AN: I've got a long chapter for you guys today, so I hope you're all up for it. I really loved writing this chapter, and hope you enjoy reading it.

Oasis - Wonderwall

On this beautiful June day, the birds woke me up. I smiled at the sunlight that streamed through my open windows. I woke up my roommates and together; we walked down to the Great Hall for our very last breakfast here until September. Yes, it was the last day of Fourth Year.

"Went by fast, didn't it?" Marlene commented. We all knew what she was referring to.

"You say that every year." I said shrewdly.

"It's true every year." Marlene retorted, sticking out her tongue at me.

I giggled, almost thankful the year was ending. I was exhausted from all the end of year exams and cramming that I'd had to do in order to get good grades. Unfortunately, throughout all of this, I couldn't stop thinking of a certain raven-haired boy.

"Easiest. Year. Ever." I heard from behind me. Speak of the devil...

"Hey Potter," I said, turning around to roll my eyes at him. "You say that every year."

"It's true every year." James replied tartly, hazel eyes sparkling at me.

"Already been said, Potter." Marlene told him. "Used that just moments ago."

Potter snapped his fingers, sighing. "Darn."

Our group of seven continued walking to the Great Hall. Sirius and Remus and Peter deep in discussion with Marlene and Jane, I suddenly found myself walking alongside Potter. I looked down at our hands. They were dangerously close to brushing together.

"So," Potter interrupted my thoughts. I looked up to him, seeing him smiling at me. "Sad it's over?"

I pulled a face. "Not exactly. Relieved, more like."

He raised an eyebrow. "And why's that?"

Like you care. I thought to myself. Only... maybe he did.

"Oh, you know... After I failed my Charms exam I had to study pretty hard. My tutor bailed on me, too."

He chuckled. "What a jerk."

"You can say that again." I played along with him. "But, then again, I guess I didn't really need him after all. You see, I didn't really fail."

"Well that last part is good, but are you sure about not needing a tutor?" He kept pretending. "I think he told me he'd be more than happy to help you over the summer."

I tried to hide the smile that crept across my lips. I couldn't help it; I had been dreading summer because it meant that I wouldn't see him everyday. Did I detect an excuse to hang out with him over the summer?

"You really think he'd want to visit me during the summer?" I asked innocently, testing the waters. I didn't want to full out agree to anything before I knew exactly what he had in mind. It might make me seem obsessed or desperate.

James looked at me long and hard. "If he knew where you lived, hell yeah." He paused. "Where do you live Evans?"

I laughed. "Stalker much?"

"Hey!" Potter put an offended hand to his chest, gasping. "This was all information that I was going to give back to your tutor!"

I stopped walking, forgetting completely about our friends, who obviously had forgotten about us as well. "You're being nice to me again." I accused him playfully.

James' smile wiped off his face. He replaced it with a lazy grin that made my skin crawl. "'Course I am, Evans." He leaned his hand on the wall; his arm inches from my face. "Why wouldn't I be with a pretty bird like you?" His eyes roamed my body, from my eyes to my toes.

"Why do you talk like that?" I asked, suddenly angry.

"Talk like what?" He snapped impatiently, snatching his arm away from my face.

"You know what I mean! You're nice, then all the sudden, you remember you're supposed to be an arrogant jerk, and you transform back into your old self. Which is the real you?"

"Who says you care?" He snapped again, eyes narrowed.

"I say!" I snapped right back. "Just stop being big-headed! I know it's not the real you!"

He laughed darkly. "You don't know anything about me."

"Obviously not!" I said back, crossing my arms over my chest. "You can be a decent guy, Potter. But for some reason, you choose not to be."

"I don't need you directing my life Lily!" He growled sharply. There was a pause in which neither of us even breathed.

"Lily?" I squeaked. He never called me Lily. Never ever.

"I uh, meant Evans." He said lamely. "Just... stop, okay?"

"Whatever." I said rather rudely. "Be a jerk, see what I care."

"Fine." He snapped.

I ignored him, walking faster so I didn't have to walk next to him anymore. I wasn't surprised to see my friends already eating once I got to the Great Hall. Potter and I had been talking for quite some time in the hallway.

"It's about time." Jane grumbled to me. "What happened?"

"Tell you on the train." I muttered, saying a quick hello to the guys.

"Hey Lily... where's James?" Remus asked.

