James was still panicky after that weird dream, but after a few Quidditch-
trained deep breaths, he calmed down.
"Potter! Potter, are you okay?" said a gentle voice full of concern. Lily sounded a little afraid.
James shook it off quickly. He must have spaced out for a minute.
"I'm fine, Lily, sorry for worrying you." James mumbled.
Lily recoiled a little at hearing her first name from James.
"Uh-who said I was worried? Huh? Not me? Me? Worried? Right. In your dreams, Potter." Lily stammered.
James could have hit himself on the head. He had just called her what he had called her in his head a million times before. He didn't think that he had ever called her "Lily" before.
"Well I suppose we should get to sleep," mumbled Lily, "if we are to ever get out of this hospital wing. And so the nurse won't personally murder us alive." Lily added with the hint of a smile.
James smiled. "Yes, I suppose we should." Then he mistakenly went back to his old habit of brushing his hair back to make it look messier than it already was.
Lily looked outraged. "God, Potter, when we just started to get along-! I really don't believe you! Good night!"
James groaned inwardly.
"Maybe Sirius is right," James thought, "maybe I am an idiot around women. At least, around Lily."
* * *
The next morning they were released from the Hospital Wing. Lily's and James's friends were all waiting for them outside.
"Oh my god, you had to spend a night with the Quidditch captain? How was it?" asked Margaret in a bubbly manner. She thought James was cute.
"Margaret, stop being a toad, you know Lily hates him!" Celia argued.
"Well, I wouldn't exactly say HATE-" Lily interrupted.
"Lily, don't tell me that you fancy (A/N I think that means "like" in British) him! Do you?" Celia asked suspiciously.
"No! I don't know what you're talking about. C'mon, we're going to be late for class." Lily said, dashing to the Great Hall.
Lily's friends looked after her with bulging eyes. They were silent for a moment, then-
"She fancies him."
"Oh, yes, definably."
* * *
"5th year exams! Darn it! My big sister told me that they're the worst!" James exclaimed. "Oh well, I suppose we can get passed it."
"Provided that you actually study this year, James, and not focus all your energies on nicking Snitches!" Remus said stiffly.
"So, old Moony, guess you're trying to play the responsible prefect to us, eh? What about when you yourself 'strut around the grounds with no reason whatsoever' with your friends?" Sirius prodded.
"Oh shut up, Padfoot." Remus retorted.
"W-well, I-I believe that R-remus is r-r-right!" Peter stuttered.
Sirius frowned. "Snivellus's Stuttering Charm actually lasted this long? I'm impressed, and greatly surprised."
James sighed loudly. "I know the countercharm for this spell: Stutturus Lumalas! Better, Wormtail?"
"Yes, thank you James!" Peter squeaked gratefully.
"No problem." James sighed. "I suppose we should make-like-a-Remus and study." Then, noticing a group of girls coming his way, he brushed his hair back and made it look messy.
* * *
"Are you kidding me? That was so easy, Wormtail! What was so hard about the Defense Against the Dark Arts practical exam?" James asked loudly.
They were sitting under their favorite tree a couple of hours after their final exam.
"Well, you can't criticize him James," Sirius began, "because I saw what you wrote on that extra piece of paper in Charms."
"What?"
"L+J, J+L. Or in other words, Lily and James, James and Lily!"
"Oh shut up. What does that have to do with criticism in exams?"
"Nothing, really. Just thought that it'd be a good laugh for Peter. To cheer him up, you know." Sirius said, unable to control his laughter. James had to curse his mouth shut to stop him from laughing.
"James," said Remus tiredly, "you can't go cursing everyone when someone laughs at you, or something goes wrong!"
"Sure I can. Why not?"
Remus groaned. "And you wonder why Lily's not going out with you."
"I resent that!"
* * *
It was the last day of 5th year. Lily was looking at the giant castle of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with a longing look in her eyes. She was backing up slowly towards the train, memorizing the sight of the school in her brain. She was sorry to go. Yes, she loved her parents and is happy to go back to them. Its just-it's just Petunia. Lily didn't think she could stand the hateful looks Petunia sent to her. Lily was sure Petunia, deep down, loved her, as all sisters and brothers do. But it was so deep down that before you even got close she would have ripped you in a thousand pieces.
All of a sudden, Lily bumped into someone, causing some of the items in her hands to drop.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Lily apologized.
"No, it's really alright! It's my fault, rea-" The voice broke off, and Lily found herself face to face with James Potter. They're faces were an inch away from each other. James was staring into Lily's beautiful green eyes, and he loved every green speck of them. James was in the process of picking up the things Lily dropped, but stopped when he saw the red curls of the person he'd bumped, and when he got the tingly feeling in his stomach.
"Here's your stuff." James said quietly. He handed it to her and ran his hand in his hair instinctively. Lily was so surprised that she didn't even notice.
"See you next year, Evans." And with that, James was running off to catch up to his friends.
Lily was astounded. He didn't even ask if she wanted to go out with him once! Hallelujah! It's a miracle!
Lily got on the train and looked out the window. She was looking forward to a great summer, and was expecting a wonderful year next year at Hogwarts.
