Lessons In Love

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

Chapter Five: I Hope She's Worth it

On Thursday when the seventh years were finding out their mock potions test results, Lily woke with a sick feeling in her stomach. What would she do if Professor Orman failed her? She knew she couldn't protest, knew Professor Orman would never think of marking her fairly. She couldn't help feeling helpless. Lily hated feeling helpless. She slumped downstairs to the Great Hall and slid into a seat next to Ursula.

"Hey Url." She sighed.

Ursula looked at her, "What's wrong? Oh wait- let me guess- we get our Potions marks back today."

"Yeah." Lily couldn't think of anything else to say, except, "I hate potions. Professor Orman's a bastard. Life is just doom and gloom." She sighed again.

Ursula smiled at her. "Typical eloquent Lily. Come on, let's get to class."

Lily and Ursula were going through the Potions doors when Lily accidentally bumped into the person in front of her. It was James Potter.

Lily didn't quite know what to say. Not thinking, she scowled at him, "Watch it Potter!"

James watched her walk away with his mouth hanging open and a look of shock on his face. "What did I do?" He asked Sirius.

Sirius shrugged, "Who knows?"

Once everyone was in their seats Professor Orman swept into the room and smiled at them all silkily.

"Well, well, well. Your Potions tests were certainly… interesting." He looked at Lily for a second and she glared back at him. "Some of you did well," He looked over at the bunch of Slytherins that sat at one side of the classroom, "And then some of you… well, I don't want to embarrass anyone." He gathered up the papers and told Frank Longbottom to hand them out. When Lily got hers she was almost too nervous to look at the paper. She took at deep breath and looked down. Her mouth dropped open. He had given her a D! D… D for DUNCE! Ursula looked at her paper and made a sound of disgust. Lily just kept staring at her paper in disbelief. A piece of parchment landed on top of her test paper. Lily picked it up and opened it. In an untidy scrawl it said, "What did you get?"

James and Sirius were at the back of Potions classroom planning what to do to Mr Orman if Lily had gotten unfairly marked. They were just waiting for her note back. A minute later it landed back on his desk. In large but tidy writing it read,

"Not that it's any of your business, but I got a D. D for Dunce. It doesn't matter though." At the end Lily had threateningly added, "If you do something to Mr Orman, I WILL MAKE SURE YOU REGRET IT."

Sirius made a face." A D? That's harsh. He read over the last bit "you will regret it" So," He said brightly, "still going ahead with the plan, right?"

James looked over at Lily. Here was when it mattered that he changed. He turned to Sirius, "No, we're not going ahead with the plan. Although I'd enjoy doing it the consequences will be worse if Lily ends up not speaking to me."

"But Prongs! " Sirius said cajoulingly. "We'd be doing this in defence of Lily! For her honour and all that!"

"Well that's why I wanted to do it! But Lily doesn't want me to so I won't."

"So what? You're not going to do everything Lily doesn't want you to do?"

"I didn't say that. I just…" James shrugged, "not the things that makes her unhappy with me."

"Well you're giving up a lot here, Prongsy, but I'll stick with you. I just hope she's worth it."

James didn't say anything but all the while he was thinking, "She is, she is, she is."

Later on after classes were finished Lily was curled up in the common room reading a book. It was especially comforting for her to slip off into another world where she didn't have to worry about everyday life and… potions test results. Suddenly she felt an annoying tap on the book and put it down to see James Potter's face grinning at her. Lily couldn't help thinking, "I see that face far too many times in one day."

"Potter go away! I'm reading, as if you didn't notice." Lily put her book back up, hiding her face again. James knocked it down. Before she had the chance to start ranting at him he quickly said, "Are you going to Hogsmeade this weekend?"

Lily scowled at him. "Yes, so?"

"Want to come with me?"

Lily rolled her eyes. She seemed to do that a lot when James was around. "No."

James made a face, "Why? You don't know much fun I can be."

"No but I know how annoying you can be."

"Isn't it all just part of my charm, though?"

"What charm?" Lily asked nonchalantly.

" And then there's my roguish good looks…"

Lily spluttered, "Roguish good looks indeed!"

James feigned hurt. " Well that's what Jennifer Campbell told me."

"Isn't that the one that bumps into things a lot? You know, bad eyesight?"

"So they say… Come on though Lily! Please, just one date."

Lily considered. "Can I bring Ursula?"

"No."

Lily folded her arms, "Well I'm not dumping Ursula for you."

"Fine. Bring Ursula. But I can bring Sirius and Remus."

"What about Peter?"

James shrugged. "He'll tag along."

"Fine then. We'll meet you in the Three Broomsticks at 12.30."

James rubbed his hands together. "Great. Who knows, you might even have fun." James gasped dramatically.

Lily swatted him. "Now you're pushing it."

"Ok I'm gone."

Lily watched James retreat back Sirius, Remus and Peter, who all grinned when he told them the news.

Lily couldn't help smiling. She noticed that she was now considerably happier than she had been before James had come over. She went back to her book, not wanting to think about what she had just realised.

A/N: Wow you lot! Your reviews were so nice! I'm sorry that I haven't updated till now but our modem went ker-plunk so no Internet till now. Hope you've all had a good Christmas! Ok, some things to say:

Laura: Let me first say I think it is so nice that you have shown your story to me and I'm very sorry that I couldn't get online till now to read it. So here's my honest opinion… It has potential, but the way you wrote it confused me. Spell out what you're saying more, "The reason bolt was there was because HER grandfather had created it her grand father NOT SITA'S, HER'S!" That's a confusing sentence there. You don't need to put the "NOT SITA'S, HER'S!" part in. Take time to type it out and to tell your story clearly. I'm no expert so I'm sorry if I've offended you, but that's my honest advice. I'll look forward to reading your improved version, of course if you want me to see it.

The ORIGINAL Meathead: That's a great idea, I'll try and slip that in somewhere, thanks a lot! COOLIES! Lol.

Arianna: I'm trying to write it funny because I love romantic comedies, but I'm not sure if I was managing all that well so thank you very much for the compliment comedy confident boost!

Charmerbelle: Hmm… keep reading I guess!

Sarah: Your review made me laugh! Staticky hair! Lol I know how what you mean I get that a lot!

Brecky: Thanks for saying happy b-day! You're the only one that said it!

Fuzzyotter: Your review was so nice! "It rocks!" All my reviewers rock!

Someone: Thankyooouuuuu!!!!!!!!