Title: Emerald Eyes

Summary: College AU - She's a storm breaking through the calm sea and James might just about be in love with her

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling and make no profit through posting this.


With over a thousand students across the campus, James Potter can't claim to know them all. Most days, the students sitting near him in the cafe or passing him in corridors are strangers. Many are one-time acquaintances.

The first time he meets Lily Evans, she's amongst the strangers.

James is breaking his head over trig when the library doors fly open, and she marches in; a storm breaking through the calm sea.

The first thing that catches his attention is her bush like red hair that she's twisting around her fingers as her eyes dart past the many tables. Then it's her emerald eyes as she walks up to him, sliding into the seat opposite James. Dancing with mirth, Remus would say, and the words seem to fit.

Her gaze collides with his, and she raises an eyebrow before disappearing under the desk, literally. She's still there, hiding, when James leaves an hour later, her red hair and laughing green eyes now a permanent image in his head.

He sees her everywhere after that. She walks faster than James as if she always has some place to be and her eyes aren't always filled with mirth. Sometimes they're hard and severe, sometimes they're playful and at others blank.

"Your eyes can tell a story, even when the rest of you doesn't," Peter says. "That's why they're the hardest to paint."

Sirius doesn't seem to understand, but James nods. He's seen the whole world in the Red-Head's eyes, and he doesn't yet know her name.

Luck, however, seems to be on his side.

She's sitting at a table, alone, when James walks into the Three Broomsticks on Wednesday, drumming her fingers on the table, glancing at her watch every couple of seconds - she's in a hurry, again.

James aims for the table next to hers, but his legs have something else in mind, and before he knows it, he's sitting opposite her. "Hi," he says awkwardly

She looks up, emerald eyes flooding with recognition. "Oh." Then she grins, brushing her hair from her face. "It was a dare. I swear I'm not mad."

"A dare?" James repeats.

She nods. "Had to walk into the library and go sit opposite the hottest human there, and then slide under the table. Was obviously not expecting you to stay out for another hour."

Hottest human, James thinks. "Oh," he says.

She's still beaming. "Your expression was priceless, by the way. I was stifling laughter for ages. Marlene tried to get me to start stroking your leg, but that would have been a bit extreme."

"Of course."

Her smile begins to fade. "It was just a dare, you know - "

But James is laughing now, and after a moment she joins in too. "I wasn't sure what to think."

She shrugs. "Lily Evans, by the way, just in case you've been telling all your friends about the crazy ginger."

"James Potter. Want to meet up for coffee sometime?"

She makes a face and for moment James' heart stops. "Lunch or tea. I can't bear coffee."

He's not sure whether to sigh in relief or laugh. "Lunch. When do you want to meet up?"

Her lips twitch, and she tilts her head to one side. "Now?"

He's seen the world in her eyes and only just learned her name, but James Potter is convinced that he's in love with Lily Evans because really, who wouldn't be? (And lunch isn't the last meal they spend together.)


A/N:

Just a little something I've had in mind for a while! Criticism and reviews are appreciated!
Thanks for reading!