Disclaimer: It's J.K.'s ideas, my plot.

A/N: Hola everyone! I decided to start another small novel about Lily and James. It's all in Lily's POV, and James actually resembles a guy at my school who I am desperately trying not to fall for, but he's one of those guys who's totally flirtatious with every girl. hmmm, remind you anyone? James perhaps? But enough of that, this story starts in Lily 5th year, James's 6th year.

Flirtatious

September 24, 1975

Dear Journal,

I've been back at school now for exactly 24 days and I'm already overwhelmed with loads of work. Damn these stupid O.W.L.S! They really aren't that important are they? We're learning about 5 new spells every lesson! All this work is way above and beyond me. I feel like I'm back in primary school trying to learn French. The only word I can remember today is 'merci', which is thank you and mind you, I can hardly even remember how to pronounce it, let alone spell it. As you can see, those lessons haven't really, err, stayed with me over the years. Anyway, on to more important things... Actually, there are no other important things. My life is dull, boring, and lifeless. I need a boyfriend... and NOT James Potter. I don't care if he is the cutest, sweetest, most charming guy in all of Hogwarts. I'm not going to fall for him. I've been forcing myself to like other people since last December, and I'm not going to change that. Ugh... Why did I skip a year in potions? Why did I have to be in his class? Why did I have to sit behind him and totally fall for those amazing blue eyes and perfect white teeth? Why did he have to flirt with me so much? Why... Why does he flirt with so many girls? Guys need to be limited on the amount they flirt. They should only be allowed to flirt with girls they like so they don't cause other girls, like me, to fall, and fall hard, without them even noticing. Ugghhhh...

Write more later,

Lily

I slammed my diary shut and threw it on my bed feeling pathetic, lost, and overwhelmed. Tall, adorable, charming, and sweet James Potter was simply haunting me, ensnaring my senses and overtaking my mind. The simplicity yet sharpness of his name nearly sent a chill down my spine every time it was whispered by other giggly girls apparently under his spell. I felt stupid and annoyed. I'd been working since last December to not fall for him, and because we had been paired up as partners this year in potions, I'd plummeted faster than the massive American stock market crash in the 1930's, which caused the Great Depression. And I, myself, knew that if I didn't get over James, and fast, I too would be facing a great depression of my own. And trust me, with my friends mentioning every other minute how cute James and I would be if we became a couple helps me with my task in no such way. I simply can't admit this spark inside me to anyone. Deep inside me I know that if I do it will spread like wildfire throughout the school before it reaches James. It can't reach James. I'll be beyond ashamed if I let him put that spark inside of me out. That is just something I am going to have to do on my own.

I straightened up my skinny, yet mature body and held my head up high. No one was going to find out. Things were going to be just as they always were; happy and quaint without thinking of James Potter, or as happy and quaint as they could be. I glanced in the mirror. My fiery red hair streaming down my back in bountiful curls, and my vivid green eyes alive and exaggerated under a bit of mascara. Make-up. What would a girl do without it? I flung my potions book under my arm thinking of the upcoming class where I would be sitting next to my crush, and headed out of my dorm to the common room.

"Ignore him, Lil'. Be strong," I mumbled, slipping down the stairs.

"Ignore, who Lily-Lil'?" someone whispered in my ear.

I knew that voice. I'd know it anywhere. Just stay cool, stay cool, I repeated over and over in my head. I reluctantly turned on the spot, trying to ignore the glee I felt when hearing James' voice. I couldn't help but smile at his grinning boyish face.

"Who's Lily ignoring?" he pressed again, teasingly.

"Oh no one, Jamesey-James," I mumbled, turning a slight shade of red and continuing down the stairs, giggling all the while.

"Hey, where are you going? I've been here waiting for you so we could walk to potions together," he called after me as I exited through the portrait hole.

"Well you better hurry up then! We don't exactly want to be late now, do we?" I yelled back to him over my shoulder.

He shuffled out of the portrait hole, rolling his gorgeous eyes, but smiling brightly as well. I knew very well he had been ready to go to class before I had and if we were late, it would very well be my fault, but teasing him was still great fun. Wait, what am I talking about? I can't encourage teasing, which could be translated as flirting with James. Duh Lily! Wake up! I began to high tail it to class and James had to practically run to catch up to me.

"Anxious, aren't we?" he huffed, after his short sprint.

"For what?" I questioned politely back. I was going to talk to him civilly. There's nothing wrong with being nice, right?

