She hadn't meant it to happen...it simply had...and she couldn't go back now. Lauren was sitting on the edge of her bath, her chin on her hand, looking distinctly unimpressed. Alice was looking moodily out of the window, refusing to even glance at Lily.

Lily was trying to avoid looking at either of them while drying her hair perhaps a bit too vigorously with her towel. She'd had to shower to get the smell of the lake off her.

"I thought you agreed with me, 'he does seem a lot nicer' you said." Alice still wasn't looking at her.

Lily put the towel down and picked up a brush slowly, awkwardly thinking how to answer,

"I have...I have been trying Alice, I -"

"No you haven't!" Alice was looking at her now, angrily at that, "When we've sat with them on a morning or at lunchtime you're practically silent! You don't even both talking to him to -"

"He doesn't talk to me either, Alice!" she said, frustratedly rounding on her friend.

"Well, to be honest, I wouldn't talk to you either. You're so haughty and dissaproving of every little word he says! It's a wonder he manages even to ignore it!"

Lily shook her head, going back to combing, (or indeed attacking) her hair.

"He jumped in the lake after you Lils," Lauren said quietly behind her, "I think at least an apology-"

Lily then rounded on her, suddenly livid, "Look, I didn't ask him to and the fact of the matter is I can swim, so I really don't think I have to say anything to him!"

"So you're not going to attempt to like him then, Lily?" Alice asked pointedly, "Not even for me?" When Lily didn't reply, she shook her head, looking disgusted, "You're being a child! I like him! OK? I do, and you're supposed to be my friend. He's not done anything to upset you...unless you count saving your life as some major transgression. But Lily, for goodness sake, you at least owe me an apology! After you had a go at him for about half an hour, I went over and asked if he was OK. He just glared at me and stormed off...like it was my fault! Go ahead and hate him all you want, but don't you dare drive him away from me in the process!" Alice stood there a little while, breathing heavily and staring at Lily. When Lily just continued to brush her hair, she left, slamming the door behind her.

Lauren got up. "Lily?" Lily didn't answer her either, and Lauren sighed.

"I'll, see you around..."

The door closed and Lily threw her brush furiously at wall. What the hell was wrong with her?

They had all been out on the boats, floating upon the lake. Professor Slughorn had taken supplies being low as an opportunity to show them which particular sea creature venoms they used and why. After a rather amusing day of fishing on the lake, Lily was distracted when she saw Alice giggling at something James had said. He brushed some hair out of her face...gently...softly... Abruptly, the boat erupted in screams and yells as something gave it one massive jolt. Lily gripped onto the side of it hard, but it wasn't enough. Whatever it was, she realised all too quickly, it was attached to the end of her fishing rod. When the creature tugged with all its might, Lily had no time to let go. She went plunging into the icy cold waters of the lake. Panicking, she tried to cut loose as she was pulled horrifyingly deeper into the dark waters of the middle of the lake, but the string had been wrapped around her hand. She fumbled desperately, light getting dimmer, her breath no longer lasting her, her conciousness leaving her. Her efforts began to slacken as the weight of the lake began pressing in upon her. But miraculously, the cord sprang loose, two arms enclosed tightly around her waist and quickly, if slightly awkwardly, she began moving upwards. Finally, her head was above water, and she coughed and spluttered, shivering from the cold. She felt herself being dragged on to the boat, and someone tumbled in after her. Lauren ran to her, making her sit up and putting her school cloak around her. Lily shivered a thanks, (not only was she

freezing but her shirt was most definitely see-through). She looked at her rescuer and nearly stopped breathing again. Potter was there, dripping from head to toe on all fours, trying to catch his breath. Sirius was laughing at him, clapping him on the back, Alice was beaming at him, and trying to put her cloak around him.

He looked up slightly and for a moment hazel eyes held green, both faces unreadable. And Lily frowned, "What on earth were you doing!! -"

Lily cringed to remember it. Everyone had been staring at her. David Mackintosh hadn't even been able to look at her. James had just saved her, what was she on about? She had shouted at him for 5 solid minutes, and then, taking her quite by surprise, he had started to shout back, his eyes glinting viciously. They incoherently argued themselves hoarse for Lily didn't know how long, or even about what. Professor Slughorn had broken it up in the end, insisting his two favourite students had no cause to fight whatsoever, they were both too brilliant. The journey back to the shore had been silent and bitter.

One of the worst aspects was that once again, her neck was aching badly. But she didn't believe she deserved Madame Pompfrey's attention; she considered it some form of a punishment for being so ridiculous. Lily sat by the fire in the common room, hidden in one of the biggest armchairs, waiting as the room slowly emptied. It was late Thursday night; it had happened over 3 days ago, but it still made her cringe, and no-one had forgotten it yet. She had to admit, she wasn't used to it. Everyone, from as far back as she could remember, generally seemed to like her. She knew she wasn't mean or boastful or proud. She always smiled in all the right places, could make people smile as well. She was clever, clever enough to know that all those sorts of things made for a likeable character, so why had she gone against everything she knew? Everything she knew she was supposed to be. Potter always seemed to bring out the worst in her...

As though her thoughts had beckoned him, he came through the portrait hole then, and although looking vaguely tired from his duties, he was as pleased as he always seemed to be. Bloody Potter... He looked around the common room. Virtually empty by now, even Sirius had gone to bed. Oddly, on seeing it was empty, his appearance changed slightly; the energy of his stance seemed to falter, he looked just that bit more tired, and his mouth turned in such a way that all cheerfulness was removed from his face. He looked...grim. He walked purposefully over to a chair, not far from Lily's, and took out a large envelope from beneath his robes. He had not seen her yet.

