Can't Buy Me Love
Summary: Lily paid James for him to pretend to like her, to impress a boy. Well, James isn't pretending anymore, but how will she ever know with HIM in the way?
Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing but the plot and optional characters.
Behavior
"I still don't see why you don't brake up with Amos." Alix said the next morning in their dormitory getting ready for the Hogsmead trip.
"I know! He's a total loser." Molly said lying on her bed looking at a magazine.
Paige sat in a chair in front of the vanity fixing her make-up. She looked at Lily who was in the closet figuring out what to wear. "Girls, stop it. It's not nice." Paige said.
"Thanks." lily said from inside the closet.
"Let her make her own mistakes." Paige said after that. The other girls laughed.
"What do you think of this?" Lily asked coming out in blue jeans with a brown turtleneck, and boots.
Paige laughed. "Okay, so maybe we need to still pick out your clothes." She went into the closet with the two other girls. "We need to find an outfit James will love." She whispered.
Alix smiled, "Why?"
"So we can let him drool all over her. I still think that they should be together." Paige said.
"Skirt or pants?" Alix asked.
"Skirt." Molly said almost immediately.
"No." Paige said firmly. "Pants. James doesn't like a high mate maintenance girl."
Molly turned with her hands on her hip. "What makes you think that you know everything about James?" She asked.
"I'm closest to him."
"How?" Molly challenged.
"For one, I'm on the House team with him, two I'm one of his best mates and three I live next door and known him all my life." Paige said turning back to the pants section.
"He could have changed." Molly muttered.
Paige whipped around, "Oh, and you think you know everything about him because you've dated him for what? 3 days?" She asked.
"It was 4." Molly said moodily.
Paige walked out of the closet with clothes in her hand and handed them to Lily. "And that my friend, is why James broke up with her. High matnince girl with a bitch attitude."
"But she's your friend." Lily said confused. "Why would you call her that?"
"Truth hurts." Paige shrugged. "Now go get ready." she ushered her into the bathroom.
Lily and her friends walked out of the common room. Molly in a pink mini skirt with a white tank and diamond earnings, Alix in blue jeans and a band t-shirt, Paige in blue flare jeans with a black tank with long beaded pearls and her favorite converse, and last but not least, Lily in jeans as well with a simple white t-shirt and a pair of black flip flops with jewels.
"Ladies." Sirius bowed in front of the Marauders.
"Lily look at you." James said twirling her around with her hand above her head, "More stunning that usual."
"Told you so." Paige muttered to Molly.
"Come on James, that's enough, Lily has to get to her boyfriend." Alix said breaking them up and taking Lily's arm.
James swung his arm around her, "Aw come on." he said, "Hang out with us for today. Diggory won't care." He tried to persuade her.
Lily smiled and broke away from his grip, "Thanks but no thanks."
James' face fell. "Oh." he rebounded with a smile, "If he bores you too much, or anything just know that you can find me and I'll save you." he said.
"I'll remember that." Lily smiled and walked away on a mission to find Amos.
"That potions homework was real hard last night." Amos said.
Lily saw other people walking around laughing and having a great time. "Amos, can you talk about anything else besides school, work or text books?" She asked.
"Uh..." He tugged on his collar.
"Just let loose!" She said twirling around in circles. "What do you want to do in your lifetime?" She asked.
Amos smiled, "Easy. I want to read all D.A.D.A. books in the collection at Hogwarts." He said.
Lily groaned and spotted Paige, Molly and Alix walking towards them. "Oh wait, stop here." Amos said looking in the window of some book store.
Lily franticly waved her hands and pointed to Amos and then pretended to strangle herself. They didn't see her. She jumped up and down and waved at them franticly. Molly squinted at her, trying to see what she was doing. She pointed at Amos, and then got Alix's attention. "HELP!" She mouthed.
Alix told Paige what she was trying to say and then told Molly. They quickly huddled and then Lily saw Alix run over to her. "Oh my god Lily" she started to say in fake tears, "Anne, you my cousin, she well…" she started to cry on Lily's shoulder.
Lily looked at Amos and sighed, "I'm sorry, I really have to go." she said.
"Okay, yeah I'll see you later." he said as Lily walked away.
Lily and Alix turned the corner and started to laugh hysterically. "Thank you." she said to Paige and Molly who were waiting there.
"So, Mr. Boring finally got ya?" Molly asked.
