A/N: I *Sigh* Don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters mentioned. This is written for Women's soccer round 1 in the Hogwarts Olympics on HPFC. Enjoy! (I fixed the margins so it's easier to read)

Sirius punched James playfully in the arm. "Oh come on Prongs. It's can't turn out that bad."

"How do you know?" James asked, not reassured by his friend's words of not quite wisdom. He was still rubbing his arm. "You've never asked a girl out, have you?" James lifted his eyebrows in a mocking fashion. Sirius' face turned beet red.

" 'Course I have. They just all said no." Sirius said, muttering the last sentence. James held his head up in a defiant way, slightly arrogant, as he often did.

"What do you think Moony?" He turned to face his other friend.

"I don't think she'll say yes. But its still worth a shot." Remus Lupin shrugged.

"I think you might as well go for a thrill ride on the weeping willow." Piped up Peter Pettigrew, then ducking away. His instincts were right. James smacked the spot where he had been. Lightly of course, they were friends, but Peter was a small boy, and James was strong.

"I'm gonna kill you Wormtail." Growled James, although he didn't.

"We probably should get going. McGonagall will kill us if we're late again. And probably give us detention too." Remus said, trying to change the subject. He knew James' pride would start up a lot of trouble, even if Peter was only teasing.

"Don't want to ruin your grade average, huh Moony?" James asked, smirking slightly.

"Oh come on, you two." Remus laughed as he dragged James across the grass.

As they entered the courtyard, the four boys quickened their pace, as they must if they were to reach Transfiguration in time. And then James spotted her. Lily stood out in the sea of students, red hair like fire bobbed along as she walked into the courtyard.

"Hey Evans." James announced, cocking his eye up towards the red sea of straight locks that was Lily Evans. James ran his hand through his jet black hair. 'This should be easy.' he thought. "Evans." He called again, but Lily tried to rush by him. Sirius put his foot out to stop her, catching the hem of Lily's Gryffindor robes. She squirmed, trying to pull herself free from Sirius' grip.

"Get off me you git!" She said, angered by what was probably a thoughtless act. James frowned. This was going even worse than he had imagined. Remus nudged him, cocking his head towards the doors that lead into the school's corridors, a silent way of saying 'get going'. James nervously swallowed the lump that had just appeared in his throat. He was James Potter. He was a Gryffindor. He could do this. Why was he getting jittery just asking a girl out? James took a deep breath (Quietly, so Lily wouldn't know he was nervous).

"Will you go out with me?" James asked nonchalantly, trying not to look at his shoes. They were red sneakers, brand new, that he had gotten for Christmas when his others had worn off his feet. 'Please say yes.' James thought, his eyes darting around like his Stag patronus. Lily wrinkled her nose.

"Why should I?" Lily asked, sighing. Her arms were crossed, and her right leg was slightly behind her - away from Sirius' grasp. "For four years, you've been rude to me, and just downright mean to Sev. Why on earth should I go out with you?" Lily shook out her hair and lifted her chest up. "Now if you're done, I'm going to class." She flounced away, her curls bouncing down her back as she did.

James stood with his mouth gaping open. Then he realized what happened, at looked at his shoes, his shoulders down, his face glum. Remus put his hand on James' shoulder, and turned him around. James regained his normal posture immediately, talking as loudly as he always did. For the rest of the day, his usual smirk was replaced by a slight frown.