James was sitting by Lily in the common room, and asked, "What do you wanna do?"

"Well, I do have an essay to do..."

He sighed and slid his finsished essy beside hers. "There."

"Potter!"

"What?" he asked, kinda ashamed.

"i cant copy off you!"

He slid his paper off the table and asked, "Why not? The boys do it all the time and they get good grades."Lily sighed. Ever since James and all of them accepted her into the group they had just started treating her like one of the guys. Normally, this wouldn't bother her, but ever so recently she had developed feelings for a certain maruader and wished he would return her affections. "Lily, out of lala land!" James said and shook her. "Lala land is forbidden! What was it this time?" he asked.

Lily snapped out of her thoughts. "Wha-? oh right. I can't copy off you James. Not today. Not ever. But what I CAN do is do my essay after dinner. Want to go to the lake?"

He sighed and said, "Sure." and pulled her up. They walked to the Black Lake. Books forgotten. "So, what's up? You're always lost in your thoughts lately." he asked, brows furrowed.

"Not much really...hey James..."

"What?" he asked nicely. Just then a group of pretty girls passed by. James turned his head to look at them. Li

ly noticed and looked dismayed. "So, which one was the prettiest?"

James shook his head. "I heard my name from somewhere and if I had been looking, it wouldn't have been one of them."

This made her feel better "Oh?"

He nodded. "So, what's wrong?"

"Its nothing..."

He looked at her and said, "It's something, I know it's something."

"It's just...James. Remember a year ago? when we talked and you said you were willing to change?"

"Yeah, I remember it like it was yesterday." he said.

"Well...I realized...That. I dont want it, James. I don't want you to change."

He gave her a confused look, " Why?" he asked her slowly.

"Because..." She took a deep breath. "I like you just the way you are."

"Cocky, arrogant, jealous? What made you change your mind?" he asked.

She looked at the ground and smile. "well...you have a certain charm"

He grinned and said, "I do? I mean, I'm just James but hey, if I do that's great!"

"Just James" She smiled

"I'll have you know that you have a charm too. It wasn't easy just treating you like one of the guys." he told her.

"Really?" she was shocked. "I thought.."

"Yeah. I mean, you were the girl I've had a crush on forever and then all the boys accepted you as one of the guys and not like a girl. I was about ready to call a meeting or something about it."

"oh wow. I didn't realize it was that serious"

He blushed and swung his foot around. "Yeah it is."

She smiled "i'm glad"

"Why?" he cocked his head to one side.

She blushed. "Piece it together, Potter" she snapped

He thought for a while and his eyes widened. "Lily, you..?" he was shocked.

"did it really take you that long?" she laughed

He nodded, "Maybe." and moved closer to her. She smiled and kissed him.