A few weeks later

It was guilt that made him do it really. James was only paying attention to her because he felt bad about all the times they'd hexed her and pranked her. It really only made it worse though.

Since starting to actually notice to her, he hadn't seen her look happy even once. Every once in a while she would smile sardonically at Remus. For reasons that James could not even begin to understand, this always irritated him. Remus had been involved in the majority of the pranking. James didn't know why he got smiles, even if they weren't exactly sincere.

She never talked in class, unless asked a direct question by a teacher. She would, occasionally, catch Remus' eye and mouth something to him. This also irritated James. He assumed that his frustration was over the fact that he could never make out the words. Of course, Remus seemed to understand them just fine. Remus was practically perfect.

James rolled his shoulders, consciously trying to relax. He had been directing a lot of anger toward Mooney lately. It was really unfair. Just because his friend had caught on first, and started being nice to Lily before he found out about the whole Cruciatus thing, it wasn't a reason to be angry with him. In fact, it really should be a reason to be happy with him.

James glanced over at the boy in question, who was currently sitting cross-legged on the floor with Lily. They were talking quietly. James assumed it was about Charms, based on the book laid out next to them, but what did he know? They could have been planning a party for all they would have told him.

He scrubbed a hand through his hair, turning back to his homework with determination. He would not look in their direction again, he promised himself.

And a while after that . . .

She had taken to eating with the Gryffindors. James was certain Remus had talked her into it. He had no idea how.

James glanced at them out of the corner of his eye. She still didn't really talk, but every once in a while he would catch a comment she made to Remus under her breath. He had to give her credit, she was actually quite funny.

He considered her, trying not to let her see him looking. He hadn't realized how smart she was until she started helping Remus with his Charms. It was more talent, really, James thought, than intelligence. Not that she wasn't bright, just that she was extraordinarily talented. James guessed that everyone had assumed she wasn't, just as he had. A lot of the other students were beginning to notice, which meant they hadn't known before either.

He couldn't really blame himself for not realizing. For the life of him, he couldn't understand how someone with that sort of talent could allow people to torment her all the time. He shook his head, risking another glance in her direction.

He had spent a lot of time lately trying to decide if she was pretty or not. In a purely objective sort of way, of course. They had obviously determined that she had an excellent figure, he thought, feeling his stomach heave at the memory. It was not one of his better moments.

James almost fell off his seat when Sirius waved a hand in front of his face.

"Whoa, Padfoot, are you trying to kill me here?" James said, clutching a hand to his heart. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lily glance in their direction before obviously deciding to ignore them. Fantastic, James thought. He comforted himself with the thought that at least she couldn't really think any less of him, given that she already considered him scum. Cold comfort, that was.

Sirius shrugged. "I tried calling your name, but you were off in fantasy land." Sirius leaned in conspiratorially. "I'll forgive you if you tell me who the subject was?" he wiggled his eyebrows.

James shook his head quickly. "Nah. Nothing like that. I was just trying to decide," he lowered his voice to a whisper, "if Evans is pretty or not."

Sirius raised both eyebrows. Turning his head, he tilted it and stared straight at her. James wished he would at least pretend to be subtle.

"Well," Sirius said, seeming to have come to a conclusion. "I think she might have an alright face, if you over look the gunk she puts on it. The hair is absolute crap, though."

James scowled at him. "Can we try to be a bit nicer, mate?" he said out of the corner of his mouth.

Sirius grinned. "What? I wasn't insulting her. I was just stating a fact."

"What's wrong with black hair?" James asked, glancing at her again. Thankfully, she didn't seem to be paying them any mind.

"Nothing," Sirius said, running a hand through his own dark locks. "Nothing at all. But hers is absolute shite."

"Oi!" James said. "How do you call that anything but an insult," he whispered furiously.

Sirius shrugged. "It's just hair, mate. If she wanted it to look nicer, I imagine she could do it." He shoved a sausage in his mouth. "My bet is she just doesn't care."

James followed Sirius' lead and returned to eating. He resolved not to think about her for the rest of the day, but he was pretty sure it would be an empty promise. As always.