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Lily slid down the compartment door until she was sitting on the ground and put her head in her hands, thinking over what just had happened.

Everything had been fine, things had been going so well. James and she had gotten along. They were chatting and learning more about themselves. She had relaxed.

Then he was mentioned.

She sighed and lifted her head, letting it softly bump against the panes of the door. She was starting too actually like James; he was easy to talk to, funny, and the entire time she was with him, she hadn't thought about him.

She bumped her head against the door again, a little harder than the first time.

How had he seen? She re-ran the scene through her head. She had taken a half a moment to calm herself when he had walked in. She sighed. Apparently, that split second had allowed James Potter to see more into her than anyone ever had.

She closed her eyes. What now?

She had stalked right out of that compartment, grabbing her bag and taking a step in one fluid movement. She hadn't looked back, didn't want to see his face, but she could imagine his expression.

As Lily Evans was as open as a rock, James Potter could be read like a book.

She opened her eyes and tried to guess what James had been feeling.

Apologetic? Possibly.

Disappointed? Maybe.

She stood up slowly and walked over to the window, resting her arms on the sill and her forehead against the glass. It fogged up with her breath.

Indescribably sad? Definitely.

She lightly traced a mildew drop as it crawled its way down, painting a picture with her mind light hazel eyes darkened with sadness.

She had seen hopefulness when he had asked the question. His eyes had softened, and he had looked hesitant, but firm.

She absently watched as the drop collided with another, joining together and picking up speed.

"Fan- bloody-tastic," she whispered to herself.

This was exactly what she needed. After an entire summer of nearly killing herself with hopefulness, and then being sorely disappointed, she now faced an awkward conversation with a guy that wanted nothing but to know more about her.

Her slender fingers tightened into a loose fist as she half heartedly bumped the window to hasten the pace of the water droplet.

It slowly wound its way down the window, curving around other droplets and running over the smooth glass. She watched it disappear below the window.

She pushed herself away from the window and surveyed it steadily. She would just have to apologize and make up some half- crap story about what had happened. She turned, surveying the random compartment that she had run into as soon as she had left the Head Room.

After all, she though bitterly, I am the expert at hiding my emotions. Lying can't be that hard.

And with that she swung open the door, and strode out into the corridor, confident and strong, a strong contrast of the weak, sobbing girl that had entered.

James Potter watched Lily silently leave, his mind screaming at him to follow her, his conscience shaking its head at his forwardness.

He only lowered his gaze when she had closed the door completely and he could no longer see her distorted figure through the glass.

He turned in his seat and banged his head on the wall several times. Why had he asked the question? He knew that only a couple things could upset Lily, and when he finally had seen one, he had to bring it up and ruin a nice conversation.

He stopped banging his head and turned his back to it once more, leaning back softly, letting his arms fall listlessly to his lap. His eyes closed.

There was obviously something she wasn't telling him. Something about a someone. If this wasn't about a good relationship gone bad, James would eat his broomstick.

He distractedly ran a hand through his dark locks. Who could have Lily Evans, the ice queen of Hogwarts, wound around their finger? He thought hard, squinting his eyes and bringing his palms up to his cheeks.

He shook his head absently and moved to stand up.

It was a thought to ponder on a rainy day. He picked up his bag and walked to the door, winding in between the seats that had been occupied not 20 minutes ago. He reached the door, but with a hand on the doorknob, turned and glanced back at the window seat, picturing a distraught young red head with green eyes drowned in disappointment.

He sighed and left the room silently.

Lily walked down the corridor, checking random compartments, thoughts still swirling in her head. She was looking for her best friend, Natalie Smith.

She remembered her dear friend as she checked another compartment. As Lily was fair, Natalie was dark. Natalie had always been more curvaceous than Lily. She had long legs that guys would die for, a tiny waist, and an ample chest that drew much attention. A belly ring pierced her flat stomach.

She had long, straight, very shiny, jet black hair that fell in light layers to the small of her back and side bangs that swept across beautiful, deep blue eyes. The deep set sapphire orbs were complimented by flawless olive skin and long curly lashes. Full lips and pearly whites finished one of the most beautiful girls at Hogwarts.

Lily had always envied Natalie's beauty, but most of all, her charm. If she had been some ugly hag, Natalie still would have had to beat men off with a stick.

