Happy Valentine's Day, Lily!
Those were the only words I said to you today, the first Valentine's day in three years that you haven't had a boyfriend who could either beat me to a pulp or significantly outdo me in the sensitivity area. In third year, I sent four rather trollish looking Cupids to follow you around during the day, randomly serenading you with popular Muggle love songs. In fourth, I sent you a howler that screamed a love poem at you. Fifth year I gave you a locket inscribed with the words "James and Lily Forever 14.2.75", in the off chance that you would break up with your boyfriend and come running into my arms; in sixth year I sent you a pink snow owl, which I don't think you've ever used. This year I just said "Happy Valentine's Day".
I think I'm showing great improvement.
Of course, Sirius gave me a load of bollocks about being so simplistic. "What, no animal this year? She's going to start to think you don't like her." And then he punched my arm, which caused me to kick his leg, which caused Remus to intervene before we beat each other into a pulp, which is good, as I have a Quidditch match tomorrow. See, I'm not being lax or giving up, I'm just trying a different approach. In fact, giving you some room to breathe is, more or less, the only tactic I haven't employed and I thought I might as well give it a shot. If you never come around, well, I can't help that, but I don't want to think that if I'd said something else or been a certain other way it would have changed things.
I said it to you at breakfast and you sort of froze, your eyes nonplussed. "Are you going to embarrass me in front of the whole school now or later, because, to be honest, I'd rather get it over with now."
"I wasn't… that was it."
"Oh. Right then…sorry."
"Would you like…would you like to maybe go for a walk after dinner or have a chat?"
"I have an Arithmancy paper due tomorrow that I've barely touched. I'm really sorry, James." Then a friend of yours dragged you away, glaring at you, and you really did look genuine.
Best of all, you used my name.
—James