With all the strength that I possessed in me, I took my hands to his chest and pushed him away from me. What I had done started to get back to me. That was definitely not a friend's kiss, I thought.
"You can't just do this," I said, gaining back my senses "Push me into a room and kiss me like that!"
James smiled as he tried to lead in for another kiss, but I pushed him away. He frowned, "What's wrong?" he asked me, as I walked away from him.
"I'm not sure about this," I said, gesturing to the two of us. James frown deepened.
"What are you not sure about?" he asked me bemused.
"You did kiss her." I said rather lamely.
He groaned as he covered his face with his hands and, when he discovered them, he was looking me in the eyes, "I thought we had that figured out already," he said "I love you, what do you want me to do so you can believe me?"
I shook my head as I gave him a small smile, "I believe you already, you needn't do anything. But it's just... confusing."
"I don't get you," he told me as he sat down in a chair he had just conjured, "I know you feel something for me, and I won't believe you if you say you don't."
I nodded, "I wouldn't believe me too if I said that," I admitted "But I... I don't know James..."
He smiled "What's there not to know?" he asked me, walking up to me and taking my hands in his, "I want you, you want me. Simple as that."
I smiled as I traced his lips and jaw with my fingers. He was so handsome; that messy hair of his always sticking up at the back, as if he had just gotten out of his broom; his eyes, so green from such close proximity... it just didn't feel right to think he'd end up with someone like me.
I felt I wasn't enough for him. "Are you sure you do?" I asked, and his face was even more one of puzzlement, "What if this is simply... a thing of the moment?" I asked, "What if you-"
He silenced my protests with his finger, "this isn't a thing of the moment," he said "C'mon, after all that happened with your sister back at the ball you still think it could ever be?"
"I don't know..."
He smiled as he hugged me, "It's not," he said "You're still young, so I understand you may have some doubts. But I'm older, I'll be entering the real world. I know what I want."
I laughed, "Young? I'm just a year younger than you!"
He laughed too, "You know what I meant."
I nodded as once again pulled him away from me, "I'm... I'm not sure." I said.
"What do you want me to do? Announce to my parents that I want you? Tell the entire school, announce it on the prophet? Because if you do, just tell me, I'll do it!"
I shook my head, "no," I said "I don't want any of those things. Just give me time. To think."
He nodded and half smiled as he looked up at me, "Sure," he said "Of course."
I smiled too as I walked out of the trophy room with a confident walk, when on the inside all I did was shake. What was I doing? I had just said "no" to James. James. The guy I liked... the guy I loved. There must be something wrong with me, I thought as I finally walked to the Charms classroom.
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"You're quiet," Fiona noticed later that night as the two of us, Meg, Alice and Anna sat in the common room by the window. Charlotte was already sleeping and the Marauders were nowhere to be seen. I could almost bet they all had been avoiding me the entire day, for I hadn't seen any of the four.
Tearing my eyes away from where the full moon was staring at me through the window, I faced them, "No," I said, smiling half heartily "I'm just tired."
Fiona nodded but she knew I was lying. Of course I still hadn't told her about what had happened, because every time I was with her the other girls were there as well.
"Do you ever have that feeling Lily is hiding something?" Alice asked as she raised an eyebrow at me, "C'mon Evans, spit it out."
Looking around, I could see we were the only people in the common room. It was almost midnight, but I wasn't sleepy at all. In fact, I was everything but.
"I'm not hiding anything, Al," I said "I'm just really tired."
"Then go to bed," Meg suggested as she stood up, "In fact, that's exactly what I'll be doing." She said as she stifled a yawn.
"I don't really feel like," I said "Good night, Meg."
"No one's coming?" she asked, we all said no "Okay then, see you tomorrow."
She walked up the stairs as an awkward silence fell over the remaining three. I watched them for a while before looking back out the window... the full moon was still clearly visible.
And it remembered me something... the last time I had seen the full moon... what had happened?
