MONDAY MORNINGS

Chapter One: The First Monday Morning

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Author's Notes: After having read the little snippet of James and Lily in The Order of the Phoenix, I was very interested in writing about them and how they came about. :) So... here it is, I hope you enjoy. I apologize for the shortness of it.

Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling owns them all.

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It was early in the morning on a Monday morning when Lily tiredly made her way to the Great Hall. As she looked around, she only saw three other people in the Great Hall with her: Jonathan Abbot of Hufflepuff, Marie Rivera of Ravenclaw, and Severus Snape of Slytherin. All seemed to be doing exactly what she had come here to do: some last minute studying.

With a glance to the ceiling, Lily saw that it was still pitch-black. The sun must've not rised yet, she thought, it's still pretty early. There was at least another five hours before classes would start, and she needed to be prepared for the exam that was going to be given by Dumbledore today.

With a sigh, she opened up her Transfiguration book. Idly, with her eyes glued to the text, she reached out and poured herself a cup of coffee. But before she could get it anywhere close to her mouth, someone else had popped in, stopping her hands from moving.

Without looking up, Lily let out a whimper. She didn't even need to face him to see who it was.

"Potter!" she shouted, though not nearly as loud as usual. She was still tired, after all. Only after she had her morning coffee would she be functioning normally, and right now, she heavily needed the coffee to chase James away.

"G'morning, Evans," James said brightly, grinning. He seemed to be wide-awake. "What are you doing up so early?"

Glaring at him, Lily pulled her hand out of his grasp and took a sip of her coffee before speaking. "Leave me alone, Potter. I need to study." She looked back down at her book again, ignoring James' annoying (however cute) faces. She didn't even know why he was making faces at her.

After a few minutes, and when James didn't stop, Lily slammed her book shut and gave him her full attention as she glared at him.

"Potter, for the second and LAST time, leave me ALONE. I need to STUDY."

James only continued to grin. "Oooh," he said, sliding into a spot next to her, "can I study with? Please?"

Lily snorted. Yeah, right, as if he would ever study. "No."

"Aww... but... pretty please?"

"No."

"Come on..." He scooted closer to her, until their shoulders were touching intimately, then he gave her a nudge. Lily immediately scooted away, dragging her book and cup of coffee along. "Aw, I'm hurt, Evans." He gave a phony sniffle.

Lily rolled her eyes as she brought her cup of coffee to her lips. She took a long sip and closed her eyes, allowing it to fully sink in.

"Evans," James started, "you seem to be enjoying your morning rush of coffee more than you are my company."

"Got that right," said Lily as she sat up straight and reopened her book.

James shook his head at her. "You're a weird girl, you know that, Evans? Others would kill to spend time with me."

"Don't flatter yourself too much," she said dully as she turned the page to her book. "You're so full of yourself... you're so full of it." She picked up her cup and took another sip of coffee, never tearing her eyes away from the book page.

"Aw, thanks!" He pretended to take it as a compliment while Lily sighed gently in bother.

While she looked up to glare at James, Lily noticed that Snape's eyes were glaring darkly at them. Turning away from him, Lily looked back at James and put her index finger up to her lips, telling him to settle down.

"Quiet down, Potter!" she scolded harshly. "There are other people who are trying to study!"

James stared at her. "Well, then why aren't they in the library? I mean, that's what libraries are for, right? Because if—"

"Shut up!" Lily seethed. Her eyes flashed with anger and annoyance.

James said nothing further and with a final huff and glare, Lily looked away from him, going about her business with her book. Bored, James began to look around. When he spotted Snape, a grin played across his face.

"Hey Snivvelus!" he shouted across the tables, causing all four people in the Great Hall (Severus, Jonathan, Marie, and Lily) to glare up at him. He took no heed and continued to pick on Snape.

Snape's face turned dark as his lips curled and his eyes flashed. James stared back just as cunningly. He loved picking fights with the slimy-haired git.

Feeling a confrontation coming on, as it always did every time James and Snape's eyes met, Lily desperately pulled James to face her. She knew yelling at him right now would do nothing but make a scene, so she pulled hard at his arm. James looked back at her nonchalantly, as if he was more interested in hexing Snape than talking to her.

And in truth, he was more interested in hexing Snape than talking to her at the moment.

"Potter," she said through gritted teeth, "stop it. Let it go."

"Oh, I don't know, Evans..." He grinned. "You're asking me to give up my fun... that's a lot you're asking me of. It's like taking away your morning cup of coffee."

"No, it's not." She fumed at him. "Your comparisons are out of whack. While your so-called fun is at the expense of others' pain and humiliation, mine is not. You—"

"I was just saying that you taking away my fun is like someone else taking away your coffee. You just don't and can't get away from it without a price. Goodness, calm down, Evans. Don't get all serious and pissed off on me."

Lily opened up her mouth and pointed her index finger down her throat. Gag. "Your price is absolutely ridicu—"

"Yet the other girls wouldn't mind," he cut her off proudly. "As a matter of fact, it'd be an honor for them. They'd go out with me in a heartbeat and they'd snog and shag me in a heartbeat. You know it too, don't you? So, how about it, Evans? Go on, go out with me. You know you want to."

Lily made a disgusted face as she moved further away from him. "You are absolutely repulsive, Potter. Get away from me."

He grinned at her and took her cup of coffee, taking a sip. Lily looked at him in distaste and leaned away when he handed the cup back to her.

"How about an indirect kiss then?" he asked.

Lily shook her head and pushed the cup back to him. "No, thanks... you can keep the coffee. I don't want it anymore."

"But you haven't had your full cup of coffee yet. How are you ever going to function normally?" He grinned.

"I'll manage," she mumbled, shoving the cup back to him again when he handed it back to her. "Or better yet, I'll get another cup. Fresh and warm, and free of your germs."

"Again, you're a weird girl, Evans. Other girls would kill to exchange—"

"UGH! I don't want to hear it!" Lily stood up from the table and began to gather her belongings. "I cannot study with you constantly bugging me! I'm leaving!"

"Well, if you're going to the library, then you can count on me being there with you."

It was too bad the line was wasted on someone such as Lily, who did not find it flattering at all. In truth, it was quite flattering, as James would never go into the library at his own free will, unless Lily was in there, or on occasions, when he followed a beckoning skirt. But if Lily was there, it was guaranteed that James would be there too, right behind, next to, or across from her. It was just guaranteed, no matter what he was doing.

"Well, I won't be," Lily replied casually as she walked off. "I'll be up in the girls' dormitories, in peace and quiet, seeing as all the girls are still asleep."

James frowned. "But I woke up especially this early to just talk to you. Evans—"

"GoodBYE, Potter," Lily sighed in exasperation as she came within inches from exiting.

James opened his mouth, but before he could say anything more, Lily had already stepped outside the door, disappearing from his sight.

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Author's Notes: Reviews would be greatly appreciated! I'll be starting on the next chapter soon. :)