J.K. Rowing owns the HP universe. I'm just playing in her sandbox.


In the days that followed, Lily found it easier than she had imagined to avoid her increasingly confusing feelings for James. Not only were their professors piling on work, but James was gearing up for the first match of the season, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. The rivalry between the two houses was enough to keep the Head Boy and Captain of the Gryffindor quidditch team completely engrossed.

The only time things got difficult was when they studied together. When the other seventh year Prefects were present, it wasn't such a big deal, but alone in the Head's office, Lily often felt a prickling, creeping tension beneath every interaction. She avoided touching him at all costs and tried to keep her instruction as impersonal as possible. She knew her behavior bordered on rudeness, but every time she felt herself relax just a little in his presence, Tee's advice about maintaining an effective partnership blazed back into her mind.

Don't fall in love with the Head Boy.

Lily found herself wondering if anything had happened between the Tee and Gideon, or whether it was all one-sided for the former Head Girl. It would be terrible, working with someone every day who you desperately loved, to know you couldn't tell him because it would ruin everything. The irony of this line of thought was not lost on Lily.

Snape continued to lurk around her, always appearing at a distance. He did not approach her again, but she was constantly on edge, waiting for him to make good on his promise and come for her answer. Perhaps he realized that she hadn't reacted favorably to his offer. Maybe he knew that she was planning to hex him into the New Year if he promised protection in exchange for her love and loyalty again. Whatever the reason, he stayed just close enough to keep her always on her guard.

At first, James chalked her new coldness up to the attack on Hogsmeade. He had written to his father immediately, but received a vague and unsatisfying answer in return.

I have told you before, James, that when the Auror Department needs the assistance of a seventeen-year-old boy, you'll be the first to know. For now, concentrate on your studies. You're safe at Hogwarts.

Mr. Potter hadn't responded to James' insistence that the perpetrators of the crime were students at Hogwarts. He had moved on to news from home, sending Mrs. Potter's love to her son and his friends and inquiring about "that redheaded girl." Mrs. Potter's letters were no different, although she did ask that James try to keep out of trouble, because Mr. Potter had quite enough on his plate at work without worrying about his son as well.

After a while, however, James couldn't keep making excuses for Lily's behavior. Something had changed, and there was a new distance in the way she spoke to him, and even to his friends.

"Women," Sirius said one evening after James had come back to their room complaining again. "What can you do? That's why I never go out on second dates."

"Is that why?" Remus asked mildly, looking up from his novel. "I thought it was because once the girls see that you're actually as crass as you seem, they're not interested in a second go."

"I thought it was because you were a lousy shag," Peter added, grinning.

"When did this become pick on Padfoot day?" Sirius sputtered indignantly. "I'll have you know, Wormtail, that I am an excellent shag. Girls boast to their friends and relatives once they've been in a broom closet with me."

"Right after they visit the healer to make sure you haven't passed along anything contagious," James added.

"This is what I get for trying to be helpful! Well, fine, but don't come crying to me with your women troubles." Sirius closed his curtains with a sharp blast from his wand, leaving his roommates to dissolve in laughter.

"I don't recall anyone asking for your advice," James called. A loud harumph was the only answer he got.

"Have you tried talking to her about it?" Remus asked. "Lily's usually pretty straight-forward. She's never had a difficult time telling you where to shove it before. Seems like directness is your best bet."

"You'd think that wouldn't you?" mused James. "She's been very evasive lately, though. Won't talk about anything but school, Head duties, or the occasional side comment about quidditch, if I bring it up."

"What's the worst that could happen?" Remus grinned. "She's already tried just about every hex she knows on you."

This was sensible advice, but with the pending match between Gryffindor and Slytherin, James couldn't find any time to sit down and have an actual conversation with Lily. They passed in the hallways and exchanged brief, quickly jotted notes about Prefect rotations, patrols, student complaints, and teacher feedback. Their study sessions were tense, silent affairs in the week before the match. Both of them struggled quietly with their own problems, neither daring to turn to the other for help or comfort: Lily because she didn't want to find herself even more invested in her relationship with James, and James because he didn't want to risk a major emotional blow-up right before the match.

