A/N: Happy Christmas! Thank you to everyone who voted for Welcome to Pettyville in the jily awards! We were so honored to have this fic win favorite humor/crack fic for 2020!
Chapter Fifteen: Ripped Jeans, Skin Was Showing
James wasn't sure how he should broach the topic of Severus Snape with Lily.
Truthfully, James himself wasn't the one who was supposed to know what a toxic ex-friend the other boy had been. She hadn't told him. Prongs knew that, not James. Not that the bet mattered at all in these circumstances, but she also hadn't really told Prongs that many details about their falling out either.
He was worried that if she had a hard time talking to Prongs about it, the person who was easiest to tell secrets to because of the medium in which they shared their friendship, she would be even less willing to share that part of her life with James.
He wasn't sure exactly what to do in a situation like this. Their relationship was still so new. He wasn't sure which topics were off limits.
No matter what it was he should do, James had a hard time doing nothing.
"I'm going to get you some ice cream," James told her, standing from the couch.
Ice cream, he knew, would likely be a good start. It couldn't make things worse at least. Everyone wanted ice cream when they were heartbroken, right?
He walked into the small kitchen to find Mary already standing there, her arms crossed and leaning against the counter.
"Snape found her again, didn't he?" she asked.
James liked Mary for her bluntness. There was no beating around the bush for her.
"He did," he confirmed. He leaned against the fridge, tucking his hands in his pockets. "You've dealt with this before, right? Him messing with her head. Or trying to, at least."
"Basically all freshman year," Mary answered. "Things were tense then, but they had their big blow up last year. After that, I got her to block his number and ignore all his communication attempts. He's always trying to get her to talk to him again."
"I'm not sure how to help her through this."
He frowned at having to admit this.
"Snape's a special case," Mary acknowledged. "He's able to hit her exactly where it hurts. It makes me want to -" She shook her head, probably stopping herself from saying too much. "Well, you saw."
"I'm not sure if we're there yet, so to speak. I don't want to push her." James made a face. "But I also don't like seeing her this way."
His eyes flickered to the wall where he knew Lily was still sitting on the other side, bundled up on the couch in a fuzzy blanket. She said she needed time when they first arrived at her place. When they first walked in, she said that watching something where she wouldn't have to think would help.
He instantly turned on Parks and Rec, but her eyes remained blank as she stared at the screen.
"Listen to me, Potter," Mary said, reaching out to put a hand on his arm. "Lily likes you. That's something special. She doesn't have crushes very often. It takes her a little while to know someone before she decides to let them be close. But she likes you. Every side of you."
Was he reading too much into her emphasis on this point?
Probably not.
People usually had to spell things out for him.
"I've never heard her talk about another person the way she talks about you," Mary continued. "She stayed at your place last night and asked you to be with her now. I think your relationship is there."
"Maybe you're right," he said, feeling a bit more confident. His lips twitched when Mary cocked an eyebrow at him. "I mean, of course you're right. I should never doubt you."
"You learn quickly. I'll give you that."
"My Bio grade would argue with you."
"That's why you have Lily." Mary laughed, leaning back on the counter again. "You don't need to know exactly what to say. She's going to get through this. She just needs someone to be there for her, and you're going to do that." Her eyes slid past him to the freezer and back. "With chocolate ice cream, if you're taking my best friend advice on the matter."
"Chocolate," he repeated, opening the freezer and finding a giant tub waiting for him. "Got it. Thanks, Mary. I'll do my best."
"Take care of our girl."
Mary left the kitchen while James looked for spoons, stopping by the couch long enough to murmur something to Lily and hug her shoulders.
"I'll be in my room," Mary announced as James came into the living room. With a small wave, she went back into the hallway and closed her door softly.
"I brought the ice cream," James said, sitting next to Lily and producing two spoons. "Hope you don't mind sharing."
