"That is possibly the most ridiculous thing you've ever said, and you have a reputation for ricidulous," I told Alice, one of the girls in my dormitory and my closest friend. Alice was currently running a brush through my untamable mess of red waves. Her pixie cut was the antithesis of mine- when people asked her how she got it styled so perfect, she'd say "I just rolled out of bed" and meant it. Not like mine, which needed almost constant brushing and intense sessions of conditioning potion to keep it from tangling miserably. As we sat on my bed, she was trying to convince me to go along with her latest scheme.

"I'm just saying, you'll probably go out a few times, and once he realizes you're not gonna shag him, he'll leave you alone! How is this a bad plan?" Alice asked, frustrated. The conversation, like many of the ones we shared, had turned to the subject of James Potter.

"Because, dear Alice, then he might get the impression that I actually like him, which is the farthest thing imaginable from the truth." We'd been trying to solve the Potter problem ever since he decided that he was madly in love with me, which was right around… well, for as long as I'd been at Hogwarts, it seemed like. Alice's latest proposal was that I actually say yes to the git. That had about as much chance of happening as Professor Binns not showing up to class.

Admittedly, he was a handsome git, but a git nonetheless. I had tried everything I could think of (which, being me, was quite a lot) to get him to leave me alone, short of poisoning or cursing him (though those options were starting to sound rather appealing). Avoidance, embarrassment, even outright insults hadn't gotten the message to stick between his ears. I sighed.

"Well, he already follows me around… How bad could a few dates be?"

"YES!" Alice punched the air with her fist, then hauled me up off the bed and toward the door. Reluctance was too tame a word for what I was feeling.

"Does it have to be right now?"

"Yep, I know you. If you don't do it right now, you'll lose your nerve."

"Now just what are you-"

"Go!" she gave me a little shove. I pouted for a moment, but walked down the enchanted staircase, glad that Hogwarts' founders were untrustworthy of boys; otherwise James Potter would very likely be knocking on our door every night. I sought out the familiar foursome- James and Sirius were engaged in an intense battle of Wizard chess, Peter watched the game, enthralled, and Remus sat reading a book next to Sirius; their legs touched.

James' eyes flicked to the stairs and he immediately sat straighter, ruffling a hand through his hair like he did so often when he saw me. It was constantly unkempt, so I didn't really see the point. Resisting the urge to roll my eyes, I took a seat next to Remus and prepared to ask him what he was reading.

However, before I could, Sirius (whose eyes never left the chessboard) asked, "To what do we owe your honorable presence Miss Evans?" James' eyes on the other hand, moved so fast between myself and the board that I wondered if he would get dizzy.

"I was just wondering what Remus was reading," I misdirected.

Remus' eyebrows raised but he politely volunteered, "Oh, just some extra reading for Defense Against the Dark Arts."

I peered over his shoulder and caught a few words. "Ooooh, werewolves. We don't have an assignment on them - are you just interested, then?"

Something very strange happened then- Remus immediately stiffened and turned a bright shade of red, Peter suddenly looked frightened, and James and Sirius looked as if they might die of laughter. I ignored them and waited for Remus to answer. "Yes," he said carefully, "you could say studying them is one of my… hobbies." Sirius snorted, James now had a hand clapped over his mouth, and even Remus's shoulders were shaking.

I sighed. "I don't know what's going on, but I'll play winner." James dropped the pawn he was holding, as well as his jaw. He picked up the pawn that was complaining about being sacrificed and slammed it onto the board to shut it up, flashing a look at Sirius that clearly said "LOSE NOW."

The game was over in a few minutes.

"I feel the need to stretch my legs- care to join me, chaps?" Sirius asked, smirking. "Except you, Potter, of course." Peter leapt out of his seat obediently; Remus stood slowly and made his way toward the portrait hole, avoiding all the furniture with his head still in his book. I was one of the few other people I knew who possessed this skill.

I sat down across from that infuriating, sarcastic, gorgeous James Potter. He was unfairly good looking, especially when he was grinning that lopsided grin that made my insides twist and turn just like he was now... Especially now that he had some responsibility being the Quidditch Captain- it seemed to have a positive effect on him, even if he still acted like a bloody fool around me. The players were grumbling as they reset themselves in starting position. I decided to speak before I got too nervous. An idea had struck me – one that meant I might not have to go on a date with him at all. "I'll make you a deal, Potter."

His eyes lit up. "Anything."

"You win this game, and I'll go out with you, once, but then you have to stop tormenting me. And if I win, you still have to stop tormenting me, sans date."

By the look on his face, he might be salivating, but he wasn't about to give in. "I don't think one is really enough to get to know every aspect of my charm and wit. Make it three dates, and it's a deal."

I was shocked and let it show on my face. "You're out of your mind. Two." Two dates wouldn't be horrible… just a few hours out of my life, then I could be done with him.

"Deal," he said, immediately immersing himself in the board.

Considering myself a semi-brilliant Wizard Chess player, my plan was to play around his level, and just barely win – so he wouldn't feel so completely defeated. What I didn't expect was that "his level" seemed to be right around mine.

He was leaning back into the squashy armchair with a confident smirk, waiting for me to make my next move. I was considering the board carefully. "So, Evans, what changed your mind?"

"About what?" I pretended to be distracted.

"About me, of course." He never let anyone forget for a moment what an egotist he was.

"Who said I changed my mind about you?"

"Well, you're here, talking to me- not ignoring me, walking away, calling me a git – none of the usual stuff."

"Interesting observation- but I'm just here to play chess. I knew you couldn't resist a challenge, and it's a win for me either way."

"First of all, I couldn't resist anything involving you. Secondly, why is it a win either way?"

I shook my hair down around my face to hide my traitorously blushing cheeks. "Because if I win, I don't have to deal with you anymore, and I'm not going to lose. Simple." I nudged a pawn and leaned back to await his move.

We both ribbed each other like traditional sportsmen, but the conversation fell by the wayside as we focused more on the game than his unreasonable, ridiculous attraction to me. By the last few moves, as much as I hated to think it, I was forced to admit that he was actually quite a brilliant player. Checkmate.

I expected him to jump out of his seat and dance around the room, proclaiming his victory loudly, but instead, he came around the table, got down on one knee, and held out his hand. Too surprised to think about what I was doing, I gave him mine. He was beaming as he asked, "Lily Evans, would you accompany me to Hogsmeade tomorrow?"

It echoed a proposal of a very different kind- a little too close for comfort. I took my hand back and looked down. "I lost didn't I?" I grabbed the book I had brought down with me, and turned to go.

"Would it kill you to say it?" He looked cute in a pathetic sort of way, still on his knee like that… vulnerable, almost.

"Say what?" I shouldn't have been indulging him, giving him false hope.

"Yes James, I'll go to Hogsmeade with you."

Really shouldn't have indulged him. I sighed. "Yes, Potter, I'll go with you."

Then he jumped up and ran out the common room, yelling as he went. "SIRIUS! I DID IT! I'VE GOT A DATE WITH-" The portrait hole swung shut.

A/N: Well, that's chapter one – hope you like it so far! Should have chapter two up in the next week or so :)