1976 – Sixth Year
According to Sirius, James was depressed. To Remus, James was heartbroken. And to Peter, James was lonely.
Contrary to what they thought, James was rather happy. He wasn't over-the-moon with joy, but he was alive and he'd snagged a great girl, so he couldn't argue.
He was waiting in an empty compartment away from his mates, when he saw it; the flash of red. He opened the door and, in an instant, pulled her in.
"What the hell do you think you're – oh, hi James," she said, folding a lose hair behind her ear.
"'Hi James'? That's all I get?" he said, sitting down and pulling her next to him. She played with his ring finger, not meeting his eyes. She quickly pecked his cheek, then pulled away.
"I don't know if this is going to be secret anymore. I know we agreed not to tell anyone yet, but someone knows," Lily said slowly.
"Who?" he asked, not knowing if he really wanted to know.
"Snape," she said, carefully watching as his expression changed from concern to anger.
"How?"
Lily stepped onto the train with Sirius Black, someone she'd been against previously. But, for James' sake, she was trying. However, Sirius still didn't know about them. It was better that way.
"I might see you later. I've got to get to the prefect meeting," she said, waving goodbye as he pounced on Peter Pettigrew.
She made it just in time for the meeting, taking a seat next to Remus.
"How was your summer?" she whispered, while the Head Girl gave her speech.
"It was fairly plain, and yours?" he replied, in the same hushed tone as her.
"You can go now," said the Head Girl, Alice Prewett, before Lily could reply.
"It was good, as good as it could be with my sister's awful boyfriend around," she said, before leaving him to try and find Marlene McKinnon, her best friend. However, her path was blocked by someone she used to share everything with, especially her hatred for James Potter.
"What do you want?" she asked, giving up on trying to get past.
"What's going on with you and Potter?" Snape asked. Lily hesitated before answering.
"What do you mean? Nothing's going on with James and I," Lily said, knowing this wasn't going to work.
"He's James now? Is that what you call him when you're fucking him in broom cupboards, or do you have other names for each other?" The last thing Snape expected was for Lily to punch him in the gut, but he did deserve it.
As she stalked away, she heard him say, "I know you're in love with him, so there's no point in denying it."
"You definitely think he knows?" James asked, bringing her out of the trance she was in.
"He must. He wouldn't just make accusations like that, not to me," she said. This comment earned her a small glare, but it vanished as soon as spoke the next words. "I do care about you. I just don't want the whole of school to know yet because they will blow it out of proportion. I don't want us to break up because of peer pressure."
"Will we ever tell people? Because it's killing me not to tell my mates," James protested in a whiny voice, pouting at her. She giggled and pecked his lips.
"Eventually. Sorry, love, you know I'm a private person." A loud bang came from just outside the door and they sprang apart, with Lily's back to the compartment door.
"Hello, you two. What's –" As soon as she recognised the voice to be Sirius, she sent a wink James' way, and began what she did best.
"I can't believe you. Every day you ask me out! When will you give up?" she yelled at James. For a second, he seemed scared. However, he was as good at this as Lily was.
"I like you, that's why. Go on, Evans. You know you want to," James said, adding a wink on the end. Lily let out a loud screech before stomping away, leaving Sirius and James behind.
"Well, nice try, mate. Give up now?" asked Sirius, clapping him on the back.
"Not this time. She loves me, really," said James, smiling to himself.
From a compartment up ahead, he heard a soft laugh, one he knew belonged to Lily Evans.