A Tug on My Ears
I do not own Harry Potter, or these characters. All rights go to J.K. Rowling.
A/N: I know that the title is kind of weird. Very weird.
"Evans!" I called, after not seeing her in two months.
"No, James. Just…just leave me alone," she replied. I just meant hi, but she looked like she was crying. I watched as she ran onto Hogwarts Express. It was the start of 7th year, and we were both made head of the year; head boy and head girl. Her status wouldn't come as a shock to most, but I couldn't wait to see the look on some of the Slytherin's faces when they saw my badge. I grabbed my trunk and followed her into an empty compartment.
"You called me James," I said sitting across from her. He face was splotchy. "Why are you crying?"
"I'm not crying!" she snapped.
"Uh huh. Why do you look sad then?" I asked. She glared at me.
"What's it to you?" she snapped, but it didn't come off as mean, as tears were still running down her cheeks. It took everything I had to not scoop her up and hug her. I didn't think she would like that much. I shrugged.
"Well…someone I've known for 6 six years, shows up on the first day, something she usually loves, crying." She gave me a look.
"Whatever, you'll think it's stupid anyways."
"Try me."
"My sister Petunia's stupid, fat fiancé happens to be a big bully, that's what's wrong."
"Much like myself, isn't that right Lily?" I said, trying to make her smile. And she did. I handed her a tissue from my bag.
"Thanks…"
"What exactly did he say? Something about your blood?" I asked. I was starting to imagine what this fat guy looked like. Just imagining him picking on Lily made me mad.
"He's a muggle. But it's not like it's personal, he has something against all witches and wizards," she said, getting a fiery look in her beautiful green eyes.
I thought about this for a second, and then said, "So he's scared?"
"Basically," she said nodding.
"Well, he hasn't seen anything…do you happen to know where he lives?" I asked, trying to look innocent. Hopefully she would take it as a joke; I knew she thought I was a bully who used magic to pick on people. But strangely enough, she laughed.
"I'll tell you when I find out myself. They're both so scared they don't even tell me!" she laughed, "Thanks, James. As shocking as it is, you really did cheer me up."
I smirked moving to sit next to her, "You called me James again."
"Well, you called me Lily," she said laughing.
I leaned closer her a little; she didn't back away. She looked up at me and smiled. So, feeling some hope and confidence building, I asked hopefully, "So does all this mean you'll go on a date with me?"
Her smile faded, "You big jerk! You were being nice for a date? You know, I thought you were being real, being yourself. And that your big ego was all just an act in front of your friends. I thought…we were actually getting along…"
"We are…" I mumbled. I wondered why she would be thinking about all that, during one little conversation. Her expression grew menacing.
"No we're not. And trust me, we never, ever will," she said, and walked away, fuming.
"You just wait, Evans! We will get along! One day…soon!" I yelled after her. I think that probably made things worse, because she came storming back.
"Wait for what? I've waited 3 years. I gave you 3 years and you still couldn't deflate your fat head a little."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa…what are you talking about? I asked you out in 5th year."
Her cheeks turned slightly red, "What? Oh yeah, I meant 2 years."
"Lily Evans, make a mistake when she's trying to prove a point; I've never heard that before. So…you liked me in 4th year?"
"No. No, I liked the James Potter that just sat down and had a conversation with me. Not the James Potter you became in 5th year. The one that picked on people just because he got a little bored. I liked the one who was smart in class and who actually tried to be nice to girls. The one who would risk his life for his friends."
"Okay. I'm still smart in class. You know that. Sirius is the one who gets bored. You know that too. You also know that the James you had a conversation with is the one I've been the whole time. I would still risk my life for any one of my friends. And you. You knew that. Hmm…what else? You know that I'm Head Boy now, and that that means I did manage to 'deflate' my head a little. By the way all I had to do was get yelled at by my mom and have her tug my ear, meaning almost pull my ear off," I said, trying to add humour. But she didn't even smile. "But I'll tell you what you knew the whole time: you knew that I'm always nice to girls. And that's why you liked me," I said, trying not to look smug.
Someone wolf whistled. By someone, we all knew it was Sirius. I pulled my wand out but Lily beat me, she used her wand to slam the compartment door in Sirius's face.
"OI! I only get one face, Evans!" But she wasn't listening. Then again neither was I. She had jumped on me, literally, and kissed me. But I don't know if you can call it a kiss if it lasts that long.