James' perspective. He's popular and arrogant and whatnot, when he meets Lily who is strange and unpopular. He falls for her without realizing it.

"You're different, you know that?" "Different how?" "I'm not quite sure, but let me just say it's quite intriguing." A story of how one's curiosity can go so far as to become love. JamesLily.

Hey guys sorry it's been a while...been busy with school and all. I hope you're all still with me and haven't lost all hope :) Anyways I'm not completely happy with this chapter, but I promise in the future (soon...not in like a billion months like last time) that better and longer chapters will be published. Let me know what you think. Thanks!

Ignorant Devotion

Chapter Three: Awkward Arrangements

Sirius was completely right.

She was funny. And witty from what I could tell.

I mean it's not like I had first had experience in that area seeing as I still hadn't talked to her since the Library.

But I've seen her with others, making jokes and seeing people laugh around her. One in the great hall when she was sitting with Sirius, he let out a barking laugh so loud he attracted the attention of the entire room.

I wish I could have been there to laugh with them.

Merlin aren't I pathetic?

And to make things worse, today was a Hogsmede day; the one where I had a date with Alexis. Ever since I made the date with her, I tried my hardest to become excited for the date. I mean, she is a very attractive, funny (I think), enthusiastic girl who I should be happy to have a date with.

So why did I want to fake sick all day in my bed.

Merlin what is wrong with me?

Maybe I'm gay. I mean, if a prospective date with a hot girl doesn't make me excited, what does that say about me?

Lily, I heard from Sirius, was not attending Hogsmede at all; something about studying. Blimey that girl was strange. Who would give up their weekend out to do work?

Seeing as I didn't have to be down there till noon, I decided maybe I check around the school, you know, just to check up and see if she really was staying. I mean it's not like I desperately wanted to see her or talk to her; just checking up.

However when I arrived at the library, she surprisingly wasn't there. Where else could she be? I checked the great hall and the entrance hall too, but still nowhere to be found.

I 'casually' wandered around the castle for the morning, until around half past eleven when I began making my way to Hogsmede.

I met Alexis inside, and she'd already snagged us a booth. It was in the corner of the room, and settling myself in close beside her, I began to get more into date mode.

"So James," She began once we both had our butterbeers. "How's Quidditch going this year?"

At least this girl didn't talk all about herself; I've had plenty of those dates before.

They make me want to spork out my eyes.

"Um, not bad. I mean our team is pretty strong and we have some good strategies. Plus, we already beat Hufflepuff, but that was easy, so then if we can beat Ravenclaw next week we'll be in the running for the cup," I told her. Once I got into a rant about Quidditch, there was no stopping me.

"I think you just beat Hufflepuff on a fluke, our team is awesome!" She said. She was cute and all, but clearly not the brightest.

Okay, first off, I completely forget that she was a Hufflepuff. Secondly, their team sucked; there was no denying it. Thirdly, she wouldn't know a good Quidditch team if it came and bit her in the arse.

Before I could retaliate a quiet female voice chimed from behind me.

"Oh, Hello there James."

My eyes widened and I felt my shoulders tense up. I was not ready for any interaction with her.

I slowly turned my head around, and looked right into the green eyes of Lily Evans.

Bugger, why did I seem to have the worst luck in the world.

"Lily!" I said trying to mask my horror with surprise. "What are you doing here? Sirius said you were staying in to study!"

She smiled, and looked behind her at a booth, where both Remus and Sirius were sitting. "Sirius invited me along to spend time with him and Remus; they said today was too nice to study, and I have to agree. Perfect temperature."

Those traitors.

"Hey, why don't you three join us?" Alexis asked, a kind smile on her face. My eyes widened and I looked to Alexis in surprise. I gave her a look like 'uh aren't we on a date' and she gave me one right back, implying 'If we were going to date she should know my friends'. Great. Cute, a little dumb, and crazy?

No I'm being too harsh on the girl. I think.

"Um…" Lily started, looking over at Remus and Sirius, who shrugged then nodded, sliding out of the booth making their way over to ours. "Sure."

Lily slid into the seat next to me, while Remus was on her other side, and Sirius was next to Alexis. We were all squished pretty tight, and I could smell Lily's scent again, just like that time in the library.

Oh this was not going to end well.

