I Never Gave Up
Disclaimer: I own nothing except a few characters you don't recognize. The rest belongs to the great genius, J.K. Rowling.
Chapter Ten
Getting Even Closer
The sunlight streamed into the room the next Monday morning, bringing with it its harsh glare. As Lily awoke, she sighed, wondering what this day would bring. Things at the office seemed to be more eventful since James had arrived at the office, and now, more so than usual.
Lily flung away the covers of her bed and checked the time. In a flurry of panic, she noticed that she was already fifteen minutes late for work!
She stepped onto her bathroom and took a quick shower. After doing her morning rituals, she dressed into her typical office outfit and went to her kitchen. Once she had a hurried breakfast and washed the dishes, she took her briefcase and Apparated to the office.
She arrived a minute later in front of Dianne's desk. "Good morning, Lily, you're running late today I see," Dianne remarked as her friend passed her with a hurried good-morning.
Once she arrived at her office, she was immensely surprised to find a single white lily flower on her desk. She placed down her bag and smiled as she placed it inside the nearest vase she could find, already knowing who it was from. She found the card and opened it up.
Hey Lily,
I was supposed to send this last Saturday, but it seems as if my owl was not willing to cooperate aka he was sleeping all day. So, here it is now. I just wanted to say that I had a great time last Friday. Strange, but nice nevertheless.
Turn around,
James
Smiling to herself, she placed the card back down on the table and turned around. Sure enough, she found James Potter standing in her doorway, a cup of coffee in his hands and wearing his usual lopsided grin.
"Morning Lily," James greeted her as he stood up and made his way over. "Your late," he added.
"Great, one tardy mark and already everyone notices," Lily grumbled, still looking tired and sleepy. "Yes, I know I'm late, and I have a million things to do, no need to rub it in," she told him.
"Well, I know how to perk up your day," James said as he handed a cup of coffee to her. "Coffee? You look dead on your feet".
"Thanks a lot," Lily said, accepting the cup with a grateful smile. "I didn't get much sleep last night, on account of I was reviewing a case that snake Tyler gave me".
"Yeah Tyler's a jerk, but what can we do? He's the boss," James told her with a mock heavy sigh. Once he saw Lily smile, he said, "Well, I've got to go then. For some reason, Moody wants to see me, and I have to meet him. Later, Lils," and with that, he left, closing the door softly behind him.
Lily shook her head at his retreating figure then sighing, made her way to her chair and finally began to work.
..------..
A knock startled Lily from her deep concentration while she was busy writing something. "It's open," Lily said, not bothering to look up from her work. She heard the sound of shoes scraping the floor, and she knew at once who it was.
"Hey James," Lily greeted warmly as she finally put her quill down and looked up from her work. "What's up?"
"Nothing, I was just wondering if you wanted to join me for lunch, there's a new café that opened just a few blocks away and I wanted to try it out. Besides, I want to tell you something," James offered, looked expectantly up at her.
Lily gave him a half smile as she stood up and said, "Sure, why not? Come on". She took her bag and followed him outside the Ministry. They walked and walked, talking and laughing all the way until they reached the café and went inside.
Twenty minutes later, they were eating their lunch, which proved to be simply scrumptious. "James," Lily said as she finally put down her fork and faced his friend. "What was it that you were about to tell me?"
James's face broke into a huge grin. "Lily," he told her exultantly. "Sirius and I are friends again!"
Lily choked on her mango juice. "What?" she said, coughing a bit. Once the initial shock had worn over, however, she smiled and said, "That's great! See, I told you, you both couldn't stay mad at each other for long!"
"I guess so," James said, still grinning. "We both sat down, and had a serious talk about everything. So, we're cool now".
"Awesome!" Lily said. Then her smile faltered as she said, "Now I only hope Sirius isn't too mad to talk to me. I've been trying to contact him, but, nothing so far".
"Lily, don't worry, we talked about that too," James assured her. "Sirius wants to apologize for whatever he said, but I don't know, he's quite busy these days, what with the threat of You Know Who rising, and his own damn pride is preventing him. But no worries, he'll come around soon".
"Hmm," Lily said. She sighed then gave James a look. He smiled at her and Lily felt her heart flutter wildly again. The moment she felt it, she mentally cursed herself. There was definitely something wrong with her.
"Hey Lily? Do you mind if we leave already, I have a client to meet in fifteen minutes," James asked.
Lily shook her head to clear her thoughts and said, "No, of course not. Let's go". James settled the bill, much to Lily's annoyance since he had insisted on paying for her as well. They walked back to the Ministry in silence, both of them preoccupied with their own thoughts.
..------..
