Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. All characters belong to a woman with a great imagination and determination, capable of creating this world that is the center of so many stories.

Chapter 8 – The Note

Lily got up and found to her disappointment James had taken her advice and left early. She gathered her things, replaying the event of last night in her head, trying to make sense of them. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't understand what she felt when she looked at him last night after his shower. It was an unfamiliar feeling, and the scary part was how much she wanted to feel that way again. She shook her head as if chasing away a fly, trying to rattle her brain and hopefully scramble her thoughts beyond repair. However, all that happened was that she got a little dizzy and she had to sit down. After a moment on the chair, she got back up and headed towards the Great Hall.

"Oi! Evans!" Lily heard James cry as she walked in. He stood up and waved his hand high in the air, grinning. She shook her head in disapproval and quickened her pace in order to get to him before he had time to say anything. "Evans, I was just telling the guys here how you planned to-" James started but she was right in front of him, scowling before he finished.

"Shut up, Potter. Don't give me reason to hex you," she warned quietly. James looked around him.

"Oh, sure, like the Head Girl will start dueling me in front of all the professors."

"There are certain lines I wouldn't mind crossing if tempted, Potter," Lily said coldly.

"Tell you what, Lily-flower," James whispered in her ear. "How about we both just sit down and we'll settle our little squabble later."

"James," Lily said sweetly in his ear. "If you call me Lily-flower again, I will personally make sure you suffer through this year, in more ways than one. It's Evans to you, Potter."

James gave her a look of disbelief that was quickly wiped off his face when he saw her angry eyes. "Okay, Evans, I'll hold off on that in public if it bothers you so."

Lily sat down without a word. James sat between her and Sirius and grinned to his friend. Lily went to get bread and noticed Remus across the table. She stumbled off her seat, falling on the floor in a tangle of robes. Several onlookers laughed at her as she tried valiantly to get back up. James extended his hand to her, which only got him a dirty look from her as she managed to get up.

"Lily," Remus started as she got up. She cautiously sat back down and faced him, ignoring the roaring laughter coming from Sirius and Peter. "Look, I'm really sorry you had to…to see me like that. And I promise you it'll never happen again."

Lily looked sideways at James. "So I've been told," she said quietly. "Um, well, I must be going. I'll be seeing you, Potter, Black," she said nodding to the two boys. The turned and nodded to Remus, saying, "Lupin." She got up and went to the Transfiguration room, grabbing a muffin on the way.

"What did she just call me?" Remus asked as she left the Great Hall. James turned to look at him, puzzled by his meaning.

"What do you mean?" James asked. Sirius paused in his eating to answer.

"She called you Lupin, mate," Sirius said. "Why?"

"She must be really mad about it," Remus said, running both hands through his hair.

"Well, it only happened two days ago. You expect too much of her, Moony," James said. "She can't just ignore the whole thing."

"You're sure she'll keep it safe?"

"Yes. It took me a while to convince her, but yes."

"Okay, Prongs. Thanks. I can't believe I forgot about it."

"We forgot about it. And it worked out okay. Sirius modified Madame Promfey's memories and you were in the Shrieking Shack, which I assume you're going to tonight?"

"Yeah. And not leaving. I don't want to take any more chances, guys. That's two people who shouldn't know about me that do."

Sirius looked at his toast guiltily. "Look, I'm sorry about that…it's just sometimes I wish he would just go away for good," he said.

"I know Sirius, but please don't do that ever again. I don't want to be like the werewolf that bit me. I don't want to curse anyone with this," Remus said quietly, making sure no one else heard him.

"Look, she'll get over it. It just takes time, that's all," James said, standing up. "Now let's go. You've already missed the first day of classes, Remus."

"Right," Remus said, getting up too. "Let's go."

"Psst! Evans!" James whispered. Lily turned around to see him throw a note in her direction and make frantic motions to her to read it. She frowned and quietly unfurled it, taking care not to attract attention.

