Disclaimer: Anything you recognize isn't mine because I'm not JK Rowling. I only wish I were.
It was a chilly October evening and the wind was whipping leaves around the streets of Hogsmeade. Most of the Hogwarts students were enjoying a butterbeer in the nice, warm Three Broomsticks after a fun-filled day in Hogsmeade.
Lily Potter, however, wasn't having an enjoyable time with her friends. And she hadn't had any fun in Hogsmeade. She was sitting in the long grass of a field overlooking the Shrieking Shack with her knees pulled up to her chest. She sniffed and swiped her hand under her nose.
Boys were stupid. This was why she didn't let herself get close to people. They only ruined things. She was perfectly content just having Alice, Hugo, and Rose. Elizabeth and Reed too, she supposed. No, it wasn't until she started hanging round Luke Forrester that things had gotten different. Not only had people started talking about her new relationship but they were talking about her family more as well. Al had made a big scene when he first found them snogging in the Three Broomsticks and everyone knew that the rest of her family wasn't very pleased with her choice of boyfriend- the Ravenclaw was known to be quite pompous and bossy.
Lily ignored Rose's insistence that there was something off about Luke. She rolled her eyes when Roxanne and Lucy told her that Luke was changing her. And she yelled when Hugo accused Luke of cheating on her.
And then today Lily had seen for herself. She had seen that all of them were right, that she had been completely wrong. She had walked out of the Three Broomsticks with Elizabeth and Alice and found Luke snogging some tart from Hufflepuff in the alleyway after he had told her he needed to stay at the castle and study. After hexing the both of them and slapping Forrester for good measure she had rebuffed any consolation from her friends and run off, not wanting anyone to see her cry. The cold wind stung her tear-filled eyes as she ran but she kept going until she was far enough from the village and she just fell into the overlong grass and cried.
So now she sat watching the tall grass wave in the wind and the last of the leaves falling from the trees. She was so absorbed in watching the pattern the wind was carving in the grass that she didn't hear anyone walk up behind her.
'Hey, Pigeon.'
She quickly swiped at her eyes and wiped her nose as James sat down beside her.
'Hi.' she said quietly.
Silence. And then, 'You OK, Pige?'
Lily ignored his question and tried to divert his attention. 'What are you doing here.'
'I was visiting Lou and Uncle George.'
Lily nodded, still keeping her face turned away from him. She didn't want him to see her red nose or her wet cheeks.
'Your friends are worried about you. Al too.'
'I bet he had a good gloat.' she growled.
"C'mon Pige, you don't really believe that. He loves you. He was trying to protect you. He was just, er, a little overzealous.'
'I never should have even went out with him. I was stupid.'
James' eyebrows knit together and he studied her profile. 'You're not stupid, Pige. Life is about taking chances.'
'Why do you call me that?' This time she wasn't trying to change the subject, she was just curious.
'You used to chase the pigeons around the square outside the Ministry every time we went into London to see Dad. Flapped your arms and tried to fly off with them.'
'I know that, but why do you still call me that? I'm sixteen Jemmy." She emphasized his childhood nickname to annoy him but he just chuckled.
'I don't mind when you guys call me that. And just because you're sixteen it doesn't mean you're not still my baby sister.' He put an arm around her shoulders and squeezed her. 'One day you'll figure things out. You'll know who he is. And Al won't yell at you and Hugo won't think he's changing you and Rose will approve. And you'll be happy and all this won't matter.'
Lily finally turned toward her brother and scrutinized his face for a moment. 'When did you get all wise and shit?'
James let out a bark of laughter and squeezed Lily's shoulders again. 'About the same time you got so snarky.'
Lily smiled and then kissed her brother's cheek. 'Thanks, Jemmy. You really are a wonderful brother.'
James smirked. 'I bet I'm your favorite.'
Lily sniffed one last time and wiped any of the remaining wetness from her face as they both got to their feet. She was done crying over that prick. 'Yes Jemmy, you are my favorite oldest brother.'
James gave her a winning smile but then, realizing what she had said, shoved her off the path. 'Oi!'
Lily just chuckled and caught back up with him. He put his arm back around his shoulder and joined her laughter. They walked in silence and Lily was able to gather herself, grateful for her big brother.
'Hey Pige?' James broke her reverie.
'Mmm?'
'You sure you don't want me to beat him up?'
Lily shoved him away and shook her head, laughing. That was more like the big brother she knew.
A/N: Hey guys! Hope you liked it... I just love Harry's kids and in my head James is fiercely overprotective of his siblings. Reviews are frozen yogurt (because I have been wanting some like mad lately :P).