Summary: When a class assignment pairs two students who have never seen eye to eye together for two weeks during the summer, sparks are bound to fly, along with tempers, tears and clothing? JPLE. Rating will stay the same.

A.N.: J.K.Rowling, Scholastic, Warner Brothers, they all own Harry Potter. I own nothing. I can barely afford gas for my car let alone try to copyright a story for a fanfic site. And if you, Mrs. Rowling would just put out a new Harry Potter book each week we uber-fans wouldn't have to take matters into our own hands and hope to Merlin you don't sue us for plagiarism.

This isn't my first fic just the first one I've had the nerve to post, most of the time they are just a very weird catharsis. I appreciate your opinions so please review and tell me what you think! Will update often.

Muggle It

All's Fair…

"Lily."

"James"

"Lily." James now whined as he gave her that wounded puppy look she had a very hard time resisting...But not tonight, tonight she was going to hold strong, and give him a taste of his own medicine.

"Please, pretty please." She begged sweetly while giving him that upward stare as she held both of his hands, actions she had learned this past week an a half were things he had a very hard time saying no too. "I haven't been to a carnival in years."

She stuck out her lip a little, enjoying watching him slowly cave in. He was just too easy. If she batted her eyelashes at him he'd probably go so far as to buy a carnival so she could go everyday.

"We've been here nearly a week and a half and you haven't done anything remotely muggle like." She pointed out.

"That's not true. I've been cooking, oh, and I used the telephone."

"To order pizza so you wouldn't have to cook."

James just grinned. The idea he could call someone, and they would bring him food had been very appealing to him.

"Alright." He gave in. "We'll go, but I'm not getting on any of those ride things."

"Of course." She grinned at him. "I'm going to go change.

"Why, what you're wearing is fine."

Lily looked at him like he was crazy, but just resigned herself to giving him a quick kiss and smile. "Just remember that you love me."

She started up the stairs as he called after her:

"Yes, I do love you; I think you're a bit nutty, but I love you."

She looked over her shoulder and grinned at him.

"I think you're getting a little to confident over the effect that smile has on me…but I still love you."

Lily shook her head, smiling as she kept walking.

"I think if you wear that little white tank top I'll love you even more!" He called as she walked into her room.

The first thing she noticed was Moe sitting on her desk with a letter. She walked over and freed the bird of the parchment it was carrying.

"James has you doing his dirty work now I see."

The Owl squawked a little and watched as she opened it. She unfolded the parchment and was surprised to see that it wasn't James's writing; instead it was a messy scrawl that looked familiar.

Dearest Lily (AKA The lovely redhead holding Mr. James (Prongs) Potters leash),

We would like to extend our greatest sympathy to you, and hope that your mental health is restored soon, so that you may see the error of your ways and drop Prongsie on his behind where he belongs.

On second thought, don't, because we are rather enjoying being able to get piss drunk without having to worry about him crying into his pint over why you don't like him.

We are, infact, truly thrilled over this new development and will be throwing a party in your honor. (Alright so the party is being thrown in Peters honor, but we will give you an honorable mention) You and your lapdog(sorry, lapstag) are cordially invited to Mr. Peter (Wormtail) Pettigrew's coming of age party on Wednesday, the 17th of August at Nine O'clock at the flat of Mr. Sirius (Padfoot) Black. Attire is optional, sobriety is not. We have taken the liberty of reserving you both seats on the five O'clock train to London, which means show up or you're paying us back for the tickets with interest. Mr. Remus (Moony) Lupin will be waiting in the Leaky Cauldron to let you two wandless pansies in. However make sure he's pointing his the right way…we will be starting the celebration early.

Best Regards,

Padfoot, Moony and Wormtail

P.S. Wormtail wishes you to tell Prongs he better be here or he's prodding the bloody knot next year.

Lily couldn't help but smile a little at the sheer bravado the four of them seemed to possess as she went to find her white top.

