Chapter 2: Lakeside Chat

"I hope you know I'm not going to enjoy this," I say, crossing my arms, and glaring up at idiot boy. "I'd rather sprout boils and ooze puss than enjoy a second of time in your company."

"You don't have to enjoy it, you just have to be in it," he says, slinging an arm around my shoulders and ignoring my stiffening. "Act nice, play along, and I won't make any trouble for you or yours."

"Tell my parents. See if I care."

"Alright. If you insist..." He removes his wand from inside his robe. "Will they accept owl or need I send word by regular post?"

I snatch his wand away, sticking it in my back pocket. "Fine. What exactly do you want from me?"

Potter grins, hand snaking to retrieve his wand, fingers lingering in my pocket entirely longer than necessary. "Be my girl. Simple as that."

"Why pick the one girl who is unwilling to be just that?"

"Simple." He shrugs, looking straight ahead. "I don't love any of them."

"Playing hard to get is not a tease, Potter," I say. "I really don't like you. Whether you feel we suit or not, I say we don't."

"You'll change your mind," he says. "You just don't know me that well. Once you get to know me..."

"There are better ways to get someone to date you than kidnapping and--"

"Oh, it was only that once!" he insists, voice raising pitch. "And I did it to save you. Did you honestly want to catch cold and die?"

"If it meant not spending the night with you, yes."

"I didn't touch you. I didn't try."

"Then," I say, shrugging my shoulders to bounce his arm around. "What do you call now?"

"Holding my girl."

"I'm not your girl."

"You are if you want everyone to keep on believing you're the perfect little prefect with sterling grades and steady head. I could ruin you if I wanted to, Evans."

"Why don't you?"

"I already told you. Because I love you."

"You have some way of showing it."

He shrugs, unconcerned. "I could show you in other ways."

I screw up my face at the thought. "I'd rather take my chances with the Disciplinary Committee."

Potter's arm tightens around me. "Suit yourself...Are you going to call them or should I?"

"I hate you," I hiss. "You're a horrid, horrid person with the morals of a sea slug."

"I love you too, Lily," he answers sardonically.

"I--" I clamp my mouth shut before properly answering. It's time to play along and act nice.

Potter's friends wave from the lakeshore. The tallest one--Black--jogs over to meet us.

"Hey! Didn't know if you were gonna join us or not."

"Had to pick up Lily," Potter says, arm tightening around my shoulder once more. "You remember Lily, right? My girlfriend Lily?"

"Fast work," Black says. "Didn't she hex you in class last week?"

"Two weeks ago, thank you," Potter says, laughing. "Love blossoms under the most unlikely of circumstances."

"Yes. I'm sure." He sounds doubtful, watching Potter and I critically for a moment before stealing him away with a "Would you excuse us for a moment?"

"Keep him as long as you want!" I call, brushing my shoulder where Potter's slimy arm just was. "I don't want him back! Really!"

They return all too soon, Black bowing with a flourish. "Forgive the intrusion, Fairest Lily. I've returned your Lover Boy."

"He's not my--" I clamp my mouth shut with a click of my teeth. "I mean, really, Black, don't go broadcasting around. Snape has been out to hex poor James for years. Don't need to be giving him any more ammunition."

Black grins over at stupid Potter. "Looks like you're getting your wish, mate. She didn't tell you to piss off. Good show!" He slaps Potter on the back before bounding away.

"I told you that was LAST WEEK!" Potter calls after him. "LAST WEEK!" He turns back to me with an apologetic smile. James Potter? Actually sorry about something? "They're my mates but can be horribly annoying at times."

"All mates can be that way."

He frowns, looking down at me. "Look. Is it alright if I at least hold your hand? That's not going to kill you, is it?"

"It might."

Potter sighs, frustrated. "This is supposed to be convincing and, if you continue to be all prickly, no one is going to believe we're together."

"That's the point. We're not together."

"We are if you don't want to get expelled."

"Fine," I say, grudgingly offering my hand. "But only hand-holding. Don't be getting any other ideas in that slimy, little head of yours. Absolutely no snogging or...hands in other places I won't allow."

He accepts my hand, fingers twining tight on mine. "I'm really not a bad person, Lily."

"You haven't proven that to me yet, Potter."

Potter starts walking around the lake away from his friends, taking me with him. "What do I have to say to prove it to you?"

"It's not what you say, it's what you do."

"I'm listening."

"There's not a guide book, Potter. You have to start by being an intrinsically nice person."

"I am," he says. "Just because I tease a person or two doesn't mean I'm horrid. It's boy stuff. It happens."

"Since first year?"

He shrugs. "Ever think that Snivilus deserves the teasing he gets?"

"No one deserves half that much grief." I shake my head. "Really, Potter, that's what I'm talking about. That's where you should start."

"Start being nice to Snivilus?" His eyes go wide behind his glasses. "You first."

"I am nice to him."

"No, practice what you preach. Start being nice to me."

I hold up our entwined hands. "What do you call this?"

"Playing along," he says. "For me to be nice to Snivilus, you have to first do something truly nice and unprompted. Holding hands was my idea, not yours."

"Fine," I snap, rolling my eyes. "What do you have in mind?"

Potter grins down at me. "Na-uh. It has to be your idea, not mine."

"Do you need help with exams? We can study together."

"Is all you think about school? Honestly, Lily, how boring!"

"Study at Hogsmeade?" I amend. "Come on, Potter, it's in public. Your little charade will gain momentum."

"Call me 'James' in hearing of others, come early for dinner, and I'll agree." He flashes another grin, making me want to hit him.

"Fine," I sigh. "How early and when exactly?"

"Why not tonight? Right now even," Potter says, glancing up at the sky. "We can take in lunch and dinner."

"Don't press your luck, Potter."

He laughs, squeezing my hand before raising it to his lips to kiss it. "I won't. I promise."