They continued staring at each other for quite some time. Both were unmoving and transfixed with wonder and private longing.

Finally Lily spoke, "I guess we better start back—don't want to miss supper."

"Yea." James agreed robotically.

Just as they had come, Lily and James walked back to the castle quietly. Being fall, the sun was already threatening to retire at only six. They made their way down the passage quickly, and for the first time in their lives felt awkward as James gave Lily a needed leg up to the passage opening into Hogwarts.

So tensely Lily strode into the Great Hall that her muscles went to jelly when she sat down next to Cooper, the farthest seat to be managed away from James.

"You feeling okay?" Cooper asked in a tender voice, "You look exhausted."

"I'm fine," Lily replied, her heart filling with love for her kind friend. "I'm just really tired. James and I went to Hogsmeade this afternoon."

"Good—didn't want you getting sick on us, the holiday season steadily approaches!"

Lily laughed a little and nodded her head, grabbing a yeast roll and daintily tearing off a piece. She thought of James. (Obviously)

Internally Lily was waging war with herself. 'If I was really a Gryffindor, I'd have the nerve to tell him I was glad to hear people think we're together.' She thought dejectedly.

'I am a Gryffindor. I'll have to get over my stupid fears and tell him.'

Thus Lily decided to write James a letter.

James,

Tuesday, five, common room, second table from fire.

Lily

James read the note, heart sprouting wings, flying into his throat. He was uncharacteristically jittery all Monday and wound up only getting three hours sleep due to the sinusoidal waves of intense happiness and despair.

Sirius commented to James at breakfast on Tuesday, "Put that cinnamon bun back—you've had entirely too much sugar lately. I couldn't sleep with your jittery legs thumping on the broken spring in your mattress. Eat some eggs instead."

Not wanting to argue or be forced to explain the cause of his boundless energy, James complied, spooning three hearty helpings of egg onto his plate, which he ate in very small bites, very quickly.

Four seats down the table however, things were a little different. Instead of gorging herself as James was doing, Lily was pecking at her food like a bird. Her crepes weren't nearly as interesting as the plate below it.

And it was in this excruciating way the day passed.

sneak peek of next chapter:

"Did you ever know what the Sorting Hat said to me?"...

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