Disclaimer: I only own the original characters and the plot. That's all I'm claiming.
Chapter 1The wind tugged at the 6th year's hair as she watched the two owls take off into the night. Hopefully this latest package would last them a week or two. Merlin only knows what her family would do if the House Elves weren't so generous.
"You write to your family everyday don't you?" A deep voice asked, drawing her attention to the doorway of the owlery. Lily turned to see James Potter standing in the doorway.
"Yeah," She answered softly, blushing and turning back to the window. "I like to see how they're doing."
James Potter, she reminded herself, as her face heated up, is one of the Rich Ones: one of those walking reminders that she was of the lowest class in both worlds.
Sure he was nice…but almost everybody was nice to Lily though. She never lost her temper and always did whatever anyone asked her, whether she wanted to or not. She always put others before herself and that was why nobody was really mean to her like they were to the other muggle born; but then…nobody really went out of their way to be extra nice to her either: because she was virtually invisible until they wanted something.
But she had to admit to herself: James wasn't as bad as the others. He talked to her occasionally, though never for really long. He was one of those really cute, no handsome, guys that everybody had a crush on, Lily included, though she would never admit that out loud…especially to her best friend Lorelei, who dated James for six whole months, and had only broken up with him a little over a month ago.
"That's nice." James said, bringing Lily out of her musings. Lily turned back towards him. "Hmm?" She said, confused. "Nice that you check up on your family."
"Oh." She remembered now. She smiled softly and turned once more to look out into the night. "Thanks James. Did you come to send a letter?"
James smiled, though she couldn't see it. "Yes, actually. I'm sending off my Mother's Birthday present. I had meant to do it a little earlier but I had to clean up one of Sirius's messes from a prank in the common room."
Lily looked down at her worn watch and frowned. "I didn't realize it was so late." She murmured. "I need to get back to the common room or else I'll miss curfew."
"If you don't mind waiting a minute, I can walk with you back to the common room." He suggested. Lily paused and nodded. "Okay." She said. "Thanks."
"No problem." James replied nonchalantly. He wasn't looking at her, but petting his owl, Nightwise, affectionately under her chin. Lily smiled as he watched him feed the black owl a treat from the pocket and robes. "Okay girl." He said softly. "I need you to take this to Mother for me huh?"
Nightwise softly nipped his hand and James grinned, "Good girl." He soothed, tying a small rectangular package to the owls to feet. When she took off through the window, James turned, surprised to see Lily smiling at him.
"What?" He asked, a smile spreading across his own face. Lily's smiles were contagious. "Nothing." Lily said, shaking her head. "I just don't see too many people being so nice to their owls. It's uh…it's nice."
"Thanks…I think."
James walked out of the far door, and Lily chuckling, followed, though careful to keep a certain distance at all times. "So Lily." James said, taking his time strolling leisurely down the corridor. "Tell me. We know why I'm sending my letter so late. But why are you? And I don't bite you know."
Lily blushed, and stepped closer. Then she shrugged. "I don't know. I just think it's more peaceful when it's close to curfew and the halls are empty."
"So you like peace and quiet then?" He asked. Lily nodded. "Me too."
"Mr. Malfoy, for the last time, put the cell phone away!!" Professor McGonagall, the Transfiguration teacher barked, drawing Lily out of her musings and back to the blackboard where they were being lectured.
Inwardly, the teacher cursed the man who'd introduced muggle electronics into the Wizarding World. In her opinion, they had been perfectly fine not being able to use electricity inside of Hogwarts. Her already rambunctious students had enough distractions without the compact phones and computers and such.
"Sure thing." Lucius Malfoy grinned at the girl who had given him her number to put into his phone and shut the green and silver thing with a loud snap.
The girl smiled at him, before winking and turning back towards the front of the class. McGonagall and Lily both rolled their eyes, but before the teacher could say another word, the bell rang and all of the Gryffindors and Slytherins gathered their things to leave.
Except for Lily, who politely waited to be properly dismissed by their professor before she moved. "No homework this weekend, except to finish reading the chapter." McGonagall called in a defeated voice, nodding at Lily who had only just begun to gather her things.
The red head took her time getting her books, shoving her elbow length hair over one shoulder and methodically arranging everything in her bag. It wasn't as if her friends waited for her to catch up or anything. Thankfully, it was the last class on a Friday and she could walk as slowly as she wished since she had nowhere in particular to rush off to.
