Change of Heart
By Tempest Break

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Harry Potter, mainly because I DON'T own HP. BUT I WISH I OWNED SIRIUS!! And maybe Remus... I'm getting to love him through this story... But I DO own Piper Willard, Euterpe Vox, and Keaton Weber.

Summary: James obviously likes Lily, but she hates his guts. This is the way it's been for six years. However, in their last year, James finally has a chance, as he and Lily are Head Boy and Girl, and share a tower all to themselves. While James rejoices, Lily would rather kill herself than spend more than a nanosecond with James, who, in her opinion, is a conceited jerk. James has nine months to reverse six years of hatred for him, and will Lily have a change of heart?

- - - - - - - - -

Chapter Eleven: Best Shot and Nothing Less

James turned away, tearing his gaze away from Lily and Remus, and pushed past Sirius, who – rather thickly – was cheering Remus on.

"Where are you going?" Sirius asked, realizing James was leaving.

"I forgot I have, er, Head Student duties," he lied quickly, not meeting his friend's eyes. "I have to go right away." He hurried toward the doors of the Great Hall, and just barely heard Sirius shout: "Then shouldn't you be taking Evans with you, too?!"

He finally made it out of the Great Hall, the loud noises of the Dance still ringing in his ears. Getting away from the Christmas Dance made him feel better and worse at the same time – better, because he no longer was in the same room as Remus Lupin and his snogging partner-slash-James's one true love; worse, because he hadn't punched Remus when he'd had his chance.

"Well, if it isn't James Potter."

James whirled around to see Severus Snape leaning against the stone wall of the hallway. Snape stood up straight and began slinking over to James. "Cooking up trouble, no doubt. What a shame Professor Dumbledore made you Head Boy instead of a respectable student," he sneered.

James would have normally come up with a smart remark to shoot down Snape, but he felt exhausted. "Why aren't you in the Great Hall?" he asked wearily.

"I have better things to do than mingle with classmates while some witch plays crude music," he said. "But I could ask you the same thing."

"Well, sorry, Snivelly, but now's not the time for heartfelt conversations," James sighed. "Although I do feel as if my heart has just been ripped out and made a smoothie of."

Snape looked at him suspiciously before glancing quickly around them. He seemed to be afraid that James was trying to lull him into a false sense of security. Finally assured that there were no hidden buckets of water to drench him when he least expected, he returned to James, an eyebrow raised. "I can only assume that Lily Evans has rejected you in such a way as to destroy even your boundless arrogance," he said with ill-disguised glee.

"You're surprisingly perceptive for someone who spends most of his life under a rock," James shot back wryly.

"It doesn't take a seer to detect the aura of bruised ego that surrounds you, Potter," answered Snape, his lips still curled in what James assumed was his version of a triumphant smile. "So what did Evans do to you?"

"Oh, it's not me," James answered, "but we should fear for the safety of Remus's tonsils."

Snape's eyes narrowed, the smile gone from his face. "What?"

"Um, James?"

James jumped. He turned and found Lily standing behind him. His gaze fell on her lips, which were slightly bruised from – he felt his blood boil again – Remus's mouth.

Lily looked past him, and her eyes widened in surprise. "Severus," she said, astonished. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"What a coincidence," said Snape bitingly to Lily, an ironic gleam in his blazing black eyes. "I didn't expect this from you, either." And with that, he whirled around and, his black robes billowing out behind him, strode back down the hall.

James, after watching Snape turn down a corridor, turned back to Lily. "You wanted to see me?" he asked.

Lily seemed to snap herself out of something and met James's gaze. "Er, yes. Black told me you said we had Head Student duties," she said, "but I couldn't remember McGonagall telling us to do anything over break other than help with the Ball."

"Yeah, I lied," said James, breaking eye contact to scuff his foot on the stone floors. "I just wanted to leave early."

"Why?" asked Lily.

James chewed on the inside of his cheek, trying to decide whether to tell her the truth or lie. "Because..."

"Yes?"

"Look, Lily," he said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "I know you hate me, but I really like you, so I don't want to see you kissing Remus."

Lily folded her arms over her chest impatiently. "James, the only reason you like me is because I don't swoon when you pass in the halls – "

"No," James interrupted. He ran his hand through his messy black hair nervously. "I mean, that's what I thought for a while, too, but it's not true. I really like you."

Lily studied him, her green eyes searching his hazel ones. Finally, she seemed to accept he was telling the truth. She sighed. "I'm really sorry, James," she said, "but I like Remus."

James felt as though someone had replaced his smoothie'd heart with a huge knot of pain. He tried to smile, but it felt more like a grimace. "You couldn't have at least led me on?" he joked.

She smiled weakly back at him. "Sorry," she said again.

"It's okay. It's not like it's your fault." James shrugged pathetically. "Well, I'm gonna get going. Back up to the Head Tower, you know. Have fun the rest of the night – with Remus."

"James…"

He half-smiled. "You know, you always used to call me Potter," he said, "but now you call me James. I guess you like me a little more now, then?"

After a pause, Lily nodded. "You're a friend now, I suppose."

"That's better than two months ago," he said optimistically, vaguely wondering if he had the beginnings of denial brewing inside him. "Well, goodnight, Lily. I'll see you tomorrow." He started to go, but stopped and turned. "Oh, one more thing."

She looked at him expectantly.

He grinned with his last ounce of perkiness. "Just because you like Remus doesn't mean I'm giving up on you," he told her. "Unless you're officially his girl, I'll do everything within my power to get you to like me!"

Lily looked skeptical, but said, "Give it your best shot."

"Nothing less for you." And then James really did leave.

