This story was inspired by my present predicament. I am very much like Lily.

Darn it.

Oh well. On with the reading!

McGonagall in Fuschia

As Professor Flitwick explained a new spell (that I had already learnt), I was staring off into space, not thinking of anything in particular. Then my friend, Alice, interrupted my daydreaming.

"Thinking of mystery man?" she asked, smiling expectantly.

You see, Alice was under the impression that I was in love with somebody. She said I had 'that look' that all girls have when they're in love. I have absolutely no idea what she is talking about. I mean, who would I like? Ja- Potter?

Wait a minute!! Did I just almost think him as James! That was weird...

"Lily...Lily..." Alice called me.

"Oh, oh! No, I am not thinking of 'mystery man', Alice, since there isn't one!"

"Then why were you staring at him?"

"At who?" I asked, confused. That had come out of nowhere.

She sighed in exasperation. She pointed to the window.

It was him. Yes, you guessed it, the James Potter.

It wasn't my fault that when I daydream I look towards the window!

I rolled my eyes at Alice.

"Right...and McGonagall wears fuschia robes!"

Alice pouted.

"Fine, if you say so! But you're lying to yourself Lily Evans!"

And then the bell rang. As we walked to the Grinffindor tower to drop off our books, and I left for lunch (Alice said she needed to finish some homework), I thought about what she had said.

Why Lord, why did I have to think?

I was always honest (well, almost always), especially with myself. But could I, for once, be running from the truth?

I couldn't be...

That's when I ran into Potter. I fell with a thump! and all my books went with a bang! My head was still in the clouds, though, so I was frozen for a moment.

"Lily? You all right?"

I shook my head.

"Er...yes, yes, I think so, Ja- Potter," I said.

Oh no. Did I almost say his name?

"You think so?" He was now smiling from his incredible height. Actually, he wasn't that tall, it was just that I was still on the floor.

"Er...my head was in the clouds...and I was thinking...and I was trying to figure out..."

I was thinking about what Alice said and (attempting) to speak at the same time. And I was saying a bit more than I should...

He was almost smirking.

"I see," he said,"Are you going to get up?"

I blushed slightly. I got up, brushing the dust off my skirt. Now what? Oh, right, books! But he had already picked them up for me.

"Oh, right, thank you," I managed to say.

"You seem really out of it, Lily," he said.

I nodded absently, still thinking.

"Yeah."

"Who knows what you might say with your mind wandering," he continued.

"Mh-hm," I agreed.

"So, you want to go to Hogsmeade with me?"

"Yeah sure," I said, not paying attention.

He grinned.

"Perfect. Nine o'clock?"

Then I suddenly realised what was going on.

"Wait! Did I just agree to go out with you?!"

His grinned widened.

"Yes, you did."

"I didn't!"

"Yep, you did!"

My mind seemed not to comprehend what he was saying.

"You...I...agree...Hogsmeade?" I squeaked.

He nodded.

I put my head in my hands.

"There's something wrong with me!" I wailed.

"Ever since Alice said you were lying to yourself?"

"Yes! First I thought your name, then Alice said I was staring at you, even though that can't be because I didn't even notice where I was staring while I was daydreaming! Then I almost said your name! And- wait you heard what Alice and I talk about?"

"I...er...happened to overhear..."

"You were eavesdropping!"

"Well, I guess, technically..."

"And you expect me to go out with you!"

"Yes!"

Then I realised something.

"You're never going to let me live this down," I stated.

He smirked.

"Nope, I'm going to tell Sirius, then he'll tell Peter, who will then tell EVERYBODY."

My eyes widened in horror.

"Am I really that bad?" he asked, laughing at my look.

"Er...well...no...actually you're much better than before...but," I need to find a reason to get out of this situation, "er...it's my reputation! Yes! That's it! My reputation! If I go out with you, no one will take me seriously!"

He looked extremely confused.

"Why?"

"I always rejected you, and said that I would rather go out with the giant squid than you, so if I went out with people would think I'm a hypocrite!"

Wow. That was a great excuse (note the sarcasm here).

He raised an eyebrow (how does he do that!).

"So you won't go out with me because you think that other people will think that you're a hypocrite? Because you said something while you were extremely aggravated, and probably was not thinking of what you were saying?"

I shrank at every word, truly hearing how weak my argument was.

He continued.

"So are you going to tell me why you really won't go out with me?"

I thought for a moment. Why wouldn't I go out with him? His ego had deflated a lot, and once I got to know him over the hours of Head Boy and Girl work, I found out that he is funny, charming, nice...

And he is very good-looking. I mean, he has a fan club!

Fine then.

"All right. I accept. But this doesn't mean I like you...you know, more than friendly!"

He grinned.

"Of course not!"

I could have sworn I hear a snicker from behind the tapestry.

He draped his arm around my shoulders (I let him, grudgingly), and we walked to the Great Hall.

Someone zoomed past us going to the Great Hall, nearly knocking me down (James caught me). I shook my head.

We entered the Great Hall, to laughs, but not towards us. I tried to crane my neck over the crowd.

"Is that MacGonagall in fuschia robes?" said James.

Then I realised where the snicker had come from.

"ALICE!"

Poor Alice. Maybe I should make a sequel about the tragic death of Alice at the hands of Lily Evans. Hmm...