Hey all! Just thought I would get out a chapter before the holidays, a little gift from me to my wonderful, fantastic, extraordinary, fabulous reviewers. Its not a Christmas one as I wasn't quite as organized as that, but would that be good? Should I write a few holiday coordinating chapters? I finally got the two stars together so I hope it's enjoyable enough. I probably won't manage to get a new part out for a bit. Chrismas holidays are always so crazy that I can rarely get my mind around anything remotely needing brain power. But then again maybe I will. You never know.

But how about all you beautiful people make my holidays and send me some reviews! Pretty please?

James sat in the common room yawning and rubbing his tired eyes. He was sprawled across a red plush armchair. It had been his resting place for the few of hours of sleep he had gotten.

His hair was even more disturbed than usual, messily arranged and very tangled. He had dark circles under his eyes, and many small cuts and bruises were visible on his arms and face.

As he yawned loudly, Sirius came stumbling down the steps. In an even worse state than James, he was still half asleep and very disoriented. As he reached the bottom of the flight of steps, he stopped, seeming to momentarily forget why he was there. Spotting his friend he raised a waving finger and mumbled a few sentences.

"Tell Peter to stop snoring will ya? How am I supposed to sleep with him around?"

Then he spotted a couch and lunged at it, landing heavily on his back. Sighing with relief, he closed his eyes and immediately dozed off. James laughed tiredly at his friend.

"Another long night behind us, eh mate?"

They had been up and about all night with Remus. He was still out in the shrieking shack, but James, Sirius and Peter had to return to the castle. They had gotten in at about quarter to 5 am and it was now 6. Not the most preferable way to spend your Sunday morning.

James closed his eyes, falling back into blissful sleep. A few moment later however, he was awoken by the sound of a creaking door followed by soft footsteps.

Annoyed, he opened one eye looking around for the person who interrupted his precious moments of sleep, ready to decapitate them. He was delighted and surprised to see who it was.

Lily padded down the steps smiling happily. She loved waking up early. It was the best time of day in her opinion. No one else was awake, she had the school to herself. Her friends could never understand her logic. Not many people did. She was one of the select few who really did enjoy mornings.

She jumped down the last few steps, landing agilely on her feet. She twirled around laughing to herself. Having just stepped out a long, hot shower she felt immensely clean and refreshed. She was dressed in her most comfortable clothing and hadn't spoken to anyone this morning. Enjoying the silence and solitude, her eyes glistened with happiness. This was going to be a good day, she could just feel it.

James almost laughed out loud at his luck. Here he was sitting half asleep at 6 o'clock in the morning and who shows up? No one but the love of his life. And she looked amazing.

She was wearing a simple white t-shirt with grey sweatpants that she had rolled up to the knee. But he didn't care about her clothing. Today, she was wearing her hair down.

It was slightly damp, and her loose curls hung around her face like some kind of fiery halo. Whenever Lily wore her hair loose it was as if he had died and gone to heaven. This was going to be a good day, he could just feel it.

"Lily! What a wonderful surprise!"

His tiredness seemed to have instantly disappeared because as he stood up he felt as if he had just slept for 12 hours. Recognizing his voice, she turned around but she was in too good of a mood for him to bother her.

"Morning Potter. What are you doing up so early?"

"Same thing I've been doing all my life Love, waiting for you."

He grabbed her small hand in his and spun her around. She blushed and quickly yanked her hand back, brushing him off.

"Oh shush."

"But my darling, I could ask you the same question. What is such a lovely young lady like yourself doing up on this fine morning?"

She blushed even deeper and turned slightly away. Biting her lip.

"Nothing."

"So you just woke up to come down here and do nothing? Cause I'm sure I can make some suggestions if you're stuck for ideas…"

Smacking him on the arm, she jutted her head out proudly and shook her head.

"No I meant nothing you would care to know about."

She reached behind her head and pulled her hair together into a low ponytail. Seeing his face fall, she self-consciously reached for her cheek.

"What?"

He reached over her head and tugged the elastic out of her hair.

"Please leave your hair down."

She blushed and looked up into his eyes, searching for the mischievous, joking glint. Seeing none she snatched back her hair-band and cocked her head at him.

"Why?"

"I don't know. I just love it that way."

He sighed and reached out a hand and tugged on a strand. Seeing her flaming cheeks he grinned and grabbed her around the waist. Holding her squirming frame close against his he wiggled his fingers, tickling her.

"Potter!" She gasped, " Stop it! Stop!"

Laughing he let go of her and pursed his lips making a faint kissing noise.

"Don't do that!" She angrily scolded him, adjusting her clothing and smoothing down her hair, which he noticed she left down.

"I'm sorry. You're just too irresistible Love."

He reached out his hands again but she angrily huffed at him and bolted towards the portrait entrance. She pushed it open and ran out into the hallway.

He sprinted after her, grinning wildly. He caught up to her and smiled at her fuming face. She was so adorable when she was angry.

"So, tell me. Where are we off to now?"

Whipping her head around to face him, but still keeping up her quick pace she brushed her long hair out of her eyes.

"Well you are going to turn around and go back to the common room. We are not going anywhere."

"Is that so? Rotten shame."

"You look like hell anyways. What were you doing last night?" Sneering she eyed him up and down, "Engaging in some rough sexual activities were we?"

