Disclaimer: everything belongs to JK Rowling, except for characters and events unrecognizable as being part of the Harry Potter series.

A/N:hey guys! here's chapter four, ready to read. its still short, as are allmy chapters D butstill, at least i updated, so enjoy! i woudl do individual thankyous, but i'm waaay too lazy. so instead, hugs an d thankyous all around! right...read on:

Chapter Four

Negotiations

In general, James wasn't much of a morning person. He liked sleeping in, eating a hot, cooked breakfast, and then going for a leisurely flight on his broom for an hour or so. He did not like waking up early under any circumstances, least of all for a Saturday morning detention, because he had played a prank on Martha Andrews in Charms on Friday.

Groaning, James slumped forwards in his chair, letting his head rest against the table in front of him. He was in the Charms classroom, it was only just light outside, and he had the lovely prospect of two hours morning detention to get through.

Next to him, Sirius was writing madly on a scrap of parchment, hunched over in concentration, dressed hastily in a dark jacket thrown over jeans and a t-shirt. James, on the other hand, was rugged up, being a little sensitive to cold. He and Remus alike were dressed in warm jumpers and jeans, Moony even sporting a scarf.

Peter had fallen asleep on his desk, dressed in his pajamas with a jacket over the top.

You might wonder just what the Marauders had done to land them all in detention. Well, to be fair, it was really only James and Sirius who had transformed Martha Hopkins's books and bag into snakes and frogs. But Peter had caused some of the frogs to explode when he attempted to reverse the spell, and Remus had stood by not doing anything at all, so Flitwick had punished them all equally.

James glanced at his best friend irritably. He had no right to be so active and alert at only…eight o'clock in the morning.

"What the hell are you doing?" he muttered, rubbing his eyes wearily.

"Working on the Map," Sirius said, without looking up. "I think I might have found another way into the third corridor."

Remus was staring out the window silently, with the solemn air of meditation. James sighed. He was bored, he was tired, and he really wanted food. Sure, he had already had breakfast (Flitwick had gotten the house elves to prepare the four misshapen boy's some breakfast a little earlier than the other students to allow for their detention), he was still a growing teenager, and needed his sustenance.

On the table before him was a piece of parchment, upon which he was supposed to be writing a letter apologizing to Martha for their so-called 'tasteless' joke. James knew that he probably should apologize to the socially challenged girl, but he really could not muster up any interest in the task at that point.

Detention did not improve much more by the time an hour had passed. It was almost nine o'clock, and the sounds of activity were beginning to penetrate through the door. Flitwick had not budged from his seat where he was busy marking essays. Sirius was still busily writing on the Map, and Peter was still fast asleep in his chair. Remus was leaning back in his chair, his eyes closed, and an expression of weary calm on his face. The tall boy was often exhausted, although none but his friends knew why.

Just as James was about to rest his head back on the table and fall asleep, the door opened with a bang, causing Peter to awake with a start, and everyone to spin around.

Lily Evans stood in the doorway, looking slightly flustered at the attention she was receiving, but at the same time, extremely determined. Flitwick was offering her a rather puzzled glance. She was his star student, so he had no idea why she would be arriving at detention.

Without casting the Marauders a single glance, Lily marched up to the Professors table.

"Sorry for the interruption, sir," she murmured, bending down so that she was at the same level as the tiny wizard. "But James has Head Boy duties this morning. Is it possible for him to complete his detention at another time?"

James stared at her in amazement. Who would have thought his angel of mercy would come in the guise of his tormentor?

Flitwick nodded.

"Of course, Miss Evans, of course. Mr Potter, you will complete that letter for homework, understood?" he squeaked.

James nodded, and followed Lily out of the room, shrugging at his friends questioning looks. As far as he was concerned, he had no Head Boy duties that day. Still, anything was better than detention. Right?

Lily silently fumed as she led James out of the classroom. Typical of Potter to forget their arrangements, and then land himself in detention. She had felt like such an idiot, marching in there to drag him out. She hated the fact that she had to do things like that for him.

She brooded all the way to the Head Common rooms, where their work awaited them. Every fortnight, Lily and James were required to write a student report for Dumbledore, covering anything from recent activities, to general comments about behavior, and the school. Lily was very diligent about writing these up. James, on the other hand, had…issues. He really didn't care what was going on in the school, and cared even less about his fellow students. Lily couldn't understand why he was picked for Head Boy.

By the time they reached the common room, James was over feeling grateful towards the redhead, and was now just as angry as she was. It wasn't as if he had asked her to come save him from detention. And how the hell was he supposed to know they had Head duties to do? It's not like she had told him. And even if she had, its not like he would have listened.

They entered the room silently, and sat down opposite each other, neither looking up. Lily immediately began to shuffle papers around, dragging a roll of parchment in front of her, and scratching something onto it with a quill.

James watched her, his face cloudy, a slightly irritated quirk to his mouth.

"Why am I even here, if you're going to do all the work?" he finally said, teeth clenched.

Lily looked up, her eyes glinting dangerously.

"If you were even half worthy as Head Boy, you would know that while I write the student activities report, you should be working on the general comments," she stated.

"Well, I don't know any general comments," James muttered. "Aren't we meant to work together?"

Lily snorted.

"Yeah, coz that would work."

"Why not?" James said hotly, not because he thought it would, but because he always felt the need to rise to the argument.

"Because, look at us now!" Lily said, exasperated. "We can't even converse without arguing. As if we could 'work' together!"

"What about the deal? You know, I work, and you don't stuff up in Quidditch…" he said.

"Well, I guess it won't work."

"So, you're going to stuff up in Quidditch?" James asked, alarmed.

Lily rolled her eyes.

"No, I don't think its worth it. You're obviously never going to work, so I might as well get over it."

"Oh…" James frowned. Suddenly, he was feeling a little guilty. Lily could have ruined his entire life, but instead she had given up. Was he really that hopeless?

He glanced at her. She was still writing, but her face was a little more drawn, her lips pursed almost sadly. He guessed it was a little unfair, how she did so much work, and he got half of the credit. Maybe he should try a little harder.

"Um…Evans?" he ventured. She didn't looked up. "Lily?"

She sighed, and raised her eyes.

"Yes?"

"I'll do it. The report, I mean. I'll do the student report, and you can do the general comments," James offered. The report was definitely more work, and required more effort. James figured it was an all right trade.

Lily stared at him, a little suspiciously.

"What's the catch?" she asked. She knew the trade would be good for her, but the thought of James doing something nice was a little too alien.

James rolled his eyes.

"I'm trying to be nice. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity."

Lily raised an eyebrow, then nodded, and managed a small smile.

"Sorry. And, uh, thanks…"

"That's fine. But, uh, could you look over it for me?" James asked, hopefully. There was no way he was handing it in until she read it through. Knowing him, he'd write down the wrong stuff and then get in trouble.

Lily looked at him, and then smiled. A proper smile, this time, one that lit up the glints in her eyes. It dazzled James for a moment.

"Sure," she said. Then, shaking her head a little, she passed him the parchment, and began afresh.

James frowned to himself. Had they just had a civil conversation? Alone? Did she just…smile at him? Was that a flying pig he saw?

There was change in the air.

A/N: ok, ok, crappy ending, I know D still, I wanted to get this out before the end of the weekend, so here it is. I hope you liked it, and while we're here, I have a question.

For those of you who have read my other fics, what was your favorite? Changing Rooms, Lets Play families, Love is a Batch of Choc-Chip Cookies, or this one? I'm just curious, you don't have to say!

Review!

JB