Chapter 4

James' POV

Here I am. Sitting in History of Magic. Literally dying of boredom.

Miss Evans was sitting in front of me, so I could stare at the back of her head without it looking too conspicuous.

Although, it might actually look conspicuous. Two girls were giggling and pointing at me, and I heard Lily's name.

Quickly tearing off a piece of parchment, I scribbled down a note and passed it to Lily.

Hello, Evans ;)

What do you want?

A date with you at Hogsmede this weekend.

Not gonna happen

Even after I saved your life?

You didn't save my life

Then I bet those girls behind me would want to go

She turned, and glanced at the girls

Yeah. I bet their type is prick. Ask away, you're so right for them.

Ok. Maybe I will ask them. I mean, if she isn't interested, why shouldn't I be able to have a good time this weekend, right?

Right?

I turned around. "Hey, girls." I said, flashing a charming smile.

They giggled.

Why do girls do that? It's so annoying!

One more reason to love Lily.

Except I'm mad at her right now.

"So, I was thinking," I said, making sure Lily could hear, "I don't have a date to Hogsmede this weekend. I would much rather go with two lovely ladies than just one. What do you say?"

They giggled out an okay. Seriously, giggling out words is the most annoying way to speak.

Maybe that wasn't the best move. Girls probably don't like it when you're all over them and then hit on other girls…

Oh well. What's done is done.

Flashback to 1st year

Lily's POV

Ohmygosh…. Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh!

I'm going to Hogwarts.

I'm seriously doing it.

It's seriously real!

I had just said goodbye to my mum and dad and Petunia, and was boarding the train. I was walking around, feeling totally stupid, and looking for an empty compartment. I had boarded a bit late, as we couldn't find the entrance very easily.

I finally found a compartment with some space in it. I'm a shy person, so this will be awkward. As I opened the door to poke my head in and ask if I could join them, I dropped my luggage.

Crap.

Everyone looked up at me and started laughing to themselves, but even worse-I dropped my luggage while a kid with curly, dark hair and glasses was walking behind me. My first 5 minutes and I'd already managed to break someone. He stumbled and his glasses fell off.

"Umph!" he said as he hit the floor.

"Oh!" I gasped. "I'm so sorry! Here, let me help!" I said as tried to help him pick his belongings up.

"Watch where you're going next tim-" He stopped after he looked at me. It was probably just my hair. It was so red, so abnormally red and very bright. He just looked at me for a moment, then he went on with his gripping.

"Honestly, look around you next time you feel like throwing your things on the ground!"

"I said I was sorry." I said flatly, not quite believing what I was hearing. If he was in my family, my mom would have smacked him before he could take another breath.

"Well, sorry isn't going to do anything about it now!"

He grabbed his things and left with a huff.

"Hey," I heard. I turned to my right. One of the girls in the compartment had come to the door. "You can come sit in here if you want." she said sweetly.

"Oh, thanks," I said.

"Here, I'll help you with your luggage," said one of the boys.

"Thank you." I said again.

"I'm Marrissa, half-blood." said the girl. "Are you a first year?"

"Yeah," I said.

"I'm a second year. This is Chris, half-blood." she said, gesturing to the boy putting my luggage up in the storage compartments. "He's a third year."

"I'm Alice," said one of the other students sitting in the compartment. "I'm a first year too, pureblood."

"Hi," I said. "I'm Lily. Lily Evans."

They looked at me for a moment like I was supposed to say more, and when I didn't, Marrissa, who also had red hair but it was more orange than anything, had a look of realization on her face. "Oh! Are you a muggle-born?"

"Um… I think so."

"Both of your parents are non-magical?"

"Oh, yeah."

"That's cool! I wish I hadn't grown up with all the magic. It would make it even more special going to Hogwarts." she sat down, and once Chris was done with my luggage he sat with her.

"You can sit with me," Alice said.

I sat down, but didn't really say anything. It was quiet for a few moments, then Marrissa spoke up.

"Who was that boy out there?"

"I don't know," I told her. "He was really rude though,"

"That was Alan Potter's son. I don't know his name though, but I've heard a lot about him." Chris told us as he shoved my luggage into the already crammed compartments.

"Like what?" Alice asked

"Just simple things. You know, like he's arrogant and rude. That kind of stuff."

"All of those words seem to fit the description," I said, getting more comfortable with this group.

James's POV

Boarding the Hogwarts Express. I'd been ready for this for years. I'd bet within my first week here I'm top of my class. This will be a synch.

I was all too ready to get on board. I quickly said goodbye to Mum and Dad, then hurried on board, dragging my luggage behind me. As I'm trying to find an empty compartment, I come across a boy sitting by himself. That seems like as good a place as any to settle down.

"Mate," I said, sticking my head in the door. "Mind if I sit with you?"

"Sure, that's fine." he said. "But there isn't any room for luggage. Some kids came and stored theirs in here and left."

