Disclaimer: I'm completely out of babysitting money...therefore, I can assure you I am not a famous author.

A/N: You all have no idea how much I love getting your reviews! Thanks to the following reviewers: Livondaedge, betherny, Lils, Hikari Annie, warm summer days, Reader4ever, And So The Wolf Howls, AnIrishLily, Phantom of a Rose, Blossom1098, emeraldsgem, PSTurner, greeny-fob, Lukesweetheart, and Kurinoone.

In response to livondaedge: No, Ginny and Harry are not dating...yet. You'll just have to wait and see for that one.

Kurinoone: Actually, if Harry did reveal everything that had happened to Lily and James (for example, Peter betraying them) it actually wouldn't do any good. In chapter 2, Dumbledore explains that when Lily and James do return to their own time they will not be able to remember anything. Thus, James would continue being friends with Peter and would change his secret keeper from Sirius to Peter anyway. Sad, I know.

So, here's chapter 9! Let me know what you think!

OOO

Chapter 9:

Lily raked her brain for a good enough excuse as Lavender and Parvati threw questions at her as to why she suddenly had red hair and green eyes. She had completely, and foolishly, forgot that other people were bound to wonder how her appearance had changed overnight. Surely she couldn't tell the truth and tell them she was actually Harry's sixteen year old mum. No, that would be a complete catastrophe. What had Dumbledore been thinking?

"I mean, the blond was so gorgeous…not saying that your hair isn't pretty now," Parvati quickly amended, opening up the heavy curtains to allow the December morning sun in.

"Yeah, it totally suits you," Lavender added, "but why'd you change it?" she asked again, awaiting the answer.

Lily rubbed her eyes tiredly, glancing at the two girls. "I…uh…well, to be honest…" She looked around to Hermione, who was leaning up against her bed frame; she shrugged as if saying I don't know; you're on your own. It was way too early in the morning to handle this kind of pressure. "I…I went into Hogsmeade yesterday, uh…without permission, and I got it dyed. I like to change it up every now and then. And I picked up these lovely green colored contacts on the way." Lily smiled victoriously at her quick thinking, even though the excuse was a pretty lame one to come up with.

"Yeah," Hermione added. "Too bad I caught her and gave her a detention for being outside of the Hogwarts' grounds." She looked over at Lily and shrugged; might as well make it more believable.

Lavender and Parvati nodded, buying the charade, and they headed down the stairs to breakfast before their Monday morning classes would begin. Lily sighed in relief, thankful that the two girls appeared to have no common sense.

"Nice story, Lily," Hermione said, grinning.

Lily didn't respond, her mind immediately jumping back to the topic which had kept her awake all night.

OOO

"Blimey, I still can't believe how much you look like Harry," Seamus Finnigan exclaimed, grabbing some toast and taking a bite.

James shrugged, glancing quickly at Harry. "Yeah, everybody always confuses us with being twins rather than just being cousins," he stated. He could have sworn he saw Harry crack a grin, before he resumed talking to Ron, pretending like he hadn't overheard.

"But still, why didn't you just tell us you were related to him in the first place?"

"Yeah, and why did you create a false look?" Dean Thomas added.

James groaned inwardly; would these questions ever end? "Well, with Harry being famous and all," he looked at Harry again who was listening intently, an amused look on his face, "I just thought I might as well start with a clean slate, you know?" He winked at Harry. "Aw, Lily, Hermione, so nice of you to join us!"

Lily's eyes widened in horror as she glanced around the Gryffindor table. James didn't know what she seemed so nervous about until he caught his blunder. "Oh, Merlin," James muttered to himself.

Harry and Ron were looking in between their school mates back to a nervous looking Lily to an equally nervous looking James. "Uh…" Harry said, clearly trying to come up with an excuse. Luckily, it appeared that no one at the Gryffindor table had caught the mistake as hundreds of owls began swooping into the Great Hall to deliver their morning post.

James breathed out a sigh of relief, mentally slapping himself for his idiotic mistake. "Oh Godric, I'm so sorry," he said as Lily took a seat beside him. She looked a little worried, but the immediate affect had worn off.

"Just don't do it again. It nearly gave me a heart attack," she said

"Well, that wouldn't have been good. It's a nice thing these birds showed up when they did, otherwise—"

"So it's true then. It's like a Potter family reunion over here," drawled a cold, slick voice from behind them.

