LILY EQUALS LIFE

By: n33n

Okay, a new approach to the whole Lily && James madness. James is arrogant and charming as ever…Sirius hot, yet maddening at the same time…Remus, quiet and thoughtful…Peter—that worm, and Lily? Oh, Lily's still feisty and kicking. Kicking James in the OUCHES.

Chapter Six

The day had ended quickly enough and soon night arrived. Lily sighed as she lethargically pulled on some dress robes for Slughorn's exclusive party.

"Honestly. These parties are a waste," Lily complained to herself as she swiped on some subtle eyeliner and mascara. "I don't even get why he bothers with me. I don't have any famous relatives. All he wants is to rub elbows with the high class people."

Across the hall at the boys' dormitory, a certain black-haired boy was thinking the same thing.

"Damn it. This is so bloody pointless! He only wants to talk to me because my parents are Aurors. Really. If my father was a Garbage Buster, he wouldn't even look at me twice," James grumbled to Sirius as he pulled on some brown woolen socks stitched with bright red bludgers.

"Ah, Prongs, don't be so miserable! Look at the bright side," Sirius said and blatantly pointed at the window, revealing what was outside, never bothering to notice it was raining rather heavily.

"It's raining, Padfoot," James pointed this out sourly and sulked some more. "What brightness is there?"

"I was just stretching my arm, Prongs!" Sirius said heatedly and crossed his arms in a very manly way. "What I meant to say was that your infatuation for four years, six months, three days, thirteen hours, seven minutes, and forty-two seconds, Ms. Lily Evans, will be there."

"Hey, that's right! I forgot about that," James nodded and grinned. "Thanks, Padfoot."

"Make that fifty-five seconds." Sirius shrugged. "But, any time, Prongsie love."

James glowered at him. "Don't say that! What if Evans gets the impression that I'm homosexual—with you?"

Sirius frowned and folded his arms across his chest. "What? Is that a bad thing? Do you realize how many girls and guys would give just about anything to be even in the same conversation with ever-so-lovely me?"

James cocked a skeptical eyebrow up. "In your overactive mind?"

He pouted. "Now, Jamesie! Are you doubting my charm and charisma?"

James coughed rather loudly, his eyes slightly bulging as he nearly choked on his own spit. "Erm, of course not."

Sirius continued to pout.

James rolled his eyes at Sirius's reaction. "I have to get going. I'll see you tonight, Pads!"

Ignoring Sirius's outraged cry at James's nickname for him being extremely similar to female hygiene products, he left the room in high spirits at the prospect of seeing Lily.

------

As soon as James entered the room, Slughorn immediately engulfed him in a bear hug and stepped back a minute later.

"Oho, James m'boy! How's your dear old father doing up in the Auror department? Doing a splendid job, eh?" Professor Slughorn inquired in an overly friendly tone. "I hope I find him quite well?"

"He's just peachy, Professor," James responded automatically, looking past Slughorn's shoulder for a sign of burning red hair.

"Ah, that's always good to know! Aha! Who is that young lady I see? Miss Lily Evans! Why, that charm you did today was absolutely brilliant! You're going to be fabulously famous one day, Lily dear," Professor Slughorn nodded, as if affirming this. "I can feel it," he added in a whisper, giving her a wink.

"Thanks, Professor," Lily replied dryly, pushing past Slughorn and the ecstatic-looking James Potter. "As long as I don't become famous for dying at the clutches of some evil wizard, I'll be fine with becoming famous for anything else."

James hurried after her with a cocky, big smile in place. "Oy, Lily!"

Lily turned around, an exasperated look on her face. "Yes, Potter? I'm absolutely pleased to make your acquaintance. Now, what the bloody hell do you want from me?"

"Oh, nothing! Nothing at all!" James answered cheerfully, grabbing two frothing butterbeers from a nearby table. "Care for a butterbeer?"

Lily accepted it daintily and took a sip, dipping her mouth into the sweet substance. "Thank you."

She started to leave when James stopped her again by blocking her path.

"Wait." James looked somewhat confused, his nose sprinkled with faint wrinkles. "Aren't you supposed to gush and say, 'James, you lovely sweetie!' and snog me senseless to thank me for my generosity?"

Lily shot him a glare and reddened. "No. You must be daft, you idiotic imbecile. First of all, the butterbeer's free, so you're not exactly being generous by handing me one. Secondly, you are so arrogant and supercilious anyway that I highly doubt you know how to compliment something else other than your flipping broomstick for breaking a new speed record during Quidditch practice!"

James quickly shot back, "Now, Lily, I definitely know how to compliment people! How many times have I told you how green your eyes are? Like the pickled-toads in Slughorn's office. And you do have quite a nice rack and the cutest arse ever that I would love to pinch." He gave Lily a very suggestive wink as he said this last part.

If possible, Lily turned a deeper shade of red, and her eyes suddenly became narrow slits.

Lily exploded. "POTTER!"

"Yes?" James asked innocently, looking up at the quite boring, unenchanted ceiling.

"That was completely uncalled for! You know exactly what I meant by my comment earlier," Lily said furiously, as she tweaked her nose with her finger in anger.

"Sorry. Come again, Lily dearest?" James feigned.

"Argh! Never you mind, Potter. Just leave me alone—I'm feeling a dreadful headache coming along," Lily spat out and rubbed her temples.

James nodded, and his face took on a serious note. "Oh, but of course, Lily! I'll leave you to be. I'm dreadfully sorry for bothering you in the first place."

Lily, a bit surprised at this polite response, turned around to go sit down somewhere and nurse her throbbing headache.

As she did so, she felt, without a doubt, the fingers of James Potter pinching her butt quickly. Absolutely outraged, Lily promptly turned around and rapidly flipped out her trusty wand, ready to hex one James Potter into oblivion and beyond.

She looked around. James apparently had already disappeared into the thick crowd of people linked to important people, and Lily was left alone to stare confusedly about at the busy bustling of socializing figures surrounding her that was talking to everyone but her.

Lily sat down at a lone chair in the corner of the room, wondering when the party would ever end.

Oddly enough, she had never felt so alone before in her life.

She was feeling so desperate that she even wished that (though she would never admit it to anyone else) maybe Potter would reappear and torment her some more.

Such loneliness saddened her and quiet tears dripped down her face as she waited impatiently for time to roll on by.

Author's Note:

Sorry for the long wait! I apologize for forgetting about this. I took down some stories, because I simply could not juggle so much. My schedule is paaacked this month, until like June 10thish. Yeah, it sucks.

Reviews greatly appreciated…even a line. I've been disappointed by the lack of response…so I'm thinking you guys don't like it much? sobs

neen

Thanks to the people who did review!