A/N: Thank you for the comments about my grandfather. J He died last Monday, the 9th and the funeral was on Friday. I don't think the last chapter was my best, so I worked really hard on this, and just for you guys I added some lovely happenings between our favourite couple! I don't like Lily so mean, either, so I added a little niceness. ;)

Unpredictable

Chapter 4: Tropical Punch Birthdays

Dedicated: For my grandfather. 333

It's something unpredictable

But in the end is right

I hope you had the time of your life

~Good Riddance (Time of your Life)

By Green Day

'I… am not… SICK!' I shouted at Liz for the twentieth time that morning, before sneezing into a tissue. If my nose weren't attached to my face I probably would have punched it for being so perfectly on time.

'Well you wouldn't be, if someone hadn't accidentally left the window open,' said Liz, turning to scowl at Heather, who was getting dressed.

She smiled sweetly and shrugged. 'Was it just me, or was it a tad warm in here yesterday?'

'At the end of OCTOBER?!' Liz shouted. 'I DON'T THINK SO!'

'Don't worry,' said Heather, turning to me. 'James can always make you feel better.'

'Honestly, why are you--achoo--still on about that article?' I said tranquilly. 'I would say someone--achoo--is jealous.'

'Jealous?' Heather scoffed. 'Of you? In your dreams, Evans.'

'Sorry to disappoint you,' I said, 'but I have much more--achoo--important things to dream about rather than an ugly git that can't even get a boy like James to look at you, unless you're locked up in your exhibit at the zoo.'

Heather blushed angrily. 'You don't think I can get James?'

'Yeah, right!' Liz laughed. 'James is completely hooked on Lily, and always will be.'

As annoying as James could be, it was such a good insult to throw at Heather. I turn to her with a Ha-beat-that look, but surprisingly, she didn't look angry. Instead, she smiled wryly.

'Oh, so you haven't heard then?'

'Haven't heard what?' I said.

Her smiled widened. 'About James and Morgan Lake, of course.'

Morgan Lake was a Ravenclaw 6th Year, and a very pretty one at that. I didn't know much about her except that she was a half-blood and excelled in Herbology, and that she was a prefect.

'What about--achoo--them?' I asked, everything going right over my head. What was Heather getting at?

'That they're going out!'

My first instinct was to punch Heather in the face, because she was just so damn annoying. My second instinct was to punch James in the face, because… well I didn't know why, I was still confused about everything. My third instinct, and the one I listened to thank Merlin, was to hide every emotion that I had.

I cleared my face and shrugged. 'So?'

Heather looked flabbergasted. '"So"? That's all you have to say?'

'Actually, no. I'd also like say that I'm incredibly hungry, so if you don't mind, I'm going down to breakfast.'

Before Heather could get another word in edgewise, I turned on my heals and grabbed my pack, before heading down the stairs, Liz close behind. We didn't speak as we made our way down to the Great Hall for breakfast, and by the time we reached the Entrance Hall, I knew exactly what was running through her mind. And I was positive that she was entirely wrong.

'Achoo--Don't start,' I said grimly, without her even saying anything.

'Huh?' she responded.

'I know what you're thinking, and I can tell you right now that I am not jealous of Morgan.'

Damn right I wasn't! The thought was laughable.

Ha ha.

'I never said you were!' said Liz in a tone that clearly said she thought I was. 'And even if you were…'

'I'm NOT!'

'I'm just saying, that even if you were, it would be okay, you know. You're allowed to be jealous.'

'Maybe.--achoo--But I'm not.'

Liz sighed. 'If you say so…'

We took our seats at Gryffindor Table in silence. I poured some juice into my cup perhaps a little too violently, as it sloshed right back out and onto the table; I was peeved that my best--my only--friend thought that I was jealous because I wasn't James Potter's girlfriend!

It didn't help my mood when Peter, Sirius, and Remus came down and sat beside us and began talking about Morgan. I could have easily jumped on them and smashed their heads into the platter of papaya seeds in front of them.

'She is so hot!' Sirius was saying through a mouthful of eggs.