They formed their line, which wherever they walked, they had to be in it and walked down the street. "Yup." Lily replied. "You guys were right." Lily sighed.
"You sad?" Alix asked.
"A little." Lily said. "He wasn't what I thought he would be."
"Don't worry, we have the perfect medicine." Paige said. "And he's coming right this way." She pointed to a boy with messy black hair and hazel eyes.
Lily laughed, "You guys, I'm not interested in James for the last time!" She said.
Paige looked at her, "Who said we were trying to set you up? James had a knack to making people feel better." she said.
"Ah Lily, I see your date didn't measure up to your standards." Sirius said reading her.
"Nope." Lily said and tried to fake a smile.
James swung his arm around her, "Don't worry." he started, "I'll make you feel better." He guided her down the street a little. "Today all of your worries will be taken away, and you'll have the time of your life!" He said.
Lily looked behind her and saw the rest of the group staying put. "Why aren't they coming?" She asked James.
He pulled her closer, "Because now I can have you all to myself." he whispered into her ear.
Lily rolled her eyes and slightly pushed him, "You better watch it Mr. Potter or you won't have me at all." she said walking a few feet away next to him.
He raised his eyebrows, "Wouldn't want that." he said reaching for her.
She walked further away, "Oh no you don't. I'm not that easy." she said.
James held his hands in surrender. "Fine." He looked over at her and picked her up over his shoulder and ran down the street with her, completely ignoring her protests.
"Where are we?" She asked as he stopped in front of a door and put her down.
"We are at…" he swung the door open, "The Three Broomsticks. Home of the best butterbeer in the whole world." he said taking her hand and walked in. She heard whistles and cat calls. James put a protective arm around her, "Back off, she's mine." he warned.
Lily laughed and took his arm off of her shoulders. James led her to a corner that contained a booth that had a dim light and was a few feet off the ground, thanks to a platform. "Is this your table or something?" she asked.
"As a matter of fact, it is." He said pointing to the middle of the table where in sloppy handwriting was engraved 'The Marauders Table'.
"Cute." She said sitting down and sliding over so James could fit in.
"Cute?" He asked. "It's not cute! It's manly." He said.
"James!" A middle aged woman said walking back to the table.
"Rosemary!" He said happily. "How have you been?" He asked politely.
"I should ask you the same! I haven't seen you or anyone else in a long time!" She exclaimed.
"Been busy." James said.
"I bet. If you've gone this long without any butterbeer, you must have been!" She laughed.
"Who says I haven't?" He asked.
"Is that where my missing cases went?" She said.
James held his hands up in defense, "Don't look at me! Blame Sirius when he stops by." He said.
She turned direction of Lily and said, "Now who's this?" she asked.
"Lily." She said and stuck her hand out.
Rosemary ignored her gesture and gave her a hug. "Are you James' new girlfriend?" She asked.
"No." James said stepping in. "This is a friend." He said.
Rosemary smiled, "You two would look so cute together!" She exclaimed.
"It wouldn't be the first time I've heard that." Lily said.
"Listen, James doesn't bring girls around here, except for his mother and his friends who bring other girls. You must be special." Rosemary said.
James turned red and cleared his throat, "We'll have 2 butterbeers." he said.
Rosemary laughed, "Coming right up." she said and walked away.
"The famous James Potter, blushing?" Lily said amusingly.
"Only three people can do that. My mom, Rosemary and Sirius." he said to her.
Lily laughed in response, "I think I can change that." she said.
James lifted his eyebrows, "Or really?" He asked.
Lily laughed, "So James, what do you do on this…what should I call it? Therapy." she asked.
"Well Ms. Evans," he said in a professional voice, "I take the client and make them feel happy, by giving them a few laughs, a new perspective on life."
Lily smiled, "And what is this going to cost me?" she asked.
James leaned back on his heat, "A few hours of your time and your full cooperation." He leaned closer to her, "Promise me, that no matter what, no matter how crazy you'll always follow my lead, and never say no."
"James…"
"Promise me." He said.
"I promise." She said just as their butterbeers came out.
James lifted his glass, "To Happiness!" He said.
Lily raised her bottle, "To happiness." she repeated and the bottles met in a soft cling.
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Next chapter should be up by Wednesday, Thursday at the latest, and I promise you this time!
My sister had to go to the hospital Friday, so obviously I didn't get a chance to update.
REVIEW!
-Kelsey