- - - - -

James was a man on a mission. He kept playing dramatic music from action/adventure films in his head. James had thought before that he was serious about getting Lily to like him, but now it was as though his passion for her burned through his veins. His mind was constantly working to figure out ways to win her over, but he decided to start off slow, start off quietly.

So he invited Lily, Colleen, and Selena to sit with him and the other Marauders the next day at breakfast. It briefly crossed his mind that this might not be the best idea, as he knew how Lily felt about Remus, and Remus was an official Marauder, but he felt so optimistic that it didn't bother him.

Sirius started off the morning by shoveling about three plates of pancakes into his mouth, followed by two helpings of waffles. After wolfing down some French toast, he turned to the girls and grinned. "Bet that's something you don't see everyday."

Surprisingly, the girls just looked on apathetically. "Oh, very impressive," scoffed Colleen.

"Sorry, Sirius," said Lily, who had decided on calling the Marauders all by their first names, "but Colleen does all that and more everyday."

Sirius sized up the tiny girl. "If you eat so much, where does it all go? You're shorter than Wormtail, here."

Peter glared at him. "It's not the size of the boat, Padfoot," he said wisely.

"Yes, but girl's aren't crazy about dinghies," Sirius retorted.

"I burn off the calories at Quidditch practice," said Colleen nonchalantly.

"Let's see your skills, woman," Sirius challenged. "First one to chug a pitcher of syrup wins."

"You're on!" Colleen replied enthusiastically, reaching for the pitcher.

"Peter, time us," Sirius ordered, taking up his own pitcher of syrup.

"Er, okay," agreed Peter, still looking resentfully at Sirius, but interested in any competition. "Ready... go."

The two teenagers began guzzling the syrup straight out of the pitcher, while James, Lily, and Remus watched casually. "If there were any first years here," said Remus dryly, "I think they might have to throw up just at the sight of those two."

Lily seemed just as unimpressed as James and Remus. "How is Sirius?" she asked.

"He does this regularly," answered James. "I think he might actually go through rigorous training in his spare time."

"Colleen did this once when she spent the night," said Lily. "She was up all night long. Severe sugar high."

"I'll bet," said James.

Two empty pitchers slammed down onto the table at once. Sirius and Colleen wiped their mouths clean with the back of their hands. "Well?" asked Sirius. "Who won?"

Peter shrugged. "I think it was a tie."

"You think it was a tie?" repeated Colleen. "You don't know?"

"How could you not know?" exclaimed Sirius.

"Fine, then, it was a tie," said Peter, rolling his eyes. "Calm down."

Colleen turned to Sirius. "Not bad, Black. You can hold your own against me, eh?" she said, grinning.

Sirius ruffled her long, blond hair like she was a favorite niece. "I think we're going to get to be friends, Little One," he said.

"Shut it,Giraffius." Colleen batted his hand away.

Selena smiled at the two. "So are you two next?" she asked, her chin in her hand.

Sirius seemed bewildered by Selena's question, but Colleen said with a shake of her head: "None of your creepy predictions, Selena. No way he could keep up with me."

Sirius leaned over next to James and whispered, "What is she talking about?"

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it," James replied.

- - - - -

Later that night, James and Lily sat in their common room. The fire blazed warmly on the winter night, flickering on their faces. James watched Lily read The Neverending Story, the Transfiguration assignment in his hands forgotten.

After a moment, Lily looked up and caught him staring at her. "Er, yes?" she asked.

James smiled. "You're beautiful, do you know?" he told her. He felt very at ease with complimenting her, even though she didn't return his feelings – yet.

Lily seemed a little flustered. "Why do you say that?"

"Because it's true. I may be a Marauder, but I don't lie," he said.

"Well, thank you," she said slowly. "Is this your best shot, then, James?"

"Not even close," he replied. "I've got many more tricks up my sleeve." He smiled. "But did you have fun with us at breakfast? You seemed to be enjoying yourself."

Lily nodded. "I was surprised that you and your friends can be so charming. Sirius wasn't at all what I expected," she said.

"What did you expect him to be?"

She shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. An egotistical prat with a holier-than-thou attitude, I suppose."

"Well, he is an egotistical prat," agreed James. "But he's loyal, and that's what is important."

"Colleen seems to like him," said Lily. "So does Selena, but Selena likes everyone."

"Yeah, Sirius and Colleen are two peas in a pod," James said. "Speaking of which, Selena reminds me a bit of Remus. So you know who that leaves you with."

"Peter?" Lily said innocently.

James grinned. "Hmm, good guess, but I was going more for 'James'," he said jokingly.

She smiled back at him. "Oh, sorry, then."

"I'm afraid I'll have to give you a T on this," he said. "Not at all up to standard, Evans. You've been spending too much time with that Potter fellow."

"Well, I guess I'll just have to ignore him from now on, won't I?" continued Lily, getting up from her chair.

"Oh, no, no, that's not necessary," James said quickly. "Er, Mr. Potter is a wonderful student – handsome, too. In fact, there's no better person for you to be around."

"Well, why don't you go out with him, Professor Slughorn? I think he'd be interested…"

"Slughorn?" James exclaimed indignantly.

"Okay, James," said Lily, laughing. "I'm going to bed now. Goodnight."

"Sweet dreams," he said, and it occurred to him that for once he meant it.

- - - - - - - - -

Tempest: Well, there's chapter eleven. A bit depressing at the beginning, wot? Hehe. James and Lily are friends now, so that's good, and so are Sirius and Colleen. I'm still not sure if they'll get together. Maybe, maybe not. Well, I'll see you all on the next chapter. Bye!

8-03-07: This chapter has been revamped! Hope you enjoy it more than before. The whole conversation with Snape at the beginning was completely new.