The morning of the Gryffindor/Slytherin game, the ceiling of the Great Hall was overcast, and no sunshine peeked through the steel grey clouds above. James' stomach was in knots, but that was normal. The tension and excitement that surrounded every quidditch match made it impossible for him to eat anything until the game had been called, to the point where he almost always associated the gnawing feeling of having missed breakfast with the swooping, soaring feeling of racing through the air on his broomstick.

His team was ready and chomping at the bit to get Slytherin back for their defeat the previous school year. Dorcas, the only other seventh year on the team, clapped James on the back when she arrived at breakfast.

"We've got them this year, James. All their decent players graduated last year, and their new captain, Brody Bulstrode, is an idiot. He doesn't have any other strategy besides putting the biggest, meanest blokes on brooms that he can find."

"Even if he has come up with something," Annalise Meachum, a fifth year and one of the Gryffindor beaters, added, "we've been practicing day and night. We're a better team than they can hope to be by the end of the season, and it's only November."

More people gathered around James, offering bits of advice. After about ten minutes, Sirius looked up from his toast.

"Hey, you lot! Anyone without a shiny Captain's badge on their chest should leave the strategizing to the experts. You can congratulate him at the after party, got it? Shove off!"

James smiled gratefully at his best friend as the crowd dispersed. "Thanks, mate."

"Being friends with you can be a real trial some days," Sirius answered with a grin. "You need a bodyguard to chase off the crowds of admirers."

"Oh, that's just what he needs. Someone else to inflate his ego." Lily dropped into the open seat next to Peter and wrinkled her nose.

"It's a good thing you're always around to deflate it back to a more manageable size, Evans." James smiled at her, hoping for some kind of a positive reaction. She didn't look up at him, but he thought he saw her cheeks flush ever so slightly. Even that was enough to buoy him.

"Well, can't be late for my own pep talk." He stood up and slapped Remus on the back, grinning at a passing fourth year girl, who giggled and sped up to whisper to her friends. "See you gents after? You, too, Head Girl. I know you don't patrol tonight, so you can play chaperone at our victory party."

Without waiting for a response, he jogged off, waving to Gryffindors here and there.

Lily watched him go, shaking her head. "Just when I think he's different...he goes and reminds me just how much he's still the same."

Peter heard the muttered comment and laughed. "If you think James is the same person he was a year ago, or even two, you haven't been paying attention."

"I'd have to disagree with you, Pete. James is the same as he's always been. No changing him," Sirius put in. "I think our dear Evans here is just starting to cotton on to his more admirable qualities. Pure in heart and all that."

"I thought Gryffindor was brave at heart," Remus said, grinning. "I'd say you're both right. James is still James just...grown up."

Sirius shuddered dramatically. "Don't even say those words around me. It might be catching."

"Don't worry, Padfoot." Remus patted his head patronizingly. "I very much doubt you'll ever grow up."

Sirius raised his glass of pumpkin juice in a toast. "Here's to that!"

:o:o:o:o:o:o:

Lily's roommates joined her at the pitch, and they crowded in next to the Marauders, who were passing a flask back and forth as they waited for the game to start.

"What is that?" Lily asked, eyeing the small bottle suspiciously. A thin tendril of smoke escaped out the top of the flask as Sirius took a swig.

"Pepper-up potion," Remus said, arranging his face into a practiced, innocent expression. "It's nippy out here, can't expect us to freeze to death waiting for Gryffindor to win, can you?"

"Ohh, I'll take some of that," Marlene said. She reached over Lily and snatched the flask out of Sirius' hands, ignoring his loud protests. She tipped it back and took a long drag. "Lovely. It's just pepper-up potion, Little Miss Head Girl, calm down."

Lily sighed and turned her attention back to the field, missing the wink that Marlene sent to Sirius. He grinned and gave her a thumbs up.

It was a tense game, and one that kept the Gryffindor fans on their feet more often than not. Even Professor McGonagall was noticeably anxious as the Gryffindor and Slytherin chasers traded point for point. After two hours, the energy on the field began to lag. Neither seeker had even hinted at a snitch capture.

Gryffindor was down 120 to 130 when it started to rain. Icy drops soaked into the players' uniforms, scarlet deepening into blood red.

