'Butterflies' by Wittyheroine

Summary: In which a one James Potter is having a curious effect on Lily Evans. One shot.

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing.

Lily wasn't oblivious. She was perfectly aware of the beautiful boy with the long lashes, messy black hair, and hazel eyes staring at her from across the library. He had been staring at her like that since first year. Over time she had been able to ignore it because even though the boy was beautiful he was also a prat.

However this time she couldn't ignore his looks because they made butterflies start soaring in her stomach. It had started the first week of school when the usually pratish boy had been kind enough to help her get her trunk on the train and he had very boldly reached out and traced her cheek with his finger before giving her a smile and then going off after his friends as if nothing had happened.

She had told herself it was a onetime thing and that the butterflies would go away and things would go back to normal. Only then the beautiful, prattish boy did something else two weeks after that. He opened a door for her. It wouldn't have been so unusual but then she saw him do it for two little first year girls and he kept on doing it for people. It became a habit.

He had also become serious which was something that he hadn't been before. He was Head Boy to her Head Girl and he helped her out. He helped her with patrols, helped her with the meetings, and their other duties, and sometimes he'd even plan things before she did just because he knew that she was busy with homework or something.

It was quite nice really. It was more than nice, and the fact that the boy who was named James Potter was actually being nice, was probably why the butterflies had started whenever she felt him staring at her unlike the old times when she had felt nothing. The fact that she liked James being nice was also why she gathered her courage, grabbed her books from where she was sitting and then walked over to his table where she casually took a seat.

He looked at her in shock. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Sitting," she replied.

"I know that it's just…" he trailed off and he was staring at her again as though he were afraid that she would disappear.

"It's just that what?" she asked.

"You've never sat by me willingly before," he said in a near whisper.

They were both very quiet for a long minute and Lily tried to think of a good explanation for her actions other then the fact that she had just wanted the butterflies in her stomach to stop. "I just thought…since you've seemed to change….maybe it was time for me to change," she explained.

He looked at her as if she had grown a second head and then after a moment his face brightened considerably. Lily couldn't help but give him a smile back and then after a few seconds the two returned to their studying. Every once and a while, James would stop and stare at her again which Lily noticed. Of course, he somehow managed to miss that she would do the same thing to him in return.

They didn't talk to each other for two weeks after that. Neither of them really knew what to say. It had been different. Most importantly, it had been confusing. Lily especially was confused and when she saw James heading for her direction to come and talk to her one morning at breakfast she had gone so far as to practically run out of the great hall and take the longer route to her class to avoid him.

Then it happened again. They were both in the library. Only this time instead of James staring at Lily it was Lily staring at James. He noticed and he was both frustrated and annoyed. So that time he was the one who picked up his books and walked over to his seat.

"I don't get it," said James.

Lily looked up from her notes. "You don't get what?"

"You sat next to me one week and then you avoided me like the plague the next two. I didn't try anything and you know that's an amazing feat for me. So what gives?"

Lily sighed. "It isn't you. You were perfect. You didn't act like a prat once. It's just…me."

"You?"

"Yes. It…scared me a bit."

"Why? All we did was sit."

"I know and that wasn't the part that scared me. I…well…I liked it. It was nice. You've been nice Potter…James."

He looked at her like she was crazy and then let out a frustrated sigh as he ran his hand through his hair. "So what's the problem?"

"You'll think it's ridiculous."

"Lily, I've spent the past five years doing every idiotic thing I could to get you to notice me. Believe me there is nothing you could say that would be more ridiculous than some of the things I've pulled."

She took a breath. "I'm scared," she admitted.

"We're not doing anything but sitting."

"I know but I…I get butterflies when you stare."

James blinked at her. "What?"

"I get butterflies when you stare at me. That didn't used to happen. Now it does and I'm scared," she said, "I want to give you a chance James but I'm scared."

"Don't be. I'd never do anything to hurt you. I swear." There was a pregnant pause where Lily avoided looking at him and stared pointedly at the table.

"I'm not ready for anything. You're still James and there's a lot of history between us, most of it bad, and Severus will probably kill you if he ever finds out about this. I just want you to know…you give me butterflies," she said, unable to stop blushing.

James smiled softly and then just like that day so many months ago on the train he reached up and gently traced her cheek with his finger. "Good to know."

He took the seat next to her then and they both went to work on their studying just like last time. Only now he was bold enough to lace his hand through hers in underneath the table and as he did, the butterflies in Lily's stomach soared to new heights…and so did the ones in his.

A/N: Second attempt at a Lily and James one shot fic. First one didn't turn out too well. Hopefully this one is a bit better. Reviews greatly appreciated.