I do not like James Potter.

In first year, he'd offended me straight away by insulting Severus on the train. Severus was the first person to teach me about magic, and he'd helped me when Tuney had called me a freak. I'll always be grateful for that. Of course, after fifth year, when he'd called me that, I didn't want anything to do with him. James Potter had been involved with that as well. It was like everywhere I went, he was there.

In second year, I'd decided not to hold a grudge against him, and was friendly to him, which was probably the biggest mistake I'd ever made. Apparently he thought that me being friendly meant that I liked him the same way he liked me. He was absolutely wrong.

…...

I wandered into the Great Hall, concentrating on reading my Charms textbook. Even after a year in the magical world, I found it fascinating how magic could be applied to pretty much anything. I took a seat at the Gryffindor table opposite James Potter, one of the boys in my year. After the fiasco that was first year, I'd decided to give him a second chance- after all, I was nothing if not open. I smiled at him before propping my book open against jug of pumpkin juice. He grinned back, and raised his wand. As he did, all of the goblets in the Hall started singing.

'Oh fair Lily, don't you see?

I want you to go out with me

If you're asking for a name

That's simple- it's your true love, James.'

By this point I was bright red. Not just with embarrassment, as you might think- although that was definitely a factor- but with anger. How dare he do that? How dare he just assume that I was interested? Not to mention the fact that his poetry skills were more than a little lacking. I rose, and using all of the charms I had just been reading about, attacked him. Suffice to say, by the time I'd finished, he had to be taken to the hospital wing.

…...

From then on, a week didn't go by when he didn't ask me to go out with him. I always refused, sometimes politely, but more often than not with either a shouting match or a curse. His friends found it highly amusing. In fact, Sirius had bet on how many times I'd end up sending James to the hospital wing that year. He'd bet for 20 times. He bet far too low.

…...

In third year, he'd continued asking me out, but he didn't seem to pop up everywhere I went like he had before. In fact, he was quite often in the library actually doing work. I noticed that Sirius and Peter were there too, and wondered why they left Remus out – after all, he was probably the best worker in their little group.

Remus was a werewolf. I had worked this out in second year, but didn't know how to say it to him, so I didn't. I just kept track of when the full moon was every month, and was particularly nice to him at those times. I assumed that the other 'Marauders', as they called themselves, had worked this out. They were probably spending their time looking for an antidote. I knew that there wasn't one, because I'd already looked when I first found out.

…...

'There must be something!' I muttered, flicking feverishly through the tenth volume on lycanthropy I'd read that day. 'There can't just be nothing!' Up until that day, I had thought that magic could cure anything. What was the point of learning magic if I couldn't help someone who needed it?

'Something what?' I ground my teeth. I knew that voice far better than I wanted to.

'Nothing that concerns you, Potter.' I spat out venomously. The likelihood was that he already knew about Remus' problem, but it wasn't my place to make that assumption. He picked up one of the books I had been reading.

'A Complete Guide To Lycanthropy.' He read the title around. For a moment I thought I saw his eyes flash with worry. 'Bit of a heavy topic, don't you think, Evans?' I scowled at him.

'What do you care?' I asked challengingly.

'I care about everything you do, sweet Lily.' I narrowed my eyes at him.

'Don't-'

'Yeah, yeah, I know.' He set the book back down next to me. 'But, er, it is a heavy topic. And maybe it's something you shouldn't-'

'Are you trying to tell me what to do now, Potter?' I knew that he was probably just trying to protect his friend from discovery, but I couldn't help it. The familiar flare of annoyance that I felt in my chest whenever he spoke to me rose up. 'Don't even try! Just because you've got this weird obsession over me-' My voice was steadily rising. 'Does not mean that you can dictate what I do or do not do!'

'I wasn't trying to-'

'DON'T YOU DARE INTERRUPT ME, JAMES POTTER, DON'T YOU-' and that's when I got banned from the library for the rest of the year.

…...

In fourth year, I'd tried to completely ignore James. I was pretty good friends with Remus, and Sirius could be funny (but annoying). Even Peter I could tolerate. But there was just something about James Potter that I couldn't stand.

…...

'Hey, Lily, there's a Hogsmeade weekend coming up and I was just wondering-' I carried on walking. Lalalalala.'-if maybe you'd like to go with me-' LALALALALA I can't hear you.'-you know you want to, Lily.' He wiggled his eyebrows. 'After all, who can resist Gryffindor's top chaser?' I can't hear you, you arrogant piece of- 'You know you like me, Lily, everybody knows it, the tension is undeniable-' At this point, he stopped talking, mainly because I swung around and hit him in the face with as much force as I could manage. So much for ignoring him.

