How I Came to Love Him
By Crystallic Rain

Notes: Another chapter finished. Enjoy!

Chapter Two: As Promised

A few weeks passed, and James was still quiet. He hadn't jinxed or hexed anyone for no reason, he hadn't pranked me, he hadn't asked me out… in fact, he didn't annoy me at all, in any way, shape, or form. It was as though he was plotting something, just trying to trick everyone into thinking he was good before pulling some horrible scheme. And yet, I couldn't help thinking that he had changed…

I had thought James had forgotten about our "deal". Truth be told, I had almost forgotten, too. Once or twice I remembered and I found myself hoping that maybe, just maybe, I wouldn't have to go on a date with him, after all.

Towards the end of September, there was a crowd around the bulletin board in the common room. Nat emerged from the mass of Gryffindors and told me, "There's a Hogsmeade trip on Saturday. It'll be nice to go, won't it? A nice break from studying for our N.E.W.T.s."

"It's always nice to visit Hogsmeade," I sighed. "Just hope the weather won't be as miserable as it is now." I gestured toward the window. Rain was falling again. It had been very chilly for autumn, with a lot of wind and rain. The weather would have been so much nicer if it hadn't been for the constant downpours.

We made our way down to breakfast, discussing what we planned to do on our trip to the village, which would be in only two days. We talked about stopping at Honeydukes and Dervish and Banges, maybe even Zonko's, then visiting the Three Broomsticks. I needed a new quill, too, so we decided to stop at Scrivenshaft's while we were there.

After a small breakfast, Nat headed off to Muggle Studies, and I left for Arithmancy. We waved goodbye until we'd meet each other again at lunch. I slowly ambled toward the East Tower, where Professor Vector taught the difficult class I was taking.

"Lily! Hey, Lily!" came a voice from behind me. I turned around to see James Potter, hurrying my way.

I raised my eyebrows. "Aren't you going to be late for class?" I asked him, a bit colder than I had intended.

"Oh, well…" His hand jumped to his hair. "Well, I wondered if you had seen the notice for the Hogsmeade weekend?"

"Yeah," I said, slightly exasperated, knowing what was coming.

"Well, I was wondering if you'd… erm… like to go with me?" James asked hopefully.

I scowled. I opened my mouth and was about to say how I'd really rather not, and I ought to get to class, when he held up his hand. I stood there, my mouth still open, completely nonplussed.

"Never mind," he said. "I shouldn't have asked." He turned around and began walking down the corridor.

Suddenly, I felt sorry for him, and I remembered the promise I had made him – one rose, for one chance…

"James! James, wait!" I called to him, rushing forward. I couldn't help it. I suddenly realized how cruel I had been to him the past years, turning him down without a single chance.

James turned around, still looking slightly disappointed.

"I'm sorry…" I smiled, quite reluctantly. "How about I take you up on your offer?" I added, though regretting it rather quickly.

"You mean…?" James asked tentatively.

"Yeah," I told him, "I'll go with you to Hogsmeade. After all, a promise is a promise. I told you I'd give you a chance, and I meant it."

He smiled and thanked me before running down the corridor, toward his first class. I looked at my watch before taking off, too. Class would start in a few minutes, and I really didn't want to get a detention from Professor Vector.

At lunch, I told Natalie what I did. She gaped at me, as though not believing what she heard.

"You told him 'yes'?" she asked me. "After everything you've told me over the past six years about hating him?" She was half-giggling, half-amazed, and yet she seemed to be proud of me for finally going out with a boy who she considered "a good choice".

"Well, I told you," I tried to explain. "I sort of felt sorry for him. I felt so bad, I just had to do it."

I hadn't told her the real reason; I hadn't told her the rose really stood for the chance I had promised to give James. I wouldn't tell her, either. I'd never tell her.

Nat taunted me about my going to Hogsmeade with James for quite some time. She kept at it for the remainder of the day, and only stopped on Friday evening in the common room when I told her I'd turn her into a singing walnut if she didn't stop. She was quiet instantly – she knew I was extremely talented with Charms and not that bad at Transfiguration, either.

After writing my Potions essay that night, the only homework I had for the weekend, I decided to go to bed. A lot of people had decided to get to bed early, too, so there were only a handful of sixth and seventh years still out. I saw Sirius and James, playing wizard chess, and I had a feeling James would have told his best friend my now. I really didn't want to be laughed at or picked on, so I hurried past them, and up the stairs. I wanted to be in a good mood when I left for Hogsmeade, no matter how little fun the trip with James would be.

'A miserable date, though,' I told myself, pulling down the sheets on my bed and climbing in, 'will be well worth it if it means he'll never ask me out again.'

I woke up the next morning, and, after dressing in a sweater and jeans, I went for breakfast with Natalie. Then, I left the Great Hall and went down to the Entrance Hall where I saw Sirius and James talking. James looked over at me, waved somewhat excitedly, then said goodbye to Sirius. He quickly walked over to me. I vaguely thought how cute he looked in his jeans and long-sleeved shirt, along with a light jacket. But no, this was James Potter.

"Hey, Lily," James smiled.

"Hullo, James," I said, grinning reluctantly. I had recently decided that, as James had given up calling me "Evans", I could at least stop calling him by his surname, too.

