"Damn, potions was good today!" hooted Sirius. "'Lily! You have to admit! Potter is the best looking guy in our year! His black ruffled hair…' Why not go for my girlfriend instead, Prongs? She sounds smitten with you."

"Shut up, Padfoot," growled James. "I love Evans, not Clearwater."

"Good. Because Emma is one good kisser."

"You think you'll keep this one for more than a week?" James smiled.

"You know…I think maybe I will. You never know!" Sirius said thoughtfully. "As for you, Prongs…think you'll ever get Evans?"

"It sounds like things are improving. She said that she would give you a chance," said Lupin.

"I knew she would come around," James smirked.

"Yeah…right. Why don't you go talk to her, then?" grinned Sirius.

"Alright, I will."

Sirius and Remus watched with grim expressions on their faces as their friend walked across the grounds to where Lily Evans was sitting under a tree, reading what looked like Hogwarts, a History. James puffed out his chest and said something to Lily. Lily glared back and returned to her book, trying to ignore him. James tried again. Lily stood up, shouted something (which sounded a lot like "DAMN IT, POTTER!") and walked away, up to Hogwarts castle.

James looked crushed. He dragged his feet back to where his two friends were standing.

"How did it go?"

"How do you think it went?" James replied through gritted teeth.

"Sorry, mate. She'll come around sooner or later."

"I'm not so sure she will anymore…" And with that, James walked away, looking down at the ground, trying his best to avoid eye contact with Sirius and Remus.

……………

"Why can't you just give James a chance, Lily?"

"Because he is a cocky, rich, cruel boy! Forget I ever said I would give him a chance. Maybe I would if he ever stopped nagging me! If he weren't so arrogant and cruel, maybe I would go out with him! But, luckily for me, there is no chance whatsoever of that happening." Lily said, while getting ready for dinner.

"He seems like a nice guy to me."

"You'd think that, because you have a bad judge of character, don't you. Remember when you were dating Crabbe last year?"

Emma shuddered. Last fall she had gone out with Crabbe for a few weeks. At first, it was nice. Then he started talking about all of this dark arts stuff, and how he could make someone bleed profusely without saying a word.

"That is not the point, Lily! What did James ever do to you?"

"Well, he's annoyed me about a million times. 'Will you go out with me Evans?' 'OI! EVANS! YOU! ME! DATE!' Ugh! Why can't he just leave me alone? And I cannot go out on ONE DATE because of him! All the boys in our year think I'm his territory, or something!" Lily turned around to look at Emma, and gasped.

Emma was grinning at her mischievously, a quick-quotes quill flying around on a piece of parchment.

"You are NOT going to give that to POTTER, are you?"

"Of course not," Emma smirked. "Why would I do that?"

"Emma," Lily said calmly. "Give-me-the parchment. Give it to me now, please."

"NEVER!"

And off Emma ran, no doubt to find the marauders.

Lily sighed. She had hated Potter for such a long time – ever since he started pranking innocent students in their first year. He was so cruel to everyone. His entourage, Sirius, Remus, and that little boy named Peter, followed him wherever he went. Girls giggled and waved everytime he walked by them. I should feel lucky, I suppose, that he chose me. But I could never go out with a toe rag like him. Although, I have to admit, Emma was right. He is quite handsome.