With a startle I remembered. It was that night Remus hadn't been able to tutor me, so James, Sirius and Peter had done it. The night I saw the guys on the grounds. And now they were gone again...
Standing up quickly, I opened the window and tried to see anything outside, but nothing caught my eye. Sighing, I closed it again. I was being stupid. What had the full moon to do with them sneaking out of the castle?
The three girls gave me puzzled looks, "Just felt... hot!" I covered lamely. They laughed as Fiona stood up.
"I'm going to follow Meg's example," she said "And don't you even think in opening the window of the dormitory Lily!" she said.
I laughed "I won't!"
"I'm going too." Alice said, "Wait up Fi!"
At last, I was left alone with Anna. "Aren't you tired?" I asked her.
"Not really," she answered "When I'm sure they're asleep I'll made them company."
I smiled as my thoughts wondered again to James. Why was I being so insecure about him? Without really thinking, I asked "Anna, had you any doubts when you started dating Shaun?"
Only after did I notice what I had asked, "Sorry," I said "you don't have to answer that."
Anna smiled slightly as she evaluated me with her eyes, "Someone told you, didn't they? Fiona, right?"
I didn't answer, for I had no idea of what to say to her. "You can answer, it doesn't really matter. Fiona and Alice are the only who know about... that. I guess you know too now."
I looked down, "Sorry to bring that up."
She shrugged, "It's okay. I mean, everyone knows I'm betrothed to Shaun." She started "But not about Sirius."
I smiled sympathetically, "I'm sorry about it."
"Don't be," she answered. "I'm used to it by now."
I looked at her seriously before asking the doubt in mind since I had known about her story. "Anna, how can you date Shaun if you're in love with Sirius?"
She smiled sadly, "Shaun and I have a special relationship. We were betrothed when we were kids, so we always knew we were supposed to get married. He doesn't like me either, and we only pretend to date because of our parents. He's more like... my best friend,"
I smiled. I had never seen her saying so many words together. She smiled too, "Guess I'm scaring you with talking so much?"
I nodded, "But go on." I said
"I wasn't like this before," she told me "I used to speak all the time. I was almost as Meg."
We were in silence as I took her words in. "Like I was saying, Shaun and I aren't really lovers. I mean, when I started having feelings for Sirius he was the first to notice, even before me."
My eyes widened, and Anna laughed. "Yes, he knew about me and Sirius. He helped me a lot with him. We tried to end our betrothal too, but to no avail. So I gave up and accepted the fact that I'll marry Shaun one day.
"And for that Sirius never really forgave me," she said. "But it was best for both of us. It'd be worst if I didn't do that."
I nodded, "What about Fiona? Didn't you know she liked Sirius when you dated him?"
Anna nodded, "We used to be best friends, you know?" she told me. "Of course I knew she was in love with Sirius. She has been in love with him ever since she found out boys existed! But I couldn't help it. I fell hard for him and he fell for me as well. That's why we don't give along now. She never really forgave me either."
I nodded, "That's really sad," I told her. "but it could've been worst, right?"
"Yes," she said. "It could be worst. What if I was betrothed to Malfoy?" she laughed and I laughed too. It was good to see she could kid around with that.
"I'm going to bed," she said, getting up. "See you tomorrow Lily."
I nodded "I'm staying a while longer. Good night."
And, at last, I was alone.
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"Shh, stop making noises!"
"Well, stop shouting Padfoot!"
"You just did it too Wormtail!"
"Guys! Shut up!"
"Sorry Prongs."
I lifted my head and looked around, not seeing anyone but hearing three voices I knew very well.
I was still in the common room, laying on the couch where I had probably fallen asleep. The clock showed it was four in the morning. Still hidden, I lifted my head a little more and watched, in shock, as three seventh year boys appeared out of thin air.
An invisibility cloak, I thought, as I stared at the object in James' hands.
They were about to climb the stairs when I decided to step in, "Where were you until now?" I asked loud and clear.
The three of them tensed and stopped. Then, slowly, they turned back and I could see them perfectly.
