It's Not Over
Lily x James
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
xoxoxoxox--Chapter 2: Moving On--xoxoxoxox
"James Potter. He's different this year. He's no longer that kid that you watch out of the corner of your eye, just to see what amazing thing he'll do next. This year, James Potter is Head Boy, and that's all that describes him. A good looking, smart, athletic, Head Boy."
-7th year Ravenclaw, disappointed in James' change
**********
James sat under a tree, the Marauder tree, as he and his friends had come to call it. He was patiently waiting for Lily. He had ceased to frankly ask Lily out this year, to show her that he truly loved her. He didn't want Lily to call him that conceited prat, or that hotheaded bully, so he had tried to die down his affections, and he didn't know if it was working.
He had spent the past two months courting Lily this way; hoping that she'd like this way better. He was no longer a "conceited, self-centered jerk", but he didn't know if Lily liked him at all. She was a puzzle.
James pulled out a rather large, blank piece of parchment and tapped it with his wand. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." The parchment lit up and a map appeared. James smiled subconsciously; this prank utensil was their biggest accomplishment at Hogwarts. However, James rarely used it for such things anymore; now, he watched it for Lily, whose name was slowly making its way toward the flag with the name James Potter.
When she was close enough for him to see with his own eyes, James closed the map and said, in a toneless voice, "Mischief managed." He put the map back in his bag and took a breath. Today was the day; either Lily would accept him, or James was going to move on. He had lost confidence in pursuing Lily; it had occurred to him that maybe Lily just didn't think of him that way.
*****
Lily saw James in the distance. While they had spent time together as Head Boy and Head Girl, she had realized that she liked him. James had even stopped bullying the entire Hogwart's population. But, to her dismay, James had also stopped asking her out the moment she realized it. Consequently, Lily was anticipating her talk with James; she was ready to accept him now. She was sure of it. But the back of her mind ticked on about how James had been acting lately. He had stopped asking her out and acting like he even cared for her anymore, and Lily didn't know why. Had James moved on?
James watched Lily sit down in front of him. "Hi, Lily."
"Hi, James," Lily said shyly.
James swallowed. Here goes nothing, he thought. "Lily, do you like me?"
"Of course," Lily said, not understanding where this was going.
"Let me rephrase the question. Do you like me as more than a friend?" Lily looked down, biting her lip. She wanted to say yes, but it wouldn't come out her mouth. Over the past few months, James hadn't asked her out. James hadn't flirted with her or acted like he liked her. It was like he had already moved on. She didn't want to say yes, if he was going to say no.
James sat watching as Lily looked down contemplating. In his eyes, he saw one thing: Lily was trying to find a way to say no.
Lily finally decided to just tell him how she felt. Over the past few months, "friends" wasn't what she wanted to be described as when it came to James.
However, it was taking far too long for James. Was it really that hard for her to say "no" one more time? he thought.
Here it goes, Lily thought. "I—," she began.
James looked at the pained expression on Lily's face. He realized he didn't have to hear Lily reject him again, especially if it took her that long to do it. "It's okay," he said, cutting her off. He began collecting his things. "I get it. You want to be friends," he said, forcing a grimace. "If you'll excuse me—," he couldn't find an excuse, so he just got up and left. James walked away slowly, thinking about how Lily liked him as a friend, so much to the point that she didn't even want to reject him. James wasn't going to compromise that friendship. He made his way back to the common room, distraught. But, James had already made his decision. He had promised himself that he would, so he would. James would move on.
Lily fell back on the grass. She had lost her chance; why didn't she just shout it out? "I do like you, James," Lily said to the empty air.
xoxoxoxoxoxox
You know, despite this being only about 800 words, it took me a long time to try and get it right. I hope I did...
R&R