-1Right, so I didn't wait for 20 Reviews, but WHO CARES? Not you, right. OK, so I forgot to add a Disclaimer last time so here it is:

Disclaimer: I own Harry Potter, and James sucks socks for a thrill.

Broken Hearts, Broken Dreams

Home At Last

"Potter!" James groaned again, then steeled himself for the explosion. "What do you think you are doing?" He tried to listen, while attempting to block out the screams of her friend, Emmeline - "SIRIUS BLACK! GET YOUR PERVERTED FAT HEAD OUT OF MY ARSE IMMEDIATELY!"- and focus on his watch. Just as he was constructing a suitable reply in his head, one that would make her see he had changed, the warning whistle blew, and he leaped up as if scalded.

"Sorry Lily, but we're going to miss the train." Momentarily thrown by his use of her first name, and the fact that he hadn't asked her out already, Lily blinked, then gathered her things, assisted Emmeline in standing, then dashed for a door. James, Emmeline and Sirius rushed behind her, the latter still eyeing the bum-cheek he had been smelling a moment before.

They struggled along the train until they found the Marauders and Lily's gang of girls sharing a compartment, along with Frank Longbottom and Arthur Weasley, both of whom were seventh year Gryffindors.

"Hey guys." Lily sighed, heaving her trunk into the rack and collapsing onto a seat. "Hey Remus." As his best friend returned the greeting, James scowled. He had always been jealous of Remus' friendship with Lily, and it still hurt every time they spoke as he longed to be in Remus' place.

Sirius, on the other hand, noticed nothing.

"Moony, Wormtail, Frank, Arthur, ladies." He greeted, nodding to each in turn. "Hmm, it's Alice," This to a girl with a round, joyful face, golden-brown hair and wide serious blue eyes. "Molly," Molly Spencer was a round, comfortable white-blonde with blue eyes. "and Ruby," A petite, slender girl with a small chest, golden hair and oval brown eyes, Ruby was the last of the girls. "And of course I have already seen Lily and Em." He tapped his chin, stroking an imaginary goatee. "Who have I forgotten…." James edged towards the door, hands over the shiny badge on his chest. Too late. "Prongsie!" He flung his arms around the boy, who pushed him away, struggling to get out. Lily pointedly began reading a book. "Haven't seen you for ages, mate. How was your summer? Didja shag any chicks? Didja, didja, didja?" Not for the first time, James thanked the gods he had a reason to leave.

"Not now, Padfoot. I have to go to the Head's carriage." Lily looked up.

"Yes, Potter, thanks for reminding me - after all, I am Head Girl and I shouldn't be lat- Wait. You're Head Boy? "

Deathly silence.

"Um, yeah." Realisation dawned. "You're Head Girl? Woohoo!" He jumped punching his fist in the air.

"Oh, no." Lily did not share his excitement. "You do realise what this means, don't you?" His face was blank. "We're going to have to live together.

Silence again.

"Oh." James' face contorted as he tried not to show his happiness at this last revelation. Live together? Perfect! I can show her really just how much I have changed for her. "Well, we better go then. As you said, it would not look good for us to be late."

Wordlessly, pinning her "HG" badge to the front of her top, Lily followed James into the corridor, where James let her lead, more because he wanted to look at her without her noticing than anything else. Ignoring his first initial thought - God her arse looks good in those jeans - he decided to make the first step on the road to showing her how he had changed.

"Um, Lily," He started, catching up with her. "I want you to know that I do intend to take my position as Head Boy seriously. I can't promise all the pranks will stop but I will try my utmost not to miss any Prefect meetings. I'll take my share of the paperwork too."

Lily stopped and turned to him - She's getting closer - his brain warned. She stepped right up to him - God, she's so close…I could kiss her…does she know what she's doing to me? - Her breath washed over his face as she spoke, and he heard her only dimly.

"I would believe you, Potter." She breathed. "But the thing is, I know you. Oh, you'll try you're hardest - and miss them anyway. I know if I want anything regarding Prefects and Heads to be done this year, I am going to have to do it, and guess what? I don't rightly care. In fact, the less interference from you," She spun away. "the better."

Her words cut, and he tried not to let her see how much they hurt, instead following her in silence to the Head Carriage. He sat like a mouse all the way through the meeting, as Lily droned on to the others about responsibility, hard work and other (in his opinion) bullshit. When asked if he had anything to add, he just shook his head. Even Remus catching his eye and grinning maniacally couldn't shake him out of his self-pity. When the meeting ended, he was first out the door, shuffling back down the train to the compartment, carrying himself like an old, broken man.

oOo

By the time Peter had wet himself for the fifth time, James was his usual fun self, mainly due to Sirius setting off a Filibuster Firework hidden under Lily's seat. In fact, he was in such a good mood after this that he bought every one of them whatever they wanted when the sweets trolley came around about halfway through the journey, and just wouldn't take "no" for an answer.

