Disclaimer: JK thought of the people in the story (some of them) and the
plot is mine, all mine! (evil laugh)
And on with the story:
"I can't believe it!" Lily exclaimed as she paced her personal dormitory. "Ugh, the nerve of that man! After six years of me drooling over him, he doesn't say a word about him liking me! And the jerk knew that I liked him. And then goes after all those other girls like I meant nothing to him. And he has the gall to look hurt when I get with Remus! AARGH! HE'S SO AGGRAVATING!" Just then, someone knocked on her door. "Come in!"
"Hey, Lils!" said Sirius as he entered the room. "Hey, nice pad," he commented, looking around the room.
"Cut to the chase, Sirius. What do you want," Lily stated bluntly.
"Well, this is sorta about you and Remus."
"Yeah, what," she said, short temperdly. Redheads really do have ferocious tempers, and Sirius knew it.
"Well, how serious are you guys?"
"What do you care?"
"Well, you know how James is. He's very, uh, protective," Sirius said, feeling slightly uncomfortable under the redhead's glare.
"Protective? PROTECTIVE?! PROTECTIVE OF WHAT? I am not one of his many girls that will simply drool over him. I stopped being that since the end of the school year. I don't need to take this crap from him."
"But, uh, Lily-"
"Enough. I don't want to hear any more about this. Get out of my room, Sirius. NOW!'
"Good night, Lily."
"GOOD NIGHT!"
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
The next morning, Lily grumpily went down to the common room to see Sol, Cassandra, and the Marauders waiting for her. Oh, great, she thought as she saw James pointedly not looking at her, just what I need. James is going to ignore me now. And we've got to work together as Head Boy and Girl! Pasting a smile on her face, she moved towards the group.
"Hey, guys. What's up?" she said, sitting in a chair near Remus.
"Nothing. Can I get a morning kiss?" Remus asked, looking at her hopefully.
"Sure thing," leaning over, she softly laid her lips on his and was surprised when he drew her closer. When she intended it to be just a light kiss, Lily found herself pulled into Remus's embrace.
"Excuse me," James said, startling Lily and Remus apart. "I'm going to go to breakfast." Everybody watched him move out of the portrait hole, followed by a clan of admiring Gryffindors.
"What's with him?" Cassandra wondered.
"He's just jealous, right Lily?" Sol said, catching onto what was going on between her friends.
"What do you mean?" Lily asked calmly.
"Come on, Lily, we all know that James likes you," Peter stated matter-of- factly.
"Well, thanks for telling me! I'll see you guys later. I want some breakfast. Remus, meet me in the astronomy tower after dinner, okay?"
"Sure, see you then," he said, giving Lily a kiss. "Beware of James, Lily. His temper is as great as your own," he whispered, softly enough so that only I could hear.
"I'll be fine," Lily whispered back and left the room. Everybody looked at Remus as Lily left and the portrait swung back into place.
"What?" Remus asked, the slight smile on his face disappearing when he noticed everyone was looking at him.
"What do you think you are doing, Moony?" Sirius asked.
"What do you mean, Padfoot?"
"You know James likes her!"
"So do I. I've liked her just as long as James has. I just didn't say anything because she liked him! Now she doesn't like him, so I don't see what the trouble is!" he hotly declared. Sol and Cassandra were stunned. They had never seen Remus get angry like this. Normally, he was a quiet person.
"The trouble is, Remus, that James isn't going to speak to you or Lily again as long as you guys are going out," Peter said.
"Yeah, Moony. Are you going to let a girl break up the Marauders?"
"No, Padfoot, I won't. It's not my fault if James doesn't like the idea off Lily and I going out. And it's not my fault James didn't make a move for six years! He could've had Lily Evens and he knew it!" Remus exclaimed, standing angrily. "I'll see you guys later."
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~* As soon as Lily entered the Great Hall, she looked for James. After scanning the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw tables, she decided he must be brooding by the lake. Without grabbing a cloak, she hurried outside and found him lying on the ground near the lake. Lily ran over and sat down next to James.
