“Okay, don’t be afraid, you’ll be just fine. Okay now get a firm grip, and push up with your legs. You can’t be afraid. Show no fear…be confident, brave, be bold! Alright ready to try?” A tiny little first year looked up at him…and nodded in awe. He laughed okay, mount your broom…now on the count of three, I’ll be right up there with you. One…Two….THREE!” Whoosh! And they were up, floating a couple feet above the ground.

“We did it!” cried the little boy.

“You did it. Way to go stud…Alright, now here’s the fun part…the brooms gonna do all the hard work and you get the fun part…think where you want to go, gently lead with your hands and….wooohooo!” He was off flying circles and loops around the little boy who was gleefully laughing with delight…

They had been out there for almost an hour. I couldn’t believe my eyes. The jerk. The ego. The constant annoyance that had been in my life for seven years now was in front of me, only he wasn’t a jerk or an ego…he was sweet, and kind…patient and…amazing. I had had about enough of the birthday merriment upstairs and come outside for some fresh air. I heard voices and wandered over to the Quidditch Pitch, and who did I find? None other than James Potter and tiny Douglas Priene. My first instinct had been, of course, to turn and run, stay away from Potter was a constant voice in my head, but something about the way Douglas was laughing touched me, and I was curious to see more. Earlier that week the first years had had their first flying lesson. Apparently he was scared and the other boys had been teasing ever since. I had been standing in the shadows of a tree for so long now, watching the little boy finally succeed, and the expression on his face was so priceless, I just wanted to kiss Potter for putting it there.

“Alright bud, I think that’s about enough for one night, what do you say?” Douglas nodded and then beamed up at his hero. “You go on ahead, I’ll catch up with you later, k?”

“Okay!” Douglas sprinted towards the castle and as he hit the stairs I could hear him laughing again. I looked at James and he was just standing there chuckling pleasantly at the boy’s contagious laughter. When you could no longer hear Douglas he sighed, and still smiling, carried the broomsticks toward me. I was so curious, so intrigued by this stranger before me, that I again ignored the voice in my head telling me to run fast and hard, and instead stepped out of the shadows….

“Hey there Potter,” he jumped at the sound of my voice, obviously unaware anyone else was outside.

“Oh Merlin, you scared the dung out of me…” he peered into the shadows to see who it was and I stepped out, “Evans! Oh, uh…hi… um…what are you doing out here?” I shrugged…

“Nothing really…just came out for some air, and heard you guys, thought I’d see what was going on. You didn’t want to go to Meg’s party?”

“Oh! No, I just figured, everyone would be busy celebrating, so no one would notice if we just slipped out…You don’t think she minded, did she?”

“Oh of course not, that’s not what I meant. You know…that was a really sweet thing to do James.”

“Oh…I didn’t do anything…”he seemed so awkward, so shy…so unlike the James Potter I thought I had pegged so well! “Doug was just scared, and then they teased him, I-I just thought he could use a friend ‘sall,” he mumbled quietly looking down at the grass, cheeks beginning to blush. I could not believe this was the same guy…I stopped for a minute and smiled, I couldn’t help it. He paused looking back, “What?”

“You’re different tonight James.”

“Oh?”

“Yah!” he smiled shyly and I laughed…So this was the true James Potter, he wasn’t cocky or conceited, he wasn’t tripping over his own ego as usual, he looked so sweet, so real.

“Lily can I ask you something?”

“Mm-hm. Shoot. As long as it’s not, ‘Evans wanna go on a date’” I laughed.

“Oh…” I was about to shoot myself, stupid Lily! “Okay…”

“No wait, I didn’t mean it,” he shrugged, “No really James…I’m sorry…I like talking to you like this.”

“Did you just say you liked me Evans?”

“Hey…” Oh no, was it only cocky Potter in disguise? but he just laughed jokingly and I laughed too. Phew. He was silent for a while, and he looked like he was trying to pluck up the courage for something…James Potter lacking courage? Never!

“Lily, I just have to tell you something,” I met his eyes and nodded, he took a deep breath… “I’m in love with you,” I gaped at him. Love?

“What? I-I thought you just liked to get me all worked up. I never thought you actually cared!”

“Oh,” he seemed hurt and a little confused. I watched his eyes shift left and right trying to make sense of everything that was happening in his head. I smiled, I loved his little habits, the way his brow furrowed when he concentrated, the way his smile could melt my heart.

We were almost back to the castle.

“Well Evans I’ve got to put his broom up, I borrowed it from Madame Hooch.” Oh my God, I just realized what I was thinking. “So I guess I’ll see you later.” Wait, I love you, I’m in love with you too! Don’t go. “ ‘Night Lily,” he turned away dejectedly. Say it! I love you! Say it out loud! I’m in love with you! SAY IT NOW YOU COWARD!

“I’M-IN-LOVE-WITH-YOU-TOO!” He froze.

“What?” I breathed for the first time in ages. I smiled and went to him,

“I’m in love with you too. I think I’ve always been, I was just so determined not to feed your ego…” It seemed to take him a minute to process and then we both laughed…

“You know, all I wanted was you.”

“Don’t worry, you’ve got me,” he smiled and I melted…I was all his…

Shyly he leaned over and kissed me. It only lasted a few seconds, but to me it felt like a decade. Our fingers intertwined and they fit perfectly. I looked in his eyes, he had me…

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A/N: Ok guys i know that you want people to review your story, so plz give me 5 seconds and let me know why you did or didnt like it!