"Will you go out with me?" Lily read under her breath. She stared at the note, trying to pinpoint the feeling she was having. Once again, her brain took on a weird reel. Before the start of term, in the carriage, she would have replied a firm "No!" and yelled a lot to boot. Now she wasn't so sure. "What happened to me that day?" she muttered to herself, trying to figure out the way her mind was working.

"Miss Evans!" McGonnagall snapped. Lily's head sprang up to attention and she clutched the note. "Might you enlighten me as to why the Head Girl seems to be daydreaming? You are not paying attention, Miss Evans, and I would have expected more out of you."

"I'm sorry Professor," Lily muttered, clutching the note tighter and making a loud sound. McGonnagall raised an eyebrow at her and started walking to Lily's desk.

"Do you have anything in your hands, Miss Evans?"

Lily's fingers made a hole in the paper as she clutched the note tighter. James sprang up. "It's my fault, Professor," he said. Lily turned to look at him, astonished. However, McGonnagall didn't seem the least surprised.

"Let me guess, Mr. Potter, you wanted to ask young Miss Evans here yet again if she would go out with you?" the teacher said wearily. "Do that in your own time, Mr. Potter. And Miss Evans?" she added, turning to Lily. "Next time, please answer him before I catch you."

Some of their classmates laughed, but Lily was still looking at James, surprised that he would take the blame so readily instead of watching her be embarrassed. He sat down and winked at her. She shook her head and turned back around to face the board and take down her notes. Her left hand, however, stayed under her desk, clutching the piece of parchment tightly.

"Potter!" Lily called as James headed to their dorm after lunch for his free period. He smiled at himself before turning to face her and waiting. "Um, thanks about this morning and all, taking the blame," Lily mumbled, catching up to him and walking with him to their dorm.

"No problem, Evans. After all, I did send you the note. And you never gave me a proper reply."

"What?" Lily asked, closing the door behind her and leaning her back against it.

"Will you go out with me?" James asked, leaning one hand next to her head on the wall and facing her. Lily gulped.

"No, Potter, I will not," she said, a bit less firmly than she meant to. James grinned at her.

"Not at all? Are you sure?" he asked again, leaning ever so closer to her. Lily ducked out of the trap and came next to him.

"Potter, don't you dare try that ever again!" she yelled, composing herself quickly. "I will never go out with someone as self-centered as you!"

"You still see me as self-centered, Lily?" James asked quietly, walking past her. Lily turned to look at him, but he didn't turn around.

"I…"

"It's okay, I can see how you hate me so much now," James said again, in the same tone. He opened his room door just as Lily found her voice.

"I don't…"

James paused at the door, turning around to look at her. Lily's eyes widened as they met his. "You don't…?" he prompted. Lily once again regained her composure.

"I don't see how you can be mad at me about that!" she said and went to her room. James dropped his books off in his room and stood at the bottom of her stairs.

"Why did it take you so long to answer my note today?" he yelled up. Lily opened her door.

"What?" she asked, looking down at him.

"Why did it take you so long to answer my note?" James repeated. "You were looking at it for a long while before McGonnagall called."

"I was…trying to figure out the way your mind works, Potter."

"Did you, Evans? Did you finally figure out that I want to go out with you?"

Lily sighed. "Go out with me, Potter? Until when? Until I become just another one of your past girlfriends? Just another throwaway, cast-aside, not important girl who fell into your trap? Well, unlike half the girls in this school, I won't give you the satisfaction!"

"The only reason I dated half the girls in this school was to try to take my mind off of you!" James cried out in frustration. "And guess what, Lily! It didn't work! Nothing ever bloody worked!"

Lily looked at him, well aware tears were welling up behind her eyes. "Potter, why is it your goal in life to torture me?" she cried out and went in her room, slamming the door.

"Me torture you, Evans?" James cried out disbelievingly on the way to his own room. "That's rich! I'm the one who's in love here!" he finished, slamming the door as well.

Lily sank down on her bed and put her head in her hands, trying to stop the tears. "He doesn't mean it, Lily," she reassured herself. "He never meant it. It's all just another prank to him…it's all just another prank…"