Their clothes were all ripped apart; their skin had scratches everywhere, one especially nasty in James' forehead. I raised my eyebrow at them, burning with concern. What had they been up to?
Guessing they were drunk and had gotten in a fight, I asked my question again. "So? Where were you?"
"Hi!" Sirius said, as he walked to me "We were... in the kitchens!" he said "We just left!"
No, I thought, if he can lie he isn't drunk. "Really? How come I didn't see you getting out? Or hear you," I added. "Seeing as you forgot to mention you had an invisibility cloak."
James looked at me guiltily, "Oh, oh, oh." Peter said, faking a yawn "I'm so tired. Good night!" and he run up the stairs while I screamed "Peter!"
Sirius looked at where Peter had just vanished and then at me again. "I'm going to get him for you." Sirius said, following the former marauder's path, and I knew he wasn't by any means coming back.
Finally, only James remained. "Don't you to dare run away like they did," I told him threateningly. "And what happened to you?" I asked, as I took my wand and fixed his clothes.
"Thanks," he said "And nothing happened. I fell."
I laughed mirthless, "And I guess those two jackasses fell with you, right?"
James grimaced as I took my hand to touch his head where he was hurt. "That stings, you know?"
In response, I touched it with more strength. "Lily!" he said.
"You deserve it!" I said as I pulled him to the couch, sitting on him and examining his cut better. "You should go to the Hospital Wing." I told him seriously.
"Are you crazy?" he asked me "And how exactly would I explain this cut?"
I glared at him "The same way you are explaining it to me," I said. "this isn't the first time I catch you three out of bed at night. And where is Remus?"
"Remus is asleep." He answered quickly. I knew he was lying, but I nodded anyway.
I quickly made a healing charm in his head (I was quite good at them) and the cut closed.
"Thanks." He said again.
Finally, I sat next to him. "Okay, now I'm ready to listen. Last time you got away with it, but not this one."
He sighed, "Where do you think we were?"
"How am I supposed to know? All I know is that it's the second time I catch you three out of bed on a full," my next words came out slow, "moon," something was starting to form in my head "night." I said at last.
No, it couldn't be. I mean, it was impossible!
My eyes widening, I got up from the couch. "Lily, where are you going?"
I started running up the stairs as James run after me. As I was about to open his dormitory's door, his hand came around my waist and stopped me. "What are you doing?" he asked me.
"I just need to be sure." I told him.
He shook his head, "I don't know what you're talking about. Just don't wake them up."
He wanted to drag me back to the common room but, before he could do that, I said one word that froze him. "Werewolf." I whispered.
He looked at me with wide eyes, but quickly that was dismissed with a laugh. A fake laugh. "What are you talking about?"
"Remus is a werewolf." I said. "It makes sense. That's why he wasn't with you today or last time I caught you. I just don't get what you were doing outside. I mean, you could've been bitten!"
James shook his head, "You're crazy," he told me "Remus is not that."
But he was lying and he knew he couldn't fool me anymore. "Then I'll just go in your dormitory and he'll be there, sleeping. Isn't it, James?"
He seemed to give up as he looked down and the door behind me opened. "Man, she's smart." Sirius said, as he and Peter exited. "It took us a lot more time to find out."
James glared at him and he closed his mouth. "Get in, Lily." He said demandingly, and I had no other chance but to obey and enter their dormitory.
It was as messy as the last time I had entered it. Of the four beds, only one remained clean. And it was empty. Remus'.
The idea of Remus being a werewolf was hard to accept. I mean, how could that boy, so calm and collected transform into a....a......a wolf once a month?
"Lily, you have to promise you'll keep this to yourself." James said, and never before had I seen him so serious. I nodded in response.
"So, he is... a werewolf? I wasn't mistaken?"
He nodded, "No, you were right."
I arched an eyebrow at him, "And what exactly were you three doing outside?"
The shared a look between the three. "Well, we might as well tell her everything." Sirius said.
