Mary hugged her. "I'm always there for you. You know that, right?"
"Of course I do, Mary. You are my best friend. I'm glad I have you".
Mary went upstairs, leaving Lily alone in the empty common room. The fire in the fireplace was slowly dying and the last flames were throwing golden glimmers at her dark red hair. Lily sighed a deep sign. She recalled a hot sunny day almost six years ago, when she and Severus were lying on the warm grass in the forest near her house. And he told her everything about the wizarding world and Hogwarts, and the dementors. And when she asked him: "Is it bad? To be a muggleborn?", he looked into her bright green eyes and said: "No. It is not bad". God, how she missed that boy. Now she had to learn to hate him, because of everything he had become.
She wiped the last tears off her face and stood up from the cozy armchair. And then she realized that she was not alone in the room. Someone has just entered – someone with messy black hair, glasses and the slender built of a quidditch player. Someone she despised deeply from the very first time they met in the Hogwarts Express.
James Potter.
He came to her, а clearly concerned expression on his usually self-confident face.
„Lily! You have been crying, haven't you? What's wrong?"
"Leave me alone, Potter. I'm going to bed." She had no intention of explaining anything. Least of all to James Potter. But the arrogant prat obviously didn't understand a word. He caught her by her arm and asked anxiously:
"It's because of Snape, right. Because of what happened today! I'm going to kill him, I swear, hex that pathetic excuse for a Slytherin into death!"
"It's none of your business, Potter. And besides, it's all your fault." Lily abruptly pulled her hand from his.
"My fault! Are you insane, Lily, how is any of this my bloody fault!" James looked genuinely upset and shocked by her words, but she couldn't care less.
"You didn't leave him alone, Potter. You were insulting him, humiliating him in public. It was horrible of him to call me mudblood", Lily frowned while pronouncing the ugly word, "and I will never forgive him, but it's still your fault."
There were tears in her eyes again but she blinked rapidly and stared at James with a most disgusted stare. He clenched his fists and when he spoke, his voice was full of anger and resentment.
"You keep defending him. He betrayed you, Lily, betrayed your so-called friendship. Why are you still defending him?"
"Because once he was my friend. And I must believe that there is still something good left inside of him. This is what I believe, that there is something good in everyone. There has to be."
James Potter slowly shook his head.
"Yes. This is so damn typical of you, Lily Evans. You see something good in everyone. Except for me". Suddenly Lily saw the pain in his hazel eyes, and then he turned away and hurried to go upstairs, to the dormitories.
Lily was once more alone in the big empty room, even more confused than before. Maybe James Potter was right. Indeed she couldn't stand him. Indeed every time he tried to have a normal conversation with her, he pissed her off and brought out the worst of her. Everybody kept saying that he fancied her, but it only made things even worse. Yes, he was a conceited, arrogant toerag. He was always showing off, he and his oh-so-awesome best friends…The Marauders, as they had named themselves. The most popular, almost worshiped band in Hogwarts. But… they never cared about someone's blood purity. Yes, the Marauders were rebels, pranksters, they often infuriated her with their constant rule-breaking. But three things were absolutely positive about them: they hated Dark Arts, detested pureblood supremacy and betrayal of a friend was something highly unacceptable among them. Sirius Black was known for being the only member of his rich pureblood family ever sorted into Gryffindor. And he always tried to distinguish himself from his relatives. Remus Lupin was a quiet boy, dedicated to his studies, and Lily's fellow Gryffindor prefect. Peter Pettigrew was an insignificant person himself, but he adored his friends and would do anything for them. And then there was James Potter. A brilliant student, yet always ready for a good laugh. Always willing to help those who lacked his talent and abilities… This evening he seemed like he truly cared about her. Maybe – just maybe – she was a little too harsh on him.
"Well, so there is actually something good in James Potter", Lily considered a little later, already huddled in her warm, comfortable bed. It was a strange, yet somehow satisfying conclusion. "The next time he talks to me, I won't yell at him. It may be a refreshing change". Strangely, the thoughts about her Gryffindor classmate didn't enrage her as usual. They even brought her some unexpected comfort. Almost made her forget about Severus and the unfortunate end of their friendship. Lily closed her eyes and soon she was asleep. Luckily, it was a deep calm sleep, undisturbed by any dreams. After all, she had an exam to pass and an Outstanding to get the next day. She needed to be relaxed…
That's all for now. I don't like the end, but couldn't think of anything better *blush*. Anyway, if you enjoyed it, leave me a review and it would be like a late Christmas present:))) Again, sorry for any spelling/grammar mistakes!
xoxo, Stelly a.k.a Silmarien189