And that's how it always went for the rest of the month. James and Lily would go out for lunch or dinner, or sometimes they would just hang out in Lily or James's house, watching movies (Lily introduced him to it) or just going to the opera and others. They were increasingly becoming closer, and Lily's feelings for him were getting more muddled up by the day, but whenever she was with him, she just seemed to forget all her problems.
Everyone in the Ministry had already noticed the developments that were going on between the two best lawyers in wizarding England. Rumors had already began to circulate, and though Lily and James only ignored them and went on with their business as usual, Lily couldn't help but feel quite bothered.
One morning, Lily woke up to a loud tapping at her window. She went out of her bed and found an owl rapping at her window, bearing the Daily Prophet. She let the owl in, and after paying it, she relieved it of its burden and it took off.
Lily fixed herself some breakfast, and sitting down with her cup of coffee, she turned to open and read the newspaper. "Nothing new," Lily thought absently as she flicked through the first few pages of the Prophet. "Killings, killings, bargain scandal, more killings, advertisements and—WHAT!"
Lily yelled the last word in utter shock and disbelief when she reached the Me, Myself, and I column of none other than Ms. Rita Skeeter and made eye-contact with the headline.
Lily Evans and James Potter: Together At Last?
Love can be found in the workplace, after all, writes Ms. Rita Skeeter, renowned columnist and special correspondent. Ms. Lily Elizabeth Evans and Mr. James Michael Potter, officemates in the Criminal Law department and two of the most renowned lawyers in wizarding England and the most internationally acclaimed, prove this statement true. You see, rumors have been circulating over these past few days that these two are now in a serious relationship, and are very much in love, judging from the way they now go on frequent dates and shoot each other loving looks when they are together.
Some of my sources state that when they were still in school, James Potter was quite besotted with the pretty and smart redhead, and constantly chased after her, although she had always rejected his efforts. Now, however, it seems as if the chase is finally over.
Ms. Evans is a muggleborn witch, who graduated with top honors and was Head Girl during their seventh year. Mr. Potter, on the other hand, who comes from the highly respected and prestigious lineage, is the son of prominent Aurors Richard and Margaret Potter, and is heir to one of the largest fortunes in wizarding Britain.
But how does this relationship fare with their friends? My highly reliable sources say that in Ms. Evans's camp, their friends are highly ecstatic, yet on Mr. Potter's side, there seem to be complications involving Mr. Sirius Black. Hmm, is there a love triangle going on there?
Now, as their sudden, whirlwind romance sets forth and becomes sweeter every day, there is speculation of a marriage proposal sometime within the month. Meanwhile, we here at the Daily Prophet offer our sincerest congratulations for the couple, as we hope for wedding bells to chime soon.
Lily's face now complimented her hair brilliantly after she put down the paper. She was breathing slowly and loudly, trying to calm herself down. Once that was done, she quickly did all of her morning rituals, and Apparated directly to the lobby of the Criminal Law Department and marched directly to James's office, much to the whispering of everyone there, bringing the newspaper along with her.
"James, have you seen this!" Lily yelled as she entered and slapped the newspaper in front of James Potter, startling him from his work.
"Good morning to you too, Lily," James said, grinning. He looked down at the article Lily had shown them and his smile faltered. "Oh no". He sighed heavily and began to read it, Lily looking expectantly up at him. Once he was finished, he carefully put down the Daily Prophet……….
And began laughing uncontrollably.
"James, this isn't a laughing matter!" Lily chided him, looking cross and frantic all at the same time. "Now the whole of Wizarding England thinks that we're dating, and that we're in love! For god's sake, they even think that we're about to be engaged, and still you have the sense to laugh! Aren't you bothered?"
"Lily, calm down," James told her in between laughs. When they subsided, he continued, the laughter still dancing in his eyes, "No one is going to believe this, everyone knows Rita Skeeter's reputation for exaggerating stories, don't worry".
"No one is going to believe this?" Lily hissed at him, taking him by surprise. "James, people believe what they read, and the fact that we do go out, even if it is still purely friendly, will make them believe this rubbish even more. I want a retraction from this horrible woman!"
James sighed tiredly, as though now only realizing that Lily was dead serious. "Listen, Lily, you know Skeeter; she's so desperate for any story that she'll turn a friendly outing into a marriage proposal. Just ignore it, don't seem affected, because sooner or later, she's going to find another famous person to victimize, and we'll be old news".
Lily briefly closed her eyes as she sank into the nearest chair. "I know, James, I know, it's just that, I don't want our friendship tainted with something like this I mean, come on, us acting like we're in love? That's ridiculous, right?" When James didn't answer, she repeated more forcefully, "Right?"
