From that night on for two weeks you couldn't see Lily without James, taking her to class, sitting by her at meals, studying with her in the library, and talking to her in the court yard and common room.

He would do all the talking, and she would smile. Or roll her eyes or look like she was laughing, or mockingly upset (which sometimes scared him for a half second until she would laugh at him), never truly unhappy in his presence.

No one- no one but their friends, that is- knew what to make of it. Lily had hated James. What in the world had he done to make her like him? Some people whispered about love potions, and the girls that were jealous would say that it was a prank to make them all mad so that they'd like James more. But no one really thought that Lily had really fallen for James.

"He must be a good kisser," thought some as they walked passed, Lily smiling, the smile never relaxing until he was gone, at which point she would pout unless there was another of her friends with her.

But she did like him- immensely. Ever since she had seen this deeper loyalty for her in him she barely had a reason to stay away from him, so she didn't.

Alice and Mary were happy for her, and talked about it constantly, Mary a tad jealous, seeing as she had the so called "rad-est" boy in the school. (Which she did, in Lily's opinion, but she kept that to herself).

After the first week, after he still waited for her in the common room, after he continued to want to be next to her, she became even more glued to his side, happy to listen to him talk and walking with him wherever he went. Head duties no longer seemed like they would be a trial, and she was always so excited when he was leaning just to the side of her classroom door, smiling when she came out.

And more than ever now she wished she could talk. She wanted to tell him everything, and explain to him why she hadn't understood before, and why she liked him and- oh the list went on.

Now that she sat by him in most classes, his charms and potions (or should she say screw ups) made her laugh, well, silently laugh (she was beginning to hate the word). He always seemed to miss an ingredient in potions, or throw something off entirely in charms. And then Lily would always help him out.

Of course they were even in the matter. Transfiguration was a mess for her, and she wasn't so good in DADA either. Then it was his turn to laugh.

Once in Transfigurations they were trying to turn large, inanimate objects, into small animals, like mice. Lily and Alice had the honor of trying to turn a desk into a mouse, and were failing miserably.

James- amazing as he was- got the spell within a few tries, and Professor McGonagall boasted of his ingenuity.

Lily, however, rubbed a bit of soot off her cheek. She'd made an explosion of her own, and Alice was helping her to her feet as Lily noticed James looking worriedly at her as McGonagall barred his way unintentionally.

"Miss Evans, I suggest you try again- without tarnishing the desk anymore-," she added, mending the missing side of the desk, "please." Lily stuck her otherwise useless tongue out at McGonagall's back that caused a few giggles. Alice straightened her smile, and tried again at the desk. Nothing happened.

"It's hopeless," Alice sighed, sitting on her stool.

Lily nodded in agreement, looking around for James' at their table (this being the only class he couldn't sit by her due to McGonagall's strictness). But surprisingly, James wasn't there helping Sirius or Remus. She peered around the room, puzzled.

Someone lifted her hand.

"With this spell, it's better to hold your wand like this, and concentrate on the molding of the spell, not on the being like the book says," he whispered in her hair, making her shiver, and shy away.

"Watch," he conducted her hand, and she felt the magic for a tiny, shocking moment, flow from him to her out of the wand. And there sat a mouse, perfect and hazel, rather like James' eyes.

He just grinned at her delight. "Now you try." He said, letting the mouse mold back into a table to her chagrin.

She bit her lip, and gripped the wand like he told her.

"Now," he said.

She waved her wand. Nothing happened.

"Concentrate, Lily," he said, whispering to her again. It tickled. She smiled a tad, but then tried to do as he said. You try and concentrate when someone like you is breathing in your ear, she thought.

Before she did it.

The mouse still had a wood pattern and a slightly smoking tail but otherwise seemed perfectly fine.

"Excellent, Lily," he told her, looking almost as happy at her as she was about her accomplishment. She was about to hug him-

"Mr. Potter, I do believe that would be cheating."

They jumped away from each other like kids getting caught stealing cookies. Lily blushed and ducked her head. She felt silly, but wouldn't let McGonagall get her down.

"I don't know Professor, I'd call it assistance." He never missed a beat. Even with her voice Lily couldn't have replied that well, not when being faced with McGonagall's penetrating glare. She admired him for his cool head in moments like these.

"Really Potter?" she asked with a knowing look, "Then I suggest you help Avery and Snape over there. Their struggling with it almost as bad as Miss Evans here." McGonagall, knowing James wouldn't ever do such a thing, swept away. But the damage was done. James gritted his teeth, glancing at the two in the back of the room.

Lily shook her head hard, and caught his wand arm before he could leave her to go back to the other Marauders. She met his eyes imploringly, hoping her expression told him what she was thinking, and then smiled, to pacify him.

The two Marauders were looking at them interestedly and talking in mutters, however, while Alice chatted animatedly with Frank as they tried to master the spell.

James sighed, "Well, I guess you've got it now. Let's see you do it again."

She repeated the spell, and James gave her praise while hugging her around the shoulders. Lily blushed again.

"What are you doing this weekend?"

She blinked, surprised at him, then shrugged, wide eyed.

"Well," he said, sounding nervous, pushing her hair back with his hand, "Would you come with me to Hogsmeade?"

Lily, who was startled for an incomprehensible moment, didn't respond.

"I mean I understand if you don't want- this being new and all- and with me being a prat- right? But, it doesn't have to be romantic or anything- like friends- Lily, what are you thinking?"

Lily was startled at his quick cover ups, because going to Hogsmeade with him was what she wanted to do. But why wasn't her head nodding?

Now she moved it, up and down, vigorously, hoping to regain his enthusiasm. She smiled as if to say Of course, what else would I want to do?

His face broke into a perfect award winning James Potter smile. What else could she do to that? She smiled right back.