Lily unconsciously grinned as she reached the back of the train. If there was one thing that made them the best of friends, it was their contrasting personalities.

Natalie could charm anyone into liking her. Her wit, humor, and kind personality caused all of Hogwarts to bend down on their knees and worship her. While Lily was more reserved and didn't like to be the center of attention, Natalie bathed in the spotlight and could entertain groups of people for hours on end.

And though her perfect exterior had convinced everyone, Natalie came from a very broken family. Her only living relative was her uncle, and he was in Azkaban. The rest of her family was dead.

She had lived in an orphanage as long as she could remember, but had hated it there. She had always said that Dumbledore had been angel when he had taken her away.

Lily reached the last compartment and pulled it open, revealing a beautiful girl lying on one of the seats, a magazine in hand.

She glanced up from the article she was reading and saw Lily standing there. She slowly stood up and opened her arms, a questioning look gracing her soft features.

And Lily burst into tears for the second time that day and ran into them.

James swung open a compartment door and surveyed his three best friends.

First, there was Sirius Black. Easily the most attractive man in all of Hogwarts, Sirius had pitch black hair, falling in attractive layers that brushed his shoulders. He had piercing black eyes, a sharp nose, and a body to rival James'. They both played Quidditch at school; James as Seeker and Sirius as Keeper.

Sirius also came from a broken family. All his relatives were dark wizards and supported hate groups against muggleborns. He had been disowned his first day at Hogwarts when he was sorted into Gryfindor house. He had been living with James ever since.

James shifted his gaze to his other best friend. Though he and Sirius were like brothers, Remus held a strong connection between the two. Suffering from lycanthropy from a young age, Remus Lupin had been allowed to come to Hogwarts under strict conditions. And one of those conditions was to never tell anyone about his "furry little problem," as James had dubbed it as soon as he found out. And though he had kept his promise and tried to excuse his monthly departures with lies, his friends soon discovered his secret, and further more, just last year, had managed to become Animagi to be with their friend during his harsher times.

Remus had sandy blond hair, a lanky frame, and chocolate brown eyes. He stood 2 inches shorter than Sirius and James' tall figure.

Last, was Peter Pettigrew. James, Sirius, and Remus had adopted him in their second year. He was always teased by the Slytherins, and when they had stood up for him, he had unspokenly became one of the infamous group called the Marauders.

James surveyed his friends slowly, taking in their questioning looks.

Sirius silently cleared a spot next to him so his friend could sit. James took the offered seat, taking in the mess that had become the Marauder compartment. Candy wrappers and magazines littered the floor while books and robes were slung haphazardly on the seats.

James fell into the seat, sprawled unattractively in the little space he was given. Sirius' gaze returned to his magazine.

"So how did it go?" Sirius questioned lightly, eyes still on the magazine.

"Not good," came the murmured reply

Remus studied him intently.

"Who's Head Girl?"

James sighed and put a hand over his eyes, blocking out the sunlight from the slightly ajar curtains.

"Lily Evans," he responded carelessly.

Sirius's eyes stopped roving the page, his face screwed up in concentration, no doubt trying to remember if he had ever snogged her.

James raised his head slightly and cracked two fingers open to see Sirius in deep thought. He sighed and dropped his head back on the seat.

"Forget it mate, you've never hit this one, trust me."

Sirius looked shocked.

"Is she gay?"

Remus rolled his eyes and Peter snickered. James sat up and punched him in the arm, while laughing.

"No, you idiot, isn't it possible for a girl, who is straight, to not like you?" James asked lightly, a smirk lingering on his face.

"Of course not James," Remus interrupted, eyes scanning quickly over text in one of their school books. "All women are created to please Sirius Black."

He paused and looked up at Sirius, an incredulous look lingering over his features. "Isn't that true?"

"I wish it was." Sirius said quietly to himself as he resumed his reading.

Peter giggled again.

Remus broke his disgusted gaze off of Sirius and turned to James, who was lying on the seat, now both hands covering his face. His expression turned to concern.

"Lily Evans… Do we know her?" Sirius asked, sitting up from his slumped position and allowed James to stretch out more.

"Isn't she that red-headed girl? The one that never smiles?" Peter asked, looking questioningly at Remus, then to James' prostrate form and back again, trying to see if anyone agreed with him.

