A/N

I'm so sorry, you must hate me. I'm so so sorry, but it has been so hectic for me recently and I left this sitting unattended for three weeks or so. I feel like you guys deserve an explanation, so here goes.

As you may know, my parents are divorced, and they pretty much hate one another. I live with my mom, and a while back my dad called me to have dinner together. To be honest, I've been avoiding it for two months with excuses and whatnot, and he said I should send him my summer class schedule. So I did, and he showed up at my tutoring class without telling me or my mom beforehand. I called my mom, and she said I could go to Jamba Juice with him, just this once. I did, and my mom came to pick me up. She brought this parcel to give to my dad, but he ignored her and drove away from her. It made my mom really upset, and she in the car she started crying and saying how I have betrayed her and how she worked just for me and how it was a choice between my dad and her and I should've just gone with him and she didn't have to work and go through so much pain.

Time passed, and things were all right again. Then, TODAY my dad called. He wanted to know some other information and I said,"No, that's private." (Because he already broke the contract by showing up at my tutoring.)

And he said,"I'm your father." And I just kept repeating the privacy thing. He got really mad and kept asking his question...

Then he was like,"You're fifteen, what privacy?"

And then I said something like, "Just because I'm fifteen doesn't mean I can't keep my privacy."

Then...he was like "shit" and then hung up.

I felt so 'broken', and I didn't know what to do, and that just happened today, so it's recent.

My father has become a person who I am no longer wanting to keep a relationship with, but every time he just guilt trips me or says something that makes me keep on agreeing to what he asks. I kind of want to just stop communicating with him because it wouldn't make things with my mom so much smoother, but he's still my father, you know.

Please, if you have any advice, tell me in a review or PM. I love you guys so much.

And...thanks for listening.

Lily slapped herself. She had forgotten all about the last time she had tried to change her answer. It had been during the fear question, and she remembered what the parchment did when she tried to reenter. It had showered her in sparks and had bright words that read: Trying to answer again, eh?

But this was Lily Evans, the fiery Gryffindor redhead, and she did not give up so easily.

Lily walked down the stairs—the common room was empty.

…Probably because it was two in the morning. Nevertheless, here she was, fully dressed, and tiptoeing around as if she was walking around a sleeping dragon.

She made her way to the bulletin board and looked at the letter.

Potter here.

Now this one is a bit feminine.

But the result is going to be BEAUTIFULLY amazing, I promise.

What is your favorite flower? (Personally, I love lilies.)

Same message. This should be easy enough.

"Finite Incantatem." she muttered hopefully. And just in case, "Silencio."

She waved her wand and tapped the parchment, then touched it again. Immediately, the words bubbled out and were replaced by others in the same bubbly font she had grown to both love and hate.

Trying to change your answer?

I don't think so!

Lily frowned as the ominous thought of being surrounded by lilies dominated her mind once again, but thank Merlin no sparks rained down this time and there was no loud noise.

"Lily?"

She jumped a foot in the air, "Merlin! You scared me half to death—who is even up at this time in the morn—Potter." She deflated. "What are you doing up?"

He fell back onto the red velvet couch. "The real question, I think, is what are you doing up at two in the morning?"

Lily absentmindedly shifted slightly so her body was blocking James' view of the poster. "I couldn't sleep."

That was perhaps the most cliché, most unbelievable lie in the entire world, but Lily could not think of another reason why little goodie-two-shoes Miss Evans would not be in bed soundly asleep before sunrise.

James shot her a look. "I'm a Marauder, Lily-flower, not an idiot."

Lily gave a loud and very lady-like snort. "Please, those two go together."

"The point is," he huffed, "Why isn't the lovely Lily sleeping soundly this fine morn? "

Time for fib #2, she thought. "Fine," she faked an exasperated sigh, "I wanted to answer your stupid question but I didn't want anyone to know."

It wasn't that far from the truth, and if Lily had thought things over with a little more detail, she would have been worried of admitting to Potter that she actually wanted to answer this question. And, to be it honest, it wasn't that far from the truth. She had been answering the question, and she didn't want anyone to know. Lily had just conveniently left out the fact that she was answering it twice and she hated lilies.

"Move away from the bulletin," James commanded, and Lily could already imagine him pointing a gun at her like in those Muggle action movies.

"Why?"

"I know that position," he said knowingly, "You're hiding something."

Lily scoffed, "No I'm not."

"Then move out of the way."

"I don't want to," Lily's brain flinched at the weak excuse. James did not reply, only stared at her with the piercing hazel eyes that made Lily feel naked and exposed. (No, not like that—get you're mind out of the gutter.) Then, with a sudden movement, James lept up, pushed Lily into the plushy couch, and turned to look at his post.

"Why were you trying to change your answer?"

"…Because I decided that my favorite flower wasn't my favorite flower. Can I change it now?"

Saying please to James Potter…What was wrong with her today?

He shook his head tentatively, "The parchment is not ordinary parchment—oh, and your Finite Incantatem and SIlencio will wear off in half and hour so make sure you run before that—the parchment is designed for wand recognition—of course mine is the default, and I reset it after every question, but don't expect me to do it for you and make everyone answer again even though you're the most amazing girl on the planet."

A compliment embedded in a disappointing statement? James Potter had quite a way with words.

"Go to bed Lily, it's late."

"But—"

He rolled his eyes, "I know your favorite flower, so stop worrying."

She felt herself suck in a breath. "You do?"