She hugged James's arm as they walked down the road towards the small town.

"It looks like its going to rain." James said as he looked up at the sky.

"The paper said it was going to stay dry."

"The paper also said I should steer clear of vivacious redheads today, doesn't mean that it's going to happen." He pointed out.

Lily just laughed and smiled at him. "You better not."

"I always thought divination was a wooly subject anyways. Moony and Padfoot swear by it though."

"They do not." She said skeptically.

"Of course they do." He said with a grin. "They swear it's the best class to catch up on sleep in."

Lily let out an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes as she bumped into him playfully. James just kissed her temple softly as the walked, making her feel much warmer that the cooling air should have allowed.

"I got a letter from your friends." She said casually.

"Whatever they said; I didn't do it." He answered quickly.

"That's very convincing."

"Well their very dumb."

She shivered a little under the cool night air. She had indulged him and wore that little white tank top, with a pale blue cardigan over it though. He let go of her arm and draped it over her shoulder, tucking her under his arm and rubbing hers to help keep her warm.

"They want us to come to London tomorrow for Peter's birthday." She said as she looked up at him.

"Can't use magic." There was a touch of sullenness in his voice. Lily could tell he was upset about missing his friend's birthday.

"Yes, but we can use the train, they booked us tickets, it leaves at five tomorrow." She smiled as he broke into a huge grin.

"Do you want to go?" He asked hopefully.

"Sure," She smiled evilly at him. "On one condition though."

"Oh No! No Way!" James said as he looked at the Tunnel of Love in complete horror. "There's no bloody way I'm getting on that…those…those are swans Lily."

Lily was trying not to giggle. "I agreed to go to the party if you went on one ride with me. This is the ride I want to go on."

James was just staring at the tawdry tunnel that looked like a cherub massacre gone bad. "Lily, please, anyone but this." He pleaded with her, looking around at all of the other blokes avoiding the ride like the plague, hoping to Merlin no other wizards were present.

"Fine, that one then." She pointed to the ride next to them. It was nothing but metal cages being spun in circles around something that was supposed to resemble a zipper.

James eyed the ride, then the man operating the ride warily. Going for a run with a werewolf once a month was one thing, but climbing into a spinning cage one hundred feet off the ground that was being operated by a man that had fewer teeth than a Flobberworm…and half the IQ was a little much for him.

"This ones fine." He said in a slightly higher voice than usual. It took a hell of a lot to scare him, but if he was going to die as the result of a stupid stunt, it was going to be his own fault, not some guy who made the Hog's head cliental look like high society. "I mean if you really want to we can." He rolled his eyes like he was doing it only for her.

She smiled up at him happily. "Really?"

"Sure." He grudgingly walked up to the man manning the gate and handed him the tickets as he shot one last fugitive glance over his shoulder at the other ride.

They sat down in the plastic swan and Lily glanced over at him. He was looking around, slightly embarrassed. She knew it was wrong, conning him into the going on the ride with her. But she had grown up wanting to these things and watching all of the happy couples drift off into the tunnel of love. Granted she had been slightly more naive about what might be going on in there, but she liked the idea all the same.

Beside, he had no right to complain about being embarrassed, they were far from being even when it came to that. She still hadn't forgotten about the singing suits of armor.

That and he was about to get his lights snogged out.

As soon as they were in the dark, empty tunnel James seemed to catch on a bit. "Ohhh."

He grinned at her. "Ok, maybe this isn't so bad…I thought it was going to be like a tour of Madam Puddifoots on Valentines Day."

Lily just shook her head mischievously.

"Well I think I just became a very big supporter of the carnival." He joked as he pulled her into a kiss.

Lily straightened her hair as they came out of the tunnel and reached over to wipe a smudge of lipstick off the corner of James's mouth.

The man stopped the swan but James just scrambled and handed him a pile of tickets and a twenty pound note.

"Just keep it rolling mate."

