"Evans," He says awkwardly. He is still looking at her like she is an incredibly fragile thing that might shatter any moment. "Look, I'm sorry about what happened today. Snape -" James' jaw twitches as he says this, an angry flash in his eyes. "Snape was an arse… and I - I hope you're alright." He is nervous. Lily Evans makes him that way.

"I'm fine, thank you." Lily says, nodding at James, "It's kind of you to ask." She refrains from telling him that he was annoying her by looking at her the entire evening, because she acknowledges the fact that poor Potter had already had his dose of "Lily's wrath" today.

"Er, well, that's good then." He says, looking relieved that she was being nice to him. It really was a surprise to him - her being this way. It didn't happen often. He runs a hand through his hair, and then says, "So, see you then?"

"Yes, see you." Lily says, and then turning on her heels, vanishes up the stairs leading to her dorm.

………………………………...

He watches her walk up the stairs without so much as a glance at him. He sighs. He tries. He really, really does. He tries so hard to be sensitive, understanding… and all that other crap, James knows from eavesdropping on girls, that they liked in a boy. But, he is so fed up of trying all the tricks and failing miserably.

Lily Evans, he realizes, is not going to fall for him. This was, of course, a bit shocking for someone like him. He was James Potter - Chaser and Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, son of the famous Auror, Harold Potter, top scorer on every Defense Against the Dark Arts exam…

This was weird, to say the least. It was so strange to have someone hate him. Well, okay, it wasn't too strange - there was Severus Snape.

And it was a known fact that Snape hated James very much. Sure, James Potter hadn't exactly treated Snape very nicely. Sure, he had pulled every prank known to mankind on the greasy git. And although that could have easily been the sole reason for Snape hating James, James thinks that there has to be more than just that. But he doesn't know for sure.

And okay, Severus Snape was Lily's best friend. James almost snorts out loud, standing in the middle of the common room. Best friend. Some best friend Snape turned out to be - calling her a name, I can't even bring myself to think of…Bloody idiot…

"James?"

He looks around, and sees Dorcas Meadowes looking at him strangely.

"You okay?" She asks, rolling up the parchment in front of her and getting up from the table she has been sitting at.

"Yeah…" he says, nodding. He watches her gather her quills and book bag, and then says after a pause, "Why wouldn't I be okay?"

"Because you are pining for my best friend." Dorcas says grinning. "And come on, James, you really can't be denying it anymore." She tilts her head, raising her eyebrows, amused. "Not after you publicly proclaimed your love for her today afternoon."

James scoffs. "You really take exaggeration to the next level, Dorcas Meadowes." He tries to look as careless as possible. "It was hardly a proclamation of love."

"No, you're right - it was a pitiful plea for a date," Dorcas says, her tone teasing. She takes on a lofty, deep voice, "Go out with me, Evans… Lily dearest, have a drink with me, go on… please, please, please, I'll do anything for you… I dream about us getting married and having little bab -" And she is cut off abruptly as James lunges at her and says laughing -

"I wouldn't go on if I were you, Meadowes, because even if my best friend is a clueless git, I definitely am not," James lowers his voice, and glances over at the group sitting near the fireplace. "Enlighten me, Miss Meadowes, what ever happened to the Quidditch seeker gloves that Sirius claimed he lost about a year ago?"

And at this, the brunette blushes crimson.

"Yes, I thought that would shut you up." James says, his eyes twinkling.

"I - I didn't take them!" she protests, giving James her best "I have no idea what you're talking about" look.

"Dorcas, Dorcas, Dorcas," James says. "You really give me no credit - that is one lousy attempt at lying."

"James -" Dorcas tries protesting, but is interrupted by the common room door flying open, revealing an agitated girl at the entrance.

"Urgh, I swear I'll complain to McGonagall if I see him lurking around outside our common room again," the girl says, shaking her dark curls from her forehead.

"He is outside?" Dorcas asks incredulously.

"Yes," the girl shudders. "He is sulking outside, and he swears that he won't leave unless I tell Lily to go outside and talk to him."

James watches this exchange between the girls, and says, "Who exactly are we talking about?" He looks at Dorcas and then at the other girl. "Dorcas? Mary?"

Mary looks at James like she has just realized James's presence. She eyes him warily, and then glances at Dorcas, asking for her approval.

"Its okay, you can tell James, Mary." Dorcas says smiling slightly. She elbows James playfully. "You won't do anything stupid, will you, James?"

James looks at her, confused.

"Severus Snape is standing outside," Mary clarifies for him. "Apparently, he wants to apologize to Lily."

Dorcas scoffs. "The scum."

James feels anger surge through him. He clenches and unclenches his fists, a sort of fierceness taking hold of him.

"I swear, I'll -" James struggles with himself, trying to come up with something bad enough to do to Snape.

Dorcas looks at him knowingly, and asks him cautiously, "You won't do anything, will you?"

He looks at her, a smile appearing on his handsome face. "What?" he gives her a playful tap on her head. "What do you think I could possibly do to Snape, Meadowes?"

Dorcas gives him a skeptical look and says, "Oh, I don't know…" she pretends to think. "Maybe take his pants off in front of the entire student body?"

"Been there, done that." James says offhandedly.

"No, really?" Mary asks sarcastically.

"Don't pretend like you and your friends didn't notice me and Sirius humiliate the slime ball today morning." James says suavely.

"No, we saw that," Mary says laughing. "But if we're talking about humiliation here, then I might also mention the part when Lily called you a - a…what was that she called you, James? Ah, oh yes, a bullying toerag." She smirks, while James' frowns at the memory.

James was anything but a bully. Well, okay, so he liked to have some fun with people. But 'Bully' was a strong word. He wasn't really a bully, was he? Yes, he had tortured Snape just for the fun of it… and yes, Snape hadn't really bothered him today morning. So? Sirus was bored, and so was he. They had seen Snivellus walk towards them, and James just couldn't resist the urge to taunt him. That couldn't make him, James, a bully.

Could it?