Hey guys! So this is my first fanfic. Please review but go easy on me. I'd like to know if this was a good start or not.

I don't own Harry Potter and I'm glad I don't. I would've written it differently and that would've been a bad thing because it couldn't of been written any better. J. K. Rowling is the best!

Chapter Uno

"Hey, Lily." A voice came from behind me.

"Potter." I huffed.

"Mind if I sit here?" He gestured the seat next to me.

"Oh, no. Not at all. It's not like I hate you or anything." I muttered rolling my eyes.

"Great!" he sat down.

I looked over at him. His black hair was as messy as usual. His hazel eyes were full of joy behind his round glasses. He was quite skinny but very tall. "I was being sarcastic. Move!"

"Okay, class, let's begin with today's lesson." announced Professor McGonagall.

Great, I thought. An entire class having to sit next to James Potter; the biggest prat ever!

Today's lesson had to do with having to turn a goblet into a cat then into a rat and then back into a goblet only then the goblet had to be filled with pumpkin juice. I had to admit, I was pretty nervous. Transfiguration was my least favorite subject. It had nothing to do with McGonagall. She and I got along just fine. She was actually one of my favorite professors. I just hated her subject. It was my weakest area and I wasn't getting any better. Worse than that, Potter was the best in the school and now he was probably going to gloat. I swear I'd wipe that seemingly permanent smirk off his face if he did. In fact…

I grabbed my wand out of my bag. We were going to need it anyway. I sat in my stood and waited for McGonagall's speech to end. She finally allowed us to try the assignment after having to take many notes. And all the while, I was surprised to see that Potter had been calmly quiet the entire time.

The class erupted in chatter as many attempted the assignment while others talked to their friends. The only reason I wasn't talking was because my best mate was on the other side of the classroom. Ever since Alice began dating Frank Longbottom she really hasn't been around much. Her and frank seemed to be madly in love and their relationship didn't seem to be coming to an end anytime soon.

"Need help, Lily?" I looked away from Alice to meet Potter's eyes. He was leaning on our desk and was sipping his pumpkin juice out of his goblet. How did he finish so quickly?

Wait, was he mocking me? I was about to hex him when I took a second look into him clear hazel eyes. There wasn't a hint of laughter in his eyes.

I sighed. It seemed to be the only thing I could do. "Yeah."

He smiled a genuine smile and set his goblet down. "You know the incantation, right?"

I nodded.

"Well, let's try it out and see what it is that you're doing wrong."

For the rest of the class, Potter helped me and advised me of what I should do and how I should do it. It took a few tries but I finally managed to get my goblet of pumpkin juice.

"There you go!" Potter said grinning.

"Thanks. Especially for having patience with me." I said sincerely.

"You're quite welcome, Lily." He said.

I raised an eyebrow. "Since when did you start calling me 'Lily'?"

He shrugged. "A while back."

"I hadn't noticed." I admitted.

The bell rang and everyone cheered. This had been the last class period of this semester. It was our last day here at Hogwarts. Everyone was excited yet disappointed that another year had gone by and it was time again for summer.

"Well, I guess it's time for dinner." Potter hesitated. "Can I walk you?"

I thought for a second. And with a glance at Alice and Frank I made up my mind. "Sure."

He smiled and picked up his bag. "Let's go leave our stuff first, yeah?"

I nodded. "Let's go."

We left the classroom and once outside I questioned him. "So, what are you going to do this summer?"

Then he went on and on about all the different things he and his best mates Sirius and Remus were going to do. In fact, he didn't stop talking. We made it to the Gryffindor common room and set out bags down by a couch and exited. We made our way to the great hall and I saw that Alice and Frank were sitting close to each other whispering. I wasn't mad at Alice for ditching me. I understood that her and Frank wanted to have some time together before the summer break.

I sighed again for the fiftieth time today. "Can I sit with you?" I interrupted Potter.

His eyes lit up a bit. "Of course."

