Define Love

Chapter One

"Lily! Get down here now!" a booming voice carried up the steps. Lily jumped, and sent hair pins flying everywhere. She looked in the mirror at her tumbled down red hair. It seemed that no matter what she did with her hair, by the end of the day it was a mess anyways. So she gave up on trying to look her best for her first day as Head Girl. She grabbed at her trunk and ran down the stairs. When she entered the kitchen her family was already seated at their usual chairs. Her mother beamed at her.

"You look lovely dear," her father said, smiling too. Lily grinned broadly and sat down next to her sister.

"Morning, Petunia," Lily said, in a falsely cheery voice. "Are you excited about Hogwarts? Oh...wait a moment." Then Lily gave a false laugh, staring into the murderous eyes of her sister. "You weren't permitted into Hogwarts were you? Sorry, I'm always forgetting." Lily then turned away from Petunia, and began eating her toast.

"Why would I want to go to Hogwarts anyways? It's a school for freaks, people that are too unnatural to be let into normal school. So you learn magic, big deal. Do you even know how to add? Can you read Lily?"

"That's enough. My goodness you two! Petunia, you should be proud of your sister. She is Head Girl!" Her mother beamed at Lily, and Lily beamed back, but not before she had sent a taunting sneer at Petunia. Petunia's face turned sour. Of course, Lily was Head Girl! That made her close to royalty!

Petunia and Lily had been fighting with each other ever since Lily had gotten home from her first day at Hogwarts five years ago. Petunia had been insanely jealous, and had made sure she mentioned her views on magic at every possible moment.

Just then their father stood up. "We should be leaving. We'll miss the train. Wouldn't want our Lily to be late," he said, looking at his wrist watch. Lily got up and stuffed the last of her toast in her mouth. Then she walked over to her mother.

"I'll miss you mum," Lily said through a mouthful of toast.

"I'll miss you too my little Lily," her mother replied and then kissed her lovingly on the cheek. A loud retching sound came from behind them as Petunia pretended to be sick all over the place. Lily's mother shook her head as Petunia glared at Lily and then left the room. "She will miss you too. She always does. I just wish she would admit it to you." Lily stared after her sister, wishing that she hadn't made that remark over breakfast. She shrugged her shoulders however, and decided that she would try better when she got home to be nicer.

"We'd better be off, pumpkin," her father said gruffly. Lily nodded and left with her father.

When they arrived at the station, Lily bid her father farewell, and he drove away. She lifted her trunk into an easier carrying position and walked onward. She walked over towards platforms 9 and 10. Looking around her, she saw many people bustling around. She waited until nobody was looking, and pulled her trunk towards the barrier. When she was only a couple feet away from it, she broke into a run; it still made her a little nervous to walk through an apparently solid wall. She closed her eyes right when she would pass through the wall. WHAM! Lily went sprawling across the floor, and her trunk went flying. She blinked stupidly, looking around. People were staring openly at her, muttering about her. Then their eyes darted to something lying a few feet away from her. She turned to see what they were looking at. Her heart sank. It was James Potter.

He had the messiest black hair she had ever seen. He was also wearing glasses, and had warm black eyes. He would have been handsome if he hadn't been wearing a knowing, slightly flirtatious grin. What was worse, he was wearing a badge identical to hers. He was Head Boy for Gryffindor.

"Hullo, Evans," he said smoothly, extending his hand to her. She refused it and stood up on her own.

"Good morning, James," Lily said crisply. She refused to look at him as she gathered her things from the ground. He bent to help her. "Dare I ask?" she said, trying to keep her composure. "Just why were you leaving the station?!" James smiled wickedly.

"Honestly?"

"Honestly!" Lily was fuming, and James knew it.

"Well, I was hoping I would run into you."

Minutes later Lily sat down heavily next to her best friend, Alice. She was fuming.

"What on earth is wrong?" Alice asked her pale eyes wide. Lily glared at her feet.

"It's that James Potter! You wouldn't believe! I was walking through the barrier, minding my own business, and he came plowing through from the opposite direction! Made a complete full of me. Then, to make things worse, his nasty little friends came out and started talking to me!" Lily said this all very quickly, Alice was clearly trying not to laugh.

"He didn't! You mean they...talked to you?!" Alice said in mock horror. Lily frowned at her friend, and then gave in as they both burst out laughing.

