A/N: Hi everyone! I missed you guys! So I know it's been forever since I updated but my computer crashed and it hasn't gotten fixed, BUT I GOT A NEW ONE!

So, recently I looked at the last time I updated this thing I was mortified and I decided you guys deserved much better, so I sat down and decided to finish this chapter and move on with the story.

This chapter is dedicated to my friend, Carter, whose grandfather died this past week. May he rest in peace.

Patronizing

"Lily Anne Evans!" James yells at me through my door. "The train leaves in 15 minutes. Get your sexy arse out here before I drag it out!"

I blush at the bit about my 'sexy' arse, but shrug it off. James has been saying such things since the incident in Charms last week.

"I'm coming, James! Don't get your knickers in a twist!" I yell back.

The door opens behind me and I turn to see James leaning against the door frame, smirk wide and eyes alight.

"Now, Flower, how would you know I wear knickers?" he asks, voice like silk.

I turn away from him and close my trunk. "Because that's what blokes like you wear."

"Blokes like me? What exactly is a 'bloke like me', Ms. Evans?" he asks cockily.

"Egotistical, cocky-"

"Don't forget ruggedly handsome and muscular," he interjects, his voice a whisper because he's now right behind me with his hands on my hips, and talking into my ear.

For a second, I forget to breathe, but I muster up enough to say, "Please. You're more like a decaying twig. Hardly muscular."

"I'll have you know that my muscles are the envy of the entire school, Flower. But what does the school matter when I can do things like this to someone like you," he breathes and his lips press against the skin of my neck ever so lightly, causing me intake sharply.

I hear him chuckle. "You're just itching for me, aren't you, Flower?"

I laugh nervously and say, "In your dreams, Potter."

"Quite literally, really," he replies and kisses my cheek quickly before picking up my trunk and walking out.

Do you understand how hard it is to stay mad at someone like James when you're someone like me?

Well guess what.

It's extremely hard.

Marlene and Dorcas raise their eyebrows at me when James and I come down the Grand Staircase. I guess I still have a slight blush to me at the moment. I place my hand on the spot on my neck where he kissed me. I can still feel his hands on my hips and his lips on my skin. I feel my cheeks heat up just thinking about it.

Sad thing is, I can't deny that James was right. I am itching for him, if only a little bit. I really want him to kiss me, to hold me. And the moment back in my dorm... With my bed right there... Merlin, I couldn't and can't help but just think about what might have happened if we had a little bit of time.

Is thinking about James and I alone, in bed, and naked so bad?

I hope not.

(Because I'm guilty of more than one charge.)

James and I walk side-by-side to the train with Remus, Sirius, Marlene, and Dorcas. I look around and discover that Peter isn't with us.

"Where's Pete?" I whisper to James.

"He bailed late last night saying he had to get help in DADA from Professor McGillian over the break," he responds, close to my ear. I try my best to ignore it. It helps, if only a bit.

"That's strange. He could've just gotten help from us," I say, my eyebrows furrowing together.

"That's what I told him, but he insisted we have fun without him," James says, sounding disappointed so I take his hand and squeeze it for a second to comfort him, then I let go. He smiles at me, but looks disappointed for a different reason.

The train ride home was nothing if not eventful. Sirius, fed up with Remus studying for NEWTs, takes his Transfiguration book and chucks it out the window, much to the amusement of the rest of us. Remus said a few very colourful words to him, then stomped out of the compartment. Sirius went after him, exclaiming, "Oh come on, Moony, it was only a joke, we can make up for it tonight if you want!"

After hearing that very suggestive and sexual comment, I turn to James –who very gracious took the seat I had been saving for Marlene, the git- and say, "Are they-"

James laughs, "No, no, no. Sirius just jokes about it a lot." James straightens up in his seat and turns a little more towards me. "Last year when Remus got his first girlfriend-"

"Amelia Bones, right?" I ask. Remus had told me he had dated her for a few weeks, though that was about all he said.

