I had a bit of a hard time writing this one, as I didn't want to seem repetitive with my scenes. It is from James's point of view, but you should get new material to read. I can't just put the same material out and expect you to be interested. I also had a rough time deciding where to cut this one. Because of that, this one is a bit short, but the next one should be longer. I also sort of wanted to get a move on with James's patience with Haley, as it seemed unrealistically unwavering. I hope you all like this one. I'd love some feedback on the next few.

Thanks for reading.

Location: Heads' Common Room

WEEK TEN of 7th YEAR

Lately, Haley and I had been a little rocky. She was convinced I was 'not invested in our relationship' and 'was only interested in being uncooperative and self serving'. She had, predictably, been irritable and moody all week. I was fed up with her bullshit, and seriously reconsidering our relationship. I just didn't quite seem worth it anymore. I felt like I was putting in far more than I was getting out. Everything I liked about her before was being replaced by constant bickering and complaining. We couldn't just be together anymore. It wasn't easy. She was making it difficult on me. I had always tried to be extremely considerate of her feelings (far too much, according to Sirius), and listen even when I thought she was wrong. But her incessant whining and pushing me to validate our relationship would not do. After two months, I think Sirius learned he couldn't push me around. I think she taught me how to properly treat a girl. Now that I didn't even enjoy being around her, there was no real reason to stay with her. I planned on waiting a few weeks, just to be sure, and if things didn't change, quietly and quickly ending it with her.

But there was a small little hiccup in deciding to execute this plan. It was small—it wasn't a deciding factor, but more of an unfortunate side effect. And it had to do with Lily.

See, I hadn't let myself truly, fully, and emotionally acknowledge my ever present feelings for Lily. I buried them under my relationship, and had let that preoccupy my emotions. But I was considering ditching Haley, which meant that there would be no detour towards my feelings. I mean, Merlin, this sounds so cheesy and sappy. My feelings this, my heart that, bleh. But, it was something to think about. I really didn't want to spend the rest of the year in heartache. I didn't want to go back to unrequited love. It sucks.

These types of thoughts had been occupying my mind for a good week. Lily was on my mind so much that, when I saw her, I felt like I was twelve again. I got all fumbled and nervous, and started acting stupid. The buried feelings had arisen again. It made me feel like I was an idiot (seriously, now, I was 17. Shouldn't I have been over this behavior?). That is why I made the date with Haley in Hogsmeade. I just wanted to make the nervous, little boy feelings go away. I was going to try to cover them up with Haley, as I had done for the past few months. I was also hoping that maybe, with a nice, pleasant date, Haley and I may get back on track. I wasn't confident in any of this working. When I came out of my room (ready for my date), I was confident none of it was going to work. Lily was sitting on the couch, doing homework. She was dressed appropriately and comfortably, and, to me, looked undeniably tousled and sexy. My heartbeat jumped, my palms started to sweat, and I lost speech and cognition. She, thankfully, greeted me first, which helped snap me back to normal.

"Hi James. What are you up to?" She said.

"I have a date, as you can probably guess." I nervously started adjusting my clothing, all the while cursing my awkwardness. My denial over the past few months allowed me to be normal with Lily—friends, even— but now I was feeling exactly like I had been acting for the past two years—like an idiot.

"You look nice. Where are you going?" She said. I knew this was one of those moments where she was just being kind. I was dressed in muggle clothing, and I wasn't even sure if I had the tie on right. I was probably venturing much closer to ridiculous than handsome.

"Something a little ways from Hogsmeade. I got special permission, being the head boy and all." She nodded in understanding. It hadn't been hard to persuade Dumbledore (I had purposely went over the head of McGonagall. She wasn't quite as trusting of me as the old man).

"Why aren't you hanging out with Mary or Sirius tonight?" I asked. She looked back up at me.

"Well, they both asked if I wanted to, but I said I'd prefer to finish this essay." I couldn't quite believe her. Maybe that would have been true of 5th year Lily, but lately she had been much more lax. She hadn't given up a night of friends for homework in a while. But, maybe she was behind. I had no reason not to give her the benefit of the doubt, so I didn't pursue the conversation.

"In all honesty, how do I look, Lily?" I blurted out. I immediately froze slightly, inwardly cursing myself. I hadn't meant to say that. I felt on edge and uneasy. She hadn't made me feel like that in a while, but here I was, caring whether or not she meant her compliment.

"Very handsome." She said. I nodded at her, and then jumped a few inches when someone knocked on the door. I hurried over to it, a ball of nervous energy. Haley was there, looking overdressed and unhappy. I smiled largely at her, just to piss her off, which made her frown deepen. Nevertheless, I took her hand, and led her to what would end up being the destruction of our relationship.

After it was over, I was surprised I didn't see it coming. I mean, not the particulars, like her flirting with another guy to make me jealous and calling Lily a conniving bitch, but the whole disaster evening. I felt like that one should have been obvious.

I had been patient with Haley, because I truly felt like that is the mature way to handle a relationship. But she was becoming undefendable. She flirted with that guy, Michael, to 'show me' what my friendship with Lily was 'doing to her feelings'. She even said that her 'just talking' with another guy was nothing in comparison to my 'flagrant cheating'. My growing anger and annoyance with her bubbled to the surface, and the resulting conversation was not pretty. I yelled at Michael to sod off, which I shouldn't have done. It wasn't like it was his fault. Haley's accusations about Lily really hit a sore spot. My ever growing, pathetic, four year feelings for her were unreciprocated, and would stay that way. Lily had made that painfully obvious with her honesty in the past few years. All the hurt I felt over my rejections started spilling out into a yelling match about how I would never be with her. Haley, of course never taking anything lying down, rose to the occasion. She started cursing both Lily and I, which I of course wouldn't take. She eventually stormed off, leaving me with the bill and a very angry restaurant. I am actually banned from there, and had to pay a fine for disturbing the peace.

A fantastic end to an eventful night out.