"What? Oh yes, Lily, your absolutely right," James said in a somewhat distracted manner. He cleared his throat and said, "Well, you'd better get to work; I have a hunch that the people who saw you come in are now wondering what on earth is taking you so long to leave".
Lily stood up and gave him a half-smile. "You're probably right. I'll see you later then, bye". And with that, she took a deep breath, and walked back to her own office, her head held high, the people in the vicinity whispering again. Paying no mind, she went inside and sank down on the nearest chair, her head still reeling with what just happened. Back in James's office, he was thinking the same thing.
And for the first time in his life, James was wishing that Rita Skeeter was right, and that every thing written in the article was accurate.
Neither did he know that a very small, unnoticed part of Lily, which she didn't even realize or acknowledge, was also wishing the same thing.
..------..
"It's not funny Kelsey!" Lily said, trying to sound stern and failing. "Honestly, nothing could be further than the truth!" She and Kelsey were at a nearby restaurant for lunch, and the both of them were talking about Rita's article.
"Lily, come on," Kelsey told her once she had finished laughing. "It isn't really their fault for speculating such a story, I mean, you and James have gone on many dates and---"
"Whoa, whoa, dates?" Lily interrupted her, staring her friend down. "James and I are not dating, we're simply going out as friends".
"Lily, Lily, Lily," Kelsey gave a mock sigh of severity. "A date is defined as a meeting between two people or more in an appointed time with a sole purpose of enjoyment and possible relationship development. And judging from how you guys have been acting lately, you're dating".
"We are not, Kelsey!" Lily protested. "We just happen to like each other's company. I mean, he makes me laugh and smile, and for some reason, he likes my sarcastic humor. So there".
"Whatever you say, Lily," Kelsey told her, shaking her head, wondering why on earth her best friend was so naive.
..------..
Another month rolled by, and it was September. James was right, when Skeeter found another person to victimize, the news of their supposed romance had blown over, but there were still a few whispers here and there. Meanwhile, the both of them had other things in their minds. A big Death Eater case had come up, and James was to work as Prosecutor. It was an especially tough case, and by the end of the week, it had taken its toll on him.
James was as busy as ever, since his case was getting more puzzling and controversial. The death threats he received after uncovering something big were no help either.
Lily was in her office, preparing to leave. An Order meeting had occurred only a while ago, and much to Lily's worry, James had not attended, so she made a point of leaving her things in her office so she could have an excuse to stop by there again.
The office was dark and deserted, since it was close to 9 pm already. Quite unnerved by the eerie silence, Lily took out her wand and cast "Lumos," to give her a small light. She found James's door slightly ajar, so she went inside.
James Potter was sitting asleep on his chair. On his desk there were millions of papers, files, bags, and other paraphernalia. Including a cup of half-drunk coffee. Dropping her things, Lily went to James's side and noted that he looked completely worn out.
"James, James, wake up," Lily whispered, shaking him lightly. Within seconds, he stirred awake, and he snapped to attention.
"Lily, what are you still doing here?" he asked her, still yawning.
"I came to get my things after the Order meeting, which you missed," Lily told him pointedly.
James went white. "Oh damn I totally forgot about it! You see, I was so absorbed in work and……" he didn't let his sentence finish as he turned towards his work once more. Before he could pick up his quill, however, Lily stopped him.
"James, the trial is a week away, for goodness' sake, give yourself a break! Your been working yourself to death, did you even eat any dinner?" Lily told him, frustration, annoyance, and concern laced in her voice.
James silence was taken as a no. Lily sighed and said, "James, look, you need to go home, get something to eat, and sleep. You're going to look like a zombie tomorrow morning, trust me. Go".
"You're not the boss of me," James tried to protest, but he still looked very, very tired.
"I many not be but I am your friend I am very worried about you, and I demand that you do as I say!" Lily told him with all the severity of a mother scolding a child. "Look, you helped me last week, now I'm helping you. Home, now!"
"Lily…….."
"Urgh, this is getting me nowhere," Lily thought to herself. Aloud she said, "Okay, look, James, this is getting ridiculous, please, stop being such a stubborn ass and go home before I go tell Rita Skeeter about all your secrets".
James knew that he was being defeated. He stood up, and took all of his things and stuffed it in her briefcase. "Alright, alright, I'll go home if it makes you happy," he said, managing a wan smile. He gathered his things and Apparted away.
Lily shook her own head, staring at the spot James had been before, before taking her things and leaving for home as well.
..------..
That Friday, the two friends were at James's house, celebrating the fact that James had won the case and that all his efforts had paid off. Lily was trying out a new recipe, and the music from the magical stereo that Lily had enchanted was playing great tunes.
