Supportive

Summary: Based on the last episode of One Tree Hill. Actually, to be specific, the very last thirty seconds—not even. Last ten seconds of this week's episode (what I have dubbed the “Divorce Instead of Annulment” Episode). If you haven't seen this episode… Well, it kind of ruins the whole thing, doesn't it? I suggest you don't read until. Otherwise, GO BECOME A FAN OF ONE TREE HILL!!!

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter, don't own One Tree Hill, I've stolen the ideas. Whoopsies and let's move on with life.

Supportive

By Natali K. A.

Lily sat on her bed, contemplating the past month. She was alright. It was hard, to walk around the school with the amount of hostility her fellow students loved to heap on her, to walk around without him, but she was okay.

For the most part.

She got lonely at night, and she missed being with him all the time, and she just wanted to be loved again. There was that, without a doubt. She was hardly whole and she was far from happy.

But she was alright. She had hope that it wouldn't be like this forever. He still loved her and she still loved him.

She'd made a stupid mistake. One she'd be sure never to make again.

“What's the matter, Lily?” Anita asked, leaning against the dresser. “You're not sulking again, are you?”

Lily looked up at her best friend slowly. “It's not as if I can help it.”

Anita sighed sympathetically. “Lily, he'll come around. Just give him time. He needs to know that you're really in it for the long haul.”

Lily brought her knees to her chest and rested her head on them. “Of course I am. We made a promise to each other.”

Anita shrugged. “Well… You did give him a reason to doubt. Now you have to earn his trust back. That's obviously going to take time.”

“Yeah.”

Anita sighed again, giving up. “I'm going down to breakfast. Are you coming?”

“No. I hate walking down the aisle so everyone can glare at me,” Lily said, her voice cracking. “I can't see why they're pissed. It's not as if it's any of their business.”

“People here like to make it their business. I'll see you at classes then.”

*~*

“Careful there, Evans. Wouldn't want you to betray me or anything. Won't be telling you any secrets,” someone behind her said.

“Bianca, watch out. She might try to stab you in the back.”

“After all, that's what Lily Evans does to those who trust her.”

Lily didn't acknowledge the taunts. They were almost normal to her now. She'd been receiving them for over two weeks now and she hadn't given in to the urge to kill them all.

Yet.

The guys didn't say anything, which was pleasant. No, they just liked to bump into her and knock her books off her desk when the professors weren't looking.

She had considered on several occasions plugging her ears with something, but she almost thought she deserved to be treated like this.

Her eyes were on the floor, but she was perfectly aware of when James passed her. She could nearly sense him now. It was these parts of her day that really broke her heart. He hadn't spoken to her ever since he'd asked for his promise ring back.

“Look, Evans, there goes the guy who threw you away,” Bianca Moore said, her voice laden with verbal poison.

“Lily, don't—” Anita, who'd just joined her, began to say but the wind was knocked out of her when Lily shoved her books at her.

Throwing her bag down forcefully—and hearing an ink bottle crack in the process—Lily whirled around to face her tormentor.

“Say it to my face, Moore. I dare you,” Lily said, clenching her teeth. Her fingers twitched, but she didn't reach for her wand. She'd do this the dirty way.

“What?” Bianca asked innocently. Everyone in the corridor has stopped moving and crowded closer. Lily spotted the Marauders on the outskirts of the crowd, watching.

“Say it to my face, you bitch. You want to tell me something?” Lily got up real nice and close to Bianca. “Say it, or don't you have the guts? We all know you've got the balls for it.”

Bianca's face reddened. “Alright. There goes the bloke who finally saw you for what you are—a filthy, nasty, ugly little Mudblood. Probably regrets ever laying eyes on you.”

“What goes on between me and anyone is none of your bloody business, Moore. Stay out of it,” Lily said in a dangerously low voice.

“You know it's true.”

Lily shoved her, and instantly Bianca pushed back, grabbing a piece of Lily's hair in the process. Lily managed to smash her fist into Bianca's face and she heard a satisfying crack!

“She broke my fucking nose!” she shrieked. She attacked Lily once more and they grappled some more.

“Lily, stop it,” Anita said, pulling Lily away. On the other side, Bianca's friends were pulling her away too. But there was nothing for it.

Lily's hand dug into her robes and her hand grabbed her wand. Saying the first words that came to mind, Lily disabled her opponent.

“Petrificus totalus!”

She wished with all her might that it had been crucio instead.

“No magic in the corridors, Miss Evans! Twenty points from Gryffindor and three detentions!” McGonagall's voice rang out through the hall.

“It was worth every point and every minute of those detentions, Professor,” Lily said clearly, strongly.

“You will be missing my class today, Miss Evans. I want a foot of parchment by lunch time explaining to me why the Head Girl is never going to do such a thing ever again,” the professor said sternly.

“I won't ever have to if Bianca Moore keeps her fat, ugly nose out of my business,” Lily muttered, turning on her heels and going in the direction she came from.

She passed James on the way and avoided making eye contact with him. She didn't want to know what he was thinking and whether he was embarrassed, mad, proud, or indifferent.

Her heart was afraid of what it'd see.

*~*

“Is this seat taken?”

