Disclaimer: The first rule of being a fanfic author: you never own the franchise.

Written for Battleships, the Emotion Challenge, The Things I Would Do For You Challenge.

Prompts:

First date(Battleships)

Be your fake date for you(The Things I would Do For You)

Jealousy - They are the only one that their significant other needs. No one else.(The Emotions Challenge)

"Potter! Wait up," called out Lily Evans, muscling her way through the crowd as the match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw ended and everyone started dispersing from the stands. James had his back to her, his arms slung over Sirius and the Keeper, Tim, as the three boys were discussing furiously about the match. Gryffindor had won with a resounding victory, and there were red pompoms, scarves and golden banners strewn about carelessly. In the midst of all the cheering and bauble, James had not heard Lily.

"Potter...!" shouted Lily, but to no avail. At the end of her patience, she growled and storming through the crowd, yanked James by the back of his collar. The boy stumbled in alarm and turned to face the girl, his eyes wide in alarm.

"Who the – Evans! What's the matter?" he frowned as he took in the sight of her scattered hair, flushed cheeks and her deep panting. Looking around at the multitude of people around them, she gripped his hand and started working her way sideways through the crowd, seeking solitude under the stands. Bewildered, James glanced back at his friends and gestured to them to stay put for a while, wincing as he slammed into people behind her. Lily didn't let go of his hand till they were at least twelve feet away from people and turned to face his questioning gaze.

"Evans...will you tell me now what's going on?" asked James patiently, his slowly developing friendship with the girl having given him experience to know that hastiness never worked with Lily Evans; it only backfired.

Clearing her throat, Lily took a deep breath and began, "What are you doing tomorrow?"

"Uh, I'm going to bandage my bruised wrist, for one," he grinned as she dropped his hand hastily and continued, "but otherwise, nothing much. Why, what's the matter?"

"Will you go to The Three Broomsticks with me?" she spoke in a rushed voice and looked at him hesitantly. His eyes widened under his spectacles and his posture changed as a grin broke across his face. He puffed out his chest, turned up his collar and drawled, "Are you asking me on a date, Evans? You know, you didn't have to drag me all the way – ow!" His crowing was cut short when she smacked his sweaty head and then grimaced as she rubbed her drenched hand against his shirt.

"Would you keep it down?! It's not a date; it's a mission," hissed Lily.

Tilting his head to the side, James teased, "There's no need to make excuses. I'm okay if you want to play pretend though..." He broke off when she slapped her forehead.

"Forget it. I'll ask Remus or Eric. They're much better and more useful than you, anyway. We hardly stop fighting, and I cannot afford any distractions on my mission," scowled Lily.

"Remus? He's as useful on any investigative mission with you as your barette; he's petrified of your temper. And Eric? Eric Macmillan? Please, Evans, grow up, have some taste, at least," scoffed James, irritation creeping into his tone.

Glaring up at the boy challengingly, she retorted, "Anyone but you. I bet my life I'll be much more easily paired even with Slughorn than you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go find some boy."

James bit back the ugly head of jealousy, pulled her by the arm and looked straight into her green eyes and spoke firmly, "Fine, go find your 'partner' for this mission of yours. But don't for once say that anyone will be better for you than me. No one can bear with your fuss over choosing between caramel coffee or a chocolate smoothie, and then see you eventually choose the coffee as always. No one can understand why you like eating Bertie's Beans only in even numbers. No one can begin to comprehend why you scratch your nose when you're puzzled, or why you involuntarily twitch your right eyebrow when ticked off. No one but me. So, remember. Don't you dare forget this, whoever your accomplice on this mission be."

Lily blinked blankly at his little outburst and stumbled a bit when he let go of her, his lips pursed tightly as he looked hard into her eyes. How can she even think that anyone can be more compatible with her than me? Who else will even begin to respect and adore that woman like I do? That's it, her mission can go to Hell for all I care. There is no way that I'm going with her, thought James furiously to himself, striding away from her and nodding curtly to his friends.

