#jily*

[that-bitch-kat3]

how i fully believe this conversation went down:

lily: james and i are dating

everyone:

sirius: well honestly james good for you

james: thank-

peter: we had no idea you knew how to successfully brew amortentia

james: i did NOT drug her!!

marlene: do you honestly expect us to think that lily “i would rather kiss the giant squid” evans is willingly going out with you?

lily: people change!

remus: that’s true

lily: thank you remus

remus: sometimes they lower their standards

[apalapucian]

the point is that evidently, lily evans, journ major from the uni nearby, orders iced americanos or hot chai lattes depending on the weather, ice-blended strawberries and cream when she's particularly stressed, laughs the way james imagines the sun smiles or the grass giggles or some other lame sappy alliteration like that — suddenly just realized james isn't worth her time anymore. maybe she's busy? she seems to have notebooks out on her table right now, reading and taking notes. but james knows for a fact that midterm week just ended — he would know, they all barely survived it — and even then, when she was drowning in her readings and papers, she had time to at least smile at him. ask him what he thought about shit, how he was... god, he's not going to dwell on this. he's not. he's not disappointed, he's just — it's just weird. like he said. so what if they're not friends? he couldn't care less. but he cares that, like, what if someone told her something bad about him, so now she's avoiding him because he's bad news? or — what if something serious is going on with her currently? such drastic behavioral change must have been spurred by something. and he's concerned about that.

sirius asks for a refill at the end of the counter, and james snaps out of it.

"what are you sulking about?" he asks james, eyes still on his current agatha christie. it must be his third this week.

"i'm not sulking."

sirius dogears the page he's on, closes the book, puts it down. he stares at james over the rim of his mug as he sips his fresh round. "look, maybe she's just busy."

james takes sirius's book and reads the blurb. (or pretends to.) "she's always busy."

sirius puts the mug down with a thud. "so you were sulking about her."

james rolls his eyes. opens the book, turns to a random page, doesn't say anything.

"want me to talk to her?"

"what the fuck about?"

"hey. respect your elders. watch your language."

"you're only four months older, wanker."

"this is why the guy at the kebab shop hates you, james. you are scandalously impolite. it's not too late to change your ways."

"mr. black, your most ancient and noble grace, i just want you to know that i dropped your last order of cheesecake in the sink because i was, as you so very astutely observed, distracted by things, but i picked it back up and served you it anyway."

"you're fired."

"thank god."

"you're welcome."

"you are such a breath of fresh air from all the intelligent conversations i have with customers all day."

"i expect a customized 'employer of the year' mug on my desk by the end of this week."

james glares at him. sirius never loses a glaring match though, so james just makes do with drinking from sirius's mug without his permission and without breaking eye contact. a lame alternative. sirius is not fazed in the slightest.

"i can go talk to her though, for real," says sirius. "ask her shit."

"what the fuck about though. for real."

"i'm going to ask her why she's not in love with you yet."

james takes the mug again, drinks the entire thing, ignoring the instant burn on his tongue. he smacks sirius with the book and shoves his arms off the counter. "get out. you're banned. forever."

"i literally own this place," says sirius, laughing.

— the one with the storm and all the texting (ao3)

[jamesunderwater]

Coming of Age Era

rated G - 1.3k words - birthday fluff - written for @jilymicrofics January 30th prompt "narrative" (but then I went over 1k and also really only used the concept of a narrative 😁 @jilymicro-oops <3)

---

“What’s this?” Lily glanced between James and the card he’d just conspicuously dropped onto her Transfiguration essay. 

He seemed to be…dancing, almost, the tips of his shoes tapping softly against the library’s stone floor as he hopped from one foot to the other. She noticed the absence of his fingers, usually fidgeting in one way or another, and realized he was holding both hands behind his back. “Just open it,” James told her, but Lily huffed in reply.

“I’m not falling for whatever little scheme—”

James rolled his head so far backwards Lily spontaneously thought of Nearly-Headless Nick. “Evans, please, when was the last time—?”

She sat up straighter in her chair. “Five weeks and three days.”

“What?” His shoulders fell and he’d stopped his footwork altogether. 

“The last time you pulled one of your pranks. That’s what you were going to ask me, hm? Well, it’s been five weeks and three days, which isn’t nearly long enough to build any sort of confidence in your so-called ‘Coming of Age Era’ — which, by the way, I really don’t think Remus explained that genre to you well enough.”

James shoved something small into his pocket and folded his arms across his chest, his shoulder muscles stretching the fabric of his button down ever so slightly. “Five weeks is a century, Evans, and the whole point of a Coming of Age story is for the main character to…you know, falter here and there. If I don’t slip up then what am I even maturing out of?”

Lily stared at him blankly for a moment, lips fallen apart. “See,” she blinked and shook her head once, “this is what I mean about Remus having explained it wrong.”