"I don't care." I answered bitterly. My friends'—and Potter's friends'—eyebrows shot up in concern to my rude tone.

"Something the matter?" Sirius asked, chuckling.

"Nothing at all." I said pleasantly. I looked and saw Potter walking into the Great Hall, running a hand through his hair. I rolled my eyes. "'Scuse me." I said, getting up and pushing by him as I made my way to the Gryffindor common room. I vaguely thought I might've heard him call my name as I brushed past him, but I ignored it.

In all honesty, I really just wanted to be alone.

"What the bloody hell was that this morning Lil?" Jane asked, wrapping her arms around her as a huge gust of wind flew past us. We were waiting for the first, second, and third years to get on the train first.

"Um, nothing." I replied, waving a dismissive hand. "It's just... I don't know. Potter's really been getting on my nerves lately."

"Yeah, and there's the fact that it's your time of the month." Marlene sang. I kicked my friend in the shins, smiling as she winced. "Irish temper." Marlene muttered.

I frowned. "I'm not Irish."

"Well, you should tell people that you are. It's a valid excuse for your well-known rage."

I frowned again. "My rage isn't well known... is it?"

"After this morning?" Jane muttered. "I wouldn't doubt it."

I leaned against the wall that I knew was behind me, but had a sudden heart attack when the wall was not hard, or straight. I found—as I felt it all over—that it was rather lumpy and... Oh god it was moving. What the hell?

I recoiled from the wall to hear a faint chuckling coming from my left.

"Trying to feel up James?" Sirius asked.

I wiped my hands on my jeans for no apparent reason. "Accident." I muttered, not even able to look Potter in the face. "It was an accident."

"No problem at all." Potter said. "Besides," He said in a tone that made my eyebrows lift. "Not like I mind a good feeling up by you, Evans."

I raised my eyes to his, seeing his beautiful hazel eyes twinkle as he smirked. I smiled pleasantly at him.

"Glad to be of service." I said, bowing down low. Then, as I got up, I stomped my foot onto his. Hard.

"Christ!" Potter yelled, grabbing his foot and hopping on the uninjured one. I had half a mind to stomp on that one as well, but Jane and Marlene pulled me away before I could think about it much.

"Jeez Lily, are you alright?" Jane asked me, bright blue eyes widened in terror.

I smiled triumphantly, but suddenly, I felt terrible. What had possessed me to do such a thing in the first place?

Well, he had insulted me. Hey, that's right! He insulted me! He had been asking for it! "He insulted me!" I said in my defense.

Marlene and Jane exchanged a look. "He sort of complimented you, Lil." Marlene raised her hands to stop me from interrupting as she saw my mouth open defiantly. "Yeah, he objectified you, and you've got your right to stop him but not like that." She gestured to where we had left the boys. "He was only joking."

"Well the joking's gone too far this time!" I said. "I'm sick and tired of his act!"

Jane raised an eyebrow. "His 'act?'"

"You know!" I shouted, though looking back, I guess she really didn't know. Nobody knew. He never showed anyone that part of him except for me, and his Marauder pals. "He acts like a jerk when they're people around, but when it's just us, he's nice, and sweet, and funny, and charming..." I trailed off as I realized my voice had gotten softer, and not as angry as I started out to be. I coughed and changed back. "He's a liar!" I spat out.

"Lily, people are starting to stare." Marlene hissed. "Can we just get on the train and talk about this later? They're already loading the seventh years!"

I crossed my arms over my chest childishly. "Fine." I grumbled. I scuffed my feet against the pavement as we walked, trying to walk slowly. Jane and Marlene completely ignored me and walked even faster instead, letting me pout by myself. I sped up as Marlene and Jane loaded onto the train. I got stuck behind a couple seventh years but finally, I made it aboard. Now, where would they be?

I squinted, trying to spot some blonde hair or dark brown hair, but it was no use. It seemed like every person had either blonde or brown hair. And then I saw hair that I could never in a million years mistake for anyone else's hair.

Potter.

"Potter! Hey Potter!" I called over the crowd of students trying to find empty compartments. He turned at his name and smiled at me. I think we both realized at the same time that we wanted to put that issue that had just happened behind us. I smiled back at him to show him I was sorry.

"Problem, Evans?" He called back, making his way over to me. I noticed he was alone, which was odd.

