I wanted my 60th story to be my first Lily/James story, but i'm after realising this is actually my 61th story, which isn't quite as dramatic, but oh well! Please read!

Pre-Hogwarts

Lily did not like footballers. Now, she wasn't talking about professional footballers, no, Lily was talking about snotty nosed little kids who thought they were great just 'cause they could kick a ball. She hated them. They were the ones that ruffled their hair and thought they were really pretty for boys, but they weren't, they were mean and horrid and snotty. The footballers were the ones that teased her for her bright red hair and for being so smart! Nobody else, but the footballers!

When she received her Hogwarts Letter, she was happy because she knew footballers wouldn't be at her new school, and maybe she might fit in.

Hogwarts: First Year

Flying was easy, and James loved it. The minute he set himself on to that broom, something surged through him. He was no longer nervous. This felt more natural than walking. It was only his first flying lesson, but he already knew that he was to be brilliant at it.

Only one other boy got off the ground that day – a cheeky looking chap with a twinkle in his eye. Sirius Black. They flew around the grounds together, and, without words, knew they were to be best friends.

When they finally landed, everyone was hovering or making some attempt at flying. Except one girl, with the reddest hair he'd ever seen. She couldn't even get the broom to come to her; it lay stubbornly dormant on the ground. The girl kept on trying, despite everything, but the broom couldn't be bothered to listen to her.

Sirius immediately started pointing and laughing at her. James was only a young boy, and he wanted Sirius to like him. And it was rather funny. So he laughed and pointed with Sirius.

The girl looked up at just him, and scowled deeply.

Hogwarts: Second Year

Lily had always hated footballers. She'd known no footballers would be at her school though. Now, however, there was something even more cherished than football. The wizards and witches of her school absolutely worshiped Quidditch. They also adored any players, cheering and admiring so loudly that with every compliment their heads swelled by another inch. Some day they wouldn't need their brooms, they could just float and drift by their ever-inflating heads. Like that James Potter. Who did he think he was?

Yes, he seemed to have a mild talent at the sport. But nothing to sing about.

The worst move Hogwarts had ever made, letting that skinny yoke on to the team! She was embarrassed to even share a house with him. Honestly, she couldn't even bare to be in the same Common Room with him, preferring the library any day. She couldn't listen to the girls starting to whisper about him. Complimentary things, too! Urgh! It made no sense.

Lily rather hated the boy. She had no real reason, but she was young and silly and immature, and hated him anyway.

Hogwarts: Third Year

Lily Evan's hair was rather long. And red. That was it! That was why James kept looking at it!

It was bothering him, because, all he saw during every class was a long flow of red hair. And he kept looking at it. At first, he hadn't realised it. Then Sirius had asked him was he checking did she have nits. And now James was trying to figure out why he couldn't quite take his eyes off it. But it was very red, and long too! That was it! Of course!

He was even paying attention in class these days, even though it was common knowledge he didn't need to. Just because whenever she started hopping up and down in her seat with her hand raised eagerly above her head, her hair swished

So James rather liked the girl. He had no real reason, but he was young and silly and immature, and liked her anyway.

Hogwarts: Fourth Year

Lily couldn't quite get a scary feeling away from her, but James Potter kept looking at her. Looking, staring, observing and watching all at the same time! It was horrible! Was he trying to scare her? Was that it? Lily didn't understand, and she didn't want to! She just wanted him to leave her alone!

Remus didn't talk about it but, when she interrogated him, he would smile in a peculiar fashion and stay silent. But she liked Remus so she didn't blame him – it was that damn Potter's fault. Remus was good enough to take her to the Yule Ball, he'd asked her so politely, and she was so excited. She'd bought new robes – dark green – and was looking forward to seeing what Severus Snape thought of it.

Severus! Unfortunately, he was a Slytherin. But Lily thought that maybe he wasn't like the rest. He spent so much time in the library, and he had such a pensive, quiet look about him. She knew there must be something under his exterior and Lily, naturally curious in nature, was only dying to find out what that could be.

And she entered the Grand Hall, with Remus linking with her looking very smart and handsome, and sought out Severus's face. He was there, sitting in the corner on his own, arms folded, expression sullen. She felt sorry for him and, unlinking apologetically with Remus, went to stand near him. She stood there for a while and, without even looking, knew he hadn't even noticed her there.

Finally, gathering that courage her house was famous for, she inhaled deeply and said, "Hi."

He looked up from his seat sharply at her and then, seeing her for the first time that night, blinked at her in irritation for reply.

