Lily,

James read the letter once more before throwing it back inside Lily's room. He had left the kitchens moments after he got there, after Lily snapped at him and told him to piss off. Not knowing what he had done wrong, he'd left, figuring there was no point getting in an argument with her after they had become so civil to each other. Finding the letter, James realized the reason of Lily's foul mood.

James had never much liked Cam, not liking the way he always put on this nice boy act to please everyone, as if he could do no wrong. His manipulative mind always seemed able to turn things back on the other person. James had seen him do it to Lily many times before.

James hated the fact that every pupil in Hogwarts though Cam was some kind of saint when James knew the real him. He remembers the day he told James to just give up on Lily as she would never go out with a fool like him. The anger had built up in him then, but just as he was about to hex him, Miss Evans had walked in on them.

Cam had used his manipulative techniques to trick Lily into going out with him days after, leaving James brewing.

James sighed, there was no reason getting involved with Lily and Cam's relationship; it would only turn on him if he did.

James was getting into bed when he heard the portrait hole open, and he listened intently when he heard Lily muttering angrily about something, most probably him…or Cam.

"…stupid, little ….pathetic…. whore" James smiled to himself. Maybe it was Laura she was cursing about.

"James?" Lily whispered and he almost jumped out of his skin. She had her head poking through the door of his heads room squinting in the darkness.

"Problem Lils?"

"Umm, no, well… I just didn't mean to snap at you earlier." She smiled sheepishly.

"Hey, it's no problem. I think I can handle it after seven years."

She smiled at him before closing his door, whispering, "Night".

Random as it might have been, it made James smile, though a thought bugged him as to why Lily wasn't as annoyed with Cam as she should have been. As she usually would have been.

If anyone else had told her that she had change, or insinuated that she was hanging around the wrong people, Lily would have gone mad at them.

The thought ate away at James, making him toss and turn. Cam can't do this to her, he can't have this kind of control over her. He had never heard Lily apologize as much in her life as she has when she is with Cam.

James threw his legs over the side of the bed, grabbed a sheet of parchment and a quill before slipping under his invisibility cloak.

.x.

In the owlery James folded the parchment before attaching it to one of the schools barn owls. It remained where it was though, tucking its head under its wing.

School post will arrive tomorrow.

.x.

Lily sat at breakfast absent-mindedly flicking through yesterdays edition of The Daily Telegraph, still awaiting the days post.

Cam had entered the hall about five minutes ago but Lily pointedly chose to ignore him, pursuing with her reading.

The flock of owls swooped in and the latest telegraph was dropped in her place.

Cassie had joined her as the owls arrived and noticing Lily's paper she asked if there was anything interesting in it.

"Nope. Well Gringots has had to get a new-" Lily's words were cut short as an angry Cam sat beside her slamming apiece of parchment down in front of her.

Lily- who had yet to witness Cam showing his frustration in public- raised her eyebrows at him in an unimpressed way.

"Problem?" She asked, trying not to smirk at him.

"Slight one yes. What is your problem Lily, I try to make amends and you throw it back in my face?"

"Try to make amends? Since when! And I didn't even reply to your rude letter" Lily said coolly, a slight edge to her tone.

"What do you think about this then? Forgotten already have you?" He snapped.

Lily took the parchment he was holding out to her and unfolded it.

Piss off you tosser it read. Lily let out an un-ladylike snort of laughter, which she quickly covered up with a cough at the sight of Cams face.

"I didn't write it." Lily said simply, pushing the parchment along the table to him.

"Well your writing does happen to look like this, does it not?"

"Yes, it does, but I didn't write it." Lily said. "Honestly.", She wanted to see if Cam actually would believe her.

"How can-"

"Hey Lils!" Cam was cut short by James seating himself right in front of Lily, along with the marauders and riley. He gave Lily a warm grin and took the paper she was reading, whilst ripping at a croissant.

Bingo Lily thought.

"If you wouldn't mind Potter, I am just having a private word with my girlfriend" Cam spoke through gritted teeth.

"Oh, of course I don't mind! Chat away" His grin widened, Sirius smirked and Remus and Peter looked away awkwardly as the tension rose.

