Chapter Ten

"Lily?" Marlene asked tentatively. I glanced at her, as I would someone I recognize from Gryffindor but had never talked to before.

"Hello, McKinnon," I said carelessly to her and sat down next to James who winked at me and gave me a thumbs up. It was all part of our "act", to ignore our friends then after the prank—which is amazing, by the way—everything goes back to normal. Well, as normal as it can be around here. Which goes without saying, isn't normal at all.

"Hey James," I greeted him like we haven't just plotted for two hours in the Owlery. Piling my plate high, I realized just how ravenous I was; that piece of toast from James' napkin seemed like, well, two hours ago.

"So Lily, wanna go to Hogsmeade later?" James asked. I winced internally, having to actually say yes for once. He sensed it and rolled his eyes

"Sure James," I replied sweetly. James grinned and we ate lunch in a thoughtful silence, each going through the list in our heads. The real reason that we were going to Hogsmeade was to pick up all the supplies we need for the prank, but our friends didn't have to know that small, vital tidbit of information.

"Shall we?" James offered me his arm, like they did in old Muggle movies. I snorted and stood up, pushing his arm away.

"It's bad enough that I had to say yes," I hissed in his ear. "I don't need to hold your hand as well."

He shrugged. "Suit yourself."

I rolled my eyes. "Just get on with it."

The line for Hogsmeade was relatively short today, and in a matter of minutes, we were in the village. I pulled out the list, while James was on guard for our friends.

"Right. Zonko's first," I said, heading in the direction of the joke shop. It was packed with eager students, intent on driving Filch mad with the latest stock of Dungbombs, Instant Peruvian Darkness Powder, and all kinds of other prank materials. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that none of our friends were here. But there were tons of other people. People who have been closely monitoring me and James for almost four years, now.

"Oi, Evans!" A Hufflepuff that I've never talked to before called to me. "Are you on a date with Potter?"

The store, which was buzzing loudly before, turned quiet almost the second the words fell. I groaned inwardly.

"No, we are not on a date," I said firmly, pushing past him. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get something."

But it wasn't over that easily. I should've known.

"James!" A fangirl screeched, causing James to wince. "Are you dating Evans?"

"No, I'm not," He tried to explain. Well, at least the idiot didn't lie and say that we were.

"You finally said yes to Potter, Evans?"

"You two are going out?"

"Lily Evans and James Potter are going out!"

"SHUT UP!" I shouted. The shop was quiet once more. "Thank you," I said and grabbed James, pulling him into a random aisle. We both breathed a sigh of relief, and I consulted the list once more.

"So. Dungbombs, Peruvian Darkness Powder..." I ran a finger down the list. "You get these and I'll get these."

Ten minutes later, we escape from Zonko's, both clutching heavy shopping bags.

"Well, that's everything." I said, looping the bags onto my arm, and sticking my cold hand back into my pockets trying to get the circulation started again. "What do you want do? Go back to the castle?"

"Why don't we go to the Three Broomsticks and get something to drink?" He suggested. "Try and bring a bit of a 'date' perspective into this, you know," He winked at me.

"Potter, when are you going to give up?" I sighed.

"Evans, when are you going to say yes?" He countered.

"If I had it my way, then never."

"Then I'll never give up."

"Let's see how long that lasts," I smirked. He shrugged and we trudged toward the Three Broomsticks. Inside, a very-welcome blast of heat enveloped us. I breathed in the heavenly scent of warm butterbeers and headed over to an empty table.

"Two butterbeers, please," James called to Madame Rosmerta. "Thanks Rose!"

"Sure thing, m'dear," She giggled and gave me a glazed smile. I sighed.

"Being out here with you really made me popular with the ladies, eh?" I observed. He glanced sideways at me.

"What do you mean?"

I shook my head, marveling at his cluelessness. "Forget it,"

"Tell me," He insisted. The butterbeers arrived.

