A Lily By Any Other Name

Act V: James

The first time Lily Evans actually tolerated his presence for an entire hour and it was purely because he left her alone. Brilliant. He couldn't even gather up the courage to ask her if she wanted to be a part in the play; James was sure he was making Godric Gryffindor proud.

As James made his way to the Great Hall from the library, he thought about all the interactions he had with her. He furrowed his brow, replaying the scenes in his head for any indication that she might not completely hate him. Perhaps even like him.

Nothing.

He sighed. It didn't take a detective to figure out Lily didn't like him; they have never actually been on good terms since... ever. As much as James hated it, he hated it more knowing it was pretty much all his fault. And Snivellus'. Can't forget about that supremacist greaseball. If it weren't for Snape, James might have actually been friends with Lily by now. It was difficult to wrap around his head the fact that Snape and Lily used to actually be good friends. How such a good person could stand that snake was a mystery.

James still hadn't forgiven him for calling Lily a Mudblood last year. As someone who had been on the receiving end of her terrifying, but still beautiful, glares, the look on her face when he said that to her was something else. It wasn't just anger; it was genuine hurt. Snape was her best friend back then and he betrayed her with a single word that meant a thousand things. While her demeanor never cracked in front of them, he could have sworn he saw her quickly wipe her eyes as soon as she turned around from the boys and stalked back off into the castle. He was the one to physically hold back Snape when he attempted to chase after her in order to give an empty apology. James was glad Lily finally saw Snape's true Death Eater colours for herself, but he wished she didn't have to get hurt in the process. He wished she would never have to hurt like that again.

It was exactly that moment that cemented a growing suspicion of his, a suspicion that Lily Evans was more than some silly unattainable crush to him. He admired her from the second her fiery self popped her red head into their train compartment. It was clear that she was beautiful, but it was so much more than her striking green eyes and freckles. As cheesy as it sounded, it was really just who she was that was most beautiful about her. She was intelligent, she was compassionate. She took everyone's underestimations of her abilities and blasted them back into their faces in everything she did. She saw the good in everyone, even in Snivellus. She always tried to help and she just cared so, so much. James often thought that her heart was so big it would end up hurting her. And he was right.

That day by the lake he saw a sadness in her that he would give anything to make go away. He didn't want to be the one to ever hurt her, so he swore to himself that he was going to shape up this year. No more messing with the Slytherins (even though they still totally deserve it...) and only harmless pranks, if at all. (At least unless some justice needed to be rightfully served, of course.) They were 16 year-olds in a time of war and they were less than two years away from leaving the security of Hogwarts forever.

And until then, he had work to do.