“How?” James demanded, repositioning his stance as though to literally stand his ground and restating, “I’m in my Coming of Age Era — I’m…maturing, growing up, becoming—” He stopped himself short.

She lifted a brow at him. “What? A man?” Lily snorted at the thought, prompting a few nearby students to turn their way. “Right, Potter, that’s not a Coming of Age story.”

James rolled his hand in the air, prompting her to continue. “Enlighten me, then.”

The vague memory of her unfinished Transfiguration essay flitted across the back of Lily’s mind, but some things were more important — winning an argument with James Potter chief among them. “A Coming of Age story is about something that happens to the main character which forces them to grow up, sometimes before they should have had to, often in a way that is true for all people, yet still heartbreaking. It’s about the loss of innocence — something I’m not sure you ever had in the first place,” she added with a sideways glance. “And, sure, growth and maturity are a part of it, but it’s deeper than just…choosing not to play so many stupid pranks.”

He seemed to consider this for a moment. “Who says I’m not maturing in deeper ways than that?” he asked, holding her gaze with a sincerity Lily hadn’t expected. 

She tried to swallow, but her mouth had gone dry. “Well—”

“Open the card, Evans.”

Lily looked down at the envelope, of which she’d forgotten the existence. Her first and last name were written across the front in a font that parodied calligraphy and still managed to retain key features of James’s usual penmanship — the lack of a dot above the lowercase I; the lowercase A written in such a rush it better resembled an O; the end of the S slashing backwards in a flourishing underline. Her face heated, realizing what it must be.

She glanced up at him just once as she tore the seal open and pulled out a sparkling card. On the front was a stunning image of the night sky when all the stars could be seen, magic making each one glint and twinkle, so it seemed as though Lily were truly holding the glittering darkened sky in miniature. A constellation of stars stood out, shining brighter than the rest. Lily pulled her head back and squinted to find it was in the shape of a lily flower. 

When she tried to clear her throat it came out as more of a squeak. She licked her parched lips, distinctly avoided James’s gaze, and opened the card. 

Evans — 

I know this card is a few days late. I’m sorry for that. Though, I don’t think the date I give this to you matters all that much. The whole point of it was to say… 

You shine brighter than all the rest, Lily Evans. Every day of the year.

Happy belated birthday.

—James

Lily blinked at the message scrawled in James’s familiar text, tried rereading it through hazy vision. Her mind and everything around her seemed to be going fuzzy. 

“I had…something else,” she heard him say through the sound of her heart hammering in her ears. “But, I think—maybe another time.” 

“What?” Lily’s eyes flicked up to his face, discovering splotches of red on his neck, the closest to blushing his complexion allowed. The sight of it made her own face burn hotter than it already had been, and she knew her light skin must be blooming with a bright blush. “Well, wait,” she said, curiosity pulling her out of her fog. “You can’t do that.”

James chuckled, grinning brightly. “No?”

Lily huffed. “No. It’s…rude.”

“Rude? I’m simply extending your birthday celebration.” Something in his cheeky smile drew her to her feet, her chair scraping across the floor, and how his smile then widened had her stepping around the table and into his orbit. James blinked down at her. “Are you…threatening me, Evans? After I’ve just made you a birthday card and gotten you a gift?”

“And withheld said gift,” she said, crossing her arms.

“As is my right.”

“Your…your— Weren’t you just going on about maturing?”

His eyes danced over her face, a twinkle in them that reminded her of the card he’d made her from magic. She shuffled her feet to distract from the swirling in her stomach. “Seems to me you’re the one who needs growing up a bit here, Evans. Seventeen’s a good year for a Coming of Age story. I’ve faith in you.” He patted the side of her arm and Lily wanted to scream in a variety of ways.

“You’re sixteen,” she replied lamely.

“Eh, some of us start off earlier than others.”

She blinked at him, mind spinning between thoughts on the concept of fairness, comebacks that couldn't be turned against her, the current proximity of her face to his, and you shine brighter than all the rest. Mostly it was just that last one, playing like a melody on repeat, a jingle intent on driving her mad.

“You're really not going to give me my gift?” Lily crossed her arms, leaning her hips back against the desk. 

James stepped forward boldly, removing the space she'd created between them. “Alright, Evans.” He pulled a small box from his trousers pocket. “Since you haven't yet learned the virtue of patience.” He held out the box and, after staring at him a moment, Lily opened her palm. He placed the box carefully upon it. With the slightest smirk he learned toward her, bowing his head toward her cheek as though to kiss it. Lily stopped breathing. When he whispered, “Happy birthday, Evans,” she was sure she felt the brush of his lips on her skin.

In the next heartbeat he was gone, taking long backwards steps towards the library’s exit.

