A/N: Okay so I wrote this in a great hurry. I'm exhausted from work and I've had about 1.5 glasses of wine (not wine glasses, mind you, but actual drinking glasses - I'm overage, so it's okay. If you're not of age, ignore my bad influence). I tried to check for grammar and spelling mistakes, but my contacts are refusing to focus and I have a million other excuses for why this might be utterly terrible. But I hope it isn't because it's been buzzing in my head in some form for a while (that's a lie, it just poured out of my fingers of it's own accord). Anyway, I hope it's enjoyable! Reviews keep me happy and inspired!

4. It doesn't matter

James had fantasised about this day for just about six years. Ever since he had first seen the redhead and learned of trips to the nearby village, he had wanted nothing more than to spend the whole day with her. He had wanted to take her into ever shop and amaze her with his wit. He wanted to take her to the Three Broomsticks and Honeydukes, and like the gentleman he was, pay for whatever she wanted. He would at some point take her hand in his and she wouldn't yank it away with a look of pure venomous disgust. Everything would be perfect, right down to the kiss goodnight where the stairs in Gryffindor Tower split into the respective genders' dormitories.

Good Merlin, he sounded like a bloody bird.

No, James would not be made to feel guilty or ashamed of his thoughts. He was in love with Lily Evans, goddamn it, and it didn't matter who knew, or what they thought of him for it.

Except for her. When it came to Lily, it always mattered. Well, sort of.

The point, however, was that this day was supposed to be perfect. After years of scheming, asking (if not pleading), bargaining, and attempted bribing, Lily had said yes. She'd finally said yes to him. He had been walking on air ever since. Nothing was capable of bringing him down – not the abysmal Quidditch practices, not the loads of homework they were all being assigned, not even his duties as Head Boy (he would never understand how he'd gotten that). As the muggles liked to say, he was on cloud nine and the world was his. The sun shone bright, the birds chirped happily, and the leaves were a cacophony of colours in celebration of his achievement.

Because she'd said yes, and because it was going to be perfect. There was only one problem:

Today was the day and not one thing was going right.

The temperature had taken a sharp turn downhill in the course of the night and had brought with it a torrential rain. It was impossible to walk outside for any length of time without getting completely drenched with frigid rain. Sure, there were impervious charms and umbrellas, but it wasn't right. Today was supposed to be a sunny and crisp autumn day – not a dreary, looks-like-winter's-come-early day.

Instead of being amused by his jokes in Zonko's, she had turned "Head Girl" on him and was reprimanding students for trying to purchase items specifically listed on Filch's banned items list. The Three Broomsticks had been so packed they had ended up at the Hog's Head, which she was looking at with feigned interest (clearly, she was hoping to leave soon). By the time they had gotten to Honeydukes, the establishment had been sold out of the things Lily liked. There really was no redeeming aspect of the day and James felt himself becoming more discouraged than ever. She would never agree to another date again, that was for sure. Had he been waiting and working all of these years just to get so close to the finish line and discover a cliff right ahead of it?

"I'm sorry today was so bloody rotten," he said hours later. His hands were in his pockets and he was kicking at the carpet covering the stairway between the two dormitory towers.
"It doesn't matter," she said gently, rising up on her tiptoes and pressing her lips against his cheek. Her nose was still a bit cold, but all James knew was that his heart was swelling and threatening to burst in his chest. "Next Hogsmeade date will be much better, I'm sure of it."

And then she was walking away, up the stairs of the girls' dormitories. James was only capable of one thought:

She had just stated that they were going to be going on another date.

"Hey!" he called after her.