Lily sat down by Sirius and wiped her red, puffy eyes. How could Severus be so cruel? Granted, he hated James, but couldn't he put that aside for her? It wasn't like she was making him hang around James. In fact, quite the opposite.
Sirius put his arm around her shoulders, and James' arm found her waist. "It's alright," Sirius said cheerfully, "You've got us! And you've especially got Prongs, here." and he winked.
"You told him about..." She didn't know how to continue, and simply looked at James.
He ruffled his hair awkwardly and laughed. "Well with Peeves yelling about it, he would've found out anyway..." his voice lowered, "and I don't mind people knowing if you don't."
Sirius' arm still around her shoulder, jabbed James in the face. "Don't go seducing the innocent ones, James." They both laughed, and Lily's face went red.
"Who are you to say I'm innocent?" She regretted the words as soon as they rolled from her tongue, because Sirius and James were in shock, and then fits of laughter, clutching at their sides as her face turned from pink to tomato-like. Even Remus and Peter were having their share of chuckles as they ate. Her thumbs, sitting in her lap now, were suddenly very interesting.
James wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him. He was still laughing! She wasn't angry, of course. And James looked incredibly handsome when he laughed. But nowhere near that smouldering look he had given her the night before.
"Hey, Padfoot?"
"Yeah, Moony?" He raised his eyebrows at Lupin.
"We should probably head to Ancient Runes."
"Oh, yeah." James rose from his seat, and held his hand out for Lily. "You have Ancient Runes with us.. Would you sit with me?" He grinned at her like he had just discovered what smiling was.
"It's alright. You and Sirius always sit with each other." She smiled back, and was careful not to mention that she intended to sit with Severus.
James' face fell slightly, but he still took her hand. "Alright, but Sirius is taking Muggle Studies instead of Divination to infuriate his family. So you don't have an excuse for our next class."
She laughed at his determination. "I guess I'll be forced to suffer your presence, then."
As they turned a corner, she found his hands once again at her waist, and her back against the stone wall. James' mouth found hers instantly, and she ran her hands through his untidy black hair. Soon, she found herself with shortened breath, and her leg braced around his for support.
Finally, they broke apart, breathless. James coughed. "Sorry about that.. I.. er, I've wanted to do that for a long time."
"Uhhuh." She muttered, not really acknowledging his words and she adjusted herself to walk into Ancient Runes.
Severus sat in the front, his hair covering his eyes, already bent over their fourth year textbook, examining the contents in an effort to get a headstart, when Lily perched herself next to him (much to James' irritation and surprise).
"Hey, Sev." She smiled at him as he looked up, and he could only stare. But, finally, words tumbled out of his mouth hurriedly.
"Lily, I am so sorry, I jumped to conclusions, and it's none of my business anyway, but I don't want you going out with that brat, he's not good enough for you, noone is."
Lily glanced down and twiddled her thumbs.
"Would you hate me if I did?"
Severus could only stare again. "Lily... I would never hate you."
She smiled up at him again. "Then let's just never talk about him."
"Sounds good, I guess." He said lamely'
Just then, Professor Marie Moritia waltzed her way into the room. She was very well-kempt, but not extremely feminine. She was short and slim, but had defined muscles. Her hair was cropped close to her head and styled in an almost swirl-like fashion. Her hair was also a deep purple, a contrast to her large, light green eyes. She was wearing deep red robes that complimented her hair nicely.
"She's a metamorphagus." Severus explained to Lily's wide eyes.
"Now, for your first lesson, I'll have you all read the first chapter, 'Ancient Runes and their Properties around the World', and relay to me what you understand. Also, feel free to call me Marie, instead of dallying around with that Professor formality." She winked at the class before continuing in her smooth, alto-like voice, "Also, for those of you who have Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration class at 5 pm, I will be seeing you all very often. Now, to work!" She clapped her hands and strode over to her desk.

After Ancient Runes, James hopped hurriedly out of his seat to wrap his hand through Lily's and she told that Snape kid goodbye. They made their way up to the stuffy classroom, and found the corridor deserted once more.
James attempted the trap door that opened upwards, but it wouldn't budge. "Hmm.." he mused, "Guess we'll have to wait for-"
He was pleasantly interrupted by Lily's hands entangling themselves in his jet black hair. As his mouth met hers, his left hand went to the small of her back, and his right trailed through her thick, dark red hair.
