Authors Note: I'm sorry this has taken forever and a day to get posted, but I wrote it, didn't like it, so I wrote it all over again and got a bit of writers block. Damn it all...anyway, it's finally here. Hope you like it.
Potter left me alone all weekend long. I didn't talk to him and I hardly saw him. It was nice, really nice. The girls however thought it was a bit odd. At the moment, that was what Victoria and I were talking about.
"Lils, what did you do to him?" Victoria said as Potter and his crew walked past us, not saying a word, though Sirius Black did stare me down. His dark eyes narrowed on me as he past.
"I didn't do anything to him. Maybe he's just finally realized that I don't like him."
Victoria's eyes followed the Marauders as they sat in their usual corner of the Common Room. "I highly doubt that." She looked at me and then back to the boys. Without saying a word, she got up from the table where we were sitting and started walking towards Potter.
I jumped up, "Where are you going!?"
Victoria turned her head, "To go find out what happened." With that she headed towards the corner where the Marauders were. I decided it was time for me to leave. I don't need to hear a speech from Victoria when she gets back, and if I leave now, by the time I'll see her later, she'll forget all about it. I grabbed my things and went out the portrait hole.
I started towards the library. Cassy said she would be there and I figured I might as well get some reading done. As I walked down the corridors, I looked at all the paintings. That's one thing I'll never get used to. Growing up a muggle and seeing pictures just as pictures, and then getting thrown into a different world where the pictures are as real as life itself, is quite an odd thing. It's like in the old horror movies when the eyes in the paintings follow you, in the wizarding world, they really do.
I was half way to the library when I found this one painting that I never noticed before. It was of an old man in a rocking chair sleeping, a book face down in his lap. The little hair he had left on his head was black, so was his beard. He actually looked a bit like James Potter. The man had the same slightly long and narrow nose, but it was proportioned to his face. He probably was fairly handsome in his younger years, as he was a good looking elderly man. The more and more I stared, the more intrigued I was. I don't know what it was about the painting, but I couldn't look away. I put my bag down by the wall and walked closer to the picture. Before I could even stop myself, I tapped on the old wooden frame of the portrait. Immediately the old man woke and looked at me. Now I knew the old man had to be related to Potter, those eyes could belong to no one else. I was surprised when the man smiled suddenly. I expected he would be upset for waking him from his afternoon nap.
"Hello, Miss...?"
I smiled politely, "Evans. Lily Evans."
The old man smiled knowingly, "I thought that was it."
I felt my eyebrows knit, "Pardon? You know who I am?"
"I know vaguely of most in this school, but you, I'm familiar with."
I must have made some kind of face, because the old man started to explain what he meant. "After all, you are a prefect, one of the top students in your year, and my grandson is quite smitten by you. He talks about you every time he comes to visit me."
I shook my head slightly and out of habit when thinking about Potter, I rolled my eyes, "Well that answers my question."
The old mans eyes twinkled, "I wasn't aware that you asked one."
"Oh, sorry, I didn't ask anything." I sounded foolish. "I was just thinking about something."
"Too much thinking can get you into trouble you know."
I wanted to huff at the man, but he was an elderly old man after all. Even though he's only a portrait, I have to keep my manners. "That sounds like something your grandson would say."
"Well, James does take a lot after me." Almost as an after thought, Potter's grandfather added, in a slight undertone, but with humor, "Not sure that's a good thing though."
That's for damn sure. I shrugged my shoulders and smiled. "Well it's been nice talking to you Mr. Potter, but I'm headed to the library. I really should be off."
"The same to you Miss. Evans, it's been a pleasure."
I nodded my head and picked up my bag, "Sorry for disturbing your nap."
The man smiled, "No need to be sorry. It's always a pleasure to have a pretty young lady talk to me. Especially one as sweet as the flower they're named for."
I bit my tongue and smiled. Damn my mother and her flowers! I started to walk away, but turned back. "Oh, can you not tell Pot, I mean, James that we spoke."
Mr. Potter tilted his head slightly when he spoke, "As you wish."
"Thank you. And sorry again for disturbing you."
"There's no need for that Flower."
"Right." With that I continued towards the library. Is the whole family like that! Lily! My name is Lily! So what if it's a goddamn flower too!
I wasn't paying much attention to where I was going. I just let my feet carry me. CRASH! Unfortunately they weren't doing a very good job. I smashed right into somebody. Sure enough that somebody had to be James Potter!
"What are you doing up here!?" I asked him coolly. It's a beautiful Sunday afternoon, shouldn't he be outside hexing people or something.
He looked slightly taken aback for only a moment. "Am I not allowed to go to the library?"
I glared at him. "Of course you're allowed to go to the library. I just didn't see you go past me."
Potter glared back at me and his voice icy, "That's because I didn't."