And then, just liked that, in the place where Sirius once was a huge black dog appeared. What?, I thought. They were... animagus?
"Am I dreaming?" I asked. "Or is Sirius really a dog?"
James and Peter laughed at that, "In and out." Peter answered me as Sirius -the dog- jumped on him.
And then, just like that, Peter disappeared and from under the black dog came a rat. I screamed as I jumped to the nearest bed. I couldn't help but hate rats. It had been like that since I was a little girl.
James laughed, "Afraid of rats?" he asked me.
I thrown him the first thing my hand caught, which happened to be a pillow. "What about you?" I asked, curious.
"No, I'm not afraid of rats."
I rolled my eyes. "Not that!" I said "What are you?"
He grinned, "A stag."
I shook my head confusedly. "Okay, I know you're single. But what animal are you?"
Peter and Sirius laughed for some reason as I stared at them confusedly. "What?" I asked.
"Give her a break. She's French." James said "What I mean Lily is that I'm really a stag. An animal."
I raised my eyebrow at him, "What is a stag?"
"Let me show you."
And James started changing until a large animal with horns remained in his place. Ah! I thought a deer! "You could've just said you were a deer," I told him as he transformed back.
James stuck his tongue out at me. "Anyway," he said "Have you any more questions?"
Had I? Hell yes! But it was time to go to sleep. I had classes in some hours.
"No," I said "None I really want to ask, I mean." I stood up. "I'll be going."
They nodded as they watched me walk to the door. When I was there, however, I stopped and turned, "Ah!" I said "Now I get the nicknames!"
I saw them grinning as I closed the door and ran all the way to my dorm.
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Next morning, and due to being up until almost five in the morning, I missed my first class.
When I woke up, the other four girls were gone, and they had left me a note saying I had been sleeping like a rock and they couldn't wake me.
After seeing what time it was, I got up, took the fastest bath ever and got dressed in record time. After going to the kitchens and having a light snack, I went to class and barely managed to get in DADA at time.
So, when lunch time finally arrived, I was utterly relieved.
As the girls and I arrived to the Great Hall, the Marauders and Charlotte were already there. I was going to sit somewhere else, and Anna seemed tempted to do the same, but Sirius waved at us and Alice started walking to them. Sighing, we followed her.
I tried not to look at any of them as I concentrate only on my lunch. But the four gazes of the Marauders burned little holes on my head. Yes, four, as Remus was already back. He must know I know, I thought.
Finally looking up, I faced their gazes. "What?" I asked, and they all looked away quickly.
"Nothing." James said. I smiled at their reactions, and Remus smiled back. I winked at him and kept eating my lunch normally, now more worried about the fact that James was sitting next to me than the fact that a werewolf was a well.
"Hi!" I heard someone saying. I looked up to see a girl behind James, her hand on his shoulder. "Can I talk to you James?"
I recognized the girl as being a Gryffindor seventh year, the best friend of the Head Girl. Without really noticing it, my fists started closing.
James looked at her and shrugged. "Sure." He said, getting up and following her out of the Great Hall.
"Who was that girl?" Charlotte asked.
"Oh, that? Mary Smith," Peter clarified. "She has had her eye on James since Sirius dumped her."
Sirius grinned at that, but I wasn't paying attention. Was she kidding me? I had just managed to get the boy to like me and already he had another girl after him? Okay, I had asked him time, but that didn't mean I wanted him to date other girls!
"Excuse me," I said, getting up. "I seem to have forgotten my charms' book in my room."
"But we don't have charms!?" Meg said confusedly. Fiona, Alice and Anna shot her a dark look and I heard her making a big "Oh!"
Opening the Great Hall door, I found James leaning on the wall with the girl in front of him. She was staring at him and the words "like you" and "chance" caught my ear.
Trying my best to remain calm, I approached them and they both turned their gazes to me. The girl raised an eyebrow and James smiled. "Hi," I said shortly "James, can we have a word?", I said, looking him the eye.
The girl looked at me with a murderous expression, "Sorry dear, but we are in the middle of a serious conversation."
