People always give an oversimplified answer to the question, "How did you two meet?" or "What's your love story?" Couples shorten a book's worth of information to a one-sentence answer.

"I chased her for a while, but she liked me all along."

"We grew up together and fell in love when we were older."

"He sent me secret love letters."

Then they leave it at that. Aren't you dying to know what the chasing and climactic ending looked like? Or what made them realize they were in love all long? What did the letter say that made him so captivating?

Or what Sirius and Lupin nonchalantly meant by "She started going out with him in seventh year, once James had deflated his head a bit"? Such a vague explanation, but they were right: it really wasn't that exotic. There were no "damsels in distress" or deadly dangerous dragons lurking school grounds. Voldemort didn't use Veritaserum to make Lily admit she was madly in love with James. James didn't offer to become a Death Eater to save Lily.


But there was a werewolf.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

With a gasp, Lily turned around slowly, away from the window, and sank to the floor, leaning against the wall for support.

"It's my fault," she whispered, to an unresponsive, empty room. "I wouldn't feel like this or know anything, if I wasn't such a curious, persistent..." Her voice trailed off when she couldn't come up with a decent word to describe herself. She felt horrible. "I'm sure he feels worse." At the thought of his pain, she groaned outwardly. "He's been through so much, and I only add to it." Guilt and sympathy began to choke her, and she almost cried.

Standing on her own, she blindly walked to the bathroom and leaned over the sink on her elbows. Her reflection was sure to be a sordid sight after staying up all night, so Lily avoided the mirror. Instead, she turned the cold-water knob and cupped her hands under the faucet. Her hair fell into the wet pool formed by the overflow from the faucet, as she lowered her face into her hands. The cold, refreshing water provided a momentary shock for her nerves, but it faded as soon as she wiped her face with the nearby hand-towel.

"I need some sleep." From the bathroom, there was a door leading to her bedroom, which she entered groggily. Her clothes felt stale and old, from sitting in front of window on a creaky chair all night. Stepping out of them mindlessly, she grabbed whatever was on the top of her wardrobe and pulled her school uniform over her head.

Her pillows were the perfect padding as she threw herself back onto her bed. When she closed her eyes, all she could see was the full moon and a werewolf howling beneath its light. She turned over and buried her head into the sheets, hoping to sleep untroubled. Her mind replayed the nights events.

"Oh, I just have to talk to him," she mumbled, leaving the comfort of her warm bed.

The flames from the fireplace invited the shaken woman to a red, plush chair within the range of its warmth. Sinking into the cushions, she pulled her legs close and hugged them tighter to her body. The heat did nothing to help her shattered nerves and feelings, and instead, she felt guilty for being sane and warm in an enclosed room, while he had been cold, out of his mind, in the open air. She tried pulling her legs closer.

She'd seen them come out of the woods. The Marauders. Remus and James were leaning on each other. She'd been hoping she was wrong, but that just seemed to be the last straw on her camel's obstinate back, and she broke. She couldn't deny it anymore.

James was a werewolf.

She'd seen the cuts last full moon but foolishly hoped they were from something other than a transformation. But this explained everything. Why he'd been missing all night long the past three full moons, excluding this one. Why the Marauders constantly asked how he felt. Why Severus Snape kept hinting to 'dangerous animals on the grounds' whenever the Marauders were near, and why they responded so strongly.

But was this also the reason for James' sudden indifference? Maybe he'd been attacked over the summer. Wouldn't that explain his sudden change in demeanor and why he'd stopped asking her out? He didn't want her to get hurt.

She sat up straight, declaring, "But I'm brave too."

Transfixed by the flames, Lily remained curled in the chair and watched the early morning sun filter through Head's common room window. The sun's heat couldn't compete with the fire. For an indefinite amount of time, she watched the sun's light mix with the fire, pondering the early morning discovery.

The door opened.

James quietly shut it behind him, slumping against it.

"James," she said simply, informing him of her presence. Shocked eyes turned to her. She forgot he didn't know she could see through his invisibility cloak, a feat she'd accomplished when she discovered it in sixth year. He shook his head and purposefully ignored what he'd heard. "James," she repeated so he wouldn't retreat to his room before she could confront him.

