Chapter VI

Nervous

((James's POV))

Now that the holidays were over, the teachers began nagging us all about studying for the N.E.W.T.s. McGonagall said she hadn't seen a student get at least an "Exceeds Expectations" on one without studying every night, starting in February. We all told her that February was much too soon to become crazy about the exams, but does McGonagall care? Not a chance.

Well, I was best in her class, so I'll be shutting my mouth now.

In Transfiguration on a particularly bitter January the sixth, we began turning our desks into dogs and back again. We got partners because McGonagall said she simply didn't want that many dogs cluttering her classroom, and that we would just have to take turns transfiguring our desks.

Guess who I got partnered with?

Bingo.

Lily and I were working on her desk. I was totally relaxed about this—I had been changing other people's desks into various animals as jokes since fourth year. Lily seemed a little nervous, though. She never was the best at Transfiguration.

Once, in second year, when we were changing our ink bottles into hummingbirds, hers grew wings and a beak and began flying around. It spat ink all in her hair…I'll never forget that.

"Ladies first," I said, motioning to her desk.

She gave me a look and raised her wand. "Canis," she said clearly, pointing it at the desk.

And it turned into a wooden dog.

I laughed. "Deletrius!" she said, a little color rising in her cheeks, as it turned back into a desk.

"You're doing it wrong," I informed her.

She glared at me. "Oh, you don't think?"

I stopped laughing and looked at her seriously. "I think you're not feeling the spell as much as you're saying it. You have to want that desk to be a dog."

"But I could care less if that desk turned into a dog," Lily retorted.

I snorted. "You're hand movement's also wrong. It's more like a swish to the right." I grabbed her wand hand and moved it in the right direction. She shivered, and I took a step closer to her.

"Nervous?" I murmured, smiling into her ear.

She stepped away from me, flustered. "You wish, Potter. I can do it myself."

"Go ahead, then."

She raised her wand, shooting a glance in my direction, and did the right hand movements. "Canis!"

The desk turned into a dog with just one desk leg substituting one of its real ones.

"That's better," I said as she turned it back to a desk. A book of hers with a red cover fell out, and we both reached for it. I grabbed it first and looked at the inside cover.

"A romance novel?" I asked, grinning widely. "I didn't know you were into romance, Lily."

She snatched for it, but I held it up above her. She was about a head shorter than I, and I just yawned as she jumped for it. "Rose wanted me to return it to the library for her," she panted, jumping again.

"Really?" I asked, sounding mildly surprised. "And why couldn't Rose just do it herself?"

She stopped jumping, glowering. "Because she's got to get to the Common Room as soon as possible after lunch today because she has to practice her Defense Against the Dark Arts spells we learned on Monday. She put them off, and she can't go into class today without knowing them."

I smiled. "But we pass the library on the way to Arithmancy next period. Couldn't she just do it then?"

"Just give me the book," she snapped, and I did so obediently, smiling. "And start transfiguring the desk so McGonagall doesn't take off points."

I shrugged. "Canis." A dog sat before us, wagging its yellow tail happily.

"Oh, excellent, excellent, Potter!" called McGonagall, coming over. "Five points to Gryffindor!"

I smirked at Lily, who grumpily changed it back and began loading her books in her bag.

((Lily's POV))

James and I patrolled the halls in total silence until ten fifteen. I supposed James was thinking—but how? I didn't know James ever thought. Well, there's a first time for everything.

So finally, when we turned to begin our long journey back to Gryffindor Tower, James finally spoke.

"So, Lily, you still haven't told me why you're reading romance."

I sighed exasperatedly. "Because I'm a girl."

"The girls on the Quidditch team don't read romance novels," he objected. "At least, I hope not. I mean, it's perfectly fine if you do, just a bit…funny."

I didn't say anything.

"Are you jealous of those women in the novels?" he said in a quiet voice, as if I wouldn't get as angry with him. However, I kept my cool.

"Honestly, James," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "How can I be jealous of fictional characters? Their stories aren't even realistic."

He stopped and gabbed my arm so that I stopped, too. "You like me."

"I do not," I objected, but he was moving closer. Unfortunately, the only thing on my other side was a wall, so I just backed into it.

"I think you're lying," he said. I could feel his breath on my cheek. It smelled like mint….

He lowered his head so that his nose was touching my temple. I want him to kiss me so badly--but wait! This was James Potter I was dealing with!

I put my hands on his hard chest and pushed him away. "Quit it! I'm claustrophobic." He reached for my hand, but I just stepped further away from him. "Stop making me nervous! Just leave me alone!" I hurried away before he could follow, all the way up to Gryffindor Tower and into my room, where I collapsed on my bed, shaking.

A/N: I hope you liked this chapter--I think it may be shorter than the others. Oh well, I don't really count how many pages they are. Review, please.