Disclaimer: Nothing that you recognize is mine.

Still

"You alright, Evans? You look hunted," James said as he dropped his books on the library table with a loud thump.
"What? Oh, it's nothing," Lily said. She looked over her shoulder quickly before sighing and putting her head down on the table. "Actually, Amos has just asked me out." She propped her head up in her hands and looked at him, miserable. "And I turned him down but I'm not sure he knows that. I'm trying to avoid him until we absolutely have to talk to the prefects tonight."

James kept his face blank as he opened his Transfiguration book. He glanced over the contents without really seeing them, calculating the best response. "Oh," he said stiffly. "But you—you turned him down." He swallowed heavily and cleared his throat.

"That's the whole problem. Weren't you listening?" Lily groaned. "He's nice enough and I just—I don't know. I don't feel that way about him and—oh, Merlin, why am I talking to you about this?" James glanced up and her and couldn't help but smirk, but looked back down quickly before she could notice. "I mean," she continued, voice unsure, "I guess it's not too strange. We're mates, aren't we? Mates talk about this sort of thing…"

"You're arguing with yourself, Evans," James drawled. His heart was beating fast and he hoped she didn't look at him too critically because he just realized that his Transfiguration book was upside down. He snapped it closed and pulled it towards himself, figuring now was as good a time as any to say what he had been thinking on repeat for the past two months of easy friendship with Lily. He leaned back and ruffled his hair, just a bit, before taking a deep breath and saying in his best casual voice, "I still fancy you, you know."

"What?" She looked shocked. James was proud of himself for not being as obvious with his feelings as he thought he had been, though now that didn't matter. She knew, and he was glad of it.

"I just want you to know. I know I haven't been after you this year like I was the last, so I just want you to know." He felt a surge of confidence; memories of a time in fifth year when he thought the world of himself, thought himself invincible and irresistible, came rushing back. He knew now that he wasn't, but pretending for a moment couldn't hurt. He grinned a little and leaned back towards the library table. "I fancy you," he said, "and I figure at this point that I'm not going to stop."

"James—"

He brought a hand up in the air. "I love being mates with you, Lily. I'm not telling you because…" he paused, feeling the confidence ebb in the face of scaring her off. He spread his hands in front of him on the desk but kept looking right into her eyes. This was too important to look away. Too important for her to not know how serious he was. "I don't expect anything. That's not why I'm telling you. I just wanted you to know."

"Oh… okay," Lily said quietly. She didn't look away though it seemed like she wanted to. In fact, it seemed like Lily wanted to run straight out of the library and not look James in the face for the next week. But she didn't look away. "I don't… I really like being mates with you, too." She finally closed her eyes, more out of anguish than discomfort, and continued. "But being mates with me when you fancy me… when you have done for so long… it must be rubbish." She opened one eye slightly again and was met, still, with the unwavering stare of James Potter.

"But really, really nice rubbish," he grinned. Lily rolled her eyes but she was smiling despite herself. James smirked in return and shrugged. "I'd rather be friends with you than not, Evans. Now," he said, finally looking back down to his Transfiguration book, thankfully right side up this time, "Stop being so dramatic and finish your Charms essay so I can give it to Sirius to copy."