'Is that all you ever care about?' said Remus. 'She's in Ravenclaw and incredibly smart.'

'And she's so nice!' Peter squeaked.

Sirius nodded. 'And did you get a load of her arse?'

'PLEASE!' I snapped suddenly. 'I am trying to eat!'

'Somebody's touchy this morning,' Remus commented.

'I wonder why…' Sirius added.

Uh oh. I saw a grin forming on all three boys' faces. I had done it. I had really done it. I might as well write my will now.

'You wonder why what?' said a voice behind us.

I suppose I turned around too fast, because the next thing I knew I was on my bum. On the ground. And James Potter was hovering above me.

'Are you okay?' he said, helping my up.

We hadn't spoken since yesterday and things still weren't smooth between us, but I was grateful of the silent agreement not to talk about it.

'About as okay as someone who falls off their chair,' I muttered, rubbing my backside.

Usually it would be embarrassing to any sixteen-year-old who falls in the middle of breakfast, but I personally didn't give a care. Maybe that's why a certain person was staring at me strangely.

'Who're you?' I rudely asked the girl who was clinging to James's arm. Apparently the fall must have shaken up my brain, for I momentarily forgot who the pretty brunette was.

'Morgan Lake,' she said, flashing me a pearly smile as she extended her hand.

I stared at it for a second before turning my head quickly and sneezing against my shoulder. 'Mhm,' I said, looking back at the girl who's eyebrows were now raised. 'Pleasure, I'm sure.'

I took my seat next to Liz who was pursing her lips to keep from laughing. I wasn't happy at all; this just proved that I really was sick. I was always grumpy and incredibly discourteous when I was sick.

James and Morgan took a seat in front of me. 'You wouldn't mind if Morgan ate with us today, would you?' said James. His friends shook their heads, practically drooling over the Ravenclaw.

I elbowed Sirius in the side. 'In all honesty I don't see how you can ogle over a girl and eat--achoo--at the same time.'

Both Morgan and Sirius blushed.

'And you, James,' I said, turning to him. 'What's wrong with you? Don't let him stare at your--achoo--girl like that!'

I really hate how James understands me so well. Instead of smart mouthing, he exchanged a look with Liz that clearly showed they were silently trading information. I didn't know if it was that I was jealous or just sick, but they agreed on one, because with a quick nod from both, Liz was pulling at my arm.

'Come on, Lily, before we're late for Charms,' she said, standing up.

'But we have--achoo--Potions first thing!' I said, standing as well but not budging.

'Oh. Right. Um, well… I left something in the Common Room.'

I was top of my Year, what did she think I was? Stupid?!

'But then we'll be late for Potions.'

'No, we won't; we have time.'

'If we would be late for Charms, then we would definitely be late for Potions. One, it is a longer walk; two, if you want to stop in the Common--'

'I get the point,' Liz hissed, tugging more forcedly at my arm. 'Now let's go!'

I shrugged and turned back around. ''Bye Meagan!'

'It's Morgan!' she called back, smiling and waving.

Cheery people are so bloody annoying.

'What was that all about?' Liz nearly screamed once we had left the Great Hall.

I shrugged again. 'It wasn't--achoo--about anything.'

'I think it was about you being jealous!'

What was it with people telling me how I felt?! Although James was a hell of a lot closer than Liz currently was.

'Achoo--Think again, Liz! How could I be jealous of that brunette bimbo?'

'HELLO? She's in Ravenclaw!'

'Okay, so maybe she's not a bimbo, but she's still a brunette--achoo.'

Liz shook her head, sighing. 'Get it through your head, Lily. You… are… jealous.'

'I'm--I'm--I'm not--ACHOO--jealous.'

'Oh, c'mon,' she said, rolling her eyes. 'I'm taking you to the Hospital Wing.'

I don't need to be told--I know my behaviour was inexcusable. I know that I was rude to Morgan. And I know that it is going to sound beyond stupid when I say… it wasn't my fault! I honestly couldn't help what I was doing. It was like… like I was being controlled by a monster!

I groaned. Yes, a monster is was it was. The green-eyed monster--no pun intended.

