"I'm cross with you," Lily declared one fine afternoon when James had just come back from Quidditch practice. She sat on the couch in their Heads' common room, her nose buried in a book and refusing to meet his eyes.
"What?" James was completely taken aback. "What did I do?"
"You annoyed me greatly for six years."
"But I thought that was water under the bridge. You said so yourself!" James was flabbergasted. All he had wanted after a gruelling practice session was to lie on his bed for the next eighty years, preferably cuddling with his girlfriend. Now said girlfriend decided that she was cross with him. Merlin on toast!
"Don't you quote myself back at me, James Fleamont Potter." She said hotly. She slammed her book shut. "I'm not going to snog you either. You have been cut off." Then she walked to her room with her nose turned up and slammed her door shut.
.
"So, erm, Lily's cross with me." James informed his three best friends in the dorm they used to share.
"Oh mate, did you steal her knickers again?" Peter patted James' arm sympathetically.
Remus and Sirius sniggered.
"I did not," said James indignantly. "And that one time was a dare."
"Well, what's she cross for?" asked Remus.
"Apparently I annoyed her greatly for six years." James was utterly befuddled.
"That is true; you can't fault her for that." Sirius interjected.
"But I'm a good boy now," whined James.
All the other three burst out laughing.
"Forget it, you lot are useless." With that James walked out.
.
The next day during Defence against Dark Arts a piece of parchment landed on James desk.
DIAMONDS MAY BE A GIRL'S BEST FRIEND BUT CHOCOLATE IS THE WAY TO HER HEART.
James couldn't recognise the handwriting, he didn't know anyone whose handwriting was as choppy as a five year old's.
In front of him, there was a faint trace of a smirk on Lily's face.
.
When James entered the Heads' common room two days later, Lily greeted him warmly.
"Hi," she beamed up at him from her spot on the couch. A large basket of chocolates which James had ordered from Honeyduke's sat on the table in front of her. A card sat next to it on which he had inscribed 'I'm sorry I annoyed you for six years. Forgive me?'
"You know, if you just wanted chocolates you could have said so. I would have bought you some."
"But then I would have felt bad."
"So you came up with a devious plan that involved no snogging for three days?"
"You can't prove anything." She popped a Chocolate Frog in her mouth and sauntered away from him.
James grinned. Merlin, he loved her.