Lily lie on the floor in her darkened room. She looked at the computer screen in front of her, 7,678,324, her new top score on pinball. 'There has to be to life than this', she thought to herself.
The summer holidays were nearly over and she hadn't accomplished anything. Soon she would be going back to Hogwarts, the school which she had attended for the past six years, then where would she go? That had yet to be decided.
Flicking her eyes down to the corer of the computer monitor she read off the time as 5 past midnight, smiling to herself, she sprang up of the floor and walked over to a calendar hung on the wall, crossing of another day.
Sitting back on the floor lily pulled the laptop towards her, clicking out of pinball, she opened up Solitaire smiling to herself.' what a waste of her time', she thought, there were a million things she could be doing now, sleeping being pretty high on the list, but the excitement of waiting for her Hogwarts letter which was due to arrive pretty soon kept her awake.
This waiting for her letter was a yearly occurrence for Lily, just wanting to make sure it was all real, she was a Witch, she had seen things that other people couldn't even imagine, and at the point where the long holiday made Hogwarts seem like a distant memory, the letter was the greatest reassurance to Lily that it was all real.
"What you wandering about for?" A voice cut through the darkness.
"Sorry, I couldn't sleep." Lily replied to her friend.
"That time of year again, hey?" the voice asked.
"Yeah, she's looking forward to seeing James again." Another voice cut in.
"Am not." Lily growled, glad it was dark, and her friends couldn't see her blushing.
"Look you cant fool us Lils, you're developing a soft spot for Potter, we've noticed, Lupin noticed, Hell, even Black noticed. So you can bet your bottom Galleon that Potters noticed too."
"What?" Lily shrieked, "I am not."
"Come on Lils, you know it's true. Plus you'd make a really cute couple"
"Trish?" Lily said slowly.
"Lily?" came the reply.
"How do you know that Black and Lupin think I'm developing a soft spot for Potter?" Lily questioned.
"Ahhh, well," Trish began slowly.
"Yes" Lily promted.
"Well, we got talking, and it came up."
"You were talking to Black?" Lily said dubiously, "Like, nicely?"
"Yes, we can be civil." Was the lofty reply.
"Yeah," The other voice giggled, "When threatened by McGonagall."
"Shut it Sal."
"Come again?" Lily asked intrigued.
"We were in paired together in Transfiguration, and well, got into a bit of a row. So cat-woman put us in detention until we were civil to each other."
"When she says row, she means major."
"I can imagine." Lily said grinning to herself at the thought of it kicking off between the most fiery, and opinionated people in the school.
"What was the fight about any way?" Sally asked.
"Should Hogwarts serve Brussel sprouts at Christmas? I said yes they are traditional, Sirius says no, they're disgusting and take up valuable table space."
"You are kidding?" Lily asked.
"No, the boy wants to stop having Brussels at Christmas." Trish said in a scandalised tone.
"No, I mean, you had a fight over Sprouts. That's unbelievable. If I wasn't afraid about getting my arse kicked, I'd be tempted to suggest that you both do it on purpose to get attention from each other." Lily cut in.
"Yeah I want attention from Sirius." Came the sarcastic response.
"Sirius now is it?" Sal asked innocently.
"First name terms after four weeks of detention."
"It took four weeks for you just to be civil?" Lily said incredulously.
"Anyway Little Lily, back to you. James."
"What?"
"You cant deny the lad is fit." Sal said.
"I never denied the lad was fit." Lily granted.
Both the other girls squealed. "Look, if I said he wasn't attractive you'd know I was lying. Its just he is such an arse."
"What's he ever said that's out of line to you?" Trish questioned.
"Nothing," Lily submitted, "but look at the way he struts around and treats Snape."
"He only treats Snape like that 'cos he truly is an arse. All James ever does is stick up for you." Trish pointed out.
"Only so he has the opportunity to ask me out every 5 minutes."
"So the guy fancies you, that's terrible Lils. Would it be so horrid to go out with a dude who really likes you?"
"I guess not, but whatever, not gonna happen."
It was the week before the start of term, Diagon alley was the busiest it would be for the whole year, full of Hogwarts students with new book lists. Lily, along with Trish and Sal were trying to make their way back down the street, they had bought all their new supplies, and were on their way to the ice-cream parlour.
They finally made it after being stopped by what seemed like the fiftieth group of people wanting to know how their holiday had been. Walking in they saw the building, even though having tardis like properties, was absolutely packed.
"I'll go and get the usual's girlies, if you get a table" Lily said turning to them.