James and Lily whipped around and came face to face with a blond greasy haired boy wearing Slytherin robs. This guy didn't look all that tough, especially since behind him stood two of the biggest and bulkiest characters James had ever seen. But his face was long with sharp features, and the look upon his face was menacingly taunting.

"Shut up, Malfoy."

Harry was now standing up and moving along the bench to get nearer to his parents and Draco, pulling out his wand from his cloak as he moved. The Gryffindor table had become unusually quiet. The other house tables seemed to be catching on that something was happening, and they ceased their talking as well to hear what was going on. Hogwarts really was too nosey for its own good.

"Aw, look Crabbe, Goyle. Little Potter has gotten his mummy and daddy back," Malfoy mocked as his two cronies laughed stupidly in the background.

Hushed whispers began ringing throughout the hall as the students discussed the latest piece of news. "But you said—that's not possible," Seamus stated, looking at Lily, to James, and finally to Harry waiting for clarification. James stomach dropped, but he ignored it for all he cared about doing was hexing this kid into next Thursday.

James and Harry jabbed their wands threateningly at Malfoy while Lily's face lost all of its color in a matter of seconds. She hastily look around the hall, wondering why the teachers hadn't intervened yet.

Malfoy, however, seemed unfazed by two wands being pointed at him as he continued on with his taunting. "Tell me, how did it feel to get blasted into smithereens by the Dark Lord. Oh wait, that's right, you haven't experienced that yet. Some future; such a pity."

James growled angrily and raised his wand, but before he had even muttered the incantation Malfoy had been blasted off of his feet and sent flying through the air, only to smack into the far wall and land unconscious on the floor.

Lily looked on the verge of tears as she gasped and put her hand to her mouth. She looked up at the staff table again and saw McGonagall tearing towards them, her lips pursed and eyes blazing. Everybody in the hall began talking amongst themselves again not wanting to suffer their professor's wrath.

"Mister Potter," she said, stopping in front of Harry, James, and Lily, her hands on her hips.

"Yes?" Both Harry and James asked. Harry's wand arm was shaking in rage.

McGonagall looked in between the two, and her eyes oddly softened. "Dueling is never the answer," she began, staring at Harry. "I'm afraid you'll have to serve a detention tomorrow night."

Harry nodded before marching out of the dining area. He stopped to glare at the unconscious form of Malfoy that was now being attended to by Pansy Parkinson, Crabbe, and Goyle. "What did you do to him?" Pansy cried, rubbing her hand through his blond hair.

"He deserved it," Harry spat, his anger reaching its boiling point. He had to get out of here, otherwise he knew he'd explode and then he would be serving detentions until June.

Goyle smirked. "Why don't you just go cry to your mummy about it." Crabbe guffawed like an idiot in the background.

Ignoring the comment by collecting every bit of self-control he possessed, Harry stormed out and away from all of the whisperings about him.

James and Lily watched him go, not really sure of what to do. "I trust you to go see that Harry is alright, Miss Evans and Mister Potter," Professor McGonagall stated. Ron and Hermione rose as well, wanting to help their friend too. "Miss Granger, Mister Weasley may go as well, however I expect you all back in classes by tomorrow morning." The four nodded as she stared at Lily and James incredulously, before she shook her head and turned on her heel, walking back to her seat and wiping away her tears.

"This is my fault," James said sullenly, as the four of them made their way up to the Gryffindor common room, where they hoped to find Harry.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked.

"It's just bloody Malfoy sticking his pointy nose in places it doesn't belong," Ron threw in.

"No, if I hadn't called out Lily's name this morning, none of this would have happened."

"Yes it would have," Hermione said forcefully. "Remember what Dumbledore said? V-Voldemort knows you're here now. Malfoy's family is right up in his immediate circle."

"Yeah," Ron added, cringing, "I bet you anything Malfoy's dad 'slipped' the secret to Malfoy just to make Harry's life miserable."

"But still—"

A warm hand touched his shoulder tenderly. "James," Lily said, "it wasn't anyone's fault. What happened, happened and now we have to deal with the consequences." With the reassuring pressure of Lily's hand on his shoulder, James oddly calmed and remained silent as they walked.

After Ron muttered the password, the group wandered into the empty Gryffindor common room and made their way over to the boys' staircase. "Harry?" Hermione called out softly as she opened the door and they made their way inside the dorm.

