Okay guys I will start writing disclaimers at the top of my story. If I remember... Anyways so you know what I am going to say. I dont own anything at all related to Harry Potter. Any characters are mine and if you want to use them I dont mind at all. I think I will dedicate this chapter to my friend Emdogg. Yeah she knows who she is. So thats all and I hope you enjoy.
Lily pushed open the Head compartment door and walked inside. The compartment was decorated in pale cream and gold.
'I guess it doesn't want to be selective about the Head Boy and Girl's houses.' She settled into a seat and waited for the Head Boy to come in. She was growing impatient and was tapping her fingers against the sill of the window. The door slid open and her mouth fell open. James Potter stood in the doorway, with his hair even more wayward then it had been last year; if that was possible and his hazel eyes taking in the compartment. Lily gulped when she noticed the Head Boy badge on his robes. James eyes landed on her and his customary charming smile broke out on his face.
"Hey Evans."
"Hey Potter. Congratulations."
"Huh?" he asked staring at her.
"For making Head Boy?" she replied gesturing to the badge on his chest. He looked down and smiled then looked up at her and the smile remained on his face.
"Thanks. I guess congratulations are in order for you as well. Good job Evans."
"Thanks Potter."
"So I guess we'll be spending a long time with each other this year hey Evans. So do you wanna go out with me?" he raised an eyebrow and sent her a cocky look that she was sure she had seen Sirius use more then once.
"Thanks for the offer Potter, but I'm on a hiatus from dating at the moment."
"A hiatus?"
"A break."
"Oh… Why?"
"Why? Do you wanna go out with me Potter?" Lily asked standing up and staring at him directly in the eyes. James took a step back at the intensity of the look Lily was sending him and the response he had on the tip of his tongue that he knew he would get slapped for.
"You know I've always liked you Lily."
"You? James Potter?" She arched a perfect eyebrow.
"Yes."
"What do you define 'like' as James?" she asked sitting down and crossing her arms across her chest.
"Well I guess it's wanting to spend time with a person."
"Good one. So you're saying that you wanna spend time with me?"
"Yes."
"James do you remember second year? When you cursed my quill to write insults and swear words all over my charms essay?" James lowered his head and stared embarrassed at the ground. He nodded.
"Its okay I forgave you for that. But I'm still not going to go out with you."
"I really like you Lily. I was so jealous the whole time you and Charlie were going out."
"Me and Charlie?"
"Yes." He stared up at her and Lily could see that he wasn't lying. She sighed.
"James…" she ran a hand through her hair and let it settle around her shoulders." I think we should do what the instructions tell us to do and then we can leave and sit with our friends."
"Whatever Lily."
James sat quietly across from Lily while she read out the written instructions thoughtfully provided by Dumbledore. She finished and felt the train move under her. She stood up and James stood up across from her. The train jolted and Lily stumbled forward. She closed her eyes in anticipation of the fall but didn't feel anything but strong arms wrapped around her torso. She looked up and saw James staring down at her, his arms around her. She smiled up at him then disentangled herself.
"Thanks James."
"Well I couldn't just let you fall now could I Evans?"
"Yes… well. I'm going to go and patrol and then I'll be sitting with my friends if you need me Potter." James watched as she slid open the door and walked out of the compartment. He sat down and rested his feet on the table. He was thinking about her. The way her hair had fallen across her face and how she had pushed it back with a deft hand then returned to reading. And how the scent she wore; something flowery with a hint of vanilla had drifted across the divide between them and enchanted him, the way her emerald green eyes would catch with his own hazel ones and then she would blush slightly and look back down. He cursed himself for being so wrapped up in Lily Evans and rose to his feet to go and find his friends. He was halfway down the train when he heard a commotion from a compartment just ahead. He pulled out his wand and slid the door open quietly. Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix Black and Rodolphus Lestrange stood with their wands outstretched pointing them at a group of five 1st years.
"Hello, what's going on in here?" James asked advancing inside the compartment. Lucius, Snape, Bellatrix and Rodolphus all turned around, almost identical sneers on their faces.
