Disclaimer: All the characters that you recognize belong to J. K. Rowling. The plot of this story was greatly inspired by the movie, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

Author's Note: Thanks to evahyoung, holyheartbreak, x0x-Mystique-x0x, DanRadLuver01, blvd, julies07, Prongsie-Jamesie, redbird-flying-away, Percephone, Miss Myrtle360, lizziee, Juicilyn, ellieo, miss-mags-ak, and siriusforeva for reviewing! You guys are great!

x0x-Mystique-x0x: You know, I think you're the first person to ask me where I get my inspiration. And I can honestly say, I've got no clue! Well, for this story when I first came up with the idea to write it, I just finished watching the movie for like the tenth time. But the other stories, I really don't know. They just sort of come to me at the most random times, or when I'm staring at a blank screen and am just writing because I know my reviewers will get pissed if I don't update (example, how this chapter was written!) Not really very helpful, am I? But oh well, anyways, it makes me so happy that you reviewed!

Prongsie-Jamesie: No, sorry, I can't have anyone hex the shit out of Rina, she's still needed! Oh, and I'm from New England,sortof close toBoston.

"I just don't get it," Lily sighed as she plopped down onto her bed. It had been nearly two weeks since James had last asked her out.

Usually she would have been thankful for this, but now she was just anxious to get the plan in action. Now, all she wanted to do was date James Potter. She wanted more than ever to show him up, make him wish he had never laid eyes on her. But now, he wasn't giving her the opportunity to do so! Life could be so frustrating.

"Don't worry about," Kelsey replied as she flipped through a magazine.

All three girls were sitting up in their dormitory, doing a familiar act, complaining about James Potter. Sam was sitting on her bed, skimming over the reading for her Ancient Ruins class. Lily was lying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. And Kelsey was completely ignoring her piles of homework and reading the latest issue of Witch Weekly.

"Do you think he even still likes me?" Lily asked.

"Well, it would certainly be a lot easier of he didn't," Kelsey commented.

"What?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, he'd just be off your back and you wouldn't have to go on with the plan," she answered.

Lily thought about it for a second. That would make her life easier, but not nearly as fun as messing with James Potter. She secretly hoped that Kelsey was completely off target, but said, "Yeah, you're right."

Sam looked up from her work, "You've got to be shitting me. James Potter, not like Lily. Impossible."

"Why do you say that?" Kelsey asked.

"Have you seen the way he looks at her?" Sam said.

"How does he look at me?" Lily asked.

Sam chuckled a bit before resting her chin on her hand, her eyes staring right at Lily. She had an expression that said, "Wow, I wish I could be with that person," on her face.

"He does not," Lily said with a laugh as she tossed her pillow at Sam, forcing her to abandon her impression.

"Yes he does!" Sam insisted as she threw the pillow back at Lily.

"What's going on?" Rina asked as she opened the door, dodging another flying pillow.

All three girls laughed and then Sam responded, "Oh, nothing much, just hanging out. You?"

"Tracey and Sirius Black are making me sick, I had to get away," she truthfully answered. Tracey and Sirius had started dating three days ago, and Lily couldn't agree more with Rina's statement. It was sickening watching the two of them. She never saw two people make out in public more than them.

"Yuck," Kelsey said, shrugging her nose at the thought.

"Well, we were actually listening to Lily complain about Potter not asking her out yet, so it's not much better in here," Sam said, although she sent a look to Lily showing her that she was only kidding.

"Really? He still hasn't asked you out," Rina said. "Interesting, very interesting."

"We're hoping that he's over her, but Sam said he wasn't," Kelsey added, getting Rina up to date on their conversation.

"You could always ask him out," Rina suggested.

Lily hadn't thought about that before. She could ask him out. She could certainly ask him out. Of course, it wasn't very common that girls did the asking, but she could be different. Besides, she really was going ballistic at the fact that she hadn't started the plan yet.

"You think so?" Lily asked.

