"Her name is Lynae."

Lily snapped out of her trance to look at her colleague and desk mate Marlene. They were in the middle of a Charms class, and Flitwick was giving a lecture on the Patronus Charm. The teacher was on and on about the origins of the charm, and why it was so important to know about it. Lily cleared her throat and frowned.

"What?"

"The girl you're staring at. Her name is Lynae Jackson." Marlene pointed "A seven-year Ravenclaw that has been in this class with us since the beginning of the school year."

"I know who she is." Lily rolled her eyes.

"Then why are you staring at her so intensely?"

"I'm not..." the redhead fought back, but her eyes inevitably found the girl again.

The thing was, she wasn't staring at her. Okay, fine, she was. But it wasn't just staring, Lily was observing. She was taking in her tanned skin, small face and big cerulean blue eyes. The small gather of freckles dusting her small nose, and her pouty pink lips. Her long brown hair pulled into two twin braids, and her elegant body, with generous curves and long legs. But most of all, she was comparing.

"Are you sure about that?"

"What's so special about her?" she asked in a whisper.

"Well... She's smart, even for a Ravenclaw. She's pretty, even I can see that, and she's fun to be around. Lynae is actually a really nice lass."

"I know, but so what?" she sighed.

"Lils, is everything okay?" Marlene frowned.

"Yes. Everything is fine." she shook her head "Let's just focus on Flitwick."

"Okay, whatever you say."

You see, Lily was staring at Lynae for a reason. And no, get your mind off the gutter, she was straight. I mean, as straight as you could be with a friend like Marlene. But no, she wasn't staring at Lynae Jackson with romantic intentions. She was staring at her with intentions of finding out what was so special about her. What was about her that got the attention of no other than James Potter.

The two had begun to hit it off after a class of Defense where James wasn't fast enough to dodge an Exploding Charm that Sirius had sent his way – it was a dueling class – and she casted a Shield Charm so strong that protected James and sent Sirius flying backwards. After the initial shock faded, James had thanked her, and they talked. Mostly trained together, talked about spells and jinxes, but Lily had begun to see them in a different light. She even heard James asking Lynae out to Hogsmeade, to which the brunette accepted with a smile.

Lily was okay with that, don't get her wrong. It's not like she was in love with the guy!... she wasn't, okay?! He was just friendly and kind and sweet, and she began to realize that when they turned Head Boy and Girl. About the time she realized puberty had hit him like a Bludger. But she was a civil girl, and he a civil boy – more like man wink wink – and they could talk like decent people. Until Lily got shammered in the Halloween party and admitted to Mary that she thought James was hot. What she wasn't counting on was James being right behind her and hearing all about her rantings of how Potter was so hot and had abs where she would like to grill cheese on.

He never let her live it down after that.

Okay, so fine, maybe Lily was in denial about her feelings for the Marauder. So what he was hot? Personality also counts! And he had charms and wit like nobody else. Dear Merlin, why do you have to make it so hard?! So, there was Lily judging and hating this poor girl just because she was thirsty. And Marlene knew there was something going on, but she didn't know what. And she no longer had Severus to fill her hate for the Head Boy, never mind that she no longer had any. She was smitten by him, and that would be a good thing since he had declared to the whole school he was in love with her...

...except James had stopped asking her out.

That's right, the almighty James Potter had finally moved on from his crush on Lily and it was infuriating because the second she catches feelings, he drops them.

She even tried to go as far as to ask his best friend Sirius about his feelings, but she had caught him in a bad mood and he had told her to piss off after a few selected choice words towards her person. She felt bad that night and almost cried herself to sleep.

"Class dismissed!" Flitwick's magical words snapped her out and she got up and gathered her things. It was free period and the weather was so nice she decided to go to the lake.

Unfortunately, the Marauders seemed to have the same idea as her as she soon found them charming water bubbles at each other. And the worst part was... she couldn't join them because Lynae was with them. Yeah, she was sitting on the grass next to Remus, doing her schoolwork like a good girl! Gosh, what an attention seeker.

"Oh my God." Lily realized "I am a horrible person."

"I hardly believe that, Lily."

"Peter, hey!" she smiled at the view of the chubby boy "How are you?"

"I'm okay, you?"

"I'm good. Just... relaxing and enjoying the weather."

"Lucky you... I still have my Potions essay to finish. James said he would help me, but he got caught up with Head businesses." he sighed.

"I can help you with that." Lily suggested.

"No, it's okay, Lily. Lynae already offered, and I accepted."