"Yeah, have you seen my mates?" I asked him. He snorted, leaning against a compartment door that held five giggling second year girls.

"I'm in the same boat as you, Evans." He sighed, running a hand through his hair casually. I scoffed, but decided to call him out on it.

"Why d'you do that, Potter?" I asked innocently. I knew damn well why he ran his hands through his already disheveled locks, but I wanted to know what he'd tell me if I asked. I also wanted to avoid any more fights with him today if I could.

"Do what?" He asked, still leaning against the door to the compartment.

"You know," I paused to let a hulking seventh year Slytherin nudge by me. He pushed me into the door Potter was leaning against, and snorted.

"Ow." I squeaked, side burning.

"Watch yourself, stupid Gryffindor." The brute grumbled. I could already feel a bruise forming and I rubbed my arm tenderly.

"Oi!" Potter yelled, pushing away from the door he leaned against. The 200-and-something pound Slytherin turned around. He looked at James disdainfully, then raised his eyebrows, as if to say 'are you talking to me?'. "Yeah you, you big ugly brute!" Potter replied. Looking back, I realize I probably should have done something sooner, but you can imagine just how hard it was for me to find my voice in the chaos.

"What did you say to me, kid?" The seventh year Slytherin growled.

"You heard me." James said defiantly. "You hurt my friend." He gestured to me. "Apologize."

The Slytherin chuckled to his friends, who stood on either side of him. "Hm, not really in the mood at the mo'. Maybe sometime later... or never." He guffawed, nudging his friends who laughed alongside him. The bully cracked his knuckles. "But, I won't say no to a little one on one at King's Cross."

James' eyes narrowed at the three of them. I looked around to see kids poking their heads out of their compartments, obviously impatiently awaiting the fight that they knew would soon take place.

"James, don't." I said, grabbing his arm. "Please, just leave it."

James shook his head at me. "Not 'till he apologizes."

"It's no big deal. I'm fine. Please James." I pleaded. He looked at me suddenly, searching my eyes for something. He seemed to have found whatever he was looking for, because he shook his arm out of my grasp (I had completely forgotten I was still holding it), and looked up to the Slytherin boy.

James forced a laugh. "No need for any trouble."

The Slytherin grinned wickedly. "Is ickle Potty scared of us?"

James chuckled again, running a hand though his hair. Surprisingly, in that heated moment, it was pretty hot. "Like I said, I don't want any trouble."

"Or," The Slytherin boy said, loud enough for everyone who was watching to hear. "Does Potty not want to be shown up in front of his girlfriend?" He looked at me maliciously, and his friends followed suit. I squirmed under their gazes, but tried not to show them any fear.

"C'mon James," I said assertively, taking his hand and pulling him away. I cleared my throat so the whole train could hear what I was about to say next. "You creamed them in the Quidditch finals anyway. It's no wonder they're so touchy."

What I said had the reaction I'd bargained for. Nearly the whole train (well, everyone who wasn't a Slytherin anyway) laughed loudly, but I didn't turn back to see. I kept pulling James along until, low and behold, we found probably the only empty compartment on the whole train. I shoved him inside and slammed the door behind me.

"What are you playing at?" I demanded, shutting the blinds. I didn't want anyone seeing me chewing him out, but honestly, he was just so dim!

James raised an eyebrow at me. "That was a nice job, what you did back there." He complimented me.

Although my heart soared at the compliment, I couldn't let him know that. "Don't change the subject! Are you trying to get killed? Suicide, is that your next big trend?"

He chuckled. Not the response I was hoping for.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" I demanded, sitting across from him.

"I was simply trying to get the ignorant swine to apologize!" He laughed. "Besides, it's not like I'll ever see him again. He has—praise the lord—graduated."

I relaxed a bit at that. "You're just lucky I was there to save your arse." I teased him, though still half-angry for what he just put himself and myself through.

He chuckled and ran a hand through his hair again. "Hey," He said, as if remembering something. "You called me James."

"What?" I said, confused.

"During the argument. You called me James." He smiled at me knowingly. I tried not to read into that smile as I retorted with:

"You called me your friend."

"You are my friend." He said back, not missing a beat.

I opened my mouth to retort something back, but I wasn't expecting him to say that. I shut my mouth stupidly. "I am?" I squeaked.