Lily thought to herself that this should be weird behaviour for her. But it felt perfectly fine. In fact, it felt right.
Her leg wrapped itself up to his thigh, and he trailed warm kisses down her neck. His cool hands found their way to her waist under the back Gryffindor sweater and white shirt she wore. She arched against him and twirled her right hand through his hair, the other holding him close to her. She wondered what the awkward-feeling bulge pressing on her hip was when the door burst open, forcing them apart in the surprise. In horror, Lily pulled her shirt down back over her navel, hoping that whoever opened the door wouldn't notice.
Of course it had to be Severus. Luckily, he wasn't alone, as Professor Jeldine (Yel-deen), a short and plump, but still rather attractive woman, teetered behind him.
"Very few students this year, only fifteen on the fourth year roll, I suppose that will have to do though." She said in her high, clipped voice.
James thanked his lucky stars that she had not seen him and Lily. But Snape had.
He glanced over his shoulder at Snape while Jeldine unlocked the trapdoor. He looked absolutely thunderous. James noticed Lily glancing back at him nervously as well.
"I.. I should-"
James put his arm protectively over her shoulders. "If he feels the need to talk to you, I think he won't have a problem with it, but I think you should wait until he cools down."
Lily swallowed nervously and nodded in agreement, stubborn though she was. However, with the thin crowd of students, Severus was soon directly next to Lily.
"Don't use your prize too quickly, Potter." He sneered, and Lily's face reddened.
"Severus-"
"Listen Snape, Lily will involve herself with whomever she likes. I'm not forcing her to do so with myself, and it wouldn't be my business if it were someone else. However, she isn't your property, and she's damn well kind enough to forgive you for acting like a bastard time and time again. I suggest you try to keep your one quality friend, but that's just advice from an insufferable git."
Snape glared darkly at him before making his way up the ladder, seething in rage. How dare Potter speak to him like that.
How dare he be so correct.
"James, you didn't have to do that." Lily said in the smallest voice he had ever heard.
"Of course I did." He hugged her before placing himself on the wretched poufs that clouded you with dust at the slightest of movements. She placed herself quietly next to him, and Remus sat next to her.
Their divination class was even more dreary than the previous year's, but it gave them a free period afterwards, since Dumbledore insisted that "students in this class require extra time for devotion to their other subjects, for Divination is very mentally strenuous".
However, listening to Professor Jeldine rant about her most famous prophecies was most boring indeed. Even Lily found it hard to concentrate, and by the time the hour was up, her eyelids were drooping.
"We have a free period?" James inquired.
"Of course we do, didn't you look at your schedule?"
"Why would I?" he grinned. "I'm going to follow you everywhere anyway, why bother?"
Lily laughed as they walked down the stairs back to the commonroom to wait for their next period, Potions.
They sat on the couch, watching the fire that was constantly alight in their commonroom, when James said, "So, er, you seem pretty comfortable around me rather suddenly."
Lily's face burned. She knew what he was referring to.
"Yeah, I'm actually not entirely sure why that is."
"I certainly don't mind," he assured her quickly, "I just wanted to make sure it wasn't some kind of temporary thing that would lead me to irritate you later."
She giggled at his nervousness and turned to face him properly. "No, it seems rather permanent to me."
Relief washed over his face as he grinned. "Good. I like knowing you."
"Mmmhmm." she throated as she brought her face to his once again, pushing his shoulders to the arm of the couch. Her knees were aligned with his hipsas his cool hands once again found the skin of her waist. He pushed himself up, and guided her under him so they were almost opposite the side of the couch.
She couldn't help it; her hands found their way under his shirt to the toned muscle of his abdomen, and then to his back. His mouth found itself at the right side of her collarbone.
"Are you okay?" He asked huskily.
"Oh yes." she managed.
She felt his lips twitch upwards at her breathlessness, then continue across her clavicle when he stopped.
She looked inquiringly at him as he rebuttoned the top two of her shirt that seemed to have come undone (Eek, she thought), and brought her under his arm again.
"I'm not going to make you go through this so quickly. I waited three years for you to stop scowling at me, I can wait a little longer for.. other stuff." He smiled and ran his fingers through his hair nervously.
"Fine. But if I tell you in all certainty that I want something, you had damned well let me have at it." She poked his ribs as he laughed.