Disclaimer: Isn't it obvious I'm doing this for my own enjoyment? Seriously…sighs fine, don't own anybody except Sara, Kayla and Michelle. Don't own them either cos they're my best friends.
A/N: OK…I'm writing this now (duh) but it might not get posted up straight away…for reasons…gives evil laugh. I hope that you will all consider that something has happened in this chapter, because I know the others were introductory. Thanks to all my reviewers! Oh, yeah, if you have any questions about appearances, clothes, uniforms or whatever, send me a message via my profile, or send me a review, and I'll post it on my profile! Descriptions of clothes in stories can get a little tacky. So, yeah, I'll get writing…
Dedications- My story is always permanently dedicated to my excellent reviewers. So that's a given…This chapter is also dedicated to my best friends Saara, Michelle and Caila, even though they don't know I'm writing this, lol cause they're Christian and don't read Harry Potter. So am I but…long story, whatever…
The first complete day of Lily Evans's new relationship with James Potter dawned…not at all bright, and very late. "Could this," teased Sara happily from her position on her bed, watching Lily getting dressed at top speed, "be an omen of things to come in your relationship with James?"
"Why don't you go gaze in your crystal ball?" Lily replied huffily, referring to her friend's uncanny ability in Divination. She pulled her school robes over her head, grabbed her bag, smoothed her hair into an Alice band, and beamed. "Ready. Who said I was late?"
Sara and Lily met their other friends in the Great Hall, finishing off breakfast. Sara immediately went to sit next to Kayla. Lily hesitated. OK, first day of going out with James, and I already have to choose between him and my friends. James was sitting on one side of the table, and Michelle another, empty seats beside both. She glanced at James. He had a slightly hesitant, confused look on his handsome face. He looked at her uncertainly. Damn that puppy dog look. She plopped into the seat beside him, casting an apologetic look at Michelle, who smirked. Damn! "What have we got first?" she asked hastily, wanting to change the subject.
"You mean to say," Remus began slowly, "that the great Lily Evans hasn't yet memorised when Potions classes are? Wow!"
She sighed and took a bite of French toast. "Potions then." She chewed thoughtfully. "Not that bad. We're still making Amortentia, right? Maybe Michelle," she nodded at her Potions partner, "we could do some extra at lunchtime?"
"And abandon your boyfriend at this crucial bonding time?" Sirius shook his head in mock sorrow. "You picked a hard girl, Prongs."
As James chuckled, Lily said calmly, rising to her feet, "And as soon as Sirius speaks, the conversation turns back to that of a third years. Guys, I'm off. Don't want to be late." Catching sight of James face, she smiled lightly before bending down to kiss him on the cheek. "Happy?" she whispered.
"Ecstatic," he murmured back. She turned around, ignoring the smug looks on her friends' faces, and instead catching sight of the jealous and horrified faces of girls all around the hall. "Oh, the things I do for you Potter," she muttered, and marched out, closely followed by a giggling Michelle, Kayla and Sara.
It was, Lily mused to herself in Charms, her third period, weird to get used to, suddenly going around putting yourself in close quarters to James Potter, kissing him all the time, especially when you didn't love him. Not only weird to get used to the strong protective hand around hers, but also the whispers in the class room, the arrogant smirks from boys, (no girl, not even THE Lily Evans can resist the great male sex), the hateful ones from girls, (she's just getting together with him to be spiteful, she is such a bitch), and the condescending ones from teachers, (they're so young, so in love, they have such an innocent view on life). Sure, all of this would have been worth it if she loved him, but she didn't, she didn't, so what was the point? But she knew that she couldn't, when Kayla suggested it, break up with him. "Kayla, his feelings will be hurt! I can't just do that! As annoying a prat he is, and however much I-"
"Dislike him?" prompted Kayla.
"No! However much I don't love him, he doesn't deserve that. Just trust me. I know what I'm doing." Sure I do…
"Well," Kayla said bluntly. "I don't believe you. But whatever. Do you have to meet with James now?"
"I've been in the class the whole time, Kayla," a deep voice came from behind them. "Lily! Have you had a good day so far?"
She had to laugh. After all her insistences that this was "just business", James refused to let it be just that. He had to be the perfect gentlemanly boyfriend. As he reached down to hug her, she caught sight of smirks and winks from her friends and the Marauders. She pretended to scowl at them over James's shoulder. "Are you guys going to get over this anytime soon?"