"Lily?" he asked cautiously.

"Go ahead, and take it off James. I can see you."

Frowning, he pulled it off and dropped it the floor, along with his dirty robe. "How?"

She smiled slyly. "Magic."

He rolled his eyes and sat on the couch across from her chair. "Har har. Why didn't you just turn it in?"

"I didn't think they weren't allowed in the school. I just thought I'd immune myself to its abilities."

"How?"

She shook a finger at him. "If I told you, you'd fix it, wouldn't you?"

With a dramatically solemn face, he placed his right hand over his heart. "I swear not to tamper with your ingenious spell."

"But can you vouch for you friends?"

He opened his mouth but shut it again promptly, dropping the subject. "So, what are you doing up this early?"

"You tell me first."

With an indifferent glance at the fireplace, James shrugged. "Uh, I... accidentally fell asleep in the Gryffindor common room. Some annoying first year, sat on me earlier, and I decided to come back. What about you?" He nodded in her direction.

"I've been up all night, actually," she said calmly.

"Whoa, Lily! Aren't you like the early-to-bed early-to-rise kind of person?"

"I've been watching for you." She pointed to the window, and the uncomfortable, wooden chair sitting in front of it. "From there."

His eyes followed her finger, comprehension slowly dawning. "What for?"

"I had to know," she told him, but she knew he didn't understand. "I had this slight suspicion when you stayed out all night the first time. The second increased my worries. After the third time, I investigated."

Sighing with a weary expression, he ventured, "What did you find out?"

"I know that Minerva knows, and yet you're still Head Boy. I know your friends go with you to help you. I know... I know it's why you stopped asking me out." This confession brought his head up from his study of his pants. His eyes seemed confused, but she pressed on. "It was gentlemanly of you, James, to worry about my safety, but I don't care. Look, I ... I think I really like you. No, scratch that. I know I do." His utterly bewildered expression was cute, and she assumed it was because he hadn't expected her to feel for him if she found out. "When I realized I liked you, I just had to find out why you didn't like me anymore. Then I found out you still do. You're just a cautious werewolf."

Confusion fled his face. "No, Lily, I don't think you understand-"

"I do!" She wasn't going to let him push her away. "I know how dangerous a werewolf can be, James. I got an Outstanding in Defense Against the Dark Arts, remember? I'm not scared of what could happen."

"That's not what I meant. I'm not a werewolf, Lily."

She froze. He was lying to cover up. Right? "Don't try that. I saw you and Remus coming out of the woods."

"That's just it," he explained slowly and carefully. "It's Remus. Not me."

Breaking down every theory she'd built that night, his words pierced her thoughts. "Oh, crap," she whispered, while thinking, And I just told him I cared about him. As gracefully as she could muster, she pulled herself out of the chair and nodded her head at him, without even looking. She tried to nobly walk to the door so she could leave this room, but James quickly stood and blocked her path.

"Wait," he pleaded, and his eyes agreed. "Wait."

"No, thanks," she choked and tried to pull her arm out of his grasp, longing for the open door. After loosing her struggle for freedom, she sank, letting his other arm catch her. She was tired, emotional, depressed, and angry with herself for opening her big mouth. James pulled her close, and she knew he'd seen her tears. "No," she mumbled into his chest but didn't fight back.

Five minutes. For five minutes, he held her, and five minutes she cried. She cried because she was tired, because James knew how she felt, because he hadn't stopped pursuing her for honorable reasons, because Remus was a werewolf, because he had been in pain that night, and because James was holding her so tightly. After she emptied her body of tears, her weak body sagged into his muscled arms. He lifted her easily and placed her back in her chair.

"My turn," he murmured, Lily too tired to protest. "Now, you know Remus is a werewolf. No one's allowed to know, but I think a Head Girl can be responsible enough to know." Nodding her head as her eyes began to sag with lack of sleep, she mentally vowed to keep the Marauder secret. "We, Sirius, Peter, and I, pieced together the clues in our second year. Remus thought we'd persecute him, but I don't think he understood loyalty, since his parents had basically disowned him when they'd found out. To prove our friendship, we decided to become... Animagi."