"Come on, Lions!" Lily yelled, watching as James, Dorcas, and Adam McKinnon, Marlene's younger brother, tossed the quaffle back and forth. A bludger narrowly missed James' head and Gryffindor voices raised in anger as a loud cheer went up among the Slytherins. Lily grabbed Sirius' arm and squeezed tight, ignoring his grunt of pain.

Annalise Meachum batted the offending bludger back toward the Slytherin keeper just as James sent the quaffle flying at the center hoop. Forced to choose between getting knocked off his broom and blocking the goal, Brody Bulstrode swerved and James scored, the ball sailing easily through the hoop.

Lily screamed with the rest of her classmates, and at the sound of his name, James turned toward the stands and did a spiral in the air, waving to the crowd. He spotted Lily cheering with the rest and his mood soared.

"Focus, Potter," he said aloud, turning his broom to face the pitch once more. Just then, Jenny Pradt, the fourth year he had drafted the previous season to play seeker, took off like a rocket.

"Pradt has spotted the snitch!" Jeremy Wilkins was commentating, and while the sixth year Ravenclaw had been mostly fair to both sides, the excitement in his voice was unmistakable. Ravenclaw had also been beaten rather badly by Slytherin the previous season, and they were desperate for revenge. "Greenglass is on her tail, but the Cleansweep 3 just doesn't hold a candle to Pradt's brand new Silver Arrow!"

A second later, Jenny's hand grasped the golden snitch, and the entire pitch erupted in screams and boos.

"Pradt has caught the snitch! Pradt has caught the snitch! Gryffindor defeats Slytherin, 280 to 130!"

"Thank Godric for that," Peter shouted gleefully. "It would have been much less fun to drink all that firewhiskey at a 'sorry you lost' party than a victory party."

"What about firewhiskey?" Lily said, but her question was lost in the roar of the crowd. As they filed down the rickety wooden steps that lead to the pitch, Alice grabbed her arm.

"You're not going to be on duty tonight, are you? Because I was thinking it would be fun to actually do a little drinking with the boys and it would be reeeeally nice if you didn't turn us all in for detention."

If Sirius had delivered that line, Lily would have bristled and barked something about how it would be really nice if he didn't make her turn them in for detention quite so often. But Alice didn't join in the debauchery frequently, and Lily was already kind of looking forward to the festivities. She threaded her arm through Alice's and sighed.

"I suppose that on this one occasion I can look the other way. But you owe me. And I better hear that someone caught you and Frank Longbottom snogging behind that tapestry of Wendelin the Weird on the fourth floor."

Alice flushed. "I don't know about that, but I promise to owe you a favor."

"Better be careful about owing Evans here anything." James appeared next to them, soaked through but looking in high spirits. "She'll probably make you do lines or something just for the fun of it."

"That sounds like something that I would only do to you, Potter." Despite her severe tone, Lily grinned up at him, and didn't protest when he dropped an arm over her shoulder.

"Oh, so it's Potter again?"

"You called me Evans first!"

"Yes, but that's different."

"How? How is that different?"

"Oh, look! Padfoot's here. See you later, Evans."

Before she could respond, he swooped in and dropped a quick peck on her cheek. Then he dropped his arm and dashed ahead, tackling Sirius from behind.

Lily's face froze in shock, and the only thing that kept her moving was Alice's persistent hold on her arm. All around her, students chattered and her friends were planning the party that would rock Gryffindor tower that night.

But the only thing that Lily could feel was the burning spot on her cheek where James Potter had kissed her. She struggled to keep from touching it. He had branded her, and then walked away like he didn't even care.

Don't fall in love with the Head Boy.

As she watched him clowning around with his friends, she sighed and experienced a now-familiar sinking feeling.

Too late.

:o:o:o:o:o:o:

James was flying. They had beaten Slytherin, albeit by a narrow margin. His friends had filched food from the kitchen ahead of time, and they had plenty to drink thanks to the pretty young barmaid at the Three Broomsticks. Rosmerta had a soft spot for the four boys, and even though the pub was a popular spot for teachers in the evenings, she had never revealed that the Marauders frequented the village when they were supposed to be locked up in the castle.

