Hello readers, Melissa here. Tonight was the first night in months where I haven't had something for school looming over my head. I finally finished all my college essays and I was fairly certain we were going to be off of school for snow, (I was right :D) so I decided I wanted to celebrate by writing. This idea just kind of popped into my head, so I decided to run with it. It's my first Lily and James story, so I hope you like it. Hopefully I'll be able to write more, especially if people enjoy it. So, happy reading and thanks for stopping by! :]

There she went again, long deep red hair flowing behind her. Then the portrait swung closed. Lily Evans was gone as quickly as she had come. Came down the stairs, through the common room, and out the portrait hole, all before James even had a chance to stand. Before he quite knew what he was doing James was on his way out the portrait hole, chasing Lily again. It was such a habit now he barely felt his feet hit the floor as he floated through the hallway.

James Potter had never had to chase anything in his life. Coming from a wealthy family he could have skipped school altogether and made out in life just fine. Naturally intelligent, he never concerned himself much with opening a book, yet he still managed to get some of the highest marks in class. A true talent on the Quidditch field, he made the House team as a chaser in his second year. He was naturally handsome, never had to try to gain attention. Charming by nature he managed to escape any trouble he got himself into, minus with Filch of course. No, James Potter never had to chase anything. Nothing that is until Lily Evans came along.

James met Lily in his first year at Hogwarts in his first Transfiguration class. He and his best friend, Sirius, sat across from her. She'd get so angry every class when James and Sirius would goof, distracting her. When she started making snide remarks, James just wrote her off, he had no attachment to her. In third year transfiguration he sat behind her in class. He found himself quite often staring, and of course not being able to control his mouth, or really wanting to for that matter. He found himself making comments at every available opportunity.

"Hey Evans," he'd whisper as McGonagall studied at her desk while the class was supposed to be reading. Lily wouldn't dare look up, but he knew she could hear him. "You're hair looks quite ravishing today. Very…red." He saw her right fist clench. "Did you something different to it today?" Silence. "Hmm…must be the light, it really does look rather splendid…"

"Shut it, Potter," Lily whispered back not daring to look back at him.

"Problem, Evans?" He asked trying his best to sound innocent.

"You're so distracting and if I get in trouble because of you I swear I'll…"

"Me? Distracting? Well, I was just trying to give you a compliment. You know most girls would find it very flatter…"

"Well, I'm not most girls, so leave me alone." Professor McGonagall looked up from her desk. "Is there a problem, Mr. Potter, Mrs. Evans?"

"No problem at all," James said innocently. "I was simply telling Evans how lovely her hair looks in this light." Lily shot around and stared him down, her cheeks burning bright red.

"Well, keep your compliments outside of my classroom."

"I'm not like other girls." That was the one thing about that interaction three years ago that James remembered so well. Lily wasn't like any other girl that James had met. If James were chasing any other girl, teasing her, complimenting her, James would have won her over long ago.

James rounded the corner and saw Lily talking with her friends in the hallway. He stopped, looked at the floor, and ran his fingers through his messy, black hair. Once he looked up he saw Lily's hair flipping around a corner. He would have to chase her again.

Chasing Lily reminded James of chasing a quaffle. He always had to keep moving. But Lily was so much different than playing Quidditch in so many ways. James didn't understand Lily. How was it that she was always moving right when he caught up to her? When James was playing Quidditch he knew where the quaffle was going, where the players were going to throw it, who was going to catch it, and who was going to pass it to him. He never had to chase the quaffle for long before he found it in his hands again. Not Lily. He was always chasing her and she never stopped. He never knew where she would be or how long she would be there. She seemed to have some sort of sense that alerted her to his presence that caused her to run away. He never had to chase anything, not good marks, not attention, not friends, not the quaffle.

As James was heading back to the common room, dejected as his pride would allow, a thought struck him, maybe Lily was so hard to catch because she mattered more than the other things. He tried to push the thought away, but it didn't want to move. James reentered the common room just as confused as when he left. Oh well, he would just have to keep chasing.

I hope you enjoyed it. Please take a moment to review, it would mean a lot to me. :]

P.S. I'm going to advertise for myself. I have another story called "In one Moment." It's a Bill and Fleur one shot. If you have any time to read it, it would be much appreciated. :]