Lily guffawed. "James Potter, don't pull my leg."

"I would not lie about this!" he exclaimed in protest. "We studied for three years to become what we are. If wasn't for us, Remus would have the same nightmarish transformations he had before fifth year."

Another thought came to prove this to Lily. "Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs."

"Exactly." He was relieved she believed him. "Moony is Lupin, obviously; Wormtail's a rat, Peter; Sirius is a black dog (who'd have guessed?); and I'm a stag."

Her worry from before forgotten, she stared at him in wonder. "You really did it?"

Backing into the middle of the common room, he winked before grabbing his wand. His form blurred, and Lily rubbed her eyes, attempting to remove the haze. When her fists left her eyes, she saw a deer before her and gasped.

He was beautiful. Her hand rose questioningly. Unlike wild deer, this stag bent his head and came to her outstretched hand, nibbling at her fingers. She laughed and moved her hand down his neck, his soft fur burying her fingers. To investigate him fully, she stood and circled him, while he watched her curiously. She stopped at his head and fingered his antlers.

"You're extraordinary." Her compliment earned her a lick on the cheek.

The change back was faster, giving Lily no time to blink. "Thank you," James grinned. Stepping closer, he added, "So are you."

His gaze unsettled her, and she swallowed nervously, changing the subject immediately. "So, that's why you're gone every full moon?"

They both knew she knew the answer, so James didn't acknowledge her question. Instead, he moved closer and asked his own question, "Do you still like me?"

"Do you still like me?" she repeated, scared to voice her opinions first for the second time that night.

"I do." He spoke softly, his eyes occasionally dropping to her lips. "The reason I stopped all the flirting and showing off was merely because you told me to, Lily. I'd tried every method, or at least, I thought I had. Remus reminded me I hadn't tried honesty or listening to you yet. Lily, I never stopped liking you or wanting to ask you out every second of the day. It killed me to share living compartments with you, to see you everyday."

"Is that why they kept asking you how you were?"

He nodded and his hair brushed against her forehead. She was tempted to retreat, but pride kept her standing still. Hadn't she called herself brave earlier? His voice was low, as he repeated his former question, "Now, do you still like me?"

Warmth, not from the fire, flooded her face, and she couldn't tell if it was a blush or a reaction to his body so near to hers. He's going to kiss me, if I say yes. To prove he didn't intimidate her, she decided to kiss him first. Standing on her toes, she pulled his head down, until his lips met hers. James responded accordingly. The heat in her face intensified, flowing down her body. Every limb weakened beyond anything she'd felt in the whole course of the morning, but his arms caught her again, pulling her closer. His firm lips pushed hers open, as her arms round around his neck, her fingers raking through his hair. When his hand slid down to the small of her back, she moaned with pleasure.

Just when she began to ignore time and morality, he withdrew from the embrace. His breath was rough, as he huskily asked, "Is that a yes?"

Letting her hands fall out of his hair and her arms off his shoulders, Lily gave a little sigh. "Oh, I don't know." Her finger traced his upset brow. "It's probably just a passing fancy."

"Evans," he groaned.

Before he could get his arms around her again to prove it wasn't passing anytime soon, she ducked out of his reach and jumped to the foot of the staircase which opened directly next to the Great Hall.

"Goodbye, Mr. Potter. I'm sure you're tired from your nightly escapade, and I need my breakfast. Cheerio!"

- - - - - - - - - - - -

The End! Did you like it? It wasn't really my idea, to be honest. My sister (Stag_Flower) and I share a room, and one night she came up with the brilliant idea that Lily should think James is a werewolf. I guffawed. Yeah, right. But then she reminded me that he did leave every full moon and he would occasionally come back with scratches. So, I wrote this for her. She critiqued it a good deal and told me how long it needed to be. Isn't she a genius? I mean, it seems like something Lily would have guess under the circumstances, but no one else thought of it!