“What?” Lily gaped at him. His grin was touching the corners of his eyes, hands shoved in his pockets, a similar excitement to his energy as when he'd first approached her. Her eyes fell to the box and she called after him, “How do I know this isn't a trick?” 

James shrugged as his back hit the library door. “Guess you'll just have to believe in my growth.”

Also on AO3!

[thequibblah]

NO MORE DREAMING OF THE DEAD— a ct holiday gift exchange fic for the lovely @sunshine-lover // (a piece of) the long-promised old kingdom jily AU // 4.3k words, rated T

As the Old Kingdom's Abhorsen, death would always surround her. She banished the waking Dead; she walked in the realm of Death; she quelled necromancers whose magic had been corrupted, and Free Magic creatures who defied the order of the Charter. This was as meaningless as trying to inform Lily that her own hair was red, or her own eyes green.

READ.

[annabtg]

We now have a community!

If you're interested, let me know so I can add you :)

[hulkwillsmashforyou]

Looking for the Jily Fic where James enters Lily and Harry's lives. Turns out that the Ministry wiped their memories, so they have no recollection of James

[ligistrarsstuff]

Yup

sixth year jily

james knowing that he went too far and trying to stay low profile

lily being mad at james but not really because deep down she knows that it wasnt exactly his fault

lily starting to hang with the marauders more just to piss off snivellus

james secretly being so glad that she does hang out with them

lily laughing her ass off at their jokes and pranks

lily starting to plan some pranks with them

james slowly falling more in love with her

but james being respectful and caring too much about her to ruin their friendship

peter, sirius and remus seeing right through him

peter, sirius and remus teasing him and lily being absolutely oblivious

lily having growing feelings for james

marlene calling lily out on her feelings and lily denying

lily staring at james when he speaks with his hands and laughs a little too loud at dinner

lily thinking about james when she’s studying in the library

lily frantically realizing that she does have feelings for james

james being oblivious as well

james being absolutely ridiculous always but trying to look super cool (old habits die hard)

peter, sirius and remus teasing the BOTH of them because they are so damn obvious

but lily and james staying oblivous still

lily and james pining for each other

james not being able to focus in class because of lily

lily cheering a little more than usual at quidditch matches

and blusing when james smiles when they won and runs a hand though his hair

maybe some cute dates they dont know is dates? basically remus sirus and peter ditching them last minute for a hogsmeade’s trip

james and lily having so much fun just the two of them and ending it by staring at each other’s eyes for ten minutes before lily clears her throat and awkwardly says bye

after gryffindor wins the cup, party in the common room and james and lily are slightly drunk and they almost kiss but they’re interrupted by a way more drunk sirius and the moment is ruined and they’re too shy to talk about it after

james and lily starting to sit next to each other in every class because they have so much to tell each other

james and lily having silent conversations at the gryffindor table when their friends start to be ridiculous

james and lily studying together in the library and in the park

james and lily simply enjoying each other’s presence next to them

THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF HOGWARTS AND THE WHOLE WIZARDING WORLD KNOWING THAT JAMES POTTER AND LILY EVANS ARE IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER EXCEPT JAMES POTTER AND LILY EVANS

lily stealing james’ clothes for the weekends

james resting his head on her stomach when they hang out near the lake

basically sixth year jily is good friends slowly falling for each other and being totally oblivious about it and i love it

[propussyslayer]

[outromoony]

Books: Main characters must follow the plot.

Fanfiction: Okay but what if they went to IKEA and fought over furniture instead?

[that-bitch-kat3]

when james and lily finally got married lily was shocked to find that james had a scrapbook of wedding plans for them that he had been working on since he was 13.

[doodlebugdpj]

Don't mind me crying

Nobody said it was easy It’s such a shame for us to part Nobody said it was easy No one ever said it would be this hard Oh, take me back to the start.

October 31, 1981 - September 1, 1971

[apalapucian]

1:31 AM

they moved the bed by the window two weeks ago, for something to do, for harry to watch the birds from. for them to feel closer to the world as much as the house can afford them.

james used to put two-way soundproofing charms in his room, on the curtains around his four-poster. he needed the quiet to sleep, and he needed sleep to win the quidditch match the next day. lily used to put the wireless on to drown out the world, the more mellow weird sisters b-sides echoing in the background of her dreams.

now, they welcome the clatter. they eavesdrop on their neighbors, revel in them singing and fighting and discussing, live in the pauses of their lives, in their leaving the door and coming back home and settling back in. tonight, crickets chirp and an owl hoots close by, and lily closes her eyes in content, ventures back out to the world through these sounds. sinks further into james's embrace. her head on his chest and their hands laced together. new moon tonight, but the street light permeates the room through the window. half of james's arm is bright orange.

his gryffindor hoodie is old and soft and familiar. he is warm. he is home.

