January 10, 1977

Lily Evans looked down with teary eyes. Do. Not. Cry. You're Head Girl! Head Girl! You don't cry, she thought to herself. The thing was, this year it all just got worse. And that's saying something. Usually the snide comments found their way to her ears once or twice a week, nothing she couldn't handle. But this year everything was different. Ever since she was appointed Head Girl, it seemed like every Slytherin she passed had a foul word to hiss at her. Usually she could walk down the halls of Hogwarts with her head held high; it wasn't as though she cared what they thought about her. But today was different, today, well, today Lily didn't need this.

"Mudblood." Avery's voice entered her head. He said it louder than he should have, like he wasn't worried about getting caught. His venom laced the word as it floated around her. She turned on her heal, wand out in a flash. Students around her turned and looked.

"Pureblood." She said it was the same hate he conjured, however, she had the grace to whisper it, so only he could hear.

"Are you crying?" He's laughter rang out, forced. He stood with an air of confidence. But his eyes nervously glanced at her wand. Severus Snape and Rabastan Lestrange hovered behind him. Lily could feel Severus trying to make eye contact with her but she purposely kept her stare on Avery. Her knuckles whitened as she increased her hold on the stick.

"20 points from Slytherin for insulting a fellow student." She turned, returning her wand to her pocket. She mentally congratulated herself on using self control. She could have cursed him into the next century, and she wanted to extremely bad. However, with certain power comes certain responsibility. She wouldn't use her powers for evil. Especially not in a crowded corridor. She continued walking.

The walk down to potions class was the worst. Through the dungeons past, what felt like, thousands of Slytherins. Usually she and a pack of her friends, Alice, Mary and Marlene, would walk together. However, she was the one who had made Head Girl, the one who had to stop and talk to McGonagall when she needed a word. The only one who would be able to walk into NEWT Potions 15 minutes late and just have Slughorn smile and joke with her. She could feel the Slytherins following her. She knew Snape should be in that class already. It was extremely unlike him to be late for any class, especially one of his best, Potions. But Snape wasn't the same Snape he used to be. She pushed all these worrying thoughts from her mind as she placed a fake smile on her face and walked into Potions, now a lovely 20 minutes late.

"Lily my dear! I was beginning to worry you wouldn't be joining us today!" Slughorn wobbled over to her. "I'm afraid we're doing a rather difficult one today, you'll be pressed to catch up." Out of the corner of her eye, Lily saw Snape slip into class unnoticed. "But I'm sure you'll be able to do it." Slughorn winked at her. He had attempted to whisper the last part, but Slughorn probably couldn't whisper to save his life. Lily saw her friends in the corner exchange smirks. She saw Snape begin to set up his potions kit and look pointedly at her, this was a challenge. She would beat him, and beat him good.

"Well then I better get at it." She sighed at him, with a forced smile. Thank god her eyes weren't red and blotchy. The 'cry' was more like an eye watering, and she was sure no one even noticed, except for Avery. Damn him. She started on a potion she had made many times, just for fun. She smirked to herself. If there was any potion she could kill, this one was it. Polyjuice potion. Whata joke.

Slughorn came over and sniffed at her potion just as she was finishing. "Very nice Miss Evans. This will turn out lovely after we leave it to stew. I'm very impressed. 20 points to Gryffindor." She turned and looked back at Snape. He was casually sitting in his chair, his potion simmering comfortably. He smirked at her, she rolled her eyes and turned back.

"Thanks Professor." She was angry that Snape had beaten her, but she would get him next time. Half of the reason why she was so good at potions was her desire to be better than him.

After class Lily walked out with her friends. She looked up and saw that James Potter had fallen into step beside her. James Potter. She couldn't believe how much he had changed in these last couple of months. James getting Head Boy was completely unimaginable. Hell had frozen over, and she had told him that. But now she was impressed. James was being very mature. James. Mature. Now those were two words she wouldn't be caught saying in the same sentence until this year, unless they were separated by a huge IM. She smiled at him, awkwardly. "What's up James?" And using his first name, can you say progress?

"Er-" He looked at her friends, she took the hint.

"I'll meet you guys in the common room. Don't start that Transfiguration essay without me." She added sarcastically as her friends groaned at the upcoming doom that was the 6 foot long essay on Human Transfiguration. "What's up?" She asked again as they stopped in the Great Hall. James leaned casually up against the wall and looked at her searchingly.

