Hate Is A Strong Word (A Jily Fanfic)//FINISHED!

Hogsmeade

I'm so excited to write this chapter because they are finally going on a date! I worked hard on this and I hope you enjoy it. Also, I may not post as often this week due to traveling. Please be patient with me!

James
Halloween had finally arrived. James had gotten up early that morning (which said a lot for him) to make sure that he had everything ready to go. He took a shower that morning, trying to clear his head. He was so nervous that he would ruin any chance he had with Lily.

He dressed in warmer clothes due to the cool fall weather. He made sure to grab a pair of gloves and his red and gold striped scarf before walking down to the Great Hall for breakfast with the other Marauders.

The hall had been decorated for Halloween with pumpkins floating near the ceiling and black and orange decorations hung everywhere. Everyone seemed excited about the trip to Hogsmeade. People were chatting happily to friends and joking with each other.

Lily and her friends were already seated in the Great Hall when the Marauders entered. James sat next to Lily and all of her friends giggled in their direction. She glared at them, but smiled at James. This is a first, he thought to himself.

After stuffing himself full with all of the delicious food, James handed in his permission form to Mcgonagall. He returned to the table to pick up Lily who had already turned in her form.

"Ready to go, Evans?" he asked her.

"I suppose so. I'll see you guys later," she said to her friends. She stood up and began to walk alongside James. When they walked out of the castle doors, they were immediately hit by a chill. The fall weather seemed to have come out of nowhere as usual. Lily pulled out a knitted cap that she placed over her head. The cap made her look unbelievably cute.

"So, where do you want to go?" James asked her.

"I'm not sure to be honest," she said. Her cheeks had turned bright red against her pale skin due to the cool wind. He quickly looked away from her, but soon remembered that, since this was a date, he shouldn't be as embarrassed about his feelings. He didn't have to hide them anymore.

"How about we get a drink at the Three Broomsticks?" he suggested. She smiled.

"I'd like that," she said.

As they walked to the Three Broomsticks, they talked about how the new Quidditch team was coming along. James filled her in on every detail, and Lily seemed interested in the new information. She filled him in on all of the rumors about the other House's teams as well. By the time they had reached their destination, they had already figured out a strategy for their first match against Hufflepuff.

James held the door of the pub open for Lily. She thanked him as she walked through the door and removed her hat. The Three Broomsticks was warm as usual. It felt nice to be back in the heat. Lily found them a table near the back corner, and James volunteered to get them drinks.

He returned a few moments later holding two Butterbeers in his hands. He took a seat across from Lily and smiled at her. They were silent for a moment, just looking at each other, before Lily broke the silence.

"You know, I never really got to thank you for everything you did for me over the summer. You saved my life and gave me a place to stay in your home. I don't think that I can over truly repay you."

"Is that why you're hear? Because you feel you owe me something?" The strain in his voice was easy to hear.

"No! Of course not! I want to be here," Lily said quickly. James smiled a relieved smile. She returned one.

"Well, in that case, you're welcome," he said. "Although, you gave me quite a scare."

"Yeah, I know," she was quiet for a moment. "I heard you cried."

Part of her tone was joking, but something in her tone hinted that she was being serious. She was looking at him curiously. James decided to play off the comment.

"I had seasonal allergies," he said with a laugh. She laughed with him, but she was still staring at him. He sighed. "But yes, I did cry. I couldn't imagine what I'd do if you died. I never want to lose you Lily," he said seriously.

Lily gave a little gasp. She seemed to be lost for words. Her cheeks were beat red. Finally, she spoke. "You know, you only call me Lily when you're being serious. The only other time you called me Lily to my face was when I was dying."

He stared at her, wondering how she possibly could have realized this. "I guess you're right," he said. "So you know how honest I am when I say that I never plan to lose you. It would break me."

She opened her mouth to speak, but she stopped suddenly. James turned to see Marlene and Sirius who had apparently just entered the pub. They took a seat at a booth across the room from where Lily and James were sitting. They had only sat for a moment before they started kissing.

James looked away quickly. He felt as if he were invading their privacy. He looked over at Lily, who was staring at them with her jaw dropped. She looked over at James and they both burst out laughing. They finished their drinks and left the pub without another look over at Marlene and Sirius.

The rest of their Hogsmeade trip was filled with shopping and laughter. They went to Honeydukes and Zonko's. James was surprised at how much Lily enjoyed looking at the different joke items, although she kept advising James not to use them. James had never had a better time in his life.

When they finally decided to venture back up to the castle, they stopped outside of Hogsmeade for a moment. They seemed to both be thinking the same thing- that they didn't want the trip to end, and that they didn't know how they were going to end it.

In the end, it was James who made the move. He leaned down and kissed her cheek gently. His lips slowly brushed her skin for a moment before he backed up. When he stood up, she looked puzzled.

"What?" he asked her. Had he done something wrong?

"You missed," Lily said. Before he could ask what she meant, she stood up on her toes, pulled him down by his scarf, and kissed him flat on the lips. James was completely shocked, but he quickly kissed her back.

Her lips were soft and warm against his. She smelled sweet, like citrus. Her hair was soft in his hands. It was better than he had ever imagined. When she finally pulled away, he had a sudden urge to pull her back into his arms.

She smiled at him, looking slightly dazed. James couldn't think. "Umm... wow," he sputtered out, while fixing his glasses that had tipped to the side in the moment of intensity.

Lily burst into laughter. He laughed, too. It was such a natural laugh, and James reveled in how good it felt. They walked the rest of the way to the castle hand in hand.