James shrugged, smiling at me. "Sure you are. You saved my arse back there, remember?" James got up to come sit beside me, sitting so close our knees were touching. "I like you Lily."

I swallowed to get some moisture into my abnormally dry throat. "You called me Lily." I pointed out stupidly, looking into his hazel eyes. Days ago, if anyone had've asked, I would have told them that his eyes were brown. Dull, ugly brown. I feel like I commited a crime, thinking that, for staring into his obviously hazel eyes, I could almost tell him aloud just how beautiful they were. As I stared into them, I counted the different shades of green and gold that were flecked in them, making such a beautiful shade I could almost swoon. Come to think of it, I almost did. He snapped me out of it just a moment too soon, something I will be eternally grateful for.

"Yeah." He chuckled. I felt his warm breath on my face. "Guess I did."

Then he looked into my eyes and took a lock of my fiery red hair. He tucked it behind my ear, and my breath caught in my throat. I knew what was going to happen even before it happened, and I froze. He came closer to me, his face barely an inch from mine, waiting for me to move the last inch. I did, touching my lips to his.

If I had ever imagined what kissing him was like—and I had—it was nothing compared to what this was like. It was just a simple, innocent kiss, nothing more, and I couldn't have imagined it any more perfect.

With a gasp, I tore my lips away from his, breathing hard. I swallowed. "What the hell?"

He sat back from me, watching me carefully.

"What the hell?" I demanded again. It felt like my brain had been all fuzzed up, and someone had just plugged it back in. "What did you... why did you...!" I panicked, hands fidgeting. He simply stared at me with eyebrows raised. "Why did you kiss me?" I finally got out.

He gaped slightly, then recovered, chuckling. "My dear Lily—"

"Don't call me that." I interrupted him.

"Fine. Lily—"

"Don't even call me that, Potter." I said. His eyes narrowed.

"You didn't seem to mind a couple minutes ago." He accused me roughly.

"I was..." I struggled to find and excuse. "Are you part Veela?" I blurted out..

James sputtered, hooting. He stared at me like I was insane. "You're completely mad! Of course I'm not part Veela! Why on earth would you think that?"

Because I feel disoriented around you. And when I kissed you, my brain shut off completely. It feels like my body is not even there—it feels like I'm floating.

Of course I didn't actually say that aloud. And I didn't even know what meeting an actual Veela would be like. I'd guess it'd be something like how I was feeling right then.

"Sorry. I'm just a little... confused." I admitted. I knew I had to get out of there, fast. His eyes were pulling me in again. "Thanks for standing up for me back there I've got to go bye." I said, all in one breath. I turned to leave the compartment, but James grabbed my arm and turned me back to face him.

I winced, peeling his fingers away. "Bad arm." I told him.

"Shit." He murmured. "I'm sorry Lily."

"Just... don't. Please." I begged him. "Call me Evans. This never happened."

"Seriously?" He demanded of me.

"Seriously." I nodded. "I don't want anyone to know. This was a... mistake. Please, just keep it between us two. Just do me this one last favor and I'll be out of your hair for life."

"And if I don't want you out of my hair?" He countered.

I suppose I should've been flattered right then. I know I am now, looking back on it. But at that moment to me, he just seemed like a guy who was trying to kiss me, and I felt cornered by his strong gaze.

"You don't get that choice." I told him, sliding the door open and thanking the lord I had closed the blinds of our compartment before we had kissed. Fate sometimes works like that, I suppose. "See you next year, Potter." I said quietly.

In years to come, I will never forget this. I'm still unsure of it to this day, but I could've sworn that at that precise moment, as I was closing the door to our compartment and leaving him alone, I heard him whisper the faintest of faint things. Perhaps had I asked him to repeat what he had just said, our entire future together would have changed. Or perhaps we would've said no, had I asked him to repeat himself. Guess we'll never know because I just ignored him completely and stalked away, left to wonder constantly if I had heard him right.

Little did I know that years later I would figure out that I had, in fact, heard him right.

AN: So, I absolutely loved writing this chapter so please tell me if you agree! I seriously love all my readers (which is why I try to update as frequently as possible), but if you just took the time to write me a review, it would show me you love me back! :D
So please, just write me a review. I would eternally love you. Tell me what you loved, hated, thought was boring, or thought was funny. Anything!

So, until next chapter,

-Taylor :)