Chapter 8

She starts liking me NOW? No way.

Lily

The group said their goodbyes and the girls went out the door and headed towards Leah's house.

"That was the best dare to witness." Lily told them. "If I hadn't placed sliencio on myself we would have been caught. James was SO serious about it."

"It must take some killer acting skills to pull that one off." Leah commented.

"Yes it does, and he has them." Lily replied.

"You are really starting to fall for him aren't you?" Anna asked.

"I don't know. I guess I am." Lily answered. Silently Anna and Leah laughed. While James and Lily were gone the other four had made a bet on when the two would finally go after each other. At this rate they were winning. The girls bet in less than a week, the boys guessed after a week but before holidays are over.

"Maybe someday they will realize they were made for each other." Leah muttered so only Anna could hear.

"That will be the day." Anna responded.

"What?" Lily wondered.

"Oh nothing." Leah said as the girls walked in silence back to their house.

James

Meanwhile…

"Prongs, you are still crazy about Evans after all these years aren't you buddy?" Black asked.

"It's Lily. And yes I still really care about her. I tried to deny it but its no use. When she hugged me on the Malfoy's doorstep I was in heaven. To bad she only wants to be friends." James answered his mate.

"Friends? You're kidding me. There is something more to it. Why else would the cup become spotted? And why would she daydream about you? She must be starting to fall for your charm. Took her damn well long enough too." Remus stated like it was the easy thing in the world.

"Moony, why would she start liking me NOW? There is no way. Maybe in a month or so when we have been friends, but as of now? No. If I just become friends and not ask her out constantly I might stand a shot." James answered.

"Whatever you say, mate." Sirius said and walked to his room. Remus followed him up to his own room leaving James to his thoughts.

Could she really like me more than friends? Not now. But why was she thinking of me? I wish I could figure this out. Boy, I really want to be with Lily, be happy like Remus and Anna are. But that can't happen. Not right now at least. I would rather hold her for a second then know I never could. Maybe I can. What am I a fool? Lily will always see me as the egotistic jerk. With that James headed up to his room and went to bed, his dreams all of Lily and their, James thought "nonexistent" future had in store.

Lily

Lily went up to Leah's floor of guest bedrooms and headed to the one that had a gold nameplate that read "Miss Lily Evans is currently Out." As she opened the door the plate changed to Miss Lily Evans is currently Getting Ready for slumber". Cool nameplates lily thought and kept getting ready for sleep. She finally jumped into the large bed as her mind filled with dreams of her and James playing Quidditch and on romantic dates.

Lily woke what she guessed as late the next morning since the sun was brightly shining out her window. She got up and got dressed and headed downstairs. She overheard her friends in the kitchen talking about boys, and her.

"I wonder if Sirius or Remus let if slips that Lily might like James. I know we didn't tell them but they knew. You could see it in their eyes and smiles." Leah said quietly. Lily was nervous that the boys did notice her yesterday and if James did. James must have. He is so used to girls wanting him he can probably notice immediately. Wait, no. He mustn't have because he acted mega polite and like we were friends. He treats his admirers differently. He usually shows off to them to make them drool.

"I don't think they did. Well maybe said something but not like, Lily loves you now ask her out. Most likely more of a hey lily seems nice now type of thing." Anna repiled. Lily couldn't stand snooping any longer she had to say something.

"They noticed. This could be bad." Lily said walking in.

"How much did you hear, Miss Evesdropper?" Leah asked.

"Only how Sirius and Remus noticed and you wondered if they said anything."

"Good." Anna said.

"You guys are scheming something aren't you? I can tell be the looks on your faces." Lily stated.

"Maybe we are, Maybe we aren't." Leah said micheviously.

"ok whatevs. Lets get some breakfast I am starving!" Lily said and the three girls asked for their breakfast. After enjoying their huge breakfast they went into the living room to learn about their job today.

"Andrea, when do we start working today?" Lily asked.

"Well Maggie and I thought you would work from 10 to noon then have lunch then work from 1-3. That's a total of 4 hours. Not that bad. Then you will have the late afternoon and evening to do whatever you want. I suggest flying, it's a great day for that today."

"Mum, what time is it now?" Leah asked.

"9. I want you out in the garden by 9:55. Go get ready girls. There is a shower in each of your bathrooms, towels already waiting. See you in a bit." Andrea said. The girls all headed up to their rooms and got ready for work. Each wore work clothes that were a tad nice knowing that the guys would be with them all day.

"Don't wear any makeup girls. I know that there are guys but you will sweat it off anyway!" Andrea called while the girls franticly tried to find the right look.

"Lipgloss and mascara don't count!" Anna yelled while applying her favorite vanilla lipgloss.

"They do, but I can make a exception."

"Good. For we would wear them anyway." Leah said as the girls headed downstairs.

James

"you boys ready to head over there?" Maggie yelled up the stairs.

"Huh?" Sirius said sleepily.

"PADFOOT LEAH'S HERE SHE WANT TO KNOW IF YOU WILL COME SNOG HER SENSELESS!" James yelled and Sirius rushed out the door of his room and looked around.

"Where!" he said now fully awake.

"Just joking with you. You do get to go see her though. We need to head over there to de-gnome her garden remember?" James said.

"That was cruel, man." Sirius said and headed to the broom closet. He grabbed a broom and headed out the door. Sirius just hops from bed and heads out the door like its nothing. Doesn't even brush his hair and the girls STILL think he's sexy? I have to work at getting my hair right and he just gets up and leaves. Leah will goggling him all today. Lily probably thinks Sirius is cute too. I wish Remus was right about the Lily thing. But I know he's not. He is the brightest wizard in the year… James's thoughts went on like this as he grabbed a broom and headed over to Leah's.

"Good thing you decided to show James." Lily said with a smile as James came back down to the ground.

I will always show if you are there. James thought. He knew he couldn't say that or Lily would hate him again. So he finally said, "Yes I did. Took awhile to get Sirius here out of bed, he finally joins us and grabs MY broom. So I had to take my sister's little girls one." James pointed at the small pink broom and everyone laughed.

"Lets get to work." Andrea said and showed the kids to the area they were working. "I need you to do the vegetable section today. If you finish early that's great. If you don't work until 3." She then walked into the house and the kids got to work.

"You sure do have a lot of gnomes this year, Leah." James said as he pulled another gnome from the soil. The crew had been working for about an hour and had a lot of ground covered.

"But I think we should be done by 2." Lily said and grabbed what seemed like her 1,000,000th gnome.

"Hopefully." Sirius said. They all chatted while they worked, usually talking in pairs. Lily and James, Remus and Anna, and Sirius and Leah. The crew had their lunch in the garden and finished the work by 2.

"What do you guys want to do this afternoon? I know we have plans for this evening."

"How about another game of Marco Polo?" Sirius joked. Leah gave him an evil glare. "Sorry! I was just kidding." Sirius blushed. That's a first, James thought, he must like her more than I thought.

"Great idea… not. I think us girls might go shopping. How does that sound?" Lily asked and the other girls nodded.

"What is it with girls and shopping?" Remus asked and Anna gave him a playful slap.

"See you guys tonight for the boat ride." Leah said and the girls grabbed their purses and headed off for diagon alley.