Winds of Change

Loud, off-key singing... it was something that very outgoing, very obnoxious and usually very drunk people tended to take pride in. It was also what caused her to take her drink and sit outside in the mid-spring sun with its last-of-winter breeze. The Three Broomsticks was crowded that day; after so many weeks of pouring rain and little activity, the students of Hogwarts were glad to have a well-scheduled, clear skied Hogsmeade day (thanks to their Divination teacher, Professor Caton).

Lily Evans pulled her cloak from its resting place on the back of her weathered wooden chair, and draped it over her shoulders.

She was also by herself, which could nearly be considered a rare thing. Teenage girls traveled in packs, but today her friends had decided to join in with the crooning. Lily could still vaguely hear them of course, since they were bloody loud, but she preferred the twittering of birds, the hooting of dozing owls and the laughter of young students in the streets of old-fashioned Hogsmeade. She loved the Three Broomsticks, she really did, but she wasn't in the mood for the boisterous activity. Plus, Head Girls did not get rowdy in the local pub while other people looked up to them as role models.

Not that Lily really thought of herself as a role model... but she was sure there had to be at least one young first year who looked up to her.

Sitting up straighter, Lily idly took a sip of her ice water. She closed her eyes and concentrated her thought on the feeling of the smooth, cool liquid slowly travelling down her throat, and the feel of it cooling her from the inside. The breeze that day was chilly, but the sun was hot.

After all, she had to be a role model of sorts. Head Girl was not the easiest of positions to conquer and she figured students would look up to her calm exterior and fair play more than the aloof ways of her Head Boy counterpart.

James Potter was something of an enigma to Lily. Throughout the near-seven years of their acquaintanceship he'd always shown a brash side, one that was unforgiving to people he deemed lower than himself and his friends, and sometimes a cruel humour. But then there was his complete loyalty and trust in those closest to him: Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and surprisingly tiny Peter Pettigrew. Sometimes they seemed to be one mind, scheming and laughing or caring and helping each other.

It was something Lily was sure she'd never fully understand.

She placed her drink on the uneven table with its over-polished surface and took the lemon slice off the rim of her glass. She was just about to squeeze it over the ice in her drink when she heard the voice of the boy she was just thinking of (though she'd never admit to anyone, of course).

"Stop pushing me Padfoot!"

Lily rolled her eyes. Sometimes it seemed they never grew up.

"No - stop - she'll just - Ah... hello Lily."

Lily, keeping her face passive, lifted her green eyes to glance at the tall boy before her, silhouetted before the sun. "Hello Potter." Still moving just her squinting eyes, she looked to her left where Sirius Black and was casually walking away toward Remus Lupin, who seemed resigned to their childish ways. Bless him.

"Mind if I sit?" asked James, his hand already on the back of the seat across from her.

"Yes," she replied simply.

Their eyes stayed connected and Lily had no inclination to look away first, though the sun shone brightly over her face, challenging her more. She hadn't succumbed to his continuous bouts of asking her out and wasn't about to give in now.

"Well... I'll just stand then," he said, drumming his fingers over the old wood.

Taking her eyes off him, Lily lifted her glass and tipped it to her lips. "Brilliant," she muttered before taking a sip.

A silence lapsed over them and neither looked at the other. James seemed intent on lifting his face to the blue sky and Lily was pretty sure he was cursing his best friend. Lily herself was perfectly fine just stirring her lemon around in the water with a straw.

"You're not with any of your friends?" James asked, sounding bolder than he had been during his visit so far. She was more used to this James; the other one was awkward to be around.

"I was," she responded, squinting up at his face. When it looked as though he would inquire further, she elaborated, "They're inside with the rest of the choir."

James chuckled and Lily had to hide her grin by taking another slow sip. "Yes, we, well Sirius, Remus and I decided to veer out of there once the singing began."

"I'm a little surprised you're not choreographing conducting in there." She felt a bit bad when James' shoulders sunk a bit, and realised that he had been perfectly nice to her so far. She didn't expect to, but found herself asking, "Pettigrew not with you?"

James seemed pleased by her inquiry and responded, "He's in detention." Lily raised her eyebrows, but regretted it quickly and shielded her eyes in the bright sun. "He was caught out of the common room after hours."

Lily lifted her leg under the table and pushed out the chair that James still had his hand on. "Have a seat Potter; it hurts my eyes to look up at you." He sat immediately. Mentally rolling her eyes at herself, she realised that she had just invited him to bother her longer.

"Good bloke he is, not ratting the rest of us out," James said, pulling his seat in.

"I thought as much," Lily said with a sigh.

James took out his wand and put its tip to the centre of their table. He flicked it skywards and out sprang a large green patio umbrella to shade them. Looking at Lily's surprised expression, James said, "All these old tables are equipped with them."

She took a quick look around at other occupied table sets and indeed many of them had umbrellas out, all a different colour. "I never knew that," Lily admitted. She frowned; she never admitted to not knowing something around James. She had always considered him a sort of rival who she would never allow to outdo her. Whether he noticed or not, Lily couldn't tell, but it had to take a lot of maturity for him not to comment. In the years before he would have gloated to hear her say such a thing and announced to anyone around that Evans didn't know something. He had also called her Lily earlier on, hadn't he? The use of her first name had been a surprise near the end of sixth year, along with his sudden maturity.

