A/N: I'm trying to get this done as soon as possible, but I suck at updating. Thanks to Lils-X, alleriablack and SilentGoldenEyes for their reviews! YOU ROCK! now for the second chapter.

TITLE: Purely Platonic

AUTHOR: Boy-Crazy Bookworm

SUMMARY: James has finally changed and Lily has agreed to become friends. Just friends? Pft… I wonder how long that will last!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything associated with Harry Potter! Please don't sue!

SONG: That Was Then, by Jesse McCartney. I don't own this either so please don't sue me for using it as the title!

CHAPTER 2: That Was Then

(7th Year)

"Now, Lily, are you sure you have everything?" Lily's mum, Rose Evans, asked while smoothing down her younger daughter's hair and blinking rapidly to keep from crying.

"Yes, mum!" Lily said, for the 50th time.

"Those young men won't know what hit them," Lily's father, Joseph Evans, said, grinning proudly.

"Sure thing, dad," Lily smiled, rolling her eyes affectionately.

"Oh, and head girl!" Petunia said in a fake cheerful voice. "What does that mean, that you give all the guys head? Do you and the head boy engage in some... 69 business?" Petunia muttered to Lily so that their parents wouldn't hear her. Someone else, however, did hear.

"I don't know what you do at your school, but they sure don't encourage that here," a deep voice said from behind Lily. She turned and looked up into the grinning face of James Potter.

"Hey Evans!" James exclaimed. "How were your holidays?"

"Fine, thanks," Lily replied coldly. Silence followed.

"Lily! Introduce us to your friend!" Joseph scolded her.

"I'm James. James Potter," James said, beating her to it. He shook hands with Lily's parents. "I'm head boy."

Lily broke out of her sulky daze. "What? You're head boy? Is Dumbledore mad? No way! I resign!" she cried.

"Lily!" Rose gasped. "Where have you manners gone?"

"Sorry mum," Lily apologized. "Sorry Potter," she said through clenched teeth.

"No worries! James said cheerfully. "Do you want me to take that for you?" he gestured towards her suitcase.

"Er… okay…" Lily gave him a puzzled look. "Mum, dad, I better go now! I'll owl as soon as I get the chance."

"Okay. Have fun! And be careful!" they told her.

"So Potter…" Lily started on the way to the train. "Why so nice?"

"Shouldn't I be?" he grinned at her.

Lily shrugged, "You never were before. I half expect you to run off with my suitcase and hang my underwear out the window or something."

"No, sorry," James laughed. "I've already done that. Marauder's rule: Never play the same prank twice."

"Oh yes," Lily sighed. "Fifth year. How could I forget?"

"I know it was stupid of me," James told her, suddenly serious. "I really am sorry. But I'm honestly trying to be better this year."

"Sure," Lily said disbelievingly. "And what's with this head boy business?"

"I am head boy! Ask Remus if you really don't believe me!" James exclaimed. Then he pouted. "Your lack of faith in me hurts me deeply, Evans," he joked.

"I'm sure it does," Lily rolled her eyes. "Do you know where we go now?"

"The head's compartment," James said confidently. "Follow me."

Then he led her to a little compartment at the very end of the train.

When they sat down, Lily pulled out a copy of Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice', while James stared out the window.

"Look, Evans…" James started, then stopped.

"Yes, Potter?" Lily said, not looking up from her book.

"I know... I know I've been a prat for… like… forever, but… I was wondering…" he trailed off.

Lily put her book down and looked at him. "I'm listening, Potter."

"I was wondering if maybe we could, you know… put it all behind us and sort of… be friends?" he asked, finally meeting her gaze. When she saw how hopeful the looking his warm, hazel eyes was, her heart softened, and she almost said yes. But something stopped her. She thought back to all those years when he had made fun of her and played pranks on her, and she remember all those times she had run off in tears to the refuge of the library or the willow tree.

"I… I don't think so, Potter," Lily replied, looking back down at her book.

"Oh," James said softly, looking back out the window. The rest of the train ride continued in silence.

James looked out the window. The scenery got very repetitive after about the third hour. So instead he fixed his gaze on the stunning redhead sitting across from him. She had finished 'Pride and Prejudice' and was now reading another book, although James couldn't make out the title.

James had though Lily was the most beautiful girl in the world ever since he had seen her, exactly six years ago, looking apprehensive at the train station. But then he had gotten to know her… well, not really know her, since the conversation they had had previously was the first civil one they had ever had, but he had observed enough to know that she was almost sickeningly sweet, had a great sense of humour, could stand up for herself and others, was amazingly talented, and as anyone could see, dazzlingly clever.

But James had to admit, she was not much of the aforementioned when he was around. Just the stereotypical fiery red head.

James had been a jerk. A cocky, arrogant, selfish, stupid bastard… and all the other things she'd called him over the years. Now it was his last year. His last chance to prove himself worthy. But there wasn't much chance of that. He had considered giving up, since it didn't look like he'd ever get the chance with her, but something had told him to persist his… 'courting'. As he looked at her now, completely absorbed in whatever novel she was reading, he thought that maybe he should give up. She was, in his opinion, much too good for him and he didn't deserve her friendship, let alone her love.

James had just about decided to let go, when she looked up, and looked into his eyes with her bright, emerald ones, causing his heart to skip a beat.

Okay, so maybe not…

Lily stumbled off the train, wondering what to do.

'Damn, I wish Potter was here,' she thought to herself. When she realised what she had just thought, she gasped, "I did not just wish that. No. No was. Urgh, I'm talking to myself. I'm going insane! I was always insane! Nooo!" She carried on until she crashed into someone.

"Oh my gosh!" Lily cried. "I'm so sorry!'

