This is the first one-shot I've ever attempted- so it's not that great. Lily and James play monopoly... woo!

Disclaimer-Yes. I own everything. I am J.K. Rowling. notes sarcasm


Monopolize Me

'It's raining. Rain sucks,' thought James Potter- once again spending his afternoon in the Gryffindor common room. All he could do was gaze at the wall all day. It was actually quite amusing after you got over the "my life is pathetic cause I'm looking at a wall" part.

"Hey Prongs? Why are you staring at that wall longingly?", Remus Lupin- his fellow marauder asked. Sure, James could always converse with him- but Remus was too smart. It got intimidating after awhile. Where could Sirius be anyways? Probably off in a broom closet somewhere. Maybe he should respond to Remus now. It would be the polite thing to do.

"Er.. I'm imigining that its an exciting Quidditich game", James lied. In all truths, he was just staring at a wall. But Remus couldn't know that, then he would think he was weird. James looked up, only to see Remus absorbed in his book. Figures….

Just as James got back into his wall watching, someone else had to interrupt him.

"Well Potter. If I didn't know any better I'd say that you were having some sort of a love affair with that wall.", the voice said. He knew that voice, he loved that voice.

He glanced up to confirm his suspicions, and saw the face of Lily Evans staring down at him with a smirk on her face. Why was she talking to him? Didn't she hate him? She was probably just bored as well, but he didn't mind. He would give anything to talk with her, as he was nothing short of obsessed.

He could see Remus smirking behind his book.

"Will you people let that go already?", James exasperated.

Lily rolled her eyes. "No hot date tonight, eh Potter?". She was having too much fun interrogating him.

James didn't respond, just turned his attention back to his wall. From the corner of his eye, it was visible that Lily was smiling. That was a rare sight when she was around him.

"Your bored, and I'm bored-", Lily began. But James cut her off.

"What makes you think I'm bored?"

"Oh nothing. Nothing at all. But lets play a game!", she exclaimed.

He raised his eyebrow. "What kind of a game?"

Lily snickered. He was scared now. But none-the-less interested. James Potter never turned down a challenge.

"Just a muggle game.", she chimed. "An innocent muggle game." What harm could a simple game be? Those muggles could never create anything too complicated.

"Fine. But we should make it… more interesting.", he added. Might as well get something out of his victory.

She grimanced- as if considering her options. "Okay Potter. Whatever you like", she said sweetly. Too sweetly- like she knew something he didn't. "I'll go on a date with you if you win.", she predicted. How would she know that's what he wanted? "And if I win you have to not talk to anyone for a week."

You'd think she would have wanted something more interesting, like piggy back rides for a month or something. But no- she just wanted him to stop talking.

"Fine with me."

"It's a deal then. Let me go get the game.", she called over her shoulders as she bonded up the dormitory steps.

Remus looked up. "You do relize that Lily would never agree to that deal unless she was totally sure of herself, right?"

"Yeah… Well I'm pretty sure of myself too!", he retorted. Shouldn't Remus be sticking up for him and not Lily?

Remus just shook his head slowly and returned to his book. If Sirius was here that book would be in the fireplace by now. James went back to wall-gazing as he awaited Lily's return.

Soon enough a slight boom broke his attention. There Lily stood over a rather large box she had just dropped on the table.

"Monopoly Potter. Be afraid", she smirked, sounding very sure of herself. She bagan to sift through the boxes contents before continuing, "I'll be the dog! And you can be the shoe", she said as she tossed a little metal piece at James.

He began inspecting it closely, as if it would attack him at any moment. Knowing Lily, it probably would.

"How exactly do you play?", he questioned- not expecting a packet to be thrown his way.

"Simply- you circle the board and try to conquer. There are too many rules to explain to someone as simple minded as yourself."

Remus was doing nothing to disguise his laughter.

"Lets just do this Evans.", he responded as coolly as possible. Lily was actually talking to him. What more could he ask for?

And so it began- James immediately began piling up his money, and Lily was spending more time picking things to buy. What was the point of that? She would just be poor. This would be easy.

So he collected, and she purchased. Remus had even lowered his book to observe them. Sirius must have entered the common room at sometime too, as he was watching the game intently.

"Potter. You do relize that you landed on my hotel.", she said breaking the silence. "Pay up."

James was taken aback momentarily at the sound. It had been a silent game for so long.

"Excuse me?"

"My hotel. Your shoe. Money. Now", she said slowly as if talking to a three-year old while making wild hand gestures.

Grumbling, he handed over the money. Maybe he should have read the rules packet. But that would have wasted valuable beat Evans time.

"Hey Prongsie. How do you win this thing anyways? And why is the money so bloody colorful?", Sirius Black asked confusedly. Good question. Why was the money rainbow?

"You win by causing the other person to go bankrupt. As Potter has done nothing of that sort- I will win.", Lily broke in, answering coldy.

"What!", James exclaimed. Lily couldn't win! That would break all rules concerning James and winning.

"And about the money…?", Sirius continued- obviously wanting his question answered.

Lily sighed. "I refuse to answer a question that stupid." Sirius just scowled. "Go already Potter."

So James went. And landed on another of Lily's little traps. And another, and another. Gods! They were everywhere. His money supply was dwindling fast.

"James good buddy. I would say you were losing.", Remus pointed out the obvious fact.

James scoffed and Sirius nodded in sympathy.

"Oh no. He isn't losing.", Lily said with a hint of sadness in her voice, and another hint of power.

He looked up hopefully.

"He's already lost.", she ended quite triumphantly.

Speechless. He had lost. How did that work?

Lily stood up and walked beside him. Leaning over- she kissed his cheek lightly.

"Good game Potter. I see your already sticking to your side of the deal. I might just say yes if you asked me out. Too bad you can't", she laughed and skipped away. Probably to tell her friends of her victory.

Remus shook his head in pity and picked up his forgotten book. James kicked Sirius, as he was collapsed on the floor laughing. What wonderful friends they were.

Oh well. He couldn't let this get him down. There would be another way to ask her out, and he would find it.

Smirking to himself, James pulled out a piece of parchment.