Asking For Trouble

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: As much as I would love to own Harry Potter...or a certain Draco Malfoy, I do not own a thing.

On the way back to the Gryffindor house after breakfast, Sirius could speak nothing but of the plan that he had for Kaite.

"Padfoot, mate, could you give it a rest?" James said, slightly annoyed by all this talk about Lily. "Honestly, it's like you have taken a liking to Evans."

Remus walked over to James and patted his back. "It is my duty, Prongs, to find you a mate, and that is what I shall do."

James sighed, falling back in one of the comfy chairs. "If you want to find me a girl, why don't you get someone that doesn't have a bloody attitude, or that hates my freakin' guts."

"I am more than sure that if you show her how kind you can be, she'll come around." Remus said from the couch, Katie sitting quietly next to him.

"I got it!" Sirius said excitedly, hurrying over to Katie and throwing himself down next to her on the couch. "Katie, you will meet Evans down by the pond where her group usually meets and you will have a chat with her, you know, about what ever you ladies talk about. Then, you mention something nice about James, like how he is helping you on your homework, or something else James usually wouldn't do."

Katie nodded. "That sounds like it could work."

James laughed, rubbing his forehead. "You're mad if you think that Evans is going to give in. Bloody hell, you're talking about a girl that has hated me ever since our first year. Even I know that she's going to say no to anything that has to do with me."

"Is that a challenge?" Katie asked, a grin spread across her face.

James sat up straight, smiling brightly. "Katie, love, I don't think that you want to do this."

Katie put her hand on her chin. "You know James, I am starting to think that you are afraid of what would happen if Lily does say yes."

"Afraid? I'm sorry love, but James Potter isn't afraid of a bloody bet like this." James said sternly.

"Rule one James my friend: never underestimate the power of a woman." Sirius said leaning over the back of James' chair.

"So James, is that a yes?" Katie asked, knowing too well that he would give in.

"You can ask her all you want, but you would only be wasting your time."

Katie nodded. "We'll just see about that, now won't we?"

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After lunch that afternoon, Katie and Sirius kept a close eye on Lily and her friends as they walked out onto the sunlit grounds and to their favorite spot next to the lake.

"Like I said before, Padfoot, you're just wasting your time." James yelled to Sirius as he and the rest of his friends walked back up to the Gryffindor house.

Sirius ignored James and continued watching Lily. "All right Katie, remember what I said, give her a bunch of rubbish, you know, like stuff that James usually wouldn't do."

Katie nodded. "Got it." She said before she made her way over to Lily, her auburn hair swaying with the wind, her books held tight to her chest. Once she had reached the lake, the girls instantly patted the ground for her to sit.

"Katie, it's been so long since you've last chatted with us." A short girl with long blonde hair said, a smile plastered across her face.

"I bet she's found herself a mate. That's why she hasn't been hanging around with us." said a dark brown haired girl that sat across from her.

Katie looked shyly at the ground. "Actually, I have found someone, but I'm not sure if we are anything more than friends."

Lily smiled and softly patted Katie's shoulder. "It's really good that you've found someone. I mean, I'm still searching for one myself."

"You know Lily," Katie smiled. "I think that I may have found you someone."

"Really?" Lily's eyes brightened. "Who is it?"

"Well, he's in Gryffindor, and he plays Quidditch , and he's smart, and sweet, plus he's an amazing kisser."

The girls smiled.

"Amazing kisser?" Lily said, seeming slightly interested.

"Yes, yes he's an amazing kisser. But that's not the point. The point is that he is such a great guy, and I think that you would really like him, that is if you give him a chance."

Lily put her hand on her chin. "What's his name?'

Katie grinned. "James Potter."

"W-Wait, are you telling me that James Potter, the arrogant, stuck-up, conceited, bigheaded jerk, is actually smart and sweet...and an amazing kisser?"

Katie nodded.

"No," Lily shook her head. "No, James is not sweet, or caring, or smart. James only cares about himself, and that's the truth."

"Give him a chance, Lils." The blonde haired girl said, the other girls nodding in agreement.

"No." She replied stubbornly. "Potter doesn't even like me."

"How do you know that?" Katie said softly.

Lily shrugged her shoulders. "He's never liked me. If he did, he wouldn't call me Mudblood, or any of the horrid names that he has for me."

"Did you ever think that he only picks on you because he likes you, and that he is too afraid to show his emotions around his friends?"

Lily lowered her head, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry, but I'm not going to waste my time, waiting for him to change. James is a typical boy, always thinking that he can get what he wants from a girl and then toss her, just like it meant nothing to him. I'm not about to be one of those girls. I'm not going to give my heart to some foolish boy and expect him to care about me, just as much as I do for him."

Katie placed her hand on Lilys shoulder. "I know that you are trying to follow your heart, and I would do the same thing if I were in your shoes, but Lily, you really should give him a chance. Just one chance is all I'm asking for." Katie said softly.

Looking up at her circle of friends, Lily noted each and every look on her friends faces. She knew too well that her friends wanted the best for her, and from the looks on their faces, they wanted her to give him a chance; a chance that Lily wasn't eager to take. Giving James a chance seemed wrong to her; it would mean that she would have to go against everything that she had ever set for herself. But, at the same time, she also felt that if she didn't give him a chance to really show her how he really is, she would never get to see the real side to James Potter; the one that dwelled deep beneath his skin.

Twirling the blades of grass around her fingers, she nodded her head, her hair delicately sweeping over her face. "One chance, Katie, just one chance. If he blows it, everything that I have ever said about him is true."

Katie smiled, wrapping her arms around Lily. "He won't blow it, I promise."

Author's Note: Hey there! Yay, she said yes! Hmmm...I wonder how James is going to react? Well, thanks to everyone that has reviewed! Ya'll are great! Thanks!

Jess