"Yeah..." she tried not to let her disappointment show "Those two are tight now, huh?"

"James and Lynae? You bet. He told me she's a great girl and that he thought she could be the one."

"Funny. He used to say that about me." she murmured "They look good together."

"Unfortunately."

"What do you mean?"

"Well... I don't think James knows, but Sirius... he dated Lynae once, and well, things got pretty real between the two before Sirius broke it off."

"Sirius dated Lynae? And James doesn't know?" Lily raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, at least I don't think he knows." he smiled "Thanks for the attention Lily. Oh, and by the way... do you want to come to Hogsmeade with me next Saturday?"

"Thank you for the thought, but I'm already going with the girls. Maybe we'll see each other there, yeah?"

"Yeah," he smiled "Thanks anyway."

"Sure."

.-JPLE-.

Two days later, in Defense, Lily was having a bad day. Not only she lost a duel with Marlene, but Ravenclaw had joined for a double class and now she had to see James and Lynae practice together. Great. Just great. She turned back to Mary, who was pairing up with her and pulled out her wand, wanting to get her mind off the subject. She was supposed to attack with mild spells and Mary was supposed to defend. Everything was going well until she saw James smile and kiss Lynae. On the lips. In class.

The following moments were a blur, and she only realized she had messed things up when Mary was letting out a scream of pain and the teacher was shouting her detention.

And that's how she ended up cleaning trophies during the night. But it wasn't like she didn't know it was her fault. She knew. She had been angry, and she took it down on Mary who unfortunately skipped classes during the rest of the day due to being in the Hospital Wing. She was applying polish to a Quidditch Cup when the door behind her opened. She turned to see who it was, but she immediately regretted it.

"Evans."

"Potter."

Fuck-frickity-frack-fuck! Why, of all people was he here?!

"What are you doing here?" she frowned.

"Detention." he smirked and walked to her "I might have sent a certain Ravenclaw to the infirmary."

"And your girlfriend didn't bite your head off?" She spat angrily "She seems like the kind of girl to do that."

"Oh, she did. Trust me." he sat beside her "But we talked it out, and everything is fine now."

"Great. Awesome." she muttered "Just... bloody awesome. Hey, Potter?"

"Yes, Evans?"

"Did you know that your girlfriend has already been with Black?" she bit her lower lip "What is it like to shag something that your best friend already shagged?"

"First of all, I know that Lynae has been with Sirius. Second, they didn't shag, it was a two weeks snog at most. She's not that kind of girl. Third, I didn't know you cared."

"I don't." she frowned.

"Evans." He saw her downcast attitude and frowned "Is everything okay, Lily?"

"Everything's fine." she said, harder than she was expecting.

"Oi, where did all this anger come from?" he was set back, and she wasn't expecting anything else.

Lily knew she should have calmed down. Take a deep breath, a few seconds to think and roll out, her mother used to always say. But, much like her hair, Lily was fierce. And she really wasn't in the mood for pleasantries. So... she snapped.

"How about you leave me the bloody hell alone, Potter?!"

"What the hell, Lily?" he jumped.

"I can't stand to be around you right about now, so just piss off!" she pushed away the Cup she had been trying to clean and stood up.

"Lily, come on!" he followed her "What's gotten into you?"

"What's gotten into me?" she turned to him "What's gotten into you?! Just... acting like a prat all around, thinking you are the best!"

"Okay, clearly you and I have been living in separate worlds, because I do not see what is happening!"

"Yes, because you never see anything! Because you'd rather be snogging Lynae in class in front of everyone!" she shouted.

"What?! Is that what this is about? Evans, it was a simple kiss!" he exclaimed "Nothing more! And since when you care? Better yet, since when you pay so much attention to me that you see who I snog or not in class? Or anywhere else for that matters!"

"It is no behavior of a Head Boy!" she tried, but he was seeing right through her. His hazel eyes were fixed in hers, and Lily was lost.

"Shut up, Evans." he shook his head "I can snog whoever I want, wherever I want and whenever I want."

"No, you can't!"

"And why the bloody hell not?!"

"Because...!"

"Come on now, Evans. Let it out. You want to fight? Let's do this." his lips turned into a sadistic grin "We've been aching for too long for a fight. Tell me why not."

But she couldn't. Because she knew that, if she opened her mouth, she would be saying something she didn't want. Better yet, something he couldn't hear. But he had her against the wall – quite literally, now that she realized their position – and there was no way she was getting out of that without a bruised pride.