"Alright," Lily admitted. "Maybe I'm a little wound up today. It's just I was feeling all tense after breakfast with my sister this morning, and then to have that oaf sprang on me like that..."

"Well, at least he is good looking. It's better than having...say...Severus knock into you," Alice said, grimacing at the thought.

"Yeah, care for a game of Exploding Snap?" Lily asked. Alice nodded, and Lily rummaged in her bag. She came upon the cards and set them on the seat beside her. She looked at Alice, who was staring out the glass window of the compartment door. Lily sat up straighter to see what Alice found so interesting.

In the compartment opposite them sat a tall, gangly boy. Freckles dotted his cheeks and the bridge of his nose. He had slightly large, buck teeth, and bright blue eyes. His hair was the color of sand, and he had a forelock that seemed to get in his way as he pushed it out of his eyes constantly. It was Frank Longbottom. Lily grinned broadly.

"Should we see if Frank wants to join us?" Lily said innocently. Alice nearly leapt out of her seat.

"No!" she said. Then, realizing her outburst she cleared her throat and turned towards Lily. "No, I don't think he would enjoy Exploding Snap." Lily smirked at her.

"You're not at all obvious Alice," Lily said, winking at her friend.

"Shut up," Alice said, but she was smiling. Then their conversation was interrupted by the opening of the compartment door. They turned to see Lucius Malfoy standing there. Lily stopped smiling at once. She had known it was coming. Lucius had to come and remark on her being a muggle-born. She didn't see a Head Boy badge on him, and that gave her a large amount of satisfaction. She stared coldly at him, and he smiled.

"Lily...how nice it is to see you. I trust your...family is in good health?"

"Perfect health," Lily said shortly.

"That's a pity," Malfoy said. Lily glared at him. He walked over and sat down next to her. Lily would have moved to the seat opposite them, but didn't want to leave Alice sitting next to him alone.

"Get out of here, Malfoy."

"Now, now, Lily," Malfoy said silkily, putting his arm around her shoulders. "That's hardly good manners, but what could I expect from a..."

"Excuse me," said a firm, dangerous voice from the doorway. Lily looked up to see James Potter standing there, his face was etched with silent fury. Lily's heart did a somersault and she felt oddly relived. "I believe, Malfoy, that Evans asked you to leave," James said, his hands balled into fists. He was staring at the arm that Malfoy had put around Lily. Slowly, like a cautious snake, Malfoy moved his arm from around her shoulders and stood up. James never took his eyes off Malfoy.

"What a temper we have," Malfoy said, sneering. "Afraid I'm going to steal your prey? Well, Lily," he said, turning to her, "there is always some other time. Perhaps we will meet in some dark corridor. That should wipe that smirk off your face." He licked his lips tauntingly.

"GET OUT!" James and Lily roared together. James pulled out his wand and pointed it at Malfoy's face. "You will never touch her again. Do you hear me?" Malfoy only smirked, and sauntered away. Lily stared at James, amazed at the difference she saw in him now. He was no longer cool and collected, but flustered and angry. He looked at her and then at Alice. She was staring between Lily and James. "Sorry..." James muttered to Lily. "I didn't mean to get so worked up but..." he broke off, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Lily still did nothing but stare. She opened her mouth to thank him, but was interrupted by a bunch of cheery male voices.

Three young men walked in, Lily recognized them from her early years as Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. Lily nodded to them all, and then looked back at James. Suddenly he was grinning ear to ear, his lazy 'I-don't-care' pretense back in place. It was almost as if the whole incident had never happened.

"Well, Lily, I just came to tell you that we're supposed to sit up front, being Head Boy and Girl," James said, shrugging.

"Yeah, he's too good for us, boys," Sirius said in mock sadness. "I guess we'll have to find a new idiot friend." They all laughed, but none laughed as hard as Peter. He clutched his stomach, doubled over with laughter. Sirius shook his head, and said, smiling, "get help Peter." Alice, who still hadn't moved from her spot on the seat, was sitting uncomfortably, watching the people around her. Lily tried to go sit by her but James stopped her.

"No, we really need to go. We are already late," James said. Lily nodded, realizing he was right.

"I'll see you later, Alice," Lily said apologetically and left with James.