Finally, the lights of Hogsmeade Village were seen up ahead, and the girls shooed Frank, James, Arthur, Peter, Sirius and Remus out into the corridor, drew the curtains supplied for the door with a flick of a wand, and gossiped as they changed. Just enjoying each others company, they chatted about boys, sisters, boys, brothers, boys, dresses, boys, make up, and boys - in that order. Strangely enough, Alice's face burned as red as Lily's hair whenever Frank's name was mentioned. So, of course, playful teasing ensued. They were all laughing fit to burst, Lily, Molly and Emmeline with no shirts on, when Ruby suddenly stumbled against the red-head, whispering:

"Sirius."

Slyly, she glanced at the door. The curtain was twitched aside and Sirius had his nose glued to the pane.

"Well, I have always said," Began Alice loudly. "that Tampax tampons are the best if you have a heavy flow or wide-set vagina."

His expression akin to the one he would have worn if he had just seen Voldemort kill one of his best friends, Sirius shot away from the glass like an arrow from a bow. Vaguely, the girls heard murmurs of "Tampax…..tampons….flow…wide... set….vagina…" Then there was a thump, and pitiful moans from James and Wormtail along the lines of: "He's dead, he's dead, baby Padfooty…" Remus' voice joined the others' a few seconds later, instructing them on things like putting his feet higher than his head.

Inside the carriage, the girls stared at Alice.

"You did NOT just do that?!" Ruby squealed. Alice shrugged.

"Someone had to."

Laughter followed this remark all the way to Hogsmeade Station.

oOo

Stepping off the train, Lily saw instead of the usual tiny, thin Professor Kettleburn, a hulking… giant. There was no other way to describe…him.

"Firs' years!" He yelled. "Firs' years over 'ere!"

His frame completely blocked out the silhouettes of the tiny boats that took the first years across the lake. Lily sighed, grabbed her trunk and headed towards the carriages. Behind her, James ran to catch up.

"Lily," He panted. "I just found out. There's a carriage at the very front for the Head Boy and Head Girl. It leaves before the others, so we can be up at the High Table for Dumbledore to make his announcement."

Forgetting her earlier irritation with him, she blinked, then panic they would miss their ride enveloped her and she twisted to look at him through the darkness.

"Where?" She asked worriedly.

"At the front, like I said." He yelled over the noise of the carriages.

Quickly, she levitated her trunk and began to push through the crowd of students, James hurrying after her. Finally, they reached the front carriage. Sure enough on one door was engraved an ornate "HB", while on the other there was a "HG". Lily grabbed the door, but it stuck. Panicked, she tugged harder, until at last it swung open. She levitated her trunk in, but it landed on James' lap, and by the time she had moved it, the carriage had begun to move. Suddenly, James reached across the carriage, grabbing her hands, and hoisted her two inches of the ground. Their hands were sweaty, and they slipped, but Lily snatched for the handle on the seat, and after a minute or two of terrified struggling - they were cutting a very close path past the lake - Lily managed, with James' help, to get her feet onto safe ground, or rather, safe floor, since she was now in the carriage. After a few uncomfortable seconds of silence, Lily broke the mood, looked the Head Boy in the eye, and whispered:

"Thank you…James."

James himself said nothing, but permitted the smallest of smiles to play around his lips, though his insides were in turmoil. I managed it. She said my name! Lily Evans said my name!

Lily watched him all the way to Hogwarts, seeing how he seemed to be in a state of complete jubilation, though for what reason, she could not see. Finally, the carriage stopped, and she had to actually shake James before she realised he was asleep. What was more, he was talking. She stole into the seat next to him, listening carefully.

"Lily!" She blanched. Remus had always said he talked in his sleep about her, but she had always thought in return that he was lying to wind her up, exactly as his persistence is pushing that point did every time. "Oh, Lily, god Lily, I love you Evans, please don't reject me again! Lily…"

Suddenly, too terrified to listen to this any longer, she reached across, and gave his face a hard slap. He jerked awake.

"

Lily!" His eyes, she saw, had real hurt in them, and she instantly regretted slapping him. "What was that for?"

"I'm sorry…James…but you wouldn't wake up. It was that or Aguamenti. I'm serious."

"No, you're not, my best friend's Sirius!" He joked, and his eyes were bright again. Just as she got out of the carriage, levitating both trunks before her, he spoke once more. "Oh, Lily? Did I, like, say anything when I was asleep? 'Cos it's nonsense, I always talk in my sleep." About you. He thought. "It's not true, any of it." Unless you want it to be. He added in his heart.

He took his trunk from the girl of his dreams, once again staring at her curves as she marched ahead of him to the oak doors. Tearing his eyes away from Lily, he glanced back to see two sets of lights gliding towards the castle - one on the lake; the first years, and one coming up the road from Hogsmeade; the carriages carrying the rest of the school.

James slipped after the Head Girl to see her already depositing her trunk. Dropping it untidily next to her, he ran to catch up with her, and the walked together up to the High Table, where two chairs had been set out for them to sit on during the Sorting. Afterwards, they would join the Gryffindor Table for the Feast; and James hoped, as did Lily that their friends would save them seats.

Eventually, the other students arrived, sitting at their tables, then the first years were led in, and the giant man she had seen earlier took a seat at the very end of the table.

All the hall sat expectantly, then the Sorting Hat's brim split and it began to sing.

