Chapter 10: Girlfriend?

Disclaimer: JK Rowling is not me. So there.

"I actually went to his room. I swear, I was not thinking. Had anyone, but him opened the door, the gossip would have been spreading around Hogwarts faster than Peeves's stink bombs." Lily made a face that showed she did not like the sound, or the smell, of that. Harry began to giggle uncontrollably at his mother's silly face. Then he grabbed his feet and proceeded to knock them against each other until his mother continued the story.

"However," she began again, "he did answer the door."

…

It had started as a simple yes, but once he saw who was at the other side of the door, James Potter's introduction that night mutated into something more akin to a nervous scream.

"Yea—ahhh!" he said once the door was completely open.

But she was smiling, and there seemed to be slight tears in her eyes. He seemed to have no idea what she was doing at his door, but he decided to take the opportunity to flaunt his bare chest.

"Yes, Evans?"

Okay, it was hot. She could admit it, but that wasn't what she was here for. She was here to say thank you. So before Potter could say another word, she threw her arms around him and embraced him tightly. At first he didn't know how to react as his hands hung limp, but then he embraced her as well. And he was taking deep breaths very close to her head.

Was he smelling her hair?

As they parted, neither seemed to be sure what to say. Potter was rubbing the back of his neck in a nervous way, and Lily was blushing probably twenty shades of red.

"I just wanted to say thank you," she said finally. He looked up at her and stared into her eyes, making her feel very mushy inside.

"Oh, you opened it, then? I didn't think you would." They left it at that. Neither wanted to bring up what had happened all those years before. It was kind of an uncomfortable situation to be in. But they didn't need to say anymore, the gift spoke for itself, and her hug explained itself, as well.

Lily cleared her throat and then turned to go back to her room, "Bye, Potter," she said in a rather husky voice.

But before she fully turned away he called her back with a question. "Vanilla?" he asked, as if she would know what he meant, but she didn't.

"Huh?"

"Your shampoo. Is it vanilla?"

She smiled in response. He was kind of cute when he looked so vulnerable. His eyes were bright and twinkling, and his lips were pouty. She turned back around to leave, but stopped when she remembered something.

"Oh and Potter?" she wasn't shocked when she saw that he hadn't moved an inch since she had turned around. He just raised his eyebrows to her question. "Put a shirt on."

He smirked, but she refrained until she turned back around and started to walk away.

…

The next day they had their first classes. Lily was so excited to start her new studies. She would have DADA, Charms, Potions, Transfiguration, Arithmancy, and Astronomy. It was quite the load for a 6th year, but she didn't mind. She loved her lessons, and loved her homework (though she kept that to herself, in case of teasing).

Classes weren't very interesting the first day, as usual, but they did have homework already in Charms. They had to develop their own cloaking charm. Lily finished hers by lunch time.

It was after classes that the school began to get interesting. Apparently, the first Hogsmeade weekend was posted. It was at the end of the month.

Of course, the school loved their Hogsmeade weekends, not only because they got to shop and eat sweets, but because they got to go on dates. Asking someone to go with you to Hogsmeade was equivalent to someone asking you to go to the cinema in the muggle world. Lily had found that out the hard way when she had promised to go to Hogsmeade with a Ravenclaw boy in her third year. the result was a great deal of gossip flying around about her dating him. He was the biggest part of the problem, since he wouldn't stop trying to kiss her the whole date.

This year she was kind of hoping that Remus would ask her. For the most part she just considered Remus a friend, but she wouldn't mind being more. He was cute, and sweet, and he had gotten her a very thoughtful birthday gift. Of course, someone else had as well, and she prayed he wouldn't be asking her.

Oddly enough, actually, it was already the afternoon and he hadn't asked her once. That seemed like a very strange occurrence for James Potter. He always asked her. She was musing over it as she sat down in the courtyard. She was not alone very long, however, as she saw something that finally put the world back into order. James Potter was heading straight for her. He ran his hand through his hair, and smiled charmingly at her as he approached. He was about 4 feet away, when someone else jumped in the way of Lily's view.

"Hi, Lily," it was a seventh year Hufflepuff named Amos Diggory. He was…in a word…gorgeous. Lily began to blush, but tried her hardest not to giggle and smile goofily. She had a habit of doing that around cute guys.

"I was just wondering, Lily, if you wanted to go to Hogsmeade with me?"

Lily almost fell off the bench she was sitting on. Possibly the hottest guy in school had just asked her out!

She was just about to say yes, or something like it, when butthead broke in.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing asking my girlfriend to Hogsmeade?" Everything went silent in the courtyard. Everyone turned to see what was going on, and when they saw Lily and James, they were immediately intrigued.

"Excuse me?" Lily asked.

"I'm sorry, Lily, I probably shouldn't have been that mean, but how dare he ask you to Hogsmeade when we are dating."

"Potter, we aren't dating."

He looked incredibly confused. "But what about last night? You…you hugged me…"

"But did I say 'Potter, we are dating'?" She said as if she was talking to a little child, which sometimes, she had to admit, talking to James Potter was like talking to a little child.

"Erm…" he said as if thinking back, "when?"

She let out a breath in frustration, "last night, Potter."

"Er, well…no, not exactly, but you did hug me!"

"I was saying 'thank you' not 'marry me'."

"Ew," James said before he thought about it. Lily looked very angry at that moment. "No, I mean…" he didn't know what he meant, and her face wasn't getting any less grave. "God, Lily, I am so un-James-ish around you!" He said angrily.

"Un-James-ish?" she asked in between his banter.

"I swear I can't be charming if my life depended on it, when you are around! It drives me crazy!"

"Well, then go away!" she said back with equal anger in her voice. It shocked him a bit, actually, because he began to step back. "If I drive you crazy, then what are you still doing here?"

And that ended it once again. James ran off and Lily felt bad, as usual.

…

Lily was laughing now. She couldn't help laughing at his words and her own. She looked at her little boy and he hadn't even cracked a smile. "Okay, maybe it isn't that funny. But the look on his face was." She smiled again, and continued her story.

A/N: I just started school yesterday, and I have so much homework I can't even tell you! The next chapter is mostly finished now, but after that it is going to be really hard to submit regularly. I hope you gals and guys don't abandon me. I promise I will get to the end soon enough to finish it. I know exactly what I want the end to be. I just have to get there. Anyway, thanks everyone who has supported me this far, I hope you guys are happy with this new chapter!