Disclaimer: Story character and places by JKR (congrats on your new baby!) and title from Masami Tsuda, His and Her Circumstances.


A/N: I fully could not be sorrier. I am not worthy of thee, I swear. High school has treated me so badly I've had no time, though that's no excuse.

Feel free to mass email me with complaints if I take a 5 or so month hiatus ever again.

This chapter is broken up into three parts because they weren't near long enough to be chapters on their own. Don't let the title deceive you… This chapter doesn't suck as bad as you think. Or maybe it does. Review and tell me?


Did You Find What You Were Looking For

Chapter 14: His and Her Romance

By: Taiyourshoes


Part I: Milestones
"Hi, James."

He wasn't sure he'd heard her right. James choked on his pumpkin juice and Sirius had to beat him on the back until he could breathe again. Lily jumped back and widened her eyes, color rising to her face. She'd just thought she should try to be friendlier; she hadn't known he'd nearly kill himself.

Only she was allowed to do that.

James had been thinking aboutHailey and how best to approach that situation when Lily walked behind him. The last thing he was expecting was for her to jerk him around all over again and call him James. He was so sure it was just dream lusting.

Nope, she was totally in love with him

Not that he was expecting it: that was the problem.

"He's very sorry, Evans. This is just James's way of saying good morning to you too," Sirius explained, shaking his head solemnly. "It's an affliction."

Lily forced a smile, which ended up looking more like a disgusted grimace, and ran to meet up with Hailey Cavendish at the door. Hailey observed the scene with a sad smile that Lily didn't catch.

A week later James stood on the Quidditch pitch, the air crisp in the early fall. His broom was gripped tightly in one hand, the other held over his eyes as he watched the Gryffindor tryouts.

"She isn't bad," one of his teammates mentioned, smiling. "Hailey would make a pretty good beater. Seems to have a lot of pent-up… energy."

James rolled his eyes at the innuendo. In the past week there were rumors buzzing around about his life behind closed doors. For some reason beyond him, many of them involved Hailey Cavendish.

The others contained Lily Evans.

Obviously Sirius needed to invest in a life and stop handing out flyers involving James' romances. The boy's imagination was a little much, especially when James was certain he'd never gotten to any base with either girl. Not on purpose anyways. The kisses he had with Hailey when they were kids hardly counted, and the smallest peck in the classroom surely couldn't count as the devilish things Sirius suggested.

"Thanks, Diggle. I do think she'd make a good addition to the team."

James wasn't doing well in the art of quipping.

As to where Lily Evans was concerned…

He was really starting to think there was something there; more so than usual even. She had used his first name at breakfast, and seemed completely friendly to him that morning. But slowly the whole school was becoming aware of his history with Hailey and Lily seemed to back off completely.

Increasingly, James was growing aware of the fact that Hailey was something of a catch. After all, she was pretty, athletic, had a history with him, and seemed genuinely interested in him, and not just the James Potter everyone else saw.

She seemed to like the human part of him that he learned to cover up. The part of him he hadn't seen since he was little.

The part of him that really did like Hailey, and the one that promised to marry her when he knew how. What he felt for her though…. What was it?

And what did he feel for Lily Evans?


Lily sat on the bed in her dormitory, watching the pages of her book flip as she twirled it about with her wand. She was completely bored with the whole situation.

She liked James. She knew that now. But everyone knew that SOMETHING had happened with Hailey and James in a classroom, and it wasn't as if Lily wanted to get together with him anyways. It's not like he was her heart's desire or anything.

Love: so overrated.

That coupled with the fact that Hailey had been doing everything in her power to get James to notice her (which was completely the opposite of what people were used to. Tabitha Hawkins was the flirt; Hailey Cavendish was the quiet, tom-boy tag-along that everyone knew but wasn't very close too). Tabitha had this to say:

"I don't know for sure what happened, Lily. It was like one night she was completely quiet at dinner and then she was like, 'Tabby, how long has your family known the Potters?' And I said, 'Since I was about seven. That's when he moved to my area.' And then she was really quiet and she kept glancing down at him. It was totally unlike her.

"I think she likes him or something, Lils. I've never seen her like a boy before, but she is showing all the signs: the hair, the make-up, the attention to wrinkles on her clothes. It's crazy, but I think she's really cliché-ly fallen for James Potter."

Lily could agree to all of that. Hailey had even asked her how to get her hair to be all… wavyish like hers. Later that day Lily saw her walking around with her hair down for once in waves; like Lily's, but more impressive.

And then the fact that Hailey was working really hard to get on the team and talk to James about it all the time was extremely peculiar. As Lily was thinking about all this, Hailey was down on the field, probably snuggling up next to James.

Ew. Seriously, eww.

Lily wouldn't really be worried if that nagging voice in her head didn't keep saying, "What? Did you expect him to wait for you forever? Just remember Abigail O'Brien."