James grinned from underneath his hands and nodded lightly.

Sirius looked at Remus and shook his head thoughtfully. He had never snogged her.

Remus rolled his eyes at Sirius' priorities and tried again. "So, what happened?"

James moved his hands and stared fixedly at the ceiling. He hesitated.

"She wasn't very happy to see me," he said slowly.

Sirius let out a bark of laughter.

"No offense, mate, but I wouldn't have expected you to be Head Boy either."

Remus glared at his friend and then turned back to James, waiting patiently for him to continue.

James hesitated again and sat up, resting his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands.

"I think she wanted someone else to be Head Boy."

"Do you know who?" Peter interrupted.

James shook his head as far as his hands would allow.

"No."

Sirius inspected his friend seriously and then glanced at Remus.

"And?"

James released his head and sat back in his seat eyes trained on the floor.

"And… I asked who it was, and she freaked."

Sirius winced. "Did she throw things?" he asked knowingly.

James laughed again and shook his head.

"Lily Evans doesn't throw things."

Comprehension dawned on Remus' face.

"Ahhh… Lily Evans."

Sirius looked confused.

"You know her?"

Remus nodded slowly, still searching James' face. After a second, he sat back in his seat and looked at Sirius.

"I was prefect with her. Flawless self-control. She's really nice, seems almost perfect. No problems at all."

James' eyes snapped up.

"She has problems."

Remus gazed at him curiously. "How so?"

James sat up again, hands waving in his rant.

"I've never spoken to her in my entire life, and the first time we actually look at each other, I see, what, something no one else has seen? Come on…" he said glanced at all of them in turn. "What are the chances that the first time I meet her, she decides to stop acting like a rock and show a little emotion?"

He paused again and slumped back to his original position.

"No," he murmured. "There's definitely something wrong with Lily Evans."

Lily was lying in the compartment in a similar position as James was. A hand over her eyes, back to the seat, legs dangling over Natalie's.

She wiped her eyes haphazardly, wincing as she pictured what she must look like. While some girls could cry and look beautiful, it never worked on Lily.

Natalie was soothingly stoking her free hand.

"You ready to talk?"

Lily hesitated and then sat up, resting a head on Natalie's shoulder.

"Yes."

Natalie smiled softly and wrapped her arms around her friend. Her hands moved to Lily's hair.

"What happened?"

Lily shook her head absently and pushed herself up to look at Natalie head on.

"It wasn't just what happened in there," she said, wiping her eyes again. "It has just been building up since last year, when… you know…"

Natalie nodded quickly.

Lily lightly ran her fingers over the tacky carved designs that adorned all the Hogwarts Express furniture.

She hesitated. "He never wrote me back."

Natalie's face darkened. "What a jerk."

That cracked a small smile on Lily's face.

"Thank you," she said in a watery voice, "but I had hoped, you know, because I was Head Girl…"

"I know, I know…" Natalie crooned soothingly.

Lily shook her head and started to dissolve into tears again.

Natalie hesitated before grabbing Lily's hands in her own.

"Lily, listen to me," she said softly. "This isn't like you. None of this is like you. That jerk" she waved a hand absently as if she knew where he was, "isn't worth crying over."

Lily moaned softly, diverting her eyes to the other side of the compartment.

Natalie smiled softly and brought Lily's gaze back to hers.

"You made a mistake, clear and simple." She said gently. "If he was the guy for you, he would have gotten over it by now. If he doesn't want you back, it's his problem."

Lily gave a tiny nod, a tear running slowly down her face.

Natalie lightly wiped it away, smiling into Lily's emerald green eyes.

"You know what?" she asked lightly.

A watery "What?" replied.

Natalie grasped her hands again.

"You're strong, and confident, and the Lily I know would shoot herself before crying for any man." She said confidently. "If you want him back, Lily, you will get him back. Because you're determined and stubborn, and strong, and no one, not even him, can hurt you." She said, her blue eyes blazing.

Lily nodded again, the tear falling in her lap.

Natalie shrugged lightly with a smile on her face.

"Lily," she said quietly. "This isn't you."

Silence flooded the compartment.

Lily then reached over and hugged her friend tightly, not releasing her for awhile.

"Thank you."