He shifted awkwardly, "Yeah, I mean—your name is Lily right?"

The girl visibly deflated, "Yeah, yeah…of course." She muttered dejectedly, staring at the ground.

"Go to sleep," he repeated. "And er…Happy early Valentine's Day."

"Whatever," she mumbled, and then she turned and climbed back up the staircase, with the thought of being attacked by sharp-toothed lilies still ominously looming in her mind.

"Psst…"

Lily rolled over in her bed.

"Psst, Lily…"

"Eugh, gerroff 'm sleepin'," she muttered intelligently.

"LILY EVANS!"

And Lily was so shocked that she shot out of bed and landed in a heap at the foot of the four-poster. "This all seems quite repetitive," she muffled from under the covers.

"Wake up, it's Valentine's Day!"

"…You woke me up for that? I'm single!"

"But…you know…a James Potter has given you something every year…"

Red spread across Lily's cheeks like the plague as she remembered past cards, chocolates, teddy bears, and even cupids. As in, babies dressed up as cupids. She still didn't know where he got a baby, and she wasn't sure she wanted to know. "Oh shut up."

She got dressed and went downstairs, mentally preparing to be accosted by James. Nothing happened.

She went to breakfast and ate her favorite dessert: treacle tarts, waiting for James to leap at her with another Valentines' surprise. Nothing happened.

The Great Hall was immensely surprised when James did not do his annual serenade, and not knowing the reason why things were different this year, Lily felt her mood sink lower and lower.

She knew her friends were wondering the same thing.

Then lunch came along.

Lily rushed to the Great Hall with her book bag, ready to eat.

And then things got interesting.

"Frank gave me this necklace," Alice gushed, showing them all a silver chain with a heart amulet, "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

The girls all nodded as they crowded around the pretty brunette, hoping to get a better look at the inscription.

"Eugh, Marlene, your hair is in my face," Mary muttered, batting away strands of black.

"My hair is in your face? Please, all I can see is Lily's stupid red—"

"Excuse me," Lily snorted sarcastically, for Mary's brown hair was attacking her face as well. Something very odd was happening right now, and as Lily Evans looked up, she found that everyone's hair was dancing, much like the snakes that were on Medusa's head in the Greek myths.

Faster and faster they waved, until they all the strands spun around each other like dancers around a Maypole.

It was beautiful. Lily looked at her friends' hair. They were loosely braided, and embedded with amazing, bright flowers. Marlene, Alice, and Mary admired the carnations, tulips, and petunias in their hair. And then Lily turned to look at her own, finding it slightly odd that the penetrating smell of lilies had not invaded her already.

Then she stopped dead.

Roses.

White roses.

They smelled beautiful, they looked beautiful, and Lily's heart began flooding with overwhelming emotions.

She had a million questions.

But one question stood out around the others.

How had he known?

Lily turned to look at her friends befuddled faces.

"What? But—I thought…"

"I…er…never really liked lilies. I just didn't know how to say it because people always assumed I liked them and you know, I couldn't say that I hated my name—and if I did people were always like 'What? No way, you were named after lilies!' or 'Haha, no because then you would be called Rose!' and I just got sick of it you know—so I decided not to say anything—I have no idea how Potter knows—and…I'm rambling," she finished weakly.

"Sorry we never asked," Alice said sincerely, "I feel horrible, just assuming these things…" and her friends nodded in agreement.

"It's alright—I suppose I should've tried to tell you at least, with us being friends and all for seven years," she laughed lightly.

Lily was so happy that the events of last night had quite slipped her mind, and she spent the next few hours simply enjoying the feeling of the light braid on her upper back and the light smell of roses clouding around her.

Then Potions came along, and Lily saw James Potter again, and she was once again reminded of her mission. She cornered him after class ended.

"Potter," she called. He stopped awkwardly and turned, shifting his weight from his right foot to his left.

Lily stared. "Okay, first of all, you look ridiculous." He also had his hair elongated and in a braid, and his jet black hair was adorned with light pink and white hibiscus flowers that seemed to pop out. (Lily had always loved the smell of hibiscus too—was it a coincidence?) "Second of all, how did you know?"

"How did I know what?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Potter. How did you know I liked white roses? I never told anyone at Hogwarts."

He rubbed the back of his neck and swallowed nervously. "I really hope this doesn't sound creepy or anything, but I saw you in Diagon Alley the summer of fourth year, and…you were in front of Belle's Blossom Boutique, and I saw you admiring the roses. White roses. And you…you didn't pay attention to the lilies at all, so…I knew."

Lily was very moved. Someone had paid attention to her and found out. And they had kept it in their mind for what—three years?

"Then why did you pretend you didn't know?"

"I—uh—surprise?" He finished weakly, lifting his hands up halfway in a gesture of surrender.

Lily smiled slightly and shook her head. She turned to walk away. Her hand was on the doorknob when—

"Happy Valentine's Day, Lily."

And walking down the empty hallway alone, Lily thought to herself, that even though James had not made a showy Valentine's Day performance, the fact that he remembered and cared was perhaps the best gift she had ever received.

A/N

I really hope it was enjoyable, I'm sorry if it seems watered down...

Please review with either feedback or advice, and thanks for sticking with me through so much. I hope the next few questions will be whole chapters instead of in parts, but I also hope you guys can understand if it can't be that way.

Creds of idea is to CoralFlower.

I love you.

Bye,

TheEvilPinkCupcake