I came out of the strange room that I had never seen before and realised that Dumbledore hadn't even known what it was either, or didn't think I should know. It still amazes me the secrets that this castle holds behind its thick stone walls.
Shoes skidded behind me and I spun around to see James sliding to a stop and then running at me. My eyes went wide and, before I could do anything to stop him, he had me folded in his arms and was breathing very deeply. That's when I realised just how much taller than me he was because he had his hand curled in my hair and his chin easily rested on my head.
"Oh, Merlin, Lily," he breathed. "I was so worried. You just left and I couldn't find you. You weren't on the map and I didn't know what to think."
I pulled away from him quickly to glare. I realised that the hair in my ponytail was all falling out, so I grabbed the band and yanked it out, letting my hair fall down. "What the hell does that mean, Potter? And what do you mean I wasn't on the map?"
James stood there, silent for a while. He seemed to be searching for words. He let out an annoyed sigh. "How am I supposed to focus when you do that, Lily?" He exclaimed.
"Do what?" I yelled back.
"That," he jabbed at my head. "what you just did with your hair."
I threw my arms up in the air. "For Merlin's sake, Potter! You can either tell me what you want or let me pass because, I swear, I will curse you!" I grabbed my wand and held it in my hand as evidence.
He ran a hand through his hair and all I could think was that he wasn't the only one that can't focus. I pulled my eyes to his face to resume my glaring.
"I wanted to explain," he said and I raised an eyebrow as if to tell him to go on. "I was sitting in my compartment and Ella came in, she was the girl I went to the dance with, and she wanted to know why I was spending more time with you than with her," he was staring at the ground, looking at his shoes as if they were the most amazing things he's ever seen. "But I told her that there was nothing going on between us," I drew in a silent breath at that and he glanced at me. I wondered if he had seen my reaction. "I mean me and Ella. I told her that I had nothing with her and that she'd spent most of the dance with the other guy anyway."
He looked right at me now, making his words clear. "I told her I had no feelings for her," he rubbed his jaw awkwardly. "And then she just sort off pounced on me. When you saw me, I had just managed to pull back. I swear, she had like this death grip on my neck." He let out a little chuckle.
I didn't find it so funny.
"I see," I replied bluntly.
He frowned at me and made to move closer. I didn't move away. "So, does this mean that we can be friends again?" He asked it like it was a life and death question, but all I heard was one word. Friends. I felt it like a shot through the heart and I knew that Dumbledore was right, I did like him more than I had thought. I'd just been the last to know. Then I looked at James and thought, maybe second to last.
I just stared at him and frowned. This seemed to make him angry because he took a stride back and ran a hand through his hair again, but more fiercely. "I don't get it!" He exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "It's not like you-"
"Like I like you?" I yelled, finishing for him. "But that's the thing James! That's where your wrong!"
I didn't let the words sink in, I just turned and ran the hell away, thinking that if he feels the same, he'll follow.
***
He found me in the Common Room, sitting in a ball, hugging my legs, by the fire. I ignored him at first and stared into the dancing flames and he approached me like he wasn't sure if I was real or just an image that would break if he came to close.
Luckily for me the room was empty. It was late and people were tired from the long journey and their full stomach. That's when I realised that I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast and I started to crave food.
"Lily?" James asked, like he didn't already know I was there.
I continued to stare at the fire, curled up in the armchair. He came and moved in front of me, blocking my view, so I watched him instead, trying to pick up any signs of what he was thinking.
"Lily, we need to talk."
Craning my neck up, I met his eyes. "I thought we already did, Potter," I snapped, getting out of the chair so I was a closer height to him.
He sighed. "Don't do that, Lily," he pleaded, lifting up his hand like he was going to touch me, but thought better of it and let it drop at his side.
"Don't do what?"
"Act like you didn't just say what you did." This time he took my hand and pulled me closer, placing his other hand on my cheek. I looked at him and wondered what had changed, what made James Potter change? "Did you mean it?" He asked, his breath warming my face.
"Why did you change, James? Why did you grow up?"
He smiled down at me, our faces unbearably close, but not close enough. "You did," he mumbled. "I grew up for you."
He couldn't have said anything better and before I knew what I was doing I was reaching up on my toes and bunching my hand in his robes to pull him closer and pressing my lips to his.
Before I closed my eyes, I saw his go wide and he froze. I worried for a minute that he didn't want me to kiss him and began to step back, but I couldn't because he wrapped his hands around my waist and pulled me closer. I ran my hands through his hair, something that secretly I had wanted to do since first year. He had his hand on my cheek and the other drawing on the back of my neck, leaving it tingling.
We finally came up for air and he looked at me for a moment, his hazel eyes sparkling, his hair even more messy than normal, and then he stepped back and sat down on the armchair I had been in, very slowly.