It wouldn't be that bad. Potter was being okay, Remus was my friend, and Peter (one of Potter's mates.) was okay too. He was friendly but he also seemed tense most of the time. The only person I was concerned about was Sirius Black. He was almost exactly like Potter. He was an arrogant player. He was also very annoying and loved to annoy me especially only because Potter did. These four boys made up a group called the Marauders.

We got to the Marauder part of the Gryffindor table and sat.

Remus greeted me kindly. His sandy hair was as neat and long as it always was. He was very tall. Taller than Potter even. He had those bright blue puppy eyes that all the girls loved, but Remus didn't date.

Peter squeaked a 'hi'. He was a short blonde boy with watery dull blue eyes. He was always the one that trailed along behind that Marauders glory.

Black, however, raised an eyebrow at me and grinned at Potter. Sirius Black had long black hair and (I had to admit.)cool looking grey eyes. He was just as tall as Potter.

"Finally got in her knickers, Prongs?" he asked.

I saw Potter roll his eyes at Black before starting a conversation with Remus.

The Marauders all referred to each other by their nicknames. Potter was Prongs, Black was Padfoot, Remus was Moony, and Peter was Wormtail. I had no idea where they had come up with all these nicknames. Black once told me that Remus was Moony because he liked to go walking in crowded areas and mooning random people. I knew this wasn't true. (Obviously.) Black just liked making up tales. What bothered me was how he told them. He would tell his stories like they were true and didn't smirk. He kept a straight face and expected everyone to believe him. Some of the first years would.

"So, Evans, what brings you here to our lovely group?" he asked.

I snorted. "Lovely?" I turned to Remus and Peter. "No offense, Remus. Peter."

Peter nodded back a bit too enthusiastically. "S' okay." Remus said.

I turned back to Black. "I'm letting Alice have some time alone with Frank."

"Ah, the lovebirds." He said looking towards Alice.

I was glad he hadn't said anything perverted like I expected.

"So, Lily, I forgot my manners down the hall and-"

Black's snort interrupted Potter. Forget what I said about him not being perverted.

Potter sent him a look and continued. "-I forgot to ask you what you were up to this summer."

"Oh, I'm not sure. My family has the habit of never planning anything."

"What do you mean?" Remus asked.

"Yeah, what do you mean? Were you not planned, Evans?" Black added.

I ignored Black and answered Remus. "We just never plan. One day my dad could suggest going to France and the next day we'll find ourselves in France."

"What about your personal plans?" Potter asked.

"Well, I'm definitely gonna try to enjoy my last summer with my parents. After school next year I'm gonna try to move out. I'd really like to live alone now. Just to give it a try, you know?"

"Yeah, I'm thinking about moving out too." Remus said.

"Well, I have nowhere else to go. I don't really have much of a choice." Black said. He thought for a second. "Well, I guess I could go buy my own house out somewhere until my family dies. Then, I could have the house."

I felt bad for Black. He lived with Potter because he had finally had enough of his crazy Death Eater family.

"Come on, Padfoot, you know my mum would never let you move out." Potter said.

"Yeah, that's what I meant by not having much of a choice. Anyway, I like your home. And your parents are practically mine too." Black said.

Suddenly, everyone became silent as the headmaster got up for his speech.

"Another memorable year at Hogwarts has passed and I look at each of you and hardly believe this is the same bunch from the beginning of the term. You have all grown, not only in appearance, but also in knowledge. I have trust that each of you has tried so hard this year to achieve. Whether it was for academics, Quidditch, wisdom, strength, love, entertainment (I couldn't help but notice that he sent a smile in our direction. No doubt, for the Marauders. I saw them all grin back.) or anything else I might've forgotten. I bit you all farewell and good luck with that growth. Now, let us begin our delicious feast."

Food appeared on the tables as the headmaster sat. Everyone began piling up their plates and started to stuff themselves.

"Hey." I turned and saw Alice.

"Hey, Alice, what are you doing here? Don't you want to spend time with Frank?"

