Disclaimer: Jo Rowling owns everything.

Chapter Five

James sat sulking in his chair, his potions paper sitting on the table in front of him, tapping the quill on the side of his head. He looked at the grade on the paper and sighed. How could I have bombed that exam? he thought. He had put a whole thirty minutes into writing it and he still failed! Glaring at the poor grade on the parchment, he sighed.

Right after he'd received his Hogwart's letter containing his Head Boy Badge, (which Sirius had so lovingly dubbed it his 'Big-Head Boy Badge') He'd received another letter - from Cornelius Fudge. The Minister of Magic. James had been accepted for a job after school was finished. James' father had worked long and hard to get him a good job in the Ministry, but the job Fudge offered was almost too good to be true. He was to help a special force team, the Order of something, guard... something at a hidden location named Godric's Hollow. It was all so mysterious and dangerous and... right up his alley. James was ecstatic. If he kept his grades up, he'd be immediately hired at the beginning of the summer. But only if he kept his grades up. Looking at his grade, he moaned and closed his eyes.

Lily and Professor Goode must really have it in for me, he thought darkly. Forget Potions, forget the grade. James just stared out the large library window to where he really wanted to be. Flying...

James loved to fly. To have the wind blowing through his hair, to be far away from the worries and cares of the world below. The feelings of freedom and liberation overtook his heart, his emotions. To James, there was nothing in the world but flying... and Lily Evans, of course.

He'd been having a reoccurring dream about Lily. They were on a broom together, flying high into the sky. His arm wrapped snugly around her waist, his face nuzzling the soft red bush of her hair, his nose taking in her feminine scent... turning her head to place a gentle kiss on her beautiful lips...

But no. It was not meant to be. James sighed, as the knowledge penetrated his heart. She despised him, and she wanted nothing to do with him. It did hurt, but he tried not to let it bother him too much. That was part of the reason he enjoyed teasing her so much. He knew he would never win her love, but if only to have her attention. Even her voice made him smile, however cross it may be at the time. Not to mention she was so darn cute when she was angry...

Yes, ever since that day in Olivander's, he had been immediately smitten by her. She had a fiery beauty and a sharp witty attitude that had consumed his heart from day one. And this being their last year at Hogwart's together, he had felt a deepening sorrow sink within him since he had arrived. After this there was no more school, no more Lily. No more pranks, no more jokes, no more Lily. He would be a working man, working with the Ministry and he wouldn't see her everyday like he had for the past seven years. And that thought bothered him more than he would ever admit.

§

Lily stood in front of the library, staring wide-eyed at him. What on earth was he doing here? she thought. James Potter, in a library? It didn't look like he was lost. He looked like he was sleeping, leaning on the two back legs of the chair lazily, muscular arms folded across his chest, eyes closed. She was tempted to run up behind him and pull his chair backwards. But when she saw his eyes narrow and he flinched like he was in pain, compassion suddenly overcame her.

What was wrong with James? What would crease his brow so? He had a perfect life - rich, loving, pure-blood family, good looks, good grades, popularity - no wonder Dumbledore made him Head Boy. Conceited prat...

Now irritated, she marched down the library until she stood in front of the table where he was sitting. "Well, well, well!" she said loudly. Her intention was to surprise him enough to make him topple over backwards in his chair. But when he opened one eye to see her, smiled and closed the eye again, it only caused her irritation to grow.

"Hiya, Lily." he said casually.

"Will miracles never cease? James Potter in a library?" she said in a patronizing tone.

"Got lost." he said simply. Saw that one coming, Lily thought as she rolled her eyes.

"Of course." she said. "Well, excuse me for interrupting your nap time."

"Oh, you know better that that, Lily flower." he said, fully opening his eyes to reveal sparkling hazel eyes and plopping his chair down on all fours. "I was merely watching the inside of my eyelids. It was nothing interesting."

"Are you sure?" she said, her voice full of disdain.

"Well, I was thinking of when we were playing Hufflepuff. My heart really goes out to them for trying so hard but-" James was cut short from laughter from Lily.

"What are you talking about, Potter? You don't have a heart."

"Sure, I do." he said with a enticing smile. "It just belongs to you."

THUD. That was Lily's jaw hitting the floor.Wow, she thought. That could've been really sweet. Too bad I hate him...

"Close, Potter." she said turning to leave. "But still no cigar."

"Wait!" James jumped up from his chair and ran around the table to stand beside her. "I was going to ask you a question."

"What now, Potter?" she said sternly, looking him square in the face. He turned suddenly apprehensive, unsure - never before had she seen him like this.

"Well... um, I was wondering if you might be interested in-"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Oh, seriously, Potter! Grow up!" she said emphatically.

He stopped suddenly. "What?"

"You've asked me out a billion times!"

"But-"

"Why don't you just leave me alone, huh? Why can't you just take a hint?"

The pain and hurt was evident on his face, but only for a moment. He gave her a weak smile, then turned, gathered his papers off the table and left the library through the South exit, slamming the door behind him. Heads turned to look at Lily and she felt the heat rising to her face.