…...

Fifth year was awful. There was the whole 'M word' thing, through which I lost Sev as a friend. I just couldn't spend time with someone that thought of me that way. For some reason, the fact that James had contributed upset me even more. I'd kind of felt like Severus was slipping away from me for a while, but I felt betrayed that James had pushed him into saying it. It wasn't his fault, not really, but I felt kind of hurt that after all the times I'd asked him not to bully Severus, he still did it. I figured that this meant that he didn't care about her, and confirmed my feelings that he only kept asking me out because I kept saying no.

…...

In sixth year, he kind of started to grow up a bit, and I decided to put aside my old grudge. He didn't ask me out as much, just maybe once every month or two, at which points I still shouted at him, but more out of habit than anything else. The rest of the time, we were pretty good friends, although there were times when he drove me absolutely crazy. My dorm mates told me that everyone expected me and James to get together, which made me all the more determined to just be friends. I had to admit, I sometimes did miss our weekly (or more often) disputes.

…...

'James?' We were sat in the library doing our Transfiguration homework (of which we had an outrageous amount). He looked up.

'Yeah, Lils?' We'd recently come to be on a first name basis, something which was a lot less weird than I had anticipated it would be.

'It's silly, but- do you ever miss our arguments?' James grinned.

'I know what you mean. It was a nice outlet wasn't it?' I grinned back at him. 'But I don't really miss them, no. I think that it's much nicer to be friends. I get hexed less.' I laughed.

'Sorry about that. But you have to admit, both of our Defence Against the Dark Arts grades benefited from that.'

…...

Seventh year was a year full of surprises. Firstly, I had been made head girl! Then, even more surprisingly, the head boy was James Potter. Everybody was shocked at that one. James was the biggest mischief maker in the school.

Being head girl and boy meant that we spent a lot more time together. A couple of months into the year, I was shocked to find myself feeling... fond of James. I told myself that I'd come to love him in a brotherly way, but somehow, I just didn't believe myself. Eventually, I resolved that next time he asked me out, I would tell him yes.

But he didn't. I waited, and I waited, but he didn't ask me out once. It got to February, and I decided to take matters into my own hands.

'Remus?' I asked, sitting down next to him in the library. He put down his book, and smiled pleasantly at me.

'Yes Lily?'. I took a deep breath.

'Doesn't James like me anymore?' I rushed, staring determinedly at the table. Remus chuckled gently.

'Of course he likes you. He just doesn't want to upset you by asking you out all the time. Why, do you like him?' I glanced up sharply.

'No!' I practically shouted it, earning myself a glare from the librarian. 'No.' I said in a quieter tone.

Remus raised an eyebrow and looked at me expectantly. I sighed.

'Fine. Maybe I might like him a tiny little bit. Happy?' Remus grinned from ear to ear.

'Yes I'm happy! Wait until you tell James, he's gonna explode!' I narrowed my eyes.

'If you dare to even suggest anything about this to him, I will curse you to the moon.' Remus held up his hands.

'Hey, I never said I was saying anything! That's your job.' I shook my head.

'I don't think I can. I've said no to him so many times...' Remus smiled gently at me.

'Lily, he'll be thrilled. And really, there's only one question you should be asking yourself.' He gathered up his things.

'What's that?' I asked curiously. Remus suddenly grinned mischievously.

'Who would make a better best man, me or Sirius?' He jumped up and ran out of the library before I could hex him. I half stood up to follow, but then sank back down into my seat with a smile on my face. I sat there for a few minutes, before standing up and walking out of the library. I walked down to the lake, where I knew the Marauders would probably be. As I approached them, Remus grinned so much he looked unnatural.

'If you've said anything...' I left the threat open. Remus put on an innocent face.

'I haven't said anything about anything. Are you saying something about something now?' By this point, the other three Marauders looked absolutely dumbfounded.

'Er, James?' I said. He looked up.

'What's up, Lily?' I considered backing out, but then glanced at Remus and he nodded encouragingly.

'Do you... that is... will you... erm...' James grinned.

'Spit it out, Lils.'

'I, erm, I was wondering if you would maybe like to... er... well, there's a Hogsmeade weekend coming up, and I thought, maybe you and I could go?' I carefully avoided eye contact throughout this eloquently articulated question. He nearly split his face smiling.

'Lily, are you- are you asking me out?'

'No.' I said. Okay, so I did back out.

'No? Shame.'

'Well, when I say no...'

'You actually mean yes?' I nodded, my face burning.

'Well, then, no,' he said, grinning widely, 'By which, of course, I mean yes.'

I do not like James Potter. By which, of course, I mean that I do.