"So what'd evans say" asked sirius in the common room later that night. James glanced over to where lily was. Her nose was in a book and she was writing furiously as she read, not even bothering to look at her paper, or when she dipped her quill. Her focus was amazing. James smiled. Seeing lily made him inexplicably happy.

"She said 'we'll see'," james stated, turning back to look at sirius

"'We'll see'?" sirius repeated

"Yeah."

"Oh, she's just yanking your chain. You know she's going to say yes."

"How do i know that?" asked james, his level of confidence in himself not quite as high as sirius' seemed to be.

"Because lily evans has been flirting with you the entire second half of the year."

"She has not." james answered, a little taken aback and a little pleased at the same time. It was true lily had grown increasingly warmer towards him, but all that meant was that she didn't hate him quite as much. It did not mean she had suddenly taken such a liking to him they were now flirting. Did it?

"Please, prongs," sirius dropped his head back in exasperation "half the house is placing bets on when you'll get together. Me and charlotte magda both have five sickles on some time this week." Siruis looked over his shoulder at charlotte and winked. Charlotte smiled back.

"I had one on last week," peter stated rather defeated "i had to give joseph lockett seven sickles."

"Joseph lockett?" james asked "joseph lockett, from hufflepuff?"

Peter nodded

"You see, mate, everyone knows the two of you are meant to be, a match made in heaven, truly star-crossed, etcetera, etcetera."

"Then why didn't she say yes?" james asked. He certainly had experience with girls, just not much experience with the prospect of being turned down.

"Would you listen, she just wants to keep you on edge. You know girls, she probably just doesn't want to look desperate."

James looked over at lily again. She was talking to remus. The two of them had been studying together recently. A smile pulled at his lips. Her hair kept falling in her face as she bent low over the book. Finally, she put the quill in between her teeth and went to tie her hair up. She looked around as she was doing so, taking in the room as sort of a ten second break. Her eyes landed on james and she smiled- well, she smiled as best she could with a quill in her mouth. James smiled back and lily turned to her book once more. Remus tapped her on the shoulder and pointed at his own book. James saw lily's shoulders shake in laughter. His smile widened.