AN: This is my first attempt at HP ff, just a little idea I thought would be interesting. Please read it and tell me what you think!

Disclaimer: Sadly, not mine.

It all started in second year.

We had moved past the wide-eyed awe stage that first years were generally stuck in, but still had not reached the hormone- and Hogsmeade privileges-fueled wildness that consumed the third years. As second years, still lowly but not nearly as innocent, people were starting to realize that— oh Merlin! —there were actually members of the opposite gender right here, in our own dormitories at Hogwarts, that you could ask out on real-life dates. [Sarcasm heavily intended.] Needless to say, this realization took place mostly on the boys' part. Somehow, in their sad excuses for brains, they were able to see that contact with girls didn't necessarily give one cooties. If I seem at all bitter about this development, well, as a matter of fact I am. There is definitely good cause, though. For me, it's all because of a certain James Potter.

It was no secret that he fancied me— in all honesty, it wasn't that hard to figure it out, what with the staring, drooling, and pushing (me) around. However, expectations that he would handle it with dignity, or at least as much as possible, went sadly downhill with the events of a certain November day, in the hallways after Transfiguration…

Giggling about how Artie Pelham had somehow managed to set McGonagall's hair, robes, and wand on fire without her noticing, Marlene and I walked down the hall, heading out to the greenhouses for Herbology. I stopped to put on my Gryffindor scarf before heading out into the wind and snow, when I heard it. "Oi, Evans! Wait up a minute, will you?"

I turned around and saw the Marauders, self-proclaimed pranksters extraordinaire, running to catch up to us. "Umm…what do you want?" I asked.

Sirius Black, impish and already a ladies' man, pushed Potter forward. "C'mon, James, get on with it already! Slughorn's gonna give me detention if I don't go and help him skin all those shrivelfigs he got yesterday."

I stepped up to him. "Hmm, Black, that wouldn't have anything to do with the fact you exploded your cauldron last lesson, would it?"

"You know what, Evans…"

Remus intervened. "Back off, Sirius."

I smirked. "You know, Black, if you had just listened to the advice of your seat partner, your antidote would have turned out just fine."

"Oh sod off already."

Potter shifted from one foot to another. "Er, Lily, mind if I talk to you outside for a minute?"

"About what?"

"You know, that thing, from class last week?"

"Um, not really, actually, but alright."

"Great!" Potter's relief was visible, and I followed him outside. Next to the pathway to the greenhouses, he looks down uncomfortably and avoids my gaze.

"Potter? Why exactly did I need to come out here?"

"Oh, yeah. Right. Well then. Okay, here it goes. Evans…is your father a thief?"

I stare at him, utterly confused. "What? Of course not!"

Slyly looking down at me, with a stupid grin on his face, Potter replies, "Then how did he steal the sparkle of the stars and put it in your eyes?"

I snort, and then realize he is partly serious. "You arrogant git, Potter! Did you really think a line like that would work on me, or anyone with a brain?"

He stammers, "But-it's true! Won't you go out with me, Evans?"

"Never, but especially not with cheesy lines like that. You could at least try to think up something halfway decent."

"I'm wounded, Evans! But, do I detect a challenge there, perhaps?"

I back away slightly. "No, no, of course not!"

Potter grins devilishly. "In that case, Lily Evans, I accept. You think that was bad, eh? Well, let's just say you haven't seen anything yet." He sauntered off inside, with considerably more spring in his step. "Guys! We've got some work to do!" he called out.

And so it began.

Thanks for reading! Next chapter should be longer and go into more background. Please review!

**trubholls25**