Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and if you sue me for all I have, all you'll get is… 35 cents, an HP sticker, and a rubber band ball.
Chapter Three
The feast had just ended. There had been less first years than usual. But that is to be expected, Lily reminded herself. It was hard enough on parents to let their kids go to a boarding school. Now, with the threat of Voldemort, parents didn't want their children to leave their sight.
"Will the Head Boy and Girl please come forward?" Dumbledore asked. Lily and James made their way forward. "I'd just like to congratulate you two on becoming Head Girl and Boy. It must be a great honor to both you and your families. Good luck, Miss Evans, Mr. Potter. Your common room and dormitories are in the same hall as the Prefect's bathrooms, but all the way at the end of the corridor. I trust Mr. Potter knows where it is. The password is 'amore' Good night."
"'Amore?' Who comes up with these passwords?" Lily said, grumbling as James led the way to the Head's common room.
"What's wrong with it?" James asked, turning around.
"Don't you know anything, Potter? It means love. I don't know what they're playing at," Lily said, rolling her eyes.
"Well excuse me for not being fluent in French," James retorted.
"It's Italian. Amore," Lily added, as they got the statue. Upon hearing the password, the statue moved to the side, letting them in. Unfortunately, both of them tried to get in at the same time.
"Ooh!" Lily and James said as the rammed shoulders painfully.
"I'll let you go in first," Lily said, rubbing her shoulder.
"No, no. Ladies first," James said gallantly, bowing.
"Fine," Lily said, not responding to his "politeness." "Wow, this place is… gorgeous."
The room was half the size of the Gryffindor common room, but it really was stunning. The walls were a pale red—not pink—with a golden hint. It was elegant, beautiful and very…
"Gryffindor," James breathed. "Welcome home, Lily."
Lily turned around. "Thanks. Same to you. Listen, I've thought about what you said on the train and—"
"Really?" James asked, surprised.
"Yes, really," Lily laughed. "And I decided that I should give you a chance. Maybe you have changed. Then again, maybe not. So, truce, okay?"
"Yeah, truce." James said, sticking out his hand. Lily gripped it in a handshake.
"So, um… tell me about… your family," Lily said, sitting down on a loveseat.
"Well, I'm an only child. My mom's name is Sylvia and my dad's is Richard. I guess we're a rich family but not the kind that spends 10,000 Galleons on a pair of shoes," James said. Lily laughed. "I've got a lot of cousins. Some I've only met at Potter family reunions. Oh, and Sirius lives with me. Now you."
"Interesting. Well, I have a sister. Her name's Petunia and she's 25. Um, she's engaged to this complete idiot, Vernon Dursley. She really seems to hate me. It all started when I got my Hogwarts letter," Lily shrugged. "Well, she doesn't really talk to me anymore, except the try and show how much better she is than me. My dad's name is Arnold. My mum died in my fourth year from cancer. Now my aunt Sarah lives with us. She's my mum's sister. She's really great, but I still miss Mum," Lily said, sniffing slightly.
"Oh, Lils. I'm so sorry. I didn't know," James said, getting up to go and sit by her.
"Thanks. No one really knows, except my friends. But I don't really wanna talk about my family anymore. It's… hard," Lily said, scooting away from James.
"Okay. Listen, I don't wanna make you mad, but can I ask you something?" James asked hesitantly.
Lily sat up immediately, all traces of tears gone. "What?"
"I want to know… why you hate me so much," James asked slowly.
"I don't hate you."
"Oh, come on, Lily! Everyone in this whole, bloody school knows how you feel about me. And let me tell you, it's not affection. Quite the opposite. I want to know why."
"Truthfully?" Lily asked. James nodded. "I'm not sure. I think it was in first year. You played some prank on me. I wasn't used to things like that. It made me feel mad, sad, embarrassed. When I found out you did it, I hated you. Not for long. But then you kept acting like that. You were a show-off. Then at about fourteen, you started asking me out. I didn't want to be another trophy, another notch on the dating list of James Potter. Actually that's how I felt the first two or three times you asked me," Lily said, smiling.
"And after that?" James prompted eagerly.
"I got pissed off cause you weren't listening to me. You kept asking me out and it made me mad. But enough talking. I'm going up to bed," Lily said, standing up.
James grasped her hand. "Lily? I'm glad you told me this. And I'm sorry. You wouldn't have been just a trophy to me. I really liked you," he said.
"Liked? As in past tense?" Lily asked, turning around.
"Yeah, liked. I gave up on you. It took me a while, but I did. It sucks, because I've had this goal for a long time and then boom, it's gone," he sighed.
"I know how you feel. Now that we're almost done with school, I don't have something concrete to work for. Good grades, or making Head Girl. It's… different."
"Well, goodnight, Lily," James said, letting go of her hand.
"Goodnight," Lily said, walking up the stairs to her own room. "Wow, this is even better than the common room." It was a light pink color with a cherry four-poster and bookshelves. Lily sat down on her bed and sighed. All the hard work for the past six years had finally paid off. I'm Head Girl! Lily thought to herself. She jumped on her bed and did a little dance of happiness. She quickly changed into a pair of pajamas and climbed into bed. It was already nice and warm. Lily sighed. I'm so glad to be back home. She turned over to get to sleep. But sleep wouldn't come. She thought of Potter. His face looked different, somehow, tonight. But how? After a few minutes of recollecting, Lily remembered that this was one of the few times that Potter's face didn't have that cocky smirk on. He looked… innocent. Then Lily snorted. Innocent? Potter? As if.
Back in the common room, James stretched out happily. He hadn't been that happy in a while. Lily Evans had been civil with him! She called a truce and they talked. They actually talked, not yelled! He grinned to himself. Then he remembered what she had said and his grin slipped. Was that really how he acted? So show-offy? I guess I was trying to show off for Lily. With that thought, he went off to bed. His dorm room was also fabulous. It was a light blue color with a cherry four-poster. 7th year begins tomorrow. I wonder what it'll bring. Maybe someone so I can get over Lily. I don't know why I told her that I gave up on her. I should have just told her my feelings. How she makes me want to be a better person. That every time I see her sad, I want to destroy the cause of her tears, even if it were me. Will Lily Evans ever be mine?
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you to my one faithful reviewer:
Carmel March
I'd also like to thank
Pyrimidon386 for adding me into her C2, The HP OC Brigade.
Thank you for reading and please review! Reviews make my day.
Until next week then