I'm planning on making this a collection of one-shots dedicated to Jily moments. This isn't a story with a big, overarching plot, just a few key moments of their relationship I have at least 10 of them, we'll see what happens

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, unfortunately.

Lily was tired.

The lies, excuses, and constant pleas for attention and support, without any consideration for her feelings had finally become too much.

White-hot anger threatened to explode out of her. She heard a small snap and looked down at the quill in her hand. It had split in two. She tossed the pieces aside angrily and reached into her bag for another one.

As she studied for her charms final, the anger slowly turned into grief. The events at the lake earlier that day had been some of the worst.

Mudblood

Her best friend -well ex-best friend- had called her a mudblood.

Lily closed her eyes as a snippet of a different conversation resurfaced in her mind.

"Does it make a difference, being muggleborn?" Lily had asked.

"No," Severus had replied, "it doesn't make any difference."

Well evidently it does, Lily thought. She should have known that this was going to happen sooner or later. She should have known that he would slip up eventually, what with the people he spent time around. Mulciber, Avery, Black, Lestrange. But it still hurt. It still stung. She had been called mudblood many times. It was normal, especially nowadays. But it was different coming from someone you cared about, someone you thought you could trust. Lily set down the quill and buried her face in her hands. She willed herself to not cry, blinking back her tears.

"Hey,"

Lily scowled and turned around. James Potter stood behind her.

"Look," Lily snarled. "I don't have time for your antics right now Potter. Go away."

James blinked.

"Sorry," he asked, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion. "What did I do?

"You have to be joking," Lily fumed, "did you conveniently forget what happened at the lake this afternoon,"

James smirked. "All I did was defend you from Snape. I did nothing wrong."

"Hanging someone upside down by their ankle and taunting them is not self-defense Potter!" Lily shouted.

"He called you a mud- mudblood Evans!"

"That's not an excuse! He called me that after you let him down, so don't say that. This whole thing is your fault Potter, and you know it."

"Excuse me?" James exclaimed.

"You heard me," Lily snapped

"How is this my fault?" James asked incredulously

"If you hadn't provoked him, Severus would never have said what he said."

"Oh come on Evans," James said angrily. "He had it coming!"

"He was a kind, sweet boy before you came along."

"No Evans," James said, "he wasn't. And for your information," James said coldly, "I didn't make snape say anything. He chose to call you that name. I'm not responsible for that." Lily was silent. That little fact was true.

Unfortunately.

"Fine," Lily sighed, "I'll acknowledge that you're right about Sev- Snape. But that doesn't excuse you from asking me out like that, especially-"

"I know," James said angrily, "that's why I came to you now-"

"You're here to ask me out again?!" Lily interrupted, exasperated. "Even after what just happened?"

"No Lily," he said loudly, "I came to apologize to you! But if you don't want me to, then fine, I'll get out."

He turned around and began to walk away.

Lily stared after him, and she didn't know what made her do it, but she stopped him "No, wait," she said begrudgingly. "Just- say what you have to say."

James sighed. "What can I say, Lily? I don't know what to do. You're right. We took it too far today. I shouldn't have said what I said. It was wrong, okay." he scowled. "I hate to admit you're right, especially about that piece of vermin, but you're right."

She folded her arms.

"Okay," she said, raising her eyebrows.

"And I'm sorry I asked you out in front of everyone like that." He said, "I didn't consider that it might embarrass you."

"No, you didn't," Lily said shortly.

"Look, the point is," he said quickly, "I'm sorry. Can you forgive me?"

Lily eyed him curiously. She couldn't tell if he meant it or not. It seemed too good to be true. It would be just like him to act like he was sorry, and then pull some prank on her.

But she was tired of arguing with him. And if he was truly guilty, then she wanted to believe it.

One less prat to deal with.

"Yes," she said. "Fine. I accept your apology."

James's face lit up, and he opened his mouth.

"But," Lily said before he could speak. "That doesn't mean that I'm automatically going to go out with you. And we're still not friends. So don't get any ideas."

"But-"

"Potter, you bully people for the fun of it, just because you can. And we will never be friends while you do that. So until you clean up your act, don't expect anything from me," she said.

James's face fell slightly.

"Right," he said. "Of course. We have a routine to keep up, after all."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Sure Potter, whatever."

"Lily," a voice said behind her.

She turned to see her friend Mary Macdonald striding from the closed portrait hole.

"What is it," she asked, frowning at the look on Mary's face.

"Snape," she said angrily.

"What about him?" Lily said sharply.

"He's sitting outside the common room door," Mary said, rolling her eyes.

"He's what?" Lily asked incredulously. "Why?"

"He says that he wants to talk to you," Mary said annoyedly.

"Well tell him to bugger off," Lily said angrily. "I don't want to see him at the moment."

"I did," Mary said impatiently. "but he's threatening to sleep out there if you don't-"

"Fine," Lily said, getting up from the chair.

"I'll deal with-" James began.

"No," Lily interrupted, her long red hair whipping around as she whirled to face him. "Did you not just apologize for treating him like rubbish? This is is something I need to take care of."

"Suit yourself, Evans," James said shrugging. And then, with a final wave, he hurried upstairs.

"Bye," Lily muttered and went to confront her "friend"

That's all for now, hope you enjoyed! :)