"To get to class," he gasped sarcastically back. "And I bet you did all the homework Professor Canning assigned us, now didn't you?"

"Yeah," I stated back truthfully.

"Lily, Lily. Don't you ever rebel? Have some fun? Forget?" he asked.

I shrugged, a smile creeping up on my mouth. He always made fun of my intelligence, yet it was always a joke. James was quite smart himself; he just hated potions... not to mention the fact that I got a better grade than him last year.

"I know, I know, you're just a stupid smart fourthie," he sighed, before turning and smiling at me. He knew I hated this nickname and even being called it all last year had not helped me like it an millimeter more. He wasn't going back to that nickname... not this year.

"First off, James," I replied smartly, but jokingly. "I am NOT a fourth year anymore. I am now a highly intellectual fifth year!" I laughed. He laughed along, and I continued. "And secondly, stupid smart makes no sense! They contradict each other! You can't put it together. They don't flow like jumbo shrimp or-"

"You think too much," he butted in, shaking his head. "But you keep me on my toes. I like it." He smiled at me and turned to the dungeon door, which we were now standing directly in front of.

"After you, my dear," he joked, opening the door and holding it for me.

I muttered thanks and walked to my seat. Now do you see what I'm talking about? Isn't he adorable? I try to not flirt with him, and look where it takes me! He likes how I keep him on his toes! I guess that's a good thing... I mean he said he likes it... Whatever.

During potions, James and I sat in the back corner. James's best friends, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettrigrew were scattered around the room. Sirius and Marina, a Gryffindor 6th year girl, were three or four rows in front of us, and Remus and Athena, another Gryffindor 6th year girl, were one couple beside us. Peter was across the room paired up with some ugly Slyterthin bloke who looked more like a troll than a human. I never really talked to Peter much, though. He was rather quiet and mysterious, with a strange lust for power. At least, that's the only reason I could figure out he would hang out with James, Sirius and Remus. Peter seemed nice and all, but he wasn't in their league. They were loud, smart, comical and complete troublemakers; all categories Peter did not fill. All the same, he was considered one of their friends and could be seen following Sirius, James and Remus wherever they went.

"So what do you think Professor Canning has in store for us today?" James mumbled, pulling up a chair next to mine. "Think she'll misspell Hogwarts on the board again, since she seems to think we all attend Hogwats?"

I couldn't help but laugh, which I quickly stifled as class had begun. I had to admit, Professor Canning wasn't the, err, what's the best choice of words here? I guess you could say she wasn't the brightest person you'd ever meet. She was smart, definitely, when it came to potions. Ask her how many quills in a truce spell or the amount of newt eyes in an instant love spell and she could spit out the correct number immediately, but when it came to common sense, let's just say she lacked it... completely.

"Oh good day class!" she hollered as the late stragglers walked into class. "Will you look at that," she sighed. "The sun is out!"

James and I looked at each other. We were in the dungeons. No section of this whole floor connected to a single window that overlooked the outdoors. The only window in this room was that which connected to her storeroom. Apparently, the light had been left on and she had mistaken the florescent light for an actual sun. James and I shook our head.

"Bimbo," I whispered.

James nodded fervently.

The rest of the class carried on without many interruptions. James and I made a simple Dragon's burn cure potion while the Slytherin gang of Avery, Snape, Rosier, Wilkes, and Lestrange all caused havoc for Professor Canning by spilling their potions all over her desk. If it had been any other class, James and I would have been entertained, but as it was the Slytherin's causing the destruction, and it was to Professor Canning who spilled everything possible, we simply couldn't be bothered by it.

As the bell rang signaling the end of classes, I cleaned up my materials and began to pack them in my book bag. As always, Sirius, Remus and Peter all hurried over to James and waited for him as he cleared up his belongings.

"Hey Lily," Remus said, as he noticed me still packing up my supplies as well.

I fed him a friendly smile and quiet, "Hi Remus."

Remus had been extremely friendly towards me since last year when I had helped Sirius, James, and Peter brew the perfect animagus potion so they could all accompany him when he, Remus, transformed into a werewolf. You may wonder how I so cleverly learned of Remus's deep dark secret? Let's just say I am filled with a great sense of curiosity when I see people prodding a knot to an extremely violent tree every full moon. I'm not stupid enough to actually follow anyone anywhere near that particular Whomping Willow, but I have to admit, I am a wonderful interrogator. And after bombarding Remus with questions concerning the evidence I had uncovered, all he could do was reluctantly admit to his being a werewolf. Easy as cake.