"Are you okay? You looked upset when you came into Potions." The forced smile slide off her face in a second and she looked away from him. "Did Snape do something? I saw him walk into class after you, if that git did anything-"

"Look Potter, it's none of your business okay? I can handle myself. Stop playing the over protective brother. It's getting old." She snapped at him. The hurt look on his face was enough for her to instantly regret her harsh words. He muttered an apology she didn't quite hear and began to walk away. She grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "James." She regretted her decision to pull him back right away. Those eyes were magnetic and this close together, good Godric. She could feel her cheeks flush and her toes curl as she smelt his cologne. Shit. She stepped back. He had this effect on her, one where when he was too close she was unable to form words. She coughed and broke their eye contact, buying time. They wouldn't kiss, not again. "Look James. I'm sorry, it's just. You just." She stared purposely at the ground, refusing to meet his stare. "The constant glares, the hissing behind you as you walk through the corridors. It drives a person mad."

"I understand." He made to push her hair from her face. She hit his hand away impatiently.

"No you don't. You have no idea what it's like." She finally met his gaze. "I'm sorry I snapped on you, but please, just don't pretend to be my knight in shining armour okay? I can handle myself." He was searching her eyes with his serious expression. This was way too intense for her. She forced a grin toward him and playfully hit his arm. "Thanks for caring though, JP."

He rolled his eyes and embarrassedly ran his hand threw his hair. "Oh Merlin. Please, do not ever call me that again."

"How can I not? It's pretty catchy, you have to admit. JP. Rolls of the tongue." She giggled at him and he rolled his eyes again, but a small grin formed on his face.

"I like it when you say it." He whispered toward her. Heat flooded her cheeks again. Why? Why must he always do that? She pretended like she didn't hear it, and purposely looked forward. They began walking down the corridor.

"You know you have officially arrived when your fan club gives you a secret nickname and everyone starts calling you it." Lily laughed at him, trying to break the sexual tension yet again. As she said it a group of fourth year girls walked by and chorused a 'Hey JP' and then proceeded to glare down Lily. She began hysterically laughing. He raised his eyebrow at her and waited for her to finish.

"Are you done?"

"Yes." She began snickering again, as another group of first years walked by.

"Hey JP." The shortest one said, flushing bright red before scurrying away with the rest of the group following her around the corner.

"No." She burst out before surround ring to another fit of giggles. She had to lean up against a suit of armour for support. "What happened to your eyebrow?" She asked, noticing for the first time that the one on the right was relatively lonely, considering the other one was no longer there.

He tried to rub his hair flat to cover his forehead. He muttered something about 'Padfoot' and 'loser'.

"Sorry, what was that?" She giggled at him.

"Padfoot, thought it would be funny." He muttered again, this time comprehendible.

"Personally, I think it's a riot." They had finally reached the Fat Lady. James told her the password, and the two of them walked in together. James and Lily separated, Lily going to her friends by the fireplace and James to his fellow marauders in the back corner.

"Soooooooo..?" Mary leaned in towards Lily as soon as she sat down. "What happened? Did you guys snog again?"

"What!!" Alice yelled from the other chair.

"Shhh!" The three other girls hissed at her.

"You two snogged?!" Alice hissed back, quieter this time.

"You would know if you weren't in bed because you were too tired from snogging Frank Longbottom until all hours the night before." Marlene giggled to her.

"Shhh!" Alice hissed again, but a smile played on her lips. "What happened Lily?!"

"God." She threw her head into her hands. "Do I really have to retell it?"

"If you won't I will!" Mary grinned and the girls moved their chairs closer to Lily's. "So they were on patrol last night right?"

"Right." Alice nodded. She knew the Heads had to wander the halls late at night, which was the topic of many jokes between the girls. They knew it was only a matter of time before the two would snap and either kill each other or shag each other senseless.

"And everything was fine, they were laughing and joking with each other like they do know, you know, because they're in love." Mary giggled.

"We're not in love." Lily hissed at the girls. "Don't say that, okay?" She looked over her shoulder to make sure that the Marauders where still safely seated in the corner.

Mary ignored Lily and continued with her story. "So then, just suddenly, you know how graceful Lily is." The other girls giggled. Lily was known as one of the clumsiest people in Gryffindor, maybe Hogwarts as a whole. "She tripped down the last couple of stairs and hit her head."

"Classy." Alice laughed at her. "Brain damage?"

"Ha." Lily winced as she unconsciously put her hand to her head. "Could we not joke about it until we know it isn't true?"

"Anyways. So then James comes bounding after her to the rescue. Blah blah, checks her head to make sure she's okay. Kinda like this." Mary pulled Marlene close to her. Lily raised her eyebrows toward Mary. "What?" Mary shot to Lily. "You re-enacted it for us, I think Alice deserves the same quality of performance." Mary put her hand up to the back of Marlene's head and raked her fingers into her hair, pulling her close to her lips. In a deep, huskier voice then she usually had said, "Are you okay, baby?"

