Emerald and Hazel

Chapter 16 - The First Step

Lily's P.O.V

I walked out of the common room dressed, hair washed and combed, teeth brushed and refreshed.

'Lily--' James voice reached my ears from behind me and my heart turned cold suddenly.

'Don't talk to me.' I said in an icy tone and slammed the painting behind me and walked, now irritated, to the Great Hall.

'Lily! Lily!' James voice echoed in my head and as my heart seemed to melt the ice enveloping it I realised he was actually running to catch up with me.

I turned around and my cheeks flooded and mixed emotions filled my body as I quickly turned back and began walking again.

The faint sound of a door opening registered in my head and I was suddenly being pulled into it, knocking me off balance, I panicked as I fell and didn't know anything else to do except to brace myself for the hard impact of the stone floor.

Instead I was suspended in the air until I washed gently eased back on to my feet and regained my balance.

Hazel eyes met my gaze and my mind went blank and I felt overcome with joy, overwhelmed by sadness and unequivocally happy in that moment when it felt like time had been suspended in air and time would cease to continue until I could prepare for the warmth that James' gaze gave me to leave, again. It all felt like a dream.

'Lils, please let me speak.' His sentence was short but his every syllable was coated in plea.

'OK, go on.' I feel weak now. I should have just walked out and left him. Wait. Where even are we? A broomstick cupboard? Really?

'Lily, please, I know how much I hurt you, but none of it-- it was all just-- the circumstances--' He groaned as he stumbled over his words and my curiosity grew 'I can't tell you now,' I scoffed but his eyes begged me to let him continue 'but give me one day and I'll tell you everything, I promise.'

I looked at him sceptically but nothing about what he had said made me doubt him and I cracked a smile and as his eyes lit up laughter escaped me and he hugged me tightly.

He quickly let go and looked, alarmingly at me.

'When was the last time you ate?' He asked concerned and I saw the dread on his face but I didn't answer, 'Come on we're going to the Great Hall, now' James took my hand and led me down to breakfast.

As I entered everyone of my friends looked at me and it was as if the whole atmosphere brightened and I could never imagine feeling the grief I had been feeling ever again.

James' P.O.V

It felt so good to talk Lily again. To see her face fresh, her emerald eyes filled with vibrancy and although it was selfish of me, under the circumstances, but grabbing Lily's hand and being able to pretend even if it was just a minute that she was mine made me feel like Christmas had come early.

If felt normal again to have everyone sitting beside each other, laughing, talking again. Lily, Marlene, Alice, Mary, Remus, Peter, Sirius and and me. Another thought came to me as everyone was rejoicing again and I was happy to see Lily had filled her plate but as one thing was fixed another seemed to be shifting - Peter, he was becoming increasingly absent, he wasn't talking to us anymore, he wasn't taking part in pranks, and four weeks ago it was half way through the night when he showed up at the Shrieking shack to join us. Peter was growing apart from us, and it broke my heart well that wasn't going happen, not now.

'So Lily, how's it been having a couple days off?' Sirius asked taking a bite of his sausage. I rolled my eyes, count on Sirius to lighten the mood.

'Rubbish, I've so much work to catch up on.' Lily replied and I rolled my eyes again, leave it to Lily to be worried about missed assignments over the course of three days.

'I thought the point of having the day off school was to not do work?' Sirius asked confused and looked at me for reassurance.

Everyone laughed softly at this and Marlene's face broke out into a wide grin as Sirius met her eyes and his eyes softened. Lily also noticed the affect they seemed to having on each other lately and she shifted her eyes to mine and the appreciation I have for this incredible witch dawned on me.

The one thing that could of ruined the moment appeared, Lisa.

'Hey Jamsie.' She said to me in an adoring voice and I gave her a half hearted smile that changed to a face of dread the moment my face was out of her view. Everyone, even Lily looked at each other and annoyance clouded the previously bright atmosphere, not that Lisa cared.

'Oh my Merlin, I need to tell you! Did you guys here about Isabella Taylor and Abigail Knight?' Everyone shrugged and looked at her with uninterested expressions 'Well--'

Lisa launched into her gossip mode and I zoned out easily, watching the precise movements and professionalism of the owls that were sweeping into view, the turns and twirls and the air that batted against the fine, delicate feathers and the landing and delivery with no problems. The perfection of everything was something that intrigued me. The perfection that I associated with Lily.

I realised I was staring at her and swept my eyes over the Daily Prophet absentmindedly and the title started and I knew if I went through with the thought that had just come to mind, the events would never be able to be stopped.

'One minute.' I got up and started walking.

'James where are you going?' Remus called after me.

'Dumbledore's office!' I called back and it was as though an orchestra had started to play an up beat rhythm that often start in those muggle things where a character has just thought of a great but stupid idea.

The newspaper still lying on the table the title that read 'Aurors: Dark wizard catchers needed'.

OK, so this will either turn out very well, or very badly. But if Dumbledore agreed this could be the first step to my life intended on protecting Lily and my friends.

A/N well that's chapter 16. Please don't hate me. I know I said it wouldn't take this long but I tatted writing half way through and then completely forgot! I'm sorry. I really hope you like it. And I've also decided that when I reach my last chapter, that won't be for a while, I'm going to include all of the people that are always supporting me on this fan fiction. So thank you in advance, so you know, as usual, vote, comment and tell me what you think. Thank you xx