Random Rantings Of A 17 year-old Girl

A Day In The Life Of Lily Evans, Head Girl, Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry

It started out just like any other day. It would have been just another totally unremarkable day of my normal (some would say boring) life. Until it happened. It came unexpectedly but wasn't entirely unwelcome. I'd just never thought of him that way. I mean, seriously, who wakes up one day and decides to like to boy that they have hated with a passion for the last six years. It wasn't like I planned it.

Maybe it wasn't hatred as so much as strong dislike. I mean there were times when he was reasonably nice (these times weren't very often) but then he would spoil al that by asking me out. Mum said I should be flattered to be asked out by 'such a nice young man' (Mum met him at the end of sixth year when he decided to take it upon himself to escort me from Platform 9 3/4 and introduce himself to my parents who were waiting for me). Maybe I would have been flattered by him asking me out again (in front of my parents) but, as I said to Mum, if he hadn't been asking me out everyday since third year I might have taken him seriously. Instead I did what I normally do and blew up at him, telling him to grow up.

He must have really listened to me that time because on the first day back he didn't try to ask me out or kiss me like he normally does. He didn't even yell back at me when I told him that he couldn't possibly be Head Boy. He Just smiled and said he was surprised by Dumbledore's decision too. He was polite, courteous and completely (well for lack of a better word) nice.

I found Remus a couple of days later and asked what the sudden change was all about. He simply said to me "You".

I didn't believe him and decided to seek out the man in question and prove my theory wrong. I found him in the Gryfinndor common room, reading.

"Potter!" I yelled from the portrait hole.

"Yes Lily what have I done now?" He asked, not looking up from his book.

"We need to talk," I said as I strode purposefully across to where he was seated.

" What is it we nee to talk about? As far as I am aware I am fulfilling all my duties as Head Boy and..."

"No, I'm not here to talk about duties."

He looked at me, surprised. So I continued.

"I want to know what brought about this sudden change in you. I mean why are you a completely different person this year. You haven't pranked anyone, not even Snape, and ... oh Merlin I'm rambling, Potter, ...James, just tell me what happened?"

He looked at me for a minute, like he was trying to collect his thoughts, then he replied

"Lily, you told me to grow up, so I did". And with that he stood up and went upstairs to his dormitory.

I don't know what hit me first; the embarrassment of having him tell me that to my face or the realisation that I noticed the change and in some small way missed the old James. The one who would ask me out everytime I spoke to him, the one who was always messing up his hair when he saw me coming, the James I come to know and maybe in the deepest, darkest depths of my heart, like.

Like is a very strong word, especially when it is used to describe a former enemy and it is not a feeling to be taken lightly.

Which brings me to today. As I said before it was an ordinary, totally unremarkable day. All my classes were as exciting as usual and nothing out of the ordinary had happened. That was until James and I had rounds to do. Usually we would separate and do one half of the castle each to save time. But tonight Dumbledore told us he wanted us to do them together because as he said 'safety in numbers!' So at 9pm we both left our respective friends in the common room and started our patrol of the castle.

There was an awkward silence as we hadn't actually spoken to each other since 'the incident' (or how thick is Lily? Which ever you want to call it). So I started off with a safe topic.

"What did you think of the transfiguration today? McGonagall sure set us a lot of homework."

"Yeah. I only just finished mine when Sirius attempted to 'help' me" he replied.

And with that we continued down the corridor.

Suddenly there was a loud crash at the end of the corridor. Without thinking I slipped my hand into James's. It was then as we walked down the deserted corridor, hand in hand, towards whatever had made that loud sound that I realised I liked him, I liked having him there with me, liked having him holding my hand, liked the way he walked slightly in front of me, protecting me.

We came to the end of the corridor to find a suit of armour had been knocked over. I heard a quiet meow from the pile of metal, I let go of James's hand and started digging through the pile to find Mr Filch's cat, Mrs Norris. I lifted her out and set her down on the floor where she glared at James and ran off in the direction of Mr Filch's office.

We decided we'd had enough of rounds for tonight and walked back to the common room. As we came through the portrait hole we noticed the common room was deserted which was highly unusual as most seventh years are still studying and unwinding when we usually get back.

I was halfway up the stairs to the girls' dormitories when James called out

"Lily?"

"Yes, James" I said as I came back down the stairs.

"I just wanted to say goodnight to you" he said, standing at the base of the stairs. I noticed that even though I was standing on the first step, he was still a head taller than I was. He leaned down and kissed me on the cheek and whispered

"Goodnight Lily"

"Goodnight James, sweet dreams" I whispered back.

He turned and walked up the stairs to the boys' dormitories as I went back up the girls' stairs. When I got to my room, I slowly got ready for bed like I was in a daze. I never knew liking someone could feel so exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. I can still feel his lips on my cheek and his warm breath whispering in my ear. I don't think I'm going to get much sleep tonight.