"Hey, Lily," James was trying to act calm as he walked with her to the Great Hall that cold Saturday evening. No luck. He was dead sure she could hear how his voice was quivering right now. Positive.

"Yeah, James?" She fixed those perfectly green eyes on him. Damn, he couldn't ask her out with her looking like that, talking so sweet. (When was the last time she acted like she didn't what to kill him? Was something wrong with her?) Anything he would try and say would just get stuck in his throat, or worse, get totally mangled.

James shook his head. "Sorry, just forgot what I was going to say."

Lily laughed, "All today it's looked like you had something on the tip of your tongue, just the same now. You couldn't have forgotten what you wanted to say." She was having fun egging him on, the sooner he asked her, the better it would be for her. Not that Lily actually wanted to go out with James, it was more of the fact that the other weekend some bets were made on when James was actually going to get around to asking her out. Lily had money on today.

"Well, um," He frantically searched for something to say as the entered the Hall, "Um, I was wondering what you'd been doing for the past three weeks, you know, I haven't seen you around school that much. With all my pranks and stuff, I've been spending to much time in detention." He ran it all out so fast, he forgot to breath. Lily just made him clamp up like that. Damn.

Lily looked at him again, slightly disappointed. "Just, you know, writing people over here, reading, trying to keep up with school work, same old same old." She shrugged and pulled out a chair at the Gryffindor table, in-between where the two groups normally sat. "So, um, do you know what's up with Sheila and Sirius? They're actually talking, which is quite surprising in itself, and what's more, it looks like they've been plotting something as of late."

"I know exactly what you mean. It scares me to death not knowing what Padfoot is plotting." James said as he rubbed the back of his skull, remembering when Sirius transformed his pillow into a rock. "I think I should go hire Remus to keep an eye on him." He added quickly jumping up out of his seat to search the hall for Remus. Lily sighed disappointed.

•º•

"I win." Sheila stated triumphantly as she scooped up the handful of knuts on the table. "Knew he wouldn't have the guts to ask her out. Nearly lost it when I tried to coax him into asking me out. Hasn't changed a bit."

Sirius glared at her. They never really did trust each other, even when they were going out. They were just too much alike. "I say you put a hex on him to win."

"Check my wand, I haven't used it sense Potions to make Cri Cri's caldron boil over. Guaranteed." She passed it over the mashed potatoes to him.

Remus and Peter walked up as this was happening and sat down by them. "Hello my fine mischief making friends, what brings you here?" Sirius inquired as they sat down, pushing some of the plates of food out of the way to make room for them.

Giving a mock bow, Remus replied, "I have been sent by his majesty, King Prongs himself, to keep an eye on his favorite jester. He seems to think you can't be trusted on your own."

There was a snort of mashed potatoes across the table as Sirius

took in what was just said. "For some strange reason, I wouldn't trust myself if I didn't know what I was up to, either."

"Ah, um, Sirius, um, Miss Longbottom." Peter started, seeing what Sheila and Sirius had been doing.

"Sheila." She shot a sharp glance over at him. "I've been in your class for five years now. Call me Sheila."

"all right, um, Sheila." He spat that name out as quick as possible, "I really don't think its a good idea to be placing bets on James and Lily."

"You never think its a good idea to do anything." Sirius snapped still angry at him for all the detentions. Remus removed a book from under his cloak and started to read. The others went on talking. It something very Remus-y to do.

"You won't tell them, will you?" Sheila asked. "Or I might just have to curse you, or worse. Besides, the entire school knows they're in love." Peter shook his head. Nothing was scarier then an angry Sheila. Nothing. "Good, I thought so. Besides, Lily and us girls have bets on when he will actually ask her out." The table carried on with ideas to get the two together. As much as Lily acted as if she hated James and company (well, it was more of Sirius and company, seeing as her anger was more directed at Sirius) Sheila was sure that they were a perfect match. Both Sirius and Sheila had been tossing out the most outlandish ideas on how to get the two together, always involving James asking out Lily.

"A simple curse would work, but that of course will have us all ending up in Azkaban, or just tell Lily to ask James out." Remus suggested

Sheila slapped herself. "Fool. All bets would be lost if Lily decided that she actually liked James and ended up being the one doing the asking out. " Sirius commented.

"But they still end up together, and that's what we want! Thanks Remus." She shook her head. "I can't believe I didn't think of that before hand!" Remus squirmed as Sheila hugged him saying he was her hero.

•º•

Lily was pacing back and forth in the dorm room when Sheila entered. This made her rather nervous, pacing for Lily usually meant something was highly likely to explode. Not pretty. Sheila wondered for a moment if Peter had squealed. He'd roast if did. "You would have thought he had gotten enough hints by now." Lily growled. Feathers scattered through the air as a pillow exploded. "He was suppose to ask me out today."

"Lily I'm taking your wand away unless you find a more constructive way to take your anger out." Sheila said as she charmed the pillow back together. "Try making things float, or transfiguring them instead of blowing them up." Another burst of feathers into the air as Sheila's pillow went. "I take it this is about James, right?"

"Yes." Lily growled, twirled her wand, and continued to pace.

Sheila grabbed a new pillow and lied down. "You know, quoting Cri Cri,' guys are stupid, life sucks, then we die.' You could just ask him out yourself, or set him up to do the asking."

Lily stopped mid step, and turned to face Sheila. "Me. Ask him. Out? I won't get anything out of it. Are you crazy?"

"Always have been, always will."

She walked over to the bed and sat down. "What do you mean, literally, Sheila? That I ask him out out, or like ask him to go on a walk with me?"

"What ever sinks your ship."

"You have been around Cri Cri to long, you're sounding like her pessimistic self." Lily laughed. "So do you really think I should?"

Sheila nodded with her eyes closed, almost resting. "He likes you. And you like him, no matter what you try to say opposite of it. Why would it matter anyways, you already lost the bet."