"I sing to you of Founders four

Noble, good and true.

Together those Founders four

Slowly built this school.

Their names are still sung

In many a wizarding home

And I shall tell, these Founders four

Show'red nobility like foam.

Gryffindor an Animagus was -

A lion brave and tall.

Hufflepuff a born mother was -

Who comforted each and all.

Ravenclaw an honest trickster was -

A shrewd girl through and through.

While Slytherin a fierce friend was -

Though fickle sometimes too.

Now come, rise out the ashes

While dark times lie ahead.

Ponder friends you might now know

As you tread the stairs to bed.

Friends for one and friends for all

You now must joyfully be.

Stand with hope; now stand up tall

Against a memory

Of darker days now returned

And wizards here for power.

In terror now I have for you

At this dark and dangerous hour

A word of caution to you all

As evil lies at our door.

Friendship, new bonds, trust and love,

With hatred wipes the floor.

Dark-Lord-That-Must-Not-Be-Named

Gath'rs wizards to him for power.

Intense struggles there may be

But please try not to glower!"

"It's always so cheerful, isn't it?" James remarked wryly.

"Shush!" Lily chided him. "It was warning us with…well, You-Know-Who out there…"

"Yeah, yeah - Voldemort!" He looked at her seriously. "Lily, fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself. You have to fight it."

Not used to James talking in such and intellectual way, Lily took advantage of the fact that Professor Slughorn of Potions had read the first name - Axeage, Norbert - and was now giving James a stern glare.

"Shush!"

"Which house is the little guy in?"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"That's the second new of ours." Lily whispered back. James attempted to compose his features into some kind of interested expression, but, failing miserably, began dreaming up a prank to play on Slytherin the next day.

Finally, the last name - Zoloho, Theresa - was called, the Sorting Hat was taken away, and Dumbledore stood.

"Good evening to you all. Sadly for us all, I have quite a few announcements to get through before we lose ourselves in this sumptuous feast.

"Firstly, our new Head Boy and Head Girl are James Potter and Lily Evans, both of Gryffindor House. If there is anything you need or any suggestions for dances, balls or feasts, please ask them or one of the Prefects for help.

"Secondly, there are quite a few replacements for staff this year, the first being the post of Transfiguration teacher being filled by Professor Minerva McGonagall." The woman who stood up was middle aged, but stern-looking and not willing to take any nonsense, new or not. Dumbledore continued as the polite applause died: "Also, this year, although Professor Kettleburn still wishes to teach Care of Magical Creatures, he has resigned the post of gamekeeper on the grounds that he cannot run as fast as he used. So, the position will be taken by Rubeus Hagrid.

"The only other change to our staff is a new nurse, Madam Pomfrey, who is highly qualified and will be stationed in the Hospital Wing if you need her at any time.

"Now, without further ado, let us begin our excellent feast." Dumbledore gestured to James and Lily to make their way to the Gryffindor Table, where they found that their respective friends had found them seats opposite each other with the excuse that they knew Lily hated James but, really, they had been the only seats left. The Headmaster waited until they were seated before speaking again, his voice carrying over the entire Hall:

"Wimble, anthem, margerine, bom-bom." The plates instantly filled with food.

oOo

The feast was over. As the Prefects led first years to their dormitories, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh years merging in a great sea of students, Lily and James waited nervously for Dumbledore to lead them to their Tower. At last they saw him, cutting his way through the crowd.

"Follow me." He said, his blue eyes twinkling.

He led them through countless corridors, up innumerable staircases, to a portrait of a red-headed, green-eyed witch - and a wizard with messy black hair. Even as they came up and Dumbledore spoke the password, they were kissing, and didn't even stop to open, just swung inwards, still locked at the lips.

"So, what would you like that password to be?" Dumbledore asked in the doorway.

"Hatred Burns." Put in Lily quickly. James nodded immediately - whatever she wanted, he wanted.

"Very well. I suggest you tell the occupants of your portrait tomorrow as you leave for breakfast. But now, this is you common room."

James turned around, barely acknowledging Lily's gasp of delight. There was a sofa, two armchairs, a low table, a roaring fire and a couch. Tapestries hung from the walls, all of it in Gryffindor colours. They turned around to thank Dumbledore, but he had gone, and the portrait had shut.

On the right and left, there were two staircases, and in the middle a door, which, James presumed, led to the bathroom.

"Seeya." He said, then turned up the right staircase, while Lily went left. At the end of a small corridor there were two doors. Opening one, her saw a beautiful mahogany desk, pine chair and marble inkwell. A bookshelf was stashed with books detailing every thing from Animaguses to Zoos in the Muggle World. Turning out again, he saw that the other door was labelled "Head Boy" in golden letters. Opened, it revealed a room with what looked like everything from his home bedroom (which was a lot) and then his four-poster bed from Gryffindor Tower. His trunk sat by the bottom of his bed, and all his posters were papering the walls. Without bothering to say goodnight to Lily, he stripped to his boxers, pulled back the covers, the light turned out, and fell asleep. The last thought that flitted through his mind was:

Home at last.

So there it is. Is it OK? Please Review! I love my Readers, but I love my Reviewers MORE!