=o0o=

"Remind me what your mission is again, Evans? Oh wait, that's right, you haven't told me yet," glared James helplessly at Lily from across the table. It was one in the afternoon, and they were sitting in a corner table at the Three Broomsticks. She had worn a dark blue scarf over her head, and pressed her sliding sunglasses up her nose as she raised her head to look at him. She'd made him wear a yellow cap, and had told him to keep quiet till they were seated. Now, she kept glancing over the menu which she had propped in front of her face, only her eyes visible from over the edge which she nestled under her nose. She kicked his shin irritatedly and glared at him, silencing him as she peered at the door.

"We're supposed to be on a date," she muttered absently, and James spluttered in surprise. She darted her eyes to him and shook her head, "A false date. If I sit here alone, I'll seem stupid. So, we're on a date. Get it?"

James felt rather stupid himself, for several reasons, at that. First, he'd melted when he bumped into Lily after his post-match shower, who was lingering outside the changing rooms, her apology ready. Then, he'd volunteered to be her partner for this mission, without her insistence, and himself having no idea of the details. After that, he's worn this stupid hat, and hadn't spoken a lot since they'd left Hogwarts. To add to his pile of woes, Lily wasn't even showing her face; she was ridiculously hiding behind the menu, the things printed on it now known by memory to any Hogwarts student.

Just as he was about to yell in frustration, she hissed and exclaimed softly, "They're here!" He craned his neck to see her looking suspiciously at Sirius and Marlene.

"Them? You're spying on them? Why do you need me for that?" he muttered, sulking because he was not clued in earlier, but not quite complaining, as he got to spend time in the company of the lovely girl.

She finally put down the menu, removed her sunglasses, and the two quickly gave the order to a little elf who had come up to their table. Turning to James's quizzical look, she sighed and spoke, "Yeah, them. Look, I know he's your best friend, and that you're thick as thieves. But she's my best friend too. She told me about their date during the match yesterday, and I have heard a lot about his...experience. News travels fast, especially in the girls' rooms. I don't want her to get hurt, and she's smitten by him. She may not notice his eyes straying away, or him checking out other girls, so I want to test how loyal he can be on something as trivial as a first date in what she expects to unravel into a long-term relationship," she finished, biting her lip in deep thought.

James smiled softly at her and replied, "I see. Look, yeah, Sirius has been with his share of girls...others' share too, ha. But," he continued hastily, seeing her eyes widen in alarm as she managed to scowl at the same time, "he's serious about her. He hasn't dated any girl, nor has he even seen in anyone's direction since he's started talking to Marlene. Don't tell him I said this, but this was the first time we've seen him nervous for a date. He normally never bothers about his appearance, what he should say to the girl, and the kind. Today, he was as nervous as Peter during his Potions test, which is a lot. I vouch for him. And if he does anything to hurt her, I'll make him see sense before you do; I give you my word." Just then, the elf came up to their table and dropped off their food.

Lily did not say anything for a while. She just looked at James with an unreadable expression on her face and began eating her plate of fries. James glanced at her bent head for a while and puzzled, asked, "Evans?"

"Call me Lily," she replied, looking up to meet his eyes and breaking into a smile. James blinked in surprise for a few moments, and then relaxed in his chair, leaned in and whispered, "The name's James."

"Alright then, James it is," she grinned at him, neatly picking off some tomatoes off his salad and munching on them nonchalantly.

They ate their food, drank some Butterbeer, and kept on chatting for a long, long time. Neither noticed when Marlene and Sirius had paid their bill, spotted the two involved in an engaging conversation, smiled and left for Hogwarts.

It was only when the lanterns were lit that they realised that it was twilight. Hurriedly paying their bill, they walked toward Hogwarts, a companionable silence between the two. What had started off as a false date turned out to be a memorable and enjoyable evening for the two teenagers, who were now drawn closer than ever to each other.

A/N: Did somebody update fast or what?

Hey all, and here is the new chapter in Tales of the Stag and the Doe! Hope you like it.

Thoughts and reviews are really, really appreciated. Thanks for the support so far.

Love,

Ana