A/N: Ah, thank you for your reviews. I agree with most of you, James really made a mess of his first date with Lily. He over thought the beginning and didn't think enough in the end. Sorry this is taking so long, I've been doing some stuff on the side (and then I totally blew my Thursday block time by reading). I promise, I'll do better. Just reread it, and it was already done! Oops. Oh well, I guess it doesn't help… you all knowing that you could have read this two days ago. Sorry.
Disc.: In my time here, I've created much, I just can't claim these characters.
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Chapter Nineteen
"What were you thinking, you fool!" Alice hissed at James as she took a seat across from him in the common room. James looked up from his game of wizarding chess; Remus was winning.
"What do you want, Alice?" James asked as he looked at her. He had a tired look on his face, like he hadn't slept in days, which he hadn't. He hadn't slept in the week following the date, the error of his ways haunting him when his eyes were closed.
"You knew her parents were murdered and then you pulled that stunt," Alice said angrily. She shook her head at him. "She really thought something bad had happened to you, and it made her sick."
"She thought that James was dead for only like a second or two," Sirius defended his best friend. "It was a joke, a prank, and he apologized to your girl. What else would you have him do?"
"I don't know. Make it right with her, James," Alice demanded.
"I tried to," James said angrily. "She won't talk to me. She just sits there, listening, and just then goes about her business. She's being completely unreasonable. I didn't think. I get it. I'm an idiot, ok. I don't know what else to do."
"She is my best friend, and when you hurt her, you hurt me," Alice snapped at him as she stood from her chair. "I won't stand by and let you hurt me because you're too stupid to have any tact."
"Hey, you're not perfect," Sirius snapped.
"Shut it, Black," Alice said as she turned to look at Sirius. "Don't get me started on your lack of tact. Just make it right, James."
James looked away, not watching Alice walk away from him. He turned back to the game, commanding his pieces. He was distracted even more and Remus made short work of the game, winning it with ease. James crossed his arms, not really pouting but not feeling too good about it either. Remus always beat him, just usually not this bad.
"Well, I hate to make things worse, but we have a prefects meeting in like ten minutes, and I really doubt that us being late will get you back in Lily's good graces," Remus said as he looked at James. James nodded, standing. The two of them headed out of the common room. They headed down the corridor toward the prefects' meeting room.
The prefects' meeting room was still fairly empty when they arrived. There was a roaring fire, warming the medium sized room. James glanced over at the table the snacks and drinks were placed on to nourish and satiate the prefects. James' eyes fell on Lily, who was sitting near the fire. The light of the fire made her hair glow ethereally, like the flames had jumped from the hearth and surrounded her. James' eyes narrowed as he saw Severus talking to her, their bodies close. James' stomach clenched painfully as Severus playfully squeezed Lily's knee.
She laughed slightly but pulled away. James felt a pure hatred for Severus boiling up inside him to the point that he felt as if he could run across the meeting room and kill Severus with his bare hands. Remus rested his hand on James' arm, warning him not to do anything stupid. James took a deep breath and casually fully entered the meeting room. Lily glanced up at them.
"Just take a seat," Lily said as she stood and put some distance between herself and Severus. James sat in a seat, Remus taking the seat next to him. James watched as she headed to the desk that she had placed in the room. She took a seat on the edge of it, reaching down to adjust her white knee high socks. Her hair fell in her face, shielding it from James' intense gaze.
One by one, the other prefects came in the room and took their seats. Lily waited until the last prefect was sitting, snack and drink in hand, before she stood and began handing out packets to each of them. When she had finally handed the last one out, she took her seat near the fire. She looked up at them expectantly.
"The professors have verbalized some concern about the number of students needing or wanting tutoring. There will be a sign up sheet for volunteers to tutor different subjects. Unfortunately, this is limited to seventh year tutors without direct approval of the professors," Lily said. She glanced at a red haired, freckled boy whispering to another third year prefect. "Bill Weasley, please be quiet."
"Sorry," he mumbled.
"Anyways," Lily continued. "I do hope that those of you who may be particularly talented in a subject will consider the positive impact you will have on your fellow students. While one on one tutoring is ideal, there really is a need for more tutors."
"Where will the signup sheets be?" James asked as he raised his hand. "I mean for the students should they do desire a tutor?"
"The academic hall," Lily said stiffly. She turned back to her paper, her voice returning to its warmness. "Second on the docket, I know many of us have gotten into a rather regular routine of patrolling. I know many of us are quite comfortable, but Professor Dumbledore has some concern about the viability of our younger prefects. Without going into detail, there was an incident over the Christmas Holiday that involved…"
"Just say it, me," Bill Weasley grinned.
"Yes, Bill, thank you," Lily said pensively. "Perhaps you'd like to tell the other prefects exactly what you did?"
"Gladly," Bill said jumping up in his chair. "I had the house elves and the suits of armor reenact the Wizard-Elf War of 610! It was awesome!"
"Not so much, Bill," Lily said gently as she shook her head suppressing the smile that had bloomed across her face when she had come across the scene during the holiday. "It was at eleven at night, after curfew, and you had the castle up in arms including those of us who were held up sick with Dragon Pox."
"Someone should have been watching me," Bill laughed.
"You are a prefect and should have been respectful enough to know better. That is the reason that after this year, prefects for houses will not be chosen until fifth year," Lily said as she checked off another bullet point on her sheet.
"What about fourth years?" Remus asked.
"Yeah, about that," Bill laughed as he glanced at a Wren, a fourth year.
"Wren was on patrol with Bill that night," Lily said quickly. "It was a ruling passed down from the disciplinary panel. Thank goodness there weren't any fifth year students involved… or that they found out about."
