To Gild a Lily- 8

"Guys, hey, GUYS! WE'RE OVER HERE!" Lily covered her ears as Eva screamed loud enough for someone on the other side of the world to here. Ironically enough, her shout was directed at a group of 14-15 year olds who were only a little bit away. Eva bounded over and tackled Fiona into a hug, ever growing hair streaming behind her.

"Gee Eva, thanks for yelling loud enough for y'know, the entire world to hear," Sirius said sarcastically, "Especially because we're five bloody feet away from you."

Eva smirked and released Fiona, Remus being her next target. Lily smiled knowingly; she had a strong indication that Eva and Sirius really liked each other, despite their constant bickering. Lily, however, strongly favored a messy-haired marauder who was currently missing in action.

"Where's James?" Lily inquired anxiously. The others didn't know that she was in love with him, or that he had been the only person he had missed beyond mortal belief all summer.

"Nice to see you too, Lily," Remus remarked, glint in his brown eyes. Lily grinned apologetically and hugged Remus and Fiona. She looked over to Eva and Sirius before sighing; they were already squabbling with each other.

"So Lily, why in such a hurry to see our Mr. Potter?" Sirius said, wicked gleam that Lily knew oh so well in his gorgeous grey eyes. Lily colored.

"I'm not, he just," Lily began, trying to find the right words, "He just wasn't here, that's all. I just wanted to know where he was." She shrugged it off to skeptical looks from her friends; "I'll just, erm, go wait for him then? Yes, I'll be at the barrier.."

Lily hurriedly walked towards the barrier, eager to get away from all of the suspicion. She leaned up against the side of the barrier to wait for him. She checked all of the vitals: hair, clothes, breath, makeup, (not that she was wearing any, but she did anyway). After a few more minutes, James appeared through the barrier, dragging a trunk in his wake.

"Hi, James!" Lily said brightly, voice muffled in his shoulder. James staggered backwards and chuckled.

"Lily? Is that you?" James said. He was still distinctly taller than she was, so he was able to look down onto her long, auburn hair, "How are you, my dear?" He gave her a tight squeeze and released her, grasping her hands.

"Lily! My summer has been but an empty passing without you in my arms!" James cried poetically, getting down on one knee. Lily giggled as James stood up again. She threw her arms around him again and sighed inwardly. She'd missed his flirting with her even though he knew that he was just joking around. When they pulled apart, however, James had an odd look on his face. His hazel eyes were boring into Lily's emerald ones, a distant look in them. Lily's grin faltered.

"James? You there?"

He didn't answer. His face just drew closer to hers, mouth hanging open slightly. Lily drew in breath; they were almost close enough to kiss. James continued to draw closer to her, the same look in his eye. They were merely seconds away from locking together when they were interrupted.

"Oy! James!" It was Sirius, "I've been trying to get your attention for like ages, what's your-" He stopped dead in his tracks, seeing them that close, "Am I interrupting something?" He asked evilly, manic glint in his eye. James dropped Lily like a hot potato.

"Nah, man." James tussled with Sirius briefly and walked over to the others, as if nothing had just happened. Lily was left by the barrier, completely dumbfounded.

What in the heck was that?

Conditions didn't improve much on the train, which turned out to be Lily's worst yet. Sirius and Eva didn't stop bickering the entire trip and had Eva had even resulted to hexing Sirius, causing his perfect teeth to grow to an inordinate size. After Lily had quickly performed the counter curse (Eva scowled at this), Sirius had exclaimed haughtily to Eva that she was lucky that she was a girl or else she would be 'hexed into oblivion'. This little comment led into a heated argument about all of the specific reasons why Eva was lucky to be a girl, which had caused everyone in the compartment (Except Eva), to blush considerably.

Remus also didn't speak much at all because Peter had since joined them and Remus couldn't stand Peter. Fiona was usually quiet anyway, but since Remus was there she was even more flustered. On top of all that, James hadn't spoken to or even looked at Lily the entire trip. Resigned, Lily pulled out a book and began to attempt to read over Eva and Sirius's yelling.

The sorting and feast weren't exactly the best time of Lily's life either. James continued to act as though Lily didn't exist and spoke very little to anyone in general. After the feast concluded, Lily grudgingly pulled herself off of the bench of the Gryffindor table and followed the rest of the Gryffindors up to the common room. Upon reaching the portrait of the Fat Lady however someone stopped her. It was James.

"Lily, wait," He was jogging up to her from the far end of the corridor. Lily smiled a little; He's actually talking to me!

"Look, about earlier, at the barrier, I wasn't going to kiss you or anything," he began; Lily's face fell, "I just wanted to fake Sirius out, y'know? I didn't mean anything by it. At all." Lily stared numbly, feeling herself nod.

"Yeah, okay," and with that, James quickly made his way into the common room through the portrait, leaving Lily mystified.

Despite his rather strange apology, James still didn't acknowledge Lily for the rest of the night. He joked around with Sirius and played chess with Remus while Eva and Fiona caught up with each other about their summers. Lily sat by herself in a lonely armchair, trying to figure out what was going on with James.

"You alright, Lily?" It was Remus. He had been playing chess with James and listening to a joke that Sirius had just told when he noticed Lily sitting by herself, looking confused.

"What?" Lily looked at Remus's concerned expression, "Oh. Yeah, I'm fine I guess." James turned around, still laughing at Sirius's joke. Upon seeing Lily though, his face fell into a dreamy state again. His mouth began to hang open again and he had that far away look in his eyes. Lily cocked an eyebrow.

"James? What are you doing?" Lily said loudly, "James! Wake up!"

James jerked out of his daze, quickly murmured something about being tired and practically sprinted up to the boy's dormitories.

"Well that was interesting," Sirius said. Lily sighed; this year was going to be really bad if James didn't shape up.

Up in the fourth year dormitory, James was pulling back the scarlet sheets on his four-poster and climbed into his relentlessly comfortable bed and rolled over.

Well this is an easy one. I'll just stop talking to her; don't make any contact with her whatsoever. That'll work.

It has to.

James then fell into an uneasy sleep, dreaming of Lily.

A/N: hmm James is in quite the pickle, eh? props to aleana because she's just amazing.

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