Always : A Jily love story

Potions Partners

James POV

It's been a few weeks since the last hogsmead visit and summer is around the corner. The school was buzzing with excitement to go home while some were staying behind.

Sirius and I were already going to be together so we invited Pete and Remus over too. Pete said he had to go home to take care of his sick mother so it was going to be me, Sirius and Remus. Sirius had wanted to invite the girls over too so we had a pact to ask our respective girls before the end of this week.

Frank and Alice were going to be in the neighborhood together so we had made plans to meet up and go for ice cream. Now all we had to do was ask the girls.

First step of the plan was for Remus to ask Dorcas seeing as they were the ones that had made the most progress. Then Sirius will ask Marls and then I'll ask Lils. For the first time in my entire life, me, James Potter was nervous. I really wanted to spend this summer with Lily and I really wish she'd say yes.

"Mr. Potter, I would appreciate it if you had your head in my lesson not Ms. Evans's head", Minnie snapped.

My face burned red and I flushed when I saw the Marauders smirking at me. The Slytherins that we were taking this class with laughed at my obvious embarrassment. I saw Dorcas and Marlene nudge Lily who had her head ducked and covered by her hair. I felt very embarrassed.

"Sorry, Minnie. It's distracting when you are there, you know", I responded with a smirk and winked at her.

"Concentrate, Mr. Potter", she said before continuing her lesson.

"Going to ask her out?" I heard Sirius's voice whisper next to me.

"I don't know, Pads. I mean I want to, I really do but she doesn't and never will like me more than friends", I sighed more defeated than I expected.

"You really love her don't you?" Sirius asked, his face has a soft smile but also a bit of awe.

"What do you mean, Pads? I've only been in love with her since 4th year and I think I've mentioned it enough to have it stuck in your brain", I said chuckling lightly.

"Yea I know but all this while I thought you were just fooling around. I mean I thought you only saw her as a conquest since she was the only one that rejected you", Sirius said hesitantly as if I would burst out.

"Honestly Padfoot, at first it was. I only wanted to go out with her because she was the only girl to ever have no interest in me and that frustrated me but over time things changed. I liked our banter and fights even though I ended getting hexes I realized that I was drawn to this girl in ways more than just as a prize to be won", I drew breath remembering how my feelings had gradually changed over the years.

"I liked the way her eyebrows furrowed when she was concentrating on something or the fierceness she defended the people she loved. Lily could see the best in someone even when they couldn't and she had the biggest heart in the world. I adored the way she would dozz off in the common room while reading a book and her laughs had always given me a warm feeling in my stomach", my voice was quavering with the intensity of my feelings for Lily. Sirius was looking at me with a smile and asked me to go on.

"Mostly Pads, I loved Lily for her. She never gives up. She fights for what she thinks is right whether or not people are with her. She is forgiving and kind. She's Lily Evans and in my eyes they is no one else than compares", I finished. I had never realized how deep I felt for her before admitting it today.

Getting over her is very freaking hard. How the hell do I do that?! I'm going crazy. Seeing her with others makes me want to rip my hair off. But in the end all I want is for her to be happy whether it's with or without me.