The Ripples in the Lake

Lily awoke the next morning only as the sun began to ascend. She had again awakened earlier then everyone else and so had a huge amount of time to get dressed and ready before starting the day.

Progressively, the rest of the seventh year girls woke. Kristy and Lorraine were the first to leave the dormitory after preparing themselves for the day, leaving Lily, Herra and Sandra alone.

Lily was reclined on her bed, eyes down, double-checking her Potions homework that was to be handed in that day. Herra was tying her hair into a low bun while watching herself in the large mirror at the back of the dormitory. And Sandra was sat on her bed, applying some mascara while peering in the pocket mirror that she held at eye level in her left hand.

Lily didn't really feel the need for cosmetics. She thought they were material goods that only covered your natural beauty.

"Lily, was James alright when your were both patrolling last night? He seemed quite angry about something when he came to the common room," suddenly asked Sandra.

Lily paused from checking her homework and looked up at Sandra with a loose frown.

"Oh, umm- yeah. You saw him after duty?" asked Lily, unwilling to tell the true details.

Sandra nodded, "Yes. I wouldn't have made the team if it wasn't for him letting me ride his broomstick," she replied.

Herra softly laughed, but noticeably so. "I'm sure you would of found a way," she said shrewdly.

Sandra scowled, and her flawless complexion creased. "What's that supposed to mean?" she questioned.

"Oh, nothing," answered Herra dryly.

Lily watched in astonishment as Sandra and Herra glowered at each other, each face as livid as the other.

"Oh. Don't worry Herra. I don't want Sirius, so you can keep your comments to yourself," spat Sandra.

Herra's face deeply reddened and her eyes narrowed immensely. "And does that mean you could have Sirius if you wanted him?" she shot.

Sandra sweetly smiled, "I'm half Veela, of course I could.," she taunted.

"Really? Because I thought you were half hag, half insufferable bit-"

"Oh shut up Herra. I don't think Sirius would ever go out with you anyway, "interjected Sandra, before hastily leaving through the dormitory door and slamming it shut behind her.

"I don't think she's too happy with you, Herra," croaked Lily, once the door had thrashed loudly against its frame.

Herra shrugged, "Like I seriously care. Anyway, what's going on with you and James?" she asked.

Lily frowned as last nights conversation with James sprung back into her mind. Maybe she had gone too far that time? She had obviously upset him.

"I just lost my temper with him, I mean, he was late, again. So I guess I just lost it."

"What did you say to him?" Herra asked.

"Well, we started arguing about him being late- and then I said that he was arrogant. So he asked me if that's what I really thought of him, and I- I said yes,"replied Lily quietly, feeling herself turn slightly regretful about her words.

"Lily, why do you always push him away?" asked Herra musingly.

Why did she always push him away? She always thought it was because he was so egotistical and pig-headed around her, but at the present moment- that didn't seem like a valid excuse.

"I don't know, there's so many sides to him. There are sides I like, and sides I hate," she replied prudently

"But you can't hate him. I mean, I know he can act a bit conceited, but he's not that bad," mediated Herra.

Did she really hate James? Or did she just strongly dislike him? Over the years she had always thought that she did hate him, but if she felt guilty about possibly upsetting him, that couldn't truly be hate.

"No, I don't hate him," she replied, now studying the spiral patterns adorned across the ceiling.

"Well, then speak to him," suggested Herra with a small smile.

Lily didn't know whether she wanted to speak to James. Usually she would have given almost anything just to get away from him. But feeling the small familiar bubble of guilt lurch in her stomach, she slowly nodded in response.

-x-

The lessons that day went rather quick for Lily, she had also lightened up a considerable amount after receiving fill marks for her Charms essay. However, as the time progressed by she found herself growing slightly tense, and whenever she would catch James's eye, he would pretend not to see her and look the opposite way.

Lily left to monitor the Hogwarts corridors that night at the usual time of ten o'clock. She had yet to speak to James, and didn't particularly expect him to show up tonight anyway. Even so, she still walked the corridors, pausing every now and then to glance at her watch for the time.

She was just passing the entrance hall when she realised that the large oak doors were slightly ajar, allowing the outside icy air to seep through and sharply embrace her. She halted and considered whether to close the doors and carry on patrolling. But as her curiosity increased, she decided to creep through the gap and quickly look outside.

Lily shuddered as the cold air gripped into her and she briefly looked for any sign of motion. She was just about to enter back into the cascading warmth of the castle when she noticed a distant figure crouching over the lake.

Not wanting to disregard the person, she skulked over to where the lone figure was squatted. It could easily be a student- and students were not permitted to explore the grounds after dark. But as Lily drew closer, she distinctively recognised indeed who the figure belonged to and felt her stomach jolt as his shadowed face span round to match hers.

"James, what are you doing out here?" she asked.

He didn't reply, but instead turned back towards the lake and continued to stare at the light ripples forming upon the surface.

Lily felt extremely confused, what was James doing out in the grounds this late at night? And more so, why was he alone?

She kneeled down beside him, however he was still intent on staring at the lake.

"James, please listen," she said, now slightly annoyed. James was acting much unlike himself, and she even started to feel taunted, as if this was merely a set-up.

James grunted. "Go on then, Evans." he said hastily.

"Ok. I'm sorry James. I shouldn't have said some of those things. It's just sometimes you can act that way," she said incisively.

James faced her, "So, I take it that I'm just so arrogant sometimes, that I can't even pull my head out of my ass and realise what I act like?" he asserted, his breath rising wispy vapour in the cold air.

Lily frowned, "No. Not all the time, James. But you can't say you're not sometimes. Look, I'm not going to beg, so either except my pained apology or- or don't,"

James paused, as if he was considering what Lily had just said, however there was a clear glint in his eyes. ."Okay. All right. Even though I do sometimes act arrogant, it's just hard hearing- never mind," he stopped.

Lily watched as James scooped up a small rock from the earth beside him and tossed it into the water, causing light splashes to erupt on the surface as the rock slowly sank beneath the ripples.

"Sorry, James," Lily said.

He opened his mouth in response, but before he got a chance to reply, a loud thud sounded from behind where they were sitting. Lily span round, Sandra had just disembarked from James's broom, her cheeks crimson and her blond hair waving gently in the wind. Lily suspected that James had allowed Sandra to ride his broom again and she frowned as Sandra turned to face her.

Suddenly, it seemed that all Lily's feelings of remorse had seemed to evaporate, and the current circumstances did indeed seem like a plan fabricated from Potter.

"Oh, Lily. I didn't know you were here," she said breathlessly.

"Yeah. I think I better go," replied Lily shortly, standing up from James, who clasped her hand tightly and squeezed it with a small smile.

Lily paused for a moment, swayed into a mid-reverie triggered by the strange surge that had just overcome her.

"Bye, James."