: innocence vs. trouble :

: disclaimer : I don't own any Harry Potter settings/characters. :

: Chapter4 : Kyle Thompson :

Later that night, Lily stayed down in the common room to finish some extra study. She wanted to go to class with a fresh memory of the whole chapter so she could answer all the questions the professors shot at her. Staying up until around 5:00am, Lily finally fell asleep on the common room couch.

poke

"Mmm…" Lily groaned. The person poked her again.

poke but Lily, still sleeping, didn't even bother to groan this time.

"Lily! Wake up!" The person shouted in her ear. Being the spaz that she was, Lily accidentally punched the person in the jaw while shooting up from the couch.

"Oh god…I am so sor—…oh it's just you. Never mind then." Lily said as she pulled the covers over her head again, leaving James Potter on the ground, massaging his jaw.

"Fine, go back to sleep…it's not as if I care that you miss Transfiguration; I mean, you've already missed more than half the class already snoring like a giant hippogriff." James said, walking away

"WHAT?" Lily shot up from the couch and started to shove all her books into her bag. She didn't even take notice that James was laughing his head off; she just ran through the portrait hole as fast as she could.

James stood there for a moment, smiling, "Three…two…one…"

"POTTER!"

James sighed as Lily walked in red-faced, staring daggers at him. James looked her up and down and noticed she was wearing some plaid boxers and an extremely large gray sweater.

She's got some nice legs…

As if reading his thoughts, Lily tried to stretch her sweater long enough to cover her legs. Needless to say…it didn't work. James just grinned.

"Yes, Sleeping Beauty?" James grinned as she only grew angrier. (if possible)

"You!" She pointed at him, coming closer. "You!" She was now poking his chest.

"Me…" James mocked.

"It is currently 7:23am right now. Do you know what time class starts this morning?" Lily said as calm as possible.

"9:30?" James replied smoothly.

"Yes…and when does breakfast begin?" Lily asked as if she were talking to a toddler.

"7:30" James replied, not knowing where this was going.

"Correct again. So how many people do you think saw me running down the hall like a mad women in her night clothes?" She was now glaring at James. James tried to keep a straight face on but just burst out in laughter.

"YOU! You…immature…ruthless…pathetic…buttface!" Lily spat out and James just stared at her.

"Buttface? Hm…that's a new one." He smiled.

"You better start running." James could have sworn he saw smoke burst out of Lily's ears, but didn't double check as he raced up to the boys' dormitory with Lily hot on his heals. She tried to run up the stairs after him but while nearing the top, she suddenly slid back down to the bottom.

"URGH! COWARD!" She shouted up at nothing.

"Who's a coward?" Said a low voice. Lily stiffened as she turned to come face to face with Kyle Thompson.

Kyle Thompson was also a 7th year Gryffindor. He was extremely smart and handsome. He'd never notice how popular he was for he always liked to keep away from all of Hogwart's gossip and drama. Unlike Sirius or James, he liked having serious relationships and he always had his priorities straight. Lily adored him and the only people who knew that were Jasmine and Melanie.

"I…um…you see…" Lily began nervously. Kyle smiled at her, which only made Lily want to melt.

"It's cool. I probably just came in at the wrong time?" He said and Lily, feeling dumb, just nodded.

"Well, I'll catch you later at a better time. See you." He waved as he walked away. Lily sighed as she watched him walk away. She then realized that she was still in her p.j's.

"ergggg…" she groaned as she banged her head on the wall. Stupid…stupid, stupid Evans! She then went back to the dormitory to change for breakfast.

((( breakfast )))

"Why so glum, chum?" Melanie said as Lily continuously stirred her bowl of oatmeal. Jasmine just rolled her eyes.

"Ignore Mel. ("Hey!") What she means to say is…what's wrong with you?" Jasmine said and Lily finally looked up. She opened her mouth to answer but then Kyle took a seat in front of her.

"Hello," He said cheerfully. Lily had to bite her bottom lip from smiling like a lovesick puppy in front of Kyle.

"Hi!"

"hey"

"Hello"

Kyle grinned and then turned to Lily. "So…um…Lily…I saw you at the library the other day…not that I was stalking you or anything. I just like spending time in the library…"

I love spending time in the library!

"…and I was looking for books on Muggle inventions…"

I Love books on Muggle inventions!

"…and then I noticed you were reading Non Magical Inventions and their Purpose to Non Magical People…"

I Love reading Non Magical Inventions and their Purpose to Non Magical People!

"…So I was wondering if I could maybe borrow it when you're done. If that's okay, of course."

I Love letting you borrow my books!

Lily must have been in a complete daze because Jasmine had to nudge her side until she finally snapped out of her trance.

"Oh! Yes…of course! That's fine, yeah…" Lily replied with a shy smile.

"Great." He smiled back at her.

Jasmine, who was catching on this new side of Lily, quickly added, "You know…our very own Lily is excellent with all sorts of Muggle studies. I bet she would be a better source than a silly old book." Jasmine hinted towards Kyle while receiving panicked glares from Lily.

"Are you, now?" Kyle asked interested.

"No! No…I'd hardly say that I was. Of course not!" Lily replied modestly.

"Lily! Quit being so damn modest! You know you're brilliant with Muggle studies. She could probably educate you on some stuff if you really wanted…" Melanie said with a wide smile while Lily started growing pink.

