Lessons In Love

Disclaimer: Everything here (except for any characters that don't sound familiar) belongs to the spectacular JK Rowling.

Chapter 4: Potions tests and attempts at being polite

When James got up the next day he was confident that today's attempts at being a 'gentleman' were going to do better. Before he left the room for breakfast he stood across from the mirror and tried to flatten his unruly hair. One of the things James had finally got through his head was that Lily didn't like it when he made it stick up anymore than it already did. After proclaiming it impossible, James walked downstairs wondering if there was a spell he could use on it. Maybe he could get something in Hogsmeade the following weekend.

James sat down with his three best friends and grabbed some sausages and bacon.

"James, I've noticed something about her!" Peter squealed excitedly. "She likes porridge in the mornings!"

Unfortunately, Peter said this a little too loudly, causing most of the table to look at him in alarm. James looked around at them all and then wanted to curse Peter for being so careless. Lily was looking over at them. Her eyes were widened and when she caught him looking at her, she quickly looked down at her porridge, looking as if she didn't want to eat it anymore.

James slapped Peter on the back of the head. Hard.

"Owww! James! What was that for?" Peter moaned.

"You idiot!" James said heatedly. "Lily just looked over here! She heard what you said!"

"Oh... oh. I'm sorry."

James ran his hand threw his hair irritably but ignored Peter.

"So," Sirius asked, chewing heavily on his toast, "What's the plan for today?"

"Well, there's class, then lunch, then dinner, then... bed." James said.

"No stupid, I'm talking about Lily!"

"I know, I know. Just basically what Ursula said. Being polite and all that."

Remus nodded, "Good idea."

Lily and Ursula were making their way to Potions with worry in their stomachs. Today was Professor Orman's test, and Lily was sure she would fail. She kept going over everything in her head, making sure she had forgotten nothing. She was very annoyed however; to find that she kept thinking of what happened at breakfast that morning. Peter had excitedly told Potter that she liked porridge, what was he telling him for? Lily had a nagging feeling that it was another ploy of his. She pushed the thought out of her head and sat down next to Ursula, waiting for her mock test papers to be handed out.

Lily squeezed Ursula's hand, "Good luck." She whispered.

Ursula nodded, "You too."

When Professor Orman came round with Lily and Ursula's test papers he smiled sweetly at Lily, "Don't worry, Miss Evans. I'm sure you'll do just fine." Lily's heart plummeted at the extra stress he put on the word 'fine.' Lily thought that it meant he was either sure from her class work that she would fail, or he was going to fail her anyway.

Even more worried that she was before, she opened the test paper and got to work.

James watched as Professor Orman handed Lily her test paper. James couldn't help the hate that welled up inside him as he smiled silkily at her.

"The git," James thought savagely. "If Lily fails this test because of his horrible prejudices, I'm going straight to the headmaster! And if that fails," James thought with a smile, "Sirius, Remus, Peter and I can always have some fun with him."

With that satisfying thought he got down to the test.

When the bell rung for break, James quickly handed his test paper in and hurried over to Lily.

James was about to ask, "Alright Evans?" when Ursula, having learned experience of James's techniques with Lily, immediately mouthed 'LILY.' at him, and he changed mid sentence, "Alright Ev- er- Lily?"

Lily stopped. Well that was a first! He had called her Lily! She smiled, amused. Well, she reasoned, at least it was a start.

"Fine." She replied stoutly, while pushing through the stiff Potions doors. James, seeing another chance to be polite, held it open for her with ease. Lily glared at him.

"I could have got that myself."

James swallowed. He should have known Lily'd be like this. "I know. I was just being, you know- polite." He smiled disarmingly at her.

Lily didn't know what to say. She could hardly roll her eyes at his efforts if he was trying to be polite.

"Well. Thanks." She told him, then added, "But I don't need help with opening a door." She smiled at him slightly.

"I'll remember that." James replied, "How did you think you did on the test?"

Lily shrugged. "Doesn't matter. Professor Orman will probably fail me anyway." She said this as if it were no real concern but James could easily tell that she was worried.

"He shouldn't be allowed to teach." James said with distaste. "No teacher should have a prejudice against one of their pupils. I swear, if he fails you because you're muggleborn he is in for such a pranking fest..." James was getting a little carried away in his defence of Lily and she looked at him, appalled.

"Don't you dare!" she told him. "If I've told you once, I'll tell you again, I don't need you sticking up for me!"

With that she flouted off to her next class. Ursula looked back at him and shook her head.

A/N Thank you to everyone whose reviewed so far. I love hearing what you think and what I can improve on, etc, so keep it coming. Sorry that this took awhile to update. I had school and then this weekend it was my birthday.