"Of course," Rina answered, a small grin appearing on her lips. The sooner James Potter was driven away by Lily, the sooner he would come crawling to her. In no time at all, she and James would finally be together. After years of liking him, she would finally get her wish.

---

Lily quietly walked down the long flight of stairs from her room to the common room early the next morning. She did that every day. Her friends thought she was crazy for waking up before anyone else, but Lily enjoyed getting up bright and early.

She loved walking down to the Great Hall and getting an early breakfast, before too many students arrived. She would often bring a quill and a piece of parchment and write a letter to her parents. Other days she would read the Daily Prophet, not missing a single article. She liked to be updated on the current news, she had since she was a little girl.

Today though, was different. Instead of finding the common room completely empty, she saw James Potter seated on one of the plush chairs. He faced her, but didn't see or hear her come down the stairs; he was too concentrated on the work in front of him. He was scribbling away like a madman, his books propped open in front of him.

She cocked her head to the side as she watched him work. At a glance, people would probably say she was studying him, for research or something. And to be completely honest, she sort of was.

She watched as his hand scribbled from one end of the paper to the other and was surprised to see that he was left handed, a fact that she never would have guessed before, even though she too was a lefty. She also noticed that he rolled his shirt sleeves up to his elbows and his tie was done very sloppily. His school robes were slung over the chair, as if he didn't bother to even mess with them quite yet.

Lily bit her lower lip, a habit that she had whenever she was nervous. Although, she wasn't quite sure why she was nervous. This was James Potter; she could certainly handle asking him out, or at least engage him in conversation.

Just what should she say? She didn't have a clue. What do you say to a guy when you're trying to ask him out, especially when you don't have feelings for him? Lily mentally slapped herself, how could she be so unprepared. This just wasn't like her at all. In these types of situations, she would clearly have several scenarios marked out in her mind, no surprises to jump out at her.

But did she have any planned now? Of course not, not when she really needed it. Usually, if he were to ask her out, she'd have tons of comments stored in her brain to use, always prepared. But when it came to asking him out, she didn't have anything to say. She didn't even have a good conversation starter.

Lily didn't need one though, because just then James looked up. He jumped a bit when he saw her standing there. His hand immediately went to his hair, messing it up, making it look even more mangled than it already was.

"Evans," he calmly said. Although inside he was a complete mess. Did he look cool? How long had she been there? Was she going to talk to him? Should he ask her out?

"Um, good morning, Potter," she said.

James stared at her in awe. She wasn't mean to him. It was a bloody miracle! He wanted to do a little victory dance, but restrained himself. "What're you doing up so early?"

"Oh, I'm up early every morning," she answered.

James felt his heart skip a beat. She still wasn't being mean to him. She still hadn't stomped off in the other direction, forcing him to admire her from afar. "Why's that?"

"I don't know, I just like it," she answered, and then did something very foreign. She smiled at him. And it wasn't a fake smile either, it was an actual teeth showing smile.

James felt like he died and went to heaven. He was finally on the receiving end of a Lily Evans smile. Never in his life had she actually smiled at him before. Actually, never in his life had she not frowned at the sight of him.

"What are you doing up?" she then asked.

Okay, now this was just weird. Lily Evans had not only been nice to him, but she was actually making good conversation, asking him questions. "Oh, um, I forgot about that Transfiguration paper until late last night and decided I'd rather do it in the morning."

"Well, you're pretty good at it, and McGonagall likes you, so you should be okay," she told him.

Did he hear her correctly? Did she actually say something that resembled a compliment? James was in awe. He was having a fairly decent conversation with Lily Evans. It was amazing.

Footsteps could be heard coming from the girl's dormitories, and both Lily and James turned their heads toward the noise. An instant later a sixth year girl with black hair tied back into a ponytail came down the stairs, a gigantic smile on her face.

"Lily, you're still here," she commented. She then noticed that James was sitting there too and she turned a little pink. She had such a huge crush on all the Marauders.

"Good morning, Carla," Lily said to the girl.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" she nervously asked.

"Oh, no," Lily automatically answered.