Curious, she turned her body slightly to get a better view. He hunched over a small table in front of him and pulled out what appeared to be several sheets of parchment, almost all with photo's attached. After reading a small slip of parchment on top, he then proceeded to examine each page with intense concentration. After a while he even got out a quill and started making notes on some. She noticed, while sitting their quite silently, that every so often expressions would form on James' face she would never have imagined being there, at one point he had looked disgusted, at another bitter, at one...she was sure it was simply pain. He ran his hands through his hair, but in frustration as opposed to any vain reason. She sat hypnotised, enthralled by this change in him. She longed to discover what he was examining so obsessively, but being so unknown to him this year, (apart from when she had shouted at him), she could hardly ask.

James finally put his quill down, and sighed when he saw it was almost 5 in the morning. Feeling he had at least gotten one step further, however futile his efforts felt, he stood up, putting everything back in the envelope. As he made to walk up the stairs he almost fell flat on his face with shock. He straightened and quickly walked around to the front of the chair to check he had it right. For reasons well beyond his knowledge, none other than Lily Evans was curled up fast asleep, breathing deeply. He hadn't even realised she had been sat there. But falling asleep in the common room was hardly a regular occurrence. In comparison to when she had argued with him earlier that week, (another notion of hers he could not understand) she looked rather peaceful. For a moment...just a moment... he watched her, his mind far away from the envelope in his hand.

It was finally Halloween, the days seemed to be dragging by, and she had a feeling they weren't going to get much faster.

"I'm going to apologise," she murmured. Lauren looked up, she didn't smile but it was obvious; she was pleased.

"You are? What changed your mind?"

"Just...well, its...Lauren you know what everyone's been saying and lets face it they are right. My behaviour made absolutely no sense. It's silly not to really."

Lauren nodded and returned to her essay. They had a free period and were in the library trying to do an essay for Professor Flitwick. Usually Lily had no problem with these, she was very good at charms, but having dozed off in a chair last night only to wake up at around 6 in the morning exhausted and with an awful pain in her neck, she could not concentrate. And, her mind kept considering the envelope. What had that -

"Hey Lauren." Alice's joining them interrupted her thoughts. She deliberately did not look at Lily. She hadn't been speaking to her this past week. Hurriedly Lauren said,

"Alice, Lils is going to apologise to him."

Alice looked at Lauren for a long moment then smiled at Lily hopefully.

"You are?"

Lily gave a resigned shrug, and Alice beamed.

"Oh, that's so good! Remus said James was so annoyed that day, but it'll be so good now! And, once you have, will you come join us later on? We're going to all meet up and mess about and stuff."

"um...I guess so...I'll apologise then shall I?"

Alice nodded enthusiastically. Lauren smiled at her, the sympathy, (no, pity), was clear on her face.

Lily decided then that she was too tired. Perhaps not the best Head Girl behaviour but Lauren lied to her teachers saying Lily wasn't feeling well, whilst Lily curled up in bed for a long nap.

"Lily? Wake up! It's nearly time for dinner!" Lily grabbed the pillow and put it over her head. Why must it always be Alice's ridiculously high voice?!

"Why are you so tired today?" Lauren asked curiously. Lily just moaned and moving the pillow aside, forced herself to get up. She supposed she wasn't feeling too tired any more.

"Meet us downstairs, we'll be sitting with James and everybody! We'll save you a seat OK?" Lily nodded, it seemed Alice had immediately become her friend again, much to her relief. The girl could be surprisingly stubborn...

Having a quick shower, she got dressed. It took longer than usual though, she got a bit picky about what she might wear. In the end a pair of rather tight jeans accompanied with an even tighter top seemed just as good as anything. It caught her curves in all the right places. She wasn't really bothered about that sort of thing though. Scrutinising herself in the mirror she decided a little mascara wouldn't hurt either...or perhaps a bit of blush. She gave her hair one quick brush over. Well, perhaps not so quick, but it looked rather glossy when she'd finished. Nodding in satisfaction she walked out of her room. She put a drop or two of perfume on before she left as well...she hadn't worn much of it yet.

The Great Hall had mostly people moving into it, it was indeed dinner time, and so her eyes searched the length of the Gryffindor table until she found James. And Alice and Lauren, and Remus was there too, unfortunately so were Sirius, and Peter, and, of course, James. They greeted her with smiles, although from Sirius it was more a smirk, and Peter seemed shy. James didn't quite meet her eye. She sat, determinedly, opposite him. Alice, sitting next to him, gave her an encouraging smile.

"Erm, James?"

Surprised, he looked up, staring at her with his hazel eyes. She had never even vaguely addressed him in her life, and when forced to talk to him, it had been 'Potter' in the most disgusted tones possible.

"I..."she swallowed, his friends had gone silent, looking curiously at her. She rushed, perhaps too quickly, into an apology "I wanted to say sorry, for shouting at you, it wasn't you, I was in a mood. And thank you for jumping in the lake after me." There was silence as he continued to stare at her. Then Sirius grinned at her, "Miss Evans!" he said looking impressed, "How very nice of you...James aren't you going to reply to this lovely lady?"

James stared at her a little longer, until Sirius nudged him. Glancing at Sirius who nodded in encouragement, he looked at her once more and said, "It's fine, you...you don't need to apologise." Oddly, he sounded as though he meant it. Alice giggled, "Well now that's sorted! Anybody for roast lamb?" James blinked; he seemed surprised to find Alice sitting there.