I shrugged, "I don't think he wants to listen to what you have to say." I answered.
"Excuse me?" she asked.
"Lily?" James asked as he looked at me "What are you doing?"
"Please?" I asked him. "Come with me."
"James, this here is really important, you know." The girl said.
But James wasn't paying any attention to her. Somehow, I felt good at that. He was grinning at me. "Sorry Mary," he said. "We can finish this talk later."
I smiled widely as I grabbed his hand and started running to the doors, James running behind me.
"Where are we going?" he asked me.
I didn't answer as I opened the entrance doors and led him outside. A light breeze of cold air touched us as soon as we stepped outside, but I kept going, only stopping when we arrived to that same tree where so long ago Sirius had hexed me for the first time.
"Kidnapping me, Evans?" James asked, smirking "Tsk, tsk. Don't get used to it or you won't be able to stop."
I laughed at him as he pulled me to him and kissed me. I kissed back and, when we broke apart, sent him a bemused look. "I never said why I dragged you here in the first place." I stated.
"No, you didn't." he said "But it's obvious, isn't it?" he asked smugly "You couldn't keep your thoughts off me!"
I laughed in mock shock "You're so conceited!" I told him as I punched him in the chest, "I can't believe I'm doin-"
But he cut me off as he kissed me again, and I let myself fall into his embrace. "But your right," I admitted as he smiled at me. "I couldn't keep my thoughts off your so beautiful horns."
James laughed, "Even as an animal I'm gorgeous."
I punched him again, "I can't believe you just said that! It's just... wrong!"
We both laughed as I hugged him closer, resting my head on his chest while he played with my hair.
"Lily..." he said.
"Mmmh?"
"You never really answered me on my birthday..." he said, and I knew exactly what he was talking about.
"Why, but wasn't it you who said it was obvious why I brought you here?"
James pouted, "You just ruined the moment."
"I did not!"
"You did," he said "You ruined the moment."
I laughed at him, "Okay, I'm sorry. Let's do it again." That said, I leaned on his chest again. He laughed too. "The hair!" I said. "Come on!"
He did as he was told. "Now you have to speak." I said with fake exasperation.
I needn't look at him to know he was grinning, "Lily," he said.
"Mmmh?" I said again.
"You never really answered me on my birthday..."
This time, I looked up at him and all the amusement in the situation was gone. His hazel eyes sparkled as he waited for me to answer. "I love you too." I said.
"Ahh!" James said as he hugged me, taking my feet out of the ground and spinning me as I screamed, "I knew it!"
I laughed, "You just ruined the moment!" I mocked.
"The hell with the moment!" he said as he put me back down and looked me in the eyes, "I love you as well, you know that right?"
I nodded, "Yeah," I whispered, "I know."
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"Goodbye sixth year!" I laughed as Fiona screamed as loud as she could, while we were walking to our last breakfast in the castle as sixth years.
Things seemed to pass by so fast since James and I were together. It had been eight months since we started dating and, so far, we had only fought three times. A record if I say so myself.
During Christmas, instead of going home, both of us remained in the castle. We spent almost every minute together.
But now, as the year came to an end, I wasn't sure about what would happen to us. After all, I'd have to come back to Hogwarts for my seventh year. And he wouldn't be here.
"What'cha thinking about Lils?" Meg asked me as we walked "Finally the summer is coming! Be happy!"
I smiled half-heartedly. The summer didn't seem so bright to me; not only was Petunia home to "welcome" me but James would start his auror training two weeks into the summer as well. And I'd be seeing him less frequently.
"She's thinking about how hot and good looking her boyfriend is," A voice said behind me before grabbing my waist and kissing my neck, "isn't that so, love?"
I smiled, "Well, I was more like thinking in how good looking and hot my boyfriend's best friend was..." I said. Did I mention Sirius and I had taking a like in mocking James?
"Thanks Flower," Sirius said "Tonight, same time, same place?" he asked, winking.
