Sirius, Lupin, James and Peter were all sitting in the Hogwarts grounds under the shade of a huge old oak tree. It was a glorious sunny day in the spring and they were all relaxing after a hard day's study. They were talking and the subject turned, as it almost always did to girls.

"So Sirius, who've you got your eye on to be your next conquest then?" James said teasingly, looking at Sirius and smiling.

Sirius, who was twirling his wand round his fingers absently, smiled back, his eyes twinkling and said

"Hmmm! So many women, so little time," looking up into the air thoughtfully. "I would have to say that Vanessa Carlson is looking quite tasty these day's " he eventually answered, smiling at James

"Oooh! What would your mother say, her being a muggle born!" replied James deliberately goading him

"All the more reason to go out with her, if my mother wouldn't approve!" He said grinning

Everyone laughed at this statement.

When everyone had quieted down, Sirius spoke again "Well we all know who you like James, but after all this time she still won't go out with you! Is it the company you keep that puts her off, or your extremely offensive body odour, I wonder?" He said jokingly, knowing that mentioning Lily would touch a raw nerve with James. She kept resisting him no matter how persistent he was, which greatly mystified James as he had no trouble getting other girls to go out with him.

"Watch it Sirius!" James replied, in a mock threatening tone. He seemed to be thinking for a moment then said "Right, for that little remark, I challenge you to a dare!"

"Ooooh! You know how much I love a dare! I accept your challenge, sir!" he said, bowing and acting as if he was an old fashioned knight

"Right, now let's see," he looked around for inspiration for a moment, then smiled as it hit him

"Now we all know how much you love removing girls bra's, but have you ever tried to do it while she was still dressed and without her noticing?" He smiled, feeling sure that Sirius would say this dare was impossible. Nothing frustrated Sirius more than not being able to complete a dare, no matter how difficult or dangerous it was.

"No problem!" said Sirius, smiling devilishly "just pick me a girl, anyone will do.."

"Alright," said James. He looked round and spotted someone, "there, how about her" he grinned as he pointed to Elizabeth Cragworth. She wasn't exactly the most attractive girl in school and was a Slytherin, which made her even worse.

Sirius gave James an incredulous look "I don't know, she may get the wrong idea, you know she made a play for me at the last Yule Ball" he said slightly worried

"Well you did say anyone.." James replied, looking round at the others who were all smiling and looking expectantly at Sirius

"You're on, you know I always accept a dare..no matter how dangerous or difficult" Sirius replied, raising his eyebrows at James. They all stood up and hid behind the tree they had been sitting under. They watched with bated breath, as Sirius held his wand out in front of him concentrating and muttering charms under his breath. It seemed to be taking forever and when Elizabeth suddenly stopped her conversation with her friend and scratched, they thought the game was up. But she simply carried on talking. Suddenly something white and rather large, flew out of the sleeve of her shirt and landed in a tree above her. She screamed and tried to retrieve it, looking all around her for the culprit. Her friend helped her immediately, by bringing it down using her wand and they walked off in the direction of Hogwarts, looking disgusted and talking animatedly.

All four boys found this extremely funny and laughed fit to burst. They came out from behind the tree and Sirius bowed again.

"I salute you Sir" said James, bowing back and holding out his hand to shake Sirius's "That was quite brilliant, you'll have to teach me whatever charm it was you used!"

"Oh it was quite simple really, I used a rather useful undressing charm I found called 'Disuingo' but only targeted a specific item of clothing." Sirius explained, looking very pleased with himself.

"Well James, seeing as I completed your dare successfully I think it is now your turn" Sirius said looking at James. James was worried, he didn't quite have the same 'devil may care' attitude that Sirius had and some of his dares could be a little too 'harey' .

Sirius seemed to be thinking for a moment, then he grinned and looked round at James "I'll be kind to you today and say.. you can take on the same dare you gave me..with her!" he pointed to a very pretty girl not too far away, with long reddish brown hair, who'd just come and sat down with her friends.

"Not her, anyone but her, Sirius please!" James pleaded, looking over at the girl in question. It was of course Lily Evans.

