Disclaimer: Jo Rowling owns everything.

Chapter Three

It was late September and James Potter was sitting on his bed attempting to do homework for his Potions class, his very worst subject. Or maybe all his subjects . . . He often found himself day-dreaming. Like now, he was leaning on the headboard of his bed staring out the open window across the bedroom. He could see the quidditch pitch and could also see a few Hufflepuff team members practicing. They're gonna need it, James thought smugly.

James looked quickly at the Potions book which was currently marked at the 'Love Potion.' "Maybe I'll try it on Evans... "James said under his breath with a chuckle. He had really gotten to her the other day...

-flashback-

There were all the seventh years, pouring out of Potions class. Lily Evans was one of the first students to storm out of the room, red-faced and fuming. She was followed by Serverus Snape and Lucius Malfoy, and after everyone else, who was whispering and pointing in Lily's general direction, last but not least was the Marauders.

"Goodness, James." said Lupin. "Could you have answered that question anymore like a bloody git?"

"Yeah, I could've said it was ol' Snivelly." James said loudly enough for him to hear. Snape raised a middle finger as he rounded the corner, heading for the Slytherin common room. All four of them laughed.

The fearful foursome indeed - their laughs were known throughout the school. They brought fear to the hearts of teachers and happy anticipation for the students, waiting to watch another prank happily evolve. The annoying laugh with an obnoxious snort belonged to Peter, Remus' laugh was low and amused, Sirius' was loud and charming, attracting all the girls towards his direction, as was James'. But at the moment he wasn't laughing. He was watching a beautiful body with fiery red hair walk away from him.

"I mean, honestly, James." Sirius said, with a laugh, as Peter cleared his throat.

"Mr. Potter!" he said with his best Professor Goode impression, "Which student in this class do you suppose has the highest grade?"

"All Professor Goode was trying to do was make a point," said Remus, "that you were not that student, and that you could work on improving your grade in the class. I don't think that she really expected you to answer."

"And even so, If you would have said 'Lily Evans,' that would've been all right,"

"And correct." said Peter.

"But Lily Potter?!" Sirius said with a chuckle in his voice.

"Look, I was just trying to get a laugh." James said, fighting with all his might the blush that was threatening to rise.

"Who do you think you're kidding, Prongs?" Sirius said, throwing an arm over his shoulder. "You're so stuck on that girl. You always have been!"

"Yeah, so what if I am?" James said defiantly.

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with that. She's a great choice. Just one tiny problem: I think she hates you, mate."

"Well, the I'll just have to change that." James winked at them and rushed down the hall. "I'll catch you later, boys."

"After lunch in the common room!" Lupin called after him. James waved his hand in acknowledgment, not bothering to turn around.

"Hiya, Lily!" he said in a cheerful voice from behind her."

"Go away, Potter! I am not going to put up with you right now." she spat.

"Oh, come one, Lily flower. I was just having some fun." She suddenly turned to face him, the anger on her face looking about ready to burst.

"If embarrassing me in front of the Professor and the entire class counts as fun then you need to get a new hobby because you are making potions unbearable." she said then turned and started briskly walking away.

"Aw, come on, Lily. I think we've got great chemistry together." James said, running up behind her - again.

"It's not chemistry, Potter, it's Potions. And I don't think that-"

"No, Evans." James said, taking hold of her arm, pulling her from the crowd and putting her against the wall. "I think you and I have great chemistry." He was looking into her eyes, those gorgeous emerald green eyes of hers and getting lost in their depths. He was slowly moving closer until they were mere inches apart. The fear that was apparent on her face somehow looked like anticipation to him, but either way, the moment was suddenly ruined.

SMACK!

Lily had slapped him across the face and roughly pushed him away.

"Don't you ever try a stunt like that again, James Potter." she said maliciously, then turned and became lost in the crowd of students headed towards the Great Hall for lunch.

James rubbed the red palm print of his cheek, but a grin overcame his face.

-end flashback-

"Yup," James said, with the same wide grin on his face. "I've definitely gotten under her skin now."

§

Oh! That James Potter! Lily sat on her bed, still fuming over the incident that had happened . . . yesterday.

Oh, how he unnerved her! His probing hazel eyes, his presence so close to her, the one strand of hair that had fallen in his face as he had leaned closer . . . being that close to James Potter was an unsettling experience, to say the least.

Nancy suddenly walked into the dormitory in a daze. "Oh, Lils. Having a boyfriend is such bliss!" she said, swooning onto her bed.

"Well, if I ever get one, I can assure you that it will NOT be James Potter." Lily said angrily.

"What?" Nancy sat up in her bed. Nancy had long light brown hair, glowing purple eyes, and a personality to match Lily's, temper and all. "Are you still on about that? I thought it was quite funny, actually."

"Funny?! Are you mad?" Lily asked. "He embarrassed me in front of the entire class and just laughed! He laughs at me, not with me, Nancy."

"Oh, come on, Lily." Nancy laughed, lying back down on her bed. "You know he's just a smart ass."

"Whatever." Lily said, folding her arms across her chest.

"And a very cute one, I might add . . ."

"Nancy!" Lily smiled. "What about Sirius?"

"Oh, I love Sirius, he's great. I'm just saying that if I hadn't found my man, I'd make sure that James Potter wasn't just any smart ass, he would be my smart ass."

"Whatever you say girl!" Lily said, throwing a pillow across the room at Nancy and laughing.

"You've got to admit it, hun. He is quite a cutie." Nancy said with a wicked smile, catching the pillow with ease and throwing it back at her.

"I'll admit no such thing!" said Lily, bolting from her bed. "But I have to go, Nance. I'll talk to you later tonight, but I have patrolling duty with Mr. Cutie himself!" she yelled up the stairs as she opened the door from the girl's dorm to the common room. There was James Potter, hand lifted into a fist, preparing to knock.

"Mr. Cutie? You wouldn't be talking about me, now would you?" he said with a smile.

"You?" Lily said. Unruly hair, roughish smile, intense hazel eyes and an overpowering flirtatious male presence . . . No, Potter, she thought. I would never be referring to you! After a moment she realized she had been staring. She gave a forced smile and brushed past him, saying

"You? Dream on, Potter."

§

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I'm still new to this website, so please forgive me and my mistakes. I'm trying to get into habit of more thouroughly editing my updates before and making routine posts. Oh well. Please read and review! I love to hear from you guys! -hugs-