"You know Lily, darling, the whole school's not going to get over this until you two lovebirds break up." Lily turned around. "Courtney! This is unexpected!" And not one hundred percent pleasant. She eyed the girl in front of her. Courtney Zeller was what you would call the school slut, but Lily avoided saying that, because she knew that Courtney wouldn't sleep with men for money. The first time the Slytherin had slept with someone she had been dumped a week later, and since then, she was slightly unguarded with her love affairs, not seeming to consider it a big deal to have a one night stand. Lily couldn't help pity her, even though the girl before her hardly looked in need of pity. Standing there wearing just a short sleeved shirt, top two buttons undone, a grey school skirt worn high on her thighs, and an immaculately made up face, long black tresses flowing down her back, she looked the picture of confidence.
"Who says we're going to break up?" James asked bluntly.
"It was an 'if' statement, not a 'when'." Courtney smiled gently. "But James, sweetheart, I just want a quick word…" Lily looked rather surprised as James was steered away from her into a corner. She watched the two of them laughing together slightly, Courtney getting closer and closer with every word she said.
"Jealous?" a voice breathed in her ear. She turned around. Remus had his head buried in a book, trying to look interested, while sneaking looks at her. Peter was glancing at Courtney and James, and then at her, shaking his head slightly in reassurance. She smiled weakly. Her friends were glaring at Courtney, and Sirius was staring down at her, eyebrows slightly raised.
"No, not jealous." She turned back to the sight of Courtney prodding James in his chest. "Not jealous," she repeated, "just rather put out. Excuse me." She walked over to them.
"She's gonna slap her?" Remus whispered in shock.
Lily just grabbed James's arm, flashed a quick smile at Courtney, and steered him away. "Smooth, Lils." Sirius grinned triumphantly. "Girls? You can stop wishing Courtney death!" They all hurried into the Great Hall after Lily and James, only to find they weren't there.
Where they were exactly was wandering up a deserted corridor, a determined Lily leading a bewildered James. "Here," she muttered, and pushed him in a very small broom closet, and pushed herself in beside him. You had to pick the smallest one Evans, she scolded herself; uncomfortably aware of how pressed up her body was against his. She glanced up at him. He was looking even more confused than before.
"I thought you didn't want to shag," he said slowly. He ran his eyes over what he could see of her body, and felt his stomach jump. Oh my gosh, Lily…
The look of passion and lust in his eyes scared her slightly. She shook her head slowly, and backed away into the opposite wall. He moved right with her until now she was trapped beneath his body, and unable to move. "I don't want to shag…now." Oh crap, I wasn't meant to say the last word! "I just wanted to say," she went on hurriedly, "that…oh, James, I can't do this!"
James just gaped, shocked.
She went on hurriedly. "I can't do this if I'm always worried that you're flirting with another girl! I'm not accusing you of cheating, but…"
James was watching Lily with a shrewd expression. Finally he said, "I thought this was just business?"
"It is," Lily explained, absentmindedly playing with the tie on his robes, her hands unintentionally brushing his crotch. He stifled a groan. This was not the best time, not locked in a cupboard with her pressed right against him. Normally, fine, but now? Self-control, James, self-control. "But, James, well… I mean… at first… basically, my reputations at stake too!" She sounded flustered.
"Of course," Sirius said grinning, staring at the two way mirror he held, James's one having been accidentally left on since last detention, "she isn't flustered because she really wants him. And James isn't fazed because he wants to shag Lily senseless. Oh no..."
"Put it away, Sirius!" Peter exclaimed, hitting the larger boy on the head, "before they hear you!"
Sirius stuffed it out of sight just as James and Lily came into the hall. Lily looked rather peeved, and James was frowning slightly. Just as the two of them sat down, Lily smiling weakly at all her friends, Professor McGonagall came marching up. "Quick!" James muttered. "What have I done recently?"
All seven other teenagers opened their mouths. "That I haven't been punished for!" he added.
"Ooooh…" they all fell silent.
"Potter!" Professor McGonagall's strong voice rang out. "The Quidditch trials! In ten minutes!"
James had to smile. However strict Professor McGonagall was, her enthusiasm, bordering on fanaticism, was the sign of a true Quidditch fan. "Got it Prof."
"Professor," she hissed. "Professor!"
There was ringing laughter. James got up. "I'll see you all later," he smiled. "Lily, do you want to come and watch?"
"Er…no thanks, James, I've got Potions to do, with Michelle." Her sharp eyes caught sight of the crest fallen disappointment visible in his eyes.
"OK, fine," he said. "But at least allow me to take you out this evening? First date?"
She shrugged slightly. "OK, whatever. Michelle? Coming?"
Behind her and James's back, the others made looks of slight panic and concern at each other.
