Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They belong to the lovely Joanne Rowling

AN: This may be a one-shot, but I might continue it

He wasn't supposed to be there. Lily immediately saw him as she walked into the room. Shiny new dress robes (no doubt purchased by wealthy pureblooded parents) sparkled in the dim light. Servers teetered around, handing out oddly colored refreshments, and an old record of the Hobgoblins blared throughout the office.

James bloody Potter wasn't supposed to be there. This was supposed to be her salvation. Potter wasn't even a member of the Slug Club. She'd be seeing him too much nowadays. They had patrol together, and they were at the same desk in Defense against the Dark Arts. In hopes of avoiding him, Lily had come late to breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the past fortnight, only to find every time that only open seat was next to him.

Was this all some elaborate prank orchestrated by Sirius Black to get under her skin? Lily hoped so. Why else would James Potter be attending a boring dinner party hosted by Slughorn?

He looked good, no doubt. His dress robes were pressed, and his dark hair was surprisingly combed. His hazel eyes glittered with mischief.

Stop it, you daft cow, she scolded herself. James Potter was nothing more than an arrogant toerag. A very handsome toerag, though.

"Lily!" His tone was warm and welcoming. Lily hesitated. He had been acting oddly every since term started, and it had been driving her up the wall.

Instead of chasing after her and asking her out rather publically, he greeted her in the common room if he saw her. Instead of making fun of Remus for succumbing to his prefect duties, he cooperated with Lily during patrol. Instead of making paper broomsticks in class, he rapidly took notes, not even lifting his eyes off the professor. In fact, Lily hadn't even seen him hex anybody all year.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded, her face flushing. He'd always made fun of 'old Sluggy'.

James smirked. Oh, Merlin. He couldn't be there with somebody. He just couldn't.

"I'm here with Emmeline, actually."

"Emmeline?" Lily muttered. Emmeline Vance?

Glancing across the room, she caught sight of the said Emmeline.

Emmeline Vance was very attractive. She had a perfect smile of straight, white teeth, and a mane of lush, long blonde hair. Her moon-silver dress shimmered more than anything in the crowded office, and her pond-blue eyes were exceptionally sparkly.

And she wasn't only beautiful. The Ravenclaw was brilliant(Lily had always competed with her for top grades), admired enough to be in the Slug Club, and played Chaser for her house's Quidditch team. And the Vance family, though not one of the so-called 'Sacred Twenty-Eight', was a powerful pureblood family.

Of course Potter would like her. They got on well and looked good together. They would marry and live in a big, old manor and have a dozen brilliant, mischievous pureblood children with the prettiest blonde hair and the most beautiful hazel eyes. Lily felt sick.

"Good for you," she managed to choke out. James nodded, his cheeks suddenly red. "Are you here with anyone?" he inquired politely. "No," Lily admitted. Why wasn't she? Slughorn had encouraged them all to bring dates. Three boys had asked her, one being a handsome, intelligent Hufflepuff that she should've accepted.

Yet she didn't. Lily had thought about saying yes, but was struck by a horrible, anxious feeling, as if her heart was sinking into her stomach.

"A shame," James looked at her. Lily's heart skipped a beat.

"Did you finish the Defense essay?" Lily changed the subject. She couldn't bear to talk of romance with him.

James looked at her quizzically before answered. "Oh, yeah. I've had that done for a week."

"What?" Lily had been working on it for a week. "What? That's ridiculous!"

"Huh? I got it done in one afternoon!" James seemed defensive.

"Oh, Merlin. I'm falling behind." Lily spoke without thought. Her aggravation outweighed logic and propriety.

"Well, at least you look beautiful." James smiled. He was being overly flirtatious; Lily had been waiting for him to go back to his old ways. He could've just said 'nice', but he had to go even further. Surprisingly, Lily found that she didn't mind.

"Why are you here with Vance?" She nudged in the direction of the fetching Ravenclaw, trying to show her emotions as little as possible. James smirked at her before responding.

"Oh, Emmeline? She's an-" He looked at her before continuing, "-a nice one, isn't she?"

Lily felt like her insides were being lit on fire. Her stomach was so heavy, she had to stop herself from buckling.

"Yeah, I suppose," she muttered, though she was saying something quite different in her head. "I'm getting rather tired, I think I'll just go say goodbye to Professor Slughorn,"

"I'll see you tomorrow, I suppose," James said as Lily walked off. He wouldn't. It was a Hogsmeade weekend and Potter would most definitely be going with his new girlfriend. Lily would be too busy trying to finish that damn Defense report and wallowing in misery.

Why did she feel this way? For years now she had been hoping for the day when Potter moved on.

She didn't fancy Potter! She most definitely did not! Perhaps Mary or Alice or Marlene knew what was going on? Lily probably just had the stomach flu or some freak illness brought on by Potter's presence. Yes, that was it. She had the stomach flu. That explained those bloody butterflies in her stomach.

She'd better get to bed. Before she vomited all over old Sluggy's feet.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then?" James asked as they left the party. Emmeline nodded.

The party had been more interesting than James expected. He initially didn't want to go, but then Emmeline invited him.

The main reason he agreed to go was that Evans would be there. He was still fascinated by her, despite himself. She'd been such a prude to him, and James resolved to get over her, as there was no future, but he couldn't help liking her. And seeing him with Emmeline, whom she loathed, would bother her.

Contrary to the rumours that now flew about the castle, he wasn't going out with Emmeline. She was attractive and good at quidditch, but he wasn't sure how he felt about her. He had stronger for Lily in the past.

He didn't still fancy Lily, did he? Even Sirius told him there was no hope in that. When he found out he was Head Boy, he was excited that he would be working with Lily, but they barely talked at all, and it was nice to not be chasing after her.

"Goodnight, James!" Emmeline smiled as she walked off. She was very pretty, indeed, James smirked. Lily would hate her.

Yes, he would definitely see her tomorrow.