A/N: *Sighs* Alas, I am sorry for such a short chapter. But it is necessary. Please, I want atleast five reviews! And thanks for being so patient and for all the other reviews! You guys are great! -Jess and Britt
Chapter 5: The Truth Revealed
The news of the change of James spread through the school like wildfire. Why was he being so nice? Why wasn't he dating anyone? This new, kind, happy James exhilerated the girls. They all threw themselves at him and asked him out plenty of times. But each time, he had smiled gently and politely turned them down.
The only reasonable answer was that he had his eyes focused on someone else. But who?
When asked, he merely grinned and shrugged, then walked off. Even his friends couldn't get it out of him.
Everyone was curious as to who had captured James' heart. . .
Lily sighed, shaking her head, and watching the waters of the lake calmly. She was experiencing some feelings towards James that she didn't want to be feeling. Afterall, wasn't it she, the girl who couldn't positively stand James before, who proclaimed that she would never fall for James to Brittany. Yes. And she wasn't about to change that statement.
She hugged her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them.
James Harold Potter. Most popular boy in school. Most gorgeous boy in school. . .Maybe in the entire world. . .
She shook that last thought off.
She should be happy! Her bet was working perfectly. James was changing and falling for her. Or so she thought. It most definately seemed so. Wasn't that what he was about to tell her at the lake? She hoped.
She felt a slight twinge of guiltiness in the back of her mind.
She let out a growl of frustration and tried shoving it away.
Why did she suddenly care that James' heart would be broken on the night of the dance!?
She didn't want to explore any more on that thought. . .
But her guilt was eating her up inside and she couldn't bare to keep this secret from him any longer. He would be hurt if she told him that it was all a lie, angered by the thought that she had been playing games with him.
Her eyes widened.
God, what had she done?
James practically jumped for joy on his way to breakfast that morning.
He was so happy! So free!
He thought of that time at the lake two days ago. He and Lily had almost shared a kiss. He had almost told her that he. . .that he loved her.
He smiled to himself as he entered the Great Hall.
He did! He loved her! And there were no doubts to that self-statement.
He almost laughed with glee.
Lily Evans was the girl who took his heart. His worst enemy now the girl he dreamed of.
A frown came to his lips suddenly.
He only hoped that she wasn't playing with his heart.
"James! Over here!" Sirius called from the table.
James looked up and grinned. "Padfoot! Lovely morning, isn't it?" he said as he sat himself down at the table.
Peter blinked. "Prongs, what has gotten into you?"
He only smiled and rustled his friend's hair. "Nothing, my friend, nothing! Just an angel come to see me!"
Sirius rolled his eyes and muttered to Remus, "He hasn't been that same since the day at the lake."
Remus shook his head and laughed softly. "He's in love, Sirius."
Sirius nodded. "That we can tell."
When Sirius looked back up James was shoving food into his mouth hurriedly. Sirius stared.
"Do calm down, Prongs, what is the bloody hurry?"
James swallowed and paused. "Got to be in the library." Then he started eating again.
Sirius raised an eyebrow. "For what reason?"
Remus tilted his head to the side. "I believe he told me he had to meeting Lily in the astronomy tower this morning."
"That so? Hm. . ."
James swallowed again, drained the last of his pumpkin juice, and stood up from the table. "Must be going, boys! See you later Prongs, Moony, Wormtail!"
Sirius could only wave in, awed that someone could eat so fast.
Remus chuckled softly at the look on his friend's face and started to eat his own food.
Lily nervously twidled her fingers and swallowed. She closed her eyes tightly.
She had come to tell James the truth. She hoped that he could forgive her.
Her head jerked up as she heard footsteps on the staircase. A black mob of hair came into view, and then James entered the room.
"Lily," he breathed.
"James, I have something to tell you," she started.
He smiled and pulled her into his arms, looking down at her face. "And I you." Then he noticed how stricken she looked. "Lily, are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine," she managed, giving a weak smile. "Just a little sick, that's all. But I'm fine."
He grinned. "Good. You had something to tell me?"
She hesitated. "Why don't you tell me what you wanted first."
He let her go and smiled. "I realized something, Lily."
"And what. . ." She swallowed. "Is that?"
"That I. . ." He walked up to her and took her hands. "Am completely in love with you."
"Oh, James-" she started, her heart starting to break right then.
He gave her hands a gentle squeeze. "No, no, don't say anything," he whispered. "Let me finish."
She nodded slowly.
He stepped closer. "Ever since that night at Hogsmeade, I have realized how beautiful, sweet, and lovely you are. You're so free, so alive, so. . .so. . ." He searched for words. "God, Lily, I'm so in love with you!"
Her vision was beginning to get blurry and a watery substance burned at the back of her eyes. "James-"
He laughed softly. "Didn't I say let me finish?" He paused then continued. "That day at the lake, I wanted to tell you, but I couldn't find the words. And now I can. I love you, Lily Evans."
He smiled. "Now what is that you wanted to tell me?"
She opened her mouth to say the words she had come to say, heart beating quickly.
She looked into his expectant, sparkling, brown eyes.
And found she couldn't do it.