"Good morning, James. It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" she began nervously. "Will you guys start Quidditch soon? You're a great team." James just laid there and said nothing. "James, will you please talk to me?"
Silence.
"Fine. I'll see you later," Lily sighed. She got up and was about to leave when she thought she heard someone speak. "Excuse me?"
"Why?" James said after clearing his throat.
"Why what, James?" Lily said, sitting down. She thought he sounded as if he had been crying.
"Why Remus? I thought you liked me."
"James, I didn't just like you, I loved you. I loved you so much, I thought I would die. Loving you hurt, James," she said, her voice breaking. "I finally decided I didn't want to hurt anymore. I decided I didn't want to cry every time I saw a new girl hooked onto your arm.
"And the only way I could stop that hurt was to stop loving you."
"You loved me?" James asked, sitting up.
"Couldn't you tell?" she asked.
"No, I couldn't," he said, looking out over the lake. Sighing, he stood up and held out his hand. "We better go. We don't want to be late for Charms."
For a moment, she just stared at him, unsure of what to do. Then, slowly, she took his hand and stood up.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Later that night, she went up to the astronomy tower to meet Remus. While gazing at the stars, she couldn't help but think of a certain Marauder. And it wasn't Remus. Damn you, James Harold Potter! she thought. What is wrong with me? I should be thinking of Remus, not you!
Despite what she told herself, Lily couldn't do anything but smile at the thought of James. His silly hair that never could be tamed. Just like him. He seemed to get in the most trouble out of the four friends, even more than Sirius. But James did have beautiful eyes. Beautiful brown eyes with specks the color of warm honey around the irises. And because she was thinking so much about James's brown eyes, Lily was startled to see Remus's blue ones looking into her eyes.
"Oh!" she said stumbling back and almost loosing her balance. Nimbly, Remus threw his arms around her waist, catching her.
"Don't fall. If you do, I'm going with you," Remus said, a smile playing on his lips.
"Don't worry, I won't. Not now that you've got me," she said, putting her arms around his neck. "And I've got you."
"I'm not denying it," Remus murmured, pulling her into a soft kiss. Lily pulled him closer and rose on her toes so she could nestle against him. Finally, they had to pull away so they could take a breath. Just as they were about to kiss again, somebody cleared their throat.
"Sorry to interrupt, kids, but Professor Dumbledore wants to see you, Remus," James said, trying not to look at Lily.
"Oh, okay. Do you want me to walk you back, Lily?" Remus asked, turning back to her.
"No, you go ahead. I think I'll stay up here a bit."
"Okay, then," he said as he leaned over to give her a quick kiss. "I'll talk to you tomorrow." As Remus went down the steps, Lily turned back to the stars.
"Lily?" she heard James say.
"Yes, James?" she replied, her back still towards him.
"I - could you at least look at me?" James wondered. She turned to look at him, not saying a word. "I'm really sorry about yesterday. I had no right to be mad at you or Remus. I shouldn't have gotten angry and I shouldn't have shouted at him like that. And I'm - I'm just sorry. Do you forgive me?" he asked, finally looking at her face. And at that moment, that very second, James knew she was the one. She stood there with the stars at her back, a hint of tears in her bright green eyes and the wind blowing in her face and her sheer beauty startled him. And he knew she was the one.
"Yes, James, I forgive you," she whispered, a tear falling down her cheek.
"Why are you crying? Don't cry, Lily."
"I can't help it," she said through sobs and gasps for air.
"Come here, Lily. Don't cry," he said as he pulled her into his embrace. When she buried her head in his shoulder, James pressed his lips into her hair, it had the most intoxicating scent, and let her cry. Finally, when Lily's sobs had ceased, he tipped up her chin. "You okay?"
"Yes, I think so," she said. And she found herself once again mesmerized by James's eyes.
"Lily," James, whispered, his face slowly coming towards Lily's.
"I have to go," she murmured and pushed off of his chest. "Good night," she called over her shoulder as she ran down the steps.
