Deflating


Chapter Four: Progression

***

Three months had passed, and James had proved moderately successful in his attempts to leave Lily alone. There were a few slip ups--which Sirius so eloquently referred to as "relapses"--in which James would make a snarky comment and Lily would snap back, leading them straight into their old habits, but aside from that, he was doing considerably well.

He was also watching her carefully, as Remus suggested. Most mornings Lily could be found at the Gryffindor table at the ungodly hour of 6:45 (so said a frightened looking first year when James asked him how long Lily had been seated), eating scones in mass numbers. She was partial to the chocolate chip ones, but every once in a while, she sampled a cranberry. The girl ate like it was going out of style. James found this endlessly endearing.

At night, Lily would diligently do her homework until 9:30, at which time she would usually go upstairs and come back down with a book. She had a penchant for trashy romance novels, which she apparently found extremely amusing. Sometimes she would start laughing in the middle of her reading, though James had never seen a girl find any humor in a romance novel. Lily's friend Charlotte, one of those twins, had explained to James when asked about Lily's unusual reaction to the books, "She thinks they're highly unrealistic, but likes to make fun of them. I think she secretly wishes things like that could happen to her." When pressed further ("Things like what, exactly?"), Charlotte merely placed a secretive smile on her face and said, "Maybe you should read them yourself and find out."

James made a memo to himself to get his hands on one of Lily's romance novels without anyone knowing. Maybe he'd share Lily's sense of humor.

Lily would read these novels for about an hour (usually finishing them) before bidding her friends (if there were any left in the Common Room) good night and going upstairs. James had taken to going up to bed at the same times as she did, hoping to get the same amount of sleep as Lily and wake up at the same time as she did to observe her morning habits.

James recorded these little factoids about Lily in a blank book his mother had given him years ago in the hopes that he would keep a journal.

His mother would be so proud if she knew what he was using it for.

James only wrote everything down because his memory was positively abysmal, and from his experience (not to mention that of Sirius), girls went nuts--or should he say 'fluffy'?-- when their significant others (or potential significant others, in his case) remembered impossibly little details about their conversations. He hoped to use the book to get Lily to believe that he was really paying attention to every little thing she said…the book forced him to do that, he reasoned, while also helping out his memory. Really, it was win-win.

James smirked, thinking of that, as he closed the door to his dormitory quietly behind him. His friends were still asleep (it was six in the morning; James had gone to bed especially early last night, as Lily had) and he didn't really want to wake them and have them in bad spirits toward him the entire day. At the top of the stairs, he looked down to spot Lily curled up in an armchair with another romance novel, turning the pages rapidly as she bit her lip in anticipation. She had pulled her hair back into a loose ponytail today, and it was slightly sideways as though she hadn't had a mirror in front of her when she'd assembled the style. Several pieces of coppery hair were coming out of the white elastic, and Lily tucked them haphazardly behind her ears as she read. There was a small, green-and-yellow striped bag on the ottoman in front of her, and a few assorted cosmetics had spilled out of it. James noted them: a tube of what looked like mascara, a miniature bottle of perfume, and a tube of lipstick with another hair band wrapped around it.

"Must be a good book," James commented before he could stop himself, striding into the Common Room. He took slow, leisurely steps down the stairs, stopping on the last one and leaning against the railing, smiling in what he hoped was a warm manner at her.

Lily jumped at the sound of his voice and hurriedly shoved the book and makeup bag into her school bag. "What are you doing up this early?" she asked, having the grace to look slightly flustered.

"It's morning," he told her. "I woke up and felt like breakfast." He shrugged casually.

Lily eyed him with some suspicion, then nodded slowly, as if taking what he'd told her to be the truth. "Yeah, me too."

"So what're you still doing in the Common Room if you wanted breakfast?" he asked her, grinning.

Lily lifted her chin. "What I do is none of your business, Potter."

He almost laughed at how mistaken she was, but that would require some explanation, and he really wasn't feeling very quick-witted this morning..

James sighed and stepped off the staircase and walked to the sofa next to her. She watched him, still weary of him, with one eyebrow raised. "Seriously, Lily," he said, making a point of drawing her name out. "I'm making an effort. Can't you?"

She laughed, and it was the same hollow, sarcastic chuckle he was used to--unfortunately. "Potter, you're only making an effort because you think there's something in it for you."

While this was undoubtedly true, he couldn't say that. "The only thing I'd be getting out of this is the resolve of our conflict. Really, Lily, in the future, let's say your children get kidnapped." She opened her mouth to protest; her eyes were already widened and sparking; he held out a finger and, in a sudden motion of extreme daring, pressed it to her lips to quiet her. She seemed incredibly shocked, and swatted his hand away (as he fully expected her to do), but didn't say anything. "This is a worst case scenario, okay? Anyway, the first question the detective will ask you is, 'Do you have any enemies?', right?"

"Potter, where is this going?"