"Potter." Lucius sneered at him. "Come to protect the ickle first years. I see you made Head Boy. Pity you won't have a chance to do anything while you are in the Hospital Wing."
"Why that sounds like a threat Malfoy."
"It is Potter. You and your stupid idiotic friends. Always playing pranks on us Slytherins well you know something Potter, one day you will pay for it at the hands of Lord Voldemort. He has the right idea, killing off all the muggle-borns and blood traitors. You're a blood traitor Potter, going after that mudblood Evans. She's on our list as well."
"Am I really Malfoy? That's nice, you're on mine too. You top it as Most In Need Of a Makeover." Lily stood in the doorway surrounded by Henriette, Carrie, Anna, Samantha, Remus and Sirius, all with their wands drawn.
"Don't do anything you'd regret now Evans." Bellatrix stepped forward her wand pointed straight at Lily.
"Don't worry Black, I wont. EXPELLIARMUS." Lily shouted so suddenly that Bellatrix was knocked off her feet as her wand flew from her hands into Lily's. The first years ran screaming from the compartment as Lily, James and their friends battled with Malfoy, Snape and Lestrange while Bellatrix lay huddled on the floor. Lily got hit by a spell that made her fly backwards out into the corridor and slam heavily into the side of the train. James rushed out after her and knelt down next to her smoothing back the hair from her forehead. He looked up in time to see their friends shout simultaneously,
"PETRIFICUS TOTALLUS."
James tried not to laugh when he saw Snape, Malfoy, Rodolphus and Bellatrix fall to the ground stiff as boards. He saw Sirius, Remus, Henriette, Samantha, Carrie and Anna high-five each other then walk out of the compartment.
"Lily." Henriette rushed over and knelt over her friend. The rest of Lily's friends crowded around her and James stood up and stepped back his spot instantly filled by Anna. Henriette muttered a spell under her breath and Lily's eyes fluttered. James felt relief wash over him when Lily opened her eyes and squinted up at her friends. Sirius clapped a hand on James' shoulder. Remus sighed next to James. Anna and Carrie helped Lily to her feet and James watched as she swayed for a second then clutched at her head, her friends still supporting her around the middle. James stepped forward and reaching down pulled Lily's head up and stared deep into her eyes. She looked up and grimaced in pain. He held up three fingers.
"How many fingers?"
"Three."
"Okay. That's all I know. So I guess you don't have a concussion. Wanna go sit down?" he asked kindly. She nodded and he wrapped an arm around her waist and helped her back to her compartment. He helped her onto a seat and she lay back shutting her eyes. She leant over and rested her head on his shoulder. He placed an arm around her and rested his head on top of hers. They stayed that way the whole ride to Hogwarts, their friends whispering around them.
Lily woke up with a start. The train had stopped moving. She felt warm and safe and… arms around her and someone resting on top of her head. She carefully opened her eyes. Wincing at the light she saw her friends watching her. She tried to unwrap the arms from around her. She felt the embrace lessen and she looked up into the face of James Potter. She felt her face flame. She had been asleep in the arms of James Potter the entire ride! She stood up quickly and ran a hand through her hair. As she did she winced. She lifted a hand and tenderly rubbed the big bump on her head. Her mind flashed back to the fight with Bellatrix, Malfoy, Snape and Rodolphus Lestrange.
"Thanks James." Was all she could manage to say before she walked quickly out of the compartment. Sirius shot James a questioning look and shrugged. Lily's friends followed her from the compartment. James rested his head in his hands and sighed loudly.
"If you could be an Animagus what animal would you be?" Sirius asked out of the blue.
"Sirius… What are you on about?" James asked raising his head to stare in wonder at his best friend.
"I was just thinking about it… I don't know what I would be."
"A dog?" Remus drawled.
"Maybe, but only if I was a handsome dog that all the girls want to pet." Sirius cockily winked at his friends.
"What about you James?" Sirius asked.