'Liz?' I said timidly.

'I know, I know,' she sighed impatiently. 'You're jealous.'

This had to be some sort of conspiracy! How was it that everyone knew my feelings before I actually felt them?

'We know you better than you may think,' she added.

I opened my mouth in disbelief but--

Wait…

'"We"?' I asked.

'Yes, we,' said Liz nonchalantly.

'Who's we?!' I snapped.

'James and me, of course,' she said, as if it were the most obvious thing.

'James--achoo--doesn't know me well!'

'Does too!'

'All he knows is the--achoo--rubbish those stupid journalists publish, because he only likes me for being Lily Evans, the star; not Lily Evans, the Hogwarts student.'

It was Liz's turn to groan. Many times in the past I've burst into our dorm, piss angry and cursing off James for liking me because of my fame. And each time, Liz would calmly say, 'Lily, you know he likes you because you're pretty, smart, a great friend, nice on occasions, and charming when you want to be.'

We had reached the Hospital Wing, and Liz stopped outside, taking me firmly by the shoulders. 'James really does like you. Couldn't you… couldn't you just give him a chance? Even just try being his friend? He's not so bad once you get to know him.'

I wrinkled my nose, as if liking James would be the hardest thing I was ever asked to do. And hell, it might just as well have been; how am I supposed to suddenly befriend someone I have gone out of my way to hate?

'Please, Lily?' Liz pleaded.

'I can't!--achoo--He's too shallow!'

'How is he shallow?!'

'For liking me because--'

'Don't start that again!'

'I didn't!'

'You were going to!'

'Prove it!'

'No!'

'Yes--achoo!'

'Why?'

'Because I said so!'

'Are you mad? I have very ill patients in here! This is an abomination, students screaming outside the Hospital Wing!'

Both Liz and I jumped to see Madam Corkery, the school nurse, standing in the doorway of the Hospital Wing, looking absolutely furious; she was no doubt one of the most scariest adults at Hogwarts. If you came to her with a scraped knee, she would more than likely inform Dumbledore and all the professors, and bid them to write an owl to the patients' parents, stating they had better start preparing for the funeral.

'Sorry, Madam Corkery,' I said. 'Liz was just bringing me because I have--achoo--a cold.'

It was as if her death day had come early. She gasped and her eyes bulged and if she didn't have the lungs of a bullfrog (this woman could scream) then I would think she was hyperventilating.

'Oh, you poor dear!' She hustled me inside, and closed the door on Liz without another word. 'Gracious me, how long have you been standing out there in that cold hallway? You should have come to see me right away! You should be in bed!'

She forced me to lay down while she made her way over to a cabinet and began rummaging through it, muttering about explosions and murders and the end of the world.

I rolled my eyes. What the hell did she think I was going to do? Spontaneously combust?

She finally pulled out a green bottle and poured out an orangey liquid into a smaller tube, before handing it to me. I drank it and made a face--it tasted like mouldy socks rinsed in saltwater then flushed down a toilet, transferred to a polluted pond, and finally worn for three months by Severus Snape without being washed.

'Can I have a late note to class?' I said, handing the container back to her.

'CLASS?' she shrieked. 'You can't go back to class! You must rest, you'll be in bed for days!'

My jaw dropped. 'Days?! I only have a cold! Not even! See, no sneezing, the medicine helped!'

'But my dear child--'

'No,' I said firmly. 'I really should be getting to class.'

Looking as though she had just been slapped with a rubber chicken, she huffed over to her desk and quickly scrawled a note before practically shoving me out of the Hospital Wing. Liz had already left so I made my way down to the dungeons for Potions class alone.

Potions is probably my least favourite class. Not only do the Gryffindors have it with the Slytherins, which means the stupid git Snape is there, but James was assigned as my partner. It wouldn't be too bad, because he is a good student, but I always try to work extra hard in Potions because every year I try and beat Snape as top in the class. And that is awfully hard when you have an incredibly annoying boy eyeballing you the whole time, and not even paying attention to what he's doing.

