'HEY EVANS!' A voice Lily knew, much to her annoyance, far too well, had shouted from the opposite end of the carriage.
'What do you want…Potter?' She tried to keep her composure, but as she turned around, she realised just how much he had changed over the summer. He had one of those 'to-die-for' tans that you could achieve after spending hours playing Quidditch under the summer sun. She never thought he was particularly unattractive, but now he was, what her best-friend Rory would say, 'Fit as Firewhiskey'.
James had quickly noticed that Lily had been staring at him in complete silence for quite a while now. He liked that. He knew that even Miss Evans could not resist his new, sixth-year look but she was yet to realise that there would be a whole different James.
'Hey Evans. I just wanted to say, that I know I've been a bit of an idiot…' Lilly snorted
'A bit…ha!' James tried not to let this get to him.
'Okay, a lot of an idiot these past few years, but I'm gonna change all that.'
Lily tried to stop herself from laughing, but she truly could not contain herself.
'Potter, there is no way you could possibly change that much. You are James Potter, and you just can't change. In fact, you're probably just doing this to get me out on a date.' And with that, she walked off.
She was right- as usual. James did want to get her out on date. But he also wanted it to be so much more. James really loved Lily, and he wished that he could feel the same way. So much, he was prepared to do anything to make it so.
James walked briskly towards the Marauder's cabin; the Marauders were only the best group of people in the whole school-according to James anyway. All the boys wanted to be them, all the girls wanted to be with them, and all the Slytherins despised them. As James opened the cabin door, he was greeted by Peter and Remus-two of his best mates. Sirius seemed too occupied with the blonde Raven claw sitting on his lap to even notice his existence. Rory and Cassie-fellow 6th year Gryffindors were also sitting in the cabin, and were equally disgusted by Sirius' public displays of affection as the rest of the cabin's inhabitants.
Once 'Jenny' had left, there was an uncomfortable silence.
"Hipp…"
"Sirius Orion Black" whispered Rory "If you dare say 'Hippogriff', I will hex you into oblivion. She's only a 4th year-it's disgusting" And with that, she quickly ran out of the cabin.
"Bloody hell Padfoot! What's up? Have you finally realise you're no competition against me? Started settling for the younger kids?" James laughed, trying to diffuse the tension.
It worked "You gotta be kidding Prongs! I could get any girl I wanted. You've been chasing Lilly for the best part of, what is it now? Six years? And you still haven't got as much as a date."
"Say that again, and I'll…" James didn't have time to finish his sentence before Sirius practically jumped on him. Amidst the screaming and laughing that surrounded the cabin, James saw a head of bright red hair. Lily…
"Oh…hi" James answered, embarrassed. 'Shit.' He thought 'She just saw me acting like an idiot-she's probably thinking about just how much of a prat I am…'