A/N: Hello! It's been while since I've posted or written a Marauders fic. I had originally started writing out headcannons when this story just started writing itself. Well, hope you enjoy, and remember your reviews make my day! :)
Disclaimer: Everything you recognize (characters, Hogwarts, chocolate brands) belong to J.K. Rowling. I'm simply having fun with her wonderful work.
In their earlier years of Hogwarts, they are not even friends, much less close friends. They are merely acquaintances in the same year and the same house. First year Lily Evans grudgingly admits that Remus Lupin is "the most alright one" among the other Gryffindor boys; for first year Remus Lupin, Lily Evans is the fiery red head that warrants respect among other first years and also the girl that his new friend seems to enjoy teasing.
They run into each other constantly but it is only during class they actually acknowledge each other. They don't hate each other - although Remus had a feeling Lily hated his new friends James and Sirius – it's just indifference. As the year progresses they see more of each other studying in the library or the common room. It is perfectly understandable. Lily Evans is the top of the class and Remus Lupin isn't doing too badly himself and is just as hard working.
But all the same, she doesn't like what he and his friends do to Severus.
They arrive as second years at the now familiar castle. Things aren't much different between Lily Evans and Remus Lupin. He's still the only "sort of decent one" among the ragtag group that now calls themselves the Marauders; and she seems as formidable as ever, or as much as a twelve-year-old could be. They still rarely acknowledge each other on a personal level other than a simple nod here and there. One small change takes place though. They start to study together occasionally in the library or the common room. It's not a lot of interaction: "Lupin" asking politely about a particularly difficult Potions question to which "Evans" would reply politely back. She, in turn, politely drops a question regarding Defense of the Dark Arts from time to time and he answers with the same politeness. Again, it is quite natural. Peter isn't exactly bright and James and Sirius may be bright but aren't the type to be cooped up in a library to work diligently on their essays.
These mutual study sessions result in something that vaguely resembles a growing friendship.
A cordial wave and a "Hello, Lupin" from Lily takes Remus by surprise, especially since he's walking by with James. He returns it with a small smile and a shy "hullo". James bellows out Hello Evans behind him which Lily promptly ignores.
It is towards the end of their 2nd year that Remus starts to suspect that James might have a reason for always trying to grab Lily's attention.
Lily still doesn't approve of what he and the other marauders do to Severus, though.
By third year, "Lupin" occasionally becomes "Remus" and an occasional slip of the tongue means that "Evans" is exchanged for "Lily" from time to time. Yes, they are certainly close acquaintances, maybe even friends. But Lily still has Severus and Remus still has his marauding friends who are getting rowdier and rowdier, meaning that friendly smiles exchanged over library books or small talk as they finish up their essays in the common room is still the only warm exchanges they have. There are also the friendly waves in the hallways, with James always bellowing out a HULLO EVANS somewhere in the background.
It is in December of their third year that Lily and Severus pass by the Marauders whispering in front of the snowy Shrinking Shack. Later when Lily returns to the castle alone, cold and shivering because Snape left her for his creepy housemates that say nasty things about her kind, Remus is the one to quietly hold out a slab of Honeyduke's chocolate bar in a comforting gesture.
It is also the year that Remus knows James is smitten with Lily although James himself doesn't even know yet.
Fourth year is when "Lupin" is permanently replaced with "Remus" and "Evans" with "Lily". Their study sessions are now regular. They occasionally sit down together by the lake and have discussions about anything from chocolate frogs to the O.W.L.s next year. It's usually when James and Sirius are nowhere to be found or in detention because, Merlin, Lily still doesn't like the other Marauders and what they do to Snape although he is slipping further and further away from her. She even refuses to speak to Remus a couple of times but soon shows up for their studying sessions anyway.
Lily is Remus's first friend outside the circle of marauders. First close friend that is. He has his share of friends as the Marauders have become quite popular among the student body. But Lily is different. She is the first friend he has made without any ties to the marauders and she offers him peace when he is (sometimes) tired of the others' antics.
Remus is very different from her other friends. Usually quiet and reserved, but he occasionally has a quirky sense of humor. Different from her girl friends and Severus. He is a friend she can talk about all sorts of insane things with, who always has a slab of chocolate nearby.
It is also the year that James Potter realizes that he fancies Lily Evans.
Surprisingly, James doesn't seem to mind much. At least not on the outside. It is Sirius who is smirking and teasing Remus for "fraternizing with the enemy" and teasing James for "losing his girlfriend". James knows he is a tad jealous but he's happy for his friend. Although Remus is definitely his best friend (he wouldn't be staying up late poring over transfiguration books acquired by certain methods from the restricted section trying to figure out how to be an Animagus if he didn't think so) James knows Sirius and himself tended to share closer bonds. If it made Remus happy to be engaged in whatever conversation he has with Li- Evans, it was fine by him.
So he cuffs Sirius on the back of his head and tell him to shut up. And proceeds to pester Remus constantly about what Lily said about him, trying to hide the small glimmer of jealousy from ever showing itself. Remus focuses on his pie and tells James that ever since Lily called James an "arsehole" in one of their conversations and turned things awkward they tended to steer away from the topic (Remus is the guy's best friend after all, and what kind of a best friend would he be if he doesn't defend his friend's honor?).
Remus catches James's face fall for a fraction of a second before he blurts out jokingly, "Evans talks about me!"
Remus notices that his friend's voice is too loud to be a true joke.