A Perfect Match

A Perfect Match Ch. One

Will Lily and James ever make up? It's all in here!

**** **** **** ****

"YOU INSUFFERABLE GIT, I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU BROKE MY EARRING!"

"Lily, I told you, I'm very sorry-"

"Very sorry doesn't cut it. Just because you had to go and show off with that bloody Quaffle, my earring's broken beyond repair!" Lily Evans, livid with rage, screamed at James Potter. They were standing opposite each other in front of the fireplace of the Gryffindor common room, ringed by a circle of onlookers. Lily's best friends, Elizabeth Parker & Kathleen O'Gracy looked furious, while James' three best friends, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew looked slightly amused.

"Lily, it was more my fault than James'. I missed the Quaffle when he threw it to me," Remus said, looking sorry but still slightly amused.

"If Potter hadn't thrown the thing across the common room in the first place, it never would have hit my head and broken my earring."

"Lily, let me see the earring. Maybe I can fix it," James said, in a last attempt to calm the girl down.

"Oh yes, the Almighty Potter can fix my earring, even though half the pieces are missing!"

"Maybe we can order some more. Or I could ask Flitwick, he might know some charm to fix it."

"For your information, Potter, these earrings were a family heirloom. My great-great grandmother brought them to Europe from Siberia. They've been passed down to me from my grandmother, and on the anniversary of her birthday, I always wear them." With that, Lily turned on her heel and ran up to the sixth-year girls' dormitory, tears streaming down her face.

"Why's she crying? Can't she just owl her grandmother and ask for another one?"

"No, Potter, she can't," Elizabeth said, her words dripping ice. "Her grandmother died in second year." Both she and Kathleen turned on their heels and went up to Lily.

"Oh, boy," James said softly. "I've really done it now."

**** **** **** ****

Upstairs in the girls' dormitory, Lily was crying on Elizabeth's shoulder.

"That was all I had left of her. All her other things burnt when she-" Lily let out a sob.

"I know, I know. Shh, Lily, it'll be okay. James is a prat and should be locked up."

"I was supposed to pass them on to my granddaughter. I promised her, Liz, I promised her."

"It's okay, Lily. I'm sure she understands. Besides, you can still pass on the one earring. And in place of the other one, you can tell you grandchildren stories of her, and show them pictures of her. Or you could always giver them something she gave you. She must've given you more than just those earrings."

"Well, yes." Lily smiled, remembering. "She spoiled me, to tell you the truth."

"See, you can spoil your grandkids, in her name."

"Well yes, I guess I could do that," Lily said, smiling again. Her smile quickly faded, though. "It still won't be the same. Potter made sure of that. I can't believe I ever liked him."

"You ever liked him?" Liz asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Well, yes, I did. Once in about third or fourth year," Lily answered, missing Liz's stress on the suffix of like. "But, I mean, what girl hasn't been bit by the Potter bug yet?"

"I don't know. But you two fight like my parents. Except you don't make up in the same way, thankfully."

"Liz!" Lily screamed, and threw a pillow at her. In a few minutes, they were engaged in a furious pillow fight, all thoughts of James Potter out of their minds.

**** **** **** ****

"What am I going to do, Remus? She'll never go out with me now."

"Well, I suggest not asking that every five seconds, or I might have to hurt you," answered Sirius from his game of wizards' chess with Remus. "Yes!" Sirius had just checkmated Remus by overtaking Remus' queen with his castle.

James glared at Sirius, then glanced back down at the shattered remains of Lily's earring he held in his hand. He looked back up to see Remus mutter the spell to reassemble the broken chessmen.

"Remus! What was that?"

"What was what?" Remus asked, as fragmented chessmen came back together.

"That spell you used. What was it?"

"It's a fairly simple spell...you've used it loads of times."

"WHAT IS THE BLOODY SPELL?!"

"Jeez, Assembeleo...why?"

"Oh, no reason. I think I have an idea." James got up and went to the boys' dormitory, leaving his three bewildered friends behind.

**** **** **** ****

Lily avoided James for the next two weeks, but James didn't notice as much as he normally would have. The spell he was performing was fairly simple, but it didn't work unless all the parts were there. Which meant James had to nick some materials form Magical Shop, and Professor Kackinsley was a teacher no student liked to cross. James survived the eight detentions he got for sneaking in the supply closet only by picturing Lily's face when she saw the finished product, which he hoped and prayed she liked.

**** **** **** ****

Lily, Liz and Kathleen were walking together down the dormitory stairs to breakfast when they saw a small crowd gathered in the common room. As they reached the bottom of the steps, the crowd parted. Through the part in the crowd, Lily could see a small box. The paper was red, with a gold bow on it. The card was white and simply said 'Lily'.

Lily walked over to it and opened the card.

My darling Lily, it read,

I am very sorry to have broken your family heirloom. I hope you can accept this gift as an offering of peace and forgiveness.

Forever yours,

James

While Lily was reading the card silently, Remus, Peter and Sirius had been ushering everyone silently out. By the time Lily had gotten done reading the card and debating its meaning, only James had remained. When Lily looked up and saw him, he said softly, "Go ahead and open it. I hope you like it."

Lily took a deep breath and took off the ribbon and wrapping paper. She opened the box, and setting on tissue paper was two small jewelry boxes. Lily gave James a questioning look, and he nodded. She opened the first box, and inhaled sharply.

Inside the box, on a cushion of white lace, was her grandmother's earring, with some small changes. Lily looked at James for an explanation.

"I felt horrible after Liz told me about your grandmother. I wanted to make it up to you. I hope you like it." All Lily could do was nod. "There's still one more box," James reminded her gently.

Lily took out the box with trembling hands. She took off the lid, and gasped. In this box, on black lace, were more earrings. They were made of black onyx, one a star, one a moon.

James...what can I say? Where did you get these? They're beautiful!"

"I made them."

"You made them? From what?"

"Well, when I got the supplies for you grandmother's earring, I figured I'd make you another pair. The onyx I got in the Magical Geology supply closet. I figured a couple of detentions was worth it in the end."

"You ended up in detention for me?"

"Yeah...happens all the time. Well, I don't land in detention strictly for you, all the time."

"Thank you...very much, James." Lily leaned up and kissed James on the cheek.

"Then...you...erm, you like the earrings?" James asked, turning slightly red.

"Very much."

"Good. I was afraid you might not like your grandmother's, since I changed it a bit. It didn't look right when I finished it the first time but then I wasn't sure it would match the other one."

"It matches," Lily said. She slid her hand into his. "It's a perfect match."