"I don't think you got the message. I am telling you to leave"

"Ah, I would and all, but I'm just enjoying breakfast at the Gryffindor table, so if any one should leave I think it should be you" James' smile had become so fake, Remus, Cassie, Riley and Peter were all looking between the two, all smiles gone- Apart from Sirius, who was grinning like the Cheshire cat and the scene before him.

Lily rolled her eyes and before either of them could utter another word she cut in.

"Cam, get over it. I've told you I didn't write it and you being the amazing boyfriend chose not to trust me. Maybe /that/ reflects who is changing." Lily picked up her paper and made to leave, but quickly turned back and added "And don't you ever insinuate that I am hanging around with the wrong people"

There was a slight chorus of "Oooooh"'s coming from the marauders, and Lily bit down hard on her lip to stop herself smiling.

.x.

"So Lily, still with that poor excuse for a boyfriend?"

"Charming. You are hardly one to talk, Potter. I hear you're going out with Tanya? How many others are you playing her off with at the moment then?"

"Hey." James put his hands up in innocence. "I don't have a clue what you're talking about. Tanya and I only just started two days ago."

"I give you three days," said Lily.

"Three days for what?"

"Three days till you cheat." She smiled.

"Lily, please. Have a little more faith in me. Do you really think I have such little control over my hormones?"

Lily opened her mouth to reply.

"Actually, don't answer that." James cut across.

"Exactly" Lily smiled.

"Well, if you went out with me, I'd never cheat on you. You know that, don't you Lils?"

Lily laughed.

"What are you doing here James? I'm trying to work"

"Just stopping by, you know. This is our Heads common room."

"Yea, yea." Lily bent her head to carry on with her current essay.

"So Lily, when are you going to dump Golden boy?"

"What has that got to do with you?"

"So you are thinking about dumping him!" James smiled

"No!"

"You didn't deny it."

"I just did, Potter. You're being childish. When are you going to dump Tanya?" Lily challenged.

"In a few days, probably, but I'm keeping that under wraps so please, don't tell her." He winked.

"James, really. Why don't you just make an effort for once? Tanya is a nice girl, she would be… good for you."

"Lils, please. You don't know anything" Lily raised her eyebrows. "Well, I mean you know a lot but… oh never mind! It's not your business anyway."

"And Cam and mines isn't yours."

"True, true. How about, you don't meddle in my business then I won't meddle in yours?"

"Done. Shake?" Lily offered her hand

"Spit shake?"

"Get out."

.x.

"Lil, what's happening with you and Cam? Why are you avoiding him?"

"How do you know he's not the one avoiding me?" Lily asked pointedly.

"Cam adores you Lily," Cassie insisted, "don't you understand that? He is one of the really good looking guys in our year. Plus he is genuine and sweet and can't get enough of you. Every girl in our year is so jealous of you!"

"Cassie that means nothing. You don't know Cam all that well if you think he adores me that much. Why is it always me that's the bad one in the relationship? Cant you be on my side for once?"

"Lily-"

"Forget it, Cass. I've got to go do rounds now anyway."

Lily walked towards the portrait hole of the Gryffindor common room where she had been working with Cassie, when Riley walked in.

"Hey Lil! Where you off to?"

"I've got rounds" Lily made to walk away but Riley carried on. "By the way, Cam was asking after you. He seemed really down still from the other day. Don't you think you are being a bit hard on him?"

Lily let out a frustrated sigh and stalked out of the common room.

.x.

A week passed, and eventually Lily decided that she would be spending more time with Cam.

Everyone had been telling her that he was really upset about it all and that he was really sorry about it. Lily was starting to get sick of it all.

At the beginning, when Lily was not willing to make up quite soon, she saw Laura latching on to him, they walked to classes together and she kept approaching him in front of Lily.

But everything he kept doing was getting her angry, winding her up. James was right, everyone thinks he is a golden boy, that he can do no wrong. Lily was sick of being made out to be the bad one in their relationship.

Doubts of being together for too long were crossing Lily's mind more often now. Maybe she would be better off single.

The fact that Lily didn't want to talk to either Cassie or Riley about it was upsetting. She felt trapped, bottling up her emotions, yet her friends didn't understand. They loved Cam, thought he was great for Lily, and that he could never set a foot out of line.

Enough was enough. Lily was going to patch things up, and give it one last go.

.x.

Thanks for Reading, I apologise for the long wait!!

PLF

xXx