"I don't know. I always liked the stag. It seems so powerful and it protects its family really well."
"And you're really protective James." Sirius replied nodding.
"And you Remus?" Sirius asked turning to Remus.
"I don't know a wolf would be pretty cool. Being part of a pack and every kid's howled at the moon."
"So I can be a dog, James a stag, Remus a wolf and Peter… Where the hell is that boy? He's always disappearing lately." Sirius asked angrily, clearly upset that he and his friends weren't Peter's idols anymore.
"Peter can be a rat." James said his eyes laughing. "I know this is mean to say but he looks like one don't you reckon?"
"Yeah he does sort of hey?" Sirius cackled loudly and in three seconds was rolling around on the floor in hysterics, tears practically rolling from his eyes.
James suddenly jumped to his feet.
"Crap I was supposed to help Lily work out the carriages and things." He ran out of the compartment. Sirius and Remus looked at each other and cracked up laughing at the fearful expression that had been on James' face.
"I'm really sorry Lily." James said as he ran up to the petite red head. She turned around and noting the panic on his face decided to soothe.
"It's alright James. You can help me now."
"Yep. So what do I do?"
"Make sure only four people get into each carriage."
"I can do that. So afterwards do you want to ride in a carriage with me?"
"Okay James." Lily rushed away and stopped a group of second years from squashing into a carriage. James walked around helping every now and again, answering questions.
'This isn't so bad. Kids look up to you. This almost as good as when I win Quidditch.'
James and Lily finished sorting people into carriages and were about to climb into one when Sirius and Remus came racing towards them.
"Hey can we share with you two?" Sirius asked out of breath.
James shot him a dark look, but Lily had already said they could so he had to squish over. Lily sat opposite him, Remus sat next to her and Sirius sat next to James.
Lily had just sat down next to Henriette when the first years walked in. She smiled at them as they passed her. After the sorting and Dumbledore's welcome back speech in which he had announced her and James as the new Head Boy and Head Girl, Lily finally got the chance to talk to her friends.
"How could you guys let me fall asleep on James' shoulder?" she asked barely raising her voice above a whisper but her friends could detect the hint of anger.
"We couldn't help it Lily. You just leant over and went to sleep. And James' wouldn't have let us move you, even if we had wanted to." Anna was the unlucky one chosen to answer Lily's question.
"Why not? I'm sure James Potter would rather have been running around the train snogging all his girlfriends than worrying about me being alright."
"Lily do you really believe that?" Henriette asked raising her eyebrows at Lily.
"Why wouldn't I?"
"Lily are you really telling us you don't know how James Potter feels about you? He's looking at you even as we speak." Henriette threw her eyes towards the opposite end of the table. Lily looked up and her eyes connected with the hazel eyes of James Potter. Lily looked away quickly.
"So what? This is James we're talking about. He dates four girls a week. I want to date someone who actually cares about the way a girl feels not just uses them for their own pleasure."
"Lily, James hasn't dated anyone in a year; he's always staring at you, if I didn't know any better I'd say the boy is in love."
"Whatever." Lily ignored her friends for the rest of the meal, choosing to stare at the table angrily or look around the hall noticing people she hadn't seen before. When Dumbledore dismissed them Lily rose to her feet and proudly sauntered off in the direction of the Gryffindor common room, ignoring the calls of her friends. She gave the password to the fat lady and walking inside slumped into an overstuffed armchair in front of the fire. Lily noticed that there was now a third staircase in between the boys and girls staircases. She suspected that that was for the Head Boy and Head Girl. She rose to her feet just as her friends and the first years came through the portrait hole. She stood in the middle of the room staring at her friends. Then she burst into laughter and ran for a hug.
"I'm sorry. I'm a little emotional at the moment."
"It's okay Lil, we forgive you, but you can't hide from him forever." This time Samantha spoke.
"I'm not hiding from anyone. So I was thinking maybe we could have a sleepover in our old dorm tonight?" she asked hopefully looking at each of her friends.
