Chapter Six: "You and I Both"

Jason Mraz

Remus and Meredith, Lily and James, all sat together in the common room, laughing over a joke James had just told. It was around seven thirty and the rest of the house would probably be pouring through the portrait hole any second, but the two couples didn't care. James was sitting next to Lily, who was sort of lying down, her head and shoulders lying comfortably on his chest. Remus had Meredith in his lap, his arms around her waist. About an hour had passed since the second two had entered the room, and the entire time was spent laughing at each others jokes.

"That was hilarious James," Lily said as she yawned lightly, adjusting her position against James slightly.

"Thanks Lils," he replied, duly noting her increasing tiredness. "It's kind of late, maybe we should go to sleep."

"Yeah," Meredith agreed as Remus stood up, picking her up along with him. "Remus! I can walk by myself! Oh! Don't tickle me Remus!!! You know I'm ticklish!"

"Exactly!" he said as he tossed her on to the couch playfully and continued mercilessly tickling her.

James laughed light heartedly at the two. They were priceless. He looked down at Lily's figure that was breathing evenly and slowly. Gently, he moved his arm over to Lily's shoulder, and very carefully shook her. Her eyes fluttered open for a second, and then closed, falling back asleep. He smiled. She was so cute when she was sleeping. Lily looked positively angelic lying asleep on his chest, he had to convince himself to pick her up and take her back to her dorm.

So, James maneuvered himself from underneath Lily's shoulders, and picked her up in both arms, carrying her up the stairs like he had done not so long ago. He laid her in her bed, pulling her sheets over her, tucking them in at the sides. Exercising extra care, he leaned over her and kissed her on her soft warm lips. He loved her so much; sometimes he was scared of what he'd do for her. He would have died for her if the need had been.

Returning to the common room only long enough to catch a quick glimpse of Remus and Meredith, engaged in full, all out pillow war, James chuckled. He shook his head at the two lunging at each other with pillows, jumping all around the common room furniture. He took to the staircase to the boy's tower, jumping two steps at a time. James was purely blithe and full of excited love. The girl of his dreams was his, and after years of ignoring and completely avoiding the members of the opposite sex, she had agreed to go out with him. Well, not in so many words, but still, they had seemed to mutually decide to go out, without words.

James reached his dormitory, dressed for bed, and slid beneath his sheets. Removing his glasses and setting them on the nightstand, he closed his eyes. Almost instantly, he slipped into blissful dreamy sleep.

The next day, bright and sunny, seemed like a celebration of James and Lily making up. The past day had been rainy and muddy, just a cold and drafty day about the castle. All the teachers had grown annoyed easier, fed up with the arguments and disruptions in their classes. All the Gryffindors had been snapping at each other, bugged by every little thing that another did. Whenever he or his friends were unhappy, the weather and well being of the students and professors at Hogwarts seemed to change in the blink of an eye, as if to acknowledge the pain or happiness Lily, Meredith and the Marauders were feeling.

They all sat outside, next to the lake, laughing and chasing each other about. Their classes for the day had ended early and all the excited 6th years had literally run out of huge wooden doors to take in the beautiful day that was theirs for the taking. Some had gone off to Hogsmeade, a trip Dumbledore had planned for the top students of each house. Lily, James, Remus, and Meredith were invited to join the others, but they respectfully declined the offer, wishing only to stay behind with Sirius and the rest of the Gryffindors.

James was sitting beneath a shaded tree with Lily wrapped in his arms. They both sat looking out onto the lake in silence, deeply immersed in thought. Gently, James rocked slowly from side to side, pulling Lily with him. She was so petite and light, and he loved the feeling he got holding her in his arms. James felt that he could hug her and protect her from the world, just by wrapping his arms around her.

"Was it you who spoke the words that things would happen but not to me? Oh, things are gonna happen naturally."
James sang into her ear, grinning like a Cheshire cat. Lily turned her head and looked at him, laughing slightly and rolling her eyes. She pulled her arm gently from his grasp around her, and fake slapped him lightly on the cheek. Smoothly and gracefully, Lily stood and began to walk away from him. Then, abruptly, she stopped and turned back to his cocked head and questioning expression. She cocked her head also, playfully, singing back to him.

"Oh, I'm taking your advice and I'm looking on the bright side, and balancing the whole thing!"

She flicked out her hands, palm up, imitating a scale. Emerald eyes dancing with laughter and love, she brushed her silky fire curls behind her shoulders. She had already changed out of her school uniform into muggle clothes, and was wearing high heeled black leather boots that reached nearly to her knees, a black ruffle layered short skirt, and a white tank top that clearly displayed the phrase "I'm not opinionated, I'm just always right!" in red rhinestones. Gold hoop earrings protruded through her curls, bringing together her outfit.