"Potter! Potter, are you okay?" said a gentle voice full of concern. Lily sounded a little afraid.
James shook it off quickly. He must have spaced out for a minute.
"I'm fine, Lily, sorry for worrying you." James mumbled.
Lily recoiled a little at hearing her first name from James.
"Uh-who said I was worried? Huh? Not me? Me? Worried? Right. In your dreams, Potter." Lily stammered.
James could have hit himself on the head. He had just called her what he had called her in his head a million times before. He didn't think that he had ever called her "Lily" before.
"Well I suppose we should get to sleep," mumbled Lily, "if we are to ever get out of this hospital wing. And so the nurse won't personally murder us alive." Lily added with the hint of a smile.
James smiled. "Yes, I suppose we should." Then he mistakenly went back to his old habit of brushing his hair back to make it look messier than it already was.
Lily looked outraged. "God, Potter, when we just started to get along-! I really don't believe you! Good night!"
James groaned inwardly.
"Maybe Sirius is right," James thought, "maybe I am an idiot around women. At least, around Lily."
* * *
The next morning they were released from the Hospital Wing. Lily's and James's friends were all waiting for them outside.
"Oh my god, you had to spend a night with the Quidditch captain? How was it?" asked Margaret in a bubbly manner. She thought James was cute.
"Margaret, stop being a toad, you know Lily hates him!" Celia argued.
"Well, I wouldn't exactly say HATE-" Lily interrupted.
"Lily, don't tell me that you fancy (A/N I think that means "like" in British) him! Do you?" Celia asked suspiciously.
"No! I don't know what you're talking about. C'mon, we're going to be late for class." Lily said, dashing to the Great Hall.
Lily's friends looked after her with bulging eyes. They were silent for a moment, then-
"She fancies him."
"Oh, yes, definably."
* * *
"5th year exams! Darn it! My big sister told me that they're the worst!" James exclaimed. "Oh well, I suppose we can get passed it."
"Provided that you actually study this year, James, and not focus all your energies on nicking Snitches!" Remus said stiffly.
"So, old Moony, guess you're trying to play the responsible prefect to us, eh? What about when you yourself 'strut around the grounds with no reason whatsoever' with your friends?" Sirius prodded.
"Oh shut up, Padfoot." Remus retorted.
"W-well, I-I believe that R-remus is r-r-right!" Peter stuttered.
Sirius frowned. "Snivellus's Stuttering Charm actually lasted this long? I'm impressed, and greatly surprised."
James sighed loudly. "I know the countercharm for this spell: Stutturus Lumalas! Better, Wormtail?"
"Yes, thank you James!" Peter squeaked gratefully.
"No problem." James sighed. "I suppose we should make-like-a-Remus and study." Then, noticing a group of girls coming his way, he brushed his hair back and made it look messy.
* * *
"Are you kidding me? That was so easy, Wormtail! What was so hard about the Defense Against the Dark Arts practical exam?" James asked loudly.
They were sitting under their favorite tree a couple of hours after their final exam.
"Well, you can't criticize him James," Sirius began, "because I saw what you wrote on that extra piece of paper in Charms."
"What?"
"L+J, J+L. Or in other words, Lily and James, James and Lily!"
"Oh shut up. What does that have to do with criticism in exams?"
"Nothing, really. Just thought that it'd be a good laugh for Peter. To cheer him up, you know." Sirius said, unable to control his laughter. James had to curse his mouth shut to stop him from laughing.
"James," said Remus tiredly, "you can't go cursing everyone when someone laughs at you, or something goes wrong!"
"Sure I can. Why not?"
Remus groaned. "And you wonder why Lily's not going out with you."
"I resent that!"
* * *
It was the last day of 5th year. Lily was looking at the giant castle of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with a longing look in her eyes. She was backing up slowly towards the train, memorizing the sight of the school in her brain. She was sorry to go. Yes, she loved her parents and is happy to go back to them. Its just-it's just Petunia. Lily didn't think she could stand the hateful looks Petunia sent to her. Lily was sure Petunia, deep down, loved her, as all sisters and brothers do. But it was so deep down that before you even got close she would have ripped you in a thousand pieces.
All of a sudden, Lily bumped into someone, causing some of the items in her hands to drop.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Lily apologized.
"No, it's really alright! It's my fault, rea-" The voice broke off, and Lily found herself face to face with James Potter. They're faces were an inch away from each other. James was staring into Lily's beautiful green eyes, and he loved every green speck of them. James was in the process of picking up the things Lily dropped, but stopped when he saw the red curls of the person he'd bumped, and when he got the tingly feeling in his stomach.
"Here's your stuff." James said quietly. He handed it to her and ran his hand in his hair instinctively. Lily was so surprised that she didn't even notice.
"See you next year, Evans." And with that, James was running off to catch up to his friends.
Lily was astounded. He didn't even ask if she wanted to go out with him once! Hallelujah! It's a miracle!
Lily got on the train and looked out the window. She was looking forward to a great summer, and was expecting a wonderful year next year at Hogwarts.