Disclaimer: I don’t own Harry Potter and I’m not J.K. Rowling.



“Oh my gosh! Chloe! Este!” Lily Evans bounded up to her best friends, quite out of breath.

“What?!” they pressed impatiently.

“Craig Forge just asked me to go out with him!” she almost shouted, beaming and throwing her hands up into the air. The three girls were now attracting the stares of almost everyone in the common room. James Potter got up and left. Chloe and Este’s looks of excitement slid off their faces.

“Looks like someone’s disappointed,” laughed Este.

James had ben asking Lily out incessantly for almost five years. Lily knew better than to say yes though. He was an egotistical jerk who only asked her out because she was the only girl in the entire school who wouldn’t fall for him. He wasn't, and never would be, for real.

“But you know, Lils, James is really a nice guy,” continued her friend, “Ever since I started going out with Sirius, I’ve been spending a lot more time with him and I’ve really gotten to know him. You should just give him a chance.”

“Yeah, and he’s really cute, too!” giggled Chloe, tossing her long brown hair over her shoulder.

“You guys! I just started going out with Craig Forge! For one, I can’t have another boyfriend, and two: I HATE JAMES POTTER! He desn't even like me”

“I don't know Lily, we’re just saying that James seems a lot more genuine than Craig.”

“Genuine?! Since when do you side with James and not me? Haven’t we agreed that he’s only asking me out because I detest him?! I don’t, and never will like James Potter!”

“We’re only trying to-“

“No! I can look out for myself, thanks. I’ll be in the library.” She stalked off and flicked her auburn curls over her shoulder.

Este and Chloe shrugged, returning to their game of chess.


* * *


When dinner, came, Lily ambled over to Este and Chloe looking apologetic.

“Look, guys, I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you like that, I was just really ecstatic about Craig, and then, well, I was sort of crushed.”

“It’s okay Lils, we’re sorry too,” Chloe nudged Este.

“Wha- oh yeah! Really sorry!”

“Okay good!” Lily smiled, “I’m going to go sit by Craig then.”

Their jaws dropped.

“Erm, guys?”

“Oh, go ahead! We don’t care!”

Lily missed the sarcasm and sauntered off to the Ravenclaw table.

“She seriously thinks she can just apologize, and then just stroll off to the source of our argument like nothing happened?,” muttered Chloe, her sinking forehead onto her hand which was propped against the table.

“Hello my dearest! Why so gloomy?”

“Oh, hello Sirius,” replied Este, forcing a smile as he slid in next to her. Many girls glared at them, Sirius was a popular guy, “It’s just Lily. She started going out with Craig today.” Her gaze turned to the Ravenclaw table and she gagged on her pumpkin juice as she saw Lily and Craig feeding each other pie with their fingers.

James looked murderous. Remus lay a hand on his arm to steady him.

“I know James,” sympathized Chloe, “We don’t like him either. He used to seem really nice, but I guess we realized that we were wrong way too late!”

“Yeah, and what if she gets hurt? I’ve known Craig to do some pretty nasty things in the past,” he growled.

Este and Chloe looked worried.


* * *


“Good morning!” called Lily cheerfully.

“Oh, uh, morning Lils,” replied Este, still annoyed from the previous night.

“Hey, did you see Craig last night? I haven’t seen him this morning either.”

“Nope, sorry.”

The next moment the doors to the great hall opened and Craig and his friends staggered in. A girl ran up to him and he pulled her into a deep kiss. When he let go, she strolled off happily and he came towards Lily, who was staring at him, stunned.

“Hey Lils,” he said drunkenly. He leaned in for a kiss but she slapped him. His breath reeked of fire whiskey and some other unknown.

“What was that for?” he exclaimed.

“For cheating on me!” she pointed a finger in his face and shouted at the top of her lungs, “And drinking! And staying out all night! You are the slimiest, most foul creep I’ve ever laid eyes on!” She slapped him again and kicked him. She ran up the stairs, tears streaming down her face. James immediately followed, firing a hex at Craig as he passed. Seeing a door slam, he slipped in after and saw Lily.

She was huddled in a corner with head on her arms, sobbing.

“James,” she acknowledged in between sobs. He sat down in front of her.

She looked up into his sympathetic, yet understanding hazel eyes. She finally understood her feelings for him. Craig had helped her realize that. He reached over and brushed back a strand of fiery hair. She smiled weakly and grabbed his hand before he could move it away, interlacing fingers. Moving next to her, he looked deep into her eyes.

“Lily, I-,” but he never finished because her lips were on his. He pulled her closer, arms tightly around her. She reached her hands up and ran her graceful fingers through his messy black hair. They broke apart breathing heavily, but immediately kissed again. James smiled under her lips, the moment had actually happened. Lily Evans was finally in love with him.