Be Here Now

Disclaimer: I hope you know the deal by now.

A/N: Hey everybody! Sorry about the late update… :/

Temy the Bloodedge: Ha-ha I LOVED that review! Very entertaining to read, and thank you!

m1347: Thanks! And I know, I kind of blanked while I was responding! I'm sorry!

iluvhedwing4ever: We shall see ;). Thank you!

twilightstargazer: Thank you so much!

And here is chapter twenty-five!

x.o.x.o.x.

January is almost over. It is the twenty-eighth. Since that first day back, which was on the twenty-sixth day of December (Boxing Day), James had been cursed. A month and two days later, he was still in a coma. Madam Pomfrey was very worried; Dumbledore was researching to the best of his ability, and the Potters (minus Isabel) were still at Hogwarts at both Dumbledore's insistence and their worry.

x.o.x.o.x.

"C'mon, Lily, your birthday is in two days! Be happy!" urges Dorcas. Since the Christmas Ministry Ball, she had become closer to the other girls.

Lily just shrugs sullenly and Hilary also stays silent, which is unusual.

Alice looks between them and shakes her head at Dorcas. "They-"

She cuts off abruptly as Marlene enters the Gryffindor common room. She sees the group of girls looking at her from the fireplace, and she ducks her head, walking past.

Alice lowers her voice. "I heard that she and Dwyer are still dating."

Everyone swivels their head to look at Lily.

Lily shrugs emotionlessly. "Who cares? I'm higher than them."

Hilary smiles sadly. "James told you that, didn't he?"

Lily nods slowly. "He was the one who got me through that. And he did so many terrible things to me while drugged. He's done two incredible things though. One, he comforted me in my time of need, and then he… he didn't even pull out his wand to curse or do anything to Snape. Snape was the one who launched that attack."

Hilary looks at her. "I'm so lucky to have so many amazing people in my life. You, James, Alice, Dorcas, Sirius, and Remus. I just realized that to the full extent when James got cursed. I can't imagine life without him. He's just been there for me through everything, except for the time when he was drugged of course." She pauses. "But seeing how he has changed…"

"And matured," contributes Lily.

Dorcas looks thoughtful. "I don't really know him, but he has changed and matured. In his first and second years he really just played harmless pranks and such that were truly obnoxious and immature and childish. In his third, fourth, and fifth years he earned a huge reputation as a playboy with the biggest imaginable crush on Lily here." Hilary and Alice let out small giggles while Lily rolls her eyes. "Then in his sixth year he kind of settled down, focusing more on his education and things, but was still the notorious prankster like the Marauder he is. He still jinxed Snape, and threw in the occasional hex, but that's pretty much it. Then this year he changed so much while under that potion, it seemed uncanny."

Alice seems to know where this is going. "But after her came out from under that influence, he sobered even more. He hasn't gone on a single date since his last one, which was under the influence of the potion, with Maya. He hasn't hexed or jinxed any student. No pranks have been coming from the group of Marauders."

Lily's green eyes glint. "You know what would be the perfect birthday gift?"

The three young women look at her.

"Besides James waking up, of course. Well, the pranks we never pulled on Maya," Lily says.

Hilary shrugs. "Personally, I think we should wait until James wakes up."

Lily tilts her head to the right. "I have the strangest feeling that James just woke."

x.o.x.o.x.

Vision is blurred. Nose is flared. Ears pick up no sound. Mouth is dry. Cool sheets. James Potter bolts upright in his bed, flailing his arms. His arms hit a vase on the table, and it falls to the ground, smashing into hundreds of pieces. Hearing the crash, Madam Pomfrey hurries from her office, eyes wide.

"Mr. Potter!" she exclaims, rushing to his side.

"What happened, Madam Pomfrey? Why am I in the hospital wing?" James asks. But as he asks that, the memory comes back to him, and as Madam Pomfrey explains, he remembers.

"Someone cursed you. Badly. With an unknown spell. And you were out for a month and two days," Madam Pomfrey says. She hesitates. "Do you know who?"

James unintentionally ignores the question. He focuses on the month and two days part. "A month and two days?"

"Yes. You had all of us extremely worried. Your parents are here."

"And Isabel?"

"I'm not su-"

Madam Pomfrey is cut off by the doors flying open, revealing a frantic redhead. Her green eyes widen and her eyebrows shoot up.

"Lily!" James exclaims.

Lily rushes into the hospital wing. "You're awake!"

Madam Pomfrey steps hastily between her and the bed. "Mr. Potter needs rest, Miss Evans."

Lily looks helplessly at James, who has a wide, goofy grin spread across his face. "Can I do anything?"

"Go alert his family members and friends of his awakening."

Lily nods and rushes out.

x.o.x.o.x.

"JAMIE!" a sobbing Mrs. Natalia Potter shrieks as she runs into the hospital wing.

Her son rises onto his feet and grins at his mother. "Hey Mum."

Natalia shakes her head as she clutches him tightly. "Don't ever scare me like that again, hear me?"

James nods, still with a wide grin stretched across his face. It diminishes slightly as he asks, "Where is Izzy?"

Charles steps forward and hugs his son. "James, you gave us quite the scare. We've been here for a day plus a month. Izzy has been staying with your mother's friend in New Zealand, Gwen. She's perfectly alright."

Hilary comes forth next, her eyes brimming. "Jamie!" she cries, throwing herself into James's arms.

James hugs her tightly.

"You scared me so much! Don't you dare ever go get hurt like that again!" admonishes Hilary, thudding at his chest helplessly.

James shakes his head, his hazel eyes brimming as well. "Never again, Hils. I'm sorry. For everything."