"Having a good time?" she asked chirpily, although feeling a little discouraged.

He jerked his head and she couldn't tell whether it was a positive or negative indication. Throwing caution to the wind, she said to him, "I saw you reading Defence against Darkness by Lord Gilbery Mint! I've read that too! What did you think of chap-?"

He interrupted her. "Were you watching me, Mudblood?" he hissed defensively.

Lily gaped at him, shocked. Where was her dark, mysterious boy that would hold intelligent debates with her or share all his intellectual ideas with her? Where was her boy who would study with her? Where was her boy who would help her invent something brilliant? Where was he?

It took her a moment to realise that he was definitely not sitting in front of her with his arms folded, deriding, black eyes watching her face. Disappointment coursing through her, she turned on her heel and walked away, eyes stinging.

"Lily! Lily!" Remus was calling her. She returned to him, blinking a lot. "I just heard Snape! Are you okay? Do you want to go back to the Common Room?"

Lily looked into his caring, compassionate face and found strength there. "No," she said sternly. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Remus's eyes flickered and he was suddenly looking over her shoulder. "Oh…no! Here comes James! No, I'd better to tell him not to…!"

But James interrupted Remus's talk to himself, nearly jumping on Remus and putting a long arm around his shoulders. "Hullo, Remus!" He was grinning toothily at Lily. "And hullo, Evans!"

"Potter," she returned coldly. He was one of the only people that could make her night worse, just by being present.

"Don't you have somewhere to be, Moony? Somewhere important to be, immediately?" James used his long arm to shake Remus. He was still grinning at Lily, a grin she did not return. She was beginning to wish she had accepted Remus's invitation to return to the Common Room.

"Listen, James, I think-" Remus attempted, but James was already pushing at Remus, shooing him away and, with one desperate yet somewhat amused glance at Lily and then Sirius, Remus went away at last, joining Sirius and Peter who were dancing together 'romantically' and causing nearly everybody else to laugh.

"Listen, Evans," he said, linking with her and pulling her away from Sirius, who was now bumping his chubby partner into them and causing them all to slightly topple over, "what I wanted to say is… well… your hair is really red."

"I know, Potter," she told him coolly.

"And, well, your robes are really green."

"I know. I'm not colour blind." She was annoyed, and he kept poking at her temper with his stupid words.

"Same colour as your eyes, really." He appeared to be going a little red.

"Is there a point to any of this?" Lily asked him finally, exasperated, really just wanting to go to bed now with a book and a hot chocolate.

"Yeah, well, I think so. I dunno. Er – anyway. Go out with me, will you, Evans?"

And that was probably the most unromantic request she'd ever heard.

After Severus, she was simply sworn off men. She didn't like them anymore. So disappointing. She was seriously (well, not really) considering a life as a nun, a Muggle nun. Just so she'd never have to encounter another man again. So Lily probably would have refused such an offer anyway, but she wouldn't have gotten such a savage pleasure out of it if it wasn't silly, snotty, ugly, ruffling-his-hair-the-whole-damn-time James Potter that she was saying so too.

So, with a dignified sniff, she said, "No." And walked away from him. And never looked back. Didn't even feel any pity when she heard Remus and Sirius laughing at him. Because he deserved it. She couldn't quite come up with a pinpointed reason, but he did deserve it. There was no doubt about that.

Hogwarts: Fifth year

James returned to school with only one thing on his mind: He was going to make Snape's life hell this year. At the end of last year, after James had been moping too much for Remus to bear, he'd revealed Lily had probably just been in a bad mood because of what Snape'd said to her. The thought of somebody – anybody – talking to her like that made him feel sick.

With Sirius staying now at his house for the whole summer, after running away from his 'home', they'd plotted a whole new bunch of tricks and pranks, dedicated fully to that greasy git. Sirius had been as passionate as James about the Snape-bashing. James knew it had to do with his family, but didn't ask. They were boys. They didn't talk about that kind of stuff.

But Lily hadn't appreciated it, just as Remus had said she wouldn't. She seemed even more scornful than before, and actually stuck up for Snivellus once or twice. It made him feel awful, knowing she liked Snape more than him! Yet Sirius found the whole thing very entertaining.

She actually seemed to despised him, but James will still mad about Lily Potter. He couldn't stop thinking about her. Everything – and nothing – about her made him feel like she was the only girl in the world for him. Only fifteen, and he knew he wanted to marry this young girl.