"Serves him right." Lily muttered to herself, trying to suppress the guilt that wouldn't go away as she too left the library." Trying to ask me out again . . ."

§

James had stormed off to the Common Room, upset that he had let his emotions get the best of him. He knew that Lily didn't like him, but he'd never let it bother him this much before. He was laying on a couch, with his hands behind his head, staring at the decorative ceiling when a ghost by the name of Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, though more fondly known as Nearly-Headless Nick, came floating through the wall.

"Aw, Mr. Potter! A living man after my own heart. My pillaging, pranking pal." he said as he floated up to his favorite living person.

"Hullo, Nick." James said sulkily.

"Well now. What has you so down today, my friend?"

"Women." he muttered.

"Oh yes. The pains and struggles of women. I do remember going through this." Nick said, taking a ghostly seat on the couch across from James. "Well, what has Miss Evans done now?" James suddenly shot up.

"Why is it anytime I talk about a girl not liking me, everyone assumes it's Lily Evans?" he said loudly. Nick raised a ghostly eyebrow.

"Well, just because she is the only girl who doesn't like me doesn't mean..."

"Dear Mr. Potter, you are the most loved and well-known student at this school. And the only reason everyone would assume it's Miss Evans is because she's the only female at this school who utterly despises you."

"Gee, Nick. Thanks for lifting my spirits." James said angrily, storming off to his room in a huff.

"I beg your pardon?" Nick said offended. Then after a moment, he started to glide away. "Well, Miss Evans, and Professor Goode."

§

Remus was sitting on his bed, reading homework for Transfiguration when James stormed in, slammed the book down on the floor and threw himself onto his bed.

"Have a good day, James?" Remus asked with a smile.

"Moony, why does she hate me?" he said staring at the ceiling.

"Well, when you pull pranks on someone for seven years, you might have that end result."

"But I don't pick on her because I don't like her! I pick on her because..."

"Because you do like her." Remus said, finishing his sentence.

James was quiet for a long time before he said, "I guess that's an immature way of putting it... I'm just trying to get her attention, Moony!"

"Don't try explaining it to me, mate. I know how you work." Remus said, smiling closing his book and throwing his legs off the side of the bed. "I've been your best friend for the past few years, and I can read you like a book. I can read your mind."

"Yeah well, apparently, Lily thinks she can, too. She all blew up in my face because she thought that I was asking her out again, but all I was going to do was ask her if she could help me with my potions homework."

Remus laughed. "I won't take any offense Prongs, that you didn't ask me for help." James started to protest, but Remus put his hands up and smiled. "I understand. Women can sometimes have that affect on a man."

"Yeah," he said, "But I couldn't even ask her anything, because she thought I was going to ask her out again."

"Again?" They looked at each other and laughed.

"Why don't you tone down the flirting or teasing or whatever you want to call it? Just gain her trust, be her friend. Girls like men they can trust."

§

"Enjoy class, Lily?"

She turned expecting Potter, but instead, she saw Remus Lupin and smiled.

"Hi, Remus." she smiled back. "Of course. I always enjoy Charms."

"Good. Do you mind if I walk with you to lunch?"

"Not at all." They easily fell into step together, walking down the halls towards the Great Hall.

"So, where are your buddies?" Lily asked. "Aren't you always together?"

Remus gave a crooked smile. "Well, contrary to popular belief, the four of us are not connected by the hip. Sirius and Peter are having a chat about classroom behavior with Professor Flitwick and James had to rush off to Quidditch practice."

"Oh, that would explain the crowd of girls going the opposite direction of the Great Hall." she said sarcastically. Remus raised an amused that Lily missed.

"Stupid conceited prat..." she muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" Remus said, stifling a laugh.

"I'm sorry, Remus. I know he's your friend and all, but I can't stand that boy! He gets under my skin!"

"Really?"

"He's such a stuck-up, conceited, selfish, show-off and he just... ugh!" she said angrily.

"Well," Remus said carefully, "His pride was really hurt the other day."

"What?" she suddenly turned on him. "He asks me out every day Remus! Sometimes twice a day! Why was yesterday any different?"

"It wasn't you." he said shortly.

"Oh." Lily said.

"He got a bad grade on the Potions paper and it might put his future job in the Ministry in jeopardy."

"Really?" Lily said, with obvious impression written blatantly on her face.

"Really, but if his grade doesn't pass, he doesn't get the job."

"Well, why doesn't he get a tutor or something?"

"Well..."

"Why doesn't he ask me? I do have the highest grade in the class." she said, her ears turning pink, as she remembered the Potions class with James outburst.

"Well, first of all, he thinks that you and Professor Jammes are out to make him fail the class."

Lily started to object, but then smiled. "That's only half true."

"And, well, he did try to ask you once. But how's he supposed to if you're biting his head off all the time?"

Lily froze. Ouch. He wasn't going to ask her out. He was asking her for help. James Potter was humbling himself, admitting defeat, asking her, of all people, for help. And she had turned him away without an explanation.

She watched Remus walk through the Great Hall doors, but she couldn't move. His words were settling over her heart.

§

A/N: There. I hope that makes up for my last short update. Enjoy! And please review!!! -grin-