Ways to Ask Out Miss Lily Evans
By: neen
Author's note: Aww…last chapter!
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Chapter Twelve: Realization
Lily paced back and forth in the Common Room, sometimes stopping to glare at the offending fire. She was arguing with herself mentally and nearly docked points off of people for coming inside the room.
"It's his own bloody fault that he went and got his stupid bloody self injured," Lily muttered under her breath, convinced, pacing quickly.
Then, her inner voice shot back, "Lily Marie Evans, you know full well that he hurt himself to save you. Go thank him!"
"He's still a stupid prat for doing that!" Lily argued passionately, her voice rising. People stared at her a minute before Lily glared coldly at them, making them scurry away.
"Albeit a stupid, noble prat that likes you enough to use himself to save you. Go!"
"Fine! This is what I get for having a stupid consciousness!" Lily threw up her hands in defeat and departed for the Hospital Wing.
o.O.o.O.o
Lily sat down in the stiff wooden seat after assuring Madam Pomfrey that she was indeed James Potter's friend. She nearly gagged herself as Madam Pomfrey turned around. Friends, she scoffed. And that'll be the day when Sirius Black turns ugly.
Lily looked at James, who was still sleeping soundly. She couldn't help but notice that James looked innocent—vulnerable, even, just sleeping like that. "Innocent," she muttered, snorting as James yawned, turning his face more towards Lily.
"Idiot," she murmured, her heart softening some.
James stirred a minute later. He opened his large hazel eyes, blinking a few times. Lily then noticed that he didn't have his glasses on. She fetched them off the table sitting next to him and said half-heartedly, "Here."
James quickly put them on to see who the speaker was.
"Evans? Well, not really that surprised, I suppose. Been sitting there for me, your savior, to wake up for Merlin knows how long, haven't you? Come to thank me for saving your dear life? I wouldn't charge that much if you kissed me as well—perhaps five galleons if you're really good," James said off-handedly, giving her a superior grin.
Lily sniffed indignantly. "Actually, Potter, I've been sitting here for less than three minutes and yes, I've come to thank you for attempting to save my life and saving someone else's, and I'm not kissing you, I like my lips, thanks," Lily said, trying to control her temper and stood up quickly, turning to leave.
James held on to her wrist. "What?" James looked confused and Lily turned back around.
"You heard me, now let me go, Potter," Lily said through gritted teeth as she tried to pry James loose.
"What do you mean I attempted to save you and saved someone else?" James asked, his face expressionless. For someone who had broken three ribs and had taken a sixty-feet fall, his grip was surprisingly strong.
Lily stopped struggling and gave him an impatient sigh. "You're really rather stupid, Potter. Only your nobleness could have made me think twice and come up here to thank you. I think that you thought that I was going to be hit by the Bludger, when in fact I was at the opposite side. You saved another redhead—Everson or something, I think—a Hufflepuff third year," Lily explained and James slowly loosened his grip. Lily massaged the spot where James had left red finger marks.
"Goodness, Potter. Anyways, get well soon or something…I've found that your childish antics have proved to be somewhat comical. Good day," Lily said eloquently and left.
James stared at her. Why hadn't Remus or Sirius told him about this? He had made a bloody fool of himself yet again and Lily wasn't going to ever like him.
Suddenly, a flash of red hair caught James's eye. His heart leapt. Perhaps Lily was back and was telling him that everything she said was an innocent joke of hers. No harm.
It was Meredith Everson. James sighed. Great. Things were just dandy.
She was blushing and her wild red hair was untamed, in frizzy large curls, most unlike Lily's straight, shiny hair. James groaned. How could he ever have thought that Meredith was Lily? For one, Lily was about ten times as pretty as this fluffy and rather unattractive Everson girl. He shook his head. He must have been really sick that day.
"James? Did you get my sweets? I've brought some more for you. I think you're wonderfully, so incredibly amazing to have saved me! You're my hero, James and I want to thank you deeply for saving my life!" Meredith gushed out and bounced over to James, trying to give him a kiss on the cheek.
James was not one of the best Chasers the Gryffindor Quidditch team had seen for nothing. He had excellent reflexes, my dear. Which is why three seconds later, Meredith Everson was head down in the trashcan near the door while James hummed cheerfully and seemed suspiciously innocent.
"James—get me out of here! Did you see what happened? I think it was one of those Wind-Sucking Paper Wads that people talk about. Maybe someone threw it in this trashcan. Oh Merlin, James—save me! The trashcan's trying to eat me or something! My hair!"
James hid a grin. "Don't worry, Everson, it's just trying to recycle you. In two years, you'll be as good as new."
"In two years! Merlin, please, James—save me!"
"Sorry, Everson, I would love to, but it seems that I am in fact confined in this bed, and I'm ever so sick—I can't move," James gave a fake moan.
