Lily sat in her bed hugging her legs. She had finally stopped crying but she still felt awful. She didn't know why she had cried so much but it had just come out and hadn't stopped until after lunch. The events of the previous night were still slightly fuzzy but she remembered James coming to her aid. Maybe me was changing like he said he was. Lily went to April's bed and picked up April's large teddy bear that she had gotten from Lily for her birthday last year. Lily went back to her bed with it and hugged it tightly. She was thinking about James when there was a tapping at the window. Lily looked up to see an Owl tapping on the window in a light rain. She got up again and let the owl in. It was carrying a long rectangular box with a card attached to it. Lily took it from the owl and it flew out of the window. She went back to her bed and tucked her legs under her body as she opened the box. Inside was a single pink rose. Lily picked it up and smelt it before putting it down and picking up the card.

Forever yours, James. It said. Lily smiled and picked the rose up again. Pink, for friendship. He wanted to be friends. That was possible, Lily thought, he deserved that much. She got up and headed for the shower. Despite her dreary start of the day the rose had an uplifting effect on her. If she hurried she might just be able to go to her last lesson of the day.

*    *    *    *

"Today, you will be learning how to brew a Draught of Camouflage" Professor Hamish told the class. Professor Hamish had thin blond hair that was tied up in a ponytail. She was fairly thin and was usually very nice to everyone. The door opened and Lily walked in.

"Sorry I'm late Professor." Lily said quietly.

"Quite alright Lily, Professor McGonagall explained everything to me this morning." Professor Hamish said. Lily frowned.

"She did?" Lily asked worriedly.

"Don't worry, please, take you place with Aril and Jenny." Lily nodded and quickly went to where she usually sat with her friends. Everyone was whispering and looking at Lily. She never missed a lesson and she was never late.

"Are you feeling ok?" April asked concerned. Lily gave her a smile.

"Yeah, I got a.present from someone." Lily said. She glanced behind her to where James sat with Sirius and Remus. Peter would have been in Potions, if he had gotten an E in his OWLs but he didn't so it was just three of the Marauders. Lily gave James a quick smile before turning back to the front.

James had to blink a few times to believe what he saw. Did Lily just smile at him?

"Looks like she's ok." Sirius said "Sounds like she's ok. What the hell was wrong with her?" Sirius hated Lily not being in their lessons because all day all the slightly less intelligent pupils had been forced to answer questions that Lily normally answered.

"I'm sure she'll tell you when she's ready" James said to Sirius. Remus and Sirius both looked at him.

"Do you know something we don't?" Remus asked James.

"Well, yeah I do but I can't tell you unless Lily wants me to." James told them.

"Unless Lily. When did you start caring more about a girl then us?" Sirius asked.

"Boys, will you please be quiet and listen to what I'm saying." Professor Hamish said.

"Sorry Professor" Remus said.

"What happened to her? I want to know." Sirius whispered.

"I can't tell you." James said looking at him. Sirius shrugged and leant over to get something from his bag. James noticed it was a small Vial of confusing concoction.

"Amanda Freeland brewed some in Potions the other day. She gave me four vials for three sickles." Sirius said.

"I could have gotten it for free." James said.

"Yeah but you were sulking over Evans so I went and got some myself. I was thinking Halloween feast" Sirius said. James grinned.

"I'll talk to the house elves then" Remus said as he started to unpack some ingredients.

*    *    *    *

"Lily you coming?" April asked after Potions. Lily hung back a little.

"Um, I'll meet you in the hall in a few minutes" Lily said. April shrugged and grabbed Jenny and went to the great hall for dinner. Lily put her last book into her bag when the Marauders walked past. She quickly swung her bag onto her shoulder and followed them.

"Um, Potter, can I talk to you for a minute" Lily said, trying to sound like she usually did and failing. Remus, Sirius and James stopped. James looked at Lily and nodded.

"Sure." He said. He turned to the other two. "I'll meet you guys in the Hall." Remus nodded and turned to go. Sirius looked at James then to Lily and back to James again and gave James a wink. James went very slightly red and Sirius ran after Remus.

