Chapter IV: HOME, SWEET HOME. BUT NOT ALONE

"Nice place!"

Lily still couldn't believe that James was in her house. Why had she agreed to take him there? She wasn't a person who lacked will and determination. but James - he looked so confident. he sometimes surprised her - well, not sometimes, always.

James was wandering around the lounge, looking at the photos Lily had. "How come you haven't got a photo of us?" he said, clearly not understanding it. "By George, I can't have this! I must send you one immediately!"

"As if I'd have your silly face -" she began but was interrupted by a sound. Lily approached the fireplace, that was in another room, making James take no notice of her leaving him - he was too busy looking at the photos.

Emi was sweeping the dust off her robes.

"Hiya, Emi! Hey, look, it's not the best moment to talk -"

"Lils!! Where have you been? You are completely wet! You have gone out with -"

"It's a long story." said Lily.

Suddenly, a new voice broke the brief silence. "LILY!! Not playing hide-and-seek, are you?"

Emi stared at Lily caught by surprise, she knew that Lily would go to the sort of rendez-vous, but taking James home was something that she'd never thought possible. Just then, James opened the door and came inside, smiling. "Who were you talking to?" he asked at Lily. His eyes turned to the figure next to the redhead. "Oh, it's Emi! Gosh, you look very pretty" said James unabashedly. Emi reddened to the root, she'd always been quite shy in front of the Marauders. "Between you and me" said James, coming closer to where Emi was, whispering confidentially, "Sirius always liked you."

Lily gazed at her friend somewhat amused. "We should go out the four of us some time, don't you think?" asked James thoughtfully. Lily snapped out of her short period of fun, furious as hell. "We'd have quite a nice time" he added. Thankfully, he saw neither Lily nor Emi, because they both pulled two strange looks.

"James, I thought you'd come here JUST to change your clothes." said Lily dangerously.

James smacked his forehead, "oops! You're right! And I have to take you out for dinner, too. Oh, well, enchanté, cherie" he said looking at Emi, "I'll call Sirius some time" he added as he left the room. He headed to the bathroom to have a hot shower (A/N: WHY can't I go with him? WHY?), leaving a path with his clothes behind him.

Lily was still with Emi in the other room.

"You are going to go out for dinner?" asked Emi incredously.

"He has taken it into his mind. Don't think I'll be able to do anything to prevent it."

"Well, have a good time. I don't think you'll be able to get rid of him easily, though. If he's as stubborn as he was at Hogwarts, I'll see Sirius round soon."

"It's just ONE dinner, for Merlin's sake! He'll just go after it and I'll be like I've always been."

"You are pretty naïve, Lils - anyway, have a good time. Don't forget to tell me everything later, Lily" finished Emi, disappearing in the chimney.

"As if anything will happen." thought Lily.

Just then, James came out of the bathroom in Lily's white bathrobe, his hair dripping water and extremely ruffled. Lily laughed.

"What are you laughing at?" he said, "Your bathrobe fits me perfectly" he continued, saying those words somewhat seductively. He strutted along the room, moving way too much his hips as if he'd gone into modelling.

"Yeah, sure, it fits you perfectly" replied Lily, trying to stifle her laughter.

The bathrobe was just about his knee, and the sleeves were for him elbow length. Besides, is shoulder was much broader than Lily's so his chest was quite visible (A/N: I *SO* want to be there.).

"Oh well, at least you are not showing anything." she sighed, James was a hopeless case. "Your clothes are over there, already dry" she said, pointing at a mound of clothes.

"Then I'll get dressed."

Lily rolled her eyes and headed to the bathroom to get a shower. She drew the curtains and turned the white-hot tap, letting her body warm with the soft heat of the shower. She was quite calm till -

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE????? GET OUT!!!!" she yelled.

"Chill out, girl, I'm only taking you this back" said James, leaving the bathrobe on a stool.

"NOW!" she barked furiously. She had covered her body with her hands instinctively, though she knew that James could not see anything, just her figure.

"Wow, Lils, quite a body you have." he said in awe, looking at Lily's body through the curtains.

"WHEN I GET OUT OF HERE I AM GOING TO HEX YOU TO HELL!!" she howled.

James did not need another word, he rushed out of the room when she said that. He knew too well what was to be in front of Lily's wand and he did not want to be there never ever again.

When Lily finished, she headed her bedroom directly. She did not want to see James because she knew that if she bumped on him in the middle of the room she'd curse him till James was begging for mercy. She picked out a pair of dark jeans and a white top. That outfit would bring out her hair and eyes. Se wore no make-up this time.

She went to the dinning room, where James was. He looked at her up and down, and she felt quite uncomfortable.

"What are you doing? Thinking that my Muggle clothes won't ruin your rep?" she snapped.

"Er. no" he said, his cheeks a bit red, "just thinking that you look beautiful."

Lily was silent for a second, but then she came back to her normal self. "Forget about the compliments, they won't do you any good. I still have to curse you." she finished, looking murderous for a fleeting instant.

He shivered and went out of the house before anything could happen.

It was still raining.

He took her hand.

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing, so don't sue me, oka doka?
A/N: I'll only upload today this chapter. Tomorrow I have to go to school (sniff) and I can't play with the computer until Friday. But I think I'll disobey my father and upload the fifth chapter on Tuesday I think ^^. Pliz, review!! Zoe.