Jily one shots

Chances

Disclaimer: written by @jamespotterthefirst

Lily Evans fancied James Potter.

There was no denying it. The idea had been a mortifying and conflicting one at first, but the more she thought about the reasons why, the more she accepted it.

In retrospect, Lily noted, their sixth year had been a transitory stage for James, it helped him deflate. And being named Head Boy for their seventh year didn't hurt either. Suddenly, instead of hexing the lower classmen, James was volunteering to lead the tutoring sessions and guiding lost first years to their classes. His successive change along with the amount of time she was forced to spend with him as Head Girl lessened her annoyance with him. It lead to many conversations which, in turn, evoked her to notice many things-fascinating things- about James.

For instance, she realized he was as brilliant as they said in all of their classes, not just Transfiguration or Defense. He was even good at Potions and the only reason why he didn't receive superior marks was the he hated it and therefore didn't even bother (or as he told her the day she asked about it, "You do realize there would be no time to brew a potion in a life-or-death situation, don't you?")

James found humor in almost everything, she also learned, which constituted to many people's beliefs that he was an insensitive prat. The difference was that he found some things reasonably hilarious and others he found funny in an ironic, cosmic sort of way. Whether it was a mirthful laugh or a humorless one, he would laugh nonetheless.

And then there was that small crease that appeared in his forehead when he was concentrating on something or when he was giving her his undivided attention. Whenever they spoke her eyes would wander from his forehead, down to his hazel eyes and finally to his lips...

Lily shook herself out of her reverie. She was thinking about James Potter's bloody forehead crease, for Merlin's sake. What kind of rational person did that?

Instead, Lily forced herself to focus on the task at hand: breakfast.

She could hear his laughter from a few seats down the Gryffindor table. Without looking at him, she could picture in her head exactly how he looked, how his hazel eyes shone behind his glasses and...

"What do you think, Lily?"

"What?"

"Merlin, Lily," said Rose Riley disapprovingly. "You don't even pretend to be listening anymore, do you?" She looked at where Lily had been staring at and a small smile appeared on her lovely face. "Why is that?"

"I was just saying," Marlene interrupted loudly and Lily sent her a grateful look. Lily hadn't told Marlene but she was sure she had noticed. "There's a rumor that both Benjy Fenwick and Bertram Aubrey want to ask me out for Valentine's day. I just don't know who to go with, or who will ask me first, or-"

"Bertram Aubrey is so dull, though," interrupted Rose. And she went on to list the reasons why.

Valentine's day-she had forgotten. With it being so close to their next Hogsmeade trip, the entire female population was in a frenzy. Very few, like Rose Riley, had the nerve to take the first step and ask a bloke out. The rest desperately sought out the boys' attention or dropped subtle (and not so subtle) hints. Lily, however, tried not to judge since she was no better herself.

She stole a glance at where he sat. To her surprise, he was looking right at her and her eyes met with his hazel ones. She felt her face redden almost immediately. Merlin, she needed to get a grip on herself and just when she thought she could, he sent her a charming, lopsided smile.

For goodness' sake, she was seventeen and she was acting like a fourth year.

"Yes, but why do you think the Marauders never picked on Benjy?" Rose was saying. "They were always setting Bertram's robes on fire or enlarging his teeth. I reckon it was because he was so uninteresting."