Growling, Lily broke the levitating charm on her book (thus emitting a large thud upon impact) and threw it against the wall. Why was she so stupid? Falling for James again was the last thing she should be doing. He was a prat, a jerk, a complete, arrogant bastard!

So why did he make her feel like this?

Deciding that life shouldn't be this much of a cheesey soap-opera, Lily left the room, wand in hand.


"What are you doing, Evans?" Connor asked, bemused to see the Gryffindor girl sending sparks at helpless pieces of paper levitating in the air.

"Target practice," she said darkly. "Something I can help you with?"

"Yes, actually," he said, feigning apathy. "If you were dating Abigail O'Brien and her birthday happened to be in a week, what would you get her?"

The pieces of paper dropped. "You guys are exclusive? And you aren't afraid of what the other Slytherins will say?"

Connor avoided eye contact. "To hell with them."

"Good for you," rallied Lily. "I say go with something simple, as you've only been dating for a few weeks. Something sentimental, like something that will remind her of time you two've spent together."

"Like a picture?"

Lily snorted. "Yes. Nothing says you care more than the most cliché gift in the history of ever.

"Try something that reminds you of her," she continued. "Chances are it'll remind her of you too."

Later Lily realized that a huge milestone in Hogwarts history had been met: A Slytherin came to a Gryffindor for advice.

When Abigail O'Brien unwrapped the teddy bears (the female bludgeoning the other in the back of the head, but cutely so, card attached reading: I think he's falling for her, don't you think?) on her birthday another milestone was reached: the first time, to Lily's knowledge, a Slytherin and Gryffindor fell head over heels for each other in less than a month.


Part II: The Letters
Dear Mother and Father,

I got your letter forbidding me to marry "a wretched mudblood of poor class," but since I am not marrying anyone of the sort I'm not taking your words to heart. Again I remind you that your presence at the wedding is not necessary, and what I do when I graduate Hogwarts is no one's business but my own.

--Connor


Dear Mr. And Mrs. Cavendish,

This is Tabitha, Hailey's friend from school, writing to inform you that Hailey will be staying for break. She wishes to apologize that Christmas will be spent away for the first time, but as this is her last year at Hogwarts she wants to end it with a bang. After all, things just seem to be turning around for her.

If you were curious she's out with James Potter right now, studying in some undisclosed location.

Why am I writing this letter and not your daughter? Because she said she wouldn't ask for Mrs. Cavendish's wonderful Christmas cake for me, so I had to do it. This is me, pleading. PLEASE and I'll make sure I track down your daughter and make sure that when she says she's studying she really isn't in a broom closet with that scallywag of a boyfriend.

Merry Christmas,

Tabitha Hawkins

PS: Just kidding Mr. And Mrs. C. You're daughter would never EVER be alone in the broom closet with anyone… Just like she wouldn't ever TAKE HER BEST FRIEND BY THE BLOODY EAR AND BLUDGEON HER TO DEATH FOR ALMOST NO REASON. Seriously, Hails, stop!


Mum and Dad, (can I call you Mum and Dad? No? Okay, Mr. And Mrs. Potter then)

Please save your son. James' new girlfriend is very nice, very pretty, and very in-your-face… all the time. I think he's starting to like someone other than Lily Evans for the first time ever, and it's scaring me. Send help immediately.

Love,

The Sirius (Oh yes, I need an article)

PS: Send cookies also. We're staying at Hogwarts for break.


Dear Diary,

I am, as always, coming home for break. The last few months have been the longest and most irritating of all time and I can't wait to be free of it all for two weeks.

As to the happenings here since September, I've managed to successfully fall off a broomstick and conk out for a weekend, get detention with a boy I despise, find a crush only to have him fall in love with another, and have my roommate not only fall in love but get engaged in a matter of three months. Impressive, yeah?

James Potter is a source of most of my frustrations, though for a different reason than in previous years. My sources (Abigail, who insists she knows everything) say I liked him and am still in shock that he accepted Hailey's plea to become boyfriend and girlfriend. I say it's just bloody annoying to walk in on them standing close to each other, looking completely reminiscent of olden days when I'm working my ass off to finish the work I have as one of the head students.

Who am I fooling? I'm completely frustrated because James and I have finally become more friends than mortal enemies and NOW he's decided to give up liking me. Jerk.

I find myself distracted more than ever, what with three of my roommates constantly gibbering about boys every hour of the day. Abigail and Connor have found more of themselves in each other than could have ever been imagined, and for the first time their smiles never waver by the sway of the wind. They are truly in love and understand each other in every way that I (as only their friend) could not. As a result all I hear from Abby is quibbles about the wonder that is Connor Rosier and how love is the best thing E.V.E.R. Hailey isn't so hyper about Potter, perhaps for my benefit, but she'll slip him into conversation sometimes. She never talks to me anymore. I'm getting the feeling she's intimidated by me, or I by her. I'm not sure which. Tabitha has always been boy obsessed, but since she's started to feel "left out" because everyone in the room has a boyfriend (I seem to not count as a dorm occupant) she just takes to complaining about how boys are stupid and don't know a good thing if it's staring them in the face. Never mind the fact that she's out dating one nightly.

