Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. etc.

A/N: Thanks reviewers,i appreciate it so much! when i was getting depressed about my story, i read your reviews and i wrote this chapter! thanks. I hope you enjoy...

The rest of the week went by fast. Although Lily still didn't talk to him, she did nod her head in acknowledgment of his presence when they passed each other in the halls and saw each other in class. That was a good sign.

Their Friday lesson went by without incident, too - the same the following week. Lily was talking to him more than before, during their time together, and James was increasingly happy. He couldn't stop thinking about her and how she was warming up to him. One day, while he was sitting in the library at lunch finishing a history of magic essay due the next period, he noticed Lily had walked into the library with her friends. As James did whenever he was in the same room as her, he watched her. This time when she walked passed him, however, and to his delightful surprise, Lily gave him a smile and a small wave. James' heart skipped a beat. In front of her friends she waved at him. This was indeed a good sign, James thought. Maybe the feelings that he had been feeling for Lily, the ones that made his throat tighten and his palms sweaty when she was near him, could have started making their way into her too.

James shook any such thoughts from his head almost as soon as they entered. There was no way she could like him that much. But James thought it wasn't without hope. No one could resist the Potter charm for long.

Wednesday evening the next week found two students in the potions classroom hunched over instructions of a healing potion.

"But, it says here it's supposed to turn a deep red."

James looked sideways at Lily's confused profile and ran a hand through his hair, then said, "Yes, this does look a little off colour."

"Turquoise is a bit off colour isn't it?" Lily rolled her eyes and grinned before bending back over the book. James spent a few extra seconds looking at her before he lowered his head and bit his lip. Clearing his throat he told her his conclusions, "I think you may have put in the bat intestines too early, and possibly stirred at the wrong time." James tapped the page of the book where those instructions were and glanced at the potion again.

"Aren't you supposed to know all that for sure? I thought I was the one supposed to be getting help," Lily raised an eyebrow at him.

"Hey," James started defensively, "I'm in the same class as you, you can't expect me to know all of this perfectly, I mean, I got two wrong on the last quiz."

"Ooh, so your admitting to imperfection, then?" Added Lily, "surprise surprise. I didn't think you'd ever do that."

James felt that little jab, "I'm not immune to everything you say, you know. And I do have faults, but I don't like to parade them in front of everyone."

Lily smiled softly and said, "sorry, James."

"That's alright."

There was a long silence where the two just observed the ruined potion's steam. James could only hear the beating of his heart and the regular breathing of the girl beside him. Teepeeing Hagrid's cabin was the best thing he'd ever done.

After their two hours were up, James reluctantly cleared his things away and walked to the door with Lily. There was only one thing on his mind when he was standing there across from her. One thing that made him incomparably nervous.

"Will you go to Hogsmeade with me Friday?" James shut his mouth quickly. By the look on Lily's face, he wished he's closed his mouth before any words had come out at all. Too late. James turned a brilliant colour of red, and knew he probably looked like he had a batch of their failed potion poured onto his face.

"What?" Lily finally asked, "Did you just ask me out?"

"Er, no?" James wasn't sure what to say.

"Yes you did."

James avoided any eye contact and became immensely focused on the toe of his shoe, while his fingers nervously tapped his legs from inside of his pockets. Why did he have to be so spontaneous? Why couldn't he have kept his mouth shut? His insides were going through hell. "Um...well, if I did, what would you say?"

Lily tried to look James in theeye, but it was a futile effort, so instead she tried to get more of his attention by talking to him, "James," she said sternly and he finally looked up at her. To James, it seemed like Lily was trying to search for something in his eyes, but he didn't know what. She said more softly this time, " I know what you said, I was just surprised." James nodded his head after returning his gaze to his shoe, wondering what she was going to say. "Sorry, James. I don't think that's a good idea." This time he thought he heard a hint of regret, but looking up at her face he dismissed that thought. She had a look of pity on her face, but not one of regret.

James said, "Right, well, 'till next time,"

"'Till next time," Lily chimed in quickly and left the classroom without even saying goodbye.

James went over to where they were sitting just minutes before and slumped down into one of the uncomfortable chairs, noticing how chilly the room had suddenly become. Only moments had passed since they were amiably sitting beside one another. Now, James was alone once again, but this time, he wasn't looking forward to their next meeting, it was inevitably going to be awkward. He had just ruined the progress of the past two and a half weeks between them. She was going to avoid him, and stop acknowledging his existence. He was so embarrassed. WHY did he have to ask her? He wondered again, more angry than before because now he had thought through all of the bad repercussions of his proposal. This was just great.

Back in the Gryffindor tower, James had raced up to his room, past his friends, and without even looking at all the faces in the room. He was tobe saved the embarrassment, at least for the rest of the night, of meeting Lily. Sirius was the only one who followed him into his room, and when he got there, he found James sprawled on his bed with a pillow over his head, trying to asphyxiate himself. Sirius wrenched the pillow from his best friend's grasp and saw a look of despair on his face.

"Lily?"

James looked into Sirius' face and nodded, "What have I done?"

A/N:Please review:)