Undying Love (A Jily Fanfiction)

Chapter 10: The Spark of Friendship

Disclaimer: Meh. You know what I'm gonna say.

Chapter 10: The Spark of Friendship

Lily tossed and turned in her bed as she remembered today's events.

James Potter. Head Boy. The words did not go together.

Lily Evans. Head Girl. These don't go well either.

Dumbledore must be playing a trick on them.

Of all the people in the world he could've chosen to become Head Boy, he chose the nastiest prankster.

Now, everyday Lily woke up she would have to face him since the Heads had private dormitories. They also held meetings together and had patrols together and... aargh. Her last year at Hogwarts didn't seem particularly appealling.

She was trying to sleep when she heard an owl tapping at the window.

Hmm. Who'd send an owl at this time?

She waited for a full 5 seconds for Mary to get the letter before she remembered that they weren't in the same dormitory anymore.

Lily groaned and got up. It was that snowy white owl again. Fabulous. Absolutely spiffing. Of course she needed a further reminder that he was right next door.

Evans,

I've thought long and hard about this. So please read on and excuse any grammatical mistakes. Please.

Hmm, he seemed polite. Lily read on.

So. Congratulations on being Head Girl and congratulations to myself succeeding Head Boy also. Hurrah.

What I said on the train was true. I've deflated that annoying head of mine now and I promise to be a better person that the one I have been.

We're gonna spend a lot of time facing each other and I'd rather we not avert each other's glances every time we met.

It's also our last year, which I'm sure you have noticed, and I don't want to leave any bad blood between us. We've wasted enough time before, six whole years of it.

A childish way to put this letter is that it's a friendship request. Or, if it suits you, we can start small. Like, at least don't throw daggers at me every time you see me. And, in return, I'll stop hexing you. Fair trade, eh?

Maybe, in time, we can leave each other with good memories? Yeah, I know, it's probably too much to ask for.

But I really meant it when I said I was sorry.

James

P.S. Is it okay to bring my friends to my dormitory sometimes. It wouldn't disturb you, would it?

Lily smiled and even laughed at parts. Potter was right, this really was a lot like a friendship request.

Well, the least she could do was to write back. After all, a friend is always better than an enemy.

Potter,

Consider your request permitted. But I withhold the right to take it back whenever I deem necessary. Because I never know when you're going to go back to your old ways.

You never gave me much reason to trust you. The whole time I read your letter I actually anticipated a part where you would say that this was all a prank, and that I had been foolish to believe it.

Consider me stupid, but this could actually be a big prank and the seeds are planted now. Laugh all you want. Admit it, there's a high possibility.

But I suppose I should try to trust you. Or we could do something like a three-month trial?

Honestly, there's only, like, a wall between us. You could try talking face-to-face.

And thank you, at long last you finally took my advice and write your own letters instead of letting Remus pen them. I really appreciate that.

And with regard to your postscript, the answer is yes. I'm not your nanny, for Merlin's sake. You don't have to tell me anything. I won't bite.

Thank you for the offer, thank you for the friendship, thank you for everything. At last, my seventh year seems less horrible.

Lily

Smiling, Lily tied the letter to the owl's leg and sent it away. After that, she carefully smoothed the parchment of Potter's letter and slipped it under her bed. She felt like the princess who was above 99 matresses and a pea- she forgot the name, but she still had some broken memories about the story.

Who was her prince? James was a passing character, merely fulfilling his duty of proving her a princess. She was lost, indeed. Maybe not in the heavy rain the princess encountered, but in life.

Who was her prince?

And with troubled thoughts she really oughtn't meddle with, she fell into a deep slumber.

-

Lily woke up to the beaming sun, opening her mouth to ask Alice to shut down the alarm-

Drat! She forgot she was alone. She would have to wake herself up everyday from now on.

And with that reassuring remark, she ran to the bathroom hurriedly to lighten up.

She walked out of her own dormitory absent-mindedly, the only thought running through her head was that she must not be late for her first class this year.

She must not be late.

She must not be late.

She must not be late.

"Evans."

It startled Lily and she dropped her potions' textbook.

"I'll get that for you." He bent down and scooped up the old, battered textbook.

"You dropped this," he said and handed it back to her solemnly.

"Why, thank you. This must be the first time you're returning my books to me instead of throwing them away."

"Some books deserve to be thrown away," he smirked. "Look at that, it's a disgrace to leather."

"Well, not all of us are rich scumbags." She retorted, slightly pink in the cheeks.

"I'll take that as a compliment." He grinned lopsidedly.

And only then did Lily register that his hair was dripping. So mesmerized she had been in his face and words that she did not notice his wet hair, nor his slightly wet clothes.

"Why do you take a shower before lessons?" She blurted out without thinking.

As soon as she said those words she regretted it and bit down, hard, on her lip. Because then James Potter threw back his head and laughed.

"What?" She asked, annoyed. "I was merely curious!"

"Old habits die hard, Miss Evans." He smirked again.

"I see." She said shortly. And, keeping a firm hand on her books, she made her way to the common room.

A thought popped into her head. "But you don't have classes?"

"It's always alright to skip potions. I don't fancy seeing Slughorn for the next period."

"But you could land your butt in detention!" She exclaimed, mortified.

"Thanks for your concern of my posterior." He said silkily.

Lily had to laugh at that, before walking away to her next class and leaving Potter behind her grinning like an idiot.