"Tell me!"

"Because it's not me!"

"What?" he was surprised at her response. Her ego was already laying flat six feet under, might as well go big or go home.

"You can't kiss a girl because it's not me you'll be kissing." she pushed their noses together, so they were inches apart "So why don't you just knock it off, Potter. Or just don't do it in front of me."

"Are you serious right now?" his question made her frown. With so many of his declarations in mind, she was expecting him to have kissed her already. But then again, Potter was always one to surprise her.

"What?" she let out.

"You don't want me to kiss someone because you might see it?" he scolded "In case you haven't noticed, Evans, my world doesn't revolve around you!"

"You would have given me a different answer if I had told you the same thing a month ago!" she exclaimed.

"Maybe, but my eyes are finally open, Lily! You asked me to stop chasing you, may I remind you, and now that I have, you want me back?! I'm not a puppet you can play with, Evans!"

"I'm not saying that, I just want you to stop snogging people in front of me!"

"You want to know what I think?" he smirked "I think you're jealous."

"I'm not jealous!" she spoke too quickly.

"You are jealous." he pulled away from her "You're jealous because you're not the only girl in my life anymore."

"I'm not!"

"You are!" he fired back "You're jealous because you don't like seeing another girl in my arms!"

"I'm not!"

"Yes, you are, Evans, just admit it!" he glared "You're jealous!"

"Fine, I am!" she shouted, looking up to him. Tears were falling freely from her eyes and her lower lip was trembling "I am jealous of seeing Lynae with you. I'm jealous of every girl you talk to because you're only supposed to talk to me! You're only supposed to pay attention to me! You're only supposed to love me!"

"Calling ownership so soon, Evans?" he teased, a smirk playing with his lips "May I remind you that you're single because you want to. I gave you plenty of opportunities to join me, to be with me, and you ignored them all! If anything, this is your doing!"

"I know!" she pushed him away "I know that, and it hurts, okay?! Because the second I begin to fall for you, you move on!"

"Wait, what?" he was stunned once more.

"Just... leave me alone, Potter." she tried to walk out but didn't get very far because a hand wrapped around her wrist.

"Evans."

"What, Potter? Haven't you said enough?!" she turned to him "Haven't I said enough? What else do you need me to say to realize I'm fighting a losing battle over you?"

"You don't give me hints. You don't show me any interest. And you just expect me to keep trying after four years of constant rejections?" he asked slowly.

"Yes. You were supposed to wait." she sniffed "And now I've missed my chance."

"Then try." he spoke softly "You don't achieve what you want if you don't try."

"I can't." she admitted, defeated "You're taken."

"Tell me, Lily." he pulled her close "Try."

"I love you." she declared, looking up to him.

He paused. He searched her eyes for any deceiving, any lie or any joke. But there was nothing. Only hope, hurt and fear of rejection. He bit his lip and cupped her cheek.

"Tell me again." he whispered.

"I love you." she repeated.

He took a deep breath "Again."

"I love you, James."

He crashed his lips against hers like his life depended on it. Her arms were wounded around his neck, her hands tangled in his hair, pulling and gripping and tangling and she just couldn't get enough! His hand moved from her cheek to the back of her neck, pulling her even closer.

She whispered his name against his lips and James lost the little shred of control he had over himself. His hands grabbed her waist and pulled her up, backing her against the wall. Lily's legs wrapped around his waist and pulled him closer, as she parted her lips to let his tongue enter. He bit her tongue playfully and she whined. He pulled back to kiss her neck and she sighed. He bit her shoulder and she moaned out his name.

"Lily… fuck." He grinded against her insistently.

"God, James!" she whimpered.

His lips returned to hers, kissing her slowly. He gulped as she tugged on his hair but kept his pace slow. He took a deep breath and pulled away. She watched her, eyes closed, and lips swollen and messy hair and just downright ravishing and he had to hold himself back to not kiss her again.

"Lily…" he whispered, bringing her down to earth.

"Yes James?" she opened her eyes to look at him.

"Merlin, what do you do to me?" he dropped his head to her shoulder "You kill me, little by little."

"Is that a good thing?" she tried.

"I don't know yet." He gulped.

"James…" she pulled his face up to look into his eyes.

"Yes, Lily?"

"Will you go to Hogsmeade with me next Saturday?" she asked, nervous as she didn't just get snogged against the wall by the boy.

"Yes." He smiled "I will."

Needless to say, Hogwarts woke up to the news the Head Boy and Girl were finally dating.