"the cat learned how to knead," she tells him, eyes still closed.

james shifts. "huh?"

"the cat made biscuits today. on the couch."

"out of nowhere? are you sure?" he asks, in awe and disbelief. "it's been two years!"

"i know."

"and we researched."

a lifetime ago: going to a muggle library in muggle clothes, lily finding him so fucking cute in that environment and feeling the need to kiss him every two seconds. but also reading there that cats who get taken too early from their mothers don't learn how to knead. that some cats just don't do it. they were worried about the cat (that's just the cat's name, sirius named him) not ever doing it, but it turned out it's normal. but today —

"i had the same reaction," she says. "he seemed hesitant at first, so i thought he was just scratching it again, but it was actual kneading! he did it, like, a good five minutes."

"did you watch the entire time?"

she chuckles. "i burned my lunch, yeah."

"i can't believe i missed that."

"i can burn it again tomorrow."

he reaches up to pinch her nose. "the cat."

"you needed to see sirius."

quieter: "i did, yeah." it was driving him crazy. the house, not being able to fight. she could tell. besides, she felt it, too.

"he'll do it again," she reassures him. "he did it quite a few times after that, before you came home."

"why do you think is he only doing it now? he has no one to learn from here."

"i don't know. maybe it took him two years to feel comfortable with us?"

"oh my god, he likes godric's hollow? he likes it so much he literally summoned his ancestral abilities?"

well, at least one of us likes it here, she thinks, but doesn't say. she laughs — he does, too — and then they go quiet, and she knows he's thinking the same. knows he also chooses not to say it.

"what did you have for lunch?" he remembers to ask, and it's when he does this, asks these mundane questions about her in a way that makes it seem like it's the most important, most interesting things in the world, that she feels the biggest about him. that she feels a sudden surge of optimism, like she's bigger than the prophecy, than the war.

she says, reeling from the intensity of it, trying to stay in the pace of the conversation, "bacon." she feels like laughing at the whiplash. sometimes she legitimately thinks she's going crazy. "and, um. the last of the sourdough from remus."

"we should ask him for some more. that was really good."

"agreed."

"you okay?" of course he notices.

"yeah. sorry. i'm just — feeling it again."

"the house?" which is to mean everything that comes with it. the dread. the frustration. the hopelessness and uncertainty and unfairness of it all.

"yeah."

he holds her tighter, presses a kiss on the top of her head. "it's not always going to be this way, lil." he's said it so many times. to his credit, the conviction has held up. james is home. james is home.

"i know," she says, even though she doesn't. not really. "i know."

"i'm sorry it's the way it is right now though."

"you're in it, too."

"i know. i'm sorry still."

"hey."

"hm?"

"i love you. you have no idea how much."

he reaches up a second time to tip her face up and kiss her.

in another universe they don't need the neighbors to fight and the crickets to fucking chirp just to feel sane. in another universe the night can be dead still and it is fine. they kiss in the silence and it is fine. he goes out to meet his best friend and lily doesn't need the cat to distract her from being a hair away from a panic attack the entire time he's away, almost crippled with worry, her thoughts spiraling into images of unseeing hazel eyes and broken spectacles. in another universe she loves him and he loves her back and they make out in his old school hoodie as husband and wife, as parents, and that is all there is to it.

"i love you, too," he says, "and i'll live my entire life trying to show you how much."

she chuckles a bit. "geez. it's not a competition."

he laughs, the sound reverberating through his chest, literally felt on her skin. "if it was, i'll win. you'll see."

she will, unfortunately.

but for now there's this, home in her palm and the entire world through the window, her heart soaring and breaking at the same time.

//

[read/subscribe on ao3]

[hmyrine]

what a cute couple i bet they shop at forever 21

[thequibblah]

THOU AND I ARE TOO WISE TO WOO PEACEABLY...

CHAPTER 1: A SONG & A KISS // jily week 2024: love is in the hair

read. playlist.

[annabtg]

Drunk With Power

a @jilymicrofics production

James Potter, insufferable prat, gets the Head Boy badge.

“Sit up straight, Evans.” The tip of his wand presses between her hunched shoulders; she sits up immediately, wincing at the interruption in her reading. “Sod off, Potter.” “You can’t tell me that now.” It’s supposed to be a severe tone, but the mirth in it is unmistakable. “I’m Head Boy.” He’s been at it all day; strutting with his chest extra puffed up to show off his badge, telling everyone to fix their collars or tie their shoelaces, boinking Sirius with his wand on the head when he gives him cheek. “Drunk with power,” Remus called him. And then James ordered him to polish his Prefect badge.

Read the rest on AO3! Completed, 746 words.

[marvelousmoony]

fanfiction is so beautiful because what do you mean i can read the same characters falling in love 92737389 times in different scenarios and not get tired of it.