"So," Michelle began slightly nervously. "What's up?"
"Nothing," Lily replied airily, adding a unicorn tail.
"Oh, Lily! You and James! What happened? One minute you're fine, and the next, your relationship-"
"Relationship?" snapped Lily angrily. "There never was a relationship. And the sooner you all realise this is purely business, the better." She slammed her hand hard down on the table. A beaker of seahorse blood fell off and smashed on the floor. She and Michelle stared at each other shocked, before Lily burst into tears.
"I'm sooooory!" she wailed. "It's just everyone's being so weird, and seeing James with that girl made me feel all…"
"Shhh, it's OK, don't worry!" Michelle said hastily, coming over to hug and comfort her friend.
"…made me feel all, I don't know, angry, jealous even, and then being locked up in that cupboard with him made me feel all…"
"Yeah, I get it!" Michelle said, not wanting to know the details of her friend's sexual feelings.
"And I don't want to feel like this, 'cos I don't want to love him, and I don't love him, so what the hell is going on?" she buried her face in Michelle's shoulder.
"Whatever you're feeling will not be solved by crying," Michelle said firmly. "Shhh, it's going to all be OK! Now, you're going to clean yourself up, go to your lessons, and then, you're going to go on that date with James Potter. Because," she continued loudly, over Lily's snuffling protests, "maybe if you stop trying to, well, ignore those feelings, or deny them, maybe if you start doing more with James, they'll go away! OK?"
"'K," Lily managed to whisper.
"There, good! Now you've got Arithmancy next, then I'll see you in Study of Ancient Runes. And then we can get Kayla and Sara's help to get you ready. Kayla will be pleased!" Lily gave a watery smile.
"Thanks Michelle. And…" she gave her friend a big bear hug, "I'm sorry." And with that Lily hurried away.
Meanwhile, James was surveying the people who had turned up for Quidditch trials, for a new Seeker. Couple of good guys there, rather young though… couple of cocky guys there, no way…some silly giggling girls, oh no, and…Sara? Sara Massey was standing there, clutching a shiny broomstick, and chatting happily with Sirius. James was surprised; he had never known Sara was interested in Quidditch, the number of times she had yelled at the Marauders that it was "just a freaking game", when they had been contemplating plans to injure Slytherin players, were innumerable. But she's small and light enough for a Seeker, about seven stones, and she's as got the kind of attitude this team needs. But I can't just pick her straight away…"OK people," James yelled. "Form a line here please!"
Just narrowing down the group of people who had come took a long time. James frowned as he scanned the two people remaining. He, and anybody who wished to try out for the team, had been given the afternoon lessons off, which was probably why so many people had turned up. James turned to Sara and Jason Cauldwell, a seventh year, rather tall and muscular, but who had been quite quick at catching the Snitch. "Right," he said. "You've both flown really well today, and it's really hard for me to pick between you." I'm sorry, Sara, but I really think Jason would be better. You were as great as him, but I don't think you could cope with all the injuries other players, particularly Slytherins, would give you.
"However," James continued, "I really think…" One of Jason's friends muttered something to Jason and he nodded, casting an angry look at Sara. "Is there a problem?" James asked.
"It's obvious Potter, that you'll choose the girl," he spat angrily. "She's your little slut of a girlfriend's best friend, and she's rather shaggable herself."
Sara and James both drew out their wands. "What did you call Lily?" James hissed.
Jason looked unconcerned. "The girl said it herself: she's shagging you for business. And Massey has a good body, her technique can't be…"
James stepped forward, grabbing the older boy by his collar. "Get lost," he said in a quiet, dangerous voice, "now." He pushed Jason away from him, and turned to Sara. "Sara, you're on the team! Congratulations! I'll tell you the training times soon."
He, Sara and Sirius walked back to the castle, Sara and Sirius talking enthusiastically about Quidditch, while James walked along, scowling at the ground.
"Hey." Sara nudged him. "What's up?"
"That stupid Cauldwell. He said that about Lily."
"He's a bastard," Sirius said. "Why do you care?"
"Well, with Lily being angry with me, I just feel like…I don't know…really awful, and that prat made it worse."
Sara smiled gently. "I'm going to go upstairs. Lily said she wants help getting ready for the Big Date." James seemed to perk up considerably. "And I want you to sort everything for the date out, and not to worry! Black," she rounded on Sirius. "I want you to help him in moderation! Bye-bye." She walked off, hips swaying in the October twilight. Sirius stared after her, mouth slightly open. James began to laugh.
"Sirius? Come on mate, I need to get ready!" The two close friends walked off into the shadow of the castle.
