Be Here Now

Disclaimer: Harry Potter's world belongs to the marvelous Jo Rowling, not me.

A/N: Second-to-last chapter! I'm truly sad! :'( And you all are probably going to hate me for this chapter, but please wait until this story is done before you cyber-kill me, okay? Thanks.

twilightstargazer: Thanks, I'm pretty sure I'll write one. I can't believe it either! Thank you so much, it means A LOT!

OliWest: Okay, I think I'll write one. :D Ha-ha I kind of find it funny too. Thank you, and you're welcome!

Neogirl31: I think I will. :D

gimarkely2013: Okay, I'm pretty I'll write one.

QueenKitteKat: Thanks, I'm going to write one. :D Probably. Did you finish the homework?

MaNyMiNdGaMeS: Oh, once I get started, I can't stop. I annoy my friends constantly, but that's what they get for befriending me. :D Thanks! And for the sequel, okay. Just don't hate me too much for this chapter, okay?

SmileyfaceDevil: Okay, okay! :D

So six positive responses about the sequel. :D

x.o.x.o.x.

The next two weeks passed. Life was good. James and Sirius made up after Sirius seemed more subdued than usual (and, Lily assumed, at Hilary's constant urging). Remus had partly forgiven Sirius, but he was still colder than usual toward him. Peter, always one to keep peace (A/N: Kind of ironic, I know) forgave Sirius. So everyone was happy, because NEWTs were also drawing to a close.

Lily bolts out of the Great Hall after her Arthimancy NEWT, which none of her friends were in, overjoyed to finally be done with the Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests. She skips down the corridors, heading for the Head Common Room. Her bag swings freely by her leg as she gives the password and enters the common room, where sun pours through the multiple windows and gives the room a nice, summery feel. Her emerald eyes scan the room, surprised to find James sitting at the desk. He had distanced himself from her lately, and she couldn't understand it. Tomorrow was the day before their last day, and it was Graduation Day.

"James," Lily says, her voice, though soft, carrying across the room.

James looks up. "Lily." His voice is weirdly cool.

"Has something gone wrong, James? You've been ignoring me for the past two weeks; ever since you forgave Sirius."

James stands and walks over to stand in front of Lily. "Lily, I don't think I can handle this anymore."

Lily's eyes are questioning. "What? The stress? But James, the NEWTs is over."

"No, Lily, I can't be in a committed relationship."

Silence. As realization dawns on Lily, her eyes well.

"But weren't you happy, James?"

James sighs, running a hand through his hair. "Lily, it's not about you. It's about my inability to keep a stable, long-lasting relationship."

At that statement, Lily loses her disappointment and gains anger. "James, do you love me?"

For the first time (other than while he was under the potion) in six years, James Potter hesitates about his loving Lily Evans.

Taking his silence correctly, Lily exclaims, "Why can't you try? We've been through practically everything together! We got past Maya and her potion, we defied Voldemort once and lived to tell the tale, and we've got through the period of time when you hated Sirius!"

"I never could hate Sirius," James says quietly.

Lily snorts. "You hated him for two weeks, and I'm willing to bet that if he broke Hilary's heart, you'd probably hate him. But going back into the discussion about our relationship. Can't you just try, James?"

James sighs. "Lily…"

Cutting him off, Lily demands, "Is it another girl?"

Again, James sighs. "Lily, no!"

Now Lily's eyes refill with hot, angry tears. "Or is it just because you got tired of me? Tired of the chase, tired of the same old girl every week?"

"Lily-"

"I know you, James, and I intend on using my knowledge. You wouldn't just ditch me for no reason!"

"I do have a reason, Lily! I'm just not one for stable, long-lasting relationships!" James argues.

"It has lasted almost four months. That's not long, James. It isn't as if I was going to marry you or anything!"

"Lily, I don't love you anymore, okay?"

Lily freezes at that statement. She looks at James incredulously with teary eyes. As that clicks in her brain, the tears overflow, freely falling down her cheeks, but when she speaks, her voice is clear and cold. "I don't love you either."

x.o.x.o.x.

Lily escapes into her room, throwing herself onto her bed and sobbing into the pillow. She had just straight-out lied to James. She still loved him, and they both knew it. But how could he do this?

