The True Winners
A/N I just want to say thank you for all the people who reviewed. I came on this morning to write and I found lots of great reviews encouraging me to go on. (No, I am not J.K. Rowling in disguise. I am really just a crazy American 8th grader. Shh.) I feel special. I officially apologize for all misspellings. I have bad eyesight so I can't write for more than a few minutes cause it hurts when I stare at the screen. Anyway, you people really made me happy this morning and I want to thank you.
"The winners are on of three bands. We couldn't decide, so we're going to have them play one more song each and have you guys decide," Dumbledor announced. "The bands are English Slang, the Marauders and Practice Forgetting. The first group to perform will be English Slang." The group of mainly Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs took the stage.
"What are we going to play?" Lily asked Arabella.
"You know that song we practiced as back up? I want to sing that," Arabella replied. "I don't think Andrea is with us though, I think she's busy snogging Remus silly."
"You have to admit, it was romantic," Lily said. Arabella just grunted.
"Our next group will be Practice Forgetting," Dumbledor announced. The two girls came on. Arabella cme center stage while Lily played piano.
"We'll be singing Save the Best for Last. We wrote it ourselves (really by Vanessa Williams) with the help of Andrea who is understandably busy right now," Arabella said. The crowd chuckled and Remus and Andrea, who had come up for air, blushed.
Sometimes the snow comes down in June
Sometimes the sun goes 'round the moon
I see the passion in your eyes
Sometimes it's all a big surprise
'Cause there was time when all I did was wish
You'd tell me this was love
It's not the way I hoped or how I planned
But somehow it's enough
And now we're standing face to face
Isn't this world a crazy place?
Just when I thought our chance had passed
You go and save the best for last
All of the nights you came to me
When some silly girl had had set you free
You wondered how you'd make it through
I wondered what was wrong with you
'Cause how could you give your love to someone else
And share your dreams with me
Sometimes the very thing you're looking for
Is the one thing you can't see
And now we're standing face to face
Isn't this world a crazy place?
Just when I thought our chance had passed
You go and save the best for last.
Sometimes the very thing you're looking for
Is the one thing you can't see
Sometimes the snow comes down in June
Sometimes the sun goes 'round the moon
Just when I thought our chance had passed
You go and save the best for last
You went and saved the best for last
"Sirius, just promise me you'll save the best for last, and I'll come back," Arabella said. Sirius ran onstage and picked her up, swinging her in large circles.
"Thank you, the last group is the Marauders," Dumbledor told the crowd.
"Thanks profssor," James said as he came on stage, "but I'm singing this one alone. Lily, I wrote this for you." James took out his guitar. He did have Peter stay on drums.
The gray ceiling on the earth
Well it's lasted for a while
Take my thoughts for what they're worth
I've been acting like a child
In your opinion, and what is that?
It's just a different point of view
What else, what else can I do?
I said I'm sorry, yeah I'm sorry.
Well I said I'm sorry , but for?
If I hurt you then I hate myself
Don't want to hate myself, don't want to hurt you
Why do you chew your pain?
If you only know how much I love you, love you
I won't be your winter
And I won't be anyone's excuse to cry
We can be forgiven
And I will be here
The old picture on the shelf
Well it's been there for a while
A frozen image of ourselves
We are acting like a child
Innocent and in a trance
A dance that lasted for a while
You read my eyes just like your diary,
oh remember, please remember
Well, I'm not a beggar, but what's more
If I hurt you, then I hate myself, don't wanna hurt you
Why do you choose your pain?
If you only knew how much I love you
I won't be your winter
I won't be anyone's excuse to cry
We can be forgiven
I will be here
I won't be your winter
I won't be anyone's excuse to cry
We can be forgiven
I will be here
"Lily, please forgive me," he pleaded.
"Why?" her voice shouted from the audience.
"Because I love you," he said. She turned around. Looking at him, seeing if he meant it. Then like a doe when frightened, she turned and fled.
"Lily, wait," James called after her. He ran after her like he had that winter night. He heard Dumbledor saying, "and the winner is English Slang," but James didn't care. The contest didn't matter, nothing mattered if Lily wasn't with him. He ran toward the woods, but was stopped by a voice.
"You knew didn't you? That's why you sent the box. It's beautiful by the way," she called to him. This time she was sitting by the lake. She was curled up on the beach like she wanted to disappear. "I don't know if you know this, but you changed my life. I'm still trying to decide weather for the better or worse. I'm not ready to let my heart be broken again. It still has bandages on it." James sat down next to her and put his arm around her.
"I can't live with you being mad at me. I have tried. I mope around all day and get bad grades. I need you. You're the one who keeps me sane, who keeps me in the here and now. I love you," James declared.
"Sounds like a line from a book," Lily replied.
"I swear it isn't. I love the way you bite your lip when you're trying to concentrate. I love the way you laugh. I love your sense of humor. I love the way you look when you're angry, and when you scold me, but most of all, I love the way you look when you are happy. I don't want you ever to cry again I love you Lily Evans," James poured out.
"Really?" Lily said wide-eyed.
"Really," he bent down and kissed her.
"Who won the battle?" Lily asked.
"English Slang," James replied.
"Aren't you mad that you aren't the winner?"
"I am the true winner."
A/N Sorry about the sappiness. The next chapter's about graduation. (It doesn't end there.) I'm sorry about the millions of authors' notes.