Disclaimer: Although it would be amazing if I owned Harry Potter and all things associated with it, I do not. Sad Day.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who is keeping up with this little idea of a story!! "vintageviolet", "Aslein", "Tinkluvsyou", "soccergurl1993", "xHeavilyxBrokenx", "TancredTorssonLover", "Brazilian Princess", "October Tuscany", "IluvvHP", "sncaggie", "firelily28", "SweetSouthernGal", "bookworm3213", "FSL", "xx-IRULE-xx", "pheobesapphira", "Forneverandnever", "heartsnpokidots", "TentenXIrista", "sweets555", "serenity12345", Super Cara", "Jacks", "Zeuphyra", "theIRONIST89", "mrsbrandonflowers", "megose" and my four anonymous reviewers, "Ja", "Kat", "loli" and "jenna bo benna"…THANKS MUCHO!!!

A/N2: I have been trying to respond with a thanks to all of my reviewers and answer any questions they might have had about the chapter (cuz I know it's confusing at times…) so if you don't want me to respond to your review (which I can assure you, I will), please write something to that effect, like…"no resonse" or put a little () at the bottom or something…Thanks a Bunch! LOVE!

Hot Stuff

James Potter was in a panic. He didn't know what to think.

Lily Evans, the girl he fell in love with at Hogwarts, the smart, talented, adorable, innocent Lily Evans was standing before him.

Stripping.

He knew she was looking straight at him. But James could not make eye contact. He felt resentment and almost anger towards her. A sort of 'How dare she do this to me' feeling.

He knew he really had no right to feel that way, after all, he had said he hated her, and she had to make a living somehow but…

'She's still as gorgeous as I remember…' He thought to himself, once again looking up on the stage.

He felt above the roaring crowd, a higher status. After all, he was watching a woman, a friend he had once loved, and seen naked before. They were watching a woman, a stranger, they had never seen in their lives. Yes, he was different than them.

Lily Evans had never felt so much pain in her life. It was worse than the feeling of guilt she felt when Tracy found out about her and James. It was a deep feeling of self loathing, anger, and oddly enough, love.

She found she was hating her job, hating the fact that daily men saw her naked…when only James used to have that privilege. She hated the fact that she had taken the job to get back at James. She hated Tracy for announcing her with her real name. She hated James for being there, watching her, jealously growing on his face.

She hated herself for the mess she was currently in. She should have just faced him when she had the chance.

At the same time, she loved James being there. He was there for her…and only her.

'I wonder if I'll ever be Lily again to him…Lily…Just Lily…' she wondered, as she began to remove the last bit of clothing in her routine.

She looked at James, and another pang of, well of whatever it was, swept through her. She wanted so badly to run offstage, to get away from all those hungry eyes.

So she did.

She picked up her gown, ran into the wings, and slammed into Tracy. She found she hated Tracy for the concern in her eyes. She hated Tracy for doing what she had meant for her to do…

'What is wrong with me?'

She shoved angrily past Tracy and ran to her dressing room, her dress clasped to her chest. No one else would see her naked tonight.

She was hurt, the way James had looked at her…

'Disgust, Anger, Jealously, and…Love? No. Not love. There was no love in those eyes. Maybe betrayal…He just thinks I'm a piece of meat now…not something-someone special…He's probably wondering what he ever saw in me…'

"Lily, we have to talk about what just happened onstage." Bobby began, blocking the hallway with his arms and body.

She ignored him, and barreled through him. Finally, she reached the relative sanctuary of her dressing room. She locked the door, and moved her sofa against it. No one was getting in.

Then she cried. She didn't know how long she was sitting there on the couch against the door crying. All manner of thoughts were running through her head. The first of which was that she had to pull herself together and talk to Tracy. She sobbed a few more times into the pillow she was hugging, stood, and crossed to the mirror.

She wiped all of her make up off of her face. There would be no more performances tonight. She also changed back into street clothes. Just so Bobby would fully comprehend that she was not staying tonight.

She shoved the sofa out of the way. There was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?"

"Lily? It's me…"

I can't deal with this right now… "Go Away." She said, making sure the door was locked.

"Come on, Lily, let me in. I know it's you now."

"I don't care. Go Away."

"Lily, please?"

She sighed and opened the door, "What do you want?" she asked icily.

"I want to talk about what happened out there…"

"I did my job, that's what happened. Now if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere to be."

She turned to go towards Tracy's dressing room. James caught her arm, and an intense tingly feeling shot up Lily's arm. She wondered whether he felt it too. If he had, he showed no notice of it.

"Lily."

"What?"

"Can we talk somewhere…more…private?"

"No."

"Please?" James said, there was a hint of a beg in his voice. Lily caved in.

"In here." She motioned into her dressing room. Once they were both in, she once again locked the door. She didn't want Bobby barging in when they were talking.

"What Potter?"

"Potter? Now I'm Potter? What happened to James?"

"James went out of the window when you made me sleep with you and ruined my friendship with Tracy."

"When I made you sleep with me? Let me tell you Evans, you had every right to refuse." He said angrily stepping towards her.