"Just listen, I'm getting there. You don't want to have to say yes, because that'll make you look like a bad mother. I mean, what kind of mother has enemies?" He made a distinct tutting sound, to further the point that this was just taboo.

"Any mother that's ever been acquainted with you."

"That's cute, Lily."

The corners of her mouth were twitching, as if she were fighting back a smile. James held his breath, thinking that he was breaking her at last, but then she said, "Potter, are you trying to tell me that you're plotting to kidnap my future children?"

"Let's try to grasp the bigger picture, Ev--Lily," James said, thinking privately that this was probably one of the strangest conversations he'd ever had in his entire life. "You don't want enemies. No one does. I'm not asking you to marry me, I'm just asking you to maybe…I don't know…go on first name terms with me?"

Lily stared at him as he swayed from side to side, looking at her imploringly. Her mouth was twitching again, and after at least thirty seconds, something incredible happened:

She smiled.

It was a real, genuine smile, teeth and everything! He almost fell over in shock; Lily had never smiled at him like that. He didn't know it was programmed in her hard drive to be able to smile like that!

"We'll see," she said. Lily picked up her bag and walked out of the Common Room, shaking her head.

James swore he heard her laughing.

Was that bad?

He didn't care.

***

Thursday, 23 November

Approximately 6:05 a.m.: Subject was seen reading "My Secret Love" in Common Room. I proceeded to exchange very odd (lengthy, pointless, blithering, etc., etc., all usual adjectives apply) conversation with Subject concerning pros and cons of keeping each other on enemy terms. Proceeded to launch into long-winded, seemingly pointless speech, thus making an arse of myself. However, I did manage to keep a number of what would be considered pricky comments to self (did exceedingly well on that front; should receive medal of some sort for my efforts). Suggested Subject call me by me by my first name. Subject found this amusing and has elected to think on it. Am very pleased with myself. I have decided that making an arse of myself more often might be a good idea, then I might actually get somewhere.

***

"So, what's the latest story on the Stalking Lily Evans front?" Sirius asked sleepily as he poured large amounts of ketchup over his scrambled eggs.

"I've almost got her calling me 'James'," James reported proudly.

"Almost?" Peter inquired, yawning. "What, is she calling you 'Jam'?"

"Is it too early to be making good comebacks?" James asked airily.

"Sure," Peter replied. "We'll go with that."

James relayed the story to his friends, who became steadily more alert as the story progressed. They contributed quirky running commentary to James's reenactment, and snickered where appropriate, and sometimes where it wasn't appropriate.

"Well," Remus said in a very businesslike tone, "it'll take a while at this rate, but you're getting there, James. What have you learned about her?"

"I found out today that she knows how to smile," James announced.

Sirius, Peter, and Remus all snorted.

"'Course she knows how to smile," Sirius said gruffly. "She just never smiles at you."

"Whatever," James said, undaunted. "I learned today that she knows how to smile at me."

***

Meanwhile, Lily was nearing the end of her own recounting of the morning's encounter.

"So," she finished, smiling, "I told him, 'We'll see', and left."

"That's darling," Emily muttered darkly. "Just darling. So, are you going to start calling him 'James'?"

Lily considered this. "I guess…I mean, that's reversible, that is. If I change my mind, I can always go back to calling him by his surname."

Emily snorted. "Oh, Lily, you're making a huge deal out of nothing, aren't you? Like he said, he didn't ask you to marry him. He just asked you to call him by his first name."

"But this is a step," Lily insisted. "It's a step for both of us, really. He's taking an inch instead of a mile, and I think he's really thinking seriously about what I told him in sixth year. He's trying, really."

"And you?" Charlotte prompted.

Lily gave a small smile. "I'm letting him."

***

Now's my chance, James thought as he peeked inside the Charms classroom, where Lily was already seated, one of her twin friends sitting next to her. They were chattering merrily, and James doubted they saw him hovering by the door. Just walk past and greet her--use her first name--and she if she replies…nicely…

James sucked in a breath and strode purposefully into the room, heading towards where Sirius was sitting, which just so happened to be behind Lily. James approached where Lily was sitting and said, "All right, Lily?"

As he sat down, without turning to face him, she responded cordially, "James."

He couldn't help but beam.

This was certainly progressing nicely.

***

23 November

Approximately 8:45: Subject just called me by birth-given name. Am exceedingly pleased with myself; figure to move on to small talk next week. Moony says not to rush things, so I will move impossibly slow.

Though I suppose this is lightning speed for Subject.

That was pricky.

Ah, well. I guess it's best I get it out here instead of throwing it in Subject's face.

***

A/N: My lovely, lovely reviewers…schnoogles to all of you…especially BastsCleopatra because her remark about "charging into battle" when she pressed the review button made me laugh…and everblue3 because of the massive encouragement she always gives me. Thanks very, very much to everyone who takes the time to read and review…it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside ;)

Oh, and the title of Lily's trashy romance novel was taken from Meg Cabot's The Princess Diaries, the first one, I think.