Disguised

My "Thank-You"s List!

Rosa: I didn't stop writing! I'm writing this!!! …Oh well. *shrugs*

Cosmic Dare: Here's the next chapter! *hugs Cosmic Dare for reviewing*

Liz the Laugh: Thanks for reviewing! I was really hyper when I wrote that part you liked…=)

watercan2yi: Be happy, you get MOREMOREMOREMORE…haha…And by the way…watercan2yi? What does that mean anyway…? ^_^

And thanks to Sexc Pom and Sabe for reviewing the other chapters!

A/N: Thanks again for the reviews…I feel so loved…*sniff*

I think this chapter is going to be the ending one, but I'm not sure what I'm writing yet, so there might be another one.

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to the wonderful J.K. Rowling. All unrecognizable characters belong to me. Don't sue me; you wouldn't get much anyway.

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Disguised

Chapter V

As Lily ran out of the Great Hall and sprinted down the hall outside it, her confused thoughts were spinning through her head relentlessly. How could that have been James Potter? She hadn't known he was capable of being kind and polite, and the rest of it. And…he'd said…he'd said he loved her. His exact words. 'I love you.' But how could he? He didn't even know her real name.

But did he still not know who she was? That boy, who was apparently one of his friends, had seemed to know who she was. Maybe he'd told James by now. But how had he known in the first place? And was he even right? Maybe he thought she was someone else.

Maybe James had even known who she was all along, and had thought it would be a great joke to lead her on like that. But that was so heartless…Even James Potter wouldn't do that…would he?

The worst part was, she still liked him, or at least she still liked the side of him that she'd been seeing on Halloween for the past three years.

That was it. Her life was over.

"Lily!" someone yelled. It didn't sound like James; it was a girl. She swallowed and looked around. Isabella Stevens was running toward her from the Great Hall.

Izzy, she thought. Oh God. Isabella Stevens. The boy who had known who she was…that must have been Sirius Black. He was James Potter's best friend. He would have known who James was. Izzy knew what Lily looked like, and Izzy would have been with him. She would have told Sirius. And she had probably seen the whole thing.

Lily started to run even faster. Suddenly, she tripped over the hem of her dress robes and fell heavily to the floor, crying out in pain.

"Lily!" Izzy ran over and crouched down beside her. "Are you okay?"

Lily grimaced and said, "I think I twisted my ankle."

Sirius raced down the hall a second later and caught up to them.

"James is in shock back there," he hissed. "What do you--"

"Not now, Sirius!" Izzy said. "She's injured, in case you hadn't noticed."

"Oh, right. Sorry," Sirius said.

"Now how are we supposed to get her to the hospital wing?"

"Well…do you think you can walk?" Sirius asked Lily.

"Maybe if somebody helped me up.."

Izzy pulled her to her feet and put Lily's arm on her shoulders. "Try," she said encouragingly.

Lily took a step and winced. "I think I'm going to need some more help…"

"Sirius could carry you," Izzy said helpfully.

Lily frowned. "No…If you'd just help me walk, I think I'll get there fine."

"What's wrong with me?" Sirius asked.

Lily didn't get to answer that, because at that moment, someone yelled, "Wait!" Lily looked around, with Izzy still supporting her. James was racing down the hall. Unfortunately, he was really fast, and he looked dead-set on getting to Lily.

"Oh, no, not James…" she moaned. "I changed my mind," she said quickly to Sirius. "Carry me. Please. And run. I don't feel like talking to James just now."

Sirius frowned.

"Come on! Please!" Lily said, looking desperate.

"Oh, fine," Sirius said. Then, he picked her up quickly and ran up the main staircase.

Lily's ankle was bouncing up and down while he ran, which made it hurt even more. "Ow! Careful with my ankle!" she yelled.

"Fine," Sirius said grumpily. He held her ankle steady with one hand, and kept running.

"COME BACK!!!! I JUST WANT TO TALK!!!" James yelled. Lily looked back. Izzy was pulling on James' arm, trying to hold him back.

"And I don't…" Lily said. "Keep going, Sirius, please!"

***

They managed to beat James to the hospital wing, and Sirius slammed the door after running in.

"Please!" Madam Pomfrey said, coming out of a back room. "No noise! I have people in need of rest here!" Then she saw Lily and raised an eyebrow. "And what is wrong with you, Miss Evans?"

"She twisted her ankle," Sirius said quickly, and dumped her on a bed.

"OUCH!!" Lily yelled when she landed on her ankle, waking every single patient in the hospital wing.

"Miss Evans, there are people trying to rest!" Madam Pomfrey said sternly. "Now stay on that bed. I'm having you stay the night. I can fix your ankle, but you'll need some rest. You can go," she added to Sirius. Sirius looked relieved (Lily glared at him), and he left the hospital wing.

"Right, Miss Evans," Madam Pomfrey said briskly. "I want you to spend the night here. I can mend your ankle tomorrow, but it will take an hour for your it to be exactly right again, and I want you to rest a few hours once it's done."

Lily scowled as Madam Pomfrey threw her some pajamas and left. Why did she have to stay for such a long time? And thanks for helping me into the pajamas, Madam Pomfrey…She struggled into them, and got into bed. She was so tired that she fell asleep after only a few minutes.

***

Meanwhile, over by the Great Hall, James Potter was talking furiously with Isabella Stevens.

"Why wouldn't you let me talk to her?"

"I'm sorry…but she…doesn't exactly want to talk to you."

"And why was Sirius carrying her? Great, now even my best friend won't let me talk to her."

