AN: I own nothing and all that jazz, apart from the plot. This is going to be a not-so-long one, 3 or 4 chapters max, depending on reviews and such like. So if you do like it then please let me know and I will do my best to keep you entertained.

Autumn 1977

"Where do you think you're going Potter?" Lily Evans in all her glory stood right behind him, leaning against a parapet in the orange gloom.

"Out" He flashed her his most charming smile. She looked bemused and beautiful in the flickering half light.

James stood, marauders map in hand at the entrance to the tunnel to Hogsmeade, the entrance that was appearing before him, twisting rock revealing his escape route.

"I suppose I'm going to have to stop you then." Her voice held a ferocious edge that James had come to fear, but only a hint, he had time to flirt before she went all prefect-like and tried to make him adhere to some stupid curfew.

"I'd like to see you try..." He took a step away from witch statue. Closer to her. She didn't seem to notice, but her fresh apple scent lingered in his nose.

"Where's the rest of you motley crew?" Lily was convinced the marauders were so inseparable they had to accompany one another to the toilet. When she had voiced her theory to her friends, Marlene had given her the unfortunate image of Potter, Black and Lupin sharing a cubicle.

"In bed?" James voiced it like a question, but he knew for sure. He checked the map just be sure. "Yep, bed."

Lily raised a sceptical eyebrow that James did not see. His eye had been caught by a dot on his parchment, a worryingly named dot. That night he had been watching more than one pair of feet traipse around the grounds, the first was Lily Evans, obviously, another was heading towards them at an alarming pace.

Twenty seconds tops.

"Hate to cut this short Evans-" He took her arm, close enough to share breath, shocked them both"- but are you in or out?"

"Er"

Lily's indecision was wasting precious seconds. In that one moment James moved without thinking, he took two steps, pulling Lily with him and flung the pair of them down into the tunnel.

They landed with an oopf, a mass of appendages and an awkward tangling of limbs. It was very dark, the air held a tint of mustiness and a good helping of tension. Not to mention confusion.

James unexpectedly found Lily Evans in his arms in the dark, he couldn't suppress a smile.

Lily found herself entwined in the dark with someone she could tell she was beaming. They didn't move. It was a tiny eternity.

"Er Snaps, as much as fun as this is-" James wriggled, cursed himself for it, Lily felt the colour rise in her cheeks "-I actually have somewhere to be..." He manoeuvred her up, off him, heard her spluttering with indignation. Once released, she made an effort to stand, dusted herself off, not all too pleased with the turn of events.

"Which is where exactly?" She squinted in the murky light of what seemed to be a tunnel carved from mud and rock.

"What?" James had turned away, towards the mouth of the tunnel, he half-turned back pulling a hand through his hair

"Where are you going?" Lily gestured at the tunnel "Where does this go?" Then more to herself than to anyone else "How did I not know about it?" She shook her head and refocused on her kidnapper "Answers! Pronto, or I'm going back up there and I'm going to have a fascinating conversation with whoever you are avoiding so drastically you practically threw me down a hole."

"Authoritative, I like it..." The look he received meant Lily was having none of it, so obviously he continued... "I'm on a mission Evans, Top Secret shit!" He was being purposely obstructive and vague, Lily noted. "A mission that requires the utmost discretion, wit," he paused for effect "not to mention bravery, cunning, impeccable abdominals, a smile to die for..." he danced his eyebrows suggestively in Lily's direction.

"And yet you were chosen for it?..." Lily smirked. James feigned insult, hand to heart.

"Rude." There was a beat of silence, in which James checked his map and Lily rolled her eyes. "Anyway Evans, this has been fun." The coast was clear. "But I must be off, its safe to go back now if you want..." He trailed off because he was unsure as to whether or not he should invite her along, she would almost certainly disprove.

"Go back?" She snorted derisively, " I'm not just letting you sneak out, Potter." His name harshly echoed off the walls.

"Me sneak out? Never!" James took no offence.

"I'm not stupid."

"I know that, Petal" The nickname made her cringe. "But really.." He took two steps down the tunnel.

"There's no chance of me convincing you not to, is there?" James shook his head stubbornly. "Fine." The finality shot his eyebrows halfway up his forehead, she folded her arms resolutely at her chest. A few strands of fiery hair caught on her sleeve. "I'll just have to come with you then." James smiled, just for a second.

"Come on then..."

He was definitely a bad influence, Lily mused, as she walked off into the dank unknown of the tunnel with James Potter.

AN: I hope you liked it, can you guess where they are going or what they are going to get?