"Lily, do you –"
"No, Potter! I do not want to go out with you! Not today, not tomorrow, do you understand? Is it getting through that pretty little head of yours?"
James stared at Lily for a bit and then turned to Alice, "Do you have a quill I can borrow?" he asked. "I let Sirius borrow the extra one I had in my bag, and I just broke mine." he said, pointing to his broken quill.
Alice raised her eyebrows, "You want to borrow a quill?" she asked in disbelieve.
"Yes, what's so strange about that? I need it for notes." he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"You write notes? Don't answer that! Well here." she said, holding out the quill to James. "Just make sure you return it to me after class, alright?"
"Yeah, sure thing. Just remind me if I don't. Thanks!" James replied, taking the quill and writing notes down.
Lily stared at James in disbelieve. James asking for a quill to continue writing notes for class was not something you see everyday. And in Transfiguration, a subject he could do with his eyes closed! She also felt a bit guilty that she went off on him like that. She thought he was going to ask her out, which he actually hasn't done since she told him off really bad a month ago. She could tell she hurt his feelings a lot, but at that time she didn't really pay attention to him. Maybe, he really has changed? She thought. No, nobody really changes.
"Miss Evans!" McGonagall said, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Is there something you would like to share with the rest of the class? Perhaps, why you are looking at Mr. Potter instead of paying attention to the lesson, which is something you're supposed to be doing?"
Lily turned red with embarrassment. Getting caught looking at your 'enemy' who you have hated so many years wasn't a good thing. Lily turned to James and saw he was looking at her in amusement and she could hear Sirius snickering next to him. She glared at Sirius and then turned to Professor McGonagall.
"I'm so sorry Professor! You see, I was –" Lily started but was cut off by none other that Sirius Black.
"Oh, no need to explain Lily. You were staring at James's handsome face weren't you, Evans?"
Lily snorted. "Came out of the closet now did you? Finally admitted you love Potter?" Lily said earning a few snickers from her classmates.
"Miss Evans!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed, but Lily swore she saw her lips twitch slightly.
Sirius scowled. "I would like to inform you, Evans, that I like girls. Clearly, you and I have the same tastes. Want me to go find a girl? We could have a threesome!"
Lily gasped in disgust. James shook his head, and Remus sighed. McGonagall was furious.
"Enough!Five points from Gryffindor and detention Mr. Black for voicing such inappropriate thoughts! Come tonight to my office at 8 o'clock! No exceptions!" McGonagall shrieked.
"Oh my dear Minerva, I know what you want. You want –"
"She wants you to be quiet." James said, cutting Sirius off.
"Yes, thank you Mr. Potter." Professor McGonagall said. "Moving on, when you –"
"Lily turned to Alice and asked, "Why did you let him borrow a quill?"
Alice looked at Lily in a bit of amusement. "He asked nicely." she said simply.
"But he's the enemy Alice! Remember the 'no bonding with the enemy' rule?"
"Oh, stop it Lily! I don't think he's really the enemy anymore. He's changed you know?"
Lily scoffed. "Yeah, whatever, people never change!"
Alice rolled her eyes. "Of course people change Lily, you and I have changed!"
"Well, Black hasn't changed since I met him six years ago."
"Yeah well, he's a special case." Alice said while looking at Sirius who was doing a sort of a Cha-Cha in his seat.
"Mr. Black!" McGonagall cried. "Stop doing the Cha-Cha in you seat and pay attention to the lesson like you're suppose to! Three points from Gryffindor for disturbing the lesson!"
"You see!" Lily said, pointing at Sirius.
"Like I said before Lily, Sirius is a special case. Now tell me Lily, when was the last time he asked you out?"
Lily sighed. "A month ago." she said, defeated.
"You see? Maybe he has changed."
"Or maybe he just doesn't like me anymore." Lily said sadly.
"You like him, don't you?" Alice asked knowingly.
"No, of course I don't like James! I mean, why would you ever say that? That's totally impossible! He's so –" Lily said, barely noticing her classmates, including Alice, were putting their books away.
Alice cut her off. "Yes you do, I know you too well Lily; don't say you don't when you know you do."
"Okay, okay! I do, a little bit. I mean, he's been so nice and everything. He hasn't been doing any pranks lately! He's also good looking and his eyes are–"
"Okay, okay! I get it, you like James!" Alice said, cutting Lily off.
"Well, yeah a bit. But I don't think he likes me anymore. I mean. He doesn't ask me out anymore!" Lily said, glancing at James who was talking with Remus.
"Oh, please Lily, that boy is head over heals for you! He's always sneaking glances at you and sometimes he even stares! Haven't you noticed that?" Alice said annoyed.
"He does? I haven't seen him!" Lily said, puzzled.
Alice rolled her eyes, "Of course you haven't! You're always writing notes like a madwoman!"