I suddenly felt my cheeks go hot and moved to stand next to the armchair. "I'm sorry," I said, a lot higher than my normal voice. "I shouldn't have- I mean, I didn't know-"
I was cut off when he wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me over the side of the seat and placed me on his lap, burying his head in my hair. I let out a nervous laugh as then jumped when he pressed his lips to my neck.
"You have no idea how long I have wanted to do that," he breathed with the biggest smirk on his face ever. It would have annoyed me a few months ago, but now it just made me blush even more. He kissed me again, more slowly this time, like he was savouring it. When he pulled back, I leaned my head on his chest. "I love you, Lily Evans."
I froze in his arms. I knew what I was supposed to say back and I did really like him, but it had only been a few months and I only just realised it.
He ran his hand over my arms, making me shiver, and kissed my head. "You don't have to say it back," he whispered into my hair. "I know it's too early for you," then he took a deep breath and I felt him smile, "but I can wait."
I smiled and felt my eyelids keep dropping. "James," I whispered, forcing myself to stay awake. "I need to go to my dorm, I'm so tired."
He smoothed down my hair. "You're fine where you are. I'll look after you."
And, with that, I let myself relax in James' arms, his hand stroking my hair, lulling me to sleep.
***
I woke up to the sound of voices, but kept my eyes closed because I knew the voices were James' and Sirius whispering to one another.
"Blimey, Prongs," Sirius said. "When we saw that you were down here on the map and that Lily was with you, this is most definitely not the position that I would expect to find you in." I heard the tread of feet. "Wormtail, you owe me ten Galleons."
Peter's voice filled the room with him mumbling in annoyance and then the clang of coins.
I almost jumped when I felt James' hand over mine and him running his fingers over my knuckles.
"You bet on what exactly?" He asked, suspicion in his voice.
Remus answered. "Whether or not you and Lily would end up together."
Sirius let out an awkward chuckle. "Yeah, lets go with that."
James tensed and for a minute I thought he was going to yell at him, but he clearly thought better of it and whispered. "If Lily wasn't still asleep, I would totally be hitting you right now."
Sirius laughed. "So," he said, "what love potion did you use on Lily to get her in that position after what you did?"
I almost tensed at the comment, but forced myself to stay as still as I thought a sleeping person might stay. However, James didn't. He seemed to flinch at the words.
"I told her what really happened," he harshly whispered back, "and she forgave me."
He was right, I guess, I hadn't been thinking about what he had done last night, so I must have forgiven him. Or maybe I was never really angry at him at all. Maybe I had known all along that he hadn't done anything and I was just annoyed that I hadn't realised what I had felt.
Suddenly, I heard a low groan and someone sink onto one of the seats. There was a shuffling of feet and Sirius exclaimed, "Remus, are you alright?"
I heard a small grunt and the Remus replied, "Yeah, it's just that tonight it a full moon."
I drew in a deep gasp off air and froze in James' arms, hoping he hadn't noticed. Why would Remus have a problem with a full moon? Unless... But he can't be. I'd know, the whole school would know. I mean, where would he change?
But then it clicked. Remus spent a lot of time in the Hospital Wing. He always had some kind of illness and, if I think about it, he probably was in there once a month.
Which means...
He's a werewolf.
"But, seriously Prongs," Sirius said, sounding like he wanted to change the conversation. "What's happening with you and Evans there?"
I shuffled in James' arms and buried my face in his chest, trying my best to feign a believable act of waking up. I then turned my head around and rubbed my eyes, blinking. The Common Room was empty other than Remus, who sat on an armchair and seemed to be doing his best to keep his face neutral, Sirius, who was glancing at him in concern and Peter who didn't seem to be doing much of anything.
I looked up to see James smiling down at me. "Hello, sleepyhead."
I smiled back and said, "Hey." Trying my best to act normal, like I hadn't just found out that one of my best friends is a werewolf!
James pushed a piece of my hair out of my face and kissed me quickly on the lips. Sirius let out a gaging noise. I turned to glare at him and he raised his hands in surrender.
"Seriously, what's happening with the two off you?" He asked.
James smiled and replied, "Lily and I are going on a date next Hogsmeade trip, aren't we Lily?"
For a minute, I wondered what would happen if I said no, but I couldn't do it so I said, "Yes, yes we are."
It finally happened! Ahhh!
I hope that you liked this chapter as much as I liked writing it. I totally think that I'm on a writing spree, so expect more. Okay, u have questions for you...
1. What do you think of my portrayal of the characters? I don't feel like I can do them justice the way I would like, but is love to know what you think.
2. Would you even want a sequel? I plan on finishing this book with the end of their time at Hogwarts, but I'm interested in writing more. I have two ideas:
-After Hogwarts: Lily and James' marriage, having Harry etc
Or
-If they had lived: what their life with Harry would be like if Voldemort had never killed them.
What do you think?
Finally, I'm writing another romance story called Can't Buy Me Love. It's about a girl who is totally normal, who meets two totally rich twins and their amazing little sister. Pleease, check it out. I only have one chapter out, but I have more written and I'll be posting regularly!
Thanks for reading!
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