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

Beginnings

This is our last traditional chapter! I was so excited to write it, although I do feel that I quickly skipped through a lot of things. I'm just writing it all now so I don't finish it later. Thank you for sticking with the story!

James
The idea that Lily Evans finally knew all of his secrets was odd, yet it was quite a relief. She finally understood why he did certain things in his life or why he laughed at inside jokes that she couldn't possibly have understood before. She wasn't angry with him anymore, too.

In fact, the day after the Christmas Ball, James had taken Lily for a walk on the snowy grounds so he could ask her to be his official girlfriend. It hadn't been a large affair. He had taken her gloved hands into his and asked her the be his. She had accepted with a smile, and James couldn't have been more pleased.

James had invited Lily to stay with the Potters and Sirius at Potter Manor for Christmas holiday. He had known how upsetting it was for her to have no family to go home to after everything honing on with her sister, so he had decided to let her come and join his for the holiday. She had accepted the invitation after sending a letter to her parents. James had been pleased to have her alongside him and his best friend. He wouldn't have wanted to spend Christmas with anyone else.

On the first day the three of them had arrived at Potter Manor, James and Sirius had taken Lily out into his backyard and shown her how they could transform into their animagi forms. She had been undeniably impressed, which had pleased James. Although, she had in fact expressed her worries about what would happen if they were caught.

Over the break, James and his two companions had spent their time playing games and goofing off out in the snow. James had been surprised at how tough Lily actually was. She had joined in on their sledding competitions and snowball fights without one complaint.

On Christmas Day, the three of them had shared gifts with one another and eaten a magnificent meal that James' mother had prepared. James had laughed so hard that his chest hurt after Lily recalled to his parents her first impressions of their son at dinner.

Later that night, Lily had given him an extra Christmas gift as well...a lingering, long kiss.

Lily (on her last day at Hogwarts)
After Christmas, the year had passed by in a blur. The Gryffindor Quidditch team had gone undefeated, winning the Quidditch cup. Lily had cheered the loudest out of anyone in the stands. It was a feat they had been trying to win for years.

N.E.W.T.s had been quite a challenge. Studying and homework had consumed most of their nights, but Lily and James had worked together to do the best they could on the exams. Lily could only hope that she had done well on them.

James and Lily had been credited with being one of the best Head Boy and Girl pairs the school had ever seen. They also had finished the year as top of their Potions class, with only Snape doing just as well.

The rest of the year had passed by with little drama as well. Lily still read about Death Eater attacks every weekend, but she had gained a new confidence with her new friends and James by her side.

As Lily gathered her things to take to the Hogwarts Express on her last day at school, she couldn't help but feel upset when she thought about leaving the school for good. Hogwarts was her home. It was the place where she could be herself and not be called a freak. It was her safe place, and now she was forced to leave.

After she got everything onto the train, Lily found a compartment for her, Alice, Mary, Marlene and the Marauders to sit in. She took one last look at the school as the train pulled out of the station. Maybe she would get a chance to see it again one day when her own kids got to go there.

The ride home was full of laughter and joking. Everyone seemed to be trying to hold onto ever last minute that they had with one another. Lily would miss them all so much. They spoke of testing and pranks, of past years and favourite school events, of friends and dances and everything.

The train ride went unbelievably quick. As they pulled into the station, Lily realised how unprepared she was to leave it all behind. She walked off the train slowly, as if to hold onto every moment she had left. As she stepped onto platform 9 3/4, she kept her head high as she turned to her friends.

"So, I guess this is goodbye?" It was more of a question than a statement.

"It doesn't have to be," James said quietly, taking her hand.

"Please tell me you'll write to me!" Alice exclaimed.

"Oh of course," Lily assured her. Lily let go of James' hand for only a moment to give everyone goodbye hugs. She made sure to hold Remus extra long, as if her hug would thank him for everything he went through for her.  After she had finished hugging everyone, she began to feel the pressure of tears behind her eyes. James, seeing her pain, was instantly by her side. He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him.

"Look at me, Evans," he said seriously. "No, not Evans. Look at me Lily," he said, showing her that he was being serious. "I want to know if you'd consider us getting a place together."

Lily's eyes widened as she stared at him. She imagined the idea of it and was surprised at how nice it sounded.

"I don't want you alone out there in this crazy world. I want you by my side always. Will you consider it?" he asked. Lily thought about how young they both were. She thought about her parents and sister and how she wished to protect them. Suddenly, though, she thought about all of the deaths in the Daily Prophet. She thought about how many young people were dying. She thought about how her sister had, in a way, discarded her.

As she looked into James Potter's hazel eyes, she didn't have to think about those things. All she could think about was her future. Their future.

"Yes!" she squealed as she hugged him. "Just write to me soon, okay? That way, we can get it figured out."

"Alright," he said, clearly relieved. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek as he went to find his family. She noticed he didn't say goodbye. Of course he didn't, Lily thought. Because this isn't an end. It's a beginning.

Lily smiled over at the rest of her friends before weaving through the crowd of people to find her parents in the Muggle world.