"He did not call me baby." Lily shot, and whipped her head around to make sure that the Marauders were still in the corner. However tears quickly entered her eyes as her forehead came into harsh contact with Sirius Black's forehead. He pulled his head back quickly and began rubbing it.

"Fuck Evans!" Then he remembered why he was there and looked back to Mary and Marlene. Mary was still holding the back of Marlene's head, as they hysterically giggled. "Sorry to interrupt ladies. Please continue." He lounged gracefully on the arm of Lily's chair, propping his feet up and balancing with skill Lily wouldn't get with years of practice.

Mary rolled her eyes and leaned in. Sirius' eyes grew wide and Lily took advantage of the moment. She shoved him directly off of her chair and he landed in a heap. They all fell back in there chairs laughing. "I think you've over stepped your welcome. No. Don't get up." Mary laughed. He had a shocked look on his face. "We'll leave." She pulled Marlene up, and the four girls stepped over a still surprised Sirius Black and made their way up the girl's dormitory stairs, their laughter followed them the whole way.

January 14, 1977

After their free period, Lily was forced to sit through an unbearable transfiguration class. "Merlin, I need a smoke." Dorcas Meadowes sighed as her and Lily walked out of Transfiguration.

"McGonagall is insane." Lily said. They had just been assigned yet another essay. "This is insanity. Actually."

Dorcas pulled a smoke out of her bag as the two girls bid their goodbyes to Mary and Marlene and made their way to the prefects meeting.

"Dorcas! You can't smoke in the school!" Lily grabbed the smoke from the girl as they weaved through the surrounding students.

"Why not?" Dorcas whined.

"You're a prefect. And I'm Head Girl. God." The two girls turned a corner and entered a deserted hallway. Lily looked up and down the hall before forcing open a window and pulling out her wand. The two girls passed the smoke back and forth, breathing in deeply. They heard footsteps approaching and deep voices travelled down the hall.

"Bugger." Dorcas threw the smoke out the window and the two girls hurriedly tried to close the window. They side in relief as James Potter and Remus Lupin turned the corner.

"Damn Potter. Lupin! You guys made me waste my smoke!" Dorcas complained as she pulled out another smoke. Lily giggled and pulled out her wand and again conjured a spark from the end.

"I needed this." Dorcas sighed contently as the two girls passed the smoke back and forth. James and Remus leaned up against the wall and waited.

"Smoking kills." Remus stated. "Just throwing that out there."

The girls ignored him and when they were finished they closed the window and began walking casually to the meeting. The teenagers turned another corner and came across Alice and Frank, trying, and failing to hide behind a suit of armour.

"Alice. Meeting." Lily yelled down the hall to the girl as they walked into the spare classroom. Alice held up 5 fingers, not breaking mouth contact with Frank.

"Two minutes. That's all you're getting." Lily shot back. Alice's five fingers turned in one in the middle. Lily rolled her eyes as she walked into the meeting.

Dorcas sat next to Violetta Roiser. "Hey slut." The Ravenclaw prefect and the Slytherin prefect always sat together at meetings. Violetta's partner, Snape, hardly ever showed up anymore, and a lot of people had a problem with Violetta. Maybe it had something to do with her family being fricking crazy.

"Whore." Violetta nodded to the other girl. They had a mutual respect for each other. And their reputations. "Merlin, I can still smell the smoke on your breathe." Violetta sniffed at the other girl. "Puh-lease tell me you have one for me? Flitwick confiscated mine this morning. I'm dying." Dorcas groaned and dug through her bag, muttering something about supply the whole of Hogwarts with nicotine. She passed the smoke to the other girl who squealed excitedly. "Thank you."

Snape walked by and started coughing loudly. Violetta rolled her eyes at him as he sat down next to her.

"Please clarify. Are you coughing because she's holding a smoke or because you haven't showered in days and are repulsed by your own scent?" Dorcas narrowed her eyes at the boy. He narrowed his back at her.

"Listen blood traitor I'm-" Violetta had to hold Dorcas back as she attempted to launch herself at Snape from across the desk.

"Why are you even here? You've been to like, three meetings this year! I thought you had finally realized where you weren't wanted!" Dorcas yelled at him.

"Wow, seems like I missed a party." Gideon Prewett stated as he walked into the classroom just as Snape was storming out.

"I. Hate. Slytherins." Dorcas seethed. "No offence." She said looking at Violetta.