"I'll have to take you up on that offer one day, Lily." Kyle smiled again. "But I'm afraid I have to run and finish up with some business. I'll chat with you later about our…erm…meeting. Bye!" Kyle got up and exited the Great Hall while the girls squealed. Lily always felt so ridiculously giddy whenever Kyle was around.

"What's so funny?" Sirius asked the girls as the Marauders took seats next to the girls.

"Nothing you lot should be worried about…" Jasmine said

"…except for maybe James." Melanie said mischievously. Jasmine then kicked her under the table. ("ow!")

"Me? Why me?" James asked confused.

"Nothing. What do you want, Potter?" Lily asked him.

"Good, so you're still talking to me. I just—why are you so damn cheery all of a sudden? You were ready to rip my guts out not too long ago…" James said, noticing how Lily was smiling dreamily at her oatmeal.

"Huh? Oh…nothing. So what did you want again?" She asked, snapping out of it.

"Just that I felt bad for freaking you out this morning. I just wanted to make it up to you so that we'd be on even terms." James said, ignoring her odd behavior.

"I'm not going out with you if that's what you had in mind." Lily said to him.

"No! Of course not! Wouldn't dream of it!" James lied. Liar. "Anyhow…I was thinking more of, I dunno…maybe I could help you with something?"

"You? Help me?"

"Yeah. I could do your Charms work for a week or something."

"Prongs…that's more of a threat than a gift." Remus said as James glared at him. Lily just giggled while getting up.

"Um...Thanks James, but I could do my own Charms homework." Lily got up and started leaving the Great Hall. "I'll see you guys in class!"

"Did she just call you James? What's gotten into her? She practically danced out of the Great Hall! And not to mention, she didn't even scold ol' Prongsies over here." Sirius said, turning back to the girls who just smiled innocently back at him.

After about 10 minutes of arguing whether he should go after Lily, he finally decided that he would.

"I'll see you guys later." James said quickly and walked off while the other called after him.

Hm…if I were Lily, where would I be? Of course…the Library.

James started to head to the direction of the library but stopped when he saw Lily talking to Kyle Thompson.

What the bloody hell is he doing with her?

Relax…they're just talking…wait…is Lily blushing!

There has to be a reasonable explanation!

Yeah, like he's flirting with my girl!

No! Don't do anything that will make her hate you even more!

But James ignored the voice in his head and walked right up next to Lily. He stood pretty close to her and scowled at Kyle.

"Hello, Kyle" He spat.

"Hey, James," Kyle replied cheerfully, not catching the fact that James wanted to rip his eyeballs out.

"James…heh…heh…what are you doing here?" Lily said nervously.

"Oh, you know…" He put his arm around Lily's shoulders. "Just checking up on my favorite flower."

"Oh…I didn't realize. You two…you two are together?" Kyle said, sounding a bit disappointed.

"No!" Lily yanked James arm off her. "Of course not"

Kyle just smiled.

I do not believe this idiot!

"Well…I just wanted to make sure you put that ointment on your foot. I know that fungus on your feet can get pretty irritating…" James said as he watched Kyle's peculiar face expression.

"WHAT! You must be mistaking me for someone else because I do not have fungus on my feet—"

"And remember not to scratch your back so much or that rash is only going to get bigger…"

"POTTER!"

"And did you take that medicine to keep you from growling in your sleep? It really disturbs the peace…"

"Erm…I should get back to the library. I'll see you later, Lily." Kyle said and walked away.

"No! Wait! Kyle!" Lily called after.

"See ya, Thompson!" James waved at him. "Great…now that he's gone…"

"Potter! Get your slimy hands off of me!" Lily slapped James hands from creeping around her waist. "How dare you make up lies to guys I could potentially like and scare them off like that and THEN try to make a move on me!"

"What? Are you telling me you actually like Kyle Thompson or something?" James said, praying the answer was no.

"What? No! Of course not!" Lily lied. Even though she said no, James knew she was lying.

"Yes, you do!"

"No I don't!"

"What does he have that I don't have anyway?" James said, angry now.

"Uh, for starters…a brain! Some manners, maybe?" Lily said, stating the obvious.

"I've got brains! AND manners! More manners then he does anyway…" James shouted at her.

"Oh no you don't, Potter! Don't you get angry with me! I'm supposed to be angry at you!" Lily shouted back.

"Just answer me this…" James said more calmly. "Do you fancy him?"

"I don't have to answer anything." Lily folded her arms like a little child.

"Lily…" said James, calmly. Lily didn't answer, she just continued to pout and stare at the ceiling. This made James laugh. Lily glared at him.

"Evans…honestly…you're acting like a little child," James simply said.

"I am not!" Lily said. "You are!"

James chuckled. "Nice, Evans. Way to act mature."

"Oh, and I suppose you would be the definition of mature?" Lily mocked.

"As a matter of fact, I am." James said smugly. Lily just rolled her eyes and started to walk away from him.

"hey! Where're you going?" James called after her.

"Away from you," Lily yelled back without turning her head. James was just about to follow her when she added, "don't even think about it, Potter!" before disappearing around a corner.

: A/N : yeah…thought I should throw in some competition for poor James! Don't hate me. Anyway, thanks for the reviews and feel free to review for this chapter too :0) Much Appreciated! –Erica