Hogwarts: Sixth Year

Lily hated one person the most than anybody in the world though. No, not James Potter! She hated You-Know-Who. He was the one person in the world that she couldn't stand! He was worse than Potter, worse than any footballer person, worse than any killer she'd ever heard about. She hated the Dark Lord.

And he hated her too! Just because she was Muggleborn. It all seemed so pointless. She wished she could understand his motives, she wish she could stop him. Because he was killing off innocent people, for some problem he had about himself. And she didn't understand.

The day her parents were attacked, she wasn't even surprised. Only deeply frightened, and sad that somebody could cause her so much pain.

Her mother died seven hours later, her father six days later, and her whole world instantly.

She knew her sister, Petunia, would never forgive her.

Lily would never forgive herself.

Hogwarts; Seventh Year

She looked so sad. The fire in her was gone, and James missed it. She sat in their Common room now, staring emptily at the fire. Everybody had kept poking at her to see was she feeling alright. It was a question that could drive one mad, or so Remus had told him. When he'd been turned into a werewolf and people had found out, that question was all he heard, like a mantra, over and over until it nearly took his sanity away.

She wasn't alright, but she always told them all she was. Just so they could go off and feel a little better about themselves.

She looked so tired now, large bags under her eyes. They weren't so green anymore, those eyes, no longer so brilliant. Just green, plain green, and common. Her hair didn't seem so long and red anymore. It was the same, but everybody noticed the difference anyway. Her face was no longer perfect, decorated with mild blemishes, and she never smiled anymore.

James was mad about her anyway, and, despite everything, had been delighted to see he was sharing with Lily Evans (and not that strange, stalking Vane girl like Sirius had told him it would be!)

He wanted to ask her was she okay, because it was natural human instinct. But he resisted. He wanted to make her feel better, make her feel like she had done before, and, without hesitation, said, "Hey Evans, go out with me?" and offered her his hand.

He'd hoped for a flicker of annoyance in those dead eyes, or for her to break her statue pose to swat his hand. Instead, those eyes had met his and her face had broken out into a devilish smile. "Okay, Potter," she said, and he could hardly believe his ears. "Just for your plain nerve." And her eyes seemed a little greener when she accepted his hand and he pulled her up.

Post Hogwarts

"I can't believe school is over," Lilly said to him. They were seating together on the grass over looking the lake. His body was curled around hers, and her vivid mane of hair tickling his chin, their faces both pointed out towards the lake, both not really seeing it.

"We don't have to leave 'till tomorrow though," he replied. "We still have one more day."

"Will things still be the same?" she asked him, after a bit of silence. "After Hogwarts?"

"I hope so," he said. He couldn't be definite. They were living in dark times, and he couldn't think too far into the future without getting scared. He was leaving to begin his Auror training in less than three weeks and couldn't stand the thought of leaving her, despite her protests that she was well able to take care of herself and Remus and Sirius's promises to protect her day and night for him.

"I'm mad about you, Lily Evans," he said, snuggling closer to her. He was scared to tell her he loved her. She knew it anyway, as he knew she loved him. But it was too early to say such things, and too happy a day to have to make it any happier. They could leave that well-known revelation for another sadder day – since they both knew there was many to come.

"I rather like you too, Potter," she replied, tilting her head upwards to share a smile with him.

"Who would have thought it, eh?" James said, after giving her a quick peck.

"Nobody," she said vaguely and then, pondering out loud, said, "Who knows? Next, perhaps I'll surprise everyone and start fancying a footballer."

James looked at her in surprise for a minute and then, unable to think of a good enough comeback, simply kissed her. It was a sweet kiss, but not as short as their normal ones.

"Or maybe not if you keep kissing me like that," she said, smiling again. And James, thrilled with himself, ruffled his hair (in the way she now found strangely endearing) and kissed her again. And again. And again.

My first attempt at this pairing. Why I haven't attempted it before is because I think it's sad, how things turn out for them. I think it kind of takes away from the story, 'cause you know what happens. But, oh well, this was pestering me to be written!

What i find as an inspiration tip, is to look at some really vague summarys, and think "Now, what could that story be about?" before you've even realised it, you've thought up of a whole new plot! (Don't read the story though - if you're right, you're copying.) It might seem as copying but the plots I come up with are soooooo far from what it could even nearly be that I don't consider it so.

Anyway...I'd love a review! A bit of encouragement, you know, since I've never written this pairing before, and, well, haven't read it before properly (intentionally, I mean) either. So...yeah...please?