"No Lily."
"Please?" she tugged on Anna's arm, knowing that she was the softest of her friends.
"Sorry Lily I'm with the rest of them you have to talk to James sometime."
"I don't know what to talk to him about. What if I just fall asleep in the common room?" she threatened.
"Then you'll look like an idiot when you wake up in the morning with drool coming out the side of your mouth."
"I don't drool."
"It can be arranged."
"You wouldn't!"
"Try me."
"Henriette that's so mean. Fine, see you in the morning please wait for me to come down."
"Okay, but you have to talk to him."
"FINE!" Lily shouted then turned around and raced for the staircase. She got upstairs and found that she was in a separate common room. She looked around and saw that it was a slightly altered version of the common room downstairs.
"Pretty cool hey Lil?" James voice whispered over her shoulder. She turned around quickly and collided into James' chest. She hadn't known he had been standing that close. She placed her hands on his chest and pushed him away softly.
"Yeah it is pretty cool. Which dorm do you want?" she asked trying to keep her voice calm and level.
"You choose."
"No you choose."
"No you."
"I'll choose." Sirius shouted up the stairs. Lily walked over and saw all her friends, plus Remus and Sirius standing at the foot of the staircase staring up at them.
"Come on up if you want to. I'm sure it can't be any fun craning your necks for a better view." She offered wryly.
"No thanks I think we'll stay down here." Remus answered catching the tone of Lily's voice and dragging the group of friends away from the foot of the stairs.
Lily turned back to James and saw that he was staring at her again.
"What?" she asked, self-consciously running a hand over her face and hair and clothes.
"Nothing." James smiled at her then raced up the left hand staircase. Lily followed slightly slower. When she got there James was on the floor chucking things into a small cupboard near the door. She looked down at him. He looked up at her and grinned like a kid at Christmas time.
"I'm sure you're mother wouldn't appreciate finding that you threw all your folded clothes in there like that." She said pointing her wand at the mess he had already made of his cupboard. The clothes flew back out, folded themselves neatly then stacked themselves in his cupboard.
"Thanks Lily."
"You're welcome James. I'm going to go check out my own room."
She walked through a door that led off his room to a meeting room in between their rooms and into hers. The Gryffindor colours dominated and she saw that someone had put her moving picture of James, Remus, Sirius, Anna, Samantha, Carrie and Henriette on the wall. She walked over and studied it. It had been taken in fifth year when she had started getting along with James. It had been the Quidditch final and Gryffindor had just beaten Slytherin and James, Remus and Sirius had flown over to her and her friends and magically conjured a mass of balloons, crepe paper and confetti to float over the girls. Then one of the Gryffindor beater's had taken a photo of them all laughing and throwing confetti at each other. Lily smiled when she saw herself throw a large balloon and hit James in the face. She grabbed her camera and ran into James' room. He was lying on his bed reading a Quidditch magazine. She raised the camera.
"Say Cheese James." She snapped the picture just as he looked over at her a smile playing at the corner of his mouth.
"What was that for?" he asked shutting the magazine and jumping off the bed.
"Spur of the moment. I just wanted a picture of you when you weren't posing for the camera."
"I never pose." He was towering over her grinning charmingly down at her. Lily's smile disappeared from her face and she gulped. It took all the power she possessed not to lean up and kiss James at that moment.
"You always pose." She said, upset that her voice was barely above a whisper.
James leant down and brushed his lips with hers. Lily felt a jolt somewhere in her stomach and she kissed back. The kiss was soft and gentle and Lily was for some reason scared. She backed away and stared up at James. His eyes were serious and intense on hers. She turned abruptly and raced for her room. She heard him call to her but she continued until she threw herself on her bed. She closed her eyes and was trying to pretend that the kiss hadn't happened. She didn't sleep well that night with the black haired, hazel eyed boy dominating all her dreams. And in the room nearby the black haired, hazel eyed boy was having trouble of his own with the red haired, green eyed girl dominating his dreams.