"Oh," I said. "Well, I'll just go find a place for mine and then I'll be back."

I closed the door and headed down the hall. Empty compartments, empty compartments….

Too busy doing my search, I didn't realize that I was about to walk into someone. Their trunk was stuck out a bit from the compartment they were headed into. But I didn't, so I did. I tumbled down, glasses going askew on my face, and my trunk falling open on the floor.

"Omph!" I went, hitting the ground.

"Oh!" someone gasped. "I'm so sorry! Here, let me help!" He tried to help me pick up my things, and I let him. It was his job, he knocked them over.

"Watch where you're going next tim-" I stopped mid-sentence after adjusting my glasses.

Wow.

Not 'he'. 'She'

And what a dish.

And that was some crazy hair. It's so….So red.

Realizing I was staring, I quickly covered my tracks.

"Honestly, look around you next time you feel like throwing your things on the ground!"

"I said I was sorry." she said, sounding shocked at my behavior.

Actually, I was too. You aren't supposed to treat girls like this.

"Well, sorry isn't going to do anything about it now!"

I grabbed my things and hurried off.

James' POV

6th Year

It's about midnight on a Friday, so there isn't anything to do but wait until Hogsmede tomorrow.

It's very exhausting.

Remembering the way I met Lily Evans, it's not hard to see why she didn't like me. I was a prick. And I was a prick until about 26 hours ago, when I read that she hates it. I'd do anything to get her to date me. Anything. It would be easier to know what to do though if I could just read that Diary. We aren't even sure if she knows it's gone missing yet, but she'll notice sooner or later.

I haven't let myself read it. I'm going to marry Lily Evans one day, but it'll be a much longer trip if I invade her privacy and any trust she has for me is damaged.

It's so hard to do that though when Remus and Sirius are over on Sirius' bed reading the Diary, cover to cover.

I tried to get them to stop, I really did. Letting my friends read her deepest darkest secrets isn't any better than reading them myself.

"Hey, James?" Sirius said from his bed. "Who's Petunia?"

"Lily's sister."

"Psh…" Remus shook his head. "Bitch."

A few more silent minutes went by so I pulled out my homework. Might as well get a head start.

A few more minutes and then some laughter.

It was quiet a bit more, and then they started up again.

They weren't only laughing. They were doing all forms of laughing. Giggling, chuckling, barking, weezing, chortling, coughing, rolling on the ground, smirking.

Laughing, laughing, laughing.

"Ha!" Sirius laughed, AGAIN. "That is priceless!"

"Merlin!" I shouted, sitting up. "What is so funny?"

And before I knew it they were reading everything to be, before I could say no, and before I could stop them.

"Look!" Remus said, laughing even harder. "She said 'James is a prick. He's like a thorny rose. He looks gorgeous, but if you get too close you get stabbed in the back!'! I mean, I don't know how she picks rose's, but I don't look at one and think "Hm, that's pretty, I should lay down on it!". Whadda dork!"

"Hey!" I threw a pillow at Remus, getting him to shut up. "Don't read me anymore. I don't want to know what she wrote." I lied back down on my bed, arms supporting my head.

"Oh, don't you?" Sirius smirked. "Here. Wouldn't you like to know what she said in her 4th year? That 'James turned into a sexy monster over the summer. It's like when we left he was cute, but when we came back he was like BAM! I'm gorgeous!'"

"Stop!" I yelled, turning over, my face in the sheets.

"Or that in March of 5th year she said "I've about had it with Potter. Today, he asked me out again, only this time he "accidentally" knocked me to the ground and fell on top of me. He was on top of me when he asked me out! We'll that's it! He can't just look at me with those hot eyes and put his fabulous body all over me and expect me not to do something about it! All I want to do is drag him into a broom cupboard and snog him like crazy! But no, he can't know I like him. He'll just act MORE like a dick."

"Ooohhh!" Remus teased. "Lily loves James! Lily loves James!" he sang.

"Shut up!" I screamed, pulling my pillow over my head.

"'The only way I could ever like James is if he'd shape up, clean up, and treat people with respect! But I don't like him."'

I lunged at Sirius, tackling him, struggling to get the Diary out of his hands.

"Give it here!" I yelled.

"No!" he shouted back. "I only have 6 months left! That's the last six months!"

I stopped struggling. I had to admit, I didn't care too much what she thought about me in 4th year as much as now.

"Here," Remus said. "How about, James, you let Sirius read the last 6 months, but tell him to stop every few minutes, just so you can say you tried. Then, you'll give then Diary back to Lily yourself, say you didn't read a thing, because you didn't, and then come back here and Sirius will tell you everything."

I paused.

"That could work," I said.

"Ok, then leave me be!" Sirius said, dramatically waving his hands at me. "Oh, and by the way, James. I totally just read you the answer to getting Lily."