A few guys waiting in line with their own girlfriends chuckled as they headed back towards the tunnel.

"James!" She looked back at the operator, her cheeks burning and desperately trying not to laugh.

"Come on Evans, you're the one who wanted to go on the ride." He grinned cheekily at her as they floated back into the tunnel. Lily just shook her head in mock exasperation and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You're lucky I find you so adorable." She said seriously.

"So Muggles really come to these things all the time?" James asked as he looked around the carnival.

They were walking hand in hand down the rows between the games and food venders.

"Yup, Petunia and I used to go all the time when we were little. She would get so mad because she would have to hold my hand and take me through the funhouses instead of going on all of the, adult rides." Lily smiled. "After a few years I could have cared less about the funhouses, I just liked how mad it made her."

"You come across as such a sweet girl." He said, shaking his head. "You really do have everyone fooled, don't you?"

"I am a sweet girl." She said indigently. "The problem always was that she isn't."

"What happened between you two?" James asked her curiously. "Did you ever get along?"

"No, we just, don't. We've always just been so, different, too different I suppose. She's just not a very nice person. I'm sorry, that's a horrible thing to say."

James gave her hand a little squeeze. "Well, you set a pretty high standard when it comes to comparing someone to you."

Lily blushed a little. "That's one of the things she gets so angry about, that people are always comparing the two of us."

"That's because she knows no one can come close. You've got it all. You're smart, funny, kind, polite, and the fact that you're incredibly beautiful doesn't hurt either. If you liked to talk about Quidditch, you would be perfect."

"Ha Ha." She drawled as she bumped into him playfully.

"See, this is when you start telling me how smart and funny and dashingly handsome I am."

"Oh." She looked up at him innocently. "But I could never lie to you James."

"Ha Ha."

"You were right. The more I'm around you, the funnier I get."

"Yeah…I can barely contain myself." He drawled.

"I know, but try to; I'm not that kind of girl." She winked at him and he just shook his head with laughter. He slipped his arm over her shoulder confidently as they kept strolling though the carnival.

Well, she was strolling, he was strutting.

But she had yet to see James Potter walk from point A to point B with out a hint of that slightly arrogant swagger.

Two months ago she would have said something to humble him a tiny bit, just for the sake of their delightful verbal sparing. However, now she couldn't help but feel a little bit proud that he was so proud to be walking around with her. Besides, he looked cute when he strutted.

The many looks that had been directed at James's throughout the evening had not been lost on her. He was wearing his black polo shirt again, with the collar turned up, a cigarette hanging with an annoying coolness out of the corner of his lips. She hated that he looked cute when he was smoking. She hated smoking, it was a disgusting habit, and yet, he was…sexy.

At least they were a wizard brand so they didn't have that repulsive smell that usually went along with them.

He was crazy if he thought he would be smoking in our house though.

Our house.

Lily smiled inwardly. It was strange how fast everything had become we or ours Two weeks ago it had been me and mine. However, for the last week and a half, she had had a hard time resisting the urge to doodle Mrs. Lily Potter on spare bits of parchment just to see how it looked.

It looked perfect.

She looked up as James groaned.

"What?" She asked, looking amused.

James just pointed at a long line of outhouses. "I bet I could argue that a cleaning spell was completely justified in this case."

"Sorry love, you're a muggle. Muggles line the seat."

He sighed heavily in defeat. "I'll be back…hopefully."

She smiled at him as he walked off, finishing off his cigarette and disappearing into the grey plastic hut, grumbling to himself.

Lily had to admit, she was very proud of him.

This entire trip he had been able to pass for a muggle very well, except for when he would suddenly exclaim how cool something was…like an ice machine…or a plastic cleaning broom.

Alright, that one was just plain embarrassing, she had to admit, endearing, but embarrassing. He had begged her to take a picture of him with it to show his friends…in the middle of a crowded supermarket…where he proceeded to imitated riding it...very exuberantly.

