There Was Just Something About Him
by brick-red-wall
There was something about him that just threw her off.
Most of the stuff about him was true. He was nice. He was cute. He was smart. And he liked her. What was there else that a girl could want?
Sure he had his quirks. But then, so did everyone, even her.
She couldn't place was what wrong with James Potter to her.
And he wasn't very happy about it.
"You know, since you're such good friends with her, you would have found out by now. Surely, she has told you why she won't go out me. And you know that you want to tell me, because you want her to be happy and if you told me, I could make her happy."
"That's some reasoning you have there, Potter. But I just can't tell you."
"Why not? Come on, Anderson. You just have to tell me!"
"I don't have to do anything, actually. And you come on, Potter, I don't know!!"
"But how can you not know?! You're her best friend!"
"Because she doesn't know. She says she just can't put her finger on it."
"And then she said that Lily didn't even know. How can she not know, Remus?"
Remus Lupin looked at his friend with sympathy. "I don't know, James. Sometimes there are things you can't explain."
James's shoulders sagged.
"Sorry, James. I think you've done all you can."
"And that's just not enough, is it, Remus?"
She turned around and looked at the shaggy haired boy behind her. She was grinning in amusement.
"You just can't keep your mouth shut, can you, Potter?"
She let out a soft laugh and turned back to the front, rolling her eyes at Camilla Anderson, still grinning, as she did so.
James turned to Sirius Black and raised his eyebrows with a smirk.
They high-fived quietly.
"Progress, finally," James whispered.
It was lunch time at Hogwarts. One of everyone's favorite times of the day.
And you could really tell. It was hard to hear the person sitting next to you, it was so loud.
But today was special. It was quiet.
And as Lily Evans sat down to eat, her best friend Camilla beside her, she realized it was too quiet.
Her gaze turned slowly towards the group of boys at the end of the table.
The Marauders. They were at it again.
Sensing her eyes Sirius turned his head to her and waved. Soon, all four were waving at her.
She just glared.
"What did you do this time, Black?"
"Nothing. I have no idea why you're blaming u—."
And then there was an explosion.
"Good afternoon, Lily," James said as he sat down on the armchair next to hers.
"Potter."
"Why are you so sour?" he asked.
"You threatened the whole school to be quiet and then blew up my book-bag!! Wouldn't you expect me to be sour?" Lily snapped in reply, not looking up from her book.
"That was last week. We've all already apologized. And we even fixed you bag and your stuff."
"You just don't get it, do you?"
And with that, she stormed off.
There was something about her that just made him shiver.
But pleasantly, of course.
He couldn't really place his finger on it. Maybe it was her smile or her brilliant green eyes or her crimson red hair. Or even her intelligence or her wit or her assiduousness.
Sure, she had some silly quirks that were a little more than annoying, but he was sure he had some too.
He just couldn't place it.
But it wasn't like he felt the need to.
"So how is Lily doing?"
"Why don't you ask her yourself, Potter?"
"Aren't you her best friend? Shouldn't you know?"
"Why are we talking in questions?"
"Camilla," Lily whined.
"What do you want now, Lily?"
Lily looked affronted. "What do you mean by that?"
"You've been whining all day. Mostly about a certain James Potter," Camilla answered, smirking.
"You don't mean that."
"But I do. You've been talking about him all day. Ever since that thing yesterday in Hogsmeade."
"Well, I'm appalled."
Lily! Turn around.
What are you on about, Potter? We're in a lesson and I'm trying to take notes, not pass them.
I wanted to say thank you for last Saturday. I was so busy with Quidditch, I forgot about the meeting.
And you need me to turn around to thank me? I don't think so.
Well, then, thank you. Even though you're not turning around.
God.
"You know, James does look really cute today."
"And you would know, right? Because you've been staring at him all morning," Lily said to Camilla. "I thought I was supposed to be the one with the crush on him."
"But I've come to accept that you don't. So I figure it okay to stare," Camilla replies.
"You finally realized I don't like him?! YES!"
The whole school turned and looked at her.
She blushed. "Sorry. Go back to you lunch."
"I changed my mind."
Lily turned to look at James. "Huh?"
"I've decided your hair isn't red, per say. It's a lovely shade of crimson that glows very nicely in the candle light of the halls." James said decisively.
"Well, thank you, then," Lily said.
"No problem," James replied. He smiled and walked up to the boys' dormitory.
There's something about him that makes her smile.
The way he gives Lily the weirdest compliments or fawns over her or buys her gifts and things.
She knows her friend enjoys it. She knows that deep down Lily really does like the boy.
And she knows one day, the two are finally going to get together.
And she can't wait for the day.
"How is your project coming, Anderson?"
"Fine, thank you."
"Ahh. And how's Lily?"
"I knew you were talking to me for a reason."
"What? Can't a guy talk to his future wife's best friend?"
"If you ask me, that's taking it a bit too far."
"What, the wife thing?"
"Black and Carson. Potter and Evans. Anderson and Frank. Now get with your partners and begin the potion."
Lily picked up her cauldron and her stuff and headed over to where James was sitting.
"Hello, Lily," James said.
"Hey, James."
"This potion's going to be a toughie."
"Then we should get started."
"Good morning, Remus."
"Hello, James. Is there something you need?"
"What are you talking about?" James asked.
"Aren't you mad at me? For the other day, when I sat next to Lily in Charms and shared my textbook with her," Remus said.
"I forgot about that. But never mind it, anyway. I forgive you. And I need help."
"With…?"
James sighed in defeat. "Lily," he replied.
"Ahh. I should have known."
"I was talking to Remus yesterday," Lily said conversationally to James while the class waited for McGonagall to show.
"Yeah. I talked to him too. I talk to him almost every day," James replied easily.
"He told me about that second year you were tutoring yesterday," Lily said.
"Oh?"
"I think that's very sweet."
"I've been doing it for awhile. Since like, January last year. She's a little slow with the Transfiguration and it's my best subject. Besides, it's my job," he said with a grin.
Lily smiled. "I always knew you had it in you."
Lily plopped down next to Camilla who was sitting next to Remus.
James, who she had walked down to lunch with, sat down across from her friend and Sirius slid over to sit next to him.
"Where's Peter?" Camilla asked.
Sirius cocked his head toward the Ravenclaw table where Peter was sitting with his girlfriend.
"Ah."
"So, Lily, how are your translations coming? I finally managed to finish them last night," James asked. He, Remus, and Lily were the only ones of the six in Ancient Runes.
"Gaah, thanks for reminding me, James. I'm barely half way through. They're so annoying,"
Lily said with a groan.
"Why are you taking it if you don't like it?" Sirius asked.
"For the same reason I'm taking History of Magic. I need the N.E.W.T.'s for the career I want to pursue," Lily replied. "But they're so damn boring!"
"If you want some help with those translations, Lily, I could try to help sometime," James said, a small smile playing across his lips.
"That'd be wonderful."
"Hey, Lily," James said, throwing himself across the couch she was sitting at, his feet across her lap.
"God James. Get your feet away from my book."
"Can you believe we're graduating next month?" James asked, ignoring her comment and not moving his feet.
"Yes, and it will be nice to be away from your smelly feet for awhile," Lily said.
"You don't really want to be rid of me, right?" James asked, trying to hide the dread in his voice.
"No, not really. I guess you found me out," Lily said. She put her book down on the table near her and looked at him dejectedly.
He grinned. "We'll make due."
There was just something about him that drove her crazy.
Something that made her want to hug him, kiss him, and slap him all at the same time.
It made her grin and frown and worry and laugh.
And she knew he felt the same way.
Fin.