"Goodbye Professor." She said, and McGonagall looked up, a small smile on her face as she gazed briefly upon her favorite student. "Goodbye Miss. Evans."
Apparently, she wasn't the only one who had decided to take her time, she saw as she stepped out into the corridor. A lot of the other Gryffindor and Slytherin 6th years were leaning against the walls, waiting for their boyfriends or girlfriends and friends who were in a different house.
"Teachers Pet." Malfoy leered, sticking out his foot to trip her as she walked past. Lily ignored him stepping directly over his expensive shoe as she continued on her way down the hall.
"Hey Mudblood I was talking to you!" The platinum blonde boy called out, but Lily continued on as if she hadn't heard him, though the whole hall had gone silent at the foul name he'd called her.
In truth, Lily really wasn't in the mood for it. She'd found out earlier that day that her Grandmother's illness had gotten worse…and with Christmas coming up and her having absolutely no money to send her Nana to help with the rent, let alone buy anyone a gift (her Nana, sisters, brothers, or her demanding friends) she just wasn't feeling like being entertainment for a bunch of stuck up rich kids.
"Now, now what's that attitude?" Malfoy demanded, and all of a sudden, Lily's bag split, and her things were all over the floor. The corridor was filled with the roar of students' laughter.
"Clumsy me." Malfoy said, and Lily turned in time to see him twirling his wand between his fingers. "Clumsy you." Lily agreed, glaring as she waved her wand and her bag fixed itself. She went to gather her things, but froze when she saw that her inkwell had burst all over her books.
She groaned and picked up the black, sticky mess. "Thanks a lot Malfoy."
She cleaned up the mess with her wand, but her ink was gone. "Guess you'll have to buy more ink when you go to Hogsmeade next week huh Evans." Malfoy teased. Then he put a shocked look on face. "Oh that's right I forgot!" He exclaimed. "You can't afford to!"
"Hardy, har, har." Lily said placidly. "Did you think of that one all by yourself, or did you steal another joke from Black?"
"I don't have to steal anything from Black or his stupid Marauders, Evans!"
"Sure you don't." Lily replied. "I mean, it's not like they're smarter or have more friends than you do. Oh that's right I forgot! They do!"
"Think you're really clever, don't you Evans."
"Not really." Lily said, shrugging her bag onto her shoulder as she glared at Malfoy with one hand on her hip. "I mean it's not like I'm top of my class or anything."
"Beat the joke to death why don't you Evans?" Sirius Black asked, another of the handsome, rich, popular boys, along with Remus Lupin, both of whom were James Potter's best friends.
Lily didn't spare a glance towards blue-black haired Sirius, but continued to glare at Malfoy as she shrugged. "Why throw out what works?"
Remus startled her by laughing raucously and throwing an arm over her small shoulders. "I like you." He announced matter-of-factly. "So you can't mess with her Malfoy. Ain't that right Prongs?"
"Prongs," who was in fact James Potter, stepped forward, wand in hand as he smiled innocently at Malfoy. "'Fraid so Lucy. Sorry but you can't tease her anymore."
Malfoy looked at the three with disdain, his sharp nose pointed upwards. "This is who you give your Gryffindor loyalty to? To this piece of filth?"
"I'm warning you Malfoy." James said in a low voice. "Don't bother." Lily murmured, turning to walk away. She'd heard enough, but hadn't gone more than five steps a cold clammy hand closed around her wrist.
"Where do you think you're going?" Malfoy demanded, twisting roughly. "Away from you. Let me go!"
"Say please." Malfoy demanded, drawing her closer. "How's 'piss off' work for you." Lily spat, clenching her teeth against the pain.
"Where's this sass coming from? You've never had a mouth on you before. Don't speak that way to your betters."
"Betters?" Lily repeated, trying to get her arm loose. "Let me go Malfoy."
The platinum haired boy twisted harder, all the while smiling sweetly and Lily stubbornly, set her jaw, refusing to show any sign that he was hurting her.
"Malfoy let her go. You can't hurt people just because you feel like it." Remus spoke up again, glaring angrily.
Malfoy smirked at the sandy haired boy. "Doesn't look like I'm hurting her Lupin." He said casually. "Does it hurt Evans?"
Lily gritted her teeth, glaring at the boy. "Course not." She said, her voice light, but he saw the pain flicker briefly through them, and added more pressure, satisfied when she cringed and he hear a loud CRACK!