"Ohhh, I wonder who got the easy job?" Trish muttered sarcastically turning away.
Fifteen minutes later Lily carried over two banana splits and a knickerbocker-glory to the table where her friends sat. She looked round at the other occupants, "Potter, Black, Lupin" She nodded to each one in turn.
"Hey Lily." Said the lankier boy, with sandy hair. "How's your summer been?"
"Alright ta." Lily smiled, she couldn't help liking Remus. "How about you?"
"I've been hanging around with Tweedledee and Tweedledum here, so good times but not much work I'm afraid."
"I should hope not." Said a slightly musclier boy, in a indignant tone. "Anyway whats this Tweedlecrap?"
"Muggle book Sirius. You would have to learn the alphabet first to understand." Remus replied.
"I did try Rem, but I got stuck at E, I can never remember what comes next." Sirius pouted.
"Ahhhh, my heart bleeds." Trish muttered sarcastically.
"Well maybe if you want to help, you can come up to my room and read me it as a bedtime story."
"Want me to tuck you in as well?"
"Do I goodnight kiss too?" Sirius grinned.
"Anyway." Lily cut in, before Trish or Sirius stormed off.
"Anyway what?" The third boy asked when Lily failed to carry on.
"I dunno Potter. I just wanted to shut them two up"
"I know what you mean." He grinned cheekily, "You can cut the sexual tension with a knife."
"I believe you mean cut the tension, there ain't nothing sexual 'bout it Potter" Trish growled.
"I second that." Sirius nodded.
"Whoa, they agree on something, this marks a huge event." Remus interjected.
"Agreeing that your fantasies are extremely deluded is hardly a milestone." Trish said supremely. "Just common sense."
"I wasn't aware you had any of that." Sal piped up helpfully.
"Remus looks mighty fine today, wouldn't you agree Sal." Trish retorted. Sal and Remus both went bright red, and Lily turned with astonishment to Trish, that was mighty low.
James sensing a major fall out could be just round the corner, ruffled his hair, and turned to Lily, "So you fancy going out with me Evans?"
"Prongs," Sirius turned looking very shocked, "I thought you were going to stop all this shit?"
"I was, " James turned to Sirius, "But I just had to change the subject, and I couldn't think of anything else to say. Its kinda a reflex now whenever Lily's around."
"Point proved," Lily said turning to Trish and Sal, "He doesn't actually want to go out with me, its just habit." Saying that she got up and left the table. She had hoped, after their conversation they were right, and maybe James did actually like her.
"What?" James's voice came out strangled.
"I think," Trish began slowly, "If you had asked properly, she might have said yes" Before she had finished James was out of his seat following Lily out of the shop.
Lily would've been difficult to follow through Diagon Ally today, except of her red hair, which acted like a beacon, making her almost impossible to miss. James paused smiling to himself, thinking of her hair. The coming round he began to weave in and out of the crowd to get to her.
Finally catching her, he grabbed her arm. "Lils we need to talk?" He pushed her gently. He was surprised to see tears in her eyes when she turned to face him. She didn't say anything to him as he began to lead her to the Leaky Caldron.
James lead Lily up to the room he was sharing with Sirius and Remus. He knew they wouldn't be back for sometime and this was probably the only place they could get any privacy.
Lily didn't say anything, waiting for him to talk. James however was at a loss, he had Lily waiting to talk to him, something he had wanted for as long as he'd been at Hogwarts, but now she was here, waiting to listen to him, he didn't have a clue as to what to say.
Finally Lily broke the silence, "So when do you think Sirius and Trish will get together?"
"Hopefully soon, then I wont have to carry on saying shit and upsetting you." He replied. So he had started talking, he might as well explain himself.
"Lily, I have liked you for as long as I can remember. However I have this problem, where whenever your around I seem to act like a dick." He looked over at her, there had been no change in expression. Taking a deep breath he carried on, "I promised myself halfway through last year I would stop asking you out like that. Today though, I wasn't thinking I just wanted to take the attention away from Rem and Sal."
"So you were thinking, just not about yourself." Lily pointed out.
"Yeah I guess so. Impressed by any chance?" James answered.
"Errrm, what do you think?" Lily asked sarcasticly.
"I don't think. I just open my mouth and pray the result isn't too bad."
A/N: I'm not really sure about the begining for this story, but my pet plot bunny came and bit me on the arse, so I'm going to carry it on for a little while and see how it goes. I want to write something like is time on her side again, its my one fic that I am truely proud of, but before I get there I must satisfy the damn rabbit