Being the Head of Slytherin House, you would think that the professor would be completely horrible. Professor Davis isn't at all that bad; true, at times he shows favouritism towards Snape, being his favourite student, but really he's about as boring and monotony as Professor Binns, the most tedious History of Magic teacher Hogwarts has ever seen.

I knocked on the dungeon door before entering, where Professor Davis was writing instructions on the blackboard. I handed him my note and sat down in my seat beside James, and pulled out my cauldron.

'Hey!' said James cheerfully, as if that morning hadn't happened.

I forced a smile. 'Uh… hi.'

His eyes bulged and he did a double take. 'What did you say?'

I knitted my eyebrows together. 'Hi…' I said slowly.

I could clearly see why this would trouble him. Not only did I actually smile at him, which I hardly EVER did, I also said hi without a witty comment. It was a flipping miracle!

'Oh, okay,' he said uncertainly, as if not sure how to take this news.

Professor Davis turned to the class and told us to begin working on the octyl methoxycinnamate potion, which I completely missed what the point of it was. I pulled out some dragon scales and dimethicone leaves and began chopping them when James said, 'So how're you?'

I had the urge to say "Well, my day would be looking much brighter if I didn't have to spend an hour sitting beside you" but I bit my tongue, remembering what Liz said. Maybe he really wasn't half bad. I shook my head quickly and pretended like I was talking to Remus, instead of James. I could always talk to him more calmly than most and maybe if I forgot how I forced myself to act around the messy-haired boy… It was worth a shot.

'Okay,' I said, shrugging. 'Madam Corkery thought I was going to keel over when I asked for some cold medicine.'

James, who I think had been expecting something more along the lines of the brighter day comment, dropped his brass scales and the slug slime that he had been measuring splattered to the floor. Davis barely looked up from his desk as he whipped out his wand and muttered something, causing James's instrument and ingredients to fly back into place on the table.

'Careful, Potter, or you will do this in silence,' he reprimanded in a dull tone.

'Yes, sir,' said James, who suddenly looked much paler.

Was it really that shocking that I actually spoke nicely to him?! My stomach lurched in guilt.

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence and I kept my eyes down on my shredded leaves, my face burning. I could feel him look up at me every now and then, and I would blush even more.

After at least five minutes, he cleared his throat and said, 'I remember last year I came back from a Quidditch game with a broken arm and she made such a fuss that she owled my parents, telling them I was paralysed for life and would never be able to hold a wand again.'

We both laughed and as if I had suddenly grown three extra heads, the whole class was staring at us. I turned to look at Liz; she was grinning so widely I thought her face was going to break with the strain of it.

Both thoroughly embarrassed, James and I turned back to our potion, trying to ignore the gapes of everyone. We didn't talk to each other for the rest of the class, and when the bell rang, I packed up my things in a flash and nearly ran out of the room.

I was first to arrive at Transfiguration and put my head down on my desk immediately, so I didn't have to face anyone as they came in, one classmate in particular. I felt Liz sit beside me a few minutes later, as well as a pair of eyes attach themselves to the back of my head.

'That was brilliant!' she hissed in my ear.

'What was brilliant?' I said, sitting up.

'You can't fool me, Lily, I know for a fact James and you were getting along!'

'Thanks for the newsflash.'

'You don't seem too happy for someone who made an impossible breakthrough.'

I could still feel those goddamn eyes. Who the hell was staring at me and why didn't they mind their own business?!

'Because James and I were not getting along!'

'You were laughing,' Liz said, pointing out the obvious.

'Nice observation, Sherlock Holmes.'

'It is an obvious sign of affection!'

Any second now before I turn around and poke those stupid eyes out with my wand…

'How did it go from getting along to affection?!'

'Same difference!'

Enough. I don't know whether it was the fact that I was peeved at fighting with Liz, or that everyone was now talking about me actually speaking normally to James, or if whomever was staring at me just pushed me over the edge. But I turned around furiously and shouted, 'STOP STARING AT ME!' I grabbed my bag and stormed out of the classroom just as the bell rang, stopping for just one second to see who the perpetrator was.