The weather was more pleasant than it had been all month. There was a small breeze, and it was bright and sunny. I walked with James in silence. This didn't bother me, and I knew he was just fine with it – I could tell he enjoyed my company.

After we entered Hogsmeade, I decided to break the silence between us. I told him that I needed a new quill, and so I asked if it was okay that we stopped by Scrivenshaft's. He said all right.

We entered the large store, containing a variety of quills, ink, and parchment. I picked out a nice quill.

"So, where would you like to go?" I asked James.

He shrugged. "Oh, I don't know…"

I smiled. "Well, then how about we stop by the Three Broomsticks?"

"All right, that sounds nice." He smiled, too.

I paid for my quill and we left the store. We entered the pub, which was, as usual, packed with people. We went to the counter and ordered. I was just rummaging through my bag, trying to find two sickles, when James said, "Don't worry about it. I've got it covered." He placed four silver coins on the counter, taking both the drinks.

I was slightly surprised. "Thanks James," I said.

"Don't mention it." He was smiling, again, obviously pleased with himself.

We walked to the back of the Three Broomsticks to find a seat. We passed James's friends, who smiled at me, as though thankful that I had finally accepted James's offer to go out with him. I felt my cheeks go pink. I told myself, 'This is not a real date. I don't like him that way!'

We sat down quietly. I decided to try to make conversation, asking him how Quidditch practice was going. I wasn't a big fan of Quidditch, mostly because I had grown up with muggles, so I didn't know all the teams and moves and rules, things that real Quidditch fans knew by heart. I rarely showed up for a school match, unless it was the last one of the season, determining which house won the Quidditch Cup. But I never really watched the whole game, even then. I usually brought a nice book, or anything to entertain me while I kept Nat company.

"It's going well," he told me. "I'm the new Quidditch Captain." He said this last part and it struck me odd, because it wasn't as if he was bragging. That was something quite different for him.

"That's great," I said. I took a sip of butterbeer. "You're a chaser, right?" I asked, vaguely remembering something Natalie had mentioned after a match a year or so ago.

He nodded. "Yeah."

We finished our drinks, mostly in silence, and left. We went to Zonko's and Honeydukes, but didn't buy anything. I could tell that James was trying very hard to fight the compulsion to buy something very expensive and very useless. Finally, after wandering around Hogsmeade for the afternoon, we decided to head back to Hogwarts for dinner.

The time at Hogsmeade hadn't been so miserable. In fact, it was quite enjoyable. It wasn't very different from spending the time with Natalie. Except for the obvious fact, of course, that I was not with Natalie but James.

"Well," I said as we came into the Entrance Hall. "I suppose I'll see you later."

James nodded. He swiftly kissed my cheek, then began walking down the corridor. He waved goodbye.

I was stunned. It took me a minute to regain the feeling in my legs. Then I slowly entered the Great Hall, where I saw Natalie talking to Sir Nicholas again. The ghost drifted off as the room began to fill, students sitting at their house tables. I was still completely bewildered about what just happened.

I took a seat next to Nat, thinking over my recent experience. James Potter had just kissed me, and I wasn't angry…

My brain began to work again, and, realizing what had happened, I felt my face turning red.

"What happened?" asked Natalie.

I shrugged. "Nothing…" I said, trying to convince myself that it had not just happened.

"Lily, you're blushing! What did you do?" Nat persisted.

"Me? I didn't do anything," I said truthfully. After all, it had been James who had done it.

Natalie considered me for a minute. "What did James do, then?" she asked, almost as though she had just read my mind.

"James?" I asked. I began helping myself to food, trying to delay the moment when she would squeeze the truth out of me.

"Yes, James. He did something… but what?" Natalie said, thinking hard.

Natalie began helping herself to food as well. I was relieved, hoping that she wouldn't pursue the subject. I wanted to keep the kiss a secret until the day that I died.

I was taking some potatoes, slowly putting them on my plate, when Nat gasped. She dropped her fork, which clattered against the table. I looked at her.

"Lily! Did he kiss you?" she asked, though I could tell she knew the answer. She was starting to grin and was suppressing another fit of giggles.

I could feel my cheeks going pink again. "Kiss me? No, he didn't kiss me…" I said, returning to my dinner. "It was more like a peck…"

"I knew it!" Natalie giggled, retrieving her fork.

"Look, it was just a little kiss on the cheek, it was nothing, really!" I said angrily.

"Well, then why are you making a big deal about it?" Nat asked slyly.

I opened my mouth, about to retort. Then, I closed it again, trying to think. I repeated this before Natalie spoke again.

"Why didn't you try to stop him?" Nat asked in a mocking sort of voice.

I glowered at her. "I do not like him that way," I said, going red again. But I wasn't sure that was fully true. She was very right, of course. I hadn't tried to stop James, not that I really had a chance. Still, I had the impression that if I had been given the chance, I wouldn't have pushed James away.

That night, I went to bed early again; I didn't go to sleep, however. After changing into pajamas, I lifted my pillow, revealing the rose James had given me. I smelled it again. It wasn't rotting or dying – it was still beautiful. I admired it for a few minutes before placing it carefully back on top of my sheets. I'd given him a chance, as promised, and drat him, he hadn't messed it up – quite the opposite, in fact. It was then that I became slightly scared – scared that I might be falling for the person I disliked most in the world.