Meanwhile, Kayla was in her element. There was a girl needing to be made up and clothed, and there was makeup and clothes. What could rock more?
"Did James tell you what the dress code was, Lily?" she asked, while going through her make up bag.
"Funnily enough, no. Casual-smart, I think though."
"Right," Kayla said. "OK, your hair is fine, the curls just need a little taming, but otherwise, all good. Make up…maybe a little eyeliner…"
"No, Kayla!"
"Fine, lip-gloss, and neutral eye shadow…um…OK, let's start!"
Half an hour later, Lily was ready. She looked beautiful. She was wearing a simple, short black dress, with a blue band tied around her waist and tied in a bow. Her red hair was curling loosely on her shoulders, held back by a black Alice band. Her pink lips were parted and pouting, her eyes sparkling under the soft pink shades of her eye shadow.
"You look amazing!" squealed Sara. Michelle beamed and gave her friend a hug.
"You look really sexy actually," Kayla said absentmindedly, glancing at her handiwork. "Any idea where James is gonna take you?"
"Anywhere he can show off, no doubt," Lily said shortly. Kayla stared at the other girls, confused. Michelle pulled a face and shook her head. Lily turned around. "Thank you very much, Kayla," she beamed. "And you others too, I look good, if I say so myself! Thanks."
"No problem," Kayla replied, glad that Lily wasn't mad at her. "You'd better go, have a great time!"
Lily took a deep breath as she descended the steps to the Entrance Hall, and looked rather shyly round for James. OK, I've been stressed with him all day, for no real reason, but he wouldn't stand me up, would he? Oh, no, please, he wouldn't! I promise I'll be nice James, just-
"Lily?" she turned around and was greeted by the sight of James. The two of them felt their breath hitch at the sight of the other. Merlin, James thought. She's beautiful. She's gorgeous! I am so lucky. I just hope that damn redhead temper isn't present tonight. But, oh wow…
Lily was just staring at him. He looked exceptionally wonderful. He was wearing a pair of black trousers, and a navy button down shirt with the top two buttons undone. OK…only I, Lily the redhead, could be mad at someone like this! He looks just so amazing!
"Shall we?" James asked. "Here, these are for you. He handed her a bunch of bright yellow flowers. Lily started to laugh. "Daffodils?" she choked.
"Lilies are too cliché," he whispered, leaning down and kissing her on the cheek, down to her jaw line, and onto her neck. Lily gasped. "James…" she said breathlessly. He released her, and she kissed him gently back, on the cheek, and then, smiling slightly, on his nose. The two started to stroll down to the lake's edge.
"Where did you get daffodils from at this time of year?" she asked him.
"I'm James Potter," he replied, grinning down at her. How come he had never realised how small she was? "Ah…here we are."
Laid on a spotless white cloth were two plates, two glasses, and two sets of cutlery. Hundreds of multi-coloured fairies were dancing above their heads, their lights sparkling and reflecting in the lakes surface. James smiled slightly, and spread his cloak out on the ground for her to sit on. "James," she breathed, her eyes running over everything. "This, this is just amazing." And I was such a cow to you before! She brushed a tear away, and before she could start sobbing she crawled over to him, never minding her dress, and gave him a big hug. "I'm sorry I was mad at you," she murmured.
"It's OK," he whispered into her hair, his nose buried in it. "Lilies?" he asked. She nodded.
"I'm cliché, so sue me."
He laughed slightly. Even when she said things that weren't all that funny, she still made him laugh. It was like a permanent high, being with her. He took out his wand and tapped the plates in front of him. Food appeared there at once. "Here we go," he said happily. Lily slid off his lap and onto the grass, and took a plate. She stared at it, then started to laugh.
"Cheeseburgers? A romantic candlelit dinner, with cheeseburgers?"
James grinned slightly. "They are your favourite food." Lily looked up, surprised.
"How do you know that?" James shrugged. "Well, whatever," Lily smiled. "These rock," and she took an enormous bite.
The cheeseburgers and chips were followed by a gorgeous strawberry sundae. As Lily licked the last drops of ice cream from her spoon, she smiled at James, who was just finishing his third sundae. "Thanks, James."
He grinned at her. "Did you enjoy it?"
She looked thoughtful, and put her head slightly to one side. "Have you been honouring our bargain and leaving the Slytherins alone?"
"Yeeaah…" he replied slowly.
"Then I had a great time. Come on, do you want to go for a walk?" James stood up and offered her his hand. Well, that was pretty good business.
A/N Good, or nay? Well, whatever you think, read and review please! Let me know!
