A Normal Girl

I don’t know when I first realized it. As years went by, you were always there, in one way or another…either there in the room, the castle, the classroom, or in the back of my mind. Another normal girl. Always around. Always there.

The first time your emerald green eyes looked back in mine, I knew you were different. Special. How I loved those eyes…happiness always dancing in the sea of green. I would steal short, quick glances at you during meals and classes, making sure you wouldn’t notice. That was in the beginning, though, before I gained my confidence.

I was a Quidditch star, charming, attractive, funny, and I had three best friends and a big reputation. Most girls fell for me the instant I flashed them my usual smile and looked them in the eyes. But you, you couldn’t – no, wouldn’t – spare me a passing glance or two words.

This in itself bothered me. Sure, you were another pretty, normal girl to charm, but yet you refused to be charmed. You refused to laugh at my jokes, return a simple smile, or even help me with my homework. Polite as you were, I found it hard to believe you could possibly refuse to act in such a manner towards any classmate.

Almost too soon, I came to realize that you were not in fact a special girl. Different, yes, because most girls could be charmed. You were just a normal girl who had too much pride for her own good. And I swore to prove you wrong. To make you swallow that pride.

So I took a new plan of action – no more charming smiles or winks in your direction – because none of this seemed to catch your attention. I tried everything I could for you to give in to me like every other normal girl I so easily charmed. I attracted as much attention to myself as possible. In every class, in the hallways, the common room, or out on the grounds, I did anything I could for ‘James Potter’ or even just ‘Potter’ to cross your mind, if only for a second. How I longed for you to give in.

Third year, Transfiguration Class. At the start of term you sat directly in front of me. The bell would ring, and I would purposely walk in two minutes late as to be scolded by Professor McGonagall. Maybe this would make you glance in my direction, yet I was sadly mistaken.

“Alright, Evans?� I called every day. And every time, you would just ignore me. I stood up and praised your intelligence to McGonagall after every correct question you answered. Not a smile flickered across your face. A normal girl should not be so difficult to impress.

Around that time, there was a victory party after a Quidditch match in the Gryffindor common room. The Marauders and I had pulled yet another hilarious prank and were surrounded by a crowd of roaring admirers. And yet the only thing I looked for in the crowd was you, hoping you were laughing along with the crowd and admiring me. Sadly, I saw your red hair bouncing on your shoulders as you made your way to your dormitory.

I remember pushing through the crowd, “Alright, Evans?� I called to you. You turned around to face me and I cringed at the sight of your annoyance, daggers in your eyes. Your expression clearly stated, “What’s it to you?� Yet you said nothing. And you stalked upstairs to your dorm, slamming the door behind you. At least now I knew that I had crossed your mind at least once.

Arrogant, you called me. This was when we first started speaking. Actually, that was the only time we ever spoke, which was when you were scolding or insulting me. I tried to act as though your words didn’t faze me, and I hate to admit that they did. People normally didn’t speak to me this way, and I couldn’t grasp why such a normal girl couldn’t be charmed.

I couldn’t understand why you disliked me. Hated me, it seemed. I had never done anything to you to make you resent me, and yet you did. It bothered me that someone saw me as so arrogant, so annoying. I didn’t actually like you, either. I knew there was something to you that I liked, but I was only in this for the thrill of the chase. To prove that I could charm any normal girl like you.

It became irritating, I have to say. I was constantly fighting for your approval and attention. Fourth year came and I had no effect on you. I had decided at the start of term that this was the year you would fall for me. My friends thought I liked you, which was understandable, but truly my goal was to prove that I could make you swallow your pride.

I was on my way to breakfast with Sirius…Remus and Peter having already gone down. We were laughing and joking as usual and entered the Great Hall to several shouts and greetings. I quickly scanned the table for the faces of Remus and Peter. They happened to be sitting quite near you.
Sirius and I made our way over to the table. He sat across from Remus and I from Peter. I noticed you glance in our general direction – you were two seats away from Peter.

You quickly picked up the mornings edition of the Daily Prophet, which I noticed was upside-down. “Alright, Evans?� I called to you as I helped myself to some breakfast, smirking at your upside-down newspaper (which caused several stares).

I turned back to what I was doing, assuming that you would continue to ignore me as usual. Therefore I was surprised when you suddenly threw your paper down, stood up, and glared at me in a matter of seconds.

“What do you think, Potter?� you said coldly, slinging your bag over your shoulder before marching out of the Great Hall. This, again, attracted several stares. It was odd that such a normal girl was causing so much attention and confusion that morning. Something must be wrong. Not that I gave it much thought, though, as my only reason for bothering you was to prove you wrong.

Later on after leaving the Great Hall alone, I heard two voices while taking a shortcut to class. Turning the corner, I noticed you leaning against the wall, whispering to someone that I couldn’t yet see. You were wiping your eyes, which were red, and I realized you were crying. Trying to stay hidden while finding out what was wrong, I realized that the second voice belonged to none other than Severus Snape. I rolled my eyes, trying to understand why you were such good friends with him. Something I could never understand to this day.

After a minute or so of not understanding anything you were saying to Snivellus, I turned to walk away when I heard quick footsteps getting louder by the second. I made to walk faster to act as though I had not been listening when I found myself face to face with you.

“Er- Alright, Evans…?� I asked hesitantly, trying to act nonchalant. You rolled your eyes and kept walking. I quickly fell into step next to you and began to walk to class with you.
I, being my usual self, tried to hide a smirk while saying, “So, Evans, I never really understood something…� I glanced sideways at you to see if you were paying any attention.
“Is that supposed to surprise me?� you said as coolly as possible, your voice shaking slightly and you still wiping your red eyes.

