Chapter 4: A Confession from James

Since the Hogwarts students came back to school on a Saturday, they had Sunday to themselves before they started classes again. Most students spent the day out on the grounds, in the common room, or in the library. Lily, Dacota, and Chelsea were no different. They stayed down by the lake and went swimming and tanning all day.

"So, Lily, when's the first prefect meeting," Chelsea inquired while lying out in the sun.

Lily was lying off to her right while Dacota was on her left. "This Thursday. We're going to discuss Hogsmeade visits and other activities going on during the year."

A shadow quickly passed above the trio and they looked over to the lake. There were two blurs dashing around about 20 feet above the water that occasionally collided.

"What the hell is that?" Dacota asked. The girls were so intently focused on the figures that they didn't notice two guys come up behind them.

"That's James and Sirius," Remus said making all three of the girls jump. "They're trying to see who can make the other fall off their broom first."

Lily immediately became red with anger. "Bloody hell! This is just one of Potter's new ways of showing off."

The other guy that came with Remus was Peter Pettigrew and he sat slightly behind the other four while looking up at James and Sirius. Remus had plopped down next to Lily. "Why is he so arrogant?"

Remus didn't even hesitate in his answer. "Because he can be and people will still love him." Lily snorted causing the group to laugh a little. Just then, one of the figures fell off his broom and into the lake. The other flew over to the clapping crowd that had gathered near the lakeshore.

Lightly jumping off his broom, James bowed and jogged over to join his friends. " And that's how it's done."

Trying to ignore the perfect set up to shoot down James again, Lily forced herself to focus on Sirius swimming to shore.

As soon as he came up to the group, Sirius enveloped Dacota in a big bear hug. His tall 6' 3" bulky frame easily covered her 5' 8 ½" skinny one.

"Gerroff me!" came a muffled scream from inside Sirius's robes. "You're all wet!"

"And you're all dry." He suddenly got a mischievous look in his sparkling gray eyes. Before Dacota could take one step, she was slung over Sirius's shoulder and carried off down toward the lake.

Lily, Chelsea, James, and Remus all followed closely behind keen on learning what their friend was up to. Sirius stopped about15 feet before where the water hit the land. He picked up his broom and placed a no longer objecting Dacota on it. With one swift kick, they were flying above the lake.

Just when everyone was starting to believe that she had gotten off the hook, Sirius did a dive-bomb towards the water. The crowd gasped, but quickly sighed with relief as the duo resurfaced moments later.

Still carrying his broom, James looked over at Lily with pleading eyes. "Wanna go for a spin?"

Lily glanced at James and sarcastically replied, "Rain check."

Slightly crest fallen, James turned towards Remus and said, "I have to go. See you later mate," before making his way off to the castle.

Chelsea looked at Remus. "You better go with him. He may need someone to talk to. We'll send Sirius after you guys when he gets back."

"Thanks, Chel. I owe ya one," he said. He gave her a quick smile before racing after James, Peter jogging along.

Staring after Remus for a moment, Chelsea turned back to a smiling Lily. "So is there anyone you're fancying lately?"

"I don't know what you're talking about Lils," Chelsea tried to assure, but blushed slightly. Turning away to face the lake she added, "Oh, so what if I do like him?"

Lily cocked an eyebrow at her friend. "Him? As in Remus?"

Sighing irritably, Chelsea glared at Lily. "Yes Remus. He's a nice, funny, caring, good looking guy, and the only marauder that doesn't participate in every type of prank imaginable."

"Settle down, you don't have to get defensive. Actually, Remus is the only marauder I would even consider dating….Not that I want to," Lily added, noticing jealousy creep into her best friends eyes.

"Ok, good."

Just then, a drenched Sirius and Dacota flew back and landed softly on the grass. "Wow, that was awesome!" Dacota yelled as she hopped off the Comet 450.

Sirius smirked, "Yea I have that affect."

"Not you, the ride. I swear you get more self involved ever day."

"But I gave you the ride," he said while looking around. "Hey. Where are the other guys?"

As if on cue, Chelsea came over to where they were standing and spoke up. "They went back up to the castle. You should follow."

Sirius glanced back over to Dacota and gave her a swift peck on the cheek. "See you later. By McKennely, Evans."

Lily merely nodded at him before he walked off.

James stormed into the common room with Remus and Peter following closely behind. "Argh!" he roared and flipped over a chair, sending a bunch of first and second year students scattering into various corners.

"Settle down James," Remus pleaded.

"What the hell did I do wrong?" he asked and kicked the wall. James then went back to the middle of the room and flopped onto the couch. He put his head in his hands and muttered, "I'm nice to her. I am. But she always blows me off. What am I doing wrong?"

Remus slowly walked over and sat down beside his friend, "I honestly don't know mate. Maybe you should try to get over her."

"But I cant."

Sirius stepped through the portrait hole at that moment. He was all smiles at first but then realized that something wasn't right. "What's wrong?'

Remus shook his head and said, "I'm trying to convince Prongs here to get over Miss Evans."

"But I can't," James feebly protested.

Striding over to the chair across from the couch, Sirius grinned. "Sure you can. Just stop thinking about her."

James glared at his friends, not believing their stupidity. "But I can't," he said through clenched teeth.

"And why not?" Remus curiously asked.

"Because I've been trying to since our second year." Sirius, Remus, and Peter stared dumbly at their friend. "That's right. I've been trying to get over her since our second year. But that's not all. I've liked her since the day I laid my eyes on her."

The portrait swung open but the marauders didn't pay attention to it. Remus was the first to regain his voice. "Geez man, why didn't you tell us?"

Lily, Dacota, and Chelsea walked through the Fat Lady's portrait and into the common room. Lily was just about to step into full view of the place when Chelsea, who put a finger to her lips and pointed to the direction of the couch, pulled her back.

"Geez man, why didn't you tell us?" asked Remus.

James, who looked very sullen, answered, "Because I didn't think it much of it."

Standing up, Sirius yelled, "Didn't think much of it? You've liked the one girl who hates you the most for seven years. I think that's something we should've been told!"

From their hiding spot, all three girls gasped. 'He's liked me for seven years?' Lily thought. 'I didn't think that Potter had that amount of attention span.'

The trio was brought out of their thoughts when James started talking again. "Yea, and now I regret not telling you because I realized something else."

'Oh please don't say what I think you're going to say!'

"Everything she does makes me feel completely unable to control my emotions. When she looks at me my stomach does flip-flops and I feel so completely happy that I have to stop myself from shouting, just because she notices me. Yet, I feel so sad because I know she hates me, that I feel like someone is plunging my heart into ice cold water, just waiting for it to stop beating."

Dacota and Chelsea glanced at Lily who just stared blankly ahead.

Sirius and Remus were staring at their friend in disbelief. "Wow. I had no idea mate, I'm so sorry," Remus shockingly muttered while patting James on the back. Who knew his feelings ran so deep?

"Yea. I would've tried to have been a little more understanding," Sirius explained. "I'm sorry."

James smiled a real smile, not his usual smirk, but a genuine smile. "It's alright you guys. You didn't know. But there is still one more thing. This kind of goes with out saying, but I love her."

It was at that moment that Lily chose to exit her hiding spot by the portrait opening. She froze where she was standing as the marauders all turned around to face her. 'Oh my God, he loves me. Quick Lily do something!'

Green eyes met hazel and James knew that she had heard everything. "Lily…" he started but was cut off by her running past him, with tears streaming down her face as she went up to the girls dormitories.

hmmm…james had a pretty corny love speech there, but it'll have to do. As always read and review! Thanks for reading!

Xoxo, Sammie