Chapter Eight
By Dinkee-Dino
Disclaimer: All the stuff (excluding characters you don't know and the plot) belongs to the richest woman in the UK until tax time.
A/N: So those who have actually stuck to it this far should be congratulated. And those from way way before might have noticed that a huge chunk has been taken out. Don't feel sad folks. . . At least this is an all-new bonus chapter!
The moment she said it, Lily knew it had been a mistake. "I want you to teach me how to make love." What kind of an idiot must James think her to be?
James was silent. Lily took the opportunity to go on, for she knew that if he opened his mouth to say anything. Anything at all, she would become discouraged.
"Well, I know that you probably are busy. What with Quidditch and all, but I've never come to you for anything, and this is something I really need." She cringed upon hearing herself. He'd say no. And why not? Why would James Potter want to spend tireless evenings with one so clearly inexperienced at lovemaking as her? But she'd make best of the situation as she could. "I. . I know that naturally you'd want some sort of. . .of compensation. . ." at this, her fear was starting to get the best of her. The door was still right behind her. A few steps and she could be free. . .
James was starting to become quite indignant. "What do you take me for Evans? If you think you can pay me for a night, you are certainly mistaken. Though I may have my"
"Oh lord! I'm not going to pay you!"
"Whyever not?" asked James, a bit put out. "But that's beside the point. I do, however, feel an obligation as a gentleman to inform you that this is a mistake. Any guy who loves you for who you are will not care how inexperienced you are in erhm. . .bed. So no. I will not help you."
Lily covered her face with her hands. "No, no, no!" She straightened. "Look. It's just for a little while."
It wasn't everyday that James had girls throwing themselves at him. Well, not this way, at least. There were those who begged him to make love to them. But teach? No. This was a new one. And normally, he would've pounced on her in a second, but Evans was a magnet for trouble. In fact, he was actually feeling very good about his gallant refusal to take advantage of her.
"Evans, if you're really set on this, do it. Just ask someone else. Remus. Grayer, perhaps. But it shouldn't matter to your erhm . . .lover. And if he's trying to force or pressure yo-"
Letting out a scream, Lily ran across the room, flung herself upon his bed, and promptly began chucking pillows at him. "That's just it, don't you see? I don't have a boyfriend or lover or anything!" Calming herself, she hugged the last pillow to her chest. "Maybe I wasn't quite so articulate. The thing is, I want to learn how to make someone fall in love me. Not just a wham-bam-thank you, ma'm. Something lasting. And you're obviously very experienced. I mean, you've had more partners than. . . Well, you get what I mean."
"Meaning?"
"Well, you know what makes a girl attractive. I need to learn how to dress, act, talk. The works. Please?"
"So we wouldn't cover shagging?"
"Of course we would!" Lily was getting red. "Well, I mean. You don't have to actually. .. you know. But. . Oh! We'll burn that bridge when we cross it."
James was thoughtful. And though she'd never admit it to anyone, much less herself, Lily thought his new black hair was rather. . . ravishing. Black hair and blue eyes was, well, attractive.
"No."
"What?"
James sighed. "Honestly. The Head Girl position is supposed to go to the brightest our year. No. I won't do it. Now I suggest you get down to the Dining Hall and get some food." He stood and went to open the door for her.
No? Just like that? No explanation? James looked at her expectantly. If he wasn't going to listen to her, she might as well say it in a language he could understand.
Lily took off her jumper and draped it over her arm while loosening her tie. "Gosh, it's awfully stuffy in your room."
"What're you getting at Evans? Hurry up, I've got the door for you," as he watched her approach with suspicion.
"An old-fashioned gentleman," she said, her voice low, and James felt a stirring of alarm. "I could use one of those."
"I'm not." James loosened his hold on the door, and it swung shut. He shook his head violently. "A genuine cad, that's me. A wanker."
She stepped closer and he tripped over himself, stumbling backwards.
"I need a favor," she whispered up at him as she backed him into the wall. Her low, husky voice would have set up a nice hum in his blood if she hadn't been so stiff as she pressed against him. That and the fact that she was Evans.
If you want to seduce me, you have to melt a little, he thought. But he figured that if he pushed her away now, there would be a huge row. Better let her finish and leave.
"I'm not very good at this kind of thing," she whispered, putting her palms on his chest, her hands trembling a little.
No kidding. He's met angry boyfriends that were more yielding.
"While you clearly are-" she clutched his school shirt "-more than skilled at this."
This was getting embarrassing for both of them. "Okay, you really aren't any good at this, " James said, keeping his voice low. "What do you want from me?"
He heard Lily sigh. "What I asked you for earlier. Just a little help between friends. Well, okay, acquaintances is more like it. Besides, you owe me for that time with my iced knickers."
"You shouldn't bring that up. It's poor salesmanship. And what about my hair? Do you realize that I won't be able to dye it for another three months!"
"Oh God! Is this what it's about? You won't help because of your stupid hair? You know what?" Lily cried. "Forget it. And I can get the door myself, thank you!" she exclaimed, pushing past him.
