A/N: Well, you can't complain. It's a quick update! I can't tell you how thrilled I am about the reviews I got… you keep me writing guys… I love you! And please keep reviewing!

Disclaimer: If I were the owner of Harry Potter and Co. I wouldn't be writing this fic. but the 7th book, so… is it necessary to say it?

No Strings Attached.

Chapter III: Things back to normal… For now

True to her purpose, Lily woke up early on Tuesday. There were fewer chances to run into Potter if she had an early breakfast. Unfortunately, that meant that she would have to eat alone, because none of her friends was going to surrender precious minutes of dreaming time just because she didn't feel like meeting the marauders. Lily knew she had wonderful friends that would always be there if she needed them, but when it came to boys and sleeping they could be really stubborn.

Lily was descending the stairs when she heard someone calling her name.

"Lily, wait." It was Remus Lupin, and to the girl's surprise and delight he was alone.

"Morning Remus, what's up?" Greeted Lily brightly.

"Not much. Going to have breakfast? Where are the other girls?"

"Yes. They are still sleeping of course. I think they would never get off bed if they could help it."

"Ha ha ha ha. I'll go with you, if you don't mind."

"No, of course not."

"Great, 'cause I've been meaning to talk to you alone." By this time they had reached Gryffindor table and they took seats one in front of the other.

"What about?" Asked Lily curiously while she poured some coffee on a mug. In truth she was very tired because she had gone to bed late last night and it had taken her at least two hours to get to sleep.

"Its about your friend Helen." Said Remus, and for some reason he was blushing.

"Tell me."

"Well, I kind of like her." He mumbled with his stare fixed on the marmalade jar. "And I thought that you, may be, you could… But it's ok if you don't. I mean, I'm sure she doesn't like me back, so… Forget I said anything."

"Well, you see I only see Helen in a couple of subjects because she is from Ravenclaw. But I could ask her if you want me to. There's no reason why she wouldn't like you. Tell you what, I'll talk to her during the break and then I'll get back to you."

"You would?" Asked Remus looking up, a huge smile on his face "Thanks Lily, you are the best!"

"No problem." Replied Lily smiling back.

"Oh, one more thing, would you mind not telling the boys about this? In fact you are the only one who knows. If they found out they would never leave me alone."

"Don't worry, I won't say a thing. Besides, I know they are your friends and everything, but Igenerally prefer not to talk to them if unless it's absolutely necessary."

"I know, but since you have a date with James…"

Lily looked horrified. She had completely forgotten about that. How was she supposed to avoid Potter if she had already agreed to spend Saturday afternoon with him? Things would better get back to normal before the weekend or she didn't know what could happen.

"Right. But, anyway, don't worry, my lips are sealed." She answered nervously. He gave her a quizzical look but didn't say anything.

"I never knew you were so shy."

"When it comes to this girl, I am… I know it's stupid but…"

"It's not stupid, I think it's sweet." Said the girl reassuringly, smiling at him.

At that moment, the three remaining marauders entered the hall. Lily realized this because all the girls around her had their eyes on the door. And that could only mean that Potter and his cronies were in the room.

"Remus, I have to go. I'll talk to you during lunch. Bye!" She hurried out of the hall, without looking back.

"What do you and Evans have to talk about?" Asked Sirius while helping himself to deliberate amounts of sausages and scrambled eggs.

"And why was she smiling at you?" James' tone was more menacing than inquisitorial.

"We have prefect duties to discuss." Remus said simply, looking at Sirius and then turned to face James. "She wasn't smiling at me. She was smiling because she is a cheerful girl."

"Yes, cheerful, and beautiful, and fascinating, and amazing…" James' voice had lost its threatening quality and had acquired a dreamy one in the process.

"Oh no, please not again! It's too early to listen to the list of Evan's virtues." Complained Peter.

"If he's like this just because he saw her, I dread to think how he is going to be when he returns from his date." Reasoned Sirius.

"I didn't just saw her. I was with her last night."

"What?" The three boys cried in unison.

"What do you mean you were with her last night?" Asked Remus disbelievingly.

"When I returned from McGonagall's detention she was there doing homework".

"Prongs, sitting on the other side of the room, watching her read does not count as being with a girl. You should know that by now."

"It wasn't like that at all! She even helped me with my homework."

"Are you sure you weren't dreaming?"

"I'm telling you! She was nice to me and everything."

"Well, don't get your hopes up Prongs," Interrupted Remus "because she has just told me that she can't stand you."

"That's not new Moony. But he'll never believe it." Said Sirius pointing his thump towards James, who once again had a lost look on his face and was clearly daydreaming about Lily.

"I don't understand how he manages to talk to her, if every time he sees her he gets like that." Wondered Peter.

"It's one of life's biggest mysteries."

"Somebody shake him, we have to get to Defense on time. Professor Walter said he'll give us a detention if we were late again and tomorrow is the full moon." Remus reminded them.

"And we wouldn't want to miss that, would we?" Sirius grinned mischievously. Then he shook James violently and forced him off the bench. "Come on lover boy, we have classes."


When the four boys arrived to the hallway where the rest of the sixth years were, they met a sight that certainly made James react. Lily was resting against the wall smiling flirtatiously at the boy standing in front of her. He was smiling showing perfect white teeth, and she seamed to melt at this.

"And then Flitwick told me that he must have dozed of and that I could leave." Lily was giggling uncontrollably.

"I can't believe you did that…" She said in awe once the giggles have subsided. "And you got away with it."

"Yeah, well. I wasn't alone…" He said, trying to sound modest. "Anyway, I was thinking that perhaps we could go to Hogsmeade together on Saturday." He asked her in a voice so charming it was hard to resist.

"I would love to, but… I can't… I already said I was going with someone else."

"Oh. It's ok. I didn't know you were seeing someone."

"I'm not!" Said Lily quickly. "It's just… You could call it a favor. Perhaps we could go some other time." She offered, failing to disguise how expectant she was.

"Sure. We can arrange to go on the next one… Well, I have to go now… See you Lily." And with one last smile that made Lily blush scarlet, he left.

The girl turned and went to where her friends were standing. They were all giggling excitedly, and they were so focused on Lily that none of them noticed James, who had approached them and could listen everything they said.

"Lily! that was Benjamin Lamb. He is the cutest boy in Hogwarts after James and Sirius. What did he want?" Asked Susan eagerly.

"How can you compare Ben with those two? You have to be blind to say something like that!" Lily's response made it clear that she found the comparison quite indignant.

"We don't have time to discuss this. Come on Lily, tell us what he wanted!" Insisted Jane Bloomfield.

"He asked me out." Answered the redhead sheepishly.

"You are so lucky! You have the two best looking guys after you. And what did you tell him?"

"What could I tell him? I'd already agreed to go with Potter."

"You say that as if it were a curse."

"Listen, it's not that I wish the guy would fell off his broom and die, but I've just rejected Benjamin Lamb because of him! So I'm not having very happy thought about him right now."

The door of the classroom opened and all the students went inside. Lily didn't say anything to her friends, but she was glad she had had to turn Benjamin down. Now she had a new reason to dislike Potter and take him out of her mind. Surely she would have no troubles sleeping that night.

A/N: Guys, I'm thoroughly depressed tonight… I had an awful day, please I need your reviews more than never!