As James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter all headed out the door, I closed up my book bag. James was bringing up the gang's rear and I filed into line directly behind him. Fortunately, or rather unfortunately, the class seemed to be in quite a rush to get to dinner, so as the class pushed and crammed through the door I was practically on top of him. Boy did he smell nice... Wait, what am I thinking?

"Sorry James," I muttered after I elbowed him 3 or 4 times in the back.

James turned and fed me a smile. "A little squishy, huh?" he asked.

"Yeah, just a little," I said sarcastically as Snape and his cronies pushed their way forward, heaving me into James.

"Geez. Watch it, Snape," I said quietly as I usually didn't challenge the authority of upper classmen, even if they were as dirty as Snape, but apparently he heard.

"Shut up, stupid smart mudblood," he spat, pushing forward even harder.

Finally we were out the door, but James had turned around and did not look pleased. His face was scarlet and his wand was raised.

"What'd you call her?" James asked.

"Nothing," replied Snape in a menacing, sing-song voice.

"Repeat it," James pursued.

"Fine, I called Ms Potter here a stupid smart-"

BANG!

The end of Jamses's wand exploded and a jolt of sparks passed just above Snape's left shoulder.

"You like that?" James heaved, motioning towards the near miss over Snapes shoulder.

"Next time you call her stupid smart I'll be sure not to miss." James narrowed his eyes malevolently.

Snape looked at James with a mixture of surprise and astonishment. Sirius and Remus could be heard giggling in the background and Peter simply looked on in horror.

"W-what?" Snape asked confused.

"Don't call her stupid smart, prat. That's my nickname for her, and a slimy Slytherin like you is not allowed to use it." James eyes were flashing as he glanced at me. They were filled with so much anger and emotion, but when he looked at me they somehow softened to something that looked oddly like... No, it couldn't be. I just stared back at him, breathless.

Snape looked at James confused, then not having a better idea of what to do motioned for his cronies to follow him to the Slytherin common room. Sirius and Remus were now howling with laughter.

"What's so funny?" James huffed, tearing his eyes away from me.

Sirius could hardly talk between the torments of laughter pouring out of his mouth.

"You- haha- got mad- haha- because- haha- he used stupid smart! Not- hahahaha- because he- haha- called her a MUDBLOOD! HAHAHA!"

James overlooked the situation and then began to laugh, too. I giggled a little helplessly and didn't really know what to say to him.

"Er... Thanks James," I said.

"It was nothing, Lil'," he mumbled, patting me on the back as though I was his kid sister.

James, Sirius, Remus, Peter and I walked back to the Gryffindor common room talking of James outburst with the Slytherins. James fed me a couple tentative looks, which I really didn't know how to interpret. When we reached the common room I dismissed myself and headed to my dorm and straight for my journal.

September 14, 1975

... a little later

Dear Journal,

I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT JUST HAPPENED! Okay... I don't even know where to begin! First, James Potter waited for me so he could escort me to class! He even said he LIKED how I kept him thinking. WEIRD. I haven't truly decided if that's a good thing or not, as he definitely goes for the ditzy yet popular type. Maybe he's looking for a girl GPA above a D- average? OMG, I am so hopeless! I'm hoping James will go for a smarter girl... yeah right! But then what happened next is almost a complete blur. James actually stood up for me against the Slytherins. He defended me when Snape called me a stupid smart mudblood. Mind you, he defended me because Snape called me stupid smart. Which actually rather surprised me... He didn't want anyone else using a specific name he has for me. I've never seen a possessive side to James. And then there was that eye contact we made. His intense blue stare pierced my heart unlike any other gaze I'd ever encountered. He was looking at me through new eyes, one's he had never before used. It was almost frightening how deep they saw inside my soul, causing me breath to catch short in my chest. It was almost as if there was something there. A spark in his eyes... Oh this is ridiculous. What am I saying? That maybe James likes me? LILY! He does this with every girl! You've seen him! He flirts NON-STOP. You don't want a boyfriend who's always flirting with other girls now do you? Of course not! Okay, I'm over him. Ugh... I'm so not.

Lily

A/N: I just have to make this clear to any of my friends who read this; most of this did not happen between me and that er.. certain person I referred to in my previous authors note. I just thought our basic relationship would make an interesting Lily and James story. He does NOT like me... trust me on this one, k?