Ignoring the second part of her comment he waggled his tongue at her, teasing.

"You know it, you sly little scarlet woman. Don't tell me you've already forgotten our passionate embraces in bed last night?"

She simply snorted in disgust and continued to walk, but he could tell she was ticked off.

They walked in silence for a few minutes. He amused himself by trying to match her strides, as they were half the length of his own, and humming to himself.

"Why are you still following me?"

"Following you? Don't flatter yourself Love, we merely happen to be going in the same direction."

As they reached the doors to the grand hall and walked right on by, he began to get a bit curious.

But he was downright intrigued when she pushed open the double doors that let to the grounds. As they arrived outside and the cold wind whipped at his face and stung his eyes he looked up at the sky.

"Lily? You do realize that it's 6 in the morning in November? We're going to be human ice cubes. Lily?"

As he brought his gaze back to the ground, he looked around for the red haired beauty. Finally seeing her, he blinked in confusion. What was she doing now?

Lily was running across the frost-covered ground, her small feet lightly hitting the ground and her long hair flying out behind her. As James caught up with her she grinned. We'll see just how much of an athlete he is.

"Lily what in Merlin's name are you doing?"

Keeping her eyes straight ahead and smiling she shook her head, running a bit faster.

"I'm running."

"Well I can see that. I mean why? It must be below freezing out here!"

"Are you cold? You should probably head back inside. I thought this might be a bit much for you."

"This? What's this?"

"Well running of course. You really need to have endurance."

"And you don't think I have endurance?"

"Well Quidditch really consists more of luck than anything else."

She knew this would get him going, and a small part of her scolded herself for looking for an argument. James, outraged at her cheeky comment, was so stunned that he actually stopped running for a moment, his mouth hanging open. But he quickly regained his senses and ran up beside her once again.

"Luck? What are you on about? Do you even have the remotest idea what it takes to be a chaser? You wouldn't last 3 minutes out on the pitch. I have excessive amounts of endurance just so you know."

"Is that so?"

She spoke as a mother would to a child who's just invented a very far-fetched story, and he caught the tone. If there had been something solid around, he would have slammed his fist down on it, but as there wasn't he settled for letting out an incredulous yell.

"You don't believe me ? Have you even ever watched a Quidditch match? Your bloody best friend is on the team! You should know that we fly our god-damn asses off for hours! How could I possibly not have endurance?"

"Well why don't we test that theory?"

"What theory?"

"That you could possibly not have endurance."

She looked up at him, her nose and cheeks pink from the cold. Her rosy lips were curled into a challenging grin, and little clouds of hot breath swirled out of her mouth.

Looking at her like this, her eyes sparkling competitively, her lips curled into that know-it-all smirk, and as his stomach cramped and his body shivered with adrenaline, he knew that there would never be anyone else for him.

As she ran off ahead of him, her legs pounding the cold ground and the cold air catching in her throat she didn't hear his footsteps behind her. So she looked over her shoulder and yelled one last thing, bringing her challenge full out into the crisp November air.

"C'mon Potter! What's the matter? Out of breath already?"

He gave a lopsided smile and started off after her.

"I'll show you the meaning of out of breath!"

As her sprinting form drew nearer he realized that she was quite the runner, and maybe this wasn't going to be as easy as he thought. He shook his head and beamed running up beside her. What a woman!

"Oi Lily, you don't really think you can beat me do you?"

Raising a slender eyebrow she slowly turned her head. Not responding she shook her head of long hair, and looked up at him. His eyes grew and his heart skipped a beat at the sight of her pursed lips and fluttering eyelashes and he faltered in his step, tumbling down onto the ground.

Her heard her tinkling laugh fly off ahead of him and growled.

"Bloody feminine charm."

---

An hour later they both had collapsed just off to the side of the school, nearing the border of the lake. Lily was stretching out her sore muscles but soon gave up, joining James in flopping back onto the frost-covered grass.

Both were breathing heavily and James was appreciatively admiring the girl laid out in front of him.

"Bloody hell Lily, you're fast!"

"I know. You're not too bad yourself Potter."

She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath, involuntarily causing her chest to rise and fall heavily. James made a small squeaking noise and the elbow he had been leaning of slipped from under him, leaving him sprawled unattractively on the ground.

Seeing the sceptical eye of the redhead upon him, he rolled over and reaching over her with his arm pinning her to the ground. He leaned in towards her gaping mouth and brought his lips to her ear letting his warm breath embrace her cheek.

"I thought we had quite the connection today. Don't you agree?"

Taking advantage of the situation she turned onto her side, facing him. Smiling alluringly she brought her delicate hand up to his cheek. But ruining his plan, she stiffened her fingers and brought them sharply across his face, pushing his arm off her and standing above him, a hand on her hip.

"Actually I think we did. A sort of superior, inferior connection. Hmm… James Potter… kind of sounds like inferior."

Narrowing her green eyes at him she stomped off towards the castle. Watching her swaying bottom he sighed. But hearing her screaming voice he guiltily averted his eyes.

Frustrated, he ran his hands through his dark hair.

She knows me too well, he thought, what am I going to do myself?

Come on, persuaded another part of his mind, you know exactly what your going to do. She's going to fall for you sooner or later. You're just too irresistible. You know it and she knows it.

Smirking smugly he agreed with himself. Sooner or later. But just how soon?