"You shouldn't have propositioned in the first place." She retorted, mimicking him and stepping forward.

"Oh really? So it was my fault that you kissed me?"

"No it was YOUR fault that you cornered me."

"I cornered you huh?"

"Yes. Like you're doing right now." She said, angrily backing into a corner, James advancing upon her.

"Right…That was me, huh?" he replied, taking another step towards her.

"Get away from me Potter." Lily said defiantly.

"That was me all of those times that you called me away from doing homework to fool around. That was me all of those times we would go to the room or requirement. That was me all those long years ago taking advantage of you." He said icily, his face inches from hers.

"I hate you." Lily said, leaning forward and shoving him backwards.

"You don't mean that."

"I do mean that Potter. You screwed up my life because of what we did…Tracy never forgave me, will never forgive me." She sat down on the couch dejectedly.

James rubbed the spot on his chest where she shoved him and sat down next to her warily.

Silence.

"I loved you Lily…" he said, clearly hurt.

"And I loved you…Or at least, I thought I did…but maybe it was just lust. Maybe I lusted for you. I wanted you…but maybe for all the wrong reasons."

"You don't mean that?" he asked again, this time genuinely hurt.

"I don't know. I don't know what I mean, what I want, or what I feel anymore. I want to slap you, and kiss you at the same time…I…"

"So do it."

"Do what?"

"Slap me then kiss me."

"I'm not that stupid Potter. If I kiss you, all these feelings will come tumbling back…"

Again, silence.

"You were beautiful."

Lily snorted.

"No really. You haven't changed a bit…"

She looked at him skeptically.

"Lily, I don't know how to say this…I've been looking for you everywhere. The last place I expected to find you was a strip club. And I'm incredibly jealous of every other guy in this place. They all get to see you…when it used to just be me…" His eyes traced up her curves, and landed at her eyes, "I want it to be how it was."

"What? Mad bunny sex?"

"It wasn't mad bunny sex."

"Who are you kidding Potter? Really? You're going to try and say that that wasn't what it was?"

"Well maybe for you it was. But for me, it was something. There was something there. Feeling. I loved you Lily…you obviously were lying when you said you reciprocated that feeling."

"I wasn't lying. I was just confused."

"How do you know that?" James said softly, "How do you know what you felt wasn't real? What if it was? What if you really did love me back?"

"James…I don't know what it was…but that's in the past. This is the here and now. I can't just go gallivanting off with you. I have a job, and a friend that needs me right now. She needs me, and she certainly doesn't need you. I'm not going to have you screw up this friendship again."

"So that's all I was…? A screw up?"

"That's not what I said."

"It's what you meant."

"I can't have this conversation with you right now."

"Why not? Why can't we get this cleared up right now so I can either continue returning, or never come back again."

"Because I'm not in the right mind to be arguing with you."

Silence.

James leaned over and put his head in his hands. Lily glanced over at him sadly, lovingly.

She was so confused about her feelings for him right now. Part of her wanted to shove him out of the door. The other part, the larger part, wanted to kiss him, and wanted to kiss him so badly it set her teeth on edge. She turned away from him.

"Lily?"

"Hmm?" She asked, turning back around to face him.

"I might kiss you…"

Before she had time to respond, James was kissing her. She missed his lips. They were warm, and soft, and well, perfect. She smiled, and began to kiss him back. All problems fell away, it was just her and James again. Together. Maybe he can come home with me tonight…Reality came crashing back down on her. She pulled away suddenly.

"What?" James asked, bewildered.

"I can't. James…Maybe later. Not now…Please. Please leave now." She asked, unable to make eye contact with him.

James sighed with frustration, "Just tell me Lily, what is so wrong about us? Hogwarts is over. There is no more Tracy for you to worry about. What is the matter?"

Lily looked down at the floor, "There is a Tracy for me to worry about…now if you'll please…go."

James stared at her in disbelief for a second. Then he stood, "I'll be back tomorrow… Maybe you'll be in a better state of mind to talk. Goodnight Lily."

"Goodnight." She replied, and with that, he left.

Lily's mind was in complete turmoil. What just happened there? Did she kiss him back? Oh God…

"So…what did he say?"

"Did you lead him back here Tracy?"

"No. Trixie led him back here."

"Why did you do that?"

"Do what? Isn't that what you wanted me to do? Introduce you as Lily so he would know?"

"No. He wasn't supposed to ever definitively know it was me…Tracy! I can't believe you did that!"

"Well what else was I supposed to do? Honestly Lily. You blatantly threw an act in my face. Left me to flounder, and expected me to not do anything? Get real Lily. I was just trying to show you that sometimes what you think is the easiest way out, isn't really."

"Tracy. He kissed me…" Lily said, turning away from her, not wanting to see her reaction.

"Did you kiss him back?"

Lily didn't answer. She didn't want to answer. She hoped Tracy would understand, after all, Tracy didn't like him now. Not after all these years, and everything that happened.

She heard a door close.

"Tracy?" she turned around. Tracy had left the room.

Lily was once again alone with her thoughts.

A/N: This chapter was tough for me to write out…I dunno why…neewayz…Reviews are loved!