"You said anyone and I picked a girl at random" Sirius said in mock innocence

"She'd string him up if she caught him! She's still not forgotten about that time we put that slimy eel from the lake in her bag, last year!" said Remus Lupin, looking at Sirius raising his eyebrows

"Yes that was a brilliant prank, I must admit, after all I had to get her back after that remark she made about you James! But you're not going to welsh on a dare are you?" Sirius said goadingly looking in James's direction, one eyebrow raised questioningly

"Of course not!" said James not wanting to appear like he was chickening out, but in reality he was very nervous and hoped she didn't find out it was him. They hid behind the tree again and waited for James to begin. He pointed his wand out in front, his tongue sticking out in concentration. Then he uttered the charm Sirius had told him, weaving his wand this way and that as if mimicking the action of removing the bra by hand.

Lily was a lot more perceptive than Elizabeth though and noticed something was wrong, suddenly standing up with a squeal and looking around. At this sudden movement James panicked and sent a jolt of power through his wand. Something white and lacy suddenly shot out of Lily's sleeve and made it's way like a bullet out of a gun in the direction of the Four's hiding place. James caught it and looked at it dazedly for a moment, before Sirius shouted at him

"Run for it guys, she's heading this way!"

Laughing, they all ran fast across the ground's towards the Forbidden Forest, which was nearer than the school. Lily was very determined though and was catching up with them. James suddenly pulled out in front, being the fastest runner. He ran every morning to keep himself fit for quidditch.

Lily was no mean runner herself though and started to gain on him. They were going deeper into the forest now and James realised they could be going too far and stopped. Lily caught up with him, panting. She pointed her wand at him and with a threatening look on her face

"Give it me back James.. this minute! Or I'll..I'll hex you!" she forced the words out, still trying to get her breath back

James suddenly felt quite wicked as it was a rare oppurtunity to get her alone like this. He saw an opportunity to tease her some more while she was weakened by the run.

"You'll have to come and get it," he said looking at her impishly and shoving the underwear down his shirt.

"Accio bra!" Lily shouted determinedly, pointing her wand at him, but James deftly rebounded the spell, with his own wand.

"You know you can't get me like that, you'll just have to come and get it by hand!" James said teasingly. Everyone knew how quick he was at rebounding any hex spells that came his way. So it was almost impossible to throw a spell at him when facing him head on.

Lily pursed her lips and walked towards him, looking at him with distain. "Please would you give it me back?" she said with forced politeness.

"Oh alright!" said James in defeat, pulling the bra out of his shirt. But then he had another idea. He put his hands behind his back and said to her smiling "which hand?"

Lily became exasperated now and tried to snatch behind his back. James backed up to get out of her reach and in doing so tripped over a tree root. She laughed at him putting her hand over her mouth.

James felt a little silly and it annoyed him that she was laughing at him, but at the same time he couldn't help thinking how beautiful it sounded. Then he had another rather wicked idea.

"Are you going to help me up then?" he asked her innocently

"Alright" Lily agreed, still giggling. She reached her hand out and he grabbed it, but instead of him pulling himself up, he suddenly pulled her in the opposite direction, towards him. He caught her completely off guard so she didn't have time to stop herself. As soon as she hit the soft forest floor James quickly climbed on top of her, using his weight to hold her down.

"Get off me James Potter, right NOW!" Lily said struggling violently, but to little avail, James was much stronger

"If you give me a kiss first" said James feeling daring, he felt sure that she liked him really, but was just too proud to admit it. He also couldn't pass up an great opportunity like this.

"You have to be joking! Get off me James, I'm warning you!" she spat back. But James didn't move, he simply sat up, still on top of her; gripping her tightly with his strong leg muscles. He looked down smiling smugly, his arms folded.

"Only if you give me a kiss, I'm not moving until you do" he said resolutely,

"Oh alright, if it means that much to you go ahead! But no funny business! Just a quick kiss!" she said exsasperatedly in defeat, but James was sure he saw the briefest of smiles flicker across her face.

"I know you like me really, you just don't want to admit it do you!" he said leaning over her again and moving his face close to hers, smiling triumphantly.

"No, I just want you to get off me so I can go that's all!" Lily retorted defensively

But James was still smiling as he took off his glasses then moved in for a kiss, expecting her to allow him just a quick peck. But as soon as his lips touched hers his true feelings for her started to take over, he wanted more and to his complete surprise she responded. He pressed down harder deepening the kiss, enjoying the delicious softness of her mouth beneath his. But just as he was starting to think his luck was really in at last, she suddenly pushed him back, looking at him with a shocked expression on her face. Whether at her self or him James couldn't tell.

James allowed Lily to push him off this time and she got up quickly, brushing herself off. She looked at James an annoyed expression on her face as she held out her hand expectantly. After giving her the bra, James watched, slightly dumbfounded as she marched off through the bushy undergrowth.

