Now I Know Why You Want to Hate Me

~@*Alanna the Lioness*@~

A/N: I need a break from Tortall for a while. And "Forgive Me, Hermione". ::massages her temples:: I'm stuck, and I'm going to try something new. Go easy on me. It's my first L/J fic. And I want at least 20 reviews, or I won't write the first chapter. And trust me, you'll want another one.

I haven't been here in a while. If you've written an R/Hr fic, tell me when you review. I want to read it.

~'lanna

~@~

         "I'm telling, you, Sirius," James Potter insisted as they wove between the tables in the Great Hall. Students looked up briefly at the two black-haired boys before returning to their breakfast. "The chemistry is just there. They'll be hanging all over us come October!"

         Sirius laughed. "You have enough girls lined up already. It's my turn now!" He surveyed the Great Hall with an appraising sort of look, searching the room for just the right girl.

         "How many have you got so far?" James asked, ticking his own girls off on his fingers. "I've got thirteen, including Kathleen Collins."

         "Yeah, but Kathleen didn't exactly count. Not if she calls you a 'rat's arse' and tells you to shove off. So you have twelve."

         James sighed and gestured towards his shirt, which was splattered with the porridge that Kathleen had thrown at him. "Ah, the battle scars we don," he said solemnly. "May we be honored forevermore, Sir Black."

         "Found her!" Sirius grinned. "See you in a minute." He left to address a pretty girl with black hair sitting at the Hufflepuff table. James shoved his hands in his pockets and looked around. He felt sort of stupid, just standing there in the middle of the Great Hall, when nearly everyone else was seated. Glancing around, he spotted a girl with long, dark red hair in a small cluster of girls at the end of the Gryffindor table. He grinned and strode off towards her, attempting to somewhat flatten his unruly hair.

         "Mademoiselle?" he addressed her, bowing exaggeratingly. "May I inquire as to what your name may be?"

         The girl turned, and James' eyebrows shot up in surprise. She had bright green eyes, and a small, pert nose. And unlike the other females James had approached that morning, she clearly wasn't amused.

         "Look," she muttered to the other girls, as if James weren't there at all. "There's one of the jerks who're keeping a list of all the girls they charm."

         "You insult me." James donned a look of mock horror, and placed a hand on his heart. "I should think you would be honored in my presence, my lady."

         "Stuff it, already," the girl growled, turning back to her companions and taking a sip of pumpkin juice. "And you can forget about adding me to your stupid list. Sadly for you, I actually have some sense in my head. So go flatter someone who needs some sense of their own."

         James flushed angrily. "And who in bloody hell would you be, Miss Oh-So-Wise-And-Powerful?"

         The girl stood, facing him. The top of her head only came to the tip of his nose, but she looked as if her worth was twice her height. "The name's Lily Evans," she informed him, arms akimbo. "And don't forget it."

         "I'd have to be an idiot to forget the name of a bitch like you." James growled. A few heads turned their way, and people watched the scene with interest.

         Lily raised her eyebrows. "Oh?" she poked him hard in the chest. "I'd watch my language, if I were you, Jerk-boy. I may only be a Muggle born, but I can curse just as well as any of you."

         "If hitting girls weren't forbidden-" James spat, flushing a furious crimson.

         Lily shrugged. "It's not forbidden on my terms, Jerk Boy. Why don't you try it now, and we'll see who's the better fighter?" James eyed her warily. He was no fool. The hard glint to her eyes suggested that she did indeed know how to fight, and did it well.

         "I have a name, Evans. It's James. James Potter." He replied coldly. "Use it."

         Half the Great Hall was now silent, eyeing the two. Murmured whispers flitted across the tables.

         "Alright, Potter," she retorted. "I will. Stay off my grounds, and I'll stay off yours. Have we reached an agreement here?"

"Watch yourself, redhead." James warned as she sat down again.

"You do the same," Lily replied, undaunted. "And you don't threaten half as well as my sister can."

"Shut up," James snapped. He was running out of retorts, and he couldn't believe that anyone, let alone a girl, could be this annoying!

"I will when you will," the girl shrugged, helping herself to some English muffins. "Would you mind moving? I can't eat with you standing behind me like this. It makes me want to swing back and see what I can hit."

"I hate you." James snarled, storming off. There was a silence, then the Great Hall gradually returned to its normal noise level. He slumped down in his seat and remained sulking for the rest of the morning. It was nearly time for the first classes to start when Sirius rejoined him, grinning broadly. Apparently, he'd seen the whole thing.

"Yeah, James. The chemistry is just there!" he laughed, clearly enjoying himself.

"Shut up, Sirius." Growled James, sinking down even lower into his seat. "Just shut up."

~@~

A/N: Wow. I'm not really proud of this. It's too short. But it's a good start, don't you think? It'll be different from the L/J hate fics; I promise. REVIEW. I WANT 20!!!!!!!