"Yeah," said a few fifth years said. Lily glared at two fifth year Ravenclaws that were averting their eyes.
"So, for the remainder of the year, third and fourth years must patrol with a fifth year or higher," Lily said. "Tonight I'll do patrol alone. Tomorrow the new rotation will be up, so please check it. I will take into account Quidditch practices, games, and other stuff. If anything comes up, just send me a quick memo or whatever and I'll make the changes. So, I think that is about it. Anyone have anything they need to add?"
"I'd like to remind everyone that during the week of Easter holiday, we need a head count of those who will be remaining here and those who will be taking the week elsewhere," Severus said. Lily nodded. "We want to make sure that there are enough people for rotation."
"Thank you Severus," Lily said. "I will want to know as soon as possible. Alright, well, I've said everything I need to say. Bill, please sit down until I release you. I pity your mother."
"I pity her too," Bill laughed. "I've got four younger brothers, Charlie and Percy, and the twin babies, Freddie and Georgie."
"Yeah," Lily said nodding. "I've talked with your mother plenty about you when she's had to come up here to straighten you out. Well anyway, I am done. If no one else has anything further to discuss with the rest of the prefects, you are free to eat, drink, and mingle. I know many of you have things you need to be doing."
Several of the third, fourth, and fifth years got up, taking a few snacks as they headed out the door. Lily stood, taking her paperwork to the desk and filing it in the desk drawer. Severus hung back, as did James and Remus. She took her time dealing with cleaning up the snack table and snuffing out the fire. She looked at the three boys expectantly.
"Is there anything further that you need to discuss?" Lily asked. The three shook their heads, not wanting to be the first to be dismissed by Lily. She smiled and headed out of the meeting room. Severus turned and grinned at James menacingly.
"I heard about your lovely date with Lily," Severus taunted. "I made 5 sickles on it, thanks. I should have bet more, really, but to profit any more would have made me feel a bit guiltier. I have to give it up to you. Remind her dramatically of her parents murder, fantastic really, in case she wasn't hurting enough."
James gaped at Severus as he whisked himself out of the room like an overgrown bat. James turned to Remus, who shrugged. James frowned, knowing that as much as he hated it Severus had a point. James had really torn open a wound with Lily. He should have thought about how she'd feel about his little prank. He understood.
James entered the common room, not expecting to see Lily lounging in one of the chairs by the fire with a thick book. She was completely engrossed in the book and didn't even take notice when James sat down next to her. He waited, patiently, knowing he'd wait until the end of time if it meant that she'd eventually pay him some attention. He felt his eyes grow heavy, the warmth of the room increasing as he loosened his tie. He breathed in deeply, her sweet scent invading his nose.
"That's rather rude," Lily murmured as she turned the page.
"What?" James said, startled that she was talking to him.
"You smelling me, it's rude," Lily murmured as she continued to focus on the page she was reading.
"Sorry," James said. He waited a second, taking a deep breath. He took the book from Lily, placing it down on the table as he scooted closer to Lily. He took both of her hands in his, looking at her intently. "Look, Lily, I am so sorry that I was heartless and stupid. I should have thought that through before I pulled that joke on you. I wasn't sensitive to your needs, nor to what you have been through. We really care for each other, and I shouldn't have taken advantage of that."
"I care for you?" Lily asked as she looked at his genuinely apologetic expression. James nodded.
"It's the reason you were so upset," James said. "I understand it now, and I shouldn't have joked so carelessly about the care you have for me. I really like you, Lily, and I wouldn't want to hurt you."
"Ok," Lily said.
"Ok?" James asked frowning as he continued to hold her hands in his.
"Yeah, ok," Lily said. She let a smile cross her face. "Apology accepted. You really get it, and it's over with."
"Can we try again?" James asked hesitantly.
"You mean a date? Yeah, I think it is only fair," Lily said. She grinned at him. "Let's keep it between us, ok? This whole thing with people betting for or against us doesn't make for a fun dating experience."
"Alright, I can handle secrecy," James said.
"And I think I'll plan this date," Lily said. "If you don't mind."
"I don't," James said. Lily nodded and leaned forward, pressing her lips to his slightly. She pulled back, blushing.
"Sorry," Lily apologized. James grinned.
"Don't be," James said. "You can cross the friend line anytime you want to. Erase it, stomp on it, whatever." Lily rolled her eyes.
"Do you want to patrol with me tonight?" Lily asked.
"This isn't going to be our date, is it?" James asked. Lily shook her head.
"Oh, no. I've got something special in mind for us," Lily said smirking. She picked up her book and opened it back to the page she left off on.
"Ok, then," James said grinning as he stood. "Thanks for giving me a second chance, Lily."
"Everyone does stupid stuff, James, from time to time. Everyone deserves a second chance," Lily told him. James nodded and headed off to find Remus and Sirius to tell them the good news. Sirius and Remus listened.
"I hope she's not planning anything, you know, bad," Sirius said. He looked at Remus, who shrugged. "Girls can be sneaky and vindictive. I should know; I date a lot of them."
"Not Lily," James said. "She'd never pull anything on me."
"What about the green goo?" Remus reminded him.
"Oh, well," James said slowly. "She was just returning the goo from earlier in the year."
"You are deluded," Sirius said under his breath just loud enough for Remus to hear. Remus grinned and shrugged. James had heard him, but he ignored Sirius. Right then, no one could tell him anything different than his perfect Lily. All of the evidence in the world could be lay down before him to the contrary but to James Potter, Lily Evans was the most perfect girl in the world.
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