Now it was my turn to be taken aback. Potter never glared at me, no matter how cruel of words I said to him. And his voice was always deep and flirtatious when he spoke to me. But just then he looked like he hated me. That thought actually scared me a little. "I'm sorry." I wasn't sure why I said sorry, but it seemed like the only words I could say. And my voice was timid, something it never was when I spoke to him.
His features lightened slightly and he stuck his hand inside his robe. At first I thought he was going to pull out his wand, but instead he took out some parchment that was folded in half. He extended his hand out to me. "Here. These are for you." He said plainly, his voice flat and his eyes blank. I took the papers from him and gave him a questioning look. "They're my notes for our potions project."
"I thought you didn't take any?" I asked confusedly.
He shrugged his shoulders and ruffled his hair. "Yeah, well, I stayed and took them down."
I nodded slowly, "Oh."
After that, we just stood there for a minute, in silence. Finally he spoke, breaking the awkward silence, "Well, I'm going to go."
"Right. Okay."
He stood there for another moment just looking at me. Then he shook his head, as if to clear his thoughts, and then brushed by me. I stood there watching his retreating back. He was a quarter's way down the hall when I found my voice again although I was playing with my bracelet nervously. "James, wait!"
He stopped and turned around with his lopsided grin on his face. Forget about him hating me. "That's twice in only a couple days."
My left eyebrow went up in confusion, "What?"
"You just called me James. You called me James the other night in the library too. Granted you were telling me to get over myself, but you called me James nevertheless."
I was going to say something, but I stopped and thought about it. I did call him James in the library. I shrugged my shoulders carelessly, "So I did. So what?"
He started walking back towards me as he talked. "Oh I don't know. Maybe you don't hate me as much as you say you do." I shrugged my shoulders again and he stopped walking, only a few inches away from me. Then he added suggestively, "Perhaps you don't even hate me at all."
I took a step back, "I wouldn't go that far. But I was going to tell you, that you're not that bad of a nightmare, and I'm sorry." James just stood there, not saying anything. "Well, thanks, for the notes. I appreciate it." With that I turned and started for the library again. I felt James eyes on me until I rounded the corner.
***
I hate Monday mornings. The weekend is over and I have a Potions lesson first. Not that Potions is a bad class, I love it, but it's not good for me first thing on a Monday morning. Cassy woke me up and gave me the usual "Even DD gets up" speech. And of course I couldn't find my tie. The day was not starting out well, nor will it end well I'm sure. I have a Perfect meeting tonight. That's another thing I could do without on a Monday. Sometimes I hate being a prefect. I would love to be able to skip a class every now and then, or just be able to relax in the common room without having to reprimand someone for something or other; but those things don't come with the title. Instead I have to give up three nights a week, and be a constant role model. I do however get some perks. I have a slightly later curfew, I have some control over other students, I get respect from nearly everyone, and I'm among the first students to know about things whether it's about a Hogsmeade trip, a dance, or whatever it might be. It's funny though. I'm a prefect, and it has it's good and it's bad, but James Potter isn't one, yet he has this control over the student population that some of the professors don't even have. He stays out later then curfew, he breaks the rules, and he gets respect from nearly everyone. Potter and his crew of cronies have the fun, pay no respect for rules during or after classes, and are loved by everyone including the teachers. Remus Lupin is a prefect and acts like that, why can't I?
"Hello? Lily?" Danielle waved her hand in front of my face and woke me from my reverie. "Were you listening to anything I was saying?"
"Yeah, umm, something about that Ravenclaw boy." At least that was what she was talking about earlier.
"His name is Parker! How many times do I have to tell you that?" I rolled my eyes; Danielle always has to make something out of nothing of importance. "And I wasn't talking about him. I was talking about James."
I shrugged my shoulders, "Oh, so I wasn't missing much."
Danielle's eyes danced with mischief and she smiled, "I beg to differ. I find it quite interesting, and I think you would too."
My eyebrow went up and curiosity was getting the better of me. I did my best to keep my interest out of my voice, "Why would I find anything about Potter interesting?"
Victoria and Cassy started to laugh about something Victoria whispered to Cassy, and Danielle's smile turned smug, "Because it has something to do with you."
I know I had to look taken aback because I definitely wasn't expecting that. Once I regained my composure and my senses came back, I spoke, "What did he start now?"
"Oh James didn't start anything."
My face twisted into confusion. Its one thing for James Potter to start a rumor about me and him, but someone else, I'll kill them with my bare hands, forget my wand. "Who start what then," I nearly growled.
Danielle had a look of satisfaction on her face. Some friend she is, getting joy when I'm ready to explode. "I never thought about it, but Portraits love to gossip to one another." Just then realization hit me. "I think I found new sources for gossip. You know, the portraits hear everything that goes on in the halls, and pictures never lie."
