Author's Note:

Reviews and Comments: To ellyann13: He is slowly making her like him, yes. Thank you! To threereasonswhy: Thank you! To saucyswimmer: Thank you! Happy to make your Jily heart soar! To alix33: Yes, listening to music while doing homework just suits them. Nope, Rosier definitely learned nothing lol. Thank you! To ascfan: Nope, James is definitely Rick Asterly in his that regard. Thank you! To Slaidback: Thank you and you're very welcome! To Sets: Yes, Remus most definitely noticed lol. I love having James' friends take notice before he does. Thank you! To scrappy8: Thank you! To Bellmel: Yes, forehead kiss lol. I love them dancing and yes with James and with Sirius. They were all happy. Of course James is going to say "anything for you," he is so head over heels for that girl! Come on, to dream on? Very sad lol. Poor Peter lol. Thank you!

My posting schedule: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Thanks to Dusk for her amazing editing skills.

As always, thank you very much for reading and please, please review!

Your reviews give me life! They give me inspiration! And they make me want to keep writing for more than just myself! Thank you for all of your continued support!

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE:

The One Where Lily Realizes

She Fancies James

April 1977…

Lily was definitely thinking about James Potter.

She couldn't stop picturing that moment in the common room when they danced together to Aerosmith. She couldn't stop thinking about how he went out of his way to help her in Transfiguration.

And Merlin knew she couldn't get the image of him from this afternoon out of her head.

Gryffindor had won against Hufflepuff. The Quidditch team had sailed down to the pitch, hugging and high-fiving in excitement. Lily had rushed down with Mary and Dorcas to congratulate Marlene and the rest of the team and James had suddenly pulled his robes off and tugged his shirt over his head, using the jersey to wipe sweat from his brow.

Her tongue had licked her lips as her eyes had followed those broad shoulders, down his toned chest to his well defined abs, to the trail of dark hair that disappeared into his trousers, to the v lines on his hips… Marlene had slapped her on the back and she'd almost choked on her own tongue, tearing her eyes away from his sweaty chest and wondering why she was suddenly so hot.

"I'm sure if you wanted to to lick the sweat from him, he wouldn't mind," Marlene teased.

Lily's face turned red. "Of course I don't want to — Marlene!"

Marlene laughed, tossing her head of dark hair back. "Certainly looked like you wanted a taste of him and I hate to break it to you, Lily, but he noticed you looking."

If it was possible her face turned even redder.

It wasn't that James Potter wasn't good looking. He was extremely good looking. Everyone knew that he was good looking. He and Sirius Black were two of the best looking blokes at Hogwarts. When James had turned seventeen last month, Witch Weekly had immediately posted photos of him as being one of the most eligible young and upcoming bachelors at newly seventeen. He had his own little fan club of Quidditch groupies.

And she hated it.

After he'd taunted her about kissing her after their dance, she'd hated that part of her had wished he had. She wished that he hadn't told her and had just done it. For if he hadn't warned her, she might have let him.

And she might have even liked it.

The fact that she'd been having some very naughty dreams that left her hot and squirming in her bed at night and that James Potter was usually the star of them didn't mean anything. He'd been asking her out for three years and now ever since that dance… he hadn't.

Not once.

It had been a full week now since James had attempted to ask her out and she was wondering on it. She waited with bated breath for his approach, but it never came. His eyes still followed her when they were in a room together, but he never mentioned dating. In fact, almost every time she saw him he was surrounded by his usual group of friends and Quidditch groupies. He would look over at her, wink and smile, but he never asked her out.

It was unusual.

The fact that she might actually be missing James Potter asking her out was preposterous and she refused to admit that. It made her sound like some sort of psycho who only wanted what she couldn't have. It was a relief actually, not to have to consistently turn him down.

It was better this way.

By week two, she had almost convinced herself of it, but by week three, she snapped at Sirius.

"Why hasn't Potter asked me out?"

Sirius grinned at those words, turning to look at her. "Well, well, well, missing him, are you?"

"No."

Sirius laughed. "Liar."

"I'm not lying. I just… I feel like he's plotting something since he hasn't asked me out. I feel more on guard and I want to know if I should be watching out or something," she explained, trying to find a reason why she cared.

"I bet that's why," he murmured thinking his friend was finally doing something right. "He's been busy. Not to mention that he's snogging Julia Cauldwell at the moment."

"Oh," Lily said, starting to feel incredibly embarrassed over her outburst.

His grin widened. "You're jealous."

Lily's eyes flashed. "I most certainly am not!"

"You most certainly are not what?" James asked, taking a seat behind her in Transfiguration and gently tucking her hair behind her ear. "You look beautiful today, Evans."

Lily swatted his hand away, suddenly feeling annoyed and bothered again. "Nothing."

Sirius' wiggled his eyebrows at her. "Well, James, I think that Lily here is jealous of the fact that you are snogging Cauldwell and haven't asked her out in three weeks."

James grinned at his friend and then gently let his fingers play with the tips of her hair. "I'd rather go out with you, Evans. Want to snog after class?"

Lily glared at him and swatted his hand away again. "No, you pig!"

She turned around in her seat and openly ignored both of them who were laughing now.

James smirked and tapped Lily on the shoulder. When she turned to glare at him he smiled. "I'm a great kisser."

She let her elbow fall back and smash into his hand, smiling when he swore just as McGonagall stepped into the room.

"Potter, detention with me tonight!"

"Aw, McG!" he whined.

Lily only bit her bottom lip.

"I'm a great kisser," his voice echoed in her mind and when she snuck a look back at him, her eyes were on his soft lips and she cursed herself.

There was no way she fancied James Bloody Potter.

No. Bloody. Way.