A Very Bad Boy
A/N: Just a quick note to say thank you for all you lovely people who give us wonderful review. And sorry to all of you that hate us and think we should burn in bad-author hell. Hope you like the latest episode.
By the time James had looked at the common room clock, realised he was running late, run out of the portrait hall, got stopped by two teachers, Filch and one snobby prefect, avoided two detentions, and received one for ploughing into a first year, and finally run into the library to be given a stern look by Madame Prince, Lily had already arrived.
She was not best pleased.
"You're late Potter." She said through gritted teeth, not looking up from her book.
"Sorry," muttered James, sliding into his seat and looking at her expectantly. Finally she looked up.
"What?"
"The project."
"Oh yeah." She took out a sheaf of parchment and dumped it on the table, and went back to her book. James looked at it bemused.
"What's that?"
"The project Potter, focus."
Okay, thought James, deep breaths, count to ten, this is Evans, there has to be logic somewhere.
"Lily-"
"We're not on a first name basis quite yet Potter."
"Evans-"
"That's better."
"Can you just listen to me for five minutes. As in put your book down and pay attention."
"I'm sorry what?"
James raised one eyebrow in reply.
A lesser man would have cowered under the glare that Lilt gave him as she closed her book with unnecessary force.
"Okay, Evans, you seem to have finished the project."
"Yes."
"As in our project"
"Well done Potter."
"As in, the project we were supposed to work on together."
"Ah, that's what you're getting at. Well, you see…. you were late."
"You didn't fill 10 rolls of parchment in 15 minutes."
"True, the thing is Potter…. I don't really like you that much."
"I hadn't noticed." Sarcasm dripped from James's voice.
"And so, spending all my spare time in the Library with you-"
"You spend all your time in the Library anyway Evans."
"Yes, but not with you."
"Oh, I see. Well, I have a problem with that Evans."
"And that would be?"
"I know sometimes I appear a bit unenthusiastic when it comes to my education, and that I don't care, but the thing is…I do."
"Really!"
"Yes, and if you tell anyone you die."
"Scary Potter."
"So I actually would quite like to help with the project."
"But it's finished."
"I didn't do anything!"
"Exactly! And it's O standard, so what do you care!"
"That I didn't do anything!"
"Potter, why can't you just sit back and accept the marks? I'd have though getting top marks without doing anything would be right up you're street."
The silence that followed was incredibly uncharacteristic of James Potter. When Lily finally forced herself to look up, he looked unusually serious and tense.
"I never cheat Evans." He said coldly and with unusual care, as if he wasn't careful he'd lose control. "Never. I trick, occasionally I go a bit over the top, I annoy and I argue, but I am never untruthful."
"Why?"
"Because you have to have a line somewhere. And, when I can't remember where I left it, or I look back and see I've crossed it, that's when I know I've become a very bad boy."
"Sorry."
"It's okay, now if it really pains you to have to spend time with me, I'll write the first bit, you write the second bit, and in a week we'll swap and check each others-"
"No."
"Evans!"
"No, we'll do it together, much as it does pain me to spend time with you, and it really does, I'm more mature than this. I have to be more mature than this. Because when James Potter is more mature than me, that's when I know I've become a very bad girl."
Lily could have sworn James almost smiled. But only almost.
"Same time tomorrow then?"
"It's a date."
"You wish Potter."
What neither of the pair knew as they hurried off, was that Sirius had overheard the whole exchange. Occasionally, he found a teacher who was immune to his good looks and charm (namely Slughorn, and that actually came as quite a relief) and as a result he had to work. He turned around and looked incredulously at a (now terrified) third year.
"Am I going mad, or did Lily Evans actually just make a commitment to James Potter?"
Okay my lovelies behold our THREE PAGE DIALOGUE! WE were quite impressed. Now tell us how impressed you are. Please review, and Captain Museli sends love.
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