"None taken. I hate Ravenclaws." The two girls smiled at each other as a distracted Lily finally managed to pull the meeting to order.

"Listen up. Let's get this over with so we can get of here faster. I don't want to be around you guys anymore then you want to be around me." She sent pointed looks at the younger Slytherin prefects. "We're going to have a Valentine's Day dance." Several groans and giggles were heard around the room.

"I know it sucks," James agreed with the groans, mainly heard from the male end of the room. "but it's Dumbledore's orders and if any of you want to go take it up with him, by all means." After a slight pause James turned toward the dusty, old chalk board and hit it with his wand. Lily looked at him slightly impressed. "Okay, look alive everyone." There was a very large list of jobs with names beside them. "Check it out, this is what you're doing. Any problems?" He looked around the group. No one said anything. If there were any problems no one was going to say anything to the James Potter.

"Nothing wrong as far as I can see JP." A fifth year Ravenclaw grinned. Lily choked from behind him. He purposely stared forward, not making eye contact with Remus either.

"Good. Write it down, don't forget. Get on it. We'll meet back here, say, two weeks? Get your thing done by then. Everyone is going to need to help with the decorating but I want your jobs done by two weeks." Last time he had assigned jobs people had tried to tell him the instructions weren't clear. Bull shit. Lazy prefects. He couldn't handle that these kids were supposed to be the most responsible in the school. Yeah right. "Repeat after me, two weeks."

A very weak, tired sounding "Two weeks" chorused from the group. No one in seventh year was even listening to James anymore. They were discussing the horrifying details in the back row about the morning paper, the recent deaths and disappearances. Dorcas had the grace to flash two fingers at James, representing two weeks; either that or she meant the peace sign. He sighed and looked defeated at Lily. What a year to be Head Boy and Girl. A dance just seemed trivial these days, like it didn`t really matter. People were dying left and right. Planning a dance wasn`t going to be on anyone's mind. Especially with Death Eaters running around, no one worried about a dance. Dumbledore had told Lily and James that he saw this dance as a way to forget about the horrors outside of Hogwarts; James saw this dance as a waste of time; Lily saw this dance as time away from her studies. They both thought it was a good idea, in theory. In theory. But it was their job to do what he said. They broke the meeting apart and Lily and James left the classroom last, heading towards the Great Hall for supper. Lily glared Alice and Frank down as she walked by them.

"Alice! You're in charge of posters for the dance! Maybe if you could surface every once in a while!"

"Two weeks!" James yelled after her as well. "I'm not joking! I want it done in two weeks!"

If she heard them, she didn't show any signs that she did. The two Heads rolled their eyes and walked after the others.

"So Lily. Uh.."

"Yeah James?" Lily glanced at him.

"Are we ever going to talk about what happened on patrol-"

"I was hoping we wouldn't have to, to be perfectly honest." Lily cut him off. With a weak smile she rushed past him, quickening her pace, trying to catch up with Remus and Dorcas. Before she could get to them, the Great Hall, and safety, James caught back up with her.

"Not fair.." She whined as he grabbed her arm gently, and spun her around. "You have longer legs." She looked helplessly into his eyes and his finger began rubbing her arm in a circular motion. She swallowed, and broke eye contact quickly, and tried half heartedly to pull her arm from his grasp. He wasn't letting go though, and he lead her away from the Great Hall and out towards the castle grounds.

As snowflakes fell around them, the couple began walking around the grounds. After a couple of minutes of silence, James halted suddenly and Lily, unprepared for the halt, fell into him.

"Er- sorry." James' hands flew to catch her as she bounced back off of his shoulder.

"Ouch.." Lily whined slightly, but the cry wasn't from pain, more from surprise. She suddenly realized how close their faces were. James raised his hand and brushed a couple of snowflakes from her hair. He was using all the self control he had not to lower his lips to hers. Remus had told him; let her make the move next time. And he wasn't disappointed. After what felt like ages, but it was really only seconds, her lips gently met his. He was just thinking about how calm, how sweet and controlled her kiss was (and dare he almost say boring?) when she pulled her hands into his untameable hair and pulled his face more into hers. His hands started to room her body, and considering they were both only wearing their school robes, he wasn't disappointed. She wrapped her right leg around his body, pulling their bodies even closer than they were.

After a couple of minutes James pulled himself away from her. "Oh Merlin, I'm sor-"

Lily walked the two steps that separated them and crashed her lips onto his again. When she pulled her face away she rested her forehead on his. With a smirk she asked, "So what were you saying?"

"I have no idea."