Madam Pomfrey bustled out, trying to see who dared to make a racket in her Hospital Wing.
"You! Trying to see if the poor old trashcan will recycle you? Idiot girl!" Madam Pomfrey gave a giant heave and pulled Meredith out. Her long hair had gotten chopped off into something that almost resembled a mohawk. Too bad they didn't know what those were.
"Out—out of here at once! Trying to disturb my patients here! Nonsense," Madam Pomphrey said huffily and turned to James, her voice becoming much more gentler, "You! Are you all right, dear? I hope that racket didn't disturb you—things aren't usually that loud here at all—that was just a fluke—don't worry, dear, I'll make sure that she never enters here while you're in here. Now lay down and take some more of that medicine."
James grinned and helped himself to some of the medicine, which surprisingly, tasted like strawberries. Then, feeling much better, he helped himself to some Sugar Quills, some of which had broke.
As he sucked on the end of it, he calmed down. He then remembered the incident with Lily and sighed. He was a bit of an idiot—no, he was one.
"Evans will never like me," James said mournfully to the air. After a whole evening of self-doubt and losing the rest of his confidence, he slept uneasily.
The next morning, Remus and Sirius came back to see James and showered upon him many love letters and even more chocolates from Everson who believed that her dear James had attempted to save her yet again.
James stared glumly at the sweets in their hands and sighed.
"Why the long face, Prongs? I know you're a stag—but, really," Sirius commented.
James's face turned sour. "Evans—she came yesterday and I made a bloody fool of myself in front of her, as usual. How come you guys didn't tell me that I saved Everson instead of Evans?" James asked angrily, glaring each of them down.
"Well—erm, you see," Remus began.
"Well, yeah, we—er," Sirius started.
"Never mind. I don't really care any more. It's not like Evans will start liking me all of the sudden," James said, a depressed expression on his face.
"Well, at least Lily came to see you. She could have not come," Remus pointed out, trying to find some good in it.
"That's because she's nice. It has nothing to do with me," James said dully, fingering the sheets.
"Oh, Prongs, old pal, don't say that—it's depressing to see you like this," Sirius said, frowning.
"I think—it's time for drastic action. Are you willing to change for her, James?" Remus asked seriously.
"What do you mean?" James asked, still looking very miserable.
"I think he means that it's time to puncture that inflated head of yours a bit, Prongs," Sirius offered.
Remus nodded. "That—is what Lily would like to see. I'm sure she cares for you deep, deep down, but because of your attitude, she's not that willing to show it."
Suddenly, James straightened up. "That one time when I gave her a song—she said that as long as I'm still the arrogant prat that I am, she'll never go out with me. So, all I have to do is stop being arrogant right?"
"And a prat," Sirius reminded.
James's smile faltered a bit. "You think this will work?"
"Of course! We all know that Paddy here is an expert on the art of wooing women," Remus smiled.
"Oh, stop it, Moony, you're making me blush. It's ruining my complexion," Sirius grinned good-naturedly and swatted at Remus's head, who, due to not having James's extremely quick reflexes, got hit.
"And I know some manners, I suppose," Remus said modestly, looking thoughtful as he massaged the place Sirius had hit him.
Sirius grinned. "Stop being so humble now! You're the perfect gentleman, Moony!" Sirius roared.
"So, I'm set?" James started to smile as well.
"You're set," Remus and Sirius confirmed firmly, nodding their heads in unison.
Author's Note:
You guys do not know how much I loved writing this story, knowing that there are actually some living people out there reading it, and also giving reviews, which I'm ever so grateful for. Yes, this is the end, my friends. Be prepared for a sequel though, which the tentative title is going to be Winning Miss Lily Evans Over. If you have better titles, please feel free to include them in your review.
It's been great reading your wonderful reviews and writing this. I hope you guys have enjoyed reading this as much as I have writing this. I have gained a lot of input from this and I'm really happy about that.
Gosh, this is really so sad for me. Thank you guys for being such wonderful readers, reviewers, critics—I love you guys so much! I have always eagerly anticipated opening the Stats every time I log in and the reviews surprise me each time. Truth to be told, I was expecting more reviews, but that's all right—I'm lucky to have gotten any.
I want to give a very big THANK YOU to every single person that's tried out this story and great big hugs to my awesome reviewers! Not one flame! Thank you so, so much, you guys. Much love!
Till I write again,
Neen
While you're waiting for the start of the sequel, please check out my new story, The Room of Requirement! Thanks!
reviewers:
: IamSiriusGrl : excellent suggestion, but Lily's smart and she feels guilty, so that's all good. Thanks for being such a wonderful reviewer!
: AimeeK : yeah, I loved that part too!
: Owl and Crow : Thanks!