She would be happy about having been able to record it for prosperity, or teasing rights later on, if she thought he would ever be embarrassed about it.

"Hey."

Lily jumped a little and turned around.

Standing there was a man, a little older than she was, and a bit thinner than most men his age, smiling at her.

"Oh. Hello." She said, sounding slightly shy.

"I just saw you standing here alone and thought…it's just not right that someone as pretty as you is here alone." He said confidently, still smiling at her.

Lily flushed red and quickly looked over at the outhouses. She and James hadn't been together very long, but she had a feeling he might be the jealous type.

Who was she kidding? She knew he was the jealous type. It had been nearly impossible for her to get a date to Hogsmeade after James made it clear he fancied her. All of the other guys at school were just too…leery…about James and the hexes he and his fellow Marauders were known for.

"Oh, no, I'm not." She said quickly. "My boyfriends in the loo"

As if on cue, James walked out with an obvious look of disgust over the muggle contraption. However the restroom was quickly forgotten and his eyes narrowed at the muggle.

"Right." The man said, eyeing James warily. The wizard was after all, a good bit bigger than he was. "I'll be off then."

He left quickly, glancing over his shoulder a few times as James slipped his arm around Lily's waist protectively.

"You know, I think it's a good thing that you're not the one who turns into a dog…or else you might have marked your territory all over me just now." She said pointedly, trying not to sound amused.

"He shouldn't have been talking to you." James said matter-o-factly.

"Jealous?"

"Of him? Ha!" He snorted. "No."

Lily just slipped her arm around his waist as well and let her head rest on his shoulder. "It really is a good thing I find you adorable."

"Well then I better hope my hair never falls out."

"The hair I can deal with." She said seriously. "But if you get a beer belly, I'm going to have to leave you."

"Fair enough." He said, just as seriously. They were both trying to hide their smiles, something that never worked. Lily's face was usually sore by the end of the day from grinning so much.

"But then you can't cut your hair." He said, this time actually looking serious as well.

"Is that so?"

"Yup. I'm putting my foot down." He stated as they continued to walk along. "I don't care if you end up being, six hundred pounds, as long as you still have that hair."

Lily cocked her head and smiled up at him. "Six hundred?"

"You know what I mean." He started to explain, but was quickly distracted by a small arcade. "Oh, wicked!"

He let go of her and made his way in.

"I've heard about these! Moony's mum took him to one once." He began looking around like a four year old with free rein to a toy store. "Ok Evans, how do these work?"

Lily just rolled her eyes and shook her head in shame.

"Come on, one game…you're the one who said I needed to be trying more muggle stuff."

"James, Shhh!" She looked around nervously at the crowd of teenagers around them. "Don't talk about muggles so loud."

"Why shouldn't I talk about muggles?" He said loudly with a grin.

"James!" She glared at him.

"Now if only there was something to keep me quiet so that I don't talk about muggles so loudly." He exclaimed innocently, now starting to turn a few heads.

Lily had to resist the urge to throttle him. Instead she shoved her hand into her purse and then shoves some money into his stupid hand.

"There." She practically seethed. "And try those games in the corner, they're meant for small children, they should suit you just fine. I'm going to go get a frozen lemonade."

She turned on her heal and stormed out of the tent. James stood there with a gobsmacked look on his face, not quite sure what had just happened.

"Lily…come on, I was just messing around." He called after her.

That only made her seethe even more. Infuriated that as smart and sweet as James could be, he always had to go and act completely childish.

What made her even angrier was the thought that refused to quit echoing throughout her head, the very one she had been thinking before James had decided to regress ten years.

This is the man I'm going to marry.

Lily fiddled with the straw in her lemonade as she walked back towards the arcade, feeling positively wretched for being so short with him. He had after all just been kidding around. There was also the fact that as a guy he would be naturally drawn to anything where you got to beat the hell out of someone and not get in trouble for it; even if it was only with a joystick.

