"Alright men, time for our nightly meeting!" Called Sirius Black, James' best friend. Being tall, dark and handsome almost as many girls wanted him as they did James.

The four Marauders settled into a lazy demeanor on the sofas by the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room. Everyone else had gone to bed. Or at least the Marauders thought so. A sixteen-year-old redhead girl sat on the stairs of the girl's dormitories every might since she'd found out about these 'meetings'. Tonight, though, she was going to be mentioned.

"Alright, Padfoot, you go first." James always let Sirius go first. It was like Marauder Tradition only not.

"Okay, today I snogged Armstrong, Cladeaux, whoever Longbottom's girlfriend is, and Zabini from Slytherin." Sirius announced proudly. James raised an eyebrow appreciatively. The girl on the stairs rolled her eyes in disgust.

"Nice, Padfoot." James smiled. He looked to Remus Lupin who cleared his throat.

"Today I snogged Tonks." Lupin said shyly. Everyone stared at him. Usually there was just a 'pass' from Moony, but not tonight. James and Sirius patted him on the back as though he had just become a man. When they looked to Peter Pettigrew they said nothing, but looked straight to James. Peter had never snogged anyone in his life and probably never would.

James' face split into a grin. The redhead on the stairs peeked out from behind the wall for this part. When she saw the look on his face, she smiled reminiscently. James sighed reminiscently.

"Today I held Evans' hand on the way back from Astronomy and I kissed her forehead outside the Portrait Hole." He had never let his friends see him so excited before and now they all stared at him. "What? I really like her! Sirius, I've gotta talk to you later. It's really important."

The redhead blushed at the words James had said. She raced up the stairs and into bed when she heard the Marauders getting up to leave. As Lily Evans settled into her covers she knew she had never felt so happy as she had that night when James Potter had kissed her forehead.

OoOoO

"Padfoot, I think I'm a girl. Why else would I think like this?" James wined sorely.

"Uh, Prongs? I think you're a guy, but convince me otherwise." Sirius was confused about why James thought he was not a man so he found a non-mutinying way of finding out.

"Every time I see Evans I notice something new about her. Like last week I saw her reading a book under that old oak tree and noticed that her eyes are the exact colour of the leaves on the trees when the light hits them just right. On Wednesday, I saw her wearing muggle clothes and realized that she looks amazing in dark green. And last night on the way back from Astronomy, I saw how perfectly her hair blends in with the sunset. It matches all the red's and gold's in the sky at dusk. Now do you think I'm a girl?"

Sirius was staring at him, mouth open, with a pair of socks dangling loosely from his grasp.

"Nope." He announced. "I think you're in love, mate."

"I'd rather be a girl!" James groaned. Being in love made you kind and considerate. James was not kind and considerate. It just wasn't his style.

"To bad, mate. You know what you've got to do, don't you?"

"No. What?"

"Get her to like you back."

"Ah, crap. She hates me."

"Not so much hate as dislike with a passion. There's still time, Prongs."

"Okay."

OoOoO

James walked into the common room and right into Lily Evans. She tripped, yelped, and fell into his arms.

"Whoa! Evans, you okay?" He asked, helping her upright.

"Oh. Yeah. Thanks Jam-Potter. I was just coming to tell you that Magonnagal cancelled today's Enriched Transfiguration class. You're in it and so am I, so I thought I'd let you know." Lily said, mentally kicking herself for her 'Name Slip-up' hoping he wouldn't notice. She looked up into his sparkling hazel eyes and was awed by how he was always so happy to see her.

"Evans, you have gorgeous eyes."

"Potter." She said in a warning tone. She flashed him her own half-smile and walked away.

"Wait! Evans! I'm sorry I knocked you over!" He called after her and before he knew it she was back in front of him.

"What did you say?"

"I… I said sorry?"

"Wow, Potter. Maybe you're not as big of a pompous jerk as I thought." She said in awe at him. He smiled at her.

"Evans, I know I promised you, but –"

"Potter, breaking a promise is a disrespectful deed. I'll see you at lunch, James"

"What – you will? James? Did you just call me James?" He stuttered. "Wow. Where's Sirius?"

OoOoO

"She didn't." Sirius said staring at James. "She called you James?"

"Yep. And said she see me at lunch. I think the 'Potter Charm' is finally kicking in." James said flopping back into an Easy Chair with his legs up on the stool and hands linked behind his head. To Sirius, James looked like he could walk on water he was so happy.

"Well, I hate to spoil your relaxation, but lunch starts in ten minutes. You'd better go or you'll miss it." Sirius said, not feeling sorry at all. James ran for the Great Hall at an incredible speed, which might possibly be faster than his Nimbus 1001.

OoOoO

James spotted Lily sitting in the middle of a group of friends. He shook his hair to make it look 'Quidditch Blown' and took a deep breath.

"Hey, Evans." He said in his deepest, Muggle Radio Announcer Voice. Her friends gasped when they saw him. James Potter talking to Lily Evans? "Squish up, you."

Her friends made room for him between a blonde and a girl with black hair. The space was directly across from Lily. He sat down and smiled at her. She looked at him intently, as though surprised he showed up. She jumped when his foot touched hers and blushed when they reached for the Pumpkin Juice at the same time. She was very aware of her friends watching their every move. It was awful.

"Lilyki – I mean, Lily? James asked blushing slightly.

"Yes, Potter."

"Do – do you want to meet me at the Quidditch pitch after dinner? I want to show you something." James looked at her eyes, searching for some sigh of rejection, but it wasn't there this time. She nodded her head with a small smile. His insides had suddenly taken up Tango Lessons it seemed. "Yes, Lily? Wow! I'll see you there! Er, come alone would you?"

She smiled as he looked at her friends who were openly staring at him as though he was a God or something. He leaned over and kissed her cheek before smiling down at her.

"See you, Lily." And with that he bounded off to Quidditch practice.