"Yeah, Amelia," James chuckles. "Well, when Remus came back to the dorm and told us, Sirius feigned hurt and said, 'But Moony, I thought you were holding out for me!'"

I bend my head back laughing as James does too.

"So ever since then, Sirius always jokes about it with him," James says. "It actually quite hilarious."

"I can see," I say, though halfway through I start yawning.

"Are you tired?" James asks, a little concerned, and my stomach flips. Damn him. Does he have to be so bloody perfect?

I shake my head. "No, not really."

He looks at me, amusement and disbelief in his beautiful hazel eyes. "How long did you stay up last night studying, Lily?"

"I'm not sure…"

"Here." James lays his arm behind me, exposing his left side to me, offering himself as a pillow.

I shake my head again, "James, I'm fine really-"

"No, you're exhausted. Come on, I won't bite."

I study him for a second. He's smiling at me, encouragingly and comfortingly. I sigh defeated, because the idea of falling asleep on him is blissful, and then lean against him, my head on his chest.

Just before I fall asleep, I notice Dorcas looking at me, amused. I glare at her as best I can, just before my eyelids fall.

"Lil," I hear in my ear. "Lily, come on. We're at Kings Cross."

My eyes flutter open, and I look up at James.

He's smirking. Damn it.

"Well good morning, Flower," he says lowly.

I move off him. "Sod off, Potter."

He chuckles before getting up and grabbing my bag off the rack above us.

"Where is everybody?" I ask wearily after looking around and discovering no one is left except James and I.

"They went looking for my parents. I told them I'd get you," he says then offers a hand.

I take it carefully and he pulls me up quickly and with force so that we're right up against each other.

"Well, well, here we are again. Deja vu, no?" he says, grinning.

I glare and push him away. "Nice try, Potter."

He laughs deeply. "Come on."

James' parents are nothing like what I had thought they'd be. First off, they were much older than what I had expected. Mrs. Potter seemed to be in her late fifties and Mr. Potter had to have been over sixty. Also, coming from a pureblood family, I expected them to scowl at the sight of a muggleborn. Instead, his mother beams largely and pulls me into a bone crushing hug.

"You must be Lily!" she says, he voice rather sing-song like.

"Yes, ma'am," I reply, smiling warmly at her.

"Call me, Dorea, please. I'm not that old," she laughs. "My husband, however, might be."

"I am only 62, thank you very much," Mr. Potter says defensively, and holds out his hand. "Call me Charlus, dear," he says smiling, and I am struck by how much James really looks like his father. Same unruly black hair, though with several gray areas, and dazzling smile. Same bone structure and shape of his eyes. They only difference is that Charlus' eyes are a dark emerald green. James' inherited his mother's eyes.

I took his hand and shook it carefully, in a slight daze. "Wow-"

"Yes, my loving son does look exactly like me, doesn't he?"

"Almost completely, sir," I laugh and look up at James and smile mischievously, "Although you're far better looking than James."

Charlus laughs boisterously and James scowls at me playfully. "Watch it, Evans, or you could be sleeping outside," James says

"Oh please, James," scoffs Sirius from beside Marlene. "You're always a complete gentleman around Lilykins."

"Not all the time," reasons Dorcas. "There was that one time where we walked into them in a rather compromising position in the head dorms that one night-"

"Okay, okay, first off," I scowl at Dorcas, "I repeatedly told you that was an accident and that nothing was even remotely going on-"

"Oh I don't know, Flower," says James with a smirk dancing on his face, "You looked ready to snog me if they hadn't come in-"

I open my mouth to say something, but luckily Dorea interrupted before I could bury myself deeper. "James Harold Potter, you are not to patronize this lovely girl, do you understand?"

"Of course, Mum," James replies, though never looking away from me.

I glare at him and go over to Dorcas. I tell myself he won't be forgiven easily, but of course, my plans never go as I want.