"Good night, Lily," he called at her receding back. "I love you," he whispered to himself and the night.
"I can't believe it!" Lily exclaimed as she paced her personal dormitory. "Ugh, the nerve of that man! After six years of me drooling over him, he doesn't say a word about him liking me! And the jerk knew that I liked him. And then goes after all those other girls like I meant nothing to him. And he has the gall to look hurt when I get with Remus! AARGH! HE'S SO AGGRAVATING!" Just then, someone knocked on her door. "Come in!"
"Hey, Lils!" said Sirius as he entered the room. "Hey, nice pad," he commented, looking around the room.
"Cut to the chase, Sirius. What do you want," Lily stated bluntly.
"Well, this is sorta about you and Remus."
"Yeah, what," she said, short temperdly. Redheads really do have ferocious tempers, and Sirius knew it.
"Well, how serious are you guys?"
"What do you care?"
"Well, you know how James is. He's very, uh, protective," Sirius said, feeling slightly uncomfortable under the redhead's glare.
"Protective? PROTECTIVE?! PROTECTIVE OF WHAT? I am not one of his many girls that will simply drool over him. I stopped being that since the end of the school year. I don't need to take this crap from him."
"But, uh, Lily-"
"Enough. I don't want to hear any more about this. Get out of my room, Sirius. NOW!'
"Good night, Lily."
"GOOD NIGHT!"
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
The next morning, Lily grumpily went down to the common room to see Sol, Cassandra, and the Marauders waiting for her. Oh, great, she thought as she saw James pointedly not looking at her, just what I need. James is going to ignore me now. And we've got to work together as Head Boy and Girl! Pasting a smile on her face, she moved towards the group.
"Hey, guys. What's up?" she said, sitting in a chair near Remus.
"Nothing. Can I get a morning kiss?" Remus asked, looking at her hopefully.
"Sure thing," leaning over, she softly laid her lips on his and was surprised when he drew her closer. When she intended it to be just a light kiss, Lily found herself pulled into Remus's embrace.
"Excuse me," James said, startling Lily and Remus apart. "I'm going to go to breakfast." Everybody watched him move out of the portrait hole, followed by a clan of admiring Gryffindors.
"What's with him?" Cassandra wondered.
"He's just jealous, right Lily?" Sol said, catching onto what was going on between her friends.
"What do you mean?" Lily asked calmly.
"Come on, Lily, we all know that James likes you," Peter stated matter-of- factly.
"Well, thanks for telling me! I'll see you guys later. I want some breakfast. Remus, meet me in the astronomy tower after dinner, okay?"
"Sure, see you then," he said, giving Lily a kiss. "Beware of James, Lily. His temper is as great as your own," he whispered, softly enough so that only I could hear.
"I'll be fine," Lily whispered back and left the room. Everybody looked at Remus as Lily left and the portrait swung back into place.
"What?" Remus asked, the slight smile on his face disappearing when he noticed everyone was looking at him.
"What do you think you are doing, Moony?" Sirius asked.
"What do you mean, Padfoot?"
"You know James likes her!"
"So do I. I've liked her just as long as James has. I just didn't say anything because she liked him! Now she doesn't like him, so I don't see what the trouble is!" he hotly declared. Sol and Cassandra were stunned. They had never seen Remus get angry like this. Normally, he was a quiet person.
"The trouble is, Remus, that James isn't going to speak to you or Lily again as long as you guys are going out," Peter said.
"Yeah, Moony. Are you going to let a girl break up the Marauders?"
"No, Padfoot, I won't. It's not my fault if James doesn't like the idea off Lily and I going out. And it's not my fault James didn't make a move for six years! He could've had Lily Evens and he knew it!" Remus exclaimed, standing angrily. "I'll see you guys later."
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~* As soon as Lily entered the Great Hall, she looked for James. After scanning the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw tables, she decided he must be brooding by the lake. Without grabbing a cloak, she hurried outside and found him lying on the ground near the lake. Lily ran over and sat down next to James.
