A/N: I really can't thank you guys enough for the reviews, you're all way too kind! I really hope you continue to enjoy the story!

Chapter 3- I'll teach you

Lily smiled. "Yeah, I think so too. You seem like the friend type."

He laughed heartily. "Friend type? Maybe to some, but I never thought that I would become friends with someone like you."

"And what exactly *is* someone like me? Come on, tell me."

James blushed faintly. "Um...well, a pretty, nice, smart girl..."

"Well, thanks. But you were thinking something else, I can tell." There was a pause. Then she suddenly remembered something. "James?"

"Hmm?" He looked up, his dark eyes penetrating her bright ones.

"Would you...happen to know a way into Hogsmeade? You know, without getting caught..."

He grinned mischievously. "That I would. You surprise me, Lily. I never thought *you* would be asking me that."

"Really? Then you have another thing coming. Now, about getting into Hogsmeade...would you...will you take my friend Mary and I there? We, uh, need new robes."

"New robes?" he furrowed his brow. "I don't see why you waited this long to get them, but how can I refuse to help when a beautiful young lady such as yourself asks me?"

She smiled. "Okay then. Tomorrow after classes?"

"Sounds good to me." He replied, as politely as a boy like James could manage.

There was another pause, where Lily would glance at James, and then he would notice and glance at her, so she would look away. She blushed a little. It was a problem of hers, blushing was.

James cleared his throat, causing them to look at each other. "So..." he trailed off, forgetting what he was about to say.

"I really like you, James. I love how you don't care what people think about you. You do what *you* want to do, and not what anyone else does. I wish I could do that." she blurted out abruptly.

"But you can." he said.

"No, not with my parents, my life..."

"Yes, you can. I should know." he smiled weakly, looking to be thinking about something. "I'll teach you."

She beamed. "I hope that you can. And I think Dumbledore has accomplished what he wanted."

"What's that?"

"I think we know each other a lot better than before."

@~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~@

They returned to classes, as they were expected to. But Lily couldn't seem to concentrate on her work. She kept running over her previous conversation in her mind. What is he doing to me? I can't think! But she didn't regret becoming his friend, not in the least. She felt that she could learn something from him. He knew how to make the best of life, and not just live it on a day-to-day basis.

After classes ended, and after they ate dinner in the Great Hall, Lily and Mary ascended the stairs slowly, tired from their first day back to work.

"So, I haven't asked you yet. What do you think of James after meeting him?" Mary asked, glancing at her friend.

Lily smiled and replied, "I think only the best things of him. I believe he could become a good friend. And he had so kindly agreed to help us with our small, er, situation with our robes and such."

"Really? He'll help us get to Hogsmeade?"

"Tomorrow evening."

She frowned. "Lily...I don't mean to...you know...be a party pooper or anything, but I don't know him that well and...."

Lily laughed in response. "You mean, is he safe? Quite, I assure you. I'd be as suspicious of him as I would of, say, Mrs. Paulson." Mrs. Paulson, as I'm sure you're wondering, was a short, old little witch that was friends with Mary's mother. She was always sitting in her rocking chair and knitting blankets, which she frequently gave to the two of them as presents.

Mary joined her in laughter. "In that case, I guess there's nothing to worry about."

"I thought not." Lily replied as they approached the portrait hole. She mentioned the password ("Starshine") and they entered the common room. Glancing around, she saw James seated with his friends near the fireplace. He was in deep conversation with them, and didn't look up. So she headed up the stairs and motioned for Mary to follow.

"We may as well start on that History of Magic essay, since we'll be busy tomorrow night."

@~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~@

Laughing, Lily and Mary tumbled into the common room, their pockets jingling with galleons.

James looked up and grinned. He was holding some kind of silvery material, and a piece of old parchment. "Are you two ready?" he asked. "We'll want to leave right now, we shouldn't get back too late. I mean, I don't care, but maybe you do..."

Lily smirked. "And why would you think that? Now, show the way."

He gave her his famous half-smile and threw the silver object over their shoulders. The girls gasped. "An invisibility cloak. James, these cost a fortune, where did you get it?"

"It's a family heirloom." he replied, and muttered something, tapping his wand to the parchment that he clutched in his hand. Almost immediately, a picture began scrawling across the thin object. No, not a picture. A map. They gasped again. Then Lily realized exactly what it did and said, "You just never fail to surprise me. Have anything else up your sleeve?"

