xOCDxObsessiveCullenDisorderx – Thank you! 3 I'm glad it's realistic. My previous problem was sticking in character. My new problem is making everything interesting :P

lizzielou – Thank you very much :) More updates? *waves wand* There you go, update!

avalena – Hehe, he makes me smile, too 3 More fluff will come... soon! This had some fluff, but I have more cotton ball fluff waiting. Thanks for the review!

You're Just As Sane As I Am - -hands over some nummy crayons- Don't choke on them ;) Thanks. I'm very happy at my quick updation... updating... too! :D Which is why I have another one right here! OO TWISTABLE CRAYONS.

This was a pointless chapter, kind of.

Snape: Just to let everyone know, I do like Snape. He is one of my favorite characters. He defines the perfect anti-hero and I love him for that. I am a very strict James/Lily shipper, though, so whenever Snape tries to interfere with the flawlessness that is James and Lily, I have to taunt him a little. Which is part of the reason he is involved so much in this fic. He must be in it! (You can see it in my other James/Lily fic, too.)

It would take a lot to beguile you intelligent people that I am J.K. Rowling. Me? J.K. Rowling? How bogus.

How to Survive James Potter for Dummies

Written and experienced by Lily Evans

Chapter 4: Four B's

Boisterousness

"I can't believe you don't hate him!" Sirius exclaimed, sitting across from Lily and James. Beside Sirius were Peter and Remus. Beside Lily were Alice and Mary. They were having dinner in the Great Hall, and in the table behind them, Snape looked on murderously, his expression suggesting that he might want to break something.

Lily grinned and patted James' cheek filled with food. "Who could hate this face?" James smirked, gulping down the food stuffed in his mouth.

"And anyway, she has to," said James, shrugging.

"Do I?" Lily gave him a questioning look.

Alice cut in: "Yes. 'Strictly professional, just friends, I have to.' That's what she told me and Mary, isn't that right?" The Marauders caught the disappointment on James' face, and for once contained with tact, did not say anything. Lily and her friends didn't see it.

"That's right," Mary agreed. "Nothing more."

"Ah -" Alice clumsily spilled a glass of pumpkin juice, suddenly. "Oh, sorry, sorry!" she apologized hastily to Sirius, Remus, and Peter.

"It's okay, Alice, we have our clumsy moments," said Remus patiently.

Lily giggled. "Oh, Alice. How obvious could you be?" She and Mary were stifling their laughs.

"What is it?" Peter asked curiously. Mary pointed her chin in the general direction of where Frank Longbottom had just walked off.

"Oh," said James and Sirius. Both of them shared identical grins. James nodded to Sirius, who stood up in his seat.

"Oh, no, no, Sirius, please, no," begged Alice. Lily smiled, patting her shoulder. Sirius was grinning insanely.

Sirius relentlessly made a circle around his lips with his hands and yelled: "Hey! Longbottom!" Frank spun around. "Want to go out with Thomas this Friday?"

"How 'bout Saturday? I have some studying to do," Frank called out. Alice gasped, mouthing some words, but no sound came out. Her eyes sparkled in excitement.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, Saturday! Any day!" Alice said excitedly. Frank smiled at her, saluted, then sat down beside his friend, who was smirking at his red face, for Frank looked slightly flushed as well. "Ohmygosh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" She bounced in her seat. The Marauders laughed.

"She's been dying to go out with him since fifth year," Mary informed the Marauders. Alice smacked her. Lily was glancing at her watch.

"Erm, James, can we go?" Lily asked awkwardly. "Um, you know... I have homework."

James chuckled. "Oh, come on, Lily, they're your friends. They ought to know you're getting Transfiguration help from me."

Sirius gasped theatrically. "Lily, our Lily Evans, is getting homework help from James, our James Potter?" He pretended to faint, dropping his head on Remus' shoulder.

"Sirius," Remus started exasperatedly.

James grinned. "Yes, because our Lily is incapable of doing this without my help..." He wrapped his arm around Lily, holding her wrist and twisting it around like he did the other night.

This was not a good thing, Lily knew. His arm encased her shoulders, hugging her closer to him. She nearly snuggled against his body, but leaned casually the other way. She could smell him. He smelled like fresh grass, and the Head dormitory. The Head dormitory had the faint smell of Lily's perfume, and papers. Often, it rained, and when it did, the door was open. James smelled like rain, papers, and... Lily. Lily thought to herself fiercely, Don't blush, don't blush, don't blush, … oh Merlin. Her face heated up very obviously, red growing onto her cheeks embarrassingly. Alice and Mary started giggling. "What are you laughing at?" she said snappishly, but she was smiling sheepishly to them. I am not, not, not, not... not...

