A/N: It's not romance. And there's a slight mention of Sirius/Marlene.
He was different this year. That much Lily had noticed. He was less rude and more responsible, less of a bully and more of a leader that one could look up to. Maybe it was the badge-it read "Head Boy"- on his chest. Maybe he finally grew up. It didn't matter. It all paled in comparison to one fact: he barely acknowledged her presence.
Lily had grown familiar with his constant pestering, badgering for a date. His charms had been lost on her-she had wished that he would stop, proclaiming it verbally more than a few times. To say she was polite to him would be a lie. But not once, throughout the last six years of her life, did he ever stop trying. He never once gave up on her.
But this year, he was different. Gone was the old James Potter-but he hadn't lost his mischievous side, oh no. He was still as lively as ever-even more so, maybe. But his pranks weren't harmful-in fact quite the opposite. These ones were clever and often subtle. The few who picked up on them reveled in their sheer brilliance.
It was a change in character. A bringing out of the hidden character within, as a person's character never truly changes. She should have been rejoicing. Her pleas had been answered, he no longer bothered her. But Lily was still hung up on the fact that he was completely, utterly withdrawn from her. She was no longer Lily or Lilikins or Lily-pads (a favorite of his in times past, as it combined her name with his best friend's nickname) or any other pet name he might have called her in the past. Now she was a cold, blunt word, spoken only when forced to, or when professors thought they'd pair the two up because they had such good magical chemistry, or when they did Heads duty. Never acknowledged outside of that.
Evans.
She had to admit, it was odd hearing him speak to her in such a distant way, when he had been full of life and arrogance just last year.
Maybe his change had to do with Sirius. She'd heard-it was a rumor, but she'd confirmed it with Marlene-that Sirius had run away from home and ended up at Potter's place. Maybe Potter had realized that all people's lives aren't as great as his own.
But what did she know about that? Her life was less than perfect, of course, but nothing so bad that she would leave her family. Even Petunia, who despised her family, even she hadn't run away. But Lily doubted that. Sirius had changed too, she knew. Midway through sixth year he had become quieter, less boisterous and flirtatious. He was still beyond most people's perception of outgoing, to say the least, but it was a definite change. She didn't know the reason, but about that time, she decided that she could tolerate him. He had turned out to be an excellent source of advice, a new perspective on the world. But what of his influence on Potter?
It didn't matter.
It was all too complicated right now, and she should be simply ecstatic to be free of him.
But the days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, and then it was December and he still bore the same attitude towards her. She realized that she hadn't been close with Remus or Sirius, either. They were, more subtly, acting the same way as Potter-Remus less so than Sirius, but that was to be expected. She didn't understand the situation.
And her curiosity couldn't be contained.
She first went to Marlene, figuring that if you were dating Sirius Black, you ought to know something about James Potter, too.
Marlene would give away nothing.
Lily then went to Remus. He had been a good friend and study partner, but he wouldn't enlighten her, softly apologizing, but saying it wasn't his story to tell.
Somewhat cautiously, she asked Sirius.
"None of your business."
It was cold and harsh and unlike the Sirius she knew. But he had to have a cruel part to him, she knew. You couldn't live with his kind of family, well, previously, unless you could be heartless. She knew he was-encounters with crying girls in the bathroom had proven that. But she had never experienced it first-hand, and she had to admit, it was terrifying. To hear such an emotionless, chilling voice from a usually energetic person was unsettling. But Lily wouldn't give up. The question was puzzling, invading her everyday thoughts.
She went to Peter, but one icy glare from Sirius sent him stuttering into incomprehensibility.
There was only one person who could give her answers: the root of the question.
He had agreed to talk with her, grudgingly, or so it seemed. She knew it wasn't going to be easy.
And now, here they were, staring at each other. Or at least, Lily was staring. James was appraising.
"Do you have something to say?"
It was the same tone, cold, removed, distant, that he had used with her all year.
I need to get this over with.
"Why are you ignoring me?"
It was blurted out, quickly. She barely registered the look of shock on his face before it was gone, replaced by the same hard expression-the one that gave away nothing. His eyes, too, matched his expression, no longer sparkling with mischief and joy, but replaced with nothing. No emotion.
"I thought that's what you wanted."
Her mouth opened slightly, gaping at him in shock. She was about to respond when he spoke again.
"That's not why I'm doing this," he mused, leaning back in his chair slightly. "No, it isn't. You needed to be introduced to the real world." Holding up a hand to stop her protests, he continued. "You're detached from reality, and I'm partly to blame for that. For the past six years, you've always had somebody who liked you. Someone who cared, whether you realized it or not. Many people don't have that." He paused, resting his elbows on the table between them.
"You say we're prejudiced, that we shouldn't judge a person by their looks and actions alone, but by their inner soul."
He leaned forward slightly.
"You're a hypocrite."
Lily's eyes widened and she moved to make a sound of outrage, but he was already talking again.
"True, we were bullies. But when we changed, your views of us didn't. You wouldn't reevaluate your opinions of us, no matter how obvious it was that we were different. No matter how many times we proved our worth, you held on to the idea that we were twelve years old because that's what you knew. It gave you an excuse to hate us. You needed that." He sighed, rubbing his temples.
"All these years, I've been here for you. And one day, I'm not going to be-hell, that already happened. I'm not here for you anymore, Evans. I'm here for my family and friends and people that care for me, not those who don't seem to notice my care until it's gone. But when you don't have anyone to care for you-and if you continue on this track, you won't- then you'll come crashing down to reality and realize that the world doesn't center around you, and that you can't just screw around with people's feelings. And when you understand that, then come back to me."
Lily just looked at him, at his emerald eyes that were now sparking with rage, though his voice and face were unaffected.
"Because I finally realized, Evans, that a girl who doesn't know real from fake is not one that's worth it."
He stood up, walked to the doorway, and opened the door, turning around to look at her a final time.
"All this time-it's been real. You may have thought it was a game, but it was never a game to me."
His intense eyes met hers one last time.
"If it was just a game, you would have lost by now."
And he was gone, leaving Lily alone with her-and his- thoughts, and the last, final line.
If it was just a game, you would have lost by now.
A/N: Hey~
It's not really romance, though you could look at it that way if you tried.
I had to write something where Lily gets what's coming to her and James flips out. He handled it very maturely, I think.
What happens after this is up to you. If you want me to write another chapter, just tell me ^-^
Review please! Tell me what you thought.