Love is for suckers. I can't wait to get away from this mess when school lets out.

Lily Evans


Dear Man-Journal… or whatever the hell you call this thing,

Hailey's staying for Christmas, thus hindering the annual MaraudersGetBlindDrunk-a-thon on New Years Eve. Am bummed.

The side of me that adores Hailey very much is quite happy that she's staying. However, the alcoholic in me must disagree.

Lily's going home, not that that's important. Maybe I can get her off my mind and be a good boyfriend for once.

Here's me hoping.

JP


Part III: The Romance
"Come on, James. Just one picture," Hailey pleaded, laughing as he hid behind a tree much smaller than himself. "Oh, because I can't see you now."

"I have an invisibility cloak and I'm not afraid to use it!" threatened James in reply, picking up a chunk of snow and tossing it blindly behind him as he ran off to another tree.

"Fiend!" she wiped the snow from her face. "You think a bit of snow will daunt me?"

The tree above her shook and a healthy bit of snow toppled onto her hair, sending her off into a fit of outraged giggles. "Is all this worth just one picture?"

"You tell me," he laughed, relenting and coming out from behind the tree. "I hate having my picture taken because I always end up doing something embarrassing in the portrait. Mooning the onlooker, for instance."

Hailey gave him a sideways glance as brushed snow out of her hair. "You win, of course. My parents wouldn't get the right impression if I sent them a picture of you making rude gestures at the camera or something of the like." He smiled in triumph and helped her brush some of the snow off. Mid-swipe she embraced him in a hug he wasn't prepared for.

"We are supposed to be studying," he reminded her.

"I know," she said, showing no signs of letting go. "Our books are right here, so we are studying. We'll call this a closed book session."

"Do I like closed book study sessions?"

"Do you like pelting snowballs at people's heads?"

"Excellent point. We should do this more often."

She smiled into his cheek, taking in the warmth of the moment despite the cold weather. James pulled away after a moment and extended a hand to her instead.

"Come, girlfriend. Let's find something blatantly dishonorable to do before class starts," he said suggestively.

Hailey gave him a coy grin. "Like what? Rob the school kitchens of the Slytherin's desserts?"

"No, but that's a bloody excellent idea! Let us pursue that one!"

Their footprints left on that winter afternoon quickly faded as a new snow fell. Two textbooks lay forgotten beneath a pile of white fluff.


Abigail entwined her fingers with Connor's, blessing his fingers in turn. He blushed at the gesture.

"Life is so dull when you aren't around," she admitted, leaning her forehead against his shoulder.

"I know what you mean. In your absence I'm either pacing around my dormitory or imaging our next meeting, although I can do both at once.

"I'm so glad I met you," he added gently, his voice so soft that only she could hear it. They were in the library, pretending to look for a book on dragons. "It was like there was this shadow over my eyelids that only you could take away. When you're not with me it comes back. I don't want it to come back."

She sighed. "It's the same for me, except there wasn't a shadow before I met you. Only when I realized what my life is without you."

"Which is?" he inquired, tilting her chin up to look into her eyes.

"Which is something getting into stuff too sappy for out delicate ears." She kissed his. "I mean really, we're getting married in a few months, but that doesn't mean we have to share all out secrets quite yet." Abigail winked.

We have forever to do that.

Let's hope forever lasts a long time.


Taiyourshoes: The third part wrote differently than the rest. Go figure. What do you guys think?

Learning to Breath, by Switchfoot

Hello, good morning, how you do?
What makes your rising sun so new?
I could use a fresh beginning too
All of my regrets are nothing new
So this is the way that I say I need You
This is the way
This is the way that I'm

Learning to breathe
I'm learning to crawl
I'm finding that You and You alone can break my fall
I'm living again, awake and alive
I'm dying to breathe in these abundant skies

Hello, good morning, how you been?
Yesterday left my head kicked in
I never, never thought that
I would fall like that
Never knew that I could hurt this bad

I'm learning to breathe
I'm learning to crawl
I'm finding that You and You alone can break my fall
I'm living again, awake and alive
I'm dying to breathe in these abundant skies
in these abundant skies
yeah
abundant skies
yeah

This is the way that I say I need You
This is the way that I say I love You
This is the way that I say I'm Yours
This is the way, this is the way that

I'm learning to breathe
I'm learning to crawl
I'm finding that You and You alone can break my fall
I'm living again, awake and alive
I'm dying to breathe in these abundant skies
I'm dying to breathe in these abundant skies
these abundant skies
yeah, yeah, yeah
dying to breathe in these abundant skies

Hello, good morning, how you do?