"Oh, But it often times those words get tangled up in lines, and the bright light turns to night."

He stood too, only a tiny bit taller than her, because of her nearly three inch heels. He had changed, but his clothes consisted of Quidditch practice gear. James wore tight black practice pants and a red shirt, the Gryffindor lion emblazoned in gold in the center, the words "Gryffindor Quidditch Team, James Potter" above and below it.

"Oh, until the dawn it brings another day to sing about the magic that was you and me."

James stepped towards her, covering the distance between them in one long stride. He looked down at her, his hazel eyes behind his glasses glittered whenever he looked into hers. They were like light jade circular gems, sparkling happily, as if they knew they were beautiful. She blushed, noticing they were staring directly at each other, as a brush of rose colored her near white skinned cheeks. Her lips parted into a broad smile, the snow white teeth behind them looked even whiter in the vast sunshine.

"Cause you and I both loved what you and I spoke of, and others just dream of, others only dream of 'bout the love. Oh, the love that I love. La la la LOVE!"

They both sang together, bursting out in laughter. Carefully, Lily took James' hand and led him on a walk along the lake. His hand felt so secure, so soft and warm. The wind picked up and blew the leaves that lay around them, gently blowing them off the path they were suddenly walking on, surrounded by bushes. With a questioning look, Lily glanced at James, who only laughed and picked her up in his arms.

"See I'm all about them words. Over numbers, unencumbered numbered words, Hundreds of pages, pages, pages, for words, more words, than I had ever heard and I feel so alive."

James sang to her, walking along the stone path that bathed serenely in the soft sunlight that flowed through the Crêpe Myrtle trees. She smiled and blushed, a secret signal of her appreciation. James had somehow arranged this, and it was a very sweet to think that he thought that much about her. As they walked, Lily sang the next part, gazing into his hazel eyes that seemed endless.

"Cause you and I both loved what you and I spoke of, and others just read of and if you could see me now, Oh, love, love, you and I, you and I, not so little you and I anymore, oh"

He continued to walk with her in his arms until they reached a pond, where the trail ended. The scene was like an icing frosted forest. White lilies bloomed all around the perimeter of the pond, and in the center, water lilies resting on lily pads were enchanted to spell out "Lily" in a loopy and extravagant cursive handwriting. Lightly setting her down on the ground, James smiled even broader than ever as Lily gasped at the beauty.

"Oh James! It's… its lovely! I… I can't believe it! Did you do all this… for me?"

"What other Lily do I know? Besides, even if I knew another Lily, she wouldn't deserve such attention!"

He flashed a cute smile, and likewise, she blushed and smiled. Truly, Lily was surprised. James was sweet, but he hadn't done anything so lavish before for her. I mean, they were just friends weeks ago, so he really paid no attention to her. Well, maybe he did, but he never made it known to anyone. This got Lily thinking. What if James had always liked her, and she was too difficult with the rest of the male student body that she scared him off? It was true; she never really consciously paid all that much attention to James before they began to go out, but what if he had paid attention to her? Pushing the thoughts from her head, Lily brought herself back to the present as James sang softly.

"And with this silence brings a moral story, more importantly evolving is the glory of a boy!"

She giggled as he pulled and even wider grin, one that nearly took over his face. That was one of the things Lily loved about James- his emotions shined through his smile (or frown) and his whole body reflected his thoughts. For example, on happy occasions, he would stand in a very upright and yet joking manner, attracting the attention of anyone who passed by. They all would take one glance at him and instantly be able to tell how he was feeling.

"Cause you and I both loved what you and I spoke of and others just read of and if you could see me now"

They sang together, James pausing for Lily to take over her part as he wrapped her in his arms.

"Well that I'm almost finally out of-"

"I'm finally out of-"

He began to finish for her, but she interjected the next line.

"Finally-dee-dee dee le le dee"

Lily smiled at that part, her favorite out of the whole song.

"Well I'm almost finally, finally-"

"Well I am free, Oh, I'm free"

Lily sang out, gently separating herself from James, spinning around in a circle with her head thrown back. She laughed and closed her eyes, twirling about like a ballerina in a music box. James watched as she slowly took a few steps away from him around the pond. To him, she was always a dazzling ballerina, spinning in her own little music box world. She bent down, in a squatting position on the balls of her feet, swishing her hand on the cool surface of the water. It was a nice feeling, just the cool chill of the water on her fingertips. In a slight transfixion, she glanced out on the crystalline water. This enchanted oasis was the perfect lift in the seemingly perfect day.

"And it's okay, if you have to go away, just remember the telephones, well the work in both ways. But if I never ever hear them ring, if nothing else I'll think the bells inside have finally found you someone else and that's okay 'cause I'll remember everything you sang."

