Disclaimer: All I own is the delicious plot that I thought up. Everything else is J.K.'s –grumble, grumble, grumble-.

A/N: This story is told from the narrator's point of view. They are reflecting on the past events, though the story is written in present tense. The narrator's thoughts are in parentheses.

Chapter 1: The Beginning

She didn't want her heart to break. She didn't even want to love him to begin with. He was always so bigheaded, so obnoxious! Why couldn't he just go back to the way he was? Then she could to back to hating him, and she wouldn't feel this hurt. She wouldn't have this heartache, this pain. If only he would go back to the way he was! Then…so could she.

That's all Lily Evans really wanted. She just wanted to go about life in peace. Go through the normal routine. Hang out with friends, eat, study, play secret pranks that no one but her closest friends ever knew about. She never wanted to fall in love with James Potter. Though lord knows he desperately wanted that for her. She didn't want it, but that's what she got.

But perhaps I should back up a little. Tell you the whole story. Well we'll start at the beginning…

James Potter and Lily Evans are two of the 30 or so students up at the front of the Great Hall. They are first years, about to be sorted into their houses. James with his glasses, black unruly hair, and small, thin form standing ever so calmly, knowing exactly what is about to happen. And little Lily with her brilliant green eyes, red flaming hair, and very tiny build, looking extremely nervous having no idea what is yet to come.

When Lily's name is called, James sees her and decides that she is pretty and he likes her. But being an eleven-year-old boy (girl's are vastly superior) he left it at that. Lily is then sorted into Gryffindor.

When James Potter's name is called he walks up all smiley and jokey. Lily sees him and decides he's silly. But being an eleven-year-old girl who really couldn't care less about silly people, she leaves it at that.

Second Year comes around. James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew are known pranksters. Lily Evans is a smart, pretty, popular girl who just happens to be on the receiving end of the boys' pranks.

Everyone is in the Great Hall once more for the Sorting. Lily and James are sitting down at the house tables this year. James catches sight of Lily laughing and joking with her friends. Something stirs inside him. He decides that she is very pretty when she's not angry or upset with him. But being a twelve-year-old boy, he does nothing.

Lily catches sight of James. He is staring at her. She scowls at him. He looks away slightly disappointed. Lily decides he is not only silly, but weird as well. But being a twelve year old with better stuff to do then think about silly, weird boys, she does nothing.

Third year rolls around. James Potter and Lily Evans are enemies. There is usually hexing exchanged between the two of them when they meet.

Once more we are in the Great Hall. Lily and James are forced to sit across from each other (ah! how cruel fate can be!) due to lack of available space. Lily is doing her best to ignore James, which is really hard as James is staring at her.

James decides Lily is very pretty and is rather taken with her. However, being a thirteen year old boy and enemy, he does nothing.

Lily decides that James is not only silly and weird, but also annoying, stubborn, and immature. Being a thirteen-year-old girl, and enemy, and someone really buggered off by James's incessant staring, she kicks him in the shin.

James then decides, however pretty, Lily is very vindictive, and being a thirteen year old boy, who is buggered off that a thirteen year old girl just kicked him in the shin, throws potatoes at her a soon as the food appears.

James of course gets into to trouble, because his track record is lousy, and no one can prove that Lily kicked him. He gets detention and decides he isn't quite so taken with Lily anymore, even if she did help him get ahead of Sirius in the detention contest.

Fourth year comes along. Lily still dislikes James very strongly. They are on last name terms with each other. James though, already considered somewhat of a player, finds he has some non-spiteful feelings for Lily.

Once more we find ourselves in the Great Hall. Lily and James are sitting at opposite ends of the table. James once again catches sight of Lily. He decides she has progressed to beautiful, but then hits himself. Being a fourteen-year-old male, and enemy on last name basis, he does nothing.

Lily seeing, James hit himself in the head for no reason, decides that he is mentally unstable. She decides this accounts for all of his previous stupidity. And being a fourteen year old girl, resolves to be nicer to him this year.

Fifth year thunders in a horrible rainstorm. James and Lily are squished next to each other. Lily is shivering and all her shaking is driving James crazy.

James, however annoyed by her shaking (she can't help it after all!) decides that she is even more beautiful then he remembers. She was also vaguely nice to him last year. So being a fifteen-year-old boy, who is a player, and has never, had a girl reject him before, he resolves to ask her out.

Lily, thoroughly freezing, does not really notice James. Except for seeing a vague annoyance written on his face, he looks no different. She decides, as a fifteen-year-old girl, that James is not worth pursuing a friendship with, but will continue to be nice. She likes talking to his friends, after all.

Sixth year drifts in. Lily is prefect and James is one of the top players in school, second only to Sirius. Lily and James have sort of a love-hate relationship between them. James loves Lily, and Lily hates James.