"It is alright! Don't worry about it!" said the girl Lily had nearly pushed over. She was very pretty, with waist length, straight, white-blonde hair and huge blue eyes. Lily detected a slight accent, which she decided was French.

"I am Isabella," the girl continued. "I went to Beauxbatons but my family moved and I am now at Hogwarts. Obviously," Isabella gestured at the train and rolled her eyes, smiling.

"Oh, what a horrible welcome I just gave you!" Lily groaned. "I'm Lily. Lily Evans."

"No harm done!" Isabella laughed. "Now at least I have someone who can tell me what to do with myself!"

"Ooooh, Evans, who do you have there?" Sirius Black's voice rang out.

"Here comes trouble," Lily muttered, smiling at Remus as he, James and Sirius approached them.

"Isabella Lacoste, I'm please to meet you," Isabella gasped, the giggled as Sirius went down on his knee and kissed the back of her hand.

"Sirius Black, the pleasure is all mine," he straightened up and winked. Lily rolled her eyes, and then looked at James to see his reaction to this pretty new girl. She found that he was staring at her instead. They both looked away quickly, and James shook hands with Isabella, while grinning charmingly and telling her, "I'm James Potter. That's Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew is… oops, guys, we forgot Pete! Oh… there he is, getting out of the train."

"It is very nice to meet you all!" Isabella said. "I am sure we will all become good friends!"

"Don't count on it," Sirius said, glancing from Lily to James who were currently trying, very obviously, to subtly look anywhere but at each other.

"I see," Isabella muttered, brow furrowed.

After a few seconds, James broke the silence by saying, "Okay, we better get to those carriages now."

"I will come with you!" Isabella told Lily.

As the walked away from the boys, Isabella asked, "What is between you and the James Potter boy?"

"Nothing!" Lily replied, a little too fast.

"You are lying!" Isabella grinned slyly. "I see the way you look at each other."

"There's nothing going on, Isabella!" lily said exasperatedly.

"Please, call me Ella. We are friends, yes?" Isabella asked hopefully. Lily noted that only several hours ago, James had looked at her the same way.

"Yes, of course!" Lily reassured her new friend, wondering if that was the answer she should have given James as well.

"Good," Isabella smiled. "Friends tell each other things. So you will tell me what is with you and James."

Lily sighed, decided she might as well give in, and told Isabella about her confusing relationship with James Potter.

"Now… what?" Isabella asked, puzzled, while tying her hair up into a pony tail, after Lily had finished tell him story.

"Now… nothing!" Lily said, running a hand through her own thick red hair.

"And you are happy this way?"

"I don't know. Maybe I made a huge mistake. I don't know anything anymore!' Lily sighed.

"Don't worry it will work out sometime! It always… ahh!" Isabella shrieked as James came up behind her and lazily draped his arm around her shoulders.

"Sorry to interrupt," he said, winking at Isabella. "But I have to borrow Evans for a while."

"It is no problem!" Isabella grinned encouragingly at Lily, ho smiled weakly in return.

"See you later then!" James grinned, tugging on Isabella's hair before turning away. Lily ignored the churning in her stomach.

'I am not jealous!' she thought.

James walked towards the castle with Lily in tow.

"What exactly are we doing?" Lily asked.

"Checking out the head's rooms," James answered.

"Do you know where they are?"

"Behind the portrait of the fairy tea party," James wrinkled his nose. "The password is 'chocolate truffle'."

"What's with Dumbledore and food?" Lily muttered to herself.

They got to the portrait and James said the password. The portrait swung open and exposed a room decorated with Gryffindor colours. It looked like a smaller version on the common room. It had mahogany floors and a wooden table in the middle of the room. Around the table were red couches with a gold trim, matching the table cloth and the rug beneath the table. There was a fireplace on one wall, a huge bookcase on the wall which had the entrance door, and another two doors on opposite sides of the room. On the walls were hanging pictures of the previous head boys and girls.

"Wow!" Lily exclaimed as she walked over to the fireplace. "It's like we have the common room all to ourselves!" She blushed, realizing how he might have misunderstood that.

James took no notice. As much as she wanted to deny it, her heart sunk at his reaction. The old James would have teased her endlessly. She missed that James.

"How do we know who has which room?" Lily asked quietly.

"I don't know, maybe we just…" he trailed off, as he opened a door and burst out laughing. "Oh gosh… Evans… check this out!" he gasped for breath.

Lily slowly made her way over, not sure what to expect. She looked into the room and gasped. The room, clearly intended for the head girl, was decorated completely in pink.

"Icky!" Lily wrinkled her nose. "I'm a red-head! I clash with pink!"

"You're also a witch," James pointed out, and with a flick of his wand, the room became green, the same green as her eyes.

"I love green!" Lily's eyes widened.

"I know," James smiled sadly, and turned to leave.

"James…" Lily grabbed his arm to stop him, although she hadn't needed to. He had frozen in place when he heard her say his name for the first time. "I… About what you suggested before…"

"Don't worry about it," James cut her off. "It was a stupid idea."

"No James..." Lily started again. "If… I was wondering if... I could take you up on your offer."

James looked at her hesitantly. "You want to be friends?"

"If you want to, that is, I understand if you don't," Lily muttered quickly, looking at the floor.

"'Course I want to!" James's face broke out into the biggest grin Lily had ever seen on him, before he scooped her into his arms and hugged her tight.

"Potter!" she gasped for breath. "For the record, by 'friends' I mean just friends!"

"Whatever you say!" James winked then walked off to check out his (completely blue) room, still grinning like an idiot.

A/N: Sorry for any spelling mistakes or clichés! Thanks for reading! Please review!