Snargaluff

Summary - Lily's mad. James is confused. What's new?

"Evans!"

"—so just let me know if you need more help with the Cave Inimicum charm, alright?" Lily smiled at the fifth year Ravenclaw kindly, ignoring the prat yelling her name. "And send me an owl if you have any questions."

"Sure. Thanks, Lily."

"Evans, wait!"

"I think the Head Boy's calling you," said the Ravenclaw, her eyes flitting to look behind her with a strange smile.

"Off you go, Genevieve. You'll be late for class."

"Er, right. Thanks again."

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, Lily!" huffed the tall, 17-year-old git as he caught up to her, frowning sulkily, "I've been calling your name for ages! Trying to make me look absolutely insane, are you?"

"You don't need my help with that."

"Lily."

"What is it, James?" she rolled her eyes, trying to look very much like the patient Head Girl she wasn't at the moment. She turned to him with an exasperated expression, masking the way his bright hazel eyes were making butterflies erupt inside her stomach. "Did you want something?"

"I did actually. Some answers would be nice."

"Answers?"

"You're ignoring me."

"That's not a question."

"You're not even going to deny it?"

"What would be the point?" Lily asked, making her way towards the entrance hall. "You'd just say I was lying."

James easily fell into step beside her, eyes wide and incredulous behind his glasses. "Well then? Why are you?"

"No reason."

"Oh, because that's a completely valid answer. Thank you for clearing it all right up. I'll finally sleep in peace tonight."

"That's all I could've hoped for."

"Lily," he gritted his teeth, and she could hear the annoyance that was now evident in his tone. Good, she wanted to say. She was annoyed as well. "Stop trying to evade the question. What's going on with you?"

"I'm fine, James. I've just been stressed."

"Because of me?"

"No," she sighed, but reconsidered, "I don't know. Maybe."

"You're doing it again."

"I'm just—you're confusing me, James."

"I am confusing you? I'm sorry, are we both having the same conversation?"

"Well, not right now! I meant before," she snapped, throwing open the tall double doors as she stepped outside into the courtyard, the crisp, cool air whipping through her hair. James was right at her heels.

"Three years ago, then? I tend to forget the details with my wise years catching up to me."

She wouldn't smile no matter how much her lips wanted to turn up at the corners. He was a bloody charmer, but Lily had honed her resistance to him for over six years, even if she increasingly found it difficult to remember how.

"Shut up."

"Is this about breakfast last week?"

She didn't even remember breakfast last week. "What?"

"Because let me tell you, I tried to convince Sirius, but he was certain Regulus was being brainwashed by Mulciber. And he promised he'd only throw a harmless hex—"

"Oh, I don't care about Mulciber, James! I'm sure he deserves all the hexes he gets anyway."

"Ah," He blinked, nodding as they came to a standstill against the large fountain, "nevermind then. What's it about?"

Lily groaned loudly, and let him bear the full brunt of her glare. "If you really must know, it's because of what happened in Potions class."

"Potions?" He asked, a tiny little crease appearing between his dark brows, "that doesn't ring a bell."

"Good for you," she said, trying to walk away.

"No, wait wait wait—just, give me a second, would you?" His fingers lightly brushed her palm, pulling back immediately as if shocked by the contact. Lily felt electricity zoom up her arm as well, so she couldn't really blame him. "Fuck, I really can't remember. You can curse me into oblivion, but at least let me know what I've done!"

He was throwing such a pitiful glance her way that Lily felt her resolve crumble like a cookie. Oh, she was turning into such a pathetic mess.

"You switched partners."

"I—um," James shut his gaping mouth, two pink spots appearing over his cheeks. "No?"

"Are you asking me or are you telling me?"

"Telling you?"

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, James," Lily rolled her eyes again, feeling her own mortification catch up to her. "I know you did it, don't bother denying now. You could've told me you didn't want to work with me anymore. I didn't think I repulsed you that much."

"Hang on, what the fuck are you saying?" He looked flabbergasted, sputtering nonsensically for a few seconds before he found his voice again, "repulsed by you? Me? Repulsed?! I—you—no, Lily! Just—no."

Her eyebrows disappeared into her hairline, and she bit her lip, holding in the smile that wanted to take over her whole face. "Then why did I see you scribbling a note to Sirius begging him to switch seats with you when Slughorn gave us our new assignment?"

"You saw that?! Were you reading over my shoulder?"

"Really?" she deadpanned, "that's your main concern?"

"Well, I—I didn't want to make a fool out of myself, okay?" He threw his hands into the air, and Lily found it interesting to notice that his cheeks had gotten even redder, "you make me say and behave like a bloody idiot. We were using Snargaluffs that day and I knew—I knew I'd get distracted next to you. Didn't really fancy having thorns sticking out of my fingers, or yours."

Lily didn't know what to say, so she just stared. James grew more restless by the second, words pouring out of his mouth in panic.

"I didn't want you to hate me when I inevitably fucked up, so I asked Sirius to switch. He's better at Potions than I am anyway—don't tell him I said that, he's a stupid wanker—so I thought he was the next best option since Remus was already partnered with Peter. Oh, Merlin, I hope he didn't say anything weird to you, I specifically told him not to—"

"James, stop," Lily said, a laugh finally bursting out of her as she dropped her hand onto his arm, "Sirius didn't say anything weird."

"No?"

"No!" She laughed again, before her eyes softened and she tilted her head to stare at him with a small smile, "it's just that, well, I was happier with you."

She heard the deep intake of his breath and waited for the entire three seconds that it took for him to reply.

"Even though Padfoot's better at Potions?"

"Even then," she grinned, stepping closer. "So, would you terribly mind returning back to your seat next lesson?"

His fingers were lightly resting on her waist now. "On one condition."

Her eyes flicked to his lips, "what's that, Potter?"

"That you don't murder me in my sleep when I earn us a Troll."

Lily didn't know whether to smack her skull open against the stone, snog him senseless or laugh at his ridiculousness, so she found a middle ground and dropped her head on his chest with a light snigger, comforting herself with his pleasant warmth.

"You've got yourself a deal."