"Malfoy!" Potter looked appalled as he raised his wand, and hexed him right between the eyes. "Damn you Potter!!" Malfoy howled, staggering backwards and clutching at his head.
Lily leaned against the wall, cradling her wand hand as she slid down to the floor. A busty blonde girl with icy blue eyes and manicured nails knelt next to her, careful not to get too close to the floor.
"Lily, are you okay?" she asked. Lily nodded. "I'm fine Lorelei. Could you help me up please?"
But Potter moved first, grabbing her at the elbow and hauling her to her feet.
"Thanks." She muttered, flustered and determined not to look him in the eye. She grabbed her bad hand as if trying to give herself a handshake and gave it a wrench until another loud CRACK filled the corridor. Sirius Black winced, and so did Lorelei. "Did you just-" Remus started.
"Pop it back into place?" Lily finished with a shrug as she bent down to pick up her bag. "Yeah."
Sirius shook his head and his blue-black hair flew into his gray eyes. "Ouch." He muttered. Lily shrugged again and shifted from foot to foot. "I'll just be going." She said uneasily, staring at the floor. "I want to finish my homework so I can relax over the weekend."
"Aren't you going to go to the Hospital Wing and let the nurse check that out?" Remus asked, but Lily shook her head. "Nah. I'll wrap it if it swells," she looked down at her wrist, and saw that it was already starting to do so.
She turned to leave, but then stopped and turned around again. "Thanks for uh…sticking up for me earlier. I um, it was really decent of you guys."
"Think nothing of it." Remus said graciously with a smile. James nodded agreement. "Yeah." He said. "I mean, what kind of Gryffindors would we be if we just stood there and watched." He glared at Lorelei as he said this.
"Um…right. Bye then."
Upstairs, safely in her dormitory, Lily changed into her overalls and a long sleeved shirt, and then wrapped her wrist up in an ace bandage she's had since forever. Then gingerly, so as not to upset her wrist, she pulled on her tan "construction worker boots" as she called them, and tied up the tan and burgundy laces.
As expected, Lorelei commented on the outfit as soon as Lily stepped into the common room and dumped her homework on the table closest to the fire.
"Merlin, Lily, what are you wearing?" Her high shrieking voice carried over the din in the common room. Lily sighed warily opening her book and beginning to read the chapter they were assigned in McGonagall's class.
"Clothes Lorelei."
"But why those clothes?" Lorelei demanded. "You look…you look…"
"I can't walk around naked." Lily explained patiently.
"If those are the alternative, then maybe you should." The blonde girl stated coldly, her eyebrows rose gracefully.
"Lori!" Lily sighed, so exasperated that she accidentally slammed her sore hand down on the table.
"What?" She raised her shoulders in an innocent shrug. "I'm only being honest; you look like a lumberjack."
Lily stopped cradling her hand to shoot her friend a tolerating look.
"She does not."
Both girls turned to look at the boy who had intruded into their conversation, James Potter, leaned against the wall a few feet away from Lorelei with his arms crossed casually over his Cashmere sweater-clad chest.
"You know." He went on, giving Lorelei a dirty look. "For someone who claims to be her best friend, you sure don't treat her very nicely." He turned his intense gaze upon Lily with a quirky smile replacing his scowl. "Besides." He added. "I think she looks cute."
Lily's eyes went wide, her face flushed deep scarlet, and her mouth opened the tiniest bit out of shock. Lorelei 'humph'ed and traipsed up the stairs. James ignored her and nudged Lily's shoes with his own.
"Nice boots." He teased, grinning, and Lily looked down, noticing that his were exactly the same as hers. She smiled. "Thanks. I like yours too."
James laughed, and dropped into the empty seat across from her. "Whatcha doing?" he asked. Lily looked down at her books in dismay. "I was going to do my homework before I realized that I can't even hold my quill."
"I have an EZ Quotes Quill if you'd like."
"Oh, No!" Lily cried quickly. "Those are expensive, I couldn't. What if something happened to it?"
James seemed to think her discomfort was amusing, and he smiled and shook his head. "Don't worry about it. Remus gave me a whole box of them for Christmas last year and I've only used two. I've got 10 more, so you can have a brand new one. Wait here."
He dashed up the stairs to his dormitory before she could protest and came back a moment later with two icicle blue quills in one hand, which he presented to her with a great flourish. "Here you go."
"Um, th-thanks James. Really."
