Once again, James slept very little that night. Lily's saddened face was penetrating his mind, making it impossible to relax.
Sirius was snoring loudly, tossing and turning rapidly. James would normally have laughed at this, but couldn't with the thought of Lily still clouding his mind.
He had really blown it this time. Lily had actually liked him, and he was too arrogant to have even noticed.
James buried his head in his pillow, and could no longer hold in his emotions. He felt lost and incomplete…and an utter fool.
The question was…what to do next?
James wiped his face, sat up and turned to Sirius.
"Oi, get up! Sirius…no don't hit me, get up!" James held back Sirius's arm to prevent any exposure to fists, and sighed deeply as Sirius continued to sleep.
"Oh for goodness sake, Sirius. GET UP!" Sirius jumped and squealed as he noticed that someone was on top of him.
Sirius threw James off the bed, before realising that it was him.
James rubbed his head and frowned at Sirius who smiled sympathetically.
"Sorry! Jeez, morning already?" Sirius yawned and looked at the window and noticed that it was still dark outside.
"What you playing at?" Sirius looked at James infuriated.
"I couldn't sleep. And I need your help."
Sirius studied James suspiciously. "What-kind-of-help?" Sirius asked slowly.
"One word…Lily."
Sirius stopped and frowned. "Come on, mate. I'm no expert with girls, and absolutely useless with Evans. She's a complicated girl…and I don't want to get involved." Sirius said steadily.
"You already are involved! You're my best mate!"
"Ye, but it doesn't mean that I have to be involved with your love life. Anyway, she doesn't like you…just give up!"
"I'm not giving up, even if it takes till I'm 150!"
Sirius shrugged. "Suit yourself."
"Look, I love her!" Sirius smirked, then realised James's seriousness.
"Ye…well in that case…"
"But how am I going to win her back?" James kicked his bed, and sat down on it hastily.
"I'm doomed…I've already thrown a plant in her face, made her fall in love with you, and accused her over a pathetic potion! How the hell is she going to like me now?"
"Just tell her how you feel!"
"No!"
"Why not?"
"Look, I just can't…what do you expect me to do? Walk up to Lily and say – oh by the way, I love you!" James replied mockingly. "She'd hit me twice for that!"
"Well…maybe you shouldn't be so forward!"
"I'm not forward!" James cried. "Sirius don't look at me like that, I'm not forward!"
"Look, what I mean is, just give her a break for a while. Maybe things will cool down, and she'll realise that she misses you."
"But how am I supposed to ignore her?"
"It'll be a piece of cake! Got to be better than stalking her singing romantic lullabies!"
James nodded. "Alright, so I just pretend that I don't like her, and don't even want to look at her?"
"Sure! Then she'll be back in your arms in a matter of seconds!" Sirius winked. "Now, can I go back to sleep?" Sirius didn't wait for an answer. He laid back down and began snoring almost immediately.
James was prepared to go to any extreme to win back Lily, and ignoring her seemed almost impossible.
But if it meant that Lily would love him, then so be it.
Whether it be hours, days or months…he was never going to give up…not now.
