A/N: I know it's stupid to start a second multi-chapter fic when already in the middle of one (well, two, if you count Paper Hearts), especially when the first one is going to have a sequel too, but this idea was bouncing around my head for a while and I just couldn't get rid of it – also, I couldn't seem to get myself into an angsty enough mindset to write Chapter 15 of Healing, so here we are :)

Prologue

It was so not of my own volition that I had to spend the summer with the Potters. I swear. I would have been fine at the Leaky Cauldron, or even in some random Muggle hotel in London; Alice Prewett had even invited me to stay with her, but I don't feel I know her well enough to spend an entire summer with her. Plus, she's just starting to get very serious with her boyfriend, Frank Longbottom, so I'd only be a third wheel, and that's never cool. I would have been perfectly fine at any of these places, but oh, no: Dumbledore decided that I couldn't be alone, not with Voldemort targeting Muggle-borns left, right and centre.

I don't see how it's his problem, but apparently he sees himself as my freaking guardian or something, seeing as my parents are long dead and my sister simply doesn't care. And what I really don't see is why he had to choose James Bloody Potter. Why, God, why? Why would Dumbledore choose the one person I really can't stand?

Okay, so that's a lie. I can stand Potter. I just don't want to is all. He's a prick, an arrogant one at that, and all he does is ask me out – as if I'd go out with him! Besides, it's not like he's being serious about it. Him, Quidditch Captain, star Chaser and whatever bleeding else, be interested in a girl like me? Okay, so I am one of the top choices for Head Girl next year, but it's not like he gives a damn about that! And it's not like I want him to. Psh, me fancy James Potter? Keeeeeeep dreaming, mate.

So maybe I've been dreaming about him a little bit – all right, a lot – in the past months. It's not like we were... doing anything, you know? Well, anything except snogging. And that doesn't count, right?

Oh, Merlin help me, this was going to be the longest summer of my life.

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I managed to get through the first five weeks of summer with relatively few incidents. James' parents (I couldn't call him Potter in front of them, that would have been weird) are lovely, and they took to me immediately. They keep saying things about how they've heard so much about me from James, but that can't be true, right? It's not like he'd talk about me at home (even if my stomach does do a few flips at the thought), right? Oh, well. I haven't even gotten into any awkward moments with James, apart from the occasional accidental collision (they were accidental, I swear!) and a Freudian slip or three, but it's all good. I tried to keep to myself as much as possible – and that was a lot, since the Potters' house (more like manor) had an entire guest wing, which I got to myself. James came in to talk to me a lot during the first week or so, but I tried my best to make it clear that I'd rather be left alone, and so he eventually complied. I could have sworn he looked a bit hurt when he left, but it was probably just my imagination, so I brushed it off.

James was also exceptionally eager to start conversation about anything and everything at mealtimes, but I tried to keep my responses as short as possible – because I was afraid of the funny feelings I got every time he laughed at something I said, or smiled that cursed smile at me. I was afraid of them, so I pushed them aside and tried to not to generate more. Again, I got the imagined hurt look; again, I brushed it off. I kept up this hermit-y behaviour for over five weeks – and then one day, just over three weeks before we were due to go back to Hogwarts, James came into my room (didn't even knock, jeez) with a very determined expression. "Lily Marie Evans, this seclusion is going to stop right now, do you hear me?"

I merely gaped at him. I'd never seen him look so authoritative before – I'd seen James Potter look many things, including incredibly hot (did I really just think that?), but never authoritative. And I'm quite certain I never told him my middle name.

"Er... huh?" was my intelligent(ish) response, but to be quite honest I wasn't capable of much more at that precise moment.

"Do you want me to repeat myself?" James's expression was befuddled, bordering on concerned – it's not often that I don't understand things.

"That would be great, thanks."

"All right, then... I said, 'Lily Marie Evans, this seclusion is going to stop right not, do you hear me?'"

"Ah. I never told you my middle name was Marie, did I?" Most of what he said still didn't make much sense, but I grabbed on to what I could understand.

"That's not the bloody point! Can we focus here, Lily?"

"Focus on what? I want to know how you know my middle name, since I definitely never told you!"

"Does it really matter?"

"Yes!" Ugh. He clearly didn't get it. This is a bloody breach of privacy we're talking about here! Okay, so maybe middle names aren't quite as serious as I'm making them out to be, but I don't even want to think about the other part of what he said, so I'll keep insisting until he tells me.

"Okay, okay! Fine. I... kinda snuck into McGonagall's office to read student files once?" The bastard didn't even have the good grace to look embarrassed.