The door swung open, and James and Lily were hit with the full power of all the voices from inside the pub. They both cringed. Madam Rosmerta staggered out, but quickly regained her posture. She fixed her dark hair and her robes, and then walked over to their table. The door swung closed on its creaking hinges.

"Good afternoon James," she greeted. "I don't believe you have a drink. What'll it be?"

"I'll have what she's having," James said, nodding towards Lily.

Lily had to bite her upper lip to keep from laughing when Madam Rosmerta looked sceptically to Lily's drink. "Ice water and lemon?" she asked. "Wouldn't you rather have your regu-"

"Ice water sounds great," James said quickly. "Nothing to cool the body like ice water."

Lily looked down and her shoulders shook.

Nodding, Rosmerta turned and walked briskly to another table, glittering heels clicking on the cobblestone.

Lily looked back up, no longer smiling, but her eyes shining and cheeks pink from withheld laughter. "You've got an exciting expansion of tastes," she commented lightly.

"I could say the same for you," James replied, leaning back in his seat and appearing more convinced she wouldn't suddenly kick him out. Ordering a drink seemed to have sealed the deal.

Lily went through a million different responses, but none seemed to fit the moment well enough. She settled on asking him a question: "What's your regular?"

"Butterbeer," James answered quickly.

"I hardly believe that," she said dryly. More raucousness reached their ears as the barmaid re-entered her pub. "Seriously, though."

"Promise not to get mad?" James asked, leaning forward and resting his arms on the table. His eyes were gleaming dangerously and he seemed to speak in conspiring tones.

"No," Lily said, leaning backwards and entwining her fingers. She watched him carefully, as if he were about to break out and return to his twelve-year-old self.

James gave her answer no thought. "It's a little concoction Sirius came up with. Fizzing Whizzbee slush and Firewhiskey."

"That sounds appalling." In fact it sounded quite good.

"It's delicious," he said immediately. "Unless you let the last of it sit and you get left over Whizzbee flavour and a punch of whiskey... that's appalling." He shuddered.

"I'll make sure to try it some time," Lily said evasively.

"I'll make sure you do."

Lily's head tilted to the side and she narrowed her eyes at him. "What are you on to exactly?" she asked slowly.

James rapped the table twice with his knuckles and sat up. He took a deep breath and began, "I was thinking of how you declined to come to Hogsmeade with me today and yet here we are."

Interesting, Lily thought. She decided to let him continue.

James took her silence as encouragement. "And I was wondering why you always rebuff, usually without thought, like it has become habit or something." He slowed when she snorted. With a small frown, he continued, "And I'm sure it has, but it's odd that you don't seem to take a minute to think of how we've both changed and whether we would have a good time or not. And I think we would... actually, we've been getting on quite well already and I predict we'd have a lovely time any time.

"I've been asking you out for a few years now," he said, giving her a lop-sided smile. "And I know you think I'm just a bothersome prat, but I have a good heart, Lily, and am not in it to hurt you or make a fool of you. I genuinely would like to get to know you better and would love it if you gave me the chance."

They were silent for a moment, each looking at the other and neither moving much. The wind ruffled James' hair and Lily mentally noted that he hadn't tried doing it purposely at least since the beginning of the year... Many thoughts of his changes raced through her head: Fewer fights in the halls, minor pranking, more involvement in his duties and closer attention to his studies.

The door to the pub swung open and for once the singing was quieted down and now loud chatter and laughter broke through her reverie. Madam Rosmerta sashayed to their table and placed James' drink down on the table. She stood for a moment, looking at the both of them. She walked away shaking her head.

"So, will you give me a chance?" James asked quietly, ignoring his drink for the moment.

"You've been practicing that, haven't you?" she asked in a simple tone, reaching for the last of her water.

James blushed and picked up his drink as well. "Er... yes."

Lily nodded in achievement. "And Remus wrote it?"

Slightly offended, James said, "Why would you say that?"

"You used a lot of big words: bothersome, genuinely, rebuff." Lily smirked when his light blush deepened. "Remus uses a lot of big words."

"He didn't write it... he helped me out in a couple spots." James sighed when Lily's smirk didn't leave. "He edited it, okay?"

She nodded approvingly. "Thought as much."

"Now that we're done skirting around the original topic," James said quietly, "would you consider giving me a chance?"

Smiling sincerely, Lily said, "I already have." James' eyes widened. "Would you like to go to Honeydukes, James?" she asked, throwing a few Knuts on the table.

He stood so fast his chair knocked over. James quickly righted it, ignoring some laughter from the table behind Lily. "Of course!" he exclaimed, throwing a couple Knuts next to Lily's from his pocket.

Barely giving it a second thought, Lily outstretched her hand for James to take. She took a deep breath and prayed to anyone listening that she was taking a good step ahead. James gently took her hand in his and led her around the other tables and out onto the main cobblestone road. He was smiling like a fool and Lily noticed that she too couldn't stop a grin from spreading on her face. His happiness was hard to avoid and absorb, and she found herself taking pleasure in it.

In fact, she realised that she quite enjoyed the feel of his hand holding hers, his grin being so large because of her and that he had tried so hard and finally won her over...

It was a lovely feeling to behold and she hoped that she could only discover more of it and him over the days and, with luck, months that they learned more about one another. After all, if James was right about the two of them as he was about both of them changing and having a good chat earlier, then who knows, maybe they would be good together.