"I wouldn't want to spoil anything by telling you now." he said, and grinned as he grabbed Lily's arm, who grabbed Mary's and they headed out.

He led them through the familiar passage way behind the one-eyed witch. Mary and Lily remained wide-eyed until they finally set foot inside Honeydukes.

"Wow." Mary commented. "What a convenient passage way. How did you find it?"

"Oh, I have my ways." he replied. "Now, before we go and get new robes, I thought maybe we could stop for some butterbeer."

"Alright. Let's go." Lily replied, nonchalantly grabbing his hand and pulling him along. She didn't forget to grab Mary too. She certainly didn't want her friend to feel like a third wheel, she knew how that felt.

When they arrived in the Three Broomsticks, Madam Rosmerta approached them, in her usual attire, and smiled. "Now, dears, what would you be wanting to drink?"

James answered for them. "I think three large butterbeers should do it." And Rosmerta trotted off to fetch the drinks. The three of them seated themselves at a small round table.

"I'm curious to know." James started. "Why haven't I ever met you two before?"

"Well, to be quite honest I think it's because of your reputation. I know now not to judge people before I know them. I mean, Lily has only said the, er, nicest things about you, and you've been pleasant so far." Mary said, giving him a smile.

"Just what I think. I wish I had met you before now though. Maybe them we would already be good friends. And Lily talks about me?" He winked at her and her face flushed.

The butterbeer arrived then, and they each started sipping on theirs. "But there is always time for that now. We can make up for lost time." Lily brushed a strand of fiery hair behind her ear.

"Yeah, I guess so."

They drank in silence, none of them really knowing what to say or do. When they were finished, James was the first one to speak up. "Well, I guess we should be going to get those robes. It is a school night, after all."

They paid for the drinks and once more headed out. Lily tried on her robes while Mary looked through some others. James just stood in the middle of the store, looking a little uncomfortable. Lily then came out from the back, dressed in her new robes. "Well, what do you think?" she asked.

James' eyes widened. How could I have never noticed her? I just don't understand. I never skip over girls this beautiful. But it somehow feels as if she's...different from other girls. he paused his thoughts. No, *she* isn't different. Though more interesting than most. The way I *feel* about her is what's different. Oh well. I'm giving myself a headache... James was a normal guy, and couldn't sort out his feelings if his life depended on it. He was simply...clueless. Although, in this situation, Lily was not much better, yet. "Those are very nice robes. You should get them." he said, giving her a shining smile.

"Thanks, I think I will."

Once she was finished paying, she came back over to stand beside James. "Mary is still trying hers on. I told her we would wait for her outside. This store is too small and stuffy, let's go." She opened the door quickly and he followed.

She turned back to look at him as they stood outside the door. He stared back at her. "I...er..." he never really had trouble starting a conversation with someone, but with Lily it was like he wanted to sound good to her. He really wanted her to like him.

She smiled. "Its okay, James. You don't need to talk if you don't want to. Standing here with you is enough for me."

He grinned in response, and proceeded to scoop her up into his arms, holding her like a baby. "Wha-" she started to ask, but then realized how comfortable the position was. She put on a grin and snuggled closer to him.

James started to spin her around quickly and she tried to jump up. "James, you're making me dizzy!"

He stopped quickly. "Oh, sorry." he said softly. Staring into her deep, green eyes, he started to move closer to her on impulse. It wasn't as if he thought about it, he just did it. He wasn't normally one to be so...empathetic. This was all very out of character for him. Plus, he had just met her. What possessed me to do this?

Her eyes widened in surprise, but she looked pleased. Suddenly, before anything could happen, they heard someone clear their throat from behind them.

James dropped Lily and both their faces flushed scarlet. Mary just smiled sweetly and said, "I'm finished."

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

A/N: Comments, suggestions, questions? Please keep up the reviewing! I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter, as I enjoyed writing it. The next one shouldn't take too long to get up. It should contain the results (reactions) of the Hogsmeade trip, mixed in with some other stuff. But I can't write anymore just yet, I'm going out. It's my birthday and my friends wanted to take me shopping. (hence- Snoopy-511-, as in May 11? Lol, anyway..) Soo, thanks again to my reviewers! Please, give me a birthday present and review this one too?? ;)