Carla let out a sigh of relief and then said, "Are you ready to go down to the Great Hall then?" It was a tradition of theirs to always eat an early breakfast with each other every morning, one that started back in Lily's third year. Of course, Lily was always down their first, but usually only for fifteen minutes before Carla came and joined her.

"Um, yeah," Lily replied after turning to glance at James again. She started to walk toward the Portrait Hole, but then turned around and said to James, "Potter, um, do you want to get together tonight, and you know, talk about Head stuff?"

He was amazed that she was offering to actually spend even more time with him, which he wanted more than anything, even if it were just to talk about Head stuff. "Um, yeah, how about seven o'clock in the Head's Meeting Room."

"Sounds good to me," she answered and then at a second thought said, "See you later, Potter."

"Bye," he called out, hoping that his voice still sounded okay and wasn't shaky. The thought of spending time with Lily mixed with the actual realism of their conversation made him feel giddy inside. Maybe this was finally going to be the year that he dated Lily Evans after all.

---

Lily glanced up at the clock on the wall, it was ten after seven, and James hadn't shown up yet. She crossed her arms and sat back against the plush chair.

She rolled her eyes; thinking that she should had expected this. She should have known that James wouldn't be on time. He never was. Typical James Potter, too good to be anywhere when he was supposed to.

This would just add to her list of reasons why she hated James Potter. He was late, he was obnoxious, he was mean, he thought he was all that and so much more, and he was probably the most arrogant person she had ever met. God, she hated him. Actually, despised was probably a better word for it. Yes, she despised him. She despised everything about it, from way he talked to the way he messed up his hair all the time.

Actually, she was beginning to question why she was even here in the first place. Of course, making James Potter's life miserable would cheer her up and bring a smile to her face through graduation, but at the same time, did she really want to put herself through such a distress? After all, she was going to have to deal with him just as much as he was going to have to deal with her.

Lily heard a sharp clicking noise from the door and looked over to see the guy she detested walk in. He had a large goofy grin on his face, not to mention he looked like a complete wreck. His robes were dirty, he had a broomstick in his hand, and his hands were quite filthy.

"Sorry I'm late," he said, sending her his cockiest grin.

Yes, she decided. She was definitely going to do this. She wanted nothing more than to wipe that smirk off his face. She wanted nothing more than to make him beg her to leave him alone. Yes, this was going to be fun. Lots of fun.

"It's okay," she answered, sending him her most charming smile.

"I was playing Quidditch with the new Gryffindor team," he informed her.

"Interesting," she said, although she really could have cared less.

"Anyways, what did you want to talk about?" he asked.

Lily's heart was pounding; she knew she had to do this. She knew she had to ask him out now, or else she'd never do it. She discreetly took a deep breath in and out to calm her nerves.

"Was it something about Head stuff?" he asked, not waiting for her response from his previous question.

"Actually, no," she bravely said.

He stared at her, unsure of how to react to that. It wasn't about Head stuff? What could it be about? What did Lily Evans want to talk about with him, the one person that she hated more than anyone?

"What is it about?" he asked, trying his best to sound cool and relaxed. He certainly did act well too, he was slung back in a luxurious chair that stood opposite of Lily's. He looked very comfortable there, as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"I, I wanted to talk about you," she said, and then as a second thought added, "And me…I wanted to talk about you and me."

Now he was really intrigued. He sat up straight, not wanting to miss a word that left Lily's lips. "Go on," he urged.

She took another deep breath in, filling her lungs with fresh air. "Potter," she began, "Well, you see, the thing is, um, you know on the train when we had that little encounter?"

"Yeah," he said, remembering it clearly. He asked her out, she shot him down.

"Well, I was, I was giving it a second thought," she slowly said, trying to brace herself for what was coming next.

"How so?" he asked.

Lily wanted to scream at him, she wanted to smack him across the face, she wanted to wipe that smirk off his face. Just the tone of his voice made her want to hit him. He knew exactly what she was referring to. He wasn't an idiot, and although Lily pretended he was, she knew he wasn't. She decided then that there was yet another trait of his that she was adding to her list. He was smug. She hated that about him. She hated that the way he talked, moved, and looked at people. He was always smug, just as he was right now.