They are sitting across from each other in the Great Hall this year (by no twist of fate as James planned it!). James sees Lily has been made prefect and is briefly horrified, but gets over it quickly.

James opens his mouth to speak. Lily cuts him off with a curt "No". James looks vaguely upset, but then turns to the blond girl sitting next to him and asks her out instead. James decides as a sixteen old boy, and top player, that Lily will come around eventually but that he should have some fun in the meantime.

Lily decides as a sixteen year old girl who has been constantly pestered by Potter to go out with him, but thinks she knows he doesn't really mean it, that he is an insensitive wart that she will never love, let alone like.

Seventh year floats in. For the last time we come upon James and Lily in the Great Hall for the sorting. They are sitting by each other, as they are Head Boy and Girl. Lily looks tired, amazed, and furious at Dumbledore's gross error, but finally accepts it.

James believes that Lily has the beauty of an angel. (he is so far gone!) He has even given up his player title for her. So as a seventeen-year-old Head Boy, he decides that this year he'll make her, his.

Lily believes that James is annoying, but deep down he has some kindness in him. He at least has stopped treating girls like trophies. So as a seventeen year Head Girl, who is going to be stuck sharing a private tower with him, she decides that this year she will change him, and make him an actual good person.

Our story starts the night of September first in the Great Hall. James and Lily are about to be told their Head duties by Professor Dumbledore. They are standing alone with him now...

"Here is the list of your Head duties. I would like it if you had the patrol schedule set up as soon as possible."

"Yes Professor." Lily answers.

"And remember, I'm counting on you two to help keep Hogwarts in order."

"Oh I've no doubt." He says winking at the two of them. "The password to get into the Heads' tower is 'Superbia Patrona'. Have a good night." And with those words Dumbledore walks away and leaves them standing alone in the Entrance Hall. Lily starts to walk towards the dormitory. James follows her looking at the list.

"Hey Lily Flower, Guess what!" She turns around and sees him looking all excited.

"What Potter?"

"We get to choose the passwords the students use to get into the dormitories!"

"What?" Lily asks surprised.

"Yeah, listen. 'Passwords- Every so often you must change the passwords for the other students…" James has a mischievous look in his eye. "…PS. James you cannot make the Slytherins say profanity to get into their common room.' Awww!" He whines defeated. Lily laughs. James got another mischievous glint in his eye.

"I can't make them say profane things, but that won't stop me from having a little fun." Lily rolls her eyes. They have reached the dormitory.

"Superbia Patrona." Lily says, when they reach the portrait of the inventor of Animagi. She is a tiger at the time of their entry, and so purrs and lets them in. Lily makes James climb through first and James whines, his plan having been found out. Lily laughs and climbs through the portrait hole after him.

The two of them quickly take a tour around their bedrooms and bathrooms and then sit down on the red and gold striped couch. Lily gets out a piece of parchment and a quill and her hand is poised to write.

An hour later they are almost finished. They have a pretty steady pattern going. Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, Ravenclaw. They have had to switch it up a little for special occasions. Gryffindors are patrolling the nights of Lily, James, Sirius, Peter, and Remus' birthdays. Slytherins are patrolling every weekend.

Lily had protested a bit at this, saying it was unfair, but gave in, and is now content to give the Slytherins the short end of the stick. She makes some final adjustments to the schedule and then sends it off to Dumbledore.

A couple minutes, a flame erupts in the middle of the room and a note of Dumbledore's appears. Lily and James read it.

"This is good work. Now off to bed with you. You wouldn't want to fall asleep in class tomorrow, would you? James?" Lily laughs. James looks indignant.

"Hey that's only happened…" He pauses and tries to count the number of times he's fallen asleep in class on his fingers. All the while, Lily is laughing hysterically.

Eventually James gives up and pouts. Lily is completely hysterical with laughter and has to use the couch as support. James looks at her reproachfully.

"I'm sorry…James…it's…just so…funny! He…knows you…so well!" James cracks a smile at this statement, reflecting proudly on his friendship with the headmaster.

"Yeah, me and Dumbledore are old pals." Lily gets herself under control now, and James stifles a yawn. "Hey Lils, I'm going to bed now." She nods.

"Me too. Night James." She walks through the red door with "Lily" written out in gold letters. James goes through a similar door with "James" written on it instead.

"She called me James!" He whispers to himself, after he had crawled into bed. Both of them pass into a deep, peaceful sleep.

A/N: Hope you all liked it! Please, please review! And for anyone who's curious, "Superbia Patrona" means "arrogant protector". See I do pay attention in Latin! Anyone who can guess who the arrogant protector is in the next chapters, gets and invisible virtual cookie! Thanks for reading!

Bee