Author's Note: Another Lily/James oneshot. Set in their 7th year. Hope you like it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
It was a Saturday evening and the Marauders, along with Lily, Kathy and Alice had gathered at the Black Lake to spend some time away from the humungous amount of homework they always seemed to have nowadays.
Lily was lying on her side, her arm propping up her head to support it. Around her, the rest of them sat, reminiscing the events of the past years.
And though Lily wanted to join in the conversation, the image of James in her mind distracted her. Yes, James was the problem. She couldn't sort out her feelings for him and she couldn't understand his feelings for her either. He didn't seem interested in her anymore and there was the stiffness in the air when he talked to her. And that had been about Head duties, nearly a week ago.
She longed for him to look at her, to talk to her. She felt her heart split into two when he wasn't around and felt it become whole again when he was. She wished her heart wouldn't give a great big lurch and start thudding against her ribcage every time he looked at her or talked to her and she wished someone could explain what was happening.
James voice jerked her out of her thoughts. "Isn't it, Lily?"
"Huh?" Lily said in a small voice, looking up confusedly at James, only to feel the lurch of her heart in her chest, that she hadn't felt in almost a week.
James' eyes bore into hers and she could feel her heartbeat quickening again. His strong gaze seemed to penetrate her soul and she tore her eyes away from his and fixed her gaze on the ground.
"Sorry," she muttered, shifting herself to a sitting position. "I wasn't listening. I…I think I need to take a rest."
And without giving them a chance to say anything, she got up and prepared to leave, when she felt drops of rain fall on her arm. Instinctively, she looked up at the grey sky. More droplets were beginning to fall and around her, the rest of them started to get up too.
"Let's get back, Lily," shouted Alice as the rain started to fall heavier, and they all ran back to the castle, hands covering their heads.
Lily started at them as they ran back, but made no movement to follow them. Instead, she looked up at the sky again, a serene smile forming on her face when drops of rain fell on her face. She smiled wider, sweeping her hair out of her face. She had always loved the rain, and it gave her a great sense of comfort to know that despite the unpredictable circumstances in the wizarding world now, the rain was one thing that was still constant.
She opened her arms out wide, as if to embrace the rain and remembering what she used to do as a child, she started spinning round and round until she fell to the ground, dizzy.
Closing her eyes to wait for the dizziness to go away, she took a while to adjust her bearings and opened her eyes. Suddenly, she heard a solemn voice from her right and she looked up, frowning in confusion.
Her eyes met James' hazel ones and her heart leaped again. "Shall we go?" he repeated. "You'll catch a cold." And he stretched out a hand, which Lily took, still a little dizzy from the spinning around.
Her hand in his, he started leading her towards the castle, but it began to rain even heavier. He looked at the castle and then the shelter that Hagrid had built near the lake, and seemed to contemplate whether they should make a dash towards the castle. However, as a streak of lightning shot across the sky, he ran towards the shelter, dragging Lily along.
In the shelter, Lily looked expectantly at James, who was facing away form her and towards the rain. Night was starting to fall now, and it became a little cold. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew against her wet skin and she took a sharp intake of breath, shivering and rubbing her arms with her palms to try to keep warm.
James' head had turned at her gasp and on his face was an expression of worry. His gaze traveled down her shivering form and he walked towards her, tapping her with wand. Instantly, warmth spread through her body, and she blushed, embarrassed that she hadn't thought of drying herself with magic.
"You should be more careful," James whispered.
Lily looked up, locking her eyes with his and felt her heart thumping and heat creeping up her neck at his gaze.
As she looked into his eyes, the care in them was replaced by a look of desperation. He took a step forward, ignoring the pleading look in Lily's eyes. She took a step backward, only to feel the pillar behind her.
Her mind was totally blank as he took another step and her body completely lost its ability to move.
He moved forward some more and leaned in towards her, and as much as she didn't want them to, her eyes closed in anticipation of the kiss. His lips touched hers gently and her eyes fluttered open as reality hit her.
She pulled away. She couldn't do this. She couldn't betray Christopher's feelings. And turning away, she ran away from the shelter. She ran, ran and ran, images of what had happened flashing through her mind.
Then, just then, it struck her. What it all meant. What the longing she felt for him to talk to her or look at her, what the pain in her heart when he wasn't near her, what the quickening of her heartbeat every time he looked at her meant. It was love!
She stopped abruptly, grabbing a tree and letting it all sink in. She loved him…but… Tears started flowing down her cheeks. But…she couldn't break up with Christopher. It would break his heart. She leaned her forehead against the tree trunk in despair, as more tears started to flow. Her tears mingled with the rain as she thought about the anguish of not being able to tell James that she loved him.
The rain whipped her hair into her face and exasperated, she lifted a hand to sweep it back, when she felt a hand on a shoulder. Her eyes widened and she wondered whether she ought to tell him that she loved him. The need to tell him about her love became stronger and she whispered, "I love you."
She turned around, wanting his strong arms around her but the eyes that met hers were not the hazel ones of James, but the blue ones of Christopher. "I love you, Lily," he said, pulling her into a hug.
A/N: How was it? I would have liked it if James and Lily had got together, but, well… Please review!