Lily turned her head to him, and stood back up, smoothing her skirt and brushing back her hair. Slowly and carefully she took a few steps toward James. He gazed into her eyes, those pure and emerald tinted windows into her soul that he adored. He really wouldn't be flippant at all about it if Lily left him- it would be like someone had taken his heart from him, and filled the void with ice. James would remember the time they spent together, this time away from everyone else, away from the rest of the world that seemed so small and insignificant when she was near him.

There was a moment of silence, and then Lily spoke, but so softly that it came out a whisper.

"James, don't fear I don't plan on going anywhere. Because, well, Cause you and I both loved what you and I spoke of and others just read of and if you could see me now…"

"Well that I'm almost finally out of, I'm finally out of, Finally-dee-dee dee le dee dee well I'm almost finally, finally…"

James added, and simultaneously, they both sang the end in the quietest the two of them had ever heard:

"Out of words."

Feeling suddenly overtaken by adrenaline, Lily swiftly covered the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her cheek against his. It was soft and warm, and at first he was startled, but soon James relaxed. He carefully put his arms around her waist and hugged her back, tilting his head a bit and meeting her lips with his. Lily's eyes had been open when she had hugged him, but now they were closed and thoroughly enjoying the kiss.

"Hey! Are you two finished yet? Remus and I can't keep this place protected the whole day!"

The words rang out in the small area and James pulled away from Lily. Blushing slightly, he smiled and yelled back to his friends. They, along with James had found an excellent charm to create the illusion of a garden and the whole pond scene. James had told the guys to stand out of it and guard it from teachers. If a professor had waltzed in on them, it would have totally ruined the moment and the mood of the whole place.

"Shut up Sirius!!" he laughed as he turned away from the voice and focused his attention on Lily, pulling her into another kiss. He didn't care if they left their posts and didn't renew the spell they had cast over this section of the grounds; all he cared about was Lily, and being with her. Life doesn't keep you in favor forever, so James figured that he should savor every moment that he could get.

"Okay Prongs, Moony and I are leaving! Prongs…? Are you still there?" Sirius yelled from the outside. He shook his head and signaled to Remus to leave. He guessed that Lily and James weren't paying attention to them, so he left his post and walked towards the castle and the lake, looking back only to see that the glade that they had created disappear.

Lily closed her eyes as James kissed her again. A soft breeze blew her skirt, and she opened her eyes, looking around. The area James had created was slowly fading, and leaves rustled up around them both, circling about them. She stopped kissing James back and looked about them again. The area was gone and they were standing out at the edge of the forbidden forest, looking out onto the lake. James noticed she had become distracted and looked where she was looking, to find that Sirius and Remus had left the glade and hadn't renewed the spell.

"Well Lils, did you enjoy our walk in the park?"

"Yes, James, I loved it. Thanks, you're a real gentleman. And, I wanted to tell you, that I… I just, I lov-"

Lily's eyes sprang wide open, and her jaw jumped down. James looked from her exasperated look to the castle grounds right in front of the lake, on the opposite end from where they were standing. Suddenly enraged, James tore after Lily, who had started running seconds before then. The two sprinted on, Lily leading. As soon as he caught up with her, he swiftly picked her up from behind and raced on, Lily grabbing onto his neck so as not to fall off.

In front of the castle, a duel had ensued, and two opponents were facing off, curses and hexes flying here and there like a battle field. It seemed as though a group of Slytherins had stirred up some trouble with one of the muggle born Gryffindors, and now the both of the houses were battling furiously on the lake's shore. James and Lily stopped meters from the combatants, and no sooner than they had arrived, one of the dueling groups spells flew off course and collided, and Lily was suddenly blown off her feet by the bolt from the blue. Covered in a quick darkness, Lily's emerald eyes closed as her head rolled to the side, rendering her completely unconscious.

A/N: oh dear dear poor Lily!! But she'll be fine, I promise!

Thanks to:

Evil Punk Not: hey sure I'll read it! :-D thanks for all the reviews!

Angelsflame265: it will go on, and on, and on, and on, and… well we could be here for hours! :-D

Marie and the Green Dancing Okapi: cool name, I'll give you kudos for that, and the excellent song recommendation! :-D Keep reviewing!

Andie Potter: I really hope you like this chapter then!!

Baz: once again, nice name! Thanks a bunch!

Smiley-Freak :D : I LOVE finding nemo!!! Ahh! And Pirates of the Caribbean, and The Ring!! Scary, but soooo good!!!

Eklo: thanks for the layout compliment, but I don't really know what that song is, so it might not get in. L

Sally! : Salut a toi aussi ma chérie!! Janyways, I'm glad you think so, and for anyone out there who's reading this, go and read ALL of Sally's (Padfoot4eva) stories, she's awesome!!

K, go review my darlings and the next chapter will come soon!

Emerald