Chapter 4

Lily was tapping the piece of parchment with her quill, waiting impatiently for James to arrive. It was already 8: 15, exactly an hour and fifteen minutes after she had told James to arrive, and she was tired of waiting. She had even read the letter Dumbledore had sent them a while ago about the delegation twice.

"Where the hell is he? Probably thinks he's so superior that he doesn't arrive on time" she thought, looking irritated. With a sigh, she took out the book Digital Fortress (I know, that book by Dan Brown was out in the present, and the timeline I'm working is the older one, but just please imagine with me here. I can't think of any other book). She then began to read. Fifteen minutes later James finally arrived to find Lily immersed in her reading.

When he saw the title of the book, he asked, his brow raised, "Digital Fortress? Don't you know just how intellectually challenging that book is?" He had tried reading since it was recommended by his parents, who were fond of reading Muggle fiction during the summer, but he just couldn't get it.

"8: 30 pm? Don't you know that you are exactly an hour and a half late?" Lily shot back, irritated. She closed her book, put it back in the bag, and stared pointedly at James.

"What? I was held up?" James said in an innocent and defenseless manner, although a smirk was tugging at the corners of his mouth again.

Lily wasn't fooled in an instant. She gave him a look before saying in a voice that dripped with disgust, "Held up? Why? Did you go off to make out with Ria or any of the other ditzes who throw themselves at you on a regular basis?" For some reason, there was a bite of jealousy in her voice.

"Actually," James said, giving her a roguish grin, "Her name's Jennifer, and she's not a ditz, she's just an average student".

Lily threw him another disgusted look before saying, "Urgh, you're unbelievable. I think you must have made out with the entire female population of the seventh year who isn't a Slytherin in this whole school". Big mistake.

James looked thoughtful for a moment before he said, "Actually, Evans, your wrong. I haven't kissed YOU yet, so, why don't we try it now? Although I normally don't go for hideous chicks, I guess for once I'll make an exception".

Lily's eyes widened as she snapped, "I'd rather rot in hell".

Suddenly disturbing thought entered James's mind . Oh crap, it sounds as if I want to kiss her…that wouldn't be such a shame…NO! First that thought about wanting her to be crazy about me, and now this? I must be going insane.

Not dropping his cool façade, however, he merely shrugged and said, "Really, are you sure? I bet that deep down you like me. I mean, come on. Anyone would be crazy not to want THE James Potter"

"I must be crazy then because there is no way I'm ever going to want an egoistical prat like you" Lily retorted.

"So you DO admit that you're crazy! See, what did I tell you? I'm right!" James said triumphantly, referring to the conversation, er, I mean, argument, they had earlier.

Urgh, he's driving me nuts, Lily thought to herself, her infamous temper slowly rising to its boiling point. Willing herself not to lash out at the person in front of her, she said as composedly as she could, "Look, we have a lot of work to do, and your infuriating me is not helping speed it up so I suggest that you quit with the smart- ass remarks, be a normal person for once in your life, and let's start. The sooner we finish this the sooner we can get the hell out of his other's sights".

"If there's 'a lot of work to do', as you said, then why didn't you just do half of it then give the other half for me to do when I got here? That why, we could've avoided another fight" James pointed out.

Lily stood there with her mouth agape as she asked, "And you didn't suggest this five minutes ago because….?"

"Because I like infuriating you. It's fun to see you all mad" James smirked before adding, "Oh, and close your mouth before you start catching flies. It makes you look like an idiot".

Lily quickly composed herself before she said, "Potter, is it your sole purpose in life to annoy me?"

"No. I mean, get real Evans. If annoying you was my sole aim, my life would be pretty boring. Although it is satisfying".

Lily threw him a murderous glare. "Could you please just stop talking so we can work?" Her patience had run out a long time ago.

"If I remember correctly, you're the one doing all the yapping. I'm merely replying".

Lily gave out a frustrated scream before saying, "Listen Potter, for once in your life, at least try to pretend that you care for someone else besides yourself and let's just do this now and as quickly as possible".

"And what if I don't?"

"Three words. Drunk ballerina pictures" Lily said as she raised her wand. "Accio Potter's pictures!" At once, a small stack of photos shot out of Lily's room and landed neatly in front of her. "Wingardium Leviosa!" she said, and the pictures started to rise so that they could be properly seen by a sadistically amused Lily and a murderous-looking James.

Hovering at eye- level were pictures of James in a ridiculously frilly ballet tutu the color of shocking pink. Each picture showed him do a particular ballet step; there was one where in he was doing a not-so-graceful pirouette, his expression of annoyance in contrast to his friends' laughter. There was also one picture wherein he had fallen to the floor after trying to do a very difficult spin. There was no doubt that the pictures could be very, very useful for blackmail.

Narrowing his eyes at Lily, he said in a low, dangerous voice, "You show those to anyone Evans, and you're dead".

"You don't cooperate Potter, and these pictures go public" Lily retorted, enjoying immensely the fact that she had bested James once again.

Knowing how evil she could be when she was really, really, mad, James said, "You know what? Fine. I'll work. I'll cooperate. Whatever. Just never show those pictures again".

Glad that she had succeeded, Lily simply said, "Good", and with a flick of her wand, the pictures zoomed neatly back into her bedroom. Then, she gathered a few pieces of parchment, handed them to James, and said, "Alright then, let's get to work".

And with that, they started planning, their whole night comprised of writing the plans on parchment, musing out ideas, and of course, petty arguing.