She walked into the arcade trying to find him. She could sit and watch him play videogames for a while. He had, after all agreed to come with her.

However her boyfriend was nowhere to be seen.

She scanned the crowds nervously, hoping desperately he wasn't so mad he left.

No…James wouldn't do that.

He wouldn't just leave me here.

She looked along the food lines, the restrooms, becoming more and more worried the longer she looked for him.

Please don't have let him left.

The prospect of walking all the way up to the house alone in the dark was not at all appealing in its self. However the prospect of having to walk back up without James was down right terrifying.

People were looking at her strangely as she looked around the walkways franticly.

"Is everything alright Miss.?" An elderly man asked her.

"Oh. Yes…I'm just, looking for my boyfriend." She answered still looking around.

She nearly jumped when she felt a raindrop fall on her cheek.

Figures.

That was when she spotted it; that unmistakable mop of messy black hair. She literally felt her body calm down at the sight of him. Then it only took her a few more seconds before she was well on her way to working herself into another fury at him for scaring her like that.

She marched towards him only to stop and watch him bring his arm back and hurl a ball into one of the tented games lining the walkways.

"Good one mate. Here you go." A weather worn man said as he handed James a plush bear.

"No, I need that one up there…how many more?" James said sternly as he glanced at his watch. "I don't have much time."

"Tell you what, three more and it's yours."

"Thanks." James quickly handed him some more money as he picked up the balls. Lily watched as he threw them in quick succession, each resulting in a loud clang and thud.

She couldn't help but smile as James lit up and grinned proudly.

"Quite an arm you got there. Are you sure you don't want to go for the next one? Only one more round and it's yours." The man pressured.

"Nope. That one." James looked at his watch again, almost desperately. He handed James a much larger plush toy, which James tucked under his arm.

"Thanks mate." He said as he turned around. He spotted Lily watching him for the first time and stopped, giving her that sheepish yet cocky smile that she couldn't resist melting for a little.

When did I become the girl who got weak kneed over a smile?

When you noticed how incredible that smile was.

Lily just smiled apologetically at him and made the first move towards him. She went to say something, to apologize, but just picked up his hand instead, and wrapped her fingers around his, giving his hand a little squeeze.

"Nice throw." She said softly.

"Guess all that Quidditch practice was bound to come in handy sometime...Sorry about before." He said sincerely.

"No. Don't be. I was being a…witch."

James chuckled a little. "Yeah well, I was being a prat…here."

He pulled the stuffed animal out from under his arm and handed it to her. It was a plain stuffed lion with a soft furry mane.

"James!" Lily jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

James hugged her back in surprised. Lily pulled back and looked up at him. "Thank you." She said sincerely, before kissing him softly.

"It's no problem."

She picked up his hand again and began pulling him down one of the walkways, clutching the lion in one hand, him in the other.

"Uh, Lily? Where are we going?"

She stopped in front of the arcade. "You'll want to practice if you want to beat Remus the next time you see him."

James smiled a bit, still looking unsure. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. Besides, you were right, it's starting to rain, we should wait until it stops before heading back." She plopped herself down in a chair near a row of games.

This is what relationships were about after all, compromise.

And seeing that gorgeous smile that he had right now.

"You're the best." He told her as he kissed the top of her head before moving towards one of the flashing, most vulgar looking games.

Lily shrieked as her foot sank into a puddle as they ran. Her brilliant idea of waiting out the small shower had severely backfired when it turned into an all out downpour.

What she wouldn't give for a good water repelling charm right now!

James, though, with much glee pointed out it would be fairly obvious when they showed up without a drop of water on them after being out in a storm.

She knew him better than that. It had nothing to do with breaking the rules. She was in a white tank top, and he was beside himself.

She couldn't help but grin at him. His hair was plastered down to his face; his shirt was clinging to every perfect inch of him.

"What's so funny?" He asked her.

"Nothing." She said as she grabbed his arm, pulling him closer. She reached up and moved the dark strands off his eye.

