Just Give it Some Time

Chapter Three: A Rare Moment of Compassion

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A/N: Sorry guys! I've been busy lately, but I hope you guys are still reading! I promise to update more! This chapter is written as an omniprescent, somebody who sees all and knows all, just so you know. It's not like the other two. I will switch off points of view from now on, with some chapters being Lily's, some James's and some as an omniprescent. Now, onwards march!

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Two weeks after the transfiguration incident, both James and Lily were on their way to dinner, and as usual, they were both late. Lily had her hands full of materials for potions, as did James. Neither of them wanted to miss the delicious pasta the cooks had concocted for tonight, so they were rushing and going a bit too fast. WHAM! They ran into each other, scattering their books and ingredients all over the entrance hall.

"YOU!" Lily gasped.

"YOU!" James shouted.

"I hope you know you are going to pick everything up." Lily spit out at him.

"Well if I'm picking up your books, you're picking up mine."

"Fine." Lily shot back.

They stormed off to opposite sides of the hall, but somehow ended up getting nearer the center, and each other. Suddenly, they reached for the same book.

"Oh. Um. I thought that was yours." James stammered.

"And I thought it was yours." Lily managed, her cheeks gaining a tinge of red.

"Well, if it's not mine, and not yours, then whose is it?" James spoke, more to himself than her.

"Why don't we take a look?"

They looked inside the front cover and recognized the handwriting immediately. Well, at least James did. He would know that spidery handwriting anywhere. It was that lousy boy, Severus Snape. He watched Lily's face as she looked in confusion at the writing. Damn. She was beautiful.

Meanwhile, Lily was puzzling over the writing. It was loosely connected, and was difficult to read. Finally, she got to a page she could read. She gasped at what was written.

Severus Lily
Lily loves Severus
Lily Snape
Mr. and Mrs. Severus Snape

James could hardly suppress his laughter. He was trying so hard. He didn't want her to think that he was a bastard completely incapable of caring for anybody, but he thought it was hilarious how that buffoon thought Lily would ever like him.

Lily almost cried when she saw the paper. She felt so awful for him, that he was teased about being emotional, and even gay. The paper proved that not only did he care about her, but that he was madly in love with her. As much as that scared her, she felt helpless. She had no idea what she would ever do about this. James would no doubt be all over it, making fun of her, teasing her for something she hadn't wanted to happen. She let a tear slide down her cheek.

James saw the tear, and caught in the moment he stroked her hair. How soft it was...

Lily felt the hand on her hair, and realized that she had let James see her when she was weak. This wasn't the James she knew, though. It was a kinder, gentler human. It was almost as though he actually cared about her... She leaned back against his chest, and let another tear go.

James couldn't last much longer. He needed to be near her so bad, but he couldn't ruin his reputation. After comforting her a little bit longer, he let go. Grabbing his books, he went into the great hall. Lily was left all alone. She took her books, snuck back into the common room, and cried. She wasn't hungry anymore.