AN: I know it's been a long time!! I'm really sorry, it's just that since I write this in class, I then have to type it up and when my mom sees me near the computer for too long, she gets mad…FYI, chapters 3, 4 and 5 are also written out and chapter 6 is half done. (typing is the hard part)
Disclaimer: Sirius is mine!!(oh how I wish)
As Lily walked into the Gryffindor common room, she spotted who she was looking for at once. Indeed, the girl she knew James Potter tutored has just died her hair a vibrant turquoise
"Hi," said Lily pulling up chair and sitting down next to the girl, "Emma right?"
"Yeah, that would be me."
"I'm…"
"No need to introduce yourself, I know who you are, everyone does. Now, what exactly is it you want to know about James?"
"Uh…How did you know I was her to talk about Ja…Potter?" Lily was clearly taken aback.
"What else would you come and talk to me for? she asked shrewdly, seemingly piercing Lily with her eyes over her book, I saw your fight in the Entrance Hall," added Emma off-headedly while returning to her book.
"Who didn't? muttered Lily.
Emma chuckled.
"So…uh…is Potter a good teacher?" inquired Lily.
"Yeah! He's great! He's really understanding and supportive, he knows where my problems come from and helps me fix them. The good thing is, he doesn't write my essays for me, he's just there to help me."
"And he doesn't brag to you about his abilities, or use you for some obscure tasks, or act like a jerk, or show off to the teachers that he's tutoring you?"
"You know, he's not the guy you clearly think he is. The answer to all your questions is no by the way. We don't even pay him, we used to but when my parents started having financial problems, he said he'd do it for free without hesitation. James is something like my big brother now. He is really sweet, for example last week: was pretty upset cos some jerk from Slytherin made fun of my hair. He left his friends to come and talk to me; he took me down to the kitchens where e talked for several hours and he cheered me up and boosted my self-confidence. And then he took care of that git…"
"Let me guess…he hexed him right? What a surprise!" alleged Lily sarcastically.
"No, he talked to him, said that was no way to talk to any girl and told him to apologize."
"Now that is a surprise, said Lily flabbergasted."
"I told you, he's not the jerk you think he is, he's changed since last year. And, incidentally, you do hurt him by being so mean." Seeing Lily was about to interrupt she added, "Yes, he was a jerk and he did do stuff he's not proud of, but the way you treat him sometimes is just downright nasty. I'm not saying he didn't always deserve it in the past, but when you're extra-harsh, you should see how depressed he is, whatever façade he puts on for you, and I think you would think twice about your word choice. He really does care."
"Really?" Doubt was clear in Lily's voice.
"Yes really" Emma smiled sadly. "You should hear the way he talks about you, and whatever he says I can tell you in all honesty that if he ever does get over you, it'll take a while."
"Thanks, one last thing, do you thing you could…"
"Never mention this to James?"
"I would appreciate that," Lily smiled.
"No prob, see you around"
"Sure thing Emma."
Walking away, Lily heard an interesting conversation. She was walking past a table full of 4th and 5th years and even though eavesdropping is wrong, she did just that.
"Well, I think it's about time he stood up to her," said one girl.
"Yeah, I mean, she's really quite nice to everybody but him and his friends but she's too nasty with them sometimes," added another.
"A guy can only take so much crap from one girl," stated a boy whom she knew to be a 5th year.
"I swear that guy has it all."
"Well, all but Lily Evans."
"Fair enough. On a slightly different topic, did you see his catch at the last Quidditch match? AMAZING or what?" gushed a guy
"He's not only brilliant at Quidditch you know, he's also a really good student! And a great teacher!"
"I know, just the other day, I was having trouble with a transfiguration spell I need for my OWLS and he came to help me; I was amazed he's ditch his friends to come and help me. I mean, I barely even know him! He explained it really well, he said he couldn't tutor me but if ever I had another major problem, he'd be glad to help," a fifth year exclaimed.
"I just wish Evans could see thee guy is great, he doesn't deserve to be treated like that even though he can be slightly conceited at times, but, who isn't right?"
"I know! Anyways, changing the topic, was the transfiguration OWL hard or WHAT?"
Having heard enough, Lily decided to retreat to her spot; she had found it at the end of last year after her break-off with Severus: it was a comfy space, sheltered by a great oak but close enough to a Hogwarts wall to be cosy.
Lily always came her to think and that night she let her thoughts wander to a certain b-spectacled boy. She realized with great regret that James had been right about her, and nonetheless had still cared while she had been all wrong about him. Now that she had taken a step back, Lily saw that she had always treated James as an inferior; exactly the way she had thought he treated everybody else. Looking back on some moments, she realized that although he could be a got-headed arrogant git, he could also be a sweet and thoughtful bloke. He had proved that several times, heck he had even saved his worse enemy!
Lily thought about the reason behind his attitude around her: relentless pursuit (despite violent rebuffs), cocky attitude, stupid stunts…That was the way a teenage boy acted when he liked a girl; which meant that James really cared. Lily knew that if her vision had not been clouded by so much anger, she would have seen it before; but James Potter had always seemed the logical scapegoat for her miseries.
FLASHBACK
Lily was sick on her seventeenth birthday. She turned around in her bed feeling miserable. She then spotted a tray with a gorgeous fresh lily, the color of her hair and the stem the green of her eyes in a vase. Next to it a bowl of foaming soup and a note saying:
Dearest Lily,
Hoping you will soon feel well enough to enjoy your coming of age.
PS: The soup is made with my grandmother's recipe, it makes any sick person feel better instantly.
Checking the soup for basic poisons Lily wondered who could be so sweet and thoughtful. Seeing nothing special she drank the soup and as the note had said, it made her feel better instantly; giving her the possibility to enjoy the festivities made in her honour.
James Potter came toward her in the Common Room asking her kindly if she'd gotten his tray. Lily spat back at him that she had thrown the tray away instantly; of course it was a lie, she had even put a conservation charm on the lily she thought was so beautiful.
END OF FLASHBACK
She had always though Pot…James was in it for the chase but he actually cared and aside from her close friends and family, very few people could say that about her.
Lily sighed, pushed her self up and went back to her dormitory. There was only one thing left to do, and that would have to wait for tomorrow.
AN: Allright so what do you think? Give me some reviews and make my day why dontcha?
