"What is it that she sees in him?" demanded James Potter so forcefully he caused the people sitting around him at the Griffindor table to start and Sirius to look up sharply confused by his best friends unexpected display of hostility.

"He's got the personality of a cornflake!" he continued in a semi rant as he watched the aforementioned cornflake leave the Great Hall with narrowed eyes.

Even James himself was a little unsure as to why he was so angry but he had just witnessed the disgustingly cutesy couple banter, of one, Lily Evans and her boyfriend, and quite honestly it was enough to make his dinner repeat on him.

"What does who see in who?" Remus asked absentmindedly while continuing to read his book seemingly totally unconcerned or totally unaware of his friends' mood.

"Evans. What does she see in Martin?" demanded James slamming the knife he had wrapped in a white knuckled fist on to the table hard enough to leave a dent

Remus looked up sharply at this, shocked by the question. Whilst Sirius stopped eating, his face full of food and his fork hanging suspended halfway between his mouth and his plate.

James never talked about Lily's love life.

Never.

In fact he rarely talked about Lily at all, unless it was in a professional capacity.

When James registered their stunned faces, he started to feel a little uncomfortable and so decided it was best to elaborate and continued, "I mean he's a nice guy, don't get me wrong, decent Quidditch player and all that, but he's just so boring I can't imagine how Evans even gets through their dates together without falling asleep."

"Boring huh? Well that makes him the total opposite of you, ergo Lily loves him," Sirius joked hesitantly around the mouth full of pudding he had.

After receiving a cold stare from James, Sirius swallowed and said defensively, "Well honestly, don't look at me like that! What do you even care Prongs mate? I though you were over it. It was years and many girlfriends ago. Not to mention you have Kimberly now." As he said this Sirius leaned back in his chair and started to blatantly check out James girlfriend, who happened to be leaning over to talk to a friend on the next table providing him with a spectacular view of her arse.

"Stop leering you horny little dog! Honestly, don't you think it's a little inappropriate to be staring at your best mate's girlfriend, no matter how hot she is?" said Remus who was also checking Kimberly out, although admittedly in a much more discrete way.

Kim had come as a total surprise to James' friends. They liked her well enough, she was good natured, cute, carefree, and seemed totally devoted to their best friend, she treated him the way he deserved to be treated but she was flighty and vapid and self-centered and the striking difference between Kim and Lily had been such a complete turn around for James that frankly it had been a little worrying.

However assuming that Kim was just a rebound, or a bit of fun, his friends had let his decision go unchecked deciding to let him make his own decisions, feeling that eventually he would come to his senses.

They had been completely wrong.

Initially, he had been hesitant, but after a few weeks James had thrown himself into his new relationship with surprising relish. Now they seemed so disgustingly happy, it was shocking.

"When you're quite finished discussing my girlfriend," muttered James slapping Sirius on the back of the head, to stop him from gawking. "I was going to say that I don't care who Lily dates anymore, but he's arrogant, bigheaded, and totally self centered, and what worse is I think he cheating on her, the fucking moron is going out with 'The Lily Evans' and its not enough for him!" said James a little of his anger returning before he managed to control himself and finish by saying, "he's all the things she ever accused me of being and I guess I'm just a little confused as to why she would chose to date him and not even consider me."

Remus and Sirius quickly looked at each other knowing this was dangerous territory.

"In all fairness you were a bit of a prick, back in the day," said Sirius carefully.

"Thanks a lot Padfoot, way to boost a guys confidence," said James sharply.

Sirius seemed to realise that that may have been one jibe too far for the day so he held up his hands trying to placate James before he got really angry.

Whilst James may have taken a huge leap today in broaching the subject of Lily it was obvious that she was still the one thing the Marauders weren't able to joke about.

Seeing their fear and interpreting it correctly James rolled his eyes and said "Don't worry I'm not going to maim you for reminding me of her total and very painful rejection of me. I've finally come to terms with it. I don't like her anymore, I promise. I came to the conclusion a long time ago that she really isn't right for me. She is way too much of a shrew for my tastes…"

"Who's a shrew?" giggled a voice from behind James.

"Hey Kim," Sirius and Remus sighed without even looking around, a little peeved she had interrupted a conversation that was so desperately needed.

"Evans," replied James surprising his friends by continuing the topic. "I was just wondering what she and Jacob Martin see in each other," he said, pulling Kim onto his lap.

"Oh well," Kim said breathily settling herself into a comfortable position, before running her fingers through James' untidy hair. "I think they are quite perfect for each other. He's gorgeous, and talented, and totally besotted with her. She's pretty, popular, clever and so into him that it's just adorable."

"Pretty is an understatement," mumbled Sirius to Remus trying to discretely have his own conversation, but not quite managing it, meaning James overheard.

"What have I said about your indoor voice Sirius?" sighed Remus.

James was just giving them both a filthy look. When suddenly Kim's continued rambling caught his attention.

"But you must know that because you did fancy her after all, didn't you James?"

This statement caused Remus to choke on the drink he had just taken a sip of.

Kim obviously didn't even have the slightest inkling as to how James used to feel about Lily. If she had she wouldn't have dared to bring her up. It was true that he had fancied her, but it was also a massive understatement. He hadn't just fancied her he had been, smitten, infatuated, head over tit in love with her, take your pick.

This conversation was turning out to be well beyond the realms of what was acceptable in Potter world. No one talked about James' crush on Lily; not even Remus and Sirius.

It was like watching an on coming car crash, but not being able to take your eyes away.

Remus vainly hoped that the worst was over, and that Kim would stop while she was ahead, but she wasn't finished.

"They are just the cutest couple. How can you think they're not, like, made for each other?" she asked, rolling her eyes and flipping her hair over her shoulder completely oblivious to the uproar she was creating.

James just stared at Kim as she continued to talk.

Kim seeming to misunderstand the reason for his stare said, "Don't worry baby I know you don't fancy her now, after all you've got me." She said tapping his nose with her index finger. "But you really shouldn't hate her so much; even I have to admit you should try to be a bit friendlier. You're Co-Heads now so you can't be at each others throats. I think you would get on well if you just tried," she concluded.

"Anyway I've got to go, Daisy is calling me. Bye James, I'll see you tomorrow yeah?"

"Yeah, bye," James said totally disconcerted.

Sirius watched her leave forlornly. Sometimes she just showed no tact or common sense. She had no idea what she had just done. She had just flitted away like a butterfly, totally unconcerned, leaving him and Remus to deal with the cleanup.

So watching James carefully they waited with bated breath for the explosion, but it never came.

"We do get on," James finally said after a minute of silence.

"I'm sorry?" questioned Remus hesitantly.

"Lily and I, we get on, don't we?" he questioned looking confused.

"Well yes and no," hazarded Remus slowly, broaching the forbidden subject for the first time in two years. "You look like you get on to outsiders, but to anyone who knows you it's obvious that your relationship is totally superficial."

"I talk to her, I know her, we spend 2 hours a night together for goodness sake!"

"True, but you only tolerate her. Kim's right maybe you should try a little harder. It's been two years and well, she pretty cool now, nothing like she was before, not quite so vicious. Maybe its time you let go of the grudge you've been holding," added Sirius timidly.

"I'm not holding a grudge!" said James hotly.

"Maybe not on purpose, but subconsciously I think you are," Remus said gently. "You have been cold to her ever since you finally gave up on her. We let it go at the time because we knew it was what you needed to get by, but perhaps now is the time to fully rebuild the proverbial bridge."

Remus and Sirius eyed James curiously waiting to see what he would do next, but he just looked thoughtful for a moment before he changed the subject.

---