A/N: *double gasp* This is not a Romione fic, again! How is this happening? Okay, I promise I haven't got any more Jily fics in store. I was only thinking about The Prince's Tale, and how Lily was probably sad that Snape turned out to be quite an arse, and I was also thinking about her finding out that James had saved Snape's life and wanting to thank him, and this came out. Many thanks to ftlhasthetardis at Tumblr, again, for beta-reading this! You're awesome! :D

(I realize that the title and summary have certain implications, but this is not that kind of fic. Hope you'll like it anyway.)

Disclaimer: I don't own James, Lily or the giant squid. Shame.

That thing you do

James took the stairs leading to the Owlery two steps at a time, an envelope clutched tightly in his hand. His mum had not been feeling well lately, and he had been writing to her first thing in the morning for the last few days to cheer her up.

When he reached the doorway to the drafty tower, he saw the back of a girl's figure he was only too familiar with sitting on a windowsill. He was about to comment on his luck in finding her there out loud when she sniffed loudly.

James moved forwards and stepped on a mouse's skull, making her jump and turn around.

Lily was red-eyed and hastily wiped away the tracks of tears on her cheeks before saying weakly, 'What do you want, James? I'm not in the mood for any of your pick-up lines.'

If James was already surprised to see Lily crying, he was even more taken aback by her using his first name. In the midst of his concern for her, he couldn't help but love the way it sounded when she said it.

'Sending an owl. This is the Owlery, isn't it?' he said, aiming for some humour.

Lily only shrugged and said, 'I reckon it is. Go ahead then, send your letter.'

James didn't move.

'What's wrong, Evans? Is it… something at home?' he asked, but realized that this might not be the case when his mind flashed back to the events of the previous afternoon. 'Is it because of what Snivellus said?'

Lily glared at him out of habit.

'I mean Snape. I'm sorry, Lily, I know he's your friend and all, but—'

'He's not my friend anymore,' Lily said firmly, her nostrils flaring.

'Oh.' James struggled to conceal the fact that this news pleased him. He hadn't liked Severus Snape from the start. James hadn't thought it possible, but Snape had become even more disagreeable as the years went by, and not in only James' opinion. 'Is that why you're crying?'

'Yes James, that's it, all right?' Lily exploded, jumping down from the windowsill to face him. 'I don't expect you to understand, but I don't need your judgment right now either, okay?'

She started towards the exit, but James called after her.

'I do understand!'

Lily stopped and spun around, looking at him with a disbelieving expression on her face.

'You do?'

'Yeah. I and, well, most people in this castle, don't like him, but he was your friend from before you came here, wasn't he?'

Lily nodded.

'If any of my friends ever insulted me, betrayed me, or hurt me in any way that made me hate them, I'd still feel sad about not being friends with them anymore,' James explained. Lily's hard expression finally softened, although she looked as if she wanted to cry again.

'And,' he continued, encouraged by her not having stormed away yet, 'don't believe for one second that rubbish he said. You're not—your blood—our blood—doesn't mean a thing. You're a better witch than most Purebloods here.'

Now she was definitely smiling, her green eyes staring intently at James.

'Thank you,' she murmured.

They stood there for a moment, the owls zooming back and forth over their heads as they glanced awkwardly at each other. Lily looked up and opened her mouth to say something, but then she seemed to change her mind and closed it. Then she opened it again.

'Why did you go after him? Severus, I mean. Last year. I know you went after him to the Whomping Willow. Why?'

James looked surprised at the question. 'Do you really think I would have let him die?'

'Die?' Lily repeated, frowning. 'What on earth was down there?'

James ruffled his hair anxiously and said, 'Next question.'

'Okay. But your lives were really in danger? And you still… you still went?'

'You haven't got a very good concept of me, do you?' James mumbled moodily, looking at the floor.

'No, it's not that!' Lily hurried to say, but she corrected herself at the incredulous look James shot her. 'Well, for the most part, it's true. But I just didn't know…' Lily trailed off. She bit her lip, her forehead furrowing as she stared at him. James felt almost as if he was a puzzle she was trying to figure out.

Finally, sounding oddly polite, Lily said, 'Thank you, James.'

He didn't know if she meant it for having saved Snape, for cheering her up or for something entirely different, but he didn't have much time to wonder about it—Lily had suddenly reached out her hand to squeeze his arm gently before disappearing down the stairs.

Feeling the spot burn, James stared after her, marvelling at what had just happened. Not only she had touched him—only in a friendly manner, which nonetheless was more than he'd ever got from her—but he had genuinely made her smile.

Maybe he did stand a chance against the giant squid, after all.