"Sir Fred, I challenge you to a game…of wizards chess…" James looked at Freddie with deathly eyes.

"I accept your challenge. What is the prize for the champion?"

Sir Fred and Sir James turned to King Black. "The winner," King Black began to announce, in a posh tone, "shall get the Lady Lillian Evans. Bring her forward."

Out of a cloud of smoke from somewhere in the room, out stepped the royal servants Pettigrew and Lupin, escorting the Lady Evans, who looked at both Sir Fred and Sir James in heartbreak. Pettigrew and Lupin escorted her to a royal chair next to King Sirius Black.

"Bring the jester forward; if this game doesn't appeal to my liking, I wish to be amused by another means," ordered King Black.

Lupin bowed, and went to fetch Jester Lindsay. She was brought forward, and she bowed to the King.

"A female jester?" roared the King. "I've heard of no such thing!"

"I am very funny, and the lady's best friend," said Jester Lindsay in a rather stupid tone.

The King smiled. "She will do. Let the game begin!"

"May the better man win," said Sir Fred, holding out his hand.

"Do not worry yourself, Sir Fred," said Sir James, taking the outstretched hand into his own. "I shall win the lady. You can have the banana."

Sir Fred and Sir James growled at each other slightly, then each took their seats, and a white pawn was moved forward…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

James' eyes opened wide. He smiled as he remembered his dream, then chuckled slightly. As he did so, he felt something move beside him. It was Lady Lillian Evans…James shook his head. No. It was Lily.

Shit – what had he done!

He looked about him. It was pitch black, but he could still see that he and Lily were lying naked together in a bed. James looked about him for a clock. It read 4am. James looked down on Lily. She was so beautiful. Her red hair had fallen lightly across her, and her hand was rested gently on his chest.

James stroked Lily's hair back to look at her face. Lily moved slightly and her eyes fluttered slowly open. She looked up at James confusedly, then smiled. "Hello," she whispered.

"Hello," James whispered back, smiling. "Wanna guess where we are?"

Lily looked about her. "Well, since that's my clock, I'm guessing we're in my dormitory."

"I'd better go then." James shifted her off him, but Lily drew herself up for a quick goodbye kiss, that lasted longer than each had thought it would. James snuggled down next to Lily once more, and drew away slightly just to add, "Well, I think I can stay a little longer."

An hour later, when Lily had fallen back to sleep, James quietly got up and got dressed. He kissed her on her forehead. "Goodnight, my Lady Lillian."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Well. You look happy." Remus looked suspicious. "Why are you happy?"

James laughed. "Well why not? Hey, it's a short life, so we've gotta live it, haven't we?" James hummed to himself, then stopped seeing his friend's expression. "Look, will you stop that? Can't you be happy that I'm happy? Everything anyone does is suspicious now isn't it?"

Remus laughed. "Look, I'm sorry, but you have been pretty miserable for the last couple of weeks. There must have been something to bring on this happiness so suddenly."

"Well, I don't know, ok?" James lied. He smirked to himself, glad to have a happy secret. "I guess it's just Christmas. Oh yeah, Christmas, I forgot!" James jumped up and down like a girl.

Remus laughed again. "Alright, alright, I'm sorry, ok? No need to go all girlie on me!"

James smiled contempt.

"Transfiguration next, right?"

James cocked his head to one side. "Yeah," he answered, thinking. I sit next to Lily in that lesson. Hmm. Freddie's in that lesson. Oh dear. James stopped walking.

Remus looked back on him. "What?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing." James wondered – what was going to happen next?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

James walked in and spotted his familiar seat across the room, with a very nervous Lily sitting there. He walked over to her and dropped his books down next to her, making Lily jump. He sat down. "No need to get all jumpy," James whispered.

He eyed Freddie and they waved to one another. Then Freddie blew a kiss at Lily and looked back down at his books.

Lily looked at James worriedly, and James nearly reached to take her hand in comfort, but stopped and took it back again. "Look, don't worry, ok?" he whispered.

"But what if he finds out? I told you, I don't wanna hurt him," Lily mumbled.

"Listen, Lils, you'll have to confront him sooner or later, and eventually, you are gonna have to decide. Who do you want more: me or him?" James looked into Lily's eyes seriously.

"You know I want you, but…"

"Fine. Then dump him."

Lily looked pained. "James, you know I can't just dump him…"

James was about to whisper something back, when: "Mr. Potter, Miss. Evans. Anything you'd like to share?" McGonagall looked down on the two whispering heads. They drew apart and mumbled, "No, professor," and, "Sorry, professor."

McGonagall  nodded her head and smiled. "Right. Then save your little secrets until after class." McGonagall began to walk back to her desk. "Right now, we study transfiguration."

Freddie looked over at James and Lily curiously, but neither met his eyes.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~


 

Later James and Sirius were walking over to the quidditch pitch for a quick practise. There was a game against the new and improved Ravenclaw, and they wanted to make sure they won.

"So. Remus tells me that you're happy. Is it actually true??"

James grinned stupidly. "For Christ's sake…is no one allowed to be happy anymore?"

Sirius just shook his head. "Any time you wanna tell me what's going on…"

"Shove off." James laughed. "There always has to be something 'going on' with me doesn't there? I'm just happy it's nearly Christmas, ok?"

They arrived at the quidditchpitch and James flew immediately into the air. "Hey, what about the balls?" Sirius called out to him.

"Never mind that – just fly!" shouted James. He sped flew the air, twisting and turning as fast as he could.

"Show off!" called Sirius, racing after him. "Watch this then…" Sirius did a double hoopla followed by a twist. James did the same and chased after Sirius, trying to bump his broom.

After an hour or so, they stopped. It was getting dark, and they'd missed dinner. "I'm starving!" groaned Sirius, as he put his broomstick away in the broom cupboard.

James just grinned at him. "Whinger.Anyway, I'm sure you can live without onemeal!"

Sirius frowned at James curiously, then just grinned to himself. Prongs will tell me when he's ready, he thought. At least he's not moping around anymore, then they both wandered back up to the castle, side by side.