"Can we go for a walk or go somewhere a bit more private." Lily said, she could feel her face going red. She didn't really want to talk to James but she knew she had to.

"Yeah, we could go out on the grounds."

"It's raining." Lily told him. James looked into the classroom and out of a window.

"Oh yeah." He said. "Well, lets just go for a walk around the castle." James suggested. Lily smiled and they started towards the main staircase.

"I just wanted to say thank you." Lily said after a few moments in silence. James looked at Lily, "And that you were right yesterday. I do have my head up my arse, you have changed and I was a bit blind. I guess the past is kinda making me see what I want to see." James smiled at Lily as she tried to get this out. "And I want to tell you that I wouldn't mind being friends with you. After all you did save me from Cole and I would appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone." They had both stopped at the top of the stairs to the entrance hall.

"That's fine, I haven't told anyone." James told her. "Sorry I was a bit harsh yesterday, after the meeting. I've just been trying so hard the past few years. Are you ok now?" He asked worriedly.

"I'm fine." Lily said, "I'll need some time though, you know, to get over it." James nodded

"Understandable."

"Hi James" said a brown haired girl in the year below as she passed Lily and James. James ignored her but Lily found it slightly more difficult to ignore her. Lily watched her go down the stairs. A few girls were giggling at the bottom of the stairs and kept looking up at James.

"Ignore them, they're always trying to get either Sirius, Remus or me into bed." James said.

"Does it work?" Lily asked. James thought for a while.

"It used to on me but not on Remus." James and Lily started walking towards the Great Hall.

"What about Sirius?" Lily asked.

"He's still a bit of a player." James told Lily. "But I think he's got a thing for April."

"Who wouldn't, she's a great girl." Lily said. James laughed slightly

"Did you know this morning when I asked how you were April and Jenny pounced on me and tried to hex me?" James said. Lily looked at him worriedly.

"My god, why?" She asked.

"Something about them thinking I upset you." James said. They entered the Great hall. Lily saw her friends sitting about half way down the table. They headed for them when James saw the Marauders sitting closer to them.

"Do you want to sit with us for dinner?" James asked as they came to the Marauders. Lily looked at James slightly torn. She looked down at where her friends were sitting. April gave her a wave to show that they'd seen her.

"No, it's ok. I'll go and sit with April and Jenny." Lily said. James looked slightly dejected at this and nodded.

"Ok, well we've got a Prefects meeting at eight, I took the liberty of organising it." James said. Lily smiled and headed towards Jenny and April. When she sat down April started looking at her strangely. It was very off putting.

"What?" Lily asked.

"Where you just conversing with James Potter?" April asked. Lily went slightly red.

"Yeah, why?" Lily asked.

"Why?" April asked curiously.

"He just knows something that I'd rather he didn't spread so I was just warning him what would happen if he told anyone." Lily said. April nodded but both of Lily's friends looked like they didn't believe her.

"You seemed awfully friendly." Jenny said. "What did he ask you that made hesitate?" Lily went slightly redder then she had been.

"He asked me to sit with him for dinner" Lily said.

"And you didn't curse him or hex him or slap him?" April asked. Lily shook her head. April looked at Jenny stunned. "Oh my god, he's put a curse on her." Lily smiled and hit April gently.

"No he hasn't." Lily said.

"So what does James know?" Jenny asked.

"Nothing." Lily said quickly.

"Yeah right, do we know what it is?" April asked.

"Um.No, not really." Lily said. "It was about this morning or last night, both actually." April looked at Lily curiously. "I'll tell you later." Lily looked down the table to where James was sitting. His head was bowed towards Sirius and Remus. He wasn't that bad and he was quite attractive. Lily could see what most girls saw in him but she also saw something else that she didn't think anyone else saw. A young man waiting to get out.

"Yo! Lily!" April said snapping her fingers. Lily looked at April and looked at her confused.

"Yeah."

"When is this ball that you said Dumbeldore mentioned at the beginning of the year?" Jenny asked.

"Oh, um.Ask James, he's organising it." Lily said. April looked at her suspiciously.

"Who were you staring at?" she asked.

"No one." Lily said as she started eating.