"He went to catch up with his friends before the train ride." She sat down.

"Hello, Alice." Remus greeted her.

"Hi, Remus." She answered.

And that was it for the conversation. We all lapsed into a comfortable silence as we ate. I was glad Alice hadn't asked why I had come to eat with the Marauders when I had plenty of other friends I could've joined. I had no I idea how I could've answered that if she had asked.

"Wow, that food gets better each day." Black commented when we made it to the common room.

"Yuh huh." Alice agreed. "Well, goodnight, you guys. I guess I'll see all of you on the train tomorrow."

"Yeah, goodnight, Alice." Remus said. "Goodnight, Lily."

"Goodnight, Alice. Goodnight, Lily." Peter said quickly.

They both made their way up the boys' staircase.

"'Night, ladies." Black winked, following them.

Alice went up the girls' stairs without answering them.

I turned around to see that Potter was still there.

"So, this is the last night here for the sixth time." He joked.

"Yeah, I guess so." I answered.

"It never gets easy. I mean, I know we're coming back later in the year, but during the break you can't help but wish you were here."

"You have no idea how much I get you. My older sister hates me so she tries to make my summers miserable." I had never told anybody. Not even Alice. Alice always enjoyed herself during the summer. I could never make her understand. Even if I did tell her about my sister, she'd only tell me to ignore her.

"Why does she hate you?"

"She thinks I'm a freak and that I shouldn't exist. She says I'm not beautiful and don't have a single lovely trait about me. She says I'm gonna die at a young age because I have no life." I laughed bitterly. "She hates me."

Potter approached me. "Well, that shouldn't bother you."

"You don't understand! She's my sister! Of course it's gonna bother me."

"I didn't mean it like that. I meant something that is so far from the truth shouldn't bother you. You know it's not true so you shouldn't believe it. You are very beautiful, Lily. Not just in looks. Your heart and personality is something everybody wishes to have. You know why? Because a heart like yours is easy to fall in love with. It's so loving and pure. Something many people can only dream of. And you have it, Lily. Everybody can see it. I bet your sister can see it too. She's just trying to convince herself that she's better. She probably wants to be you. You're smart, beautiful, graceful, loving and kind. You are the type of person everyone wishes to be."

I blinked. "You really think that?" my voice came out in a whisper.

He grinned. "Lily, if I didn't believe that I don't think I could've ever fallen in love-" he stopped. "Well, I know that to be the truth." He paused. "Goodnight, Lily."

"Wait, Potter."

He went to the stairs. "I'll see you tomorrow." He went up.

"James!"

He stopped. He turned around and cocked his head to the side a bit. "Did you just call me 'James'?"

"I-I think so."

He came down the stairs again. He stopped in front of me. He had a soft smile on his face. His eyes were so bright and full of life. "Yes, Lily?"

"What were you going to say? You started saying something after I asked you if you really believed what you had said. You started to say it then you stopped."

He looked a bit nervous. "Never mind."

I could tell he was about to leave so I grabbed his upper arm. "Tell me."

"It-I." he ran a hand through his messy black hair and sighed in frustration. "I was gonna say that I-I am in love with you?" It came out as a question.

I nodded once. "That's what I thought you were going to say. Well, Goodnight, Potter."

"Yeah, goodnight, Lily." He murmured.

I went to sleep that night thinking of what James had told me.

When I fell asleep that night I dreamt of a graceful stag that followed me in the Forbidden Forest. At first I thought the stag was being territorial, but when I turned around to look at him, I was surprised to see that he was only about a foot away. I gasped. He looked at me right in the eye. Something about his calm hazel eyes soothed me. I reached up a hand and stroked his neck slowly. He closed his eyes and allowed me to continue stroking him. The last thing I remembered was lying my head on the stag's neck as I slowly and peacefully fell asleep.

Please Review. If I get at least two good reviews I'll write the next chapter. (And then I'll figure out how to add a chapter) Let me know if there's anything I need to add.