"I am not!" Lily retorted.
"Yes you are!" Alice said in a singsong voice.
"Ok, maybe I write a lot of notes. I want to pass my NEWTs you know?" Lily said.
"Okay, you want to pass your NEWTs. But going back to what we were really talking about, he likes you!" Alice said with a smile.
"Fine, fine, but until he asks me out, I'll know for sure!" Lily said not completely certain.
"Well let's hope he does it soon!" Alice said cheerfully.
The bell rang and people started filling out of the classroom, Alice being the first one out the door before Lily could stop her. Lily had a strong suspicion that Alice wanted Lily to get the quill from James.
"She'll pay for that." Lily muttered under her breath while putting her stuff away.
"Have you seen Anderson?" James asked just as she was about to leave.
She noticed that the classroom was now empty.
"Would you two please close the door on your way out?" McGonagall asked them. "Thank you!" She said without a response and hurried out of the classroom.
Did Alice put her up to this? Damn that girl.
"That was weird."
"Yeah, anyways have you seen Anderson?" James asked again.
"She ran out the door just as the bell rang. Maybe she's in the Great Hall?"
"Oh, okay well can you give this to her then?" he said, holding out the quill to her.
"Yeah, sure thing, but aren't you going to lunch?" she asked him while taking the quill from him.
"Well yeah, but what if she's not there? Just give it to her please?" he asked.
"Well, since you asked nicely, okay." she said smiling.
"Okay, thanks Lily!"
"You're welcome James." she said smiling.
"Bye! Wait! Did you just call me James?" he asked her.
She looked at him and then realized that she did. "Yes I did. Does that bother you or –" she said, slightly confused.
"No not at all!" He said, grinning. "So, I know this is probably too much to ask from you, now that you call me by my first name but, do you want to be friends?" he asked nervously.
Hmm, he looks cute when he's nervous. How could I say no to him? But wait! He's my supposed enemy, so I can't become friends with him that easily.
"Well, how about...almost friends?" she asked.
His face brightened but then it faded. "Almost friends? What's that?" Then he asked.
"It's...when you act a bit more like acquaintances, a little less than friends. Do you get me? I'll have to think about the friend question for a while." She answered. "Is that okay with you?"
"Oh um, yeah sure!" he smiled at her. "Well, would you like to walk with me to lunch? Is that in the 'almost friend' category?"
"Hmm...sure, come on lets go!" she said, and smiled warmly at him, making his insides go fuzzy.
If I told Sirius this he would think I'm gay.
"Well, then lets get going! I'm hungry!" he whined.
Lily snorted. "Boys are always hungry! Why is that James?" she asked him.
He shrugged. "I don't know. We're just always hungry."
They talked all the way to the Great Hall. She was amazed about how much she didn't know about him. She was also amazed at how good he smelled, and the effect it had on her: it's as if she was drunk for several fleeting seconds
When they arrived together to the Great Hall people looked at them in shock. They knew that James Potter and Lily Evans weren't having many rows anymore, but they didn't expect them to be friends. Well, they weren't exactly friends. They were almost friends. But they didn't know that, did they?
Remus and Peter looked a little bit shocked, and Sirius was giving James thumbs up and moving his eyebrows up and down suggestively.
Rolling his eyes at Sirius he asked Lily, "Would you like to sit with us?"
Lily thought about it a bit and answered, "Sure, it will help me with my decision. Could Alice come with us also?" she asked.
"Yeah, sure thing. Anderson is cool." He smiled at her, making her stomach do flip-flops.
"Okay, but where is she? Oh there she is! Alice!" Lily called out.
Alice came up to James and Lily and smiled at their entwined arms. "Yes Lily?"
"Come on Alice; let's go sit with James and his little gang? Please?" Lily asked her hopefully.
Alice looked at her and James entwined arms for a moment, then at Sirius and asked James, "Is it safe?"
James and Lily laughed. "Yes, I'll keep him in line. He might make a sex joke about you, but I don't think so because you're with Frank. I think you're rather safe." He answered, grinning.
Alice laughed. "He should thank Frank then. If I wasn't with Frank and he made a sex joke about me there would never be Sirius Juniors!"
James winced. "Ouch! Well, I'll be sure to tell him that!"
"Hey, what about me! Am I safe?" Lily asked James.
James looked at Sirius and answered, "Yes, Lily, You're safe also. He would never make a sex joke about you."
Alice looked at him knowingly and asked, "Why James? She isn't going out with anybody, is she?"
James turned slightly pink and tugged Lily's arm, "Come on Lily, I'm hungry!"
Lily looked at Alice sternly and told her, "Come on Alice."
Lily let go of James' arm and sat in front of Remus. "Hello Remus, Peter, Sirius."
She felt Alice and James sit next to her, her being in the middle.