"Thanks." Lily took her spoon and dug out a crater from the tub. "I'm sorry this isn't as much fun as last night at your place."
"Don't apologize. I don't want to be anywhere else. I'm sorry that Snape got to you the way he did."
Lily took a large bite instead of answering right away. "I don't know why I let him do this to me. We were having a good day. Until, well, you know."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"You saw most of it. We were friends, he said some awful stuff, and now we're not." Lily took another spoonful of ice cream. "I wish I could… let it go. I don't want to think about him."
"It's hard to let stuff like that go," James remarked. "He was a big part of your life, I'm assuming. If he wasn't, it wouldn't hurt so bad."
"Did it sound like he meant it this time? That he would stay away? All this going back and forth and worrying that he'll come around is…" She sighed. "Exhausting."
James sighed, taking a bite of ice cream before he responded. "The thing is, with people like him, you never know. He tells you either what he thinks you want to hear or what will hurt you the most. At that moment, I think telling you that he wouldn't come around was accomplishing both of those things. Even the way he said it was as if you were the one making him do it. You were the reason for your own pain."
Lily nodded with her spoon in her mouth, expression serious but not as sad. "He's always been good at that."
"Which absolutely isn't true, you know. I don't know exactly what happened between you two, but I know enough about you to know that whatever happened, it wasn't your fault."
"It's all…" Lily shook her head again and helped herself to more ice cream. "I know that. Sort of. I know not talking to him is the best thing for me. I know that."
James smiled, reaching out and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Just because you know that it's the best thing doesn't mean it's not also a hard thing."
Lily looked down. "Thanks. For saying that and… everything else. I'm glad you're here."
"You don't have to thank me. It's what boyfriends are for."
She tilted her chin up, finally willing to meet his eyes. The corner of her mouth turned up in the beginning of a smile that he recognized. She twirled the spoon between her fingers. "Would it be totally inappropriate if I kissed you right now?"
He grinned. "You can kiss me anytime you like. Especially if you've been eating chocolate ice cream."
"Good, because you have some right…" She moved forward and pressed a kiss to his top lip. "Here."
"Cheek, Evans," he said, his lips already pressed against hers when he laughed.
Lily Evans is in a relationship with James Potter.
Petunia: [screenshot]
Petunia: What is this?
Petunia: WHO is this?
Me: my facebook profile?
Me: my boyfriend?
Petunia: Why am I finding out through Facebook that you have a boyfriend?
Me: okay Petunia how is this
Me: I have a boyfriend. His name is James and I like him a lot.
Me: [photo]
Me: here we are
Petunia: Does he style his hair to look like that?
Petunia: How long has this been going on?
Petunia: Do mom and dad know?
Me: I might have mentioned him on my last call home
Me: it's not like he's a secret
Petunia: Well I certainly didn't know about him
Petunia: I'd like to meet him
Petunia: We could do a double dinner date one day this week?
Me: you want to go on a double date?
Me: me and james and you and dursley?
Petunia: Yes?
Petunia: I'm your sister
Petunia: I should meet him
Petunia: See what he's like
Petunia: If he's good enough for you
Me: okay?
Me: give me a second
Lily: how would you feel about having another date night this week?
James: I'm always down for another date
Lily: what about another double date?
Lily: with my sister and her fiance?
Lily: hypothetically
James: ...your sister
Lily: how would you feel about that?
James: how do YOU feel about that?
Lily: I don't even know
Lily: she saw our updated relationship status and now she wants a double date
Lily: why?
James: Maybe she wants to make sure I'm not some kind of jerk
James: Which is funny on her end lol
Lily: she said she wants to make sure you're "good enough" for me
James: Omg
James: Did you tell her I'm not
James: Bc you're definitely too good for me
Lily: of course I didn't tell her that
Lily: what are you talking about?
Lily: you are definitely good enough for me
James: Okay Jan
James: Think what you want
James: Everyone knows the truth
James: But I'm okay going on a double date with them if you are
Me: are you sure?