"Tonight, same time but we have to choose other place." I answered, as James looked between the two of us and the other's laughed. "We won't be at Hogwarts anymore."
James rolled his eyes at us, "So childish." He said to Alice, who laughed.
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After breakfast, the ten of us -meaning the Marauders plus me, Anna, Alice, Fiona, Meagan and Charlotte- decided to take a stroll through the grounds of castle. Not only did the weather invite it, but also it was the Marauder's last day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
We decided to stop behind a tree by the lake, a place I had seen the Marauders sitting in many times and where James and I had sat plenty of times as well.
"Come with me." James whispered. I raised an eyebrow at him but followed him anyway. He led to other tree a little far from our friends, but close enough to see them.
"Kidnapping me again?" I asked in what was our private joke. He smiled tensely at me. "What?" I asked him concerned, "You seem incredibly tense."
He shook his head, "I love you."
I raised an eyebrow at him, "I love you too." I said cautiously.
He took a deep breath "Lily, next year you'll be coming to Hogwarts and I'll be in auror training," he started as I continued to stare at him confused "It'll be really hard for us to see each other..."
Oh Merlin, I thought, was he breaking up with me?
"Why are you talking about that now?" I asked him as tears started to well in my eyes.
James put a strand of my hair being my ear, "I'm just worried about what's going to happen to us."
"Nothing's going to happen to us..." I whispered as he leaned his head on mine. "We'll be just like we are now..."
He nodded as he grabbed my hands, "You know it's not like that. And you're young, you may forget about me, get another bloke..."
I laughed, "I'm one year younger than you," I said "At there'll be Hogsmeade trips, Christmas... I don't want another bloke."
I felt him slipping something into my finger and I looked down startled. And I was even more surprised when I saw the triangular ring craven with emeralds and diamonds.
"Ja-James Potter..."
"Marry me." he whispered, cutting me off.
My eyes widened as I looked up at him, "Are you serious?" I asked.
"Never been more serious in my life. Look, I know at the age of sixteen you're probably not thinking in getting married. By I'm not saying for us to get married right now..." he said, smiling, "I just... just want to make sure you're mine."
I looked up at him without knowing what to say. And here I was thinking he was going to break up with me!, I thought.
"Where did you get the ring?" I asked at last as a smile started tugging on my lips.
"It's a family heirloom," he said "I asked my mother to owl it to me."
I shook my head, "So?" he asked, "I need an answer..."
I laughed as I encircled my arms around him, "Yes, yes, yes!" I screamed, and we ended up falling to the floor, me on top of him.
He laughed too as he hugged me back, "Lily Potter..." he said "It has a ring to it..."
I smiled as we laid there on the ground, our arms still around each other.
And so I was the Ugly Sister... and got the Prince Charming. How was that possible? Maybe James wasn't the Prince after all. Or maybe I wasn't the Ugly Sister...
I shook my head of those thoughts. The love of my life had just proposed and there I was thinking about fairytales.
"What are you thinking about?" James voice brought me back to reality.
I smiled, "Cinderella." I answered.
"I don't get it."
"I was thinking about the Ugly Sister." I clarified for him as we both sat up.
If James was confused before, now he stared at me like I was the oddest person alive, "What about her?" he asked me.
"Do you think she gets her happy ending?" I asked as I focussed my eyes on the blue sky.
"Wasn't she supposed to be bad?" he asked me.
"Sometimes she's good." I answered, "The problem is that people are so worried about Cinderella that they don't see her."
James smiles, probably at how strange the conversation was, "Then yes, I think she gets her happy ending." He said as he kissed my cheek. "And you," he asked me at last "What do you think? Do you believe she gets her happy ending?"
Before answering I looked around me. First, my eyes landed of my friends, who were laughing at the distance probably due to some joke Sirius had said. My eyes kept travelling through the castle until they felt on the ring, my engagement ring.
"Yes," I answered at last and smiled, as I looked up into the beautiful eyes of James Potter "I'm sure she gets her happy ending."