"I didn't. . . I didn't IGNORE you. . ." Lily said quietly, avoiding his eyes.

James snorted, propping himself up on his elbows. "Yeah. You just locked me out of your room and told me to go away for no reason, right?"

Lily sighed deeply. "Okay, so maybe I did ignore you."

"Yes, I already knew that part. Now can you explain why?"

"You know, you don't have to be so sarcastic," Lily muttered bitterly.

James was silent for a few moments, then nodded. "You're right. But maybe I'm only being sarcastic to hide how I really feel."

"Oh, don't try that sympathetic cra-!"

"No, seriously," James insisted. "It wasn't fair, Lil. Look, maybe I really like you. Maybe that kiss MEANT something to me. Alright?"

"Yeah. . . well. . ." Lily didn't know what to say, so focused on her hands.

"And you know what I think?" James continued in a whisper. He had moved off his bed and was on his knees on the floor, resting on Lily's bed so that his head was right next to hers. "I think that it meant something to you too. That's why you've been ignoring me. Because it scared you, and you don't know how to deal with it."

~*~

"This. . ." Danny sighed and ran his fingers quickly through his hair, before resting them under his chin. "This is driving me crazy. I need to know what she's doing."

Mattie sneered from where he was playing Exploding Snap with Courtney. "You are one possessive bastard, you know that?"

"I know. I know! But I can't help it! I. . . I have to go see her," he said suddenly, jumping up.

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Courtney demanded, totally losing interest in the game. "You don't even no what hotel they're at!"

"Well. . . I don't care. I'll tell Dumbledore there was some emergency or something, that I have to see her," Danny shrugged.

"WHY? Leave her alone, for God's sake!"

"Yeah Danny, just cool it. You've got no reason for going whatsoever. And if you turn up, Lily's not gonna be happy."

Danny considered that, then shrugged carelessly. "You know what? I don't care. I'm going."

As he walked out of the Gryffindor Common Room, Courtney shook her head. "He really is pathetic," she muttered, and Mattie nodded with agreement. "I don't blame Lily. . ."

"Blame her for what?"

"For. . ." Courtney stumbled, trying to think what to say. "You know, going on the trip with James. To, you know, prove a point?"

Mattie frowned slightly. "I guess. . ."

Danny practically ran to Dumbledore's office, where, after waiting impatiently outside the statue for ten minutes, had hurriedly given him some lame excuse for having to talk to Lily.

Dumbledore had point blank refused at first, but Danny had kept on pleading and pleading, insisting it was private and urgent so that in the end he had finally given in.

"Thanks sir!" Danny yelled, as he threw a handful of floo powder into Dumbledore's fireplace. "It really is important!"

"Hmm. . ." Dumbledore mused, although Danny had already gone. "And the fact that she hasn't even been gone one night doesn't even come into the question."

~*~

"Look," Danny sighed impatiently as he leant across the reception desk in the foyer of the posh hotel Dumbledore had told him Lily was staying at. "Her name's Lily Evans. Okay? I know she's staying here-!"

The woman behind the desk bit her lip nervously. She was quite new to her job, and hadn't dealt with annoyed visitors yet. "Um. . . Let me check again."

She used a spell to look for 'Evans' in the list of names on the glittering screen in front of her, and failed to find any matches.

"I'm sorry, but there's no Lily Evans staying with us," she said apologetically.

"Yes she is!"

The woman sighed, then asked, "Is she with a party? A friend, perhaps? Maybe she's not booked under her own name, is she's sharing a room. . ."

"She's not sharing a room," Danny said impatiently. Then he faltered. "But, erm, yeah. . . James Potter?"

"James Potter. . ." the lady murmured to herself, already casting the spell. Then she looked up at Danny and smiled. "Yes! We have a James Potter staying with us. He's yet to check in, but-"

"So you have a James Potter, but no Lily Evans?" Danny asked, his eyebrows raising. "And you said they'd only be under his name if they were sharing a room?" "Well-"

"Great! That's absolutely PERFECT!" he yelled sarcastically, before turning and flooing back to Hogwarts, using the fireplace next to Reception.

The woman stared after him blankly, before shrugging slightly and returning to her work.

~*~

Lily and James had been sat in silence for the past fifteen minutes. Uncomfortable silence.

Finally James got sick of it.

"Let's play the yes and no game," he said suddenly, rolling onto his stomach. "You know, the one where you can't say yes or no."

"Why?" Lily asked, laughing slightly.

"Because I'm bored, this bus seems like it's never going to stop, and I want you to talk to me," he replied simply.

Lily considered this for a moment, and then shrugged. "Okay," she agreed.

"Right. So. . . Is your name Lily Evans?"

"It is," Lily replied, holding back a yawn.

"Are you going out with Danny Noonan?"

Lily hesitated, looking at James suspiciously. "I am. . ."

"Do you like going out with him?"

"James," she said warningly.

"You've got to answer the question!"

"Fine. I do."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Even though he gets way too jealous?"

"James!"

"It's the truth! Anyway, answer," he ordered.

Lily slouched back on her bed. "I do," she mumbled. "Even though he gets jealous." "Huh. Interesting," James said flatly. "So, you know we snogged the other night?"

Lily groaned. "I do not like this game."

"Answer," James said simply.

Lily glared at him. "I do remember that happening," she snapped.

"Great! So, did you enjoy it? Did you feel anything at all?"

"I. . ." Lily sighed, realising she wasn't going to be able to avoid the subject. "Fine. Yes, I did. . . But James, I'm with Danny. You know that, it's not fair. And I love him. Okay? I did feel something when you snogged me. . . But. . . James, I can't do anything about any of that. I'm sorry, alright?"

James stared at her for awhile, before shaking his head disgustedly and making his way back to his own bed.

"You said yes," he said, deadpan. "Game over."

~*~

Lily moaned impatiently as she stood at the Reception of the hotel Dumbledore had booked them into.

James was pretty impatient too. He already had his key and wanted to get up to his room, but couldn't exactly leave Lily on her own while they were saying that there wasn't a room for Lily Evans resevered and paid for.

"Lily Evans," Lily whined, letting her head fall into one of her hands. "Come on! I'm tired and I just want to go up to my room." She sighed loudly, and them looked up at the man on Reception who was supposed to be helping her.

"Look," she said, trying to sound patient and calm. "Professor Albus Dumbledore booked the room. For James Potter-" She pointed towards the dark haired boy who was leaning against a marble pillar. "And Lily Evans," she added, pointing towards herself.

"Let me sort this out. . ." the man murmured, flicking through his book, and muttering, "Dumbledore. . . Dumbledore. . ."

Lily rolled her eyes and turned to face James. "Sorry," she sighed. "You go on up to your room, if you want."

James shrugged. "Nah, it's okay. We have to get this sorted, right? Don't want you sleeping on the streets.

"Ah, I've found the problem," she man suddenly said, looking sheepish. "Yes, we've got you down as 'Lily Yevens'. Booked by Albus Dumbledore. . . Yes, yes. I am sorry."

* Hi! Sorry that took so long. . . But hey! SATs are over. Yeah, they weren't that bad, actually. . . Thanks for all the reviews! Whoever's doing their GCSEs. . . Yikes. I feel for you.