She sniffled and smiled. "Only to say that I am completely in love with you also."
He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly, burying his nose in her hair and smelling its contents.
She almost died inside as her heart shattered into a thousand little pieces.
The days passed happily for James, the dance drawing closer and closer. Lily and James had decided they would be going together. And the school had found that the dance would be masquerade.
Lily's heart ached, yet she kept all her thoughts and feelings inside. She couldn't even tell her two best friends because they were the ones she had made the bets with. And she was filled with so much guiltiness as she watched James.
Two days till Christmas, Lily had finally told herself she would tell him. She had to. Or she would die from keeping this secret.
He would understand, she told herself firmly. James loved her. He would understand.
So she sent him a letter telling him to meet her in the astronomy tower at midnight. He had replied, saying he would do so.
Now, she leaned against the cold, stone wall, holding back tears. James would be arriving any moment now. She faintly heard footsteps and looked towards the entrance. James entered and rushed towards her, sweeping her up in his arms.
"Lily," he said, smiling. "What is it you wanted to talk about?"
She started to cry. She couldn't keep back the tears any longer. They flowed down her cheeks steadily and she tried to stop them, but found she couldn't.
James paled, worriness reflected in his eyes. "Lily, what's wrong?"
"James, I have something to tell you."
He frowned. "Yes?"
She pulled away, much to his confusion, and looked at the ground. She couldn't look him in the eyes and tell him.
"James, Jessica and I made a bit. . ."
"And?" She heard the sudden dread in his voice.
"And. . .it was about you. We made a bet that I could make you fall in love with me by midnight of the Christmas Dance." She sobbed harder. "James, I'm so, so, sorry. But all that's changed! I swear!" She looked up at his face.
He stiffened. Hurt mirrored in his eyes and spread across his features. Then sudden anger came. "This was all a bet?" he said slowly.
"Yes, but all that's changed now-" she said quickly, but was cut off.
James was shaking his head, staring at her in disbelief. "I told you I loved you! I gave you my heart! And now you tell me this is a bet!?" he yelled. "Lily! All this has been a lie!? The date!? The time on the lake!? A few weeks ago!? All of this has been some. . .some. . .*game*!?"
"James, I'm so, so, sorry. All that has changed-"
He held up a hand to cut her off. "No," he said slowly, coldly. "I do not believe you. You are more-than-likely lieing to me now. Just save it," he spat.
He turned towards the door and started out.
"James!" she called.
He only shook his head and continued to walk out. She held out a hand and watched as he disappeared from sight.
She collapsed on the floor and buried her face in her hands, shoulders shaking with sobs. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she cried her heart out.
James was gone. James was hurt. He was angry. He was mad.
And it was all because of some stupid bet.
Chapter 5: The Truth Revealed
The news of the change of James spread through the school like wildfire. Why was he being so nice? Why wasn't he dating anyone? This new, kind, happy James exhilerated the girls. They all threw themselves at him and asked him out plenty of times. But each time, he had smiled gently and politely turned them down.
The only reasonable answer was that he had his eyes focused on someone else. But who?
When asked, he merely grinned and shrugged, then walked off. Even his friends couldn't get it out of him.
Everyone was curious as to who had captured James' heart. . .
Lily sighed, shaking her head, and watching the waters of the lake calmly. She was experiencing some feelings towards James that she didn't want to be feeling. Afterall, wasn't it she, the girl who couldn't positively stand James before, who proclaimed that she would never fall for James to Brittany. Yes. And she wasn't about to change that statement.
She hugged her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them.
James Harold Potter. Most popular boy in school. Most gorgeous boy in school. . .Maybe in the entire world. . .
She shook that last thought off.
She should be happy! Her bet was working perfectly. James was changing and falling for her. Or so she thought. It most definately seemed so. Wasn't that what he was about to tell her at the lake? She hoped.
She felt a slight twinge of guiltiness in the back of her mind.
She let out a growl of frustration and tried shoving it away.
Why did she suddenly care that James' heart would be broken on the night of the dance!?
She didn't want to explore any more on that thought. . .
But her guilt was eating her up inside and she couldn't bare to keep this secret from him any longer. He would be hurt if she told him that it was all a lie, angered by the thought that she had been playing games with him.
Her eyes widened.
God, what had she done?
James practically jumped for joy on his way to breakfast that morning.
He was so happy! So free!
He thought of that time at the lake two days ago. He and Lily had almost shared a kiss. He had almost told her that he. . .that he loved her.
He smiled to himself as he entered the Great Hall.
He did! He loved her! And there were no doubts to that self-statement.
He almost laughed with glee.
Lily Evans was the girl who took his heart. His worst enemy now the girl he dreamed of.
A frown came to his lips suddenly.
He only hoped that she wasn't playing with his heart.
"James! Over here!" Sirius called from the table.
James looked up and grinned. "Padfoot! Lovely morning, isn't it?" he said as he sat himself down at the table.
Peter blinked. "Prongs, what has gotten into you?"
He only smiled and rustled his friend's hair. "Nothing, my friend, nothing! Just an angel come to see me!"
Sirius rolled his eyes and muttered to Remus, "He hasn't been that same since the day at the lake."