After a few more minutes of crying, Lily sits up, Summoning a mirror. She fixes her face while muttering, "He told me once not to cry over unworthy people who couldn't see what they were lucky to have. Did he truly think that that was going to backfire on him one day?"

As she is dabbing her face with a tissue, her door cracks open, revealing her two best friends and Dorcas, who she just couldn't call a best friend yet.

"Oh, Lily!" Alice cries, racing to Lily's side and hugging her tightly.

Lily gives a small smile as she leans into Alice's comforting hug. "Hi Allie."

Hilary rushes over and hugs her from the other side. "My brother is a jerk."

"Don't call him a jerk, Hilary. He's your brother," Lily gently reprimands.

"He just broke your freaking heart! I have to watch you be in misery," argues Hilary heatedly.

"He once told me not to cry over someone unworthy of me, someone who couldn't see how lucky they were. I guess I just couldn't see exactly how lucky I was until I lost it," Lily sighs.

"Lily, why are you so perfect?" Dorcas questions from the door.

Hearing this enrages Lily. She breaks away from her two best friends and looks Dorcas in the eye. "I'm nowhere close to perfect, Dorcas."

Dorcas shrugs. "You always seem like it."

Beginning to pace, Lily responds, "Over the years, I've built up a wall that hardly anyone can break. It hides the real me inside, the one that is insecure and has been without parental support for four years. I foolishly let James break that wall, and look where it landed me."

"But you are so beautiful, you are so smart, and all the guys love you."

"Genetics, diligent studying, and I don't love all of them," replies Lily sharply. "And no one is perfect, Dorcas."

Dorcas shrugs.

"You still have to live with him, you know," Alice says quietly.

Lily transfers her gaze to Alice. "I know. But I just have tonight and tomorrow night, plus the speech I have to make before him as Head Girl. I can survive."

"What are you going to do after Hogwarts?" Hilary asks. "You'll be coming to see me and James will be there."

"I can't and won't run away from him. It was his decision, and I can't belittle it."

x.o.x.o.x.

"You broke up with Lily?" Remus exclaims. "After we spent six full years helping you to get her?"

James shrugs and turns to Sirius, but before he can say anything, Sirius speaks.

"No, Prongs, I will never do that to Hilary. I love her, and I would never dream of it," Sirius declares.

James's eyes take on a wistful look. "That's just what I said about Lily."

x.o.x.o.x.

Dinner that night is strained. The Marauders distance themselves from the girls, but only for their friend.

"Remus has been acting strangely," Dorcas announces in a whisper.

"Sirius hasn't," Hilary replies, shrugging.

"Frank hasn't either," Alice says, picking up her fork.

Candlelight flickers over something, causing a small flash, but Lily, Hilary, and Dorcas all notice it.

"Oh my Merlin! You're engaged!" Lily squeals, grabbing Alice's hand.

Hilary shrieks wordlessly and then lowers her volume, clamoring for a better look.

Dorcas simply stands and walks behind Alice as the three friends admire her ring.

Beaming, Alice basks in the attention. She was truly happy, even if she was feeling terribly sorry for Lily.

"Alice?"

The girls had gone back to their dinners, but Lily had spoken softly. Alice turns to her. "Yes?"

"I really hope that it works out for you. Because that's all that you deserve- happiness. Congratulations, my dear friend."

Alice's eyes fill with tears as she hugs Lily tightly. Into her best friend's ear, she whispers, "I hope that someday you can find someone you love."

Lily sighs. She had already found someone she loved, but he didn't love her.

x.o.x.o.x.

Lily climbs through the portrait and bumps into James, who had been surveying the room with a critical eye.

"Sorry," she mumbles, stepping around him.

James just shrugs and continues to his room after a final look around.

"James."

He stops but doesn't turn.

"I'm sorry." Her voice is nearly inaudible, but James catches it as Lily sweeps past him into her own room.

He spent the night puzzling over her apology.

x.o.x.o.x.

A/N: Short chapter? Sorry. JUST ONE MORE CHAPTER! Again, let me know if the sequel is a good idea if you haven't already. Until the LAST CHAPTER!

~TrueLoveIs4ever