He followed slowly, thinking about how good her lips had felt against his a warm, clenching feeling rising in his stomach. He hoped he hadn't gone too far and ruined his chances though now. Pushing her into a kiss like that had been something he'd done with other girls in the past, but Lily was different she was special.

He walked on until he reached the edge of the woods and waited until his friends caught up with him. Just then the bell rang, it was time for dinner.

In the dinner hall the Maruaders all sat together as usual, laughing and joking about what they had just done and who else they could do it to. James kept sneaking looks at Lily, who sat at the opposite end of the table from him, but she was purposely ignoring him.

"So come on, tell us what happened in the forest then? Anything..interesting?" Sirius asked James suggestively

James was still concentrating on Lily, but on hearing Sirius speak he said

"Oh nothing much.." then he turned and smiled at the others, feeling like showing off , "I only got a kiss, that's all " he finished, a smug look on his face

"Well, well, well..things are looking up! Maybe the situation is not so hopeless as we first thought! Put it there Prongs!" Sirius said, holding out his hand for James to shake, which he did briefly.

"The only trouble is..I don't think she's too happy about it now " James said sadly, looking back in Lily's direction again

"Why don't you just be honest with her, tell how you really feel" Remus suggested

"No, you never do that with a girl, they'll just use it against you. You should always keep an air of mystery, keep them guessing, keeps them on their toes. Never tell them you love them, it gives them the upper hand and you don't want to end up wound round her finger do you James?" Sirius said, leaning over towards his friend, with a serious look on his face

"I never said that I loved her and I would never end up wound round anyone's finger" James replied sullenly, flashing a look at Sirius, but secretly knowing it was true – he did love her and would tell her so if he only had the courage.

Lily had finished her meal now and was now getting up from her seat with her friends. As she pushed in her chair she looked over shyly in his direction and seeing him looking at her, blushed and looked down suppressing a smile.

The other boys had seen this too and offered James whoops of support and encouragement.

James felt that at last he had made progress and felt hopeful. He knew now that Lupin was right, as usual, he knew that he needed to tell her how he really felt and stop pretending that it was just some sort of game that he was playing.

"Excuse me, boys, I'm just going on an important mission!" he said not looking towards Lily

He followed Lily and her friends back to the Gryffendor common room, keeping his distance. Just as she was about to enter, he grabbed her arm to get her attention.

"Lily..can I talk to you?" he said hopefully

"I've got nothing to say to you, not after that stunt you pulled this afternoon" Lily answered, pulling her arm out of his grasp

"Please Lily, I'm sorry. It was just a stupid joke, I'm sorry if I frightened you, I didn't mean it to go that far. I just wanted to tease you" James said looking downcast

Lily also looked down for a moment, then looking up said "What did you want to talk about?"

"Can we go somewhere more private? I don't want an audience for what I have to say" James replied, looking directly in her eyes, pleadingly.

"Can I trust you this time?" she said, raising her eyebrows at him

"Implicitly, I promise. I just want to talk" he answered honestly

"Well alright then, just for a moment" Lily gave in sighing.

They walked a little way down the corridor and coming to a small alcove with a curved seating area. They both sat down. James took a deep breath and then took both Lily's hands in his own, looking down slightly.

"Lily I have to tell you..that..I..I" he struggled with the words at first, then blurted them out suddenly "I love you. There I've said it" James felt relieved at, at last admitting how he really felt.

Lily's face went from shock to incredulity, then she smiled. "Are you telling me the truth James? This isn't some sort of game or trick, cooked up by you and your friends?"

"I promise you I'm telling you the truth Lily, I really love you, I've known for ages, but..I didn't have the guts to tell you."

"I've liked you for a long time too, I was just waiting for you to grow up first. It looks my wait is over" Lily said looking at him with a soft smile

James felt suddenly so happy he could barely hold it in. then he said "So will you go out with me then?"

"Okay! Yes, I will!" Lily said rolling her eyes but still smiling.

James let out a whoop and jumped up, running down the corridor shouting "YES! YES! SHE LOVES ME! SHE LOVES ME!" he nearly knocked a 3rd year girl flying and helping her steady herself said, "she loves me!" the girl smiled and gave him a look that said, "you are completely mad!"

James carried on down the corridor shouting and whooping, feeling completely elated and needing to tell his friends the good news, he ran back down the way he had come. Lily climbed through the portrait hole with a very big smile on her face