Hilary also shakes her head, and the twins hug for a moment more.

Everyone else goes to greet James, and finally Lily steps up. Her eyes, like the twins', are tearing. "Thank Merlin you're alright, James."

James smiles. "Thank you for coming, Lily."

Lily shakes her head, sending her hair flying. "I don't know why I came at that time. I just felt a pull that felt like you had woken up. I think Hilary felt it too."

James looks confused. He begins his question as the others clear out. "But Hils and I are twins. Why could you feel it?"

Lily shrugs, her face thoughtful. "James… do you remember that I told you that I loved you?"

James gapes. "No."

Lily groans. An effect of the potion. Only Maya's love declaration could get stuck in his mind, she thinks. Her emerald eyes are full of emotion. "I said that to you at least once while you were under the influence of that potion. And I still stand by it. I love you, James Potter."

James grins. "I have since I first witnessed your temper, and even more when I delved deeper into your personality and heart. You are a beautiful person, Lily Evans, in and out." He stops. "But where do we go from here?"

"Let's just be friends, and see how that goes," Lily suggests.

James nods slowly. "Friends?"

Lily nods. "Friends."

x.o.x.o.x.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY LILY-FLOWER!"

Lily Evans wakes up on her eighteenth birthday to find one of her dearest friends standing in her doorway and screaming.

Lily grins, laughing. She rises. "Thanks, James."

James smiles happily. "Eighteen, huh? Big birthday!"

Lily shrugs. "Yeah, but in the Muggle world I would be coming of age today."

"You're already of age," grins James.

Lily laughs. "Something good about the Wizarding world: we come of age earlier. Can you get out so I can change?"

James winks. "But Li-ly! I want to stay!"

Lily giggles. "Out, James."

James pouts but leaves.

x.o.x.o.x.

Lily enters the Head Common Room to find the Marauders, Frank, and her two best friends and Dorcas waiting by the fire, each holding a gift. Except James. Lily notices this and wonders, but grins, pushing the thoughts away.

"HAPPY EIGHTEENTH!" everyone choruses.

Lily's grin grows. "Thank you so much, guys!"

Hilary bounds forward first. "Be glad you don't have classes today!"

It was indeed Saturday, so there were no classes in session.

Lily nods, smiling as she hugs her sister in every way but blood.

Hilary holds out the present.

Lily takes it. "Thanks." She unwraps it. A gasp escapes from her mouth. "Merlin, Hilary!"

Hilary smiles happily. "Like it?"

Lily pulls out a pair of red peep-toe stilettos that were velvet. "How much did this cost?"

Hilary waves it off. "Don't worry, Lily!"

Lily shrugs. "Okay, but thank you so much, Hilary!"

Hilary smiles, stepping back. "No problem."

Alice skips forward next. "Here!"

Taking the box, Lily tears off the paper. Inside is a Wizarding photo album, filled with pictures from their first year up until this year. Pictures Lily didn't even know had been taken.

"Every time something really good happens, or even something worth photographing, this album just takes the picture and stores it away," Alice explains.

Lily grins. "Thanks so much, Allie! Such a good piece of magic!"

Dorcas walks forward next. She smiles apologetically. "I don't know you too well yet, Lily, so I just hope you like your present."

Lily smiles kindly. "Of course I will, Dorcas. It's the thought that counts."

Dorcas grins and hands it over.

"I love this series, Dorcas! How'd you know?" Lily exclaims after removing her favorite Muggle book series from the box.

Dorcas shrugs bashfully and steps back.

From the three Marauders and Frank Lily received a good deal of candy, for which she was grateful. On her… er, time of month, she needed sweets. A lot of them.

x.o.x.o.x.

The Head Boy is heading back to the common room when he hears crying. He steals a glance at the Astronomy Tower steps. He would recognize those tears anywhere. Making up his mind on the spot, he sprints up the steps.

Sure enough, he is greeted by a head of deep red hair. That head was bent over, and was crying. Sobbing, even.

James steps forward. "Lily…"

Lily scrambles up, trying to wipe off her tears. "Hey James."

James shakes his head, walking forward to put an arm around the girl he loved. "Lily… it's your eighteenth birthday. Don't cry, please."

At these words, Lily breaks down again. "That's just why I'm crying, James! My parents should be here on Earth to welcome me into adulthood in their world, but because of Lord Voldemort, that crap, they aren't!"

James allows Lily to cry in silence for a few moments more. Then he begins to rub her back comfortingly. "It's perfectly alright to grieve and feel sad, Lily, but think. Would your mum and dad want you to feel terrible and cry on the day of your eighteenth birthday? Eighteen years ago today, you were brought into this world. And your parents loved you unconditionally. Their love still happens, Lily, even if they cease to exist on our world. Please be happy!"

Lily sighs. "Sometimes I wonder if that day eighteen years ago shouldn't have happened."

Shocked, James argues, "But the world is such a better place with Lily Evans in it! You charmed the whole school. You're Head Girl. You've defied Death Eaters twice. And my life wouldn't be complete without you."

Lily, who had been about to protest, freezes. She revolves on the spot to face James instead of the starry sky. "James… I love you."

James hesitates, and then steps forward, laying his forehead on Lily's. For the first time, their lips meet.

Once James breaks away, he keeps his forehead on hers and whispers, "I love you too, Lily Evans."

x.o.x.o.x.

A/N: Whew, there's twenty-five done! I think maybe ten or fifteen more to go. I could have thirty-five chapters or even forty. What did you think of that? I hope you liked it! And then later we can discuss a sequel lol! Until chapter twenty-six…

~TrueLoveIs4ever