I miss you. [James]

[Lily Potter]

It had been a long day for Lily. All of her hard classes were today, and it just made the day drag out extremely. So she had decided that instead of doing the massive pile of homework she should be doing, that she'd enjoy the rest of the night and read a book by the fire.

The common room wasn't extremely packed, but it wasn't bare. There were plenty of people in there, but Lily ignored them like she often ignored everyone. She didn't like talking to people, that was no secret.

Cuddling up with a blanket, and her book by the fire, was how she was spending her night. She didn't need any friends to be there with her. She had herself, and he book, and that was all she needed. Sometimes she wished she had friends that she could talk to. Hang with. Read with, even. But she'll talk what she gets. She'd rather be lonely and shy than friends and not shy. It was who she was.

[James Potter]

James had had a hard day. This year was proving to be harder than he expected. That combined with quittich, he was often tired out by the day. He decided that since he didn't have anything due the next day that wasn't already done, he was just going to relax by the fire.

He walked into the common room intending on just relaxing by the fire until he fell asleep. He was surprised to find his sister reading by the fire. It brightened his day a little. He doesn't get to spend that much time with her, which made him sad.

"Hey little sis. How have you been? I seem to always be asking you that. Must be because I don't see you much. But really, how are you?

[Lily Potter]

Lily was surprised when James walked in the Common Room. She rarely ever saw him in the Common Room. Normally he was gone doing homework somewhere, or playing Quidditch, or something along those lines. She was even more surprised when he walked over to her.

Maybe he is trying to make an effort...

"Hey, James!" Lily smiled up at him as he came over by her. She really did miss him. She wished they could spend more time together. Maybe she'd even get up on a broom if he would ride with her. She had never thought about that.

"I've been good. Just decided to relax with a book and procrastinate my homework. I have nothing due tomorrow, so I should be okay. I just needed a night to relax." Lily meant it, but even as she said it she could feel the guilt of not doing her homework build up inside her. She was always one to do her homework ahead of time, not procrastinate.

"What about you? No Quidditch practice?"

[James Potter]

"Well then, it seems we are doing the same thing. I've been real busy but I have already done all the homework that is due tomorrow so tonight, I'm just going to sit here and relax, and chill out with my little sister." James smiled, this was turning out to be a good night.

James wished he had more time with his sister. "I've missed you Lils. I'm sorry that we don't spend enough time together. I know I haven't exactly been the best of big brothers lately, but I promise to try harder." He hugged Lily, trying to put all his love into the hug.

[Lily Potter]

"I think that sounds like a perfect night to me, Jamie. I'd love to hang out with my big brother." Lily smiled wide at him. She wouldn't spend tonight alone for once. That would be a nice change. Lily really hated always spending every single day alone. But she had no one.

"It's okay, Jamie. I understand. What with quidditch, and school, and whatever else you do. You don't have time for me. That's okay." Lily said it, but she looked down as she did. She really did think that, but it made her sad. She wanted to spend more time with her brother. Both of them, really. But they were older than she, and didn't have time to hang out with a little sister.

When James hugged Lily, she could feel in the hug that he really was sorry. That he really did love her, and wanted to change. She sincerely hoped he would.

[James Potter]

James pulled back from the hug and looked Lily in the eye. "I've got an idea. What if we spend at least one night a week with each other and maybe spend some time on the weekends together, even if it's just doing homework or something? I mean, I can help you with your homework whenever you need it or if you need someone to talk to, I'm here. Hopefully it can be more than that but it's a start, right?"

James hoped that his sister agreed. He really needed to try harder to spend time with her, and Al too for that matter. He knew doing homework together or whatever might not be all that fun, but it was time together, which was more than they had now. "Who knows, maybe we can get Al in on this too."

[Lily Potter]

Lily smiled widely up at her brother. Was he serious? Once every week?! That sounded.... amazing. "I'd love that, Jamie!" She continued to smile. "Maybe we could even go out and fly a bit. I miss flying. You know I normally don't fly without dad." She meant it. She really did want to go fly with James. She thought it might break her out of her shell a bit. She was 13, she probably should start breaking away from her daddy girl habits.

"I think we should try to get Al in on this. But we never know with him." Lily's smile faltered a bit, but stayed there still. She had James at least. Maybe he was maturing. Maybe he would forgive their dad fully for the divorce with their mother. Lily could dream, couldn't she...

[James Potter]

James gave a big smile. Lily wanted to go flying? That was new, but perfect. "Of course we can go flying Lil. I may not be as cool as dad, but I still think I'm pretty fun to fly with. How about flying be one of the things we do on the weekends? What do you think?"

He thought about his little brother. He wasn't close with Al like he was with Lily. Al seemed more of a loner than even Lily and didn't go out of his way to spend time with his siblings. "We will ask him if he wants to join us. If not, then it's his loss. Though, like you, I want him to hang out with us." James really hoped that Al would agree, but hope could only do so much.

[Lily Potter]

Lily smiled at her brother, she thought it could almost touch her ears. She was so happy. "The weekends sound great. And I think you'll be an excellent replacement for dad. It's time I started breaking out of my shell a bit. Wouldn't you say?" Lily beamed at James yet again. At least she would still be flying with a family member. And she really did want to break out of her shell a bit. Maybe not fully, but some.

"You never know. Al might surprise us like you surprised me and dad. He might want to. But if not, like you said. We'll have fun without him and then tell him about all the great times we had together. It'll be our little bonding time. Just the two of us. If he can't go..." Lily was kind of rambling. But only because she didn't want to show James how much she really wanted Al to be with them.

[James Potter]

James smiled at his sister. He was glad to see that smile on her face again. He missed it as much as he missed her. "Yes, it definitely is time for you to break out of your shell. Flying would be an excellent way to do that. Plus, flying helps to relax you and is good for the soul. I always feel better after I fly."

He really hoped Al agreed to join them, at least once in a while. He could see that Lily felt more alone than ever and he hoped that surrounding her with family will take that feeling away. "You're right, he could surprise us both. We will just have to wait and see. In the meantime, we'll use it as a great brother/sister time." He chuckled a little. "And I even promise not to tell dad you think I'm a good replacement for him."

[Lily Potter]

Lily chuckled, flying was all of that, and more. To her at least. Flying made her feel so much better, but she could never explain it, so she didn't bother trying. "I think it's a Potter thing. To love flying. Who in our family doesn't love to fly?" Lily knew that Albus loved to fly as well. Everyone did. It would be cool to get a family game going while at Hogwarts. But Ginny and Harry wouldn't be there. It wouldn't be their full family.

"Brother sister time. Something I've wanted since first year." Lily smiled sadly, but not because she was sad now. But because she had been sad before. She had needed her brothers before, and they weren't there. But that didn't matter now. She had James now.

"That would be a good idea. Can't have him thinking I'm not daddy's little girl anymore. Can we?" Lily giggled. She would always be daddy's little girl.