A/N: Okay, so my image of Lily is that she isn't a super-studier (like Hermione), which is why Mary's curious about what's going on with Lily. I always felt like Lily was a calm, collected person about her grades and exams and stuff, which is why I felt like this story was clichéd; many, many people write Lily as a Hermione-ish-studier.
Anyway, my general idea was that Lily felt she had to do extremely well and was always on edge because of her new found feelings for James. Dunno how well that carried through the story, but please enjoy it and review!
*Amaryllis*
Studying
Lily sat in the Gryffindor common room, History of Magic textbook open across her lap. She had a test Tuesday, and this was her last night to study.
James entered, shortly after Lily had dragged Mary over from a game of wizard's chess that she'd been having against Remus and Peter.
"Mary, you've got to quiz me, I'm terrible with dates." Lily said, panicking at the thought of being left to her own devices. She'd screw up the year of the Goblin Rebellion with the Muggle Protection Act's date again, and then where would she be?
"Lily, we've been through everything twice already." Mary complained, running a tired hand through her hair.
"What's got you so anxious? You're never this stressed over a teeny-weeny test, let alone in History of Magic. What's gotten into you?" Mary rambled on.
"But I've got to do this, I have Charms Club at seven-thirty, rounds at ten – which will take me at least until eleven, and I've got a foot and-a-half essay due in Potions, Defense, and Transfiguration!" Lily rattled off, breathing heavily. How was she supposed to finish all that? In one night? She'd never get it all done, never . . .
Mary eyed her friend suspiciously. "We have a free period tomorrow, and you already finished the Defense essay. The other two aren't due until Friday. Why are you studying this anyway?" Mary asked, picking up A History of Magic and crinkling her nose is distaste. "It's just a review before the year gets completely started, we learned it all last year." Mary gave Lily a side-glance from her seat beside her on the couch. "Honestly, what's got you so mixed up? You aren't ever like this, even during O.W.L.'s in fifth year . . ."
"I-I just don't know." Lily mumbled, and started on her Potions essay while Mary went back to chess with Remus and Peter.
Mary's right. Why am I so unfocused and stressed? Lily pondered, then shrugged. No harm in starting an essay if she had all her books with her anyway . . .
That's how, when James entered the common room, he found Lily seated at a table with several reference books, her potions book, about ten inches of an almost completed essay, and A History of Magic, which she seemed to be studying from.
James plopped down next to her, in Mary's vacated seat. Lily didn't look up.
It was quiet at Lily's table. The only sounds were James' tapping foot and the occasional scratch of Lily's quill, as she scrambled between writing and studying.
James took a breath to say something, but was cut off by Lily's crisp voice before he started.
"I'm studying, Potter."
Clearly, Lily was in no mood to talk.
James shrugged and picked up a spare quill from the table, then proceeded to balance it between his nose and lip.
Still silence.
Still quill scratching.
James was still bored.
Suddenly, without looking up from her book, Lily asked curiously, "You Marauders aren't bad students. When do you study? You're all always playing Quidditch, going to Hogsmeade -" Lily trailed off, waiting for an answer. She looked up, only to find James intently balancing the quill he'd picked up.
"Well? Didn't you here me?" Lily asked. She looked gazed at the quill, which James removed from his person. Now facing Lily, he started to answer her question.
"Well -"
"Ah – James, you've got – well, here." Lily interrupted him, handing him a mirror from her schoolbag.
James looked at his reflection. Why was Lily going into fits of giggles? What was she – oh.
He'd gotten ink from the quill all over his face. Since he'd been balancing it above his lip, James now had –
"A mustache!" Lily burst out, and held her stomach as all her stress dissolved into bouts of laughter.
James smirked. "Well? How's it look on me? Roguish?" James winked.
Lily stopped laughing. The mustache did nothing to diminish his appearance. However –
"Hardly. You look like Barty Crouch. Or, " James chuckled, but Lily wasn't finished. "Sirius fifteen years from now, pirating fake goods and selling illegal items."
James looked from Lily's straight face to his mustached one in the mirror. Then, using an extraordinary amount of exaggeration, attempted to wipe away his mustache. This only made it smear, giving James a highly unattractive shadow. He sighed, and went on up to his dorm to wash all the ink off his face.
Once he returned to bid Lily goodnight before her rounds (it was a bit early still, though he and Sirius were planning on a sneak-out to Honeydukes), he found Lily's paraphernalia in a neat pile, though she was still reading that dratted history book.
Lily quirked an eyebrow at James upon his arrival back in the common room. "So?" she asked.
"So what?"
"When do you study?" Lily repeated her earlier question.
"We don't. Well, Sirius and I don't."
"So how do you do so well?"
James shrugged. "Natural instinct."
Lily raised an eyebrow, peering over the top of her book. "Uh-huh."
"How do you remember all the information you cram into your head?" James asked. "Undetectable Expansion Charm?"
"Ha, ha. Photographic memory." Lily joked.
"I've got one too. I never forget a pretty face." James winked at her. Again.
Lily blushed. "I said leave me be, Potter! I'm studying."
No wonder she was so unfocused lately. James Potter.
A/N2: How was it? I hope it was good. I'm also working on a couple Christmas/holiday related one-shots; one for sure is a Lily/James fic. Please, please review if you liked it (and if you didn't, your choice!)
*Amaryllis*
Christmas Countdown: 6 Days
December 19, 2011