James was staring at the board embarrassedly and blushing to the very roots of his hair.

To excuse myself from classes for the rest of the day, I went back to Madam Corkery and told her that I was still feeling under the weather and should stay in bed for the day. She gave me a look that clearly said "I told you so!" and I gave her one right back that said "Say a word and I'll stick orange slime down your throat and we'll see if you like it."

So I changed into comfortable pyjamas and laid in bed, curling up with my favourite book. I hardly read anything, though, because my mind was in such a flutter. I was boiling at myself because I couldn't believe I had actually trusted James enough to pretend like we were friends for a second; I was piss angry at Liz for convincing me to give him a chance and for insisting there was "affection" between us; and I was furious with James because… well I didn't need an excuse. I could be angry at James anytime I wanted for no reason, just because he loved me for being famous.

I tossed and turned that night (Corkery had forced me to stay, and I didn't object; I didn't want to have a run-in with James in Gryffindor Tower), unable to sleep. My mind roved over my jealousy, which I decided not to speak of anymore; I wondered what it would have been like, had it been me that was clinging to James's arm…

I shook my head. That was the last thing I needed to think about when I was trying incredibly hard to ignore the jealousy… I racked my brain for something else to concentrate on. Well… tomorrow is the 18th, and McGonagall was giving us a test--

I suddenly sat straight up in bed, trying to scream, but it came out as a stifled yelp. Madam Corkery seemed to hear anyway and flew out of her room, turning on the lights with a flick of her wand as she ran over to my bed.

'W-what's wrong, dear?' she huffed, patting her hairnet to make sure all her curlers were still in place.

'Tomorrow--tomorrow--tomorrow is the eighteenth!' I told her, my eyes wide.

Her jaw dropped. She must think I was delusional. Knowing her, I might be there until January…

'Um… I was just having a nightmare,' I quickly lied. 'I had a nightmare about me dieing on the 18th.'

Corkery looked taken aback and slightly suspicious, but nodded and said goodnight; she left muttering something about me spending too much time with Professor Trelawny.

I laid back down, now even angrier than before. So much had been going on that I seemed to have forgotten that tomorrow was the 18th of November. My stupid, stupid, STUPID sixteenth birthday.

* * *

'HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!'

My eyelids flickered open, desperately wishing there wasn't so much bright light pouring in from the window a few beds down. I groaned and rolled over, pulling my white sheet up over my head. Too early… must sleep… much too early…

'Go away,' I mumbled.

I smiled slightly, not hearing a response. I was thinking how good a morning it was going to be if the person waking me up didn't pursue their task when I felt someone get inside my bed with me. I nearly jumped out of my skin and turned over to see who the intruder was.

James Potter grinned at me from underneath the covers.

'What the hell do you think you're doing in bed with me?!' I hissed. 'Are you bloody blotto?'

'Well if you aren't getting up, I'm certainly not going down to breakfast myself,' he said, crossing his arms over his chest in a determined manner.

'But that still doesn't explain what YOU'RE DOING!'

'I'm lying in bed with you,' he smirked.

'GET OUT!' I shrieked.

Oi, where was Madam Corkery when you need her?

James seemed to have been reading my thoughts, for next he said, 'I sent Corkery down to the kitchens. Made up some bluff about an outbreak of some sort of virus from the house-elves.'

I glared at him suspiciously. 'You certainly seemed to have thought this out. Planning to do something to me, are you?'

'Only if you want me to,' he said, grinning.

'Dream on, Potter.'

'As always, Lily.'

I rolled my eyes at him and was about to open my mouth to retort, when--

'YOO-HOO!'

I flipped the covers back as though they were on fire, and stared, dumbstruck, at the forms of Liz, Sirius, Remus, and Peter in the doorway of the Hospital Wing--all whom were beaming.

'Hey guys!' said James gleefully, as if it was everyday that his friends barged in while he was in bed with the girl he "loved."

'Hi,' said Sirius, while they all moved towards the bed. 'So… have a fun night?'

'SIRIUS!' I screamed.