The wonderful smell of food was wafting throughout the apartment as Lily cooked. James could hear the distinct sound of something sizzling and smiled when the delicious aroma hit him. He stood up from the couch and walked over to Lily, who was busily stirring some soup.
"Didn't I tell you not to come into the kitchen?" Lily asked him pointedly as she placed the cover over a pan. "You're supposed to be sitting down, not doing anything else except resting. You deserve it after the week you just went through".
"But I want to help!" James protested, grinning as he took a piece of bread and ate it slowly. "I don't want to sit around, it's boring. Besides, I do want to know what you're making; this is my kitchen you know".
"And it's my mother's recipe, now buzz off. The sooner you stop distracting me, the sooner we get to eat," Lily told him, trying to sound stern but the smile that was forming on her lips somewhat countered her tone.
"Just imagine if we were married, and this happened everyday, I wouldn't know what you were feeding me until I actually ate it, for all I know you might be feeding me poison," James said without thinking. The moment he said it, he mentally slapped himself, as Lily looked at him, blushing a bit and an awkward silence prevailing.
They both broke it by sharing an uneasy laugh, not saying more about the remark, but Lily said teasingly, "Well James, if you don't leave right now, this food might accidentally turn into poison, so I suggest you go, now". James laughed but obeyed her nevertheless. As Lily continued cooking, her mind thought about James's remark. Was he implying anything? The moment she thought it, she shook her head and thought, "No, that's impossible. Get a grip on yourself Lily, before you accidentally burn the steak".
A few more minutes later, the food was ready, and Lily and James sat down to a wonderful dinner. The moment James took the first piece of steak into his mouth, he smiled and after he swallowed, he said "Lily, this is awesome! I didn't know you could cook that well".
"And this is coming from the man who eats whatever is handy, quick to reheat, and is from a can," Lily told him dryly as she took a sip of her wine. She put down her glass ad said, her eyes narrowed, "Are you insulting my culinary skills, James Potter?"
"And what if I am, huh?" James challenged her, a glint in his eyes.
"Well then you can be assured that I won't be cooking for you anymore. And I'll be taking that--" Lily took away James's plate from him, much to his protest.
"Lily!" James said, laughing as he took the plate back and began eating once more. "Alright fine, I take back what I said, you're a good cook, now let me eat!"
And that's how their dinner went. The atmosphere, coupled with the music that was floating all over the room, was lighthearted, and they had a great time just eating and talking. Once they finished, James took his wand and performed a cleaning spell on the dishes, and waved them back to their proper places.
It was already late. The two were now sitting on the couch, exhausted from their dancing which they had done only a few moments ago. They were just laughing together at a memory, enjoying each other's company. In front of them were mugs of hot chocolate, still steaming. A pleasant silence began to envelope them, making them feel perfectly relaxed.
"Thank you," Lily suddenly said, breaking the silence, making James look at her.
"For what?"
"For your friendship," Lily said softly, sighing. "These past few months have been the greatest I've ever had. And I think about Hogwarts, when I used to reject you and insult you, when I could have been your friend……and now…….."
"Lily, stop thinking too much, it'll only give you a headache," James said, grinning. "And if anything, I'm the one that needs to thank you for giving me a chance. These past few months have been great for me too".
Lily smiled, and said nothing. Deciding to take a risk, James put an arm around her shoulder. At first Lily stiffened, but then relaxed. They stayed like that for a few minutes, but then, as if only realizing what was happening, her heart hammered in her chest, and she said, extracting herself out of his embrace with some hesitation, "James, I'd better go. It's getting pretty late".
As she stood up, James stood up as well and said, "Yeah, I guess so. So I'll see you then?"
"Yeah, bye James," and with that, she took her bag and Apparated into her apartment. He watched her leave then sat back down on the couch with a sigh, a goofy expression on his face, wondering if it was possible to love someone so much that you could feel your heart close to bursting.
Back in Lily's apartment, once she arrived, she threw her bag on the coffee table and sank down on her couch, sighing. She sat there, contemplating about her relationship with James lately. It was changing, she knew. From being purely friendly, now, there was a spark of something else. But then, with some horrid realization, she realized that it wasn't their relationship that was changing, it was her feelings. Whether she knew it or not, she was already feeling something else for him aside from friendship.
Was it attraction? Caring? Maybe even Love? She didn't know as of now. Her feelings were completely muddled. Her feelings towards James Potter were, at the moment, indefinable. But she knew one thing though: they were strong.
And in a way, that scared her.
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In my opinion, this chapter has the words Sappy and Fluffy written all over it.
I had a bit of a hard time writing this chapter, since I seem to like writing better when the characters fight. I hope that it is alright though. Read and review please, and much love to all of you!