Harry was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling distractedly. He didn't respond right away to the four people now standing by his bed.

"Harry, James and I would just like to…" Lily let her words trail away. She and James would just like to…what exactly? Apologize even though they all knew it wasn't their fault?

Harry continued to sit and glare at the ceiling as if it had personally insulted him. Why did it always have to be him? Ever since his birth, he had been singled out, but this…this was just too much. In a way, Harry felt slightly ashamed of the way he had treated his parents after finding out that Lisa Carlyle and Jacob Gates weren't real people, but what did they expect? They were supposed to be dead.

Hermione walked over to the side of his bed and sat down beside him. "Are you alright?" she asked, knowing that something else was bothering him besides the whole Malfoy fiasco. Having known him ever since they had been eleven, Hermione could easily read Harry like an open book at times.

Harry's eyes drifted towards Lily and James and then back to Hermione. "I'm fine."

A look of disbelief filtered across her face as she stared straight at him, attempting to break through this wall he had managed to seclude his emotions behind. "Harry, you really aren't—"

"—I'm fine, just drop it, alright Hermione?" Harry snapped, resuming his incessant glaring at the white plaster surface above his head.

Silence settled amongst them, the sound of Harry's heavy breathing slicing through the tension. James peered closely at his son as he searched his mind for something that could potentially cheer up the teenager. And then the idea hit him and he wondered why he hadn't thought of it before. Quidditch. James hadn't spent much time with Harry, but he knew that the boy absolutely loved the Wizarding sport, as did James. If a good old game of Quidditch couldn't cheer Harry up, James didn't know what would. "Hey, Harry," James said suddenly, his eyes bright with excitement. He hoped his idea would work. "McGonagall gave us the day off. How about some Quidditch?"

Lily and Hermione looked at James like he had just suggested that they all go jump off the Astronomy tower for fun. To the girls, it was totally unsympathetic to go and offer to play some dumb sport while Harry was clearly having an emotional breakdown.

Hesitantly, Harry surveyed his father, fighting an internal battle. Stay brooding in his dark dormitory and risk being questioned about his feelings by Hermione, or go flying on his broomstick? Honestly, why was he even sitting here still thinking about it? To the girls' extreme surprise, Harry slowly nodded and smiled slightly. "Yeah, okay. Maybe I'll see Malfoy and I'll be able to chuck a Quaffle at his head."

Lily and Hermione's jaw literally dropped two feet, but at least, they had to admit, that the suggestion had gotten Harry's spirits up slightly. "Great, get your broom and let's go. Coming Ron?" James asked, turning towards the red-head.

"Of course," Ron answered excitedly, already slinging his broom over his right shoulder and shoving his keeper gloves on his hands.

"See you later then, girls," James called behind him, as he led the way out of the dorm with Harry and Ron following behind them.

OOO

Harry couldn't help but grin as the three of them made their way to the Quidditch pitch. Something seemed to hit him hard as the three guys walked across the silent grounds, the rest of school locked up in the castle doing studies; here was his chance to finally get to know his dad which he had fantasized about ever since he was little, and now here he was, about to play his favorite sport in the world with his best friend and his father. As odd at the situation was, Harry couldn't let this chance pass by.

James unlocked the chest which held the four balls of Quidditch and grabbed the big red one out of it. "Alright, Ron, you be in goal since you're keeper. Harry and I can fight for the Quaffle and score on you," James explained, hopping onto his broom and kicking off into the air. Ron soon joined him, and sped off down the field to take position at the goal posts.

Not wanting to be the only one left still on the ground, Harry kicked off. The cold air whipped through his hair as he accelerated higher and higher before doing a spectacular dive back down. All of his problems seemed to disappear as he pulled out of the dive and stopped perfectly beside his dad.

"Show off," muttered James.

Harry grinned, realizing that he could grab the Quaffle from James. In one swift motion he had taken a hand off of his broom and retrieved the ball out from underneath James' arm.

"Oy! No fair! I wasn't ready! Foul!" James protested loudly, as Harry raced away towards Ron's end of the field. James watched as Harry threw the ball straight towards the right hoop. Ron dove to the right, but the Quaffle grazed the tips of his fingers and flew into the goal.

"Yes!" Harry exclaimed as Ron went to retrieve the ball from the ground.

"That doesn't count! I said foul!" James joked, flying towards Harry.