"I think you know," she answered. She let herself slip up a little, adding a bit of darkness to her tone to replace the very cheery attitude that had just been present.

"You could remind me," he smugly remarked.

If she wasn't trying to ask him out right now, she'd probably smack him across the face and then storm off. But unfortunately that didn't leave a good impression, which was the one thing she needed right now.

"I'd, I, I think that maybe I underestimated you," she told him, "And, well, and I think we'd make a very, a very nice couple." She wanted to kill herself as those words were leaving her lips.

James knew his heart skipped at least ten beats as he listened to her talk. Lily Evans just said that she though they'd make a good couple. Lily Evans! Lily Evans, the girl of his dreams, just came on to him. She was basically saying that they should date.

He knew that a large smile was on his face, for an instant replacing that cocky grin he always used when he was with Lily, the one he always used when he was trying to impress her.

He regained himself though, and putting his deep voice and cocky grin on, he said, "Are you asking me out?" His eyes were dancing with life, although listening to him speak, you'd never know it.

"Yes," she said, shutting her eyes as she spoke, as if she were trying to make it go away, like a bad dream.

"Really?" he asked, his excitement over passing his cool guy act for a second time.

"Yes," she answered, regretting every moment of this conversation.

"Well, okay then," he said, putting the act back on.

"Yeah, well, I've got to go back to my room now, but I'll see you tomorrow," she told him, wanting to get out of there as fast as possible.

"I'll walk you," he offered, thinking of what boyfriends should do.

"Okay," she replied, although inside she wanted to crawl into a deep hole and escape from him. Or better yet, she wanted him to disappear and never come back. Yes, that would make her life complete.

The entire walk back was in complete silence. Surprisingly though, it wasn't awkward at all. The only reason for that though, was because both Lily and James were concentrating deeply on their thoughts.

Lily kept on thinking what a mistake this was. She couldn't get out of her mind that something bad was going to come from this. Or, in the long run, she'd go crazier than him in the next ten days.

James, on the other hand, was thrilled. He finally got the girl of his dreams; he was finally Lily Evans's boyfriend. Lily Evans was finally his girlfriend. They were finally a couple, finally dating. He was ecstatic. If Lily hadn't been there, he'd probably be doing victory laps across the castle, announcing to the world of his great success.

He was so excited that the bet he made with Sirius hadn't surfaced his mind once. It never occurred to him that he could win money now.

---

In no time at all, they were back in Gryffindor common room, which at the time, was very crowded. And James loved it, He loved that everyone was seeing him and Lily come back threw the portrait together. Lily, on the other hand, didn't fancy it at all. She would have preferred no one seeing her within twenty feet of James Potter, let alone come threw the same portrait hole.

"Well, I've got to get upstairs," she said, her heart and head racing from today's events.

"Yeah," he said as he watched her climb the first step of the staircase.

"Night, Potter," she called over her shoulder.

"Wait," he told her and watched as she turned around to face him. "Do you think that you could call me James now?"

"Um, yeah, goodnight, James," she said, although it felt awkward leaving her mouth. She never called him James; it was just a foreign concept.

"Goodnight, Lily," he replied, smiling deeply as she ascended the stairs.

She had a look of disgust on her face. Just the sound of her name coming from his voice made her sick. It just didn't feel right. She was always "Evans," when it came to James Potter. She wasn't ever "Lily" or "Lily Evans," she was always, "Evans." Even when he was trying to ask her out and flatter her, he called her by her surname. This wasn't good, she knew it. She knew this was going to turn into a disaster; it wasn't going to be anything like she imagined it to be.

"So?" Sam asked once Lily opened the door. Both she and Kelsey were up in the room, working on their homework and complaining about it as well.

"He's hooked."

Author's Note 2: Hey guys! I hope you all enjoyed chapter four! Now for the fun to start! Anyways, please let me know what you thought of the story, I'd love to hear your feedback in a review!