"No problem." James said, smiling still. For some reason he couldn't stop. "You might want to wait to do it until it's quieter though, otherwise you might catch bits of people's conversation in your essay."
Lily sat back, relaxing a bit for the first time since James had spoken, and laughed a bit at the thought of conversations interrupting her essay. "It is believed that Cornish pixies are indigenous to 'Oy! Padfoot have you put itching powder in my boxers again?'"
She sniggered at her own joke, and James couldn't help but laugh with her. The thought of one of their professors reading that on an essay seemed hilarious to her and she laughed harder, slapping a her good hand over her mouth to muffle the noise.
"It wasn't that funny, Lily." James said, but he was laughing even harder than she was, and finally he had to drop his head into the crook of his arms as tears came to his eyes.
Finally, they'd calmed themselves and Lily, still chortling, wiped her eyes and smiled. "I haven't laughed that hard in a long time." James admitted. "Since the last time we pulled a prank on the Slytherins."
"I can't ever remember laughing so hard that tears came to my eyes." Lily confessed as James wiped his glasses on a handkerchief. He stopped and looked up at her. "Never?" He asked. Lily shook her head. "Never."
"Man, you've missed out." He told her. "Are you going to Hogsmeade tomorrow?"
Lily blinked, trying to figure out what had brought such an abrupt subject change. "That was random." She said.
"Are you?"
"Me?" She thought about her answer. "Nah, I never go."
James looked thunderstruck. "Why not?" he demanded. "Lily shrugged. "Because the only time I ever went, was after Lorelei and I became friends."
"What's that got to do with anything?"
"Have you ever seen that girl shop?" Lily wanted to know.
"Unfortunately yes." James admitted, remembering the time he had been dumb enough to believe Lorelei when she had said she'd forgotten her money at the castle and would pay him back if he'd pay for her…he still didn't see that money coming back to him anytime soon.
"She spends, no wastes, so many galleons when she shops it makes me sick just to watch." Lily went on. "I know how that feels." James mumbled. "But that still doesn't tell me why you don't go to Hogsmeade."
Lily shrugged. "I just don't see the need in going off to waste loads of money when there's no need to do so. And there's not really anything to do in Hogsmeade besides shop is there?"
"Sure there is!" James said enthusiastically. "You can visit the Shrieking Shack, or you can just have a butter beer at the Three Broomsticks or window shop! You don't even have to buy anything!"
He saw the stricken look on her face and his enthusiasm went flat. "What?" he asked. Lily shook her head slowly and again James asked "What? What is it?"
"I just don't fancy spending all day pretending not to be bored watching other people waste their money." She let the half-truth slip easily.
"Oh, come on!" James insisted. "It's fun!"
"I'm sure it is." Lily told him quietly. "I just…I don't go to Hogsmeade James."
"Lily!" James exclaimed loudly. Several people looked over to their table and Lily blushed. He, however, paid them no mind. "You have NO idea how much fun you're missing out on! And I want you to go! You wouldn't disappoint me like that would you Lily? An innocent little thing like you wouldn't go and step on my heart like that would you?"
Lily bit her lip. 'This is what I get for never turning people down.' She mused. 'Go on! Tell him yes. Tell him yes, you have to disappoint him because you don't want to go to Hogsmeade.'
"No." She agreed, mentally slapping herself. "I wouldn't want to do that. I'll go with you if you want."
'YOU IDIOT!' her mind screamed at her. 'You only agreed to go with him because you like him, didn't you'
'No.'
'Yes you did.'
'Not true. I agreed because I agree to everything.' When her thoughts turned sour, she blocked them out, to find that James had been talking to her.
"I'm sorry, what did you say?" She asked. James smiled. "I asked you to meet me and the guys in the common room at 7."
"So early?" She questioned. "Doesn't everyone normally leave around 9?"
"Yes," he admitted, going on to explain. "But we like to get there before all of the shop-happy girls"
"Oh." Lily said. "Makes sense"
'And I can leave without being questioned by my dorm mates.'
"I know it does." James grinned. "You'll learn soon Lily, that I do everything for a reason…everything concerning school at least." He added as an afterthought.
Lily doubted this, but nodded, not wanting to be disagreeable.
"Well," James stood. "I really should be going. I'll see you at 7? And dress warm; it's always colder in Hogsmeade."
"Sure." Lily agreed as he walked away to find his friends, silently wondering what she'd gotten herself into.