Lily shrugged, unable to bring her eyes up to look at the man she loved. He was finally talking to her, but she wasn't sure she'd like what he'd come to say.

“Are you okay?” he asked softly, very aware that they were attracting a few stares by sitting together after not having spoken for so long.

“Perfectly fine. I'm finishing something I've got to turn in before lunchtime,” Lily muttered, trying to keep her voice even and apathetic. Her hand was shaking so she tried to hide it by writing nonstop. More than once, she'd worn a whole in the parchment because she was writing so hard.

“I mean really. Are you okay?”

“Yes, I told you I'm fine.”

“…Is it true you broke her nose?” James asked with a slight grin.

Lily's eyes finally flew up to glance at him for a fraction of a second. “Yes, I hope I did. Madam Pomfrey can probably fix it in two minutes however, so my effort is wasted.”

“I'm sorry, Lily, for what people are saying to you,” he said in a strained voice. “I mean that.”

She didn't reply.

“I didn't say anything, I don't know how they—” He broke off, sighing. Rummaging through his pocket, he watched her write intently. He placed something on the table. “I've been thinking a lot lately, and I've decided it was wrong of me to take that away from you.”

“It was expensive, you can keep it, James,” Lily mumbled. “I don't want it unless you give it to me again with the original intent in mind. It would hurt too much to have to see it.” She stood, throwing her stuff into her schoolbag haphazardly. “You know that I still love you. I don't need a ring on my finger to let you know that.”

*~*

Lily searched for Anita all while trying to hide her purpose in glancing around. Whenever she was with her, the taunting calmed down a bit. It was being alone that gave those bitches the courage to say what they said to her. Two months ago, they sure hadn't been saying those things to her.

Even coming to the beginning of the third floor corridor, she knew what was awaiting her. Bianca and a group of her closer clones were there, already having seen her.

Anita had promised she'd try her hardest to get there so Lily wouldn't be alone, but Anita had her previous class—Astronomy—all the way in the tallest tower. It was impossible to get there in time.

“Come on, Lils. We're going to be late to class,” said a deep voice behind her. Lily turned her head slightly to see James standing behind her, pausing for her to walk with him.

She smiled at him, grateful. It was a step, if just a baby one.

She'd take what she could get.

They stepped forward, working their way through the crowd. She knew that everyone was watching, but did they know she was as surprised as they were, that she knew no more than they did?

James brought his hand up to rest on her lower back, showing that he supported her.

No matter what anyone told her, and no matter how many times, he still loved her.

Going to class with someone beside her was nice. Because it was James—her James—it was wonderful and great and so nice.

They weren't where they'd been before she told him that she wanted to fight the Dark Lord and that no matter what he said, she was doing it. Even if it meant not marrying him. But they were somewhere.

“This is where I leave you,” he said once they were in front of the Transfiguration classroom. He dug something out of his bag. “This is for you. I'll see you at lunch? You haven't been lately.”

Lily nodded, just a little confused. What had convinced him to change his mind about ignoring her? Did she honestly care?

“I'll be there.”

He smiled intimately at her. “Should I save you a seat?”

“I'd like that.”

“Good. Got to run, gonna be late.”

And then, her whole world brightened and she knew everything was going to be just fine.

He leaned down and kissed her cheek. She wished she could've seen Bianca's face. She'd have to remember to rub it in later.

“Bye,” she whispered, still stunned. Her eyes watered with happy tears, but it didn't matter. She couldn't care what anyone else thought.

He'd forgiven her.

“Sit down before you're late, Miss Evans,” Professor McGonagall said. “We're covering interesting, new material today and you'll need the whole class period.”

Lily sat down, and just as she did, Anita rushed through the door.

“Sorry, Professor.” Anita hurried to her chair next to Lily. She waited until McGonagall had gotten into the flow of things before whispering to Lily, “I am so sorry, but he kept me after class. Wanted to talk to me about an essay. Oh, I'm so sorry, Lily. Was it bad?”

Lily shook her head, scared to say it in case it'd all been some sort of fantasy. She gave Anita a sort of gesture which meant “Later”. Thankfully, Anita caught that.

Lily looked at the envelope still in her hand. She ripped it open quietly and pulled out a paper.

I'm sorry. You can do whatever you want, Lily. On one condition. I get to be there, right by your side so I can protect you.

Take it or leave it.

I love you. —J

Lily took in a shaky breath and smiled. The envelope still had something in it, so she looked inside.

And there, in the corner of the envelope, was the promise ring she'd turned down yesterday. She took it to mean that their promise wasn't void anymore.

They'd keep their promise to get married and love each other forever.

There'd never been any doubt in her mind.

Anita nudged her, an eyebrow raised. She nodded toward the ring Lily had slipped on her finger, to which Lily only grinned and shrugged.

“He came around.”

*~*

A/N: Alright, it was a very short one shot, and thrown together very quickly. But the end of One Tree Hill was just so sweet and inspirational, I couldn't resist. I'd considered doing a little scene also, where they're like making out, but I decided to leave it like that. Short and sweet. Hopefully.

Review, svp. Merci beaucoup, ma petits!

Natali K. A.

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