James winked at the Marauders from behind Lily's back. Behind him, Snape stared disgustedly at his plate and pushed it away, looking as though he might puke.

"Alright, alright, James, let go," said Lily in the most patience voice she could muster – which wasn't very patient. Lily shrugged off James' arm. She stood up and stalked off, shoulders squared, only out of embarrassment. As soon as she thought they couldn't see her face, Lily smiled a little to herself. James grinned at the Marauders and rushed after her.

Bets

Once James and Lily we're out of earshot, Sirius looked around at the group. "Are we taking bets on how long it's going to take for Lily to realize she's falling head over heels for Mr. Potter?"

"At least by Christmas," said Alice confidently.

"Oh, not that far away?" Peter asked, shaking his head. "I think next week."

"Hmm... no," Remus disagreed. "James is too tactful now. He'll wait a while, Peter."

Sirius snorted. "James wouldn't touch tactful with a ten foot pole."

"No!" Mary said to Sirius. "Have you seen how careful he acts around Lily? I agree with Remus."

"Maybe three weeks," Remus suggested.

"I thought we were discussing when Lily would realize she's falling for James?" Alice demanded. "In that case, I know my best friend. She's going to be in denial for a long time."

Mary nodded, shrugging. "Alice has a good point there."

"But she'll soften up eventually, right?" asked Remus. "James has been trying."

"Trying," said a different voice, "but I don't think he'll succeed."

Bitterness

Sirius narrowed his eyes. "You mean, you don't want him to succeed, Snivellus. Now, go away. Lily hasn't any business with you anymore. Not after that day, you know." Snape's sullen features stretched into a pained look. His eyes flashed as the memory surfed through his thoughts. He snarled and drew his wand angrily, mouth opening.

"Not here, Mr. Snape!" said Professor McGonnagal sharply, coming down the aisle. "And you, Mr. Black, provoking him! Five points from both Slytherin and Gryffindor." Sirius huffed. Snape stalked away, glaring at the floor. Professor McGonnagal left just as Snape did.

"Are we agreeing on a month, then?" Sirius asked quietly.

Believing

Sirius would be surprised. Lily was closer to believing than any of them had thought.

The two Hogwarts Heads were silently reading through books. They had been studying. They were past Transfiguration, because Lily insisted that James needed to study his own subjects as well. Lily broke the pristine silence with a murmur: "You'll probably kill me, but -"

"I would never kill you, Lily dear," James replied in undertone. "As a matter of fact, I would try to keep you alive as much as possible."

Continuing the barely audible voices, Lily said, "Don't call me that." She paused, smiling. "I've never been on a broom."

"Yes, you have. First year," said James.

"I … I never really flew," Lily admitted. "Do you not remember?" James leaned back in the armchair, trying to remember. They had been with the Slytherins. Madam Hooch looked most impressed with his talent. Lily had... struggled. Certainly, she had sat on the broom, and rose off the ground. James knew the difference between rising off the ground and flying. Flying was an experience. Rising off the ground was... well, rising off the ground.

"Yes, I remember," James murmured. "I'll teach you. I like teaching you." He waved a hand over the papers in front of them, motioning to the assignments to make his point. "You're a fast learner." Then, the peace started again. They were quiet. James was leaning back casually in his seat, a hand behind his head, the other hand holding a Potions paper.

Then, Lily looked.

Lily always saw James. She saw his face, every single day. She knew that he had hazel eyes, glasses, an athletic build, and messy, raven black hair. However, it was now that she truly saw him. Her eyes raked over his face. Black locks shadowed his tanned forehead, cutting in between eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Even now, his hazel eyes sparkled with mischief, while studying. They were, perhaps, an echo of his mischievousness, but they were still the same innocently clever James Potter playful gleam. His lips were a shadow of a smirk. His tall body was sprawled gracefully on the crimson armchair, his torso slouching lazily.

Lily realized something as well, just then. James had never changed. He had always been the same: filled with pranks, and even arrogant. Including now, he was. James had only just let Lily see a different side of him this year. The sincere, caring, side of him. A moving image flashed to her head. She was wrapped in James' arms, and he soothed her. He made her smile. Lily was happy to have him as a friend. She smiled to herself. Lily's eyes did not leave him. She continued to gaze on, filled with awe at how blind she had been for so long. For all those years, she had missed out on having a close friend like James, only because she refused to see the plain obvious. James' hazel eyes traveled upwards, and their eyes met. James smiled. Not a conceited grin, but a gentle, curious show of pleasantness. "What are you looking at, Lily?"

Shrugging, Lily replied simply: "You."

**

Yes, the mention of Quidditch is necessary! :P

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