"No need to worry. Seeing as you are a chaser, you should have no problem catching up," Harry retorted, a smirk tugging at his mouth.

"But technically, this match isn't fair! It's not my fault I'm stuck with this lazy old twig while you're on the firebolt."

"Stop your bickering, mates. I can't hang around these hoops all day," Ron grinned, throwing the Quaffle at James who caught it.

Hours later, after Ron complained that his stomach was growling so loud people in Bulgaria could hear it, Harry, James, and Ron retreated back to the ground and dismounted their brooms.

"Well gents," Ron started rather smugly, "I do believe I won. I saved more goals than you two made put together," he laughed, running a hand through his red hair, making it stand up on end.

"Weasley you are my king," Harry stated, smirking at his friend, who shoved him forcefully.

"Yeah, and now your majesty would appreciate it if you lot would walk faster so he could get some food," Ron retorted as his stomach made a very loud noise comparable to a lion's roar.

All three of them laughed and headed back towards the castle, Harry thinking that this is what life should have been like as he shouldered his Firebolt and walked back towards the castle.

OOO

"Hey, Lily, I need to talk to you," called out James as he and the two guys strolled into the common room, faces flushed with the coldness from the air outside, their hair swept back by the wind. Entering the warm, cozy room was greatly welcoming.

"I'll talk to you later, Hermione," Lily muttered as she stood up and strode towards James, smiling briefly at Harry.

James grabbed her arm and began pulling her towards the staircases which led up to the boys' dormitory as Ron and Harry sat beside Hermione in the common room.

"The boys' dorm? James, I am not going up there."

James rolled his eyes, continuing to pull her up the stairs, but Lily seemed to have dug her heels into the ground and was refusing to be moved. "You didn't seem to mind earlier today," he retorted.

"Well, yeah, that's because it wasn't with just you."

A small knowing grin washed across his handsome features. "Don't you trust me, Lils?"

She looked at him, her eyes shifting around the noisy room where the Gryffindor students were all playing games or doing their homework. There was no potential harm in the situation; the only harm being the rumors that could easily spread throughout school if someone got the wrong idea. "What will everyone say when they see Harry's parents making their way up to a dormitory unaccompanied?"

James laughed, and tugged on her arm. She obliged as she allowed herself to be pulled up the stairs. "Don't worry about them, there's something important you have to read.

Once inside of the dorm, James released Lily and strode over to his bed, pulling out a leather book from underneath his bed. He ushered Lily over who hesitantly sat beside him. She looked down at the book. "Oh, I almost forgot about this," she whispered, trailing her fingers over the title of the book.

She watched as James flipped open to a marked page and pointed to a paragraph half way down the page. "I found out what happened to us. Here, read it."

James waited anxiously but patiently as Lily read it, her eyes becoming glossy with tears towards the end. She looked up at James, closing the book. "Why?"

He looked at her and shrugged, understanding what her question had meant. It was the same question that was bugging him. Why had Voldemort attacked them?

Suddenly, something ran across his mind; the newspaper clipping he had read about, the one that was talking about Harry and the prophecy and how Scrimgeour wanted to meet with him…

"I don't think Voldemort came after us that night we…died," James said slowly, looking at Lily.

Her eyes widened as she recalled the information James had shared to her about the article earlier that week. She put a hand to her mouth, her heart beating wildly. "Harry," she muttered.

James nodded. "I bet you anything the prophecy is true, and somehow Voldemort found out about it and went to kill Harry as a baby before he went to school and strengthened his magical skills."

Small tears began falling from Lily's eyes, but she hastily wiped them away, angry at her own weak emotions. "What do we do?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Nothing. Dumbledore told us not to pester him. I believe Harry will tell us when he wants to. He clearly inherited his mother's temper."

Lily let out a chocked laugh, and she couldn't help but realize the change this experience had seem to have on James Potter, her sworn enemy, the one she said she would always hate. Her stomach took part in a small gymnastics routine as she observed James silently, thinking about the next Hogsmeade trip; when she had agreed to the 'date', Lily had thought that she had decided to do it because she figured she had nothing to lose. But no, she had been fooling herself; it had finally happened, and the realization didn't scare her as much as she thought it would. Lily Evans had fallen for James Potter.

OOO

Chapter 10: Hogsmeade...I would hate to give too much away...hehe

Thanks for reading everyone! You all are FANTASTIC!

--HeyLookTheSnitch