Lily searched for James for nearly a fortnight. The only times she saw him were during classes and during them they worked so hard that there was no time for her to speak to him. She had tried cornering him a few times at the end of class but he proved ever the elusive. If she hadn't known better, she'd have thought he had an Invisibility Cloak.

In a final act of desperation, Lily begged Sirius to help her.

"Please Padfoot? I need your help. I've got to apologize to him." Lily pleaded one day in the Gryffindor Common Room.

Sirius looked at her sadly. "Sorry Lily, I'm under strict control so as not to reveal to you his presence."

Lily nodded. "It's alright, I guess." She sighed as she leaned against the armchair before an idea hit her. She bounced off of the chair, nearly knocking over a few of the younger students.

"What's got into her?" Carling Macdonald asked Sirius as Lily ran past.

"She probably has an idea on how to win back her one true love." He winked at her. "But you didn't hear that from me."

Lily had flown out of the Common Room but she flew right back in. "What floor is your dormitory on?" She asked, not pausing to catch her breath.

Sirius gave her a strange look but answered. "The fourth, Lils."

"Keep everyone out of it till I come back, alright?" She said. She didn't bother to wait for a reply. She dashed out of the Common Room, galloping up the stairs.

"Mad, isn't she?" Carling said to Sirius.

"No," he shook his head, watching the fleeting figure of Lily, "she's in love."

---

James was sitting upon his bed, alone in the dormitory. He held a rag in one hand and his broom in the other. He was rubbing it carefully, trying to make certain that the wood would remain as shining as new.

He heard footsteps on the stairs and assumed it was one of the Marauders. "Come to help me?" he asked, glancing at the door as it flew open.

His jaw dropped as he saw before him an extremely disheveled Lily Evans. He stared as she walked in, breathing deeply. She walked until she stood before his bed.

"You. We. Air." She gasped.

James merely stared at her.

"Water!" She croaked.

James grabbed his wand and stood up. He walked over to her and muttered, "aguamenti," pouring the water into Lily's gasping open mouth.

"Thanks," she managed after swallowing three gulps.

"What do you want?" James asked coolly, leaning against his bed.

"To talk to you."

"Funny," he said, "it seems the roles are reversed. Normally I'm the one who wants to talk to you."

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, switching her weight from one leg to the other nervously.

"For what?" James asked, looking at her.

He was going to make her do it properly. She was going to have to explain what she had assumed, what had upset her about it, and then apologize. The thought of explaining what seemed to be unexplainable made her feel sick.

"Well?" James prompted in a tone slightly warmer. He was looking at her carefully and she looked a bit green.

Lily took a deep breath. "Imsorryforassumingyouandlavinasnoggedorsomethingandimverysorryforbeingsosillyandmakingyougetmadatmeandimjustsosososososorrypleaseforgivemeidontknowwhyiassumedyousnoggedherbutthethoughtofyouandhermademesickandimjustsorryforassumingsomethingihavenorightassumingitsnotlikeihaveanyclaimtoyouatallsoimsorry."

"Er sorry?" James looked at her, "Mind repeating that a bit slower?"

"Alright." She sighed. "I'm sorry for assuming that something went on between you and Lavina. I had no right to assume anything or even get upset with you if there was something between you and her. I have no claim to you and I have no right to become upset at you having a relationship of some type with someone. I don't know what came over me but I'm extremely sorry."

"I know what came over you," he said quietly.

"You do? What?" She looked at him excitedly. Maybe he had a prognosis on her mental disease.

"It's common, trust me. I've suffered through it before, though I didn't go about it the same way as you. It's something that gnaws at your insides, isn't it?"

Lily nodded eagerly.

"Something that drives you mad, making you wonder what's going on?"

Another enthusiastic nod.

"It makes you do irrational things. Like yelling at someone for no apparent reason and not listening to their side of the story."

Lily looked down at the ground and waited for him to continue.

"Do you want to know what it's called?" he asked.

"Yes." Lily replied, looking at him.

"The green-eyed monster."

"A monster?" Lily raised an eyebrow at him. "I hardly think I was possessed by a monster."

"Try thinking not so literally, Kooks." Lily's heart leapt at the familiar nickname being used. "It's jealousy."

"Jealous? Of what?" She asked before she could help herself.

"Of Lavina. Of a relationship between me and Lavina." James answered. He looked at her calmly. "You were jealous."

"Was I really?" She stared at him. "But I don't fancy you."

James shook his head. "No Lily, you do fancy me. You're just too bloody stubborn to admit it."

"No I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

They stared at each other for a few moments before Lily spoke.

"I was jealous," she whispered.

"You were," James nodded.

"I fancy you," she muttered.

"You do."

"I never thought I'd be fancying you at all."

"I always hoped you would."

Lily sat down on the end of his bed weakly. "Why do you fancy me when I'm so bloody awful?"

"It's just 'cos of that, Kooks. 'Cos you're so bloody awful." He smiled at her, his cheeks nearly breaking beneath the weight of his dimples.

"Now what?" she asked quietly.

"Now we wait."

"For what?"

"For you to be ready to date me." James replied.

"But I thought I was? I fancy you…" Lily looked at him, extraordinarily confused.

"Yes, you do fancy me," he explained, "but you're not ready to date me. You've still got to adjust to the idea of it. You need to want to date me. I can't add a 1081st rejection to the list." He smiled at her. "I want you to want to date me, Kooks. And until you are, I won't ask you."

"When will I be ready, do you think?"

James shook his head with an amused smile playing at his lips. "Only you'll know that for sure, Lily."

"But how will you know then?"

"I'll know."

"Let's make a deal, just to make sure you know. I'll… I don't know… think of something…"

"No Lily, no deals. I'll know."

"Are you sure?"

James looked at her solemnly. "I'll know, Kooks. I promise."