Chapter Five

Green with Envy

The next morning James rose before the sun. He got dressed quietly and made his way down to the common room. He waited impatiently for Lily, writing notes in his Quidditch diary about the season soon to come.

When Lily did appear she pretended James wasn't there, except to whisper "owlery" as she passed him. James waited about ten minutes and then slowly followed her. When he reached the owlery he looked around for her but she wasn't there. James was about to leave when his owl Austin stopped him. He had a scrap piece of parchment in his claw. James thanked him and took the paper.

James

I'm sorry I couldn't stay. Meet you back here at five

From your jellybean

James sighed and made his way down to the great hall, wondering where Lily had gone. He didn't see her until she came into the prefects meeting ten minutes late, made her apologies and sat on the opposite side of the room with Sue Roberts, a Ravenclaw prefect. He didn't listen to a word that was said for the rest of the meeting. He imagined Lily waiting for him in the owlery and getting bored and leaving. He imagined her sneaking off with Brett Hornburn, captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. He imagined Brett and his huge arms sweeping Lily off her feet and stealing her away. He imagined what they would be doing that would make Lily late for the meeting.

No. She loves you and you trust her. Stop being such a jealous prick.

He snapped out of his thoughts as the prefects around him began to stand up and collect their piles of timetables to hand out. As James took his pile from Professor McGonagall she smiled at him. He winked in reply and her smile disappeared.

"James, may I have a word?" Lily asked from beside him.

"Several."

The two stepped away from the group.

"I've been thinking about being head girl and you being head boy." Lily started.

"I'm head boy? Cool. When did that happen and more importantly how?"

"Seriously James, I think we need to change our attitudes a bit. We're going to have to work together a lot this year and we can't do that with all our immature arguments."

The prefects had now all left the room and Professor McGonagall was the only one left in the room with them, pretending not to listen but hearing every word.

"Um, okay." James replied, aware of the Professor's presence and wanting to talk to Lily about it properly. "Do you want to talk about it over breakfast?"

"No I have to talk to Professor McGonagall."

"Okay, well see you later then Lil…I mean Evans…I mean Lily…bye" James left the room and went to join his friends at the Gryffindor table.

When Lily came out of the chamber, she quickly handed out her pile of timetables and rushed out of the hall. James checked the Hufflepuff table to make sure Brett Hornburn was there.

-

After James had handed out his pile of timetables and studied his own, he found Sirius and Peter and the three decided to hang out in the common room before heading to muggle studies twenty minutes late. James didn't see Lily until five. He went to the owlery early and waited anxiously.

He was looking out the window at the grounds below when Lily snuck up behind him and wrapped her arms around him, kissing his neck gently.

"Where were you this morning? And why are you so happy?" James asked uncontrollably.

"Two questions, one answer. I was talking to Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore and I've managed to convince them to dedicate a room to us, a head room that only you and I can get into." Lily announced triumphantly.

James turned to face her, "Seriously?"

Lily nodded happily.

"You are the smartest person I've ever met." He kissed her, "May I add that I've never met myself."

Lily giggled. "Come on, let's tell Professor Dumbledore that you promise to behave yourself when you're in there."

"You're lucky I'm a good liar because nothing we will be doing in there will be classified as good behaviour."

The two kissed passionately for a few moments and then pulled away. "You better appreciate this Potter, the teachers are trusting you."

"You saying I'm not responsible?" James snapped.

"Yes that's exactly what I'm saying."

"Oh, okay."

The two shared one last kiss and walked out the door, letting go of each other hands as they stepped out. They were completely prepared for anyone who happened to be on the other side of the door, but didn't imagine that they could have been seen by someone else, someone hiding from bully's in a dark corner of the owlery. But who could blame them? No one ever noticed Severus Snape.