But none of that came close to the euphoria he felt at having finally, after years of failed attempts, managed to kiss Lily Evans. And she hadn't even hexed him for it! He chanced a peek over his shoulder, pretending to look for Peter, who had gotten separated from them in the crowd. There she was, still walking alongside Alice Fortescue, red cheeked and looking slightly dazed. He grinned and turned back around. Who needed conversation when a little impulsivity yielded such great results?

"I'm telling you, boys, I feel like a million galleons right now. I can do anything!"

Sirius laughed. "Anything? That sounds like a challenge, doesn't it, Moony?"

Remus nodded, his face flushed from a few too many nips from the flask. "Def-definitely a challenge. Make it good, Padfoot."

Sirius rubbed his hands together, surveying the milling students around him with glee. They were walking past the lake, it's waters murky and choppy in the continuing rain. A lazy tentacle extended upwards into the rain from the center of the lake, the only sign of the grounds' biggest inhabitant.

"What's that Evans always used to say to you? She'd rather go out with the giant squid?"

James frowned. "So? She hasn't said that in ages. We're...friends now."

Sirius hiccuped and watched the giant squid wave its tentacle in the rain. "I just thought you should meet your rival face to face. You can do anything, right? Go touch the giant squid! He's right there."

James started to come down from his euphoria. He eyed Sirius warily. "Jump in the lake? In this weather?"

"Oooh, is Prongsie scared of a widdle rain?" Sirius nudged Remus, who snorted and took another drink from the flask. Peter emerged from the crowd just then, looking as if he had been trampled by two dozen students on his way out of the stadium.

"I know that I'm not the tallest bloke in school, but I swear sometimes people go out of the way to shove me the ground." His robes were mud splattered and nearly as wet as James', but he was grinning. "What'd I miss?"

"Prongs is about to jump in the lake and shake hands with the giant squid," Remus slurred.

"Excellent!" Peter clapped and looked eagerly at James. "Er...why, exactly?"

"Didn't you know? He can do anything. Told me so himself." Sirius was giggling drunkenly now, his voice raised above the chatter of the crowd. Here and there people had stopped to watch the exchange, including Lily and Alice. James was acutely aware of Lily's eyes on him. He drew himself up and took a deep breath, feeling another jolt of adrenaline as he remembered his lips on her smooth, soft skin.

"Why not?" he said cheerily, dropping his broomstick and stripping off his gloves. "I always did like a nice dip after a workout."

More and more students were stopping now, watching in fascination as James took off his uniform and got down to a pair of athletic shorts and a tank top. Lily pushed forward to where the seventh year Gryffindor boys stood. Frank had emerged from the crowd to join them in cheering on James.

"What in Godric's name is he doing?" she demanded, tugging on Remus' arm furiously.

"Just dropping by for a chat with the squid. No big deal, Lily." He laughed at the horrified look on her face.

"This time of year? He'll catch his death of cold!"

"Worried about him? That's so sweet," Peter clapped her on the back. "He'll be touched."

James was wading into the shallows. The icy water stabbed at him, but he forced himself forward. Just to show he was unphased, he turned and gave a jaunty wave to the watching students, blinking rapidly against the rain. It was falling heavier now, making it harder to see. He made sure his glasses were still secured with the temporary sticking charm he applied before the game, then wiped at the lenses with one hand.

"Just fancied a swim!" he called.

"He's bonkers," Lily muttered, her hand still gripping Remus' arm. "Completely bonkers."

Deciding that it would be easier to just take the plunge, James took a deep breath and dove into the water, dunking his body completely and swimming a quickly as he could to the center of the lake. Sensing an intruder, the giant squid withdrew from the surface, shooting downward into the black depths.

"It ran away!" James shouted, treading near the place where they had spotted the squid.

"Are you going to let a thing like that stop you?" Sirius hollered back. The other Gryffindor boys laughed, but Lily was speechless with rage.

"You'll freeze to death, James Potter! Or worse! Get back here right now!" She stomped her foot.

James didn't hear either one of them from his spot in the middle of the lake, but he could see he had Lily's rapt attention. The cold was seeping into his skin now, and his feet and hands had gone numb. He waved, kicking and sputtering a little when it caused him to sink beneath the waves. Then, steeling himself for another dip, he dived down into the water in search of the giant squid.