"Good morning, James. It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" she began nervously. "Will you guys start Quidditch soon? You're a great team." James just laid there and said nothing. "James, will you please talk to me?"
Silence.
"Fine. I'll see you later," Lily sighed. She got up and was about to leave when she thought she heard someone speak. "Excuse me?"
"Why?" James said after clearing his throat.
"Why what, James?" Lily said, sitting down. She thought he sounded as if he had been crying.
"Why Remus? I thought you liked me."
"James, I didn't just like you, I loved you. I loved you so much, I thought I would die. Loving you hurt, James," she said, her voice breaking. "I finally decided I didn't want to hurt anymore. I decided I didn't want to cry every time I saw a new girl hooked onto your arm.
"And the only way I could stop that hurt was to stop loving you."
"You loved me?" James asked, sitting up.
"Couldn't you tell?" she asked.
"No, I couldn't," he said, looking out over the lake. Sighing, he stood up and held out his hand. "We better go. We don't want to be late for Charms."
For a moment, she just stared at him, unsure of what to do. Then, slowly, she took his hand and stood up.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Later that night, she went up to the astronomy tower to meet Remus. While gazing at the stars, she couldn't help but think of a certain Marauder. And it wasn't Remus. Damn you, James Harold Potter! she thought. What is wrong with me? I should be thinking of Remus, not you!
Despite what she told herself, Lily couldn't do anything but smile at the thought of James. His silly hair that never could be tamed. Just like him. He seemed to get in the most trouble out of the four friends, even more than Sirius. But James did have beautiful eyes. Beautiful brown eyes with specks the color of warm honey around the irises. And because she was thinking so much about James's brown eyes, Lily was startled to see Remus's blue ones looking into her eyes.
"Oh!" she said stumbling back and almost loosing her balance. Nimbly, Remus threw his arms around her waist, catching her.
"Don't fall. If you do, I'm going with you," Remus said, a smile playing on his lips.
"Don't worry, I won't. Not now that you've got me," she said, putting her arms around his neck. "And I've got you."
"I'm not denying it," Remus murmured, pulling her into a soft kiss. Lily pulled him closer and rose on her toes so she could nestle against him. Finally, they had to pull away so they could take a breath. Just as they were about to kiss again, somebody cleared their throat.
"Sorry to interrupt, kids, but Professor Dumbledore wants to see you, Remus," James said, trying not to look at Lily.
"Oh, okay. Do you want me to walk you back, Lily?" Remus asked, turning back to her.
"No, you go ahead. I think I'll stay up here a bit."
"Okay, then," he said as he leaned over to give her a quick kiss. "I'll talk to you tomorrow." As Remus went down the steps, Lily turned back to the stars.
"Lily?" she heard James say.
"Yes, James?" she replied, her back still towards him.
"I - could you at least look at me?" James wondered. She turned to look at him, not saying a word. "I'm really sorry about yesterday. I had no right to be mad at you or Remus. I shouldn't have gotten angry and I shouldn't have shouted at him like that. And I'm - I'm just sorry. Do you forgive me?" he asked, finally looking at her face. And at that moment, that very second, James knew she was the one. She stood there with the stars at her back, a hint of tears in her bright green eyes and the wind blowing in her face and her sheer beauty startled him. And he knew she was the one.
"Yes, James, I forgive you," she whispered, a tear falling down her cheek.
"Why are you crying? Don't cry, Lily."
"I can't help it," she said through sobs and gasps for air.
"Come here, Lily. Don't cry," he said as he pulled her into his embrace. When she buried her head in his shoulder, James pressed his lips into her hair, it had the most intoxicating scent, and let her cry. Finally, when Lily's sobs had ceased, he tipped up her chin. "You okay?"
"Yes, I think so," she said. And she found herself once again mesmerized by James's eyes.
"Lily," James, whispered, his face slowly coming towards Lily's.
"I have to go," she murmured and pushed off of his chest. "Good night," she called over her shoulder as she ran down the steps.
"Good night, Lily," he called at her receding back. "I love you," he whispered to himself and the night.