Remus shook his head and laughed softly. "He's in love, Sirius."
Sirius nodded. "That we can tell."
When Sirius looked back up James was shoving food into his mouth hurriedly. Sirius stared.
"Do calm down, Prongs, what is the bloody hurry?"
James swallowed and paused. "Got to be in the library." Then he started eating again.
Sirius raised an eyebrow. "For what reason?"
Remus tilted his head to the side. "I believe he told me he had to meeting Lily in the astronomy tower this morning."
"That so? Hm. . ."
James swallowed again, drained the last of his pumpkin juice, and stood up from the table. "Must be going, boys! See you later Prongs, Moony, Wormtail!"
Sirius could only wave in, awed that someone could eat so fast.
Remus chuckled softly at the look on his friend's face and started to eat his own food.
Lily nervously twidled her fingers and swallowed. She closed her eyes tightly.
She had come to tell James the truth. She hoped that he could forgive her.
Her head jerked up as she heard footsteps on the staircase. A black mob of hair came into view, and then James entered the room.
"Lily," he breathed.
"James, I have something to tell you," she started.
He smiled and pulled her into his arms, looking down at her face. "And I you." Then he noticed how stricken she looked. "Lily, are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine," she managed, giving a weak smile. "Just a little sick, that's all. But I'm fine."
He grinned. "Good. You had something to tell me?"
She hesitated. "Why don't you tell me what you wanted first."
He let her go and smiled. "I realized something, Lily."
"And what. . ." She swallowed. "Is that?"
"That I. . ." He walked up to her and took her hands. "Am completely in love with you."
"Oh, James-" she started, her heart starting to break right then.
He gave her hands a gentle squeeze. "No, no, don't say anything," he whispered. "Let me finish."
She nodded slowly.
He stepped closer. "Ever since that night at Hogsmeade, I have realized how beautiful, sweet, and lovely you are. You're so free, so alive, so. . .so. . ." He searched for words. "God, Lily, I'm so in love with you!"
Her vision was beginning to get blurry and a watery substance burned at the back of her eyes. "James-"
He laughed softly. "Didn't I say let me finish?" He paused then continued. "That day at the lake, I wanted to tell you, but I couldn't find the words. And now I can. I love you, Lily Evans."
He smiled. "Now what is that you wanted to tell me?"
She opened her mouth to say the words she had come to say, heart beating quickly.
She looked into his expectant, sparkling, brown eyes.
And found she couldn't do it.
She sniffled and smiled. "Only to say that I am completely in love with you also."
He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly, burying his nose in her hair and smelling its contents.
She almost died inside as her heart shattered into a thousand little pieces.
The days passed happily for James, the dance drawing closer and closer. Lily and James had decided they would be going together. And the school had found that the dance would be masquerade.
Lily's heart ached, yet she kept all her thoughts and feelings inside. She couldn't even tell her two best friends because they were the ones she had made the bets with. And she was filled with so much guiltiness as she watched James.
Two days till Christmas, Lily had finally told herself she would tell him. She had to. Or she would die from keeping this secret.
He would understand, she told herself firmly. James loved her. He would understand.
So she sent him a letter telling him to meet her in the astronomy tower at midnight. He had replied, saying he would do so.
Now, she leaned against the cold, stone wall, holding back tears. James would be arriving any moment now. She faintly heard footsteps and looked towards the entrance. James entered and rushed towards her, sweeping her up in his arms.
"Lily," he said, smiling. "What is it you wanted to talk about?"
She started to cry. She couldn't keep back the tears any longer. They flowed down her cheeks steadily and she tried to stop them, but found she couldn't.
James paled, worriness reflected in his eyes. "Lily, what's wrong?"
"James, I have something to tell you."
He frowned. "Yes?"
She pulled away, much to his confusion, and looked at the ground. She couldn't look him in the eyes and tell him.
"James, Jessica and I made a bit. . ."
"And?" She heard the sudden dread in his voice.
"And. . .it was about you. We made a bet that I could make you fall in love with me by midnight of the Christmas Dance." She sobbed harder. "James, I'm so, so, sorry. But all that's changed! I swear!" She looked up at his face.
He stiffened. Hurt mirrored in his eyes and spread across his features. Then sudden anger came. "This was all a bet?" he said slowly.
"Yes, but all that's changed now-" she said quickly, but was cut off.
James was shaking his head, staring at her in disbelief. "I told you I loved you! I gave you my heart! And now you tell me this is a bet!?" he yelled. "Lily! All this has been a lie!? The date!? The time on the lake!? A few weeks ago!? All of this has been some. . .some. . .*game*!?"
"James, I'm so, so, sorry. All that has changed-"
He held up a hand to cut her off. "No," he said slowly, coldly. "I do not believe you. You are more-than-likely lieing to me now. Just save it," he spat.
He turned towards the door and started out.
"James!" she called.
He only shook his head and continued to walk out. She held out a hand and watched as he disappeared from sight.
She collapsed on the floor and buried her face in her hands, shoulders shaking with sobs. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she cried her heart out.
James was gone. James was hurt. He was angry. He was mad.
And it was all because of some stupid bet.