DISCLAIMER I OWN NOTHING YOU CAN RECOGNIZE

The Tiger

Chapter 4

When James eventually arrived at the common room he found the Marauders were already there Lily was reading what looked like her charms book, as Sirius sat next her, and were whispering with an occasional giggle on Lily's part.

"James!" Sirius called, pointing to the seat on the other side of Lily, James nodded and began to prance over to them.

"So what are you to lovebirds planning on doing in Hogsmeade?" Sirius inquired with a mock serious tone to his voice, this was a question that Lily had herself and looked at James intently

"Well I was thinking Florean Forescues Ice Cream Parlor, that is, if its all right with Lily"

"Sounds fine" she said and gave him a reassuring smile, he then looked at her with wide eyes and winked.

"Don't think just because I agreed to go with you to Hogsmeade your getting anything besides my company James Potter"

"And that alone is worth winking about Tiger" Lily looked at him, 'Tiger' since when was she being called Tiger? Apparently Sirius knew this nickname and let out a quite grunt of laughter as though this name had more meaning than was apparent.

"Tiger?" she asked now almost demanding to know what it meant,

"like a Tiger Lily... and when you get mad sometimes... you should see the look in your eyes... its fierce... like a tiger, not that I mind that look, it is actually probably one of my favorites" James now had a mysterious, mischievous glint in his eyes, she was almost sure there was more to it than that but figured they probably weren't telling her for a reason.

"And Lily like you said on the train...You're an animal..." Sirius started laughing at his own crude joke, then looked at James who seemed to be biting his lip to avoid breaking out in a fit of laughter

"Right" she said nodding her head with uncertainty, "well I should be going up to my dormitory... after all first day of classes start tomorrow, you two should get some sleep, so you don't fall asleep tomorrow in your classes"

"Aw, it's nice to know you care so much Evans" James said with smart grin

"Well James if anything does wind up happening between us, I really don't want to be dating the Hogwart's deadbeat." with that she skipped merrily up to her dormitory smiling to herself. As she entered she was swarmed with a crowd of her fellow 7th year classmates

"Lily we haven't seen you in forever!"

"Why didn't you answer our letters?"

"Did you have a good summer?"

Lily's head was spinning, "I know it's been a long time... I'm sorry I couldn't reply I was busy... with other things," she added with a smirk, "and yes my summer was pretty good"

"Well, HAVE YOU SEEN JAMES AND SIRIUS THIS YEAR? THEY ARE GETTING BETTER LOOKING BY THE MINUTE! EVEN REMUS IS STARTING TO GROW UP!" all the girls were squealing by this time

"Lily, you are going to have to get me with Sirius this year please!" Lily smiled and shook her head

"You act like I have control over them, I don't there my friends just like you are, just go talk to them if you want to meet them so bad! They aren't that scary, sorry girls I'm tired I need to get to bed, and you all should too, classes start tomorrow"

With that she changed into her night clothes and curled up into her bed, sometimes those girls, no wonder they had never been that close, at least Sirius as much of a prat as he sometimes, still asks meaningful questions.

The next morning Lily awoke earlier than usual, adrenaline pumping through her veins, she walked into the showers, and came out looking and feeling very refreshed. She took out her wand and did a charm, which instantly dried and curled her hair just right walked out and changed into her robes. She then walked down to the common room where Sirius and James had already been waiting furiously for Peter and Remus.

When they realized she entered the room they both stood up noticeably straighter

"Hey Evans!" said James cheerfully

"So Lils you going to sit with us at breakfast?" Sirius said as he put his arm around her gently, her touch felt warm and he looked at her and smiled, she was so beautiful, every bit of her, why hadn't he ever noticed it before and then he looked into her eyes and saw the glint, the sparkling emeralds that had entranced him,

"Yeah you sitting with us?" added James smiling broader than ever.

"Umm yeah of course" Lily nodded her head as, Sirius backed away, 'she is my best friend, my other best friend is in love with her, and this couldn't work...no it couldn't just get it out of your head prat'.

James wrapped his arm around Lily and guided her gleefully out the door; she could now look at him not in disgust, but in wonder. He was such a charming person but there was so much more to him than that and she could tell, something about the way he looked at her showed a mystery hiding behind his hazel eyes, which twinkled knowingly at her at every glance.

She knew he really did care about her a lot and could see it in the way he looked at her, his eyes wide and bright like a child at Christmas. As they entered the Great hall Lily felt dozens of eyes drift toward her, at first she didn't realize why, but then she realized it was probably because she had entered with the two most eligible 'bachelors' of the school, both with their arms around her. They found a group of five seats at the end of the Gryffindor table and were soon joined by Peter and Remus.

"Why didn't the two of you wait for us? We came out and you weren't there" Peter asked almost upset at the fact that James and Sirius hadn't waited for he and Remus.

"Well we would have," replied James, "but Evans was so hungry, she threatened us and told us if we didn't come with her she would bite our arm off"

Lily punched him in his arm playfully, as he pretended to wince in pain. Sirius looked as though he were somewhere else during breakfast and didn't even crack jokes as the Slytherins entered. 'How could I like my best friend, I cant its impossible, I refuse to like. Lily' Sirius pondered, staring off into the space which seemed to be enclosing smaller and smaller as his thoughts became less broad.

"Padfoot, where are you today?" Remus asked, though he knew what look it was. It was the same look of bewilderment that he had every time he saw Lily and James together, he had been in love with her since the day they met, but he knew she could never feel the same and that she and James were right.

Remus could tell that Sirius was thinking the same thing, he kept glancing at James, and then to Lily as though making a difficult decision about the two of them.