1

BETTER MINE THAN HIS

"Pads, no matter when I go in there to see her, he's always there… skulking around the shelves like the slimeball he is!" the darkhaired youth sat back in exasperation.

"Well… have you called him on it?" the other boy lay sprawled on his friend's bed, his gracefully graceless hair falling into his moonbright eyes.

"No, but it's so obvious why he's hanging around, innit?" James said in superior annoyance. "He's absolutely infatuated with my Evans."

"She's yours now, is she?" Sirius asked casually. He decided not to comment on the complete hypocrisy of his friend's last pronouncement.

"Better mine than his!" James growled, running angry fingers through his hair. "I'm off to the library…"

2

YOUR LITTLE PARAMOUR

Lily snorted in frustration as her hair sprang free from its restraining tie for the fourth time that afternoon. "Merlin's wrinkled old…"

"Now, now, Miss Prefect! Do you really want to utter so crude an oath in such a public forum?" a dark boy said silkily from across the library table. "Reparo."

"Thanks, Sev…" Lily muttered, bunching her hair into a messy bun at the nape of her neck and securing it with the newly repaired elastic.

"So, do you think your little paramour will be coming round again?" Severus queried, trying desperately to keep his voice calm and even.

"He's not my paramour," Lily whined before answering her friend's question. "I hope not, but probably. He's possibly the most ridiculously persistent person I know."

"I could make him leave you be if you like," Severus said coolly, reaching over to tuck a stray lock of fiery hair behind Lily's ear.

3

MISTER TESTOSTERONE

James came strutting into the library just in time to see Severus's more than familiar gesture. Hazel eyes stormy, he called out, "Oi! Evans!"

"You should leave, Sev." Lily sighed softly. "I don't want you getting in Mister Testosterone's way."

"As you wish it." Severus said as he melted into the shadows of the herbology section.

He walked slowly to a place where he knew he could see the pair easily through the books. His black eyes sought out the figure that waltzed around his dream fogged mind. The tall graceful frame that reminded him strangely of a running deer. The carefree face framed with eternally messy hair. The eyes whose hazel gaze searched only for Lily Evans.