Me: I can say you have homework
Me: or surgery
Me: or rabies
James: Sirius bit me and now I have rabies
James: More reason to take me to dinner with your sister ;)
Me: I'll tell her
Me: remember that you said you really, really like me!
Me: how is wednesday?
Petunia: Wednesday will do
Petunia: Can he afford the place where we had my birthday dinner last year?
Petunia: I know it's a bit pricey
Me: that sounds great
Me: should I make a reservation?
Petunia: No need
Petunia: I'll get Vernon to do it
Petunia: He knows the manager
Me: of course he does
Me: we can be there at 6
Petunia: Sounds perfect
Petunia: See you then
Lily: she already made a dig about whether you can "afford" the place
James: Omg did she really?
Lily: should we rev your sports car's engine in the parking lot?
Lily: or is that petty?
James: Let's order the most expensive thing on the menu
Lily: I can't stand her sometimes
James: Don't tell her about my family yet
James: I want to see her face when you do
Lily: I didn't say anything
Lily: her fiance got a promotion, so I'm sure he's going to brag about it
James: Tell me about her fiancé
James: What's he like?
Lily: a jerk
Lily: not nearly good enough for her
Lily: but she is absolutely ridiculous about him
James: I'm so excited about this dinner
Lily: idk if excited is the right word
James: Maybe curious is more of the right word
James: I want to meet your sister
Lily: she wants to meet you too apparently
James: What if they meet me and think I'm a jerk?
Lily: if Dursley doesn't like you then you're probably doing something right
James: HA
James: So give me the rundown
James: Things I should know
James: Things I should avoid
Lily: don't let him talk down to you
Lily: but if you come on too strong, he'll probably make a big deal out of it
Lily: tbh I haven't really figured out the way to talk to him
James: Gotcha
James: What level of doting boyfriend should I be
James: I don't know if I'm trying to impress or annoy them
Lily: impress them so much that you annoy them
James: The ultimate petty
James: Do you think she'll report back to your parents about the evening?
Lily: if she comes up with something bad to say
Lily: but I'll make sure they get both sides
James: I haven't met them yet
Lily: do you want to do a video call with them?
Lily: no pressure
Lily: only if you want
James: We can do that
James: I also don't mind driving you to see them one weekend
James: Just a thought
Lily: do you really want to be stuck with that many Evanses in one room?
James: A room full of Evanses sounds like a dream
Lily: what kind of dream? :P
James: I think you're doubting just how much I honestly want to meet your family
James: ...also my mom may or may not be plotting a way to get us over for dinner one night
James: Dunno how you feel about that
Lily: Sirius told me about your mum
Lily: she sounds great
Lily: and she liked that photo of us on the quad (:
James: Mom is great
James: A bit much but great
Lily: sounds like her son
James: My dad will LOVE you
Lily: you think so?
Lily: what's your dad like?
James: He's a bit eccentric but cool
James: He's really into tinkering with old radios
James: and he's bad about snatching food off your plate and claiming it's "dad tax"
Lily: Petunia hates when my dad does that
Lily: but I think your dad and my dad would get along
Lily: we have so much old weird stuff around the house that he said he would fix
James: Dads are so funny
James: Sirius has a whole series on tiktok of messing with my dad
James: You'll have to get him to show you
Me: I'd love to meet them
Me: if you want me to, I mean
James: Of course I want you to meet them
James: I called home about you as soon as we started dating
James: If mom doesn't come to campus herself to track you down I'll be surprised
Lily: tell her I can't wait to meet her
Lily: we should go and see them
James: I'll let them know
Lily: also
Lily: if you wanted to come over rn to watch parks and rec with me, Mary, and Benjy...
Lily: I wouldn't complain
Lily: they're cuddling on the couch and I'm all by myself on the chair ):
James: Can't have that, can we?
James: Be there in 10
Lily: see you soon 3