The wind picked up, and Lily began to shiver, still dripping wet from her trip into the lake. "We should get you in to see the nurse," Alice told Lily, going to grab her hand and pull her up.
"I'll meet you there in a moment," Lily replied, not taking her friends hand, but looking around in the grass instead. By the edge of the lake sat her bag. It was sopping wet and open, with books and things falling out. "I'm going to try and save as much of my bag as I can." Alice just shrugged and went back up toward the castle. Most of the crowd dispersed, and even with a few stern looks, James got his pals to go back toward the castle as well.
Lily placed her hands on the ground, and started to push herself up. He was so gentle, she barely realized James had her by the waist and arm, helping her up. "Thanks," she told him again.
"No problem," he replied, smiling. He began to look around the edge of the lake, and he skimmed the water's surface with his eyes, looking for any of her possessions. As she watched him, trying to help her out even more, Lily felt a pang of guilt. This was the guy she had just been mean to. She had yelled at him, and wanted to hit him, and yet, there he was. First he saved her life, and then he felt the need to give her even more aid.
"Are you okay?" He asked her, causing her to jump a foot. For, as she though of her guilt, she had just been staring at him, but her eyes were unfocused, as though she had been staring through him.
"What? Oh, yeah. Why?"
"You don't look very happy," he said, fishing a piece of parchment out of the water, holding it away from himself as water and smeared ink dripped off of it.
"Oh. I'm just a bit cold." She hesitated, for she wasn't sure what to say. "Why are you being so, nice?" She asked him, swallowing hard. "I was so mean to you."
He stopped what he was doing and looked at her. "Because I'm not as bad a guy as you think. Sure, I've taken a joke or to far," he paused, waiting for a rebuttal, but when he got none, kept talking. "But I think everyone deserves a second chance, me included. I really like you." As he spoke, he looked her right in the eyes, sending a chill down her spine.
"James, that's sweet, but-"
"But, what? Just tell me you don't like me, and I'll drop it until next year."
"It's not that simple," she said, stuffing wet books and papers and quills into her bag as quickly as possible.
"Yeah? Why not?"
"Because Severus was my best friend!" She choked back a sob as she zipped up her bag and threw it over her shoulder.
"I didn't tell him to call you what he did, or to abandon you. He chose to do that, no
me." A tear slid down her face. She knew he was right, and she knew she needed to accept that, but she couldn't see that happening any time soon.
"I know." As she spoke, her voice seemed to waver, from quiet to barely audible. She hurried herself, grabbing her soaking things robe and shoving it into her bag, and started back toward the castle.
"Who are you sitting with on the train?" He asked her as she started to descend upon the hill.
Lily looked back, shrugging, before heading to the castle. "Thanks," she hollered back, before she got far enough away that she thought he couldn't see tears. She tried to focus on getting in, dry and warm, but the guilt she felt was making her task impossible; it was chilling her to the bone.