A/N: Wow, a reviewer of mine just pointed out how short the chapters actually were, But I guess I didn't realize it because I haven't gone back and actually looked at them since I first started posting on Fanfiction.net. They do get longer though, the rest of them are five pages at least if not more, so that's why I'm posting chapter three along with chapter two.
So look for the A/N at the bottom of chapter 3!
Chapter 2: A Not So Friendly Exchange
Lily's original idea for getting up was to follow James, but what good would it have done? They weren't exactly friends- they were far from it truthfully. Besides, where would she go looking for him?
This is so stupid! Lily thought. Great. Just great! I can't just go back and sit in the Great Hall again now that I've left… that'd be stupid.
And with that thought, Lily began walking to Transfiguration. She'd be early, yes, but at the moment it was the only plan she had.
Lily traveled down the long corridor walking close to the wall and staring down at her feet. She rounded the last corner before reaching Professor McGonnagal's classroom, her shoulder brushing the cold stone lightly and came to a sudden halt as she came face to face with none other than James Potter himself leaning against the door of the locked classroom.
Right where he's supposed to be. Lily thought curiously to herself.
"Hey Potter." Lily remarked in an expressionless tone.
"Evans," James replied though not, as Lily noticed in the usual tone he expressed while using her surname.
"Why the long face?" Lily asked cocking her head to the side as she set down her book bag. "What? Did you mistake the bowl of misery flakes you undoubtedly ate this morning for the usual Cheerios?"
"Ha Ha, very funny Evans." James replied sarcastically.
"You want to talk about it?" Lily asked bravely.
James paused and considered her. She was being completely sincere. It was odd to see Lily acting like this toward him.
I guess that's what people mean when they say she can find the good in anybody. A voice inside James said.
But, Lily hates me…She can't really want to help me. Another internal voice said.
Yes she does! The first voice replied, this time stronger. She wouldn't offer if she didn't want to. You've just never given her the chance!
James shook his head coming out of his internal conversation and realized that he had probably been blankly staring at Lily for over five minutes and spoke again.
"Thanks for the offer… but I don't think so. I'm sure you and the rest of the Gryffindor table overheard me tell Sirius that I didn't want to talk about it."
"No," Lily lied. "You weren't that loud."
"Oh, come off it! I practically blew Pad- I mean Sirius across the hall!" James replied.
"Ok, so maybe you were a little loud, but hey," Lily paused smiling at him, "Everyone's allowed an off day right?"
"What are you talking about?" I'm fine! Perfectly normal!" James snapped back.
Lily let out a sharp breath before speaking once more. "Look, I heard about Mary, and I just- well, no one deserves what she did to you-" James cut her off abruptly with a laugh.
"You know, I was just thinking to myself that maybe the only Sirius just doesn't know when to stop… but apparently, he's not the only one with that problem." he finished coldly. James ran a hand through his hair and then glanced back up at Lily, his gaze boring into hers.
"This is just how its fucking going to be isn't it?! I'm going to be the pity magnet of the entire school until they find someone else to talk about huh?!"
"Look, I didn't mean it like that, I-" Lily began before James cut her off once more.
"You know what?! Save it Evans, I don't need pity from anyone. Especially not from you." James spat. And with that, he picked up his book bag and stormed down the hall away from her.
"Wait!" Lily called, surprised to hear herself calling James back. She was even more surprised when for some unknown reason, James turned around and looked back at her.
"Where are you going? We have class!"
"No, you have class," James retorted. "I'm skiving off. I'm not taking any of this shit today."
"Here!" Lily yelled, now completely angry and annoyed with his childish tactics. She chucked the pieces of toast she had wrapped in a towel at James' head. Unfortunately for her, instead of hitting him square between the eyes, where she had been aiming, James caught the bundle with ease in his right hand. Damn his Quiddich reflexes!
"Sirius is right," Lily fumed. "Even an ungrateful prat like you should have a good breakfast…" and then as a final thought, Lily added maliciously "I hope you choke on it!"
And with that, Lily turned on her heel and stormed into the classroom which had magically opened itself, without a second glance back at Potter, leaving utterly speechless and open- mouthed.
******
James, came to his senses after a couple of seconds and stared down at the carefully wrapped toast in his hand, and then back at the spot where Lily had stood only moments before.
"Way to go Prongs," he muttered quietly to himself "you've managed to hurt two people you care about today." James heaved a sigh and turned in a half circle, beginning to walk in the other direction.
******
Lily sat through Transfiguration, still completely angered by the exchange James and her had just had. Her eyes traveled around the room and lingered on his empty seat. If she really hated him, then why did she care so much about wanting to help him. More importantly, why did what he had said to her earlier affect her like it was?