He slipped his arm around her waist, kissing her quickly. Since they had gotten together, their kisses had been sweet, passionate…incredible. This one bordered on hungry.

She felt his fingers press into her back, pulling her against him. She stood up on her tip toes so she could wrap her arms around his neck. He began to lead her off the road until her back was pressed against the trunk of an old English oak.

The pace of the kiss quickened as their lips clashed roughly against the others. His hand slid down her leg and moved it to the side so he could step in closer.

Lily broke away from his mouth and began kissing up and down his neck as one of his hands found her hair.

Then, with no warning, a bolt of lightning ripped through the sky.

This time, Lily flat out screamed, causing James to nearly jump out of his skin and look around franticly.

"What…It was just lightning." He said calmly, looking a little amused. Seconds later thunder cracked above them, causing Lily to squeeze her eyes shut and cling to James.

"Lily?" He asked, very confused as he rubbed her back.

"I'm sorry…It's just, I hate it." She said, her voice muffled by his chest which she currently had her face buried in.

James just chuckled.

"Stop it. It's not funny." She pleaded. "Can we please go home?"

"Yeah, of course." He pulled her under his arm protectively as they started back up the road.

Another bolt of lightning made Lily yelp and hide her face back in James's chest. James just looked thoroughly perplexed at the entire situation. He just tightened his grip around her and rubbed her arm.

"You don't have to worry. You're safe with me." He said softly. Lily nodded, but just clung to him as another boom of thunder echoed around them.

Lily rang out her hair in the bathroom sink after scrubbing her face clean. The storm still hadn't let up.

She couldn't explain it. For as long as she could remember, Thunder storms had just scared her to death. She could still remember hiding under her parent's bed until they were over. The thunder she could handle, but there was just something about lightning that made her blood run cold.

A bolt flashed across the window followed almost immediately by a boom of thunder than made her jump and squeeze her eyes shut. However her eyelids didn't block out the blinding light of the next bolt as it streaked across the sky right over the house.

Lily ran down the hall and slipped into James's room. His eyes blinked open as she hurried across the room and pulled the blankets back.

"Lily?" He asked groggily.

She just climbed in next to him, much to his surprise, and delight.

"Are you ok?"

Lily just burrowed in under his arm and hugged his torso. "I don't want to be alone."

"Ok." He still looked a little perplexed but wasn't about to argue with her over it. He gladly pulled her into his arms, trying not to let the grin that was bursting to escape be seen. She was scared…she was vulnerable…She was in his bed…and she had come to him for protection.

She knew he was smiling, but that was ok. He was there, and that gave her an inexplicable amount of comfort. As long as she was with him; she knew she would always be safe.

James would take care of her.

She cozied her head into the nook of his arm as he pulled the covers around her, and this time she only startled a little as another burst of thunder filled the house.

"It's ok." He said soothingly.

"I know." She kissed his cheek softly.

"Get some sleep."

She felt his head rest against hers, his hair still wet from the rain as well. She could hear the rain pounding on the roof above them, coming down in a peaceful rhythm. And for the moment, in the midst of a storm, she felt safe.

"I love you James Potter." She whispered to him softly, but he had already fallen asleep. It was alright, she knew that he knew she did. An hour of watching him play Tetris had proven that.

But as she drifted off herself, she couldn't help but smile at the words that had been echoing though her head all night.

This is the man I'm going to marry.

A.N.: This chapter was actually supposed to be much longer, but I just wasn't happy with how it was turning out so I decided to break it into two parts and start fresh with the party! This is where the Drama part enters the story. Lots and lots and lots of thanks to everyone whose been reviewing…seriously, I love feedback, good, bad or indifferent. And if nothing else, to entice you to keep reading, I will be putting Lily in the most hideous bridesmaid dress I can find and putting the picture on my profile. I can only imagine what Petunia might have really come up with ;-) Lots of love to all of you, thanks for reading!