AN: So this is my first fanfiction! woo! I don't really know how I feel about it, but I thought I would put it up and get some input on it! like it, hate it, just let me know!
Evans was yelling at me. Again.
Sirius was there too, of course. After all, without him, pranks aren't half as fun.
I seriously did not understand why Evans was so furious. It's not like we had hexed her so that grease poured out of her mouth and nostrils. It's not as if we had suspended her upside down while this happened, just to make the whole effect funnier.
No, we reserved this kind of behaviour for really only one person. And if she was honestly telling us that Snivelly didn't deserve this, well she must be going mad. It would have been much funnier had she not intervened and performed the counter-curse so quickly. She's always such a stick in the mud that one is.
I mean, Sirius and I understand that Evans is mates with that greasy git, but it was all in good fun. Everyone else was laughing.
Maybe that's why she was so angry. She has said before that Sirius and I are rather 'conceited' and 'attention-seekers'. That is utterly ridiculous, as both his and my fan club will tell you.
Anyway, she's still yelling at Sirius and I. I have to pride her in her ability to hurl insults for hours on end. I swear she could go on like this until nightfall. Charming girl.
Sirius is beside me, shaking with silent laughter, tears of mirth rolling down his cheeks. It had been his idea, of course, to hex Snivelly so he spewed grease everywhere (more than usual, I mean). However, had it not been for my brilliant hexing skills, it would never have turned out so nicely. We really were a great pair.
I run my fingers through my hair, waiting for her to wrap it up. I glance up at her, thinking an apology could speed up the process. That was when I really saw her. She has pink patches on her cheeks, her long, dark red hair is crackling, and her green eyes are bright with rage. I feel my mouth drop, probably to the floor, and I can't believe I have never noticed it before.
Lily Evans is beautiful.
No, beautiful doesn't work. She's gorgeous, she's incredible! I can hear a small part of my brain screaming angrily at me right now. 'Lily Evans? James Potter, are you serious? Apologize and get out of there, it's almost time for dinner! You aren't listening to me, are you? James! Get! Out! Now!'
I wave the voice aside impatiently, but not before I realize it sounds somewhat like Sirius. I grin, thinking it quite obvious that Padfoot would be my conscious when it comes to girls. Girls? Since when do I, James Potter, have anything to do with girls? Sure, they shriek and sigh every time Sirius and I walk past, but it never really bothers us. Besides, it's always Marauders first, and girls have never really been an issue for any of us.
I turn back to Lily, drowning out the thoughts now shrieking at me to 'hop on the nearest broomstick and run for it'. I can't believe how it's hit me. I hope you're not daft enough to believe I'm head over heels in love? Good. Because James Potter is not in love. I mean, I can't be. I just can't believe I never noticed her before. How many times has she yelled at me like this? 67. That's right, I've counted, but only because that is the number of times Sirius and I have hexed Snivelly, and it's always after hexing him that she decides to make a spectacle of herself and yell at us in front of everyone.
I run another hand through my hair, mussing it up as best I can. She's starting to lower her voice, so I assume she's wrapping it up. My legs are feeling quite wobbly all of a sudden as I make a hasty decision. It may be Lily Evans, the clever girl who is best mates with Snivellus and hates each Marauder with a passion (except, to be fair, Remus, whom she's always gotten along with on a one-on-one basis), and I may be one of the said Marauder's, whom Evans believes to be conceited, and arrogant, but that doesn't matter right now. What matters is how I feel looking at her right this moment. And right this moment I know I have to at least try to get her attention.
I clear my throat quietly, peering at her cautiously. She seems completely caught off guard, and stops mid-sentence, eyeing me suspiciously.
'Evans-', I stop, glancing around. There are quite a lot of people here. Snivelly is on the ground, still coughing, and glaring contemptuously at Sirius and I. Moony is watching me curiously, as is Padfoot, who seems to have controlled his laughter. Many other blurred faces are gathered, but I don't care.
'Evans', I say again, smirking and running a hand through my hair. 'I'm sorry, okay? We won't hex Sniv - er, I mean, Snape again', I quickly crossed my fingers behind my back.
Lily's expression cleared.
'Good. I wouldn't want to have to report you, which I will do next time'.
She turned to leave, so I decided it was now or never. One part of me was mildly concerned as to how quickly my view of Evans had changed, and the other part was more nervous than I had ever felt in my whole life.
'Will you go out with me?' I asked quickly, and had I not been so nervous, I would have found my friend's expressions priceless.
Padfoot was staring at me, his eyes popping, his mouth dropped open and his wand pointed limply at the ground. Moony was looking as though I had grown two heads. His face was pale, his mouth slightly hanging. Wormtail was kneeling by the lake, his hands slapped over his mouth.
Lily slowly turned on the spot and stared at me, her mouth hanging slightly open as well.
'W-what?' she asked.
Poor girl can't believe her good luck. My heart is pumping madly as I expect her throwing herself at me, claiming she has liked me for months and is so glad I've noticed it too.
'I said will you go out with me?' I repeated, striding towards her and grinning widely.
She took a step towards me, and my heart leapt.
'I', she said softly, looking into my hazel eyes. 'Wouldn't go out with you if it was between you and a slug!'
She glared at me in such a way that I was surprised I was not yet cowering.
I faltered. Wait one second; wasn't she supposed to have said yes? I assume at this point I looked just as surprised as the other Marauders.
Lily let out a cry of frustration at my genuinely shocked expression and turned on her heel, storming up to the castle. Everyone immediately began discussing the recent events, making their way up to the castle for dinner.
I walked slowly, replaying what had just happened in my head. I felt someone walking beside me.
'Prongs, mate, I-well, er, what was all that about?' Padfoot asked, eyeing me nervously, as though I was sick.
I shook my head slowly. Moony came up to my other side with Wormtail scurrying beside him.
'Perhaps it would have been better to run that by someone before just bursting out with it', Moony said cheerfully, though still looking slightly shocked.
'It's alright, Prongs, Lily isn't even that pretty', Wormtail piped up, puffing loudly as he scurried after us.
I stopped and turned slowly on the spot, shooting daggers at Peter. Sirius and Remus stopped with me, glancing at me warily.
'Not that pretty? Not that pretty?! Wormtail, she's beautiful! I can't believe I never noticed it before! She – she -', I sighed, picturing Lily smiling at me, something that had never actually occurred, but was nice to think of at any rate. 'She's perfect', I finished dramatically.
Sirius was gaping at me.
'Did Prongs just call Evans perfect?' He asked Remus, looking utterly bewildered.
'Yes, Padfoot, he did!' Peter shrieked, staring at me.
'Oh Merlin', Remus sighed, shaking his head.
Oh Merlin is right. I, James Potter, thirteen years old, am officially in love with Lily Evans.