"Six Sickles please," Rosmerta simpered. I dug in my wallet and pulled out my half of the three.

"Wait, Lily," James intercepted my money. "You weren't going to pay, were you?"

Surprised, I looked at him. "And why wouldn't I pay?"

"Isn't it traditional for the male to pay?"

"Erm, yes, but this isn't a date, James," I reminded him. Was it my imagination or Madame Rosmerta's face just clear a tiny bit? At least she's not glaring at me anymore.

"Oh…right," James let go of my hand and paid his half of three Sickles. We sipped our drinks in silence. It seemed as if silences were endless between us. It was fine that way, I think. We're comfortable around each other now, to some degree, at least.

"What did you mean?" He asked quietly.

"What?"

"You said that being out here with me made you popular with the ladies. What did that mean?"

"I was being sarcastic, James,"

"Well I know that, but just tell me."

I looked at my hands in front of me, playing with a fray on my scarf. "They think we're on a date," I looked up. "And they don't like it."

"Oh…" James seemed at a loss for words. "Er…"

"Yeah," I sighed. This was getting pretty awkward.

"Would you like to turn this into a date?" James teased.

"In your dreams," I snorted.

"Shall we go then?" James ignored my statement. I stood up and tied on my scarf. We then left the sanctuary and warmness of the pub and ventured out into the bitter coldness. It was still snowing but the sky was darker now. I checked my watch.

"Merlin, it's already time for dinner!" I yelped in shock. This day seemed to go by fast.

"Yeah, we better go back to the castle," He said. The snow fell steadily, a wall of whiteness on all sides of us. I closed my eyes and imagined the amazing, hot food that'll await us back at the castle, and that image gave me the strength to keep plodding forward in the thick, frozen snow.

"Yes," I moaned as the lights of the castle finally came within sight. My determination renewed, I grabbed James' hand and more or less dragged him in my wake.

"Lily!" He complained. I ignored him, my one-track mind focused on food. I was practically salivating.

"Come on, James!" I pulled harder. Grumbling, he picked up his snail pace and after what seemed like eons later, we finally arrived at the doors of the castle.

"You're hungry, aren't you," James panted, bent over, trying to catch his breath.

"More like starving,"

"We just had the butterbeers!"

"Butterbeer isn't food," I answered haughtily. Marlene and Sirius weren't at the dinner table, but Alice, Dorcas, Peter, and Frank were. I noticed that Mary and Remus were missing and didn't bother to hide my grin as I imagined what they were probably doing at this moment. The others looked at me and James like a detonating bomb. My hand was still in his, and I made no move to pull it away. It's what you wanted, I sneered at them in my head. James was still breathing heavily.

"Aren't all Quidditch players supposed to be in top shape?" I inquired, pulling an empty plate toward me. He glared at me.

"Are you questioning my masculinity?"

I rolled my eyes. "No, I'm questioning your physical conditions."

"In a man's mind, they equal the same thing."

"Men are pretty stupid, then," I teased, taking a big bite of a forkful of lasagna. He playfully shoved me, causing my elbow to dip into my plate.

"JAMES POTTER!" I screeched and flung a bit of pasta at him. He cackled and dodged, smearing some sauce on the front of my shirt. I picked up an entire dish of pork chops and hurled them at him. He yelped and upended an unfortunate plate of broccoli and dumped it on me. I grabbed a small plate of chocolate cake and lobbed it at his nose. A tiny bit clung to it and he became cross-eyed, trying to keep the small bit in sight. I took that opportunity to smash the rest into his face.

"Oh no you didn't Lily," He mock-growled and grabbed a pitcher of pumpkin juice, soaking my hair, my jacket, everything. I was about to retaliate when I felt a tight hand on my arm. I looked up into the horrified face of Professor McGonagall.

"EVANS! POTTER!" She screeched, rabid fury radiating from every part of her. She didn't say anything else after our surnames but it didn't take a genius to figure out what was coming next.

Oh, bloody hell.