On the shore, Lily watched with her heart in her throat. "This is insane. He didn't do a bubblehead charm or anything! What is he thinking?"

No one else seemed concerned. Most of the watching students were still chatting excitedly about the game, and all of them seemed confident that James' stunt was harmless. Certainly no one batted an eye when he failed to surface after thirty seconds. Then a full minute passed.

"Where is he? He's been down a long time, hasn't he?" Lily scanned the surface of the lake frantically, looking for some sign of life.

Remus frowned. "He has, a bit."

He turned to Sirius. "'S been down a long time."

Sirius turned away from Marlene, who was hanging on his arm. "Eh?"

"You're all useless," Lily raged, throwing off her scarf and robe. "He could be drowning and you're standing here half drunk and distracted."

Alice grabbed her arm as she struggled to shrug off her jumper. "Lily, what on earth are you doing?"

"I'm a better swimmer than any of you," she snapped. "And I'm not going to stand by while that prat drowns himself in search of the giant squid. Let go, Alice, I mean it!"

She wrenched her arm free and ran into the lake, hurriedly casting a bubblehead charm as she went. She knew there was spell to keep her dry underwater, but in her fear, she couldn't remember the words. She'd have to risk it.

"If we both don't get hypothermia and die," she muttered furiously as she swam out to the spot where James had gone under, "I will kill that boy."

It was impossible to see under the waves, but Lily was able to gain limited visibility by lighting her wand tip. She pushed deeper, doing slow circles and keeping an eye out for some sign that James had passed that way. He had been underwater for nearly two minutes. Her stomach churned with fear.

Finally, she saw something...her wand light glinted against something just below her. She got closer and recognized James' glasses, still on his face. His eyes were closed and his skin was green and ghostly in the murky water. A grindelow dangled off his right arm, tugging him toward deeper waters.

She acted quickly, blasting the creature with a stunning spell and hooking her arm around his waist as soon as it let go. She kick frantically for the surface, the boy nothing but deadweight in her arms. It was slow going, but the water helped buoy him a little as they neared the surface. Finally, they popped up like a cork, exploding out of the water with a crash. A cheer went up among the students on the shore.

Slowly, Lily towed him toward land, stopping frequently. Her face was numb and her skin had broken out in goosebumps. She was so cold that her teeth didn't stop chattering from the second she popped her bubblehead, but James looked even worse. His lips were blue and she couldn't tell if he was breathing. Her heart was pounding with dread. She wished she could remember some sort of useful first aid charm, but her mind had gone completely blank. All she could do was keep moving.

When she got close enough to shore she ran out, pulling him out after her by his arms. She could see bruises and cuts left by the grindelow. By the time they reached land, Remus and Sirius had realized the severity of the situation and sprang into action. Within moments, James was vomiting lake water onto the wet, coarse sand on the small beach. Alice cast a warming spell over both of them, blasting them with hot air until they were dry.

Marlene and Mary wrapped Lily in their cloaks after wrestling her back into her jumper.

"You're a hero, Head Girl," Mary said cheerfully, but her eyes were wide with fear. "We thought we'd lost both of you."

James was still mostly unresponsive, although he had opened his eyes and muttered Lily's name once or twice. The other Gryffindor boys had sobered up quickly upon seeing him half-drowned, and they worked together to check his vital signs and put him back together. Luckily, or perhaps unluckily, this was not James' first brush with death, and the Marauders were used to performing healing spells unsupervised.

Dorcas tried to lead Lily back to the castle, but she wouldn't budge, her eyes fixed on James' pale face. "Not until that git wakes up."

Alice wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "He's going to be okay, Lily. I promise."

At her friend's gentle words, Lily's eyes filled with tears. I will not cry, she thought furiously. Not over Potter.

But then his eyes fluttered open and he struggled into a sitting position, looking dazed and ill but very much alive, and she couldn't stop the flow of hot tears down her face. Wriggling free of Alice's grip, she pushed her way past his friends and knelt down next to him.

James grinned weakly up at her, taking in her red eyes and tears.

"All right, Evans?"

And then she slapped him.


A/N: Thanks for reading! Lots of new alerts since the last update, I am flattered and so excited to have you join me :)