A/N: Hey, guys! So, for those of you who don't know, clandestine means "secret." Also, this is only my second fanfic (my first James/Lily!), and I'm sure there are plenty of grammar/continuity issues. I tried to fix the obvious ones, but this is probably not perfect. Criticism is greatly appreciated! Enjoy :)

"A Clandestine Intellectual"

It's a good thing I have Moony for notes..., James Potter thought as Professor Binns' lulling monotone took its toll on his consciousness. His head gradually lowered and he dozed off.

At least, that was what the rest of the class saw, as opposed to an enraptured, studious scholar practically scrawling a transcript of the lesson.

At one point, James glanced at Lily and saw her rolling her eyes at the laziness she saw. It crossed his mind that it was no wonder the rest of the school was shocked at his becoming Head Boy. With a smirk and a shake of his head, he returned to his diagram of the battle formations of each side in the Punic Wars.

Class ended just a little while before a Prefect meeting James and Lily, this year's Head Girl, had been forced to call to rearrange patrol times. James pretended to go to sleep and wordlessly removed his illusion. With a light tickle, his co-Head "woke him" for the meeting, gave him a teasing look, and took off running.

Naturally, they both abandoned their books as James chased after a giggling Lily Evans, who had become his girlfriend a few months ago. The couple's friends just shook their heads bemusedly. Sirius and Marlene added James' and Lily's things to their loads and life continued as usual.

Eventually, they all knew, James would manage to catch Lily, arms around her waist, and tickle her mercilessly, laughing along with her. However, that didn't make watching the beginning of the pursuit any less amusing or relieving.

It was, or course, a pleasant change from the previous exchanges between the two: One of them would insult the other, (Or, James would ask Lily out, which, in her mind, was practically an insult to her intellect.) and either a shouting match would break out or Lily would stalk off, sometimes after slapping James. Thankfully, James had grown up, which, combined with the fact that they were forced by their titles to get along and work together, somehow persuaded Lily to tolerate, befriend, and eventually grow to love him.

"I still haven't a clue why you don't take History of Magic seriously, James," she told him as they headed down a hallway, him carrying her piggy-back style, still catching their breath from the heated snogging session in a cozy broom cupboard on the third floor that now invariably followed their Prefect meetings (That was the part of their Prefect meetings they hadn't actually gotten around to telling their friends about yet.).

"Simple, Lils, the sleep is a better use of my time," he replied cheekily, neatly dodging the teasing smack she sent his way. "Really, the only reason I'm in the class is for the birds."

At this, Lily rolled her eyes, smiling, but pushed onwards. "Seriously, though. Isn't any of it interesting?"

James bit back a laugh, his eyes twinkling. "Not in the slightest. What do you see in the class, anyways? For that matter, why do you love theory so much? I get the practical classes, but come on. The theory's practically pointless."

"Pointless? POINTLESS? I'll have you know that without theory there would BE no practical magic. You'd be waving your wand all willy-nilly and you'd be older than Dumbledore before you managed to levitate a feather! As it is I have no clue how you made it past the O.W.L.s and haven't driven the professors insane..."

Lily continued, still infuriated, "And as for History of Magic, I happen to find the class fascinating. What we're learning about is the reason we're standing here. It's like a window into a world that no longer exists- the past. Really, the most important things that remain are human nature and what has been created by it. People, magical creatures, and their natures, that's it. In History of Magic you could learn when best to go on the attack, not to underestimate your enemies, why a treaty could never work if both parties don't agree with the terms, that leadership has to be earned and supported with caring for your subjects. It's all about the patterns of life and the people who made the Wizarding world what it is today. Because that's what, at their cores, life and magic are: people and their natures." As she went on, Lily's enraged rant became a sermon, one she had preached to practically everyone she was close to at some point or another.

Eventually, James decided to just kiss Lily and be done with the argument. Sure, he knew she was right and all, but he probably wouldn't confess to his secret academic proficiency to anyone other than the Marauders until it was strictly necessary.

True, transfiguring every graded assignment and potion he made was difficult. Doing his homework only in his dorm, lest he destroy his image as extremely naturally talented, was also cutting into his sleep increasingly frequently. There was also Lily: How would she react to finding out that she wasn't the only "smart one" in their relationship?

He decided to let things be for now.

A/N: So, I'm considering continuing this... Let me know if you think I should do so, or if it's horrible, or if you like the story as is...Basically, just hit the review button and tell it like it is! While you're at it, was this overly explanatory? I hate when that happens, and I REALLY don't want to be going down that road.

Also, for the nerds reading this, the Punic Wars did actually take place... between the Romans and the Carthaginians, I believe.

Sorry for the gigantic paragraphs, and thanks for sticking with it (if you didn't just skip to the bottom)!

-id0ntevenkn0wanym0re :)