the marauders- an inseparable bond

[19] will she ever like me?

"It's hopeless," said James one night, when they were all lying in bed, close to the grasps of sleep, "Lily Evans will never go out with me."

"Mate, why can't you just move on? Lily's great, I agree, but it's clear she just wants to be friends. Loads of girls would go out with you, Prongs," said Sirius through the darkness.

"But I don't want other girls. I want Lily," James said sulkily.

A fraction of a second passed, and then another voice rang out through the blackness.

"How do you know?"

"How do I know what, Moony?" sighed James.

"That she won't go out with you."

James laughed a tired laugh.

"Gosh, you're the most brilliant out of the four of us, yet you can still be so thick sometimes! A friendly reminder that Lily has been rejecting me for years and years."

"When's the last time you asked her?"

"I dunno, a while. After she said no all those times, I sort of gave up. Not to mention that with us being friends now that would be kind of awkward."

"Well, you don't know for sure then."

"Are you saying... Hang on! You and Lily are always together in the library! MOONY DID SHE TELL YOU SHE LIKED ME?"

"I'm not saying anything."

"Moonyyy..."

"Look, even if she did say anything to me, I wouldn't tell you. I'm not just going to betray her trust like that."

"But I'm your best mate!"

"Still. Look, all I'm saying is, I think you should try asking her out just one last time."

"You think?"

"Mmhm."

"Okay. Okay, I will then. I'm going to ask out Lily Evans."

Peter finally spoke up;

"That's wonderful, now can you go to sleep?"

***

But James Potter, no matter how confident he was or how big his ego was, could be shy like everyone else. He kept telling himself he'd ask her out each morning, but before he knew it, that day would be over, and he would have failed again. Finally, just when he thought he might work up the courage, the school year ended.

"I can't believe I haven't asked her!" he shouted in anger on the train ride home. Lily had decided to sit with her other friends, as she would see the marauders during the summer, but only be reunited with her other friends at the start of term in the fall.

"Go ask her now," Peter suggested.

"Nah," he said, shaking his head, "We're not going to see each other 'till the end of the summer when you guys come visit."

"Then ask her then," said Sirius.

"Yes, I will, of course," James nodded, "But I have to wait all summer..."

"Oh quit your whining, school's out!" Sirius said brightly. He was more excited about the summer holidays than he had ever been, now that he was living at the Potter's.

Remus and Peter, though, were looking downcast.

"When during the summer can we come over, then?" Peter asked anxiously.

They worked out a date so that Remus would only have to go through one lone transformation. And then, sooner than they wanted, they arrived at platform 9 3/4. Teary goodbyes were said, and after the marauders and Lily pulled into one last group hug, the group split apart.

Lily rejoined her parents on the platform. Petunia was there too, and Lily strongly suspected she had been brought against her will.

"Who are those boys?" she asked suspiciously.

And Lily replied proudly:

"They're my best friends."

***

"Good year, boys?" James' mother asked.

"The best," the two grinned.

"Who was that girl then?"

"Uhh, that's Lily," said James.

"Lily?" asked his mother inquiringly.

"Yeah, Lily," he replied awkwardly, "She's a- friend."

"Hmm," she said, in a way that James knew the matter was not over. They exited the platform and walked to the car (Sirius wasn't old enough to apparate yet). It was only after they'd gotten on to the highway that his mother had said:

"Well, will this Lily be coming over this summer?"

"Uh, yeah. If that's okay."

"Fine with me," she said, smiling.