"She twisted her ankle," Izzy said impatiently. "Then she saw you, and she basically begged Sirius to carry her."

"But…but…"
"Didn't you know it was her, anyway?" Izzy asked.

"No. How could I? She wouldn't tell me her name!"

"Well, she didn't know it was you, either."

"She never asked me who I was. But still…are you sure that was Lily Evans?"

"Yes," Izzy said impatiently.

James was at a loss for what to say next. He only had one thought, that kept echoing in his head. I just said I loved Lily Evans. And the scariest thing was, he didn't want to take it back.

***

The next day, Lily Evans came into the Charms classroom, five minutes into the Gryffindor/Ravenclaw lesson.

James looked up at her hopefully. She glanced at him, and then refused to meet his eyes.

"Sorry I'm late, Professor Flitwick," she said. "Madam Pomfrey just let me out of the hospital wing."

"That's alright, Miss Evans," the Professor said. "Please find a seat."

Lily looked around. There was only one seat…and it was next to James. Her face fell--she didn't look mad, just sad, and maybe even scared--and she sat next to him, reddening. A few people started whispering.

"No talking, please," Flitwick squeaked. "Now, today we will be learning…"

James didn't even hear him. He was writing a note to Lily. It said:

I'm sorry about Halloween. I didn't know it was you. But…He paused, and then wrote, I still love you. Then, he pushed it in front of her.

Lily looked at it, and bit her lip. Then, she scribbled something on it and pushed it back toward James.

He picked it up quickly and read it.

You don't love me. You love Emerald.

Probably all he loves is what I look like, she had added bitterly in her mind. He doesn't actually love anything about me. How could he? He hates me.

***

The next morning, Lily was sitting at breakfast.

"What happened with you and James Potter?" Sophia asked her, looking concerned. "Now you two aren't even speaking. You used to at least insult each other."

"Nothing," Lily said, trying to look innocent.

"I know something happened," Sophia persisted. "What has he done this time? I'll kill him."

Lily smiled weakly. "Well…I just found out who he was at Halloween. I was dancing with him."

"Oh," Sophia said. "…You want me to kill him?" She smiled a little.

"No, don't bother. I'll get over it," Lily said tiredly.

Suddenly, an owl dropped a small plastic bag in the middle of Lily's plate. It was tied shut with a string.

Lily untied the string, and a whole lot of Honeydukes sweets spilled onto her plate.

"Who's that from?" Sophia said, interested.

"I don't know," Lily said. She poured the rest of the sweets onto her plate, and small piece of parchment fell out with them. She picked up the parchment and turned it over. It had something written on it.

I'm sorry. I love you, Lily.

Lily looked around at the Gryffindor table. James Potter was staring straight at her, but looked hastily away as soon as she caught his eye.

"Who's it from?" Sophia asked, noticing the parchment.

"I don't know. It doesn't say anything. I guess it just got in there by mistake," Lily lied. And now she would ignore it, she told herself. Ignore it. Ignore it…

***

That night at dinner, she got yet another note from James, along with a flower, this time. It said:

I'm sorry that you don't believe me, and that you don't feel the same, but I love you.

She had sighed. When would he stop?

After finishing her dinner, she left the Great Hall. Unfortunately, James was waiting for her. She tried to run off down the hall, but he caught her arm and pushed her against the wall, cornering her there.

"James, please, let me go…" she said, looking around wildly.

"Just hear me out," he said.

"Fine, what is it?" she said. She thought she could figure out what it was, and wished she could escape.

"Lily, I know I acted like I hated you…but the truth is, I couldn't figure out why you hated me, and I didn't really hate you. I just didn't want to look like a fool. I think I really did like you, by the time Halloween came this year. And when I found out you were Emerald…" He shrugged helplessly.

Lily stared at him. "And you don't mind looking like a fool now? That's bull."

"No, it's not! I swear, I'm telling the truth!"

"Why would you like me?" she said skeptically.

James looked embarrassed. "Well, you're smart, and you have a strong personality, I've always liked that…And you're pretty, you know." Now he looked like he wanted to escape…but he was still standing there.

Lily was flattered. She loved it when people said she was smart. But she didn't know what to say. "I…I…"

"Please tell me you believe me now," he said, looking desperate.

"I…I…" Lily took a deep breath. "I think I do," she said, slowly and carefully. "But…"

"Thanks," James said. Then, he stammered, "I just thought you should know. I guess I should go now." He set off down the hall.

"James, wait! I--" She broke off. Why had she done that??? Damn, how stupid am I???

He spun around. "What?"

"I do."

"What?" James said again. He looked thoroughly confused.

How do I get myself into these things? Lily asked herself wildly. Then, she said, "Your note. You said…I don't feel the same way. I do."

"What??"

Why? Why me? Lily thought, and blurted, before she could stop herself, "I love you."

"What???" James looked shocked, and he stared at her.

"I love you," Lily said again.

James gaped at her.

"...see you tomorrow then?" Lily said, grinning suddenly.

"Um...sure..." James stammered, and walked off in a daze.

Suddenly, he came rushing back, gave her a quick kiss on the lips, and ran off again.

Then, Lily wandered off too, also in a daze, and grinning insanely.

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A/N: I don't know if that chapter was much good, but I tried….

Now I know for sure what I'm going to write, by the way. There's going to be one more chapter, and then that's it. No more. One more chapter.

I'm going to be sorry to finish this story, I got so many reviews…^_^

Please review (I'm greedy about that)! J

~Hermione2