“Well, not many people dislike me, Evans, if you didn’t notice. And you probably haven’t, because you obviously try to block out all thought involving me. Anyway, Evans, you seem to dislike me quite a lot,� I said casually.

When you said nothing, yet began to look extremely angry, I continued. “Not only do you dislike me, Evans, but you’re friends with…Snivellus, and it’s quite obvious you’re upset over him� I said in disgust. “Snivellus, Evans, of all people? Over me?�

Whipping around to face me, you began to shout, seeming to get all your anger out in the explosion. “IN CASE YOU HAVEN’T NOTICED, POTTER,� you screamed, emphasizing my surname, “THE ENTIRE WORLD DOES NOT REVOLVE AROUND YOU. YOU THINK THAT BY FLYING ON A BROOMSTICK AND THROWING A BALL INTO A HOOP YOU HAVE GAINED EVERYBODYS RESPECT. BUT YOU ARE SADLY MISTAKEN. YOU SIT HERE AND WONDER WHY I COULD POSSIBLY DISLIKE YOU? WELL, LETS THINK SHALL WE?! YOU ARE ARROGANT, CONCEITED, AND EGOTISTICAL. AND YOU. ARE. A. JERK.�

I stepped back slightly, taken aback. You continued on, “AND WHY AM I FRIENDS WITH SEVERUS, POTTER? BECAUSE HE, UNLIKE YOU, IS NOT A SELFISH GIT WHO FINDS HIMSELF SUPERIOR TO THE REST OF THE WORLD. AND AS FOR WHO UPSETS ME AND WHY, THAT IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS.�

And with that, you turned on your heel and hurried down the corridor, out of sight. It was then that I realized that you were not such a normal girl. You were completely abnormal. Snape? You could do so much better…

***
Time had gone by, and little had changed. You were constantly looking for reasons to yell at me or insult me. Everyone knew that you loathed me, and I must admit that after all this time I did in fact hate you right back. You were just a girl with too much pride.

The end of fifth year was approaching, which came with O.W.L.s. As the previous months had gone by, I had seen a slight change in you. Very slight. You deemed it necessary to be as polite as possible, for as a prefect it was your duty to set an example for the younger years. I silently agreed, and settled with pranks every so often, a smile in your direction, and the usual greeting. Still, none seemed to charm you.

I also noticed that you seemed quite cold to any girl that I happened to be dating at the time. Coincidence? I think otherwise…

It was just after our Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. I was sitting beneath a tree with Sirius, Remus, and Peter when we got bored. We decided that it had been a while since we had tortured Snape, and decided to have some fun. Once again, you insulted and scolded me, though I’m not too sure why. Snape had called you a Mudblood, I had stuck up for you, and you still showed no thanks. I was baffled.

Later that night, I couldn’t sleep. After tossing and turning for hours, I quietly got out of bed and headed to sit in front of the fire in the common room. I stared into the flames for several minutes when I heard someone coming into the common room. I turned to see you coming through the portrait hole, looking annoyed.

“Alright there, Evans?� I asked, less arrogantly than usual, almost concerned. Startled, you turned to face me, then began to walk back upstairs. I called you back down and convinced you to sit and talk.

You told me that you and Severus were no longer friends, and that you were upset that he called you a Mudblood. I had to restrain a smile when processing the fact that Severus Snape of all people would no longer have you undivided attention for some period of time.

You began to get upset as you explained what you were feeling. I must say that I was surprised that you trusted me with this, and I think you were too. When you had finished what you were saying and sighed deeply, looking up at me, I stood up. Putting my hand on your shoulder and looking down at you, I said, “It’ll be alright, Evans,� and walked back up to the dormitory.

It was there and then that I realized that you, Lily Evans, were human. You were not just a stuck-up, proud know-it-all who took her prefect duties too seriously. You were simply a normal girl.

***
As sixth year rolled through, I decided that I no longer needed to charm you. I had put that behind me after realizing who you were. We weren’t exactly friends, but we were definitely on better terms.

We sometimes walked to class together and sat near each other in the Great Hall at meals. You no longer called me arrogant and no longer insulted or scolded me. We had broken a record: sixth year came and went, and not once did we get into a real argument or fight.

It is now seventh year, and I look back on the past as I doze off on my favorite armchair near the fireplace in the common room. You and I were definitely friends at this point. All those times spent in Hogsmeade, patrolling as Head Boy and Girl at night, and spending time together really seemed to change our relationship.

We had both seemed to swallow our pride over the last year and came to see how great the other person truly was. I was just drifting off to sleep when the voice I had been waiting for startled me.

“James? James. James?� you said softly in my ear.

I opened my eyes and found yours. Every time I look into those eyes I fall in love all over again. “Alright, Evans?� I asked, chuckling. You sat down on the chair’s arm and pushed me playfully, laughing at the old phrase (We had, of course, advanced to the use of first names).

Looking at me as if searching for something deep in my eyes, you leaned forward saying, “You can’t call me Evans anymore, you know. Not that I love you so much.�

And with that, you leaned forward and kissed me.

In that kiss, I remembered all the reasons why I love you. I
couldn’t help smiling as the kiss continued. I now know that I was right when I first looked into your eyes and saw something different. Special.

Because somewhere along the line, I realized you weren’t just a normal girl.