"You have to be civil."
The sentence rolled out of Lily's mouth quite easily. Not surprising though, on Lily's behalf, because there was absolutely no way imaginable that James Potter could possibly be civil with Snape.
The class continued without interruption for the remainder of the lesson, as the two worked tirelessly on their potion.
As the students were making their way out of the dungeons and into the sunlit corridors of upper Hogwarts, James met up with Sirius and told him the news.
"Mate, is it really worth it?" questioned Sirius. "I mean being nice to Snape of all people." he finished.
"She never said I had to be nice…. just civil." grinned James.
The two continued to stroll leisurely through the halls, talking about girls.
James noticed a fallen potions book, and being the good Samaritan he is, stooped to pick it up.
Opening the front cover, the boys peered at the familiar cramped handwriting, knowing that it could only belong to one person.
A thud made Serverus Snape look up from his lunch, his chicken and mayonnaise sandwich momentarily forgotten.
The sight of his Potions book laying upon the table made Serverus suspicious and glancing up, he saw James Potters retreating back.
Well. This was certainly odd.
Snape opened the front cover of his book only to find a note is tiny scrawl, announcing that he had dropped his book in the second floor corridor, and James had taken the liberty to return it.
Grabbing his wand, Snape muttered a short spell which would serve as an indicator.
With a snarl, he resigned himself to the fact that Potter hadn't charmed the book in any way.
Glaring across the room he noticed Potter looking at Lily Evans, and his blood began to boil.
Serverus was by all means a conservative boy, cunning in his means, striving for ascension.
He harboured secret crushes just as any boy did, but unfortunately, James Potter was determined that Lily Evans would be going with him. Snape knew he would be no match for James Potters charm, or wit, or looks, the list went on.
However, he could match Lily in potions, both of their best subjects.
The class bell rang, and the 7th years headed to their respected rooms.
"See. I can be civil." read the note that was sailing over to Lily.
Looking around the charms classroom, everyone was working quietly on his or her work.
Unfolding the crumpled paper, Lily rolled her eyes and scribbled a quick reply.
"So you are capable of more than it seems." she wrote back, using the Wingardium Leviosa charm they had learnt back in first year to send the object flying over the other side of the room.
What ensued was a session of peculiar note passing between two astute students.
"And I'm capable of so much more," came James' suggestive response.
"Don't push it Potter."
"Fine. First date after class on Friday night, Astronomy tower?"
Lily looked warily at the note, well aware that the Astronomy tower was a frequently used make out place.
"The lake. Under the birch tree." she wrote back, a sense of finality within her words.
"As you wish it. 7pm under the tree."
Tucking the note into her pocket, Lily concentrated on the task in front of her.
Similarly James concentrated on their work, a silly grin marring his face.
"So what happened?" asked Aribella, her eyes searching the girls dorm for her hairbrush.
"I agreed to go out with him," muttered Lily, flipping the page of the latest Witch Weekly.
"Finally! Hey Alice," she called to the other girl in the room, "You owe me 7 galleons, 2 sickles and 5 knuts." she finished, grinning at the other girl.
"You guys made a bet?" questioned Lily, eyeing her two friends sceptically.
"Honey, half of Hogwarts had a bet." laughed Alice, throwing Bella's brush to her.
Lily rolled her eyes at the two, pausing her reading to reflect upon James Potter and the looming date. 'More like looming death sentence' she mentally corrected herself.
She hadn't really thought him capable of actually being civil to Snape, hence her reasoning behind the whole failed plan. Potter was supposed to fail, subsequently leaving her alone. But no, the insufferable git just had to go and ruin her fantasy.
The days leading up to the date, which somehow, almost the entire population of Hogwarts knew about melted away rapidly, too quickly for Lily's liking, and not fast enough for James'.
It was six o'clock when James saw first glimpse of her. The sun was starting to slowly sink beyond the vast forest that encompassed quite a bit of the perimeter, and the reflection off the lake hit her hair at an acute angle. The rays of light gave Lily's hair an almost angelic glow as he watched her come towards him, a scowl set on her pretty features.
James stood from the picnic blanket and gave her a lopsided grin.
"Good evening Evans," he greeted her.
"Potter." she replied, her frown melting away at the sight of the picnic before her.
There was roast turkey, pumpkin pasties, butterbeer, treacle tart and loads of chocolate strawberries, something she didn't know Hogwarts or even the wizarding world possessed.
"You did all this?" she marvelled, glancing up at him. "For one date?"
"I've pictured this day a thousand times, I think I'd be able to get it right." he half grinned at her.
"Oh." was all she could say, flopping down beside him.
"First off," said James, grabbing a Polaroid camera from beside him, "We need to have a photo."
"Why?" she questioned dubiously.
"For later. At the end of our date," here Lily coughed slightly. "You will have a copy and I another. On the white strip you will write two words describing the date, anything from 'Handsome and charming,'"
Lily laughed. "Or 'Ugly and Obnoxious.' Then we will trade photos and keep them to remember our time." he finished.
"Wow, Pranking Potter actually thought of a good idea!" she remarked, moving closer for the photo.
The lunch went surprisingly well for Lily. She made small talk with James Potter, something she didn't think they were capable of, and the entire time he was a gentleman.
By the time the end came, darkness had settled over the castle, and miniature fairies had crept into the birch tree they were under, their wings giving off tiny lights.
Lily picked up one of the photos and contemplated her two words. Her initial thoughts were 'Tiresome and Unwelcome' but that was before the date. Grabbing a texta she wrote 'Unusual and Interesting.'
"Thankyou for tonight James." she said, standing up.
"Thankyou for giving me a chance," he whispered, moving closer to her. A million thoughts ran through Lily's mind as he drew closer. Gazing down at her, James took in her emerald eyes that were reminiscent to diamonds, and slipped his two words into her hand.