When James got to the Dining Hall, he found it packed. Sirius momentarily looked up and waved him over. James stood a little awkwardly behind the benches until Sirius unceremoniously shoved a second-year off to make room.
"Are you sure he's going to be fine?" he asked, sitting down. Much to his joy, raspberry cremes were plentiful. Probably because that infuriating Evans wasn't there to hide them all.
Sirius shoved a forkful of meat pie into his mouth. "Hm? Oh yeah. Kids. You know, theyr'e like rubber. Bounce back everytime."
"By the way, have you seen old Moony anywhere? It's two days to, you know," James said in an undertone.
Sirius didn't get the hint and kept on talking loud as ever. "I dunno. Gimme that hamsteak! Seventh-years get rights!" he admonished someone. "I think he's been trying to avoid Lily. You know, doesn't like her feeding him and such." Then once again, his gaze was locked on his food.
"Or he could be with Lily!" Peter squeaked. But no one heard him as the second-year, though he was smart enough to leave James Potter alone, contented himself with pushing Peter off the benches in turn.
Grabbing another creme, James slipped out unnoticed and continued his way down the hall. Thankfully, almost no one was around as McGonagall had assigned as whopping four foot essay on the fundamentals of Inorganic to Organic transfiguration.
Somewhere between the fourth and sixth floor, he heard some very loud music playing. James hastened up the staircases with glee. As it was after six in the evening, it was against school rules for music to be played at "a level which might, in anyway, disturb or distract others." He sincerely hoped it was some Slytherins. That way, he could take house points off, taking them out of their marginal lead that resulted from their win against Hufflepuff's Quidditch team.
The music got louder as he neared the end of the Muggle Studies corridor. A door was ajar and James could tell that someone was inside. He recognized Remus' voice and was about to walk in when he saw his friend with Lily in a rather sensuous embrace.
Lily pulled herself back up to say, "No. Look Remus, we cross step then go into kicks before the dip. Try it again? Where we left off."
"Well, the thing is, I'm still not so sure on the order of the step-kicks. I'm really sorry about this, but I just can't seem to remember," he replied, looking apologetic.
"Oh it's not problem," Lily laughed. "Uhm we could take it slower maybe?"
"Or I could just show you," Robert's voice caused James to jump back from his spy hole near the door. What was he doing in there? By the time James had returned to the door, Lily and Robert were already starting. He watched in awe as the couple's legs criss-crossed all over the floor.
Lily was spun and then abruptly lowered into a hold where Robert had a grip on only her right arm, then pulled quickly up. She had her forehead against his chest, and he moved his arms down her body to her waist. His right hand stayed on her waist, but his left arm drifted down to lift her right leg, pushing it up to his waist. Lily had closed her eyes and leant back as Robert's head moved down from her neck, stopping at her breast-bone.
They stopped, and James assumed they were done when the soft cello turned into a sharp violin. Lily fought to get away and Robert seemed to be holding her back from what she wanted to do. They criss-crossed the floor and the tension mounted until Lily became limp in Robert's dip at the closing measure. Even an untrained person like James could tell that their dances was depicting a relationship. Flirtation. Passion. Jealously. And of course Death. This last part made him shiver.
James was watching with all the guilt that a spy has, coming across two lovers, and he only realized that he had been holding his breath when Robert and Lily broke away.
"Well, I've got to be going," said Robert, as if nothing extraordinary had just happened. "Papers to grade. Have a nice weekend. See you in class on Monday."
"You know what?" Remus stopped him. "I've got to get going too. I'll leave with you."
James backed away from the door and flattened looked desperately for somewhere to hide, but thankfully Robert and Remus exited through a staircase behind the fireplace. He had just gone back with the intention of checking whether or not Lily was there, when she opened the door all the way and he nearly fell on top of her. Immediately she looked suspicious.
"Potter? Were you watching me?"
He tried to look as innocent as possible, but his widened eyes had no effect. "What? Me? Of course not!"
"Right. Then how do you explain your being outside this door?"
James desperately ran through all the excuses. "Erhm. I was just trying to find you." He was just stalling for time. What to say? What to say? Right. First rule of talking to a girl. Tell them something they want to hear.
"Really. . . . "
"I ehrm, I came to apologize for earlier today. I mean, I had no right to ehrm brush you off like that."
Lily was starting to become interested. "Hmm. Go on."
What more did this girl want from him? That was a perfectly good apology! "Well, and erhm. You know, I forgive you for ruining my hair. It's not that big of a deal anyway. No hard feelings?" He could tell by the way Lily's eyes flickered that he had said the wrong thing.
"Really? That's wonderful!" she exclaimed sarcastically. "Because Hogwarts just wouldn't know what to do if the great James Potter suddenly lost his amazingly ravishing good looks."
He sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly, just wishing, for once, they didn't have to bicker all the time. "Look, if this is about earlier, I've already said no, and that's final."
What happened next was wholly unexpected. No, not just unexpected, but uncalled for. Not even Snape would think of doing something so low. This next thing, James knew was unforgivable and dirty fighting.
"What are you, Potter? Chicken?"
A/N:Total cliche of an ending, but bear with me. . . It gets WAY better, I promise. There's dancing in the next chapter!