It was silent for the first few minutes; a very awkward silence. No one knew what to say to her.

The fact that Alexis was here made Remus and Sirius awkward, and the fact that Lily was here made me awkward, and probably Lily also made Alexis kind of awkward too.

Wow I think the only person at the table who didn't feel awkward at all was Lily, and I had a feeling she doesn't get awkward too easily.

"So…James and I were just talking about Quidditch," Alexis said finally, breaking the silence.

I almost laughed. It wasn't much of a talk.

"Oh, really? Do you like Quidditch Alexis?" Sirius asked, but he had a very condescending undertone to his words; it was as though he was talking to a five year old. I found that he did that a lot while talking to girls; he finds many of them inferior to him.

God and Lily thinks I'm arrogant?

"Oh yeah it's so entertaining. Especially when all those hot guys play; I love watching them beat up each other," Alexis answered. I nearly slapped my forehead. I should have known that was the cause of her interest in Quidditch; hot guys.

"How can you enjoy that?" Lily interjected. Oh no. This was bad. Very bad. Lily was about to get into the Quidditch rant with Alexis, which could potentially make it even more uncomfortable.

"How can you not?" Alexis shot back. Please stop arguing. Please stop arguing. Please—

"Because it's barbaric and idiotic!" Lily said avidly. I sought Sirius' attention, and once I had it, we both shared a similar look of alarm. I motioned for him to try to break it up.

"What? Tha—"

"So…" Sirius said cutting off the two before they could continue. "Who wants another butterbeer? Alexis, why don't you accompany me?"

Alexis gave him a questioning look before sliding out of the seat and following Sirius away without another word. That wasn't exactly what I had in mind. Why did Sirius seem to like to put me in situations that make me want to kill him?

Seriously, he left me alone with Remus and Lily. The two of them began chatting enthusiastically about something educational; Lily was once again fiddling with her necklace. That left me to just sit there.

"So," I began awkwardly, twiddling my thumbs like a fool. Remus and Lily looked up from their conversation questioningly. God I felt like a complete twit. "You guys are prefects together?" I asked lamely.

Shoot me, stuff me, and maim me. Rip out my tongue so that I may never utter another word again and spare other's from my stupidity.

To my luck, Lily didn't seem to find it stupid, but with her I'm never sure what she's really thinking. "Oh yes. I'd like to be head girl," she answered eagerly.

Well that's something new. Okay something to add to the list of things to talk about with Lily; Prefect duties.

"You'd be a great head girl," I told her enthusiastically, a smile straining my mouth into what I would imagine was a ridiculous facial expression.

She frowned at that, and my heart dropped. Now what did I saw wrong. "You barely know me. How would you know?" She asked, not accusingly, or angry, just sort of curious.

I CANNOT WIN WITH THIS GIRL!

What does it take to keep her happy?

And why do I care?

I began stuttering, "Well, I just thought—I mean I—it's just—"

"Sirius!" Remus cried all of a sudden, very uncharacteristic of him—crying out that is. He's usually very calm. It was odd to hear. That's when I noticed Alexis and Sirius had returned. They both wore puzzled expressions. "Weren't we going to go to bring Lily to Honeydukes?"

I couldn't see the look on Remus' face, but I could tell by the change on Sirius' that he was indeed giving a look saying 'let's get out of here, it's awkward and James is being a complete awkward doofus'.

"Right," Sirius said, "Lily, you ready to go?" He asked.

Lily nodded, without a word and slid out of the booth. "I hope you two enjoy the rest of your date," she said in her usual calm voice, as though nothing unusual or tense had just happened.

And then they were gone.

"So that was weird," Alexis stated sliding into the booth next to me. "That Lily girl is kind of strange, isn't she? What was all that about?"

I shrugged, trying to forget the whole thing, "I don't know; I never really understand what happens when Lily's around," I told her honestly.

That was the last we spoke about her. The date progressed, and I had to admit Alexis was a really great girl. She was funny; not the brightest, but she had her passions and cared about her family and friends, and she was a decent person, not too snobby like other girls her age. After the date was over, I found myself really taking a liking to her, and even asking her out again.

Which is why I felt guilty whenever thoughts of Lily and her strange ways invaded my brain that afternoon.

Why wouldn't she just leave me alone and let me suffer in peace?

Still with me? What do you think?