“I just couldn’t let her know.”
Trinity Potter looked at her brother with a look of astonishment on her face. “You totally screwed it up!” she finally yelled. “You had the perfect moment too...Everything! Why’d you mess it up?”
James looked defeated, collapsing on his couch. “I can’t tell her I did it. I have to prove I’m not the arrogant toerag here. If she really cares, she’ll find out.”
Trinity eyed him suspiciously. “Are you sure?”
“I always am.”
*
“Kissed you? As in, on the lips?”
Katie looked shocked. And she probably--no, definitely--was.
“Yes!” Lily stage whispered, looking over at the door. “Merlin, Kate, try to be louder.”
There was that cute scowl. “You know I won’t tolerate one second of being called K--”
“We’ve gotten the message at least ten thousand times, I know!” Lily said.
Suddenly, Katie looked puzzled. “Why did you tell me?”
Lily crossed her arms and asked, “Why wouldn’t I tell you? You’re my friend, Katie.”
“Yeah, but...” Katie looked at Lily suspiciously. “...everyone knows you always tell SamLin this stuff before you tell us. It’s not like a big secret, and we don’t mind, but we know. Just so you know.”
Lily did not comprehend the last bit of what Katie said, but the rest was true. “Yeah. I know. But her head is so full of Sirius she wouldn’t be able to listen. Not that I mind, because she’s happy, though,” Lily quickly added.
“Hmmm...” Katie sat down on the edge of her bed. The rain pounded against the windowpane. Then, Alice, SamLin, and Emily burst in.
“Where you three?” Lily asked, sitting up straighter.
“Looking for you,” Alice replied. “And talking to boys.”
“Ah.” Lily smiled. “How our little Alice has grown.”
“And why do you say this?” Alice flopped onto her bed and bit into a Chocolate Frog.
“Why, Alice, you would’ve been avoiding--or arguing--with Frank last year. And now you’re snogging him.”
Alice looked offended. “For your information”--Her voice suddenly became high-pitched--“there was no snogging.”
Emily snorted. “Please. If you were talking, you’d have to know how to speak in many tongues.” The others roared with laughter as Alice turned bright red.
“Hey, Lily, don’t you have do rounds?” Katie asked once the laughter died down.
Lily glanced at her watch and groaned. “Yes.” She half-heartedly stood up and brushed some dust off her clothing. “I can’t believe I can’t be here with you all. Being Head Girl is going to be miserable all alone.
SamLin hugged her. “We’ll miss you, Lily. But we’ll see you tomorrow during Breakfast, right?”
“Of course.” Lily patted SamLin’s head. “I would never not sit with you.”
Lily walked out the dorm and made her way to the Portrait Hole. Once she stepped outside, she came face-to-face with James Potter.
“Oh! James!” Lily gulped. “I, uh, almost forgot you were Head Boy.”
James nodded. Lily bit the inside of her gum.
“Well, let’s go patrol the corridors,” she said. James nodded again, and then took large, loping steps away from the Portrait Hole. Lily had to run to keep up with him.
They walked through the hallways and stairways in silence, occasionally stopping to inspect certain broom cupboards or classrooms. With each echoing footstep, Lily became increasingly aware that this was the perfect opportunity to ask James what he was really doing this for. But when she thought about it long enough, she became bitter that James had kissed her--ack!--and then just left.
Well, she was going to go crazy if she didn’t find out.
“Why don’t you just admit that you finally fixed something?” Lily asked, stopping. James stopped too.
“What?” He looked down at her.
“Why don’t you admit it? I’m sick of sitting around while you play your little mind games!” she exploded. “I know you brought Emily to Katie’s house that day. I know you brought Sirius to SamLin. Why do you have to be oh-so noble by not admitting it?”
James crossed his arms. “Because if I told you so, then you would think that I was conceited. Because I knew if you really cared, you would already know.”
Lily was dumbstruck. “B-but you’re James Potter. You’re arrogant and egotistical. You fly around on that bloody broom hoping to impress girls. You don’t do stuff like that!”
“You think I am conceited. No, you wish I was conceited.” James sighed. “Why can’t you admit that I did something good?”
“Because...” Lily thought. No. There was no reason at all. Why was she so mad then? Lily ran a hand through her hair. “You confuse me. That’s all.”
“Lily,” he said, his voice getting soft, “who is the one person in the world I would do all those things for?”
Oh. Merlin. “Me?” she squeaked.
He nodded. “Precisely.”
Lily gulped.
“And I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you. I’m sorry I couldn’t apologize face-to-face. I’m sorry that I kissed you.”
When Lily heard that last sentence, she felt like she was going to cry.
“No.”
Now James looked confused. “What?”
“I’m the one that should be sorry.” Lily looked down at her shoes. “You did all those things for me, and what do I do? I yell at you. So I’m sorry about that. And I’m also sorry that I could never apologize to you when you apologized to me. And I’m especially sorry that I am so bloody proud--even more than you.”
James looked amazed. “Wow; I never thought I’d ever hear you say that.”
Lily smiled weakly. “Yeah. But I do have one question: How come you apologized for kissing me?”
James unfolded his arms. His eyebrows reached his hairline. “I-I thought you were mad at me.”
“Never. Not for that.” Lily took a step forward, leaving hardly any space between her and James. “I love you.”
And in that moment, Lily realized that that statement was true. It had been true for a while, but she just couldn’t see it.
When she looked up at James, she saw a new face. It wasn’t dark and moody, it didn’t have a cocky smile dancing over its lips, and it wasn’t blank. She didn’t look at his face with any prejudice, but just with her eyes. And all she could see was happiness.
He leaned in, and Lily closed her eyes. This time, the kiss came expected, but it was no less disappointing. In fact, it was even more perfect, because they both knew there was nothing more to say.
The pride and the prejudice they both felt toward each other at first sight had kept them apart. But it also brought them together.
Is it Pride or Prejudice? by Stormbringer
Chapter Notes: (I think this might be the last chapter. I'm sorry for the wait!) Lily's and James's pride might've kept them apart, but can it also bring them together?