"Evans! Hey, EVANS!"

Lily ignored James Potter's shouts, and continued to storm away from the scene at the lake. Who did he think he was? Did he think she would be impressed by him hanging Sev up by the ankles? Then he'd had the audacity to try defend her when Sev-

She sighed heavily, and flung open the door to the castle. The tears in her eyes threatened to spill over, and the lump in her throat burned, but she refused to cry. The breakdown of her friendship with Severus had been a long time coming; she had been telling him for months that he was getting in with a bad crowd, and it was causing a rift between them. Still, she had never expected he would call her…

Lily stomped up the stairs to Gryffindor tower, half-yelling the password at the Fat Lady. She was relieved to find her room empty when she reached it; most of the students were outside enjoying the sunshine before dinner. She flung herself onto her bed, and grabbed her potions textbook from her bedside table where she had left it the night before. She had barely read a word before she slammed it shut and threw it to the end of her bed where it landed with a soft thud. Potions was her and Sev's passion; they would always work together in the OWL class, and complete homework together in the library. The book served as a reminder that they were no longer friends.

"EVAAAANS!" a voice seeming to come from downstairs startled her.

"EVANS IF YOU DON'T COME DOWN AND TALK TO ME I'M GOING TO STAY HERE AND YELL AT YOU ALL NIGHT!"

It was James Potter.

Knowing that he was true to his word, Lily got off the bed and made her way down the stairs, mumbling all the way about 'James bloody Potter'.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, he was sat cross-legged on the floor. Upon seeing Lily, he scrambled clumsily to his feet.

"What do you want, Potter?" Lily said, folding her arms across her chest.

"I want to say sorry. I was a prat back there to Sniv-er, Snape, and even though he was a total arse to you, I realise that I you are an independent young woman and…" he paused, and pulled a piece of parchment out of his pocket that was covered in a messy scrawl. Lily read the words 'arse' and 'independent woman' before he shoved it back in his pocket. "…and I shouldn't have tried to defend you."

Usually, Lily would argue with him, but she was too emotionally drained from her fight with Sev. "Whatever, Potter. Is that all you wanted to say?"

"You're not going to call me an arrogant prat?" he asked, surprised.

"Not this time. Can I go?"

Lily made her way back up the stairs, not even reacting at hearing Potter faintly say to himself, "shedefinitely fancies me."