"How many times do I have to tell you 'no' before you get it, Potter?" Lily's hands were perched on her hips.

James smirked. "What makes you think I have a limit, Evans? I intend to ask you until you say 'yes.' So get used to it."

"Do you have some kind of mental deficiency, Potter? I detest you. I'm never going to say 'yes.' Ever."

She tossed her dark red hair over her shoulder, her eyes narrowing into a glare. Her perfect mouth settled into a scowl.

Merlin, she was gorgeous when she was angry! He ran a hand through his hair, contemplating the advisability of telling her precisely that. He studied her carefully. Her cheeks were flushing with rage. Uh...probably not a good idea. He gave her his most charming grin instead.

"Then it appears we've reached an impasse, Lily dear, because I adore you. And I'm never going to stop asking. Ever." He replied, mimicking her tone and inflections.

She stared back at him in disbelief, her mouth opening and closing--no sound coming out.

Ok...maybe now would be a good time to tell her?

"And I should probably mention how incredibly gorgeous you are when you're angry." He added, winking at her.

"You--you--" She sputtered, drawing her wand out and pointing it at him.

Not good. Really not good. He took a step backward, holding his hands up and hoping to calm her.

"You are completely repugnant, Potter! Utterly devoid of any redeeming qualities! I--I'd rather date Snape!" She hissed at him, jamming the tip of her wand into his shoulder.

Ouch. Now that really stung! Snape was repulsive. James was nowhere near that bad. He was moving downward on her list. She used to say that she'd rather date the Giant Squid. Now she'd rather date Snape. Damn. Why couldn't he win with her? He tried, he really did. Things just...tended to go badly when she was around. Maybe he should just grab her and kiss her? Things couldn't get any worse...what did he have to lose? He moved towards her, face set and determined.

He'd forgotten her wand.

"Take one more step, Potter, and there won't be enough left of you to send home in a shoe box to your Mum."

Shit. He almost believed her. He hesitated, wondering what to do now. He sighed.

"Why do you hate me so much, Evans? Why won't you give me a chance?"

Her lips curved into a cruel smile, her expressive eyes going cold.

"Hmm...let's think about that for a moment, shall we Potter?" She tapped her chin, pretending deep contemplation. "I don't have all year, so I'll give you the truncated version."

She paused, staring him straight in the eyes. "You're rude, inconsiderate, and too arrogant by half." She ticked the items off on her fingers. "You're nothing but a little boy who's not used to being told 'no.' You have no thoughts or feelings for anyone other than yourself." She drew in a breath. "This whole situation is proof positive of that."

"That's not fair and it's not true, Lily." He protested. "I care for you!"

"Shut it, Potter! You don't know me. You have no idea what I'm like. So all these 'feelings' you have for me are coming from down there." She brandished her wand towards his crotch.

"If you cared for me, really cared for me as you claim to, then you'd respect me. You'd leave me the hell alone when I asked you to!" Sparks were practically flying from her eyes now.

"But--" he protested weakly.

"No! You wanted to have this conversation. We're bloody well having it! For once in your miserable existence you're going to listen to something someone else is saying! A novel idea, I know."

"Lily..." His voice took on a placating tone. He had to talk her down. This was by far the worst such interaction he'd ever had with her.

"I will hex you, Potter." She warned, the tip of her wand once again poking him in the shoulder. His mouth snapped shut. Better just give in for now. He could figure out how to fix this later.

"I want this to end! I've absolutely had it with you! Don't you get that? Can't you see that you're ruining my life with your constant harassment?" She looked desperate now, close to tears.

"I...I'm sorry." He said softly.

Tears spilled over her eyelids. She was crying.

"Sorry?" She exclaimed, choking back a sob. "You're sorry? You're killing me, and all you can say is, you're sorry? Do you have any idea how much you torture me on a daily basis, Potter?"

"Lily." He managed around the lump in his throat. "The...last thing I ever want to do is...hurt you."

She was crying in earnest now, tears spilling unchecked down her cheeks. Tears he longed to kiss away.

"You have a funny way of showing it, Potter."

He'd reduced her to this--made her cry. His Lily. Crying because of him.

"Ok, Lily." He murmured, feeling as though his heart was ripping from his chest. "You...win. I'll leave you alone." He paused, looking at her carefully. "If that's what you really want."

"It is." Her voice wavered.

"I won't ask you again, then." He turned away. "You have my word, whatever that's worth to you." He walked away, not daring to look back, for fear of losing his resolve.

The Lily of his memory faded into the mists of his mind.

He shifted in his chair. Three am had come and gone. So had four and five. It was time to admit it, however much it pained him to do so. Sirius wasn't coming home tonight. Which meant...James didn't really feel capable of considering what it meant. Thinking that they were...well...was completely different from knowing.

It was that moment from 6th year all over again. The moment he'd been forced to face reality. He was never going to have Lily Evans. She would never be his. And now, she was with Sirius. He'd known this all along, of course, but a part of him--a stubborn part in the back of his mind--had clung to a desperate hope that maybe someday...He really was an idiot.

"Did you wait up all night?"

James jumped, nearly falling out of his chair. "I guess so." He didn't really see any point in denying it. He didn't look up. He couldn't.

Sirius sighed, sinking into the chair next to him. "Prongs. Look. I--"

"You don't have to say anything, Padfoot. You did say not to wait up."

"Prongs. I think we both know that is not what this is about."

James looked up. Sirius was wearing the same clothes he'd been wearing last night, only they were rumpled, as if they'd been lying crumpled on the floor all night. Her floor. He forced himself to picture it. To picture them together. Whatever he'd felt last night for Lily was...wrong. He'd been wrong. It was closure. He could move on.

He didn't respond to Padfoot's implication. "I'm making a withdrawal from Gringotts today." He said instead.

Sirius eyes widened. "Your mum's ring." It wasn't a question.

James nodded anyway. "Yeah. I think...it's time to ask her."

Sirius stared at the fireplace and mumbled something that sounded like: "I told her she was taking this too far."

"What?" James replied, wondering what that could possible mean.

"Are you sure?" Sirius was staring at him in earnest now. "Are you really sure Christine is the one you want to give that to?"

No. James nodded. "I'm sure."

"Well...congratulations." Sirius didn't sound like he meant it.

"Thanks." James stood up. "Why don't you and Lily plan on joining us later to celebrate?"

"Sure..." Sirius sounded distracted. "I'll...tell Lily."

James didn't miss the way that Sirius avoided his eyes. "Something wrong?"

"No...no. I'm sure Lily will be..." But Sirius stood up, not finishing the thought. "Good luck, mate."