"Hey Remus, Peter!" she stopped and looked at Sirius stuffing his face with food amusingly. "Are you going to leave any food left for us?" she asked.
"Is that a way to say hello to a friend my dear Alice?"
She snorted and started filling her plate with food, James and Lily following after.
"So, are you two friends now?" Remus asked Lily and James.
"No, we're almost friends." Lily replied.
Remus looked at her strangely and Sirus looked at James questionably. He just shrugged at piled his plate with food.
"And something more in the near future?" Alice asked Lily in a low voice so that only Lily and Alice heard.
Lily glared at Alice and was about to retort when James tapped her on the shoulder.
"Yes James?" she asked.
"Are you ready to go home next week?"
"Yes, but then again, not really. My sister is getting married this summer. She hates me." she finished bitterly.
"Why does she hate you? Nobody can hate a girl like you!" said James, confused.
She blushed and answered, "Because I'm a witch. She hates me for coming here."
"Oh, I understand. That's still no reason to hate you though." He told her.
"Yeah, well tell that to my sister." She said sadly.
"So, got the answer yet?" he asked her hopefully.
"Answer?" she asked, slightly confused.
James rolled his eyes. "The answer to my question: Do you want to be my friend or not?"
"Oh, that! How about, I send it to you by mail this summer? I promise." She told him.
"Okay, but don't forget! I'll be waiting!"
She laughed and then the bell rang.
"Oh, I've got to go. I'm studying with my friends, you know, for the exams. See you later!" she said, waving.
"See you later!" he said, waving back at her.
It had been two weeks since she got home. Two weeks since she couldn't stop thinking about James. His smile that made all her insides go crazy, his smell that made her go dizzy, and his eyes that she could fall into endlessly. She knew she had to write to him soon, but she couldn't. She had no idea why. All that she knew was that was in love James Potter. She had fallen for his charm.
Damn him for being so cute and charming! Damn him for his perfect smile and beautiful eyes! Damn him for being him!
The last week of term, Lily and James had been friendly, but not too friendly. They talked to each other politely, sometimes joked, and James never asked the question again, because Lily had promised she was going to write the answer in the summer. Alice had written to her and told her that she should tell him that she likes him. No way. She was not going to tell James Potter that she loved him. How was she going to say it anyways? James Potter I love you and want to have your babies? Ha, yeah right! She was never going to do that. She was too shy. She also wasn't sure if he liked her. Even though Alice reckoned he did, she was still doubtful. He had stopped asking her out one month before leaving school after all. After that day she had told him to grow up and get real. That she would never fall for him. But she did, the same time he stopped. He was tripping her and he wouldn't be there to catch her.
"Lily! Lily, dear! Get dressed already! Remember, we have dinner guests tonight!" her mother called from the kitchen.
She had almost forgotten. Some lady her mother met at the supermarket two days ago was coming over for dinner tonight. She had the surname Potter, which made her jump up and down with glee. Then she thought that Potter was not an uncommon surname and that it probably wouldn't be him. Of course, she made up that lie in her head. She knew it wasn't a common surname. She just didn't want to get her hopes up.
"Well...time to get dressed." she said unenthusiastically.
She looked through her clothes and wanted to look very pretty for the dinner. She didn't know why, but she felt like she had to look very pretty. She looked through her closet and finally found something perfect. It was an emerald green summer dress, the exact shade of green as her eyes. It was two inches above the knee, not too short, not too long. It had a square neckline and had a white ribbon under the chest. It was simple, but it looked very pretty on her. She then chose some white flats that went perfectly with the dress and fixed her hair in a messy, but pretty ponytail with a white bow tie. She then looked through her jewelry. She chose a pair of little white heart earrings, a white bead bracelet, and a white heart pendant necklace. She went to her mirror and looked at herself critically. She looked casual, but not too casual. She then noticed her room was a mess, and all the moving pictures she had around her. She got her wand and cleaned up the room and hid the pictures in a box. If Petunia saw me doing this she would die of a heart attack. It took her about 15 minutes to clean up her room. After, she decided put on a bit of makeup because it made her look prettier, even though her friends would always say that she was always pretty. Ha, yeah right! The doorbell rang all over the house. She yelped and since she didn't like eye shadow she put on eyeliner and a bit of mascara.
"Lily! Come down here! I want you to meet the Potters!" she heard her mother calling.
"Yes, mum, I'm going!" she called back.
While going down the stairs, she heard voices, and one voice seemed familiar. Way too familiar. She thought she was already imagining stuff.
Ha, I'm going crazy because of him. I hate him!
When she got down the stairs she couldn't believe her eyes.
Author's Note: Ooh, cliffy! (although, painfully obvious). Well this is my first chapter of my first fanfic! Review please!
Disclaimer: Don't own anything!