"You did what?" My God, this is so much worse than I thought. What else does he know about me?

"Relax, Lils, it's not a big deal."

"It is a big deal, James Potter! You snuck into a teacher's office! And read personal info on students! Oh, and don't call me Lils. My name is Lily."

"I know it is, Lils, but I like saying Lils." Insert wink here. Cheeky bugger. "Also, it wasn't students, more like student..."

"What? Only me?"

"Er... yeah?"

"Is that a question, James?"

"No?"

Oh, sweet Merlin. Why, why would he sneak into McGonagall's office to read my student file? Mine, of all people?

"Why would you do that? Scratch that, when did you do that?"

"Um... I'm pretty sure it was last... November, maybe?"

"Good God, James. You can't just do that! Didn't you get caught?"

"Nope – I have my ways, see."

"Oh, you have your ways. I see." I rolled my eyes with just a bit more emphasis than necessary. James just winked again, screw him. Not, you know, that I'm harbouring any secret desires to do just that... What on Earth are you talking about?

"It's a pretty name, you know," James said suddenly. I was still thinking about my nonexistent secret desire to screw him, so I didn't quite catch what he said, which spawned another "Huh?"

"Lily Marie. It's a pretty name."

Oh, that's what he said. Damn. Is he trying to confuse me or something? "Er... thanks," I mumbled, 99% sure that I was redder than a tomato. James looked at me kinda oddly, but I suppose he remembered his actual mission then, because he suddenly cleared his throat.

"Hey – but middle names aren't what I wanted to talk to you about. What I wanted to say – and have said, like, twice now – is that your seclusion ends here."

"Seclusion? What the hell are you on about?" Maybe if I make my eyes really wide and bat my eyelashes a few times, he'll leave me alone. Probably not, but it's worth a try anyway... Yeah, didn't work. He didn't even blink. Damn.

"Um, maybe that thing where you've been here for over five weeks and I only ever see you at meals and randomly in the hallway sometimes?"

"What about it?" That's right, Lily, act stupid. That'll make it all better. Or something.

"It's not healthy! You can't just sit up here alone and – and wither away!"

"Yeah? What're you gonna do about it?" I hope that sounded like a challenge, but it was weak, even to my own ears.

"I'm here now, aren't I?"

"Yeah...?"

"Starting today, you're required to spend at least three hours with me every day."

"What? You can't decide that! Why would I do that?"

"Because I'm bored, and Padfoot is working all summer – uncharacteristic, I know, but Tom offered him a job at the Cauldron and there we go – and Moony is off somewhere with his mum, and Wormtail is boring, and you're my only hope!" This all was delivered in a tone that got progressively whinier and more four-year-old-ish, and it was all I could do not to laugh.

"So basically, you're bored and want me to entertain you?"

"No, I need you to entertain me. There's a world of difference."

"I see... and how exactly would I entertain you?" I had to admit, I was curious. How exactly did James think I could entertain him? I did have an idea or two, but they were nowhere near appropriate, so I shoved them away and pretended like I had no idea why they'd even popped up.

There was a mischievous glint in James's eyes now, and I didn't like it one bit. "Well, first off I thought I'd teach you to fly properly."

"Oi! I can fly, thank you very much."

"Not properly, though."

"And how exactly would you define properly?" Honestly, the audacity! As if I couldn't fly. Psh. I took the same flying lessons that every first year takes, that makes me quite competent, right?

Apparently, however, James didn't think so. "You call that flying? Ha! What's the fastest you can go, 20 miles an hour? Nuh-uh, darling, I'm going to teach you to fly properly. In, say, a half hour – so put on some sweats and meet me in the yard, 'kay? Great, see you in half an hour!"

And then he walked out, leaving me strangely pleased about being called darling (and trying to ignore that feeling) and contemplating the various pros and cons of flying lessons from James Potter. Like, say, sitting in front of him on a small-ish broomstick.

Did I really just think that?

Crap. It's going to be a long three weeks.

A/N: This is only the prologue, so it's kinda introductory and short... notice how I glossed over like five weeks there? Yeah, that was due to laziness. Also, if the end it kinda crap, it's cause it's like 2AM now and I'm really tired, but I couldn't sleep without writing anything cause I would have felt really guilty cause I kinda promised a very impatient someone *cough*looking at you, Zac*coughcough* that I'd write something tonight... but it's all good, I'm done now and I can sleep! Yays.

Reviews would be appreciated, I always like to know what you think – good or bad.