Author's Note: Hello everybody! Hope you all had a Happy Valentine's Day! I would like to dedicate this chapter to...
LuvHarryPotter712! Thank you so much for your sweet review! I'm really, really sorry about the typos!
Anyway...here's Chapter 2!
Chapter 2- "I Think I'd Like That"
Lily sat, fuming, in the compartment as Julia and Felicity watched her warily. Lily was often cool-headed, but when James was around, her red-head temper kicked in with such force that it was frightening.
"How could Dumbledore make that conceited git Head Boy?" she cried furiously, "He wasn't even a prefect for god's sake!"
"Calm down Lil," Felicity said gently, "It can't be that bad."
"That bad? That bad!" Lily shrieked, "James Potter is the person I hate most in the entire world. He never takes anything seriously, he'll spend more time breaking the rules than enforcing them, and he has the biggest ego in England! How can you tell me to calm down at a time like this?"
"Maybe it won't be as bad as all that," Julia said, "This could be a great opportunity to really get to know James. He might have a whole new side to him." Both Julia and Felicity knew how much James liked Lily and that they were meant for each other. That summer they had decided that this would be that year that Lily and James would finally get together. The two were set to do anything it would take to get Lily and James together at last.
"Whatever," said Lily skeptically, "Let's change the subject," she brightened, "to how much Felicity and Remus should go out!" Felicity blushed scarlet as Lily and Julia named all the reasons Remus and Felicity were meant for each other, and the compartment became peaceful once more.
At the other end of the train, the Marauders were enjoying their chocolate frogs, Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans and other assorted candy items they had nicked from the snack trolley.
"Did you see Lily's face when she saw your badge?" Sirius laughed, "She looked like she'd just eaten an earwax flavoured bean!"
"She shouldn't be so surprised," Remus said, "James is one of the best students in the year."
"Yeah, but all the stuff we've pulled over the years," Sirius said, "We've spent more time in detention than out of it!"
"About that," said James, "This year's going to be different. The look Lily gave me made me feel like I'm an imposter. I have to show her that I can take things seriously. I want things to be different with her this year."
The Marauders were all silent for a minute. They all knew how much Lily meant to James and they could see how serious he really was.
"Don't worry Prongs," said Sirius with a grin, "We'll all help you become less conceited, show offish, arrogant, cocky, egoistical, pigheaded, trouble making, slackish..."
"Alright, shut-up!" laughed James as he threw a pumpkin pasty at his best friend. Sirius, being the star beater of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, used his wand as a bat to hit the pasty back, sending bits of pumpkin everywhere.
"Speaking of not slacking off," said Remus, interrupting the food fight, "Might I remind you that you have a meeting Lily and all the prefects in exactly three minutes."
"Shit," said James, "Thanks Mooney. I'll meet up with you later mates." And he rushed down the corridor and out of sight.
When Lily entered the prefect's compartment, she was surprised to see James already there.
"Hello Potter," she said stiffly, unable to bring herself to use his first name.
James took a breath. This was it. His one chance.
"Lily," he replied with a nod and a smile.
Lily was taken aback. Why was James so polite all of a sudden? And his smile was different too. Not overconfident just... friendly. She shook her head to clear her bizarre thoughts.
"Good afternoon everyone," she said authoritivley to the prefects gathered before her, "My name is Lily Evans and I am Head Girl at Hogwarts this year."
"And I'm James Potter and I'm Head Boy," said James, matching Lily's tone.
"You're the seeker for the Gruyffindor Quidditch team," one prefect blurted.
"Umm...yes..." said James uneasily with a glace at Lily, "But could..."
"You made that fabulous catch in the final last year and you used that great move," interrupted the same prefect, "The..."
"The Wronski Feint," interjected another.
"It was bloody brilliant!" piped up someone else.
"Look," said James sharply, "Let's stay on subject. We're not here to talk about Quidditch, we're here to discuss your duties as prefects."
Again Lily was taken aback. Since when did James Potter not take time to gloat over his many Quidditch victories? Could he really have...? Snap out of it Lily she told herself firmly. This is Potter you're talking about. He'll always be the same arrogant show-off he always was no matter what. She gathered her thoughts and spoke to the now subdued prefects in front of her.
"Your main duty as prefects will be to maintain discipline amongst your peers. However, you may not take house points."
"Also," James said, "Today and the first week especially, you must assist any first years in finding their way about Hogwarts and help them to get used to their surroundings. After tonight's opening feast, you are to escort the first years to your respective common rooms. I believe that Lily has the passwords?"
The rest of the meeting went smoothly. Lily was shocked at how polite and business-like James was being. When the meeting was over, Lily turned to leave but James caught her arm, "Could I talk to you for a minute Lily?"
"Umm...okay," Lily said warily.
James led her into an empty compartment. "Look Lily," he began,"I just wanted to apologize for my behavior earlier and these past years. I've been an arrogant self-centered little berk and I know it. I know I've messed things up between us but can we start over?"
Lily was struck speechless. Of all the strange things that had happened today, this was by far the strangest. Finally she spoke, "I...I think I'd like that...James." she said. It was the first time that she'd ever called him by his first name before and the word sounded foreign on her tongue, "I think I'd like that."
As Lily walked back to her compartment, she was in a daze. She couldn't believe what had just happened. A voice behind her interrupted her thoughts.
"Hi Lily."
She turned to see Amos Diggory standing behind her,"Oh hi Amos," she said smiling, "You startled me."
"My apologies," said Amos smiling back. Amos was one of the best looking guys at Hogwarts and the pride of his house, Hufflepuff. He was tall, had sandy blonde hair, and crystal blue eyes and Lily had always had a secret crush on him, "How was your summer?" Amos asked.
"It was fine," Lily answered, blushing, "Yours?"
"Very nice," replied Amos, "I just thought I'd congratulate you on becoming Head Girl."
Lily blushed redder, "Thanks."
"Well, I hope to see you around." said Amos.
"Yes, me too." said Lily.
Back in his compartment, James was on Cloud Nine.
"So," pressed Remus, "How'd it go?"
"Yeah," said Sirius, "Did you let your big mouth screw it up?"
"Shut-up," said James, "I just tried to be professional and at the end of the meeting I apologized to her for being such a git and..." he trailed off, deciding not to share how thrilled he'd been when she'd said his name.
"And..." Sirius urged, "She didn't slap you or hex you or anything?"
"No," said James dreamily.
"So what's next?" asked Peter.
"Yeah, are you finally going to ask her out?" asked Sirius.
"I don't want to rush it mate," James said, "It's taken seven years for Lily to even speak to me as a person. I don't want to mess things up with her. But," he added happily, "I think this year is off to a good start."
When Lily got back to her compartment, her friends were waiting for her expectantly. Their tense faces relaxed when they saw that Lily wasn't angry.
"So," said Julia still a little warily, "How was your meeting?"
"It was good actually," said Lily surprisedly, "You know, James Potter isn't that bad when he's serious."
"Ah-Ha!" cried Julia triumphantly, "Was I right or was I right?"
"That's not the most shocking thing though," said Lily still in disbelief herself, "James apologized. I didn't think the word "apologize" was in his vocabulary!"
"So do you really think he's changed?" asked Felicity, asking the same question Lily had been asking herself all day.
Lily paused for a minute and recalling James' sincere tone answered, "Yes, I really think he has."
Author's Note: There it is! Chapter 2. I hope you guys liked it and please review! It means so much to me to see your comments and what you think of my story! Remember the three R's: 'rite, read, and REVIEW!(yes I know that "write" doesn't start with a r but neither does 'rithmatic!)