"I don't know what you're talking about DD," I lied, "I think you've finally fell of your rocker though." I hadn't even noticed that we arrived down in the dungeons until Peter Pettigrew bumped into me. James and I made eye contact for a moment, but looked away and felt a small blush creep to my face.
Danielle gave a soft laugh, "We'll finish our conversation after class." With that she went into Professor Greenwich's class, as did Victoria. Cassy still stood next to me.
"Lils, you know it's okay to tell me anything right?"
I looked at her incredulously, "Of course! You're my best mate aren't you?"
"Well, I was just checking, because you haven't talked to me about anything lately."
I stood there staring at her and then she shook her head and walked into the classroom. I followed suit, and sat in my seat next to James, not saying a word. I felt a few pairs of eyes on me as I got out my books, but I didn't turn to look at any of them.
Professor Greenwich instructed us to take notes out of our textbooks for the effective uses of each ingredient in the Dark Dream Draft Potion. I started right away, but I noticed many other people just sitting there. James was one of them. All he was doing was doodling on his parchment. Every now and then however he would look over at me. The first couple of times I just ignored him. But by the sixth time, I was getting annoyed. I didn't know what exactly what the portraits were spreading, and knowing the way James is, my head was spinning. I just wanted to do my work, and not have to deal with anything at the moment. I stopped writing and James looked away from me. I started with my notes again.
A few minutes later James started to look at me again. However, this time he spoke, barely even a whisper. "Lily, can I talk to you?"
I put my quill down and looked at him, aggravated. "What?"
"I want you to know that I didn't start any of these rumors."
"I don't-"
"Mr. Potter, where is your text book. I don't see you taking notes! I want to see them at the end of class or you get a detention!"
James reached down into his bag and took out his textbook. He opened his book and started writing. I assumed he started taking notes, but a moment later he slid a piece of folded parchment over to me.
I unfolded it and read its contents.
You don't have to believe me, but I swear I didn't start them. When I find out
who did, I'll hex them into oblivion. There are enough rumors about me out there, I don't need anymore. Especially ones like these.
I believe that he didn't start the rumors, Danielle told me so, I just didn't know what the rumors are. I dipped my quill in my ink bottle, and replied back to him.
Danielle told me you didn't start them. The only thing is, I don't know what the hell the rumors are! What is going on?
I didn't bother to fold the note; he was sitting right next to me after all.
Apparently we have a more then friendly relationship and we're keeping it quite. Someone was in the library Friday night and claimed to see us together getting friendly. I'm assuming they saw you flirting with me mercifully. To top it all off, they told a portrait that we were snogging and then yesterday afternoon, that same portrait saw us together in the corridor to the library. Because of us, the library is going to be the next astronomy tower.
First off, I was not flirting with you Friday night! I just wanted to know what you were writing for an hour! Secondly, we were only talking yesterday!
I know we were only talking! Merlin knows I wish weren't just talking, but I know that's all we were doing! This is why I don't need rumors like this going around! You actually take heart to what people say, and you're finally starting to talk to me as if I'm not scum on the bottom of your shoes. I don't need other people to ruin it for me, I'm sure I'm more then capable of doing it all on my own in time!
I gave a soft laugh and he looked at me.
I've never thought of you as the scum on the bottom of my shoes. I'm pretty sure I don't have any scum on my shoes at all, some dirt of course, but not scum. I didn't realize that I was talking to you any different that what I always have though.
You're TALKING to me, not yelling for a start. And you can call it what ever you want, but you were flirting with me in the library. You only said I was a nightmare because you don't how you really feel.
What I said in the library about you being a nightmare, I meant every word. I also meant what I said yesterday, you aren't that bad, not any more anyway. I don't hate you, I never have; it's not in my nature to hate people, with the exception of a few Slytherins that is. But that still doesn't mean that I like you, nor does it mean that I don't know how I feel. I know exactly how I feel, especially about you. I know I don't like you. I know I don't like the way you act. I know I don't like most of the things you do. I do know though, that I'm used to the way you are, and now, I know I don't have to yell at you for you to listen to what I have to say. I also know that you're changing, that's probably the biggest reason I'm talking to you right now. We need to straighten out these rumors. I don't need them to tarnish my good name.
The bell rang to show the end of class. Professor Greenwich called James up to her desk for him to show her his notes. I knew he didn't take any, so when I passed him the note back, I also passed him the notes I took during class. With out saying a word I put my book in my bag and headed out the door to my next lesson not waiting for Cassy, Victoria, or Danielle.
A/N… sorry again for taking so long. I still don't really like the chapter, but I don't know how else to get to what I want to get to. I don't know how long it'll take for the next chapter to get up. I still have a few days of vacation left, so hopefully before I have to go back to school it'll be up. Review and tell me what you thing as always.