Of Lilies and Love
By: xxlostdreamerxz
Disclaimer: No, I do not own HP.
Summary: What if Lily had met James back when they were still children?
Chapter 1: Wisps of Light
When he'd first met her, he was seven.
She had decked him, slamming her petite little fist square into his face.
And he had cried.
James pouted, still slightly embarrassed over the ordeal four years down the road. It had galled his childish pride to admit defeat. Which is why he had ranted, whilst wearing a pinched expression as he nursed a broken nose, to his amused parents that he would avenge his honor against the evil girl who had hurt him.
His first prank consisted of planting a few chocolate frogs into her room.
In retaliation, she slapped him silly.
His cheek was still throbbing.
The pranks began to pile up as Lily learned to give as well as she took. The initial misunderstanding had evolved into one of the most complicated yet interesting friendships ever. The anger began to dissipate after a couple of months, once the two children were forced to acknowledge the ingenuity of their opponents and appreciate the routine fun that resulted.
Her emerald green eyes darkened suspiciously as he shoved his 'peace-offering' into her hands.
And he stood there awkwardly before he began to babble some half-hearted apologizes. He hadn't 'really' meant to hurt her with his last prank. It was an accident. And…he really hoped that she would forgive him.
He froze when she jumped him and gave him a hug.
A small smile graced his face, as his eyes idly trailed over some photographs. Though he couldn't exactly say that the two of them had gotten off on the right foot, things had turned out right in the end. The two of them became best friends. James's lip curled into a slightly frown. Well…not best friends exactly.
She dragged him over to a scrawny, dark-haired boy and declared that the two of them were her best friends.
He hated the boy on sight.
She looked on in confusion as the both boy's began glaring at one another.
Severus Snape, the greasy, foul-mouthed brat who had somehow wormed himself into Lily's good graces. He didn't know exactly what sweet, innocent Lily saw in the disgusting little bat, but he'd be damned to let her continue her friendship with Snape. After all, she was his best friend.
He told the bedraggled boy to leave Lily alone, 'or else.'
The boy's lip curled mocking, before sending a storm of angry fists and kicks in James's direction.
As he nursed his wounds, he almost regretted his demand. Almost.
James's face flushed in anger, as it usually did when he thought about Severus Snape. He had learned from his first encounter. Instead of rashly attacking the slightly taller boy, he began to plot and plan. Magic was the key. As a half-blood, Snape simply didn't have as much access to magical items as he…thus, he had the upper hand.
After splattering Snape with a puke yellow hair-dying potion, he tauntingly held up the cure before the other boy's furious yet desperate gaze. Without further ado, he smashed the glass against a nearby stone.
Snape's eyes darkened as he watched his salvation ooze off the rock and disappear.
Enough was enough.
Instead of building a familiar camaraderie, as he and Lily had done over pranks. His relationship with Snape had degenerated to such a point that they both couldn't tolerate being in the other's presence. Even Lily, the eternal optimist, finally realized that something was very wrong with her two best friends.
She dragged the two of them by the arm, shushing them as they tried to protest. Her posture was stiff with determination as she ordered the two of them to tell her why they hated each other.
Two blank, but determined gazes met her emerald green ones as silence ensued.
James's hand twitched as he stared down at a picture of Lily's tenth birthday party. Instead of having a day filled with laughter, balloons, and cake, he and Snape and gotten into a fight and ruined everything. His hazel brown eyes darkened with sadness.
Her eyes were filled with determined tears as she faced her two shame-faced best friends. She said that she'd had enough of their bickering and fights. She said that unless the two of them learned to tolerate one another, she wouldn't be friends with either.
The two boys were left staring, shocked, as she stormed off in tears.
Things hadn't gotten better from then. He and Snape were both insanely stubborn and refused to budge on the issue. Lily, however, proved to be even more stubborn than the two combined. Gone was her warm, friendly demeanor as she conversed with them in a distant yet polite tone.
Merlin, she was driving him mad.
He tried everything to get her to forgive him, minus befriending Snape.
She ignored his attempts with a steely green gaze.
A small smile emerged upon his face as his fingers tightened protectively around a white, seemingly innocent envelope. Hogwarts. They were all going to Hogwarts. James's hazel brown eyes lightened in hope. And just maybe…maybe this once, she'd forgive him.
Maybe they could be friends again.
TBC
A/N: Please Review and let me know what you think!