'Gee, Sirius, didn't your mum ever tell you not to provoke a dragon?' Liz muttered.

I breathed deeply out of my nose and when I felt I was calm enough, I turned to them and said, 'I spend the night in this bed by myself. It isn't my fault that Mr Potter decided to join me this morning.'

'Well, Miss Evans,' said Remus mockingly; I glared at him, but he smiled charmingly, 'we came up here to wish a happy 16th birthday, but seeing as you are already quite busy, we'll just be going and talk to you later. See you in class!'

They ran out of there before I could do anything (like, perhaps murder, which I was presently very willing to do) and I turned to scowl so vilely at James that even he cowered. I turned to look at the bedside clock; it was only seven. I still had another half-hour of sleep before I needed to get up.

I laid back down with a sigh, wondering how on earth I could force myself back to sleep. James seemed to think this as a welcome, because he laid down beside me.

'Uh…hello?!' I said loudly. 'Why are you still here?'

'No reason,' he said. I made a loud noise of aggravation.

'Well could you leave?' I said, trying not to lose my patience. 'I don't want you stinking up my bed.'

In truth, he didn't smell half bad. Sort of like a wave of mint, but also… was that jam? Yes, I definitely smelled grape jam. But there was no way in hell I was about to admit that to him, not in a hundred years!

I was brought abruptly out of my thoughts by the sudden realization of how close James was to me; much too close for my liking. He had inched his way beside me and was…

'Are you sniffing my hair?' I asked in disbelief.

'Maybe,' he said, drawing away a bit. 'It smells like coconut.'

'Duh,' I said. 'I use coconut shampoo.' I honestly could have kicked myself for asking this next question. 'W-why? Don't you like it?' I fingered my hair nervously, wondering why I suddenly cared what James Potter thought of the smell of my hair.

He grinned at me. 'No, it's not that I don't like coconut, it's just… It doesn't fit with your hair. You have red hair, so it should be a red food. Like… like a pomegranate!'

I laughed. 'What does a pomegranate even smell like?'

He blushed and said, 'Dunno. I just couldn't think of any other red foods.'

This made me laugh even harder. 'You couldn't think of an apple or a strawberry or watermelon or cherries or--'

'Okay, okay, I get the point,' he said, smiling.

'Besides, my hair is too light for all those. It wouldn't fit.' I really did hate my hair. It was such an ugly colour! I wouldn't mind if it were darker, but it was so orangey…

'How about tropical punch?'

'Isn't that some Muggle juice flavour?'

'Maybe,' he said, shrugging. 'But it fits you.'

'Okay,' I said.

Now that he had had a decent conversation with me, probably his purpose of the day, he climbed out of bed and stood beside it.

'Um… well, I better go. I told Morgan I'd meet her for breakfast.'

I nodded silently at this. I'd forgotten all about Morgan.

'I'll see you in class.' He turned to leave but before he was even two feet away, he came back and put a brightly wrapped package. 'Happy Birthday, by the way. I got this for you.'

'Oh,' I said, staring at the present. 'Thanks, I guess.'

'Sure.' He walked towards the door while I continued to stare.

He got me a present? I never got him a present before. I didn't even know when his birthday was! I was starting to feel uncomfortable about all this… First we laughed in class, then we talked and laughed here, and I even took his advice. And now he was giving me presents…

'Potter!' I called at his retreating back, trying to turn my voice icy cold. It was surprisingly hard. 'Just to clear things up, I still hate you.'

He smiled and opened his mouth to say something but I stopped him by rolling my eyes.

'I know, I know,' I sighed. 'You don't even have to say it.'

I turned over in bed as he left, grinning to myself. My birthdays were usually boring and not very special, but I felt like this one would be slightly different. If James Potter could make me smile, then I knew today wouldn't be half bad.

A/N: Um… was this okay? I hope so. I worked really hard. I've been cursed with writer's block so it was incredibly painful, too. I rewrote it almost five times. Anyway, I hope you liked it! Please review! -Lily-white

Oh, and by the way, I am desperately running out of 'witty comments' for Lily to say! Help anyone? J Thanks!!