Author's Notes: So, lately I've been feeling very inspired with James and Lily, and I have all these ideas for oneshots that I'd like to try. I figured I'd just make a big compilation of them instead of posting them all separately. So, here you go :)

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"What about a picnic?"

James sits with his back resting against the first tree he could find, facing the Great Lake. He bites his lip in concentration, balancing his Transfiguration textbook on his head.

"No!" Lily suppresses a laugh, watching his textbook fall off his head and onto his lap. "That's been done before by a million other guys. You need to do something different with her if you want there to be a second date."

"This is impossible!" James huffs, giving Lily his biggest pout. "What's a bloke supposed to do when Hogsmede is too far away and picnics are overdone?"

"I don't know," Lily sighs. "What do you normally do when you take a girl out?"

"Hogsmede," he answers flatly. "But I can't do what I normally do when it comes to this girl. She's special. Different."

Lily ignores pit in her stomach that's been there since the stupid conversation had started. How is it that she's always the girl that people go to for romantic advice? Actually, Lily thinks, The real question should be, 'Why is it that she's so good at giving romantic advice to other people, but her own romantic life is in shambles?'

She hides her annoyance at the Head Boy with a smile. "What is it that makes her so special?"

James places the textbook that was previously balanced on his head onto his lap and considers the question. He's not sure that he can describe his feelings with things as mundane as words. He almost laughs at how pathetic he has become. Here he is, asking the girl he'd fancied for years (and has fancied for quite some time) for advice on how to ask out the girl he fancies (the very same girl).

Pathetic.

"Everything," he replies. "Help me, Lily. Please. I don't know what to do. What if she says no?"

"No to what?"

"Going out with me."

"Why in Merlin's name would she say 'no' to you?" Lily smiles. "You're James Potter."

"You said 'no' to me."

"Yeah, but it's not like you were seriously asking me out," Lily waves him off. "You only asked me because you knew that I'd say no, didn't you?"

He pauses, unsure of what to say. "I... What?"

"What?" Lily raises her eyebrows.

"Merlin, Lily. I was serious. I really did fancy you."

"Oh."

"Wait a minute," James sits up straight. "Does this mean that you would've said 'yes' if you knew that I was serious?"

"Erm... no," she admits sheepishly. "I wasn't particularly fond of you back then."

"But you are now?" He teases.

"Nope. Your mother is paying me to keep you company. I'm getting paid 20 galleons for every hour I'm around you."

"Psh. You enjoy every minute around me."

Lily snorts. "Yeah, sure."

"Oh!" He claps his hands together. "What about a study date?"

"Is the girl you fancy in Ravenclaw?"

"No."

"Then no," Lily shakes her head. "Definitely not. Why can't you just tell me who she is?"

"Because," James whines. "That ruins the surprise."

"It's not like you can keep it a secret forever."

"Humour me," he replies. "What would you want to do on a date?"

"Hm," Lily thinks for a moment. "I suppose I wouldn't really mind."

"Care to elaborate on that one?" He shoots her a look. "It's not exactly helpful."

"It means that I wouldn't really mind what I'm doing on a date, so long as I'm with someone I like."

"Okay. But if you had to do something, what would you do? Say that the world is on fire and your Potions essay that you had just spent the last 20 hours of your life writing was about to become ashes unless you chose something to do on a date. What would it be?"

"Well, if the Potions essay that I had just spend 20 hours writing was about to be set on fire unless I chose something to do on a date, then I'd probably spout some rubbish like 'Lunch' just for the sole purpose of saving my essay," she laughs. "I don't do well under pressure."

"No, come on. Seriously."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

She considers his question. "Well, if I'm being perfectly honest, I'd just want to walk around somewhere. If I were back home, I'd want to spend the day trying to find the ice-cream parlour my dad would always take me to," she sighs. "I haven't been there in forever."

"Really?" He asks. "You'd honestly just want to walk around?"

"Yeah," she smiles. "James, it honestly doesn't matter what you do with this mystery girl. I'm sure she'll love spending time with you."

"You don't even want anything from your date? Flowers? Chocolate? A card confessing his undying love for you?"

"Roses, maybe. They're pretty." The Head Girl replies. "Some blokes think it's smart to give me lilies, but I think I'm somewhat allergic to them." She wrinkles her nose. "I personally prefer roses."

"Okay," James says, taking mental notes of the all the things the pretty redhead had just said.

"I'm sure she'll appreciate whatever you do for her," Lily says, pushing herself up onto her feet, with James following suit. "You still haven't told me about her. I never thought